Ro Mueller

On the 13th pitch of his at-bat! Jeez!

1B Tyler Black just took out 2 months of frustration on the first pitch he saw: smashing a pitch on the inside corner 102.9mph for a 394-foot solo homer. Sweet!

After hitting rehabbing 2024 Major League All Star Jordan Westburg with his first pitch (waaayyy inside), Chad Patrick K’s the next 3 batters swinging. That’ll work!

The Brewers’ penultimate minor league regular season game of 2024 sees 26-year old RHP Chad Patrick (2.95 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 9.5 K/9 in 131.1 IP) aiming to lead Nashville back from a 1-3 series deficit at Norfolk. 2B Patrick Dorrian’s 8th inning single yesterday snapped his 0-for-24 skid.

K.C. Hunt covered 7 2/3 nearly flawless innings as the Shuckers forced a deciding Game Three on Friday. Carlos F. Rodriguez threw well for Nashville, but the bullpen couldn’t hold the lead. Image courtesy of MiLB/Matt Austin Transactions: SS Cooper Pratt promoted to AA Biloxi from High-A Wisconsin SS Eric Brown Jr. placed on AA Biloxi's 7-day injured list INF Owen Miller activated by AAA Nashville from temporarily inactive list C Andy Yerzy activated by AAA Nashville from Development List C Brian Navarreto placed on AAA Nashville’s 7-day injured list RHP Logan Henderson placed on Development List by AAA Nashville Game Action: Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Biloxi 5, Montgomery 1 Box Score and Game Log Via the Shuckers’ website, game details, and we encourage readers to review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine: Hunt Dominates, Shuckers Force Game Three in Montgomery On the road and facing potential elimination from the playoffs, Biloxi turned to 24-year old RHP K.C. Hunt, who started the season as a reliever at Low-A Carolina and may just end up being the Brewers’ Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year. Hunt delivered in phenomenal fashion, retiring 13 in a row at one point and not allowing Montgomery to generate any extra base hits or even put a runner in scoring position over his 7 2/3 innings. Tossing 92 pitches (65 strikes), he walked none and struck out five in front of a respectