Brewers Minor League Link Report (8/26): Bullpens Waste Magnificent Efforts from Hunt and Hernandez; Affiliates Post 0-4 Mark

Transactions:

• UDFA OF Nick Monile has (unofficially) signed a contract with the Milwaukee Brewers and has been assigned to the ACL Brewers
• (8/25) RHP Tobias Myers was recalled by the Milwaukee Brewers from the Nashville Sounds
• (8/25) RHP Easton McGee was recalled by the Milwaukee Brewers from the Nashville Sounds
• (8/25) RHP Chad Patrick was optioned to the Nashville Sounds by the Milwaukee Brewers
• 3B Brock Wilken was reinstated from the 7-Day IL by the Biloxi Shuckers
• LHP Jesus Broca was assigned to the Biloxi Shuckers from the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers
• RHP Nick Merkel was placed on the the 7-Day IL by the Biloxi Shuckers (retroactive to 8/24)
• INF Eric Brown Jr. was placed on the 7-Day IL by the Biloxi Shuckers (retroactive to 8/24)
• RHP Griffin Tobias was placed on the 7-Day IL by the Carolina Mudcats
• RHP Carlos Carra was assigned to the Carolina Mudcats from the ACL Brewers
• RHP Paul Hoff (procedurally) was activated from the 7-Day IL by the DSL Brewers Gold

Final: Charlotte (White Sox) 7, Nashville 3

Via the Sounds website, please be sure to click and read each of the affiliate write-ups as part of your season-long Link Report routine (believe me, it's worth it):

Hoskins Post Three-Hit Performance in Loss to Knights - Oliva Extends Hitting Streak to Five Games

Box Score/Game Log

Game Notes

After being a stalwart veteran presence for the majority of the Sounds season, RHP Garrett Stallings finds himself in a funk. Tonight's 2 2/3 IP of 7 H, 1 BB, 2 K, 2 HR, 6 ER work was quite indicative of his struggles of late. After a July that saw Stallings pitch 19 1/3 innings to a 1.86 ERA and a 0.174 BAA with an 0.83 WHIP, he has fallen to a 9.27 ERA in 22 1/3 IP in August. 0.400 BAA. 2.10 WHIP. It's an entirely different pitcher in what is very clearly his worst month all season. As I said: up until August, Stallings has been a lynchpin on the Sounds staff. And, a very solidly performing positive impact lynchpin at that. I wish I could tell you what's wrong other than he simply isn't sharp. Cutting edge insights, I know. 

Three Quick Strikes:

1) I don't exactly know what we're looking for in CF Jackson Chourio's rehab work beyond staying healthy and showcasing an ability to play back-to-backs. But, I do believe it's fair to share: he has not been all that impressive in a Sounds jersey. He is 1-for-15. He has struck out seven times to one free pass. Obviously, we all know these Sounds rehab stints haven't been all that indicative of MLB success or failure in 2025. However, it is worth noting Chourio has absolutely not hit the ground running in any capacity since his return to competitive baseball. Tonight, he went 0-for-4 with 3 K added to his ledger batting lead-off.

2) 1B Rhys Hoskins, on the other hand, has absolutely been in prime form. His 3-for-4, 1 R, 2 2B outing tonight brought his rehab output to a 0.348 BA and 1.139 OPS. These numbers would make Triple-A Andrew Vaughn weep. Given the thin bench up in Brew Town, a hot hitting rotational 1B/DH Rhys Hoskins is going to be a very very good thing. May it last.

3) RHP Justin Yeager might be walking one too many batters for my liking since his transition to Triple-A but that's more a side story than anything of real substance. In one of the more interesting fringe storylines of 2025, Yeager's ability to hit Triple-A waters and thrive is certainly a noteworthy development. The more interesting component of his current success is Triple-A hitters just aren't really hitting him. 2 1/3 scoreless IP tonight. 2 K, 2 BB. There's that nagging BB:K ratio. But, again, if opponents just aren't hitting him those walks don't carry as much weight. I'll be very curious to see what the Brewers have in mind with Yeager when this upcoming off-season arrives. 

Final:  Montgomery (Rays) 2, Biloxi 1

Hunt Stars with Dominant Start, Shuckers Fall to Biscuits in One-Run Affair - As Post-Season Nears, Last Year's Ace is Heating Up

It's never a good time when your team fails to back up seven innings of one hit and nine strikeout work. RHP KC Hunt was absolutely dealing on the evening. The curve ball was a dazzling and majestic high swooping pitch that grabbed many a K. The change-up, a pitch that has truly evolved throughout the season, was also dialed in. It's been easy for we fans to get lost in the up-and-down nature of Hunt's season at large, but I think it's important to consider the plan of development with this particular arm. As the season comes to a close, we are beginning to see the fruits of an entire off-season and in-season development arc. The toolkit is starting to come further into focus and it is an improved toolkit overall than the one that one Pitcher of the Year in 2024. It truly is. Take a look at this compilation our man @Spencer Michaelisgave us on the bird app:

Truly beautiful stuff. Simply put: Hunt deserved a better final outcome.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) We saw a solid and healthy IL return debut for 3B Brock Wilken. 1-for-4, 1 BB, and 1 K on his evening. He looked comfortable out there. He was ultimately pinch run for in the 8th inning but this seemed quite clearly a planned component of his evening. Let's just hope he stays healthy from here and he gets hot with the long ball as we head into the post-season.

2) RHP Zach Peek was indeed the blip out of the Shuckers Pen. He simply couldn't find the zone. He added insult to injury early, as well, when his first batter reached and was immediately sent to second base via wild pitch. It was a bad omen. 1/3 IP of 2 H, 2 BB, 2 ER ball. He'll likely lament 1B Blake Burke's hard charging attempt at a successful sac bunt - a play in which Burke failed to execute as the bases became full. Peek can ultimately thank RHP Travis Macgregor for getting the final two outs - he inherited runners on the corners. He allowed only one to score via a fly out sac fly. 

3) Shout out to DH Hedbert Perez. It's always nice to see once shiny prospects experiencing success. It's no secret I continue to believe in the potential of Perez's bat - miles to go in this regard but there is power in that swing. 2-for-4, 1 RBI, and 1 K on his evening. And, while we're going this route, let's give a special nod to LF/3B Eduardo Garcia's 1-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 K effort. I thought he'd surely be the go-ahead and winning run. It simply wasn't to be. 

Final: Quad Cities (Royals) 5, Wisconsin 1

Quad Cities Keeps Wisconsin Quiet - Rattlers Held to Two Hits

Game Notes

RHP Manuel Rodriguez was utterly sublime in his last start at Beloit. Tonight, back at Home, he was decent. I am judging his performance by the bar he just set in a masterful performance - given what I've seen from him in my two seasons of watching him on the regular, it's a fair if meaningless bar. I have given myself the licensure to set this bar. And, you my dear readers, shall just have to take my word for it. Rodriguez was too high in the zone with the majority of his offerings tonight. That is my main point of analysis. 4 2/3 IP of 6 H, 2 BB, 6 K, 1 HR, 3 ER work. He needed 96 pitches to almost finish five complete frames. In Beloit, just one start ago, Rodriguez painted the edges and lived at the lowest and just below the lowest portions of the zone. Tonight, he flirted with danger with his location quite often at the belt or above it. With his offense giving him virtually no support, Rodriguez took the loss and fell to 2-5 overall. And, the T-Rats second half plunge continued as they fell to a woeful 18-36 overall.

Full-Game Highlights:

Post-Game Podcast:

There isn't all that much to get into with a 5-1 loss when an offense musters two hits. I will say, 3B Andrew Fischer's speed on the base paths continues to be a very pleasant surprise. He stole a base (his sixth) and was caught stealing (his first CS). He also poked a double and scored the T-Rats only run. C Marco Dinges continues to find throws to second base a mystery - he short-hopped a possible CS attempt and he airmailed a throw into center field. It's a post-IL stint regression by my eyes. Coming into the West Michigan series, before his hamstring strain, he was throwing to second base consistently quite well. Since his return he's reverted to 2024 form and it remains an elusive throw at present. The bottom of the T-Rats line up continues to be a major black hole on most nights. Tonight was certainly no different. Shout out to prime form RHP Patricio Aquino giving us a throwback 2 1/3 IP of 1 H, 0 BB, 5K, 0 R work. He gave his squad everything they needed to try and make a mini game of things before the River Bandits tacked on two more runs. This was quite easily Aquino's best outing since at least July 20th and it was likely his best outing of his entire season. We salute you, Patricio! The T-Rats will look to bounce back in game two.

Final: Delmarva (Orioles) 3, Carolina 2

Game Notes

Another opportunity to sneak back into first place atop the division wasted by the young Mudcats. Fredericksburg lost their second game in a row. The Mudcats continue finding ways to lose themselves. This game was in the fold after RHP Melvin Hernandez's sublime work over six innings - 6 H, 0 BB, 5 K, 1 ER. He threw 74 pitches and landed 55 for strikes. He did what he's done all season - limit damage and wow with an impeccable ability to attack the zone while keeping hitters off balance. Unfortunately, the bullpen was simply not up to the task giving out 7 free passes over a mere 3.0 IP. Add in a HB and two WP's and, well, you get the point. With only two weeks left, these young Mudcats continue showing me they may not be ready for the post-season. This is the sober baseball truth.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) For the second consecutive season INF Filippo Di Turi is being given every opportunity to find himself amidst a prolonged slump. This just in: it is not happening. He left tonight with a golden sombrero after his 0-for-4, 4 K evening. His timing looks off. And, his bat looks sluggish often well behind heaters of any velocity. It's a disappointing development as I ponder back just one year ago when I lamented the Brewers organization chose to bench red hot INF Miguel Briceno (since plucked by the Twins in the Minor League Rule 5 just last off-season) in favor of a deeply slumping Di Turi. Tonight, not only was his plate work uncompetitive but he committed an extremely costly routine error on a surefire double play ball. It was hit fairly hard, yes. BUT, it was hit directly to him and bounced several times before arriving. He simply botched the gather. Both runners got aboard. This led to the losing run. When it rains, it pours. It's monsoon season at Di Turi's locker. 

2) DH Handelfry Encarnacion is beginning to showcase some of that ACL power we heard of throughout the summer. He's hit several very hard balls for XBH's over the past two weeks. Tonight, he ripped a triple to the right center field gap that found its way to the wall. His teammates promptly struck out three consecutive times in a Mudcats 16 strikeout buffet but he managed to run across via a timely wild pitch. 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 3B, 2 K. 

3) Let's end on a good note. CF Braylon Payne can still showcase he has a lot more power in that bat than was ever advertised:

It's important to point out: this is only the second long ball allowed by RHP Twine Palmer. I can only wonder aloud what might have been for Payne's season as a whole had he not suffered through two untimely and unfortunate injuries. 1-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 HR, 1 K, 1 CS (his 10th in 40 attempts). None the less, Payne has shown some real grit in 2025. He worked through a post-injury slump; made some load adjustments; and has impressed overall all things considered. 

With the loss, the Mudcats remained 1/2 GB the first place Fredericksburg Nationals. Amidst both the Mudcats and Nationals struggles, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers have gained several games and are now a mere 1.0 GB themselves. It's down to the wire.

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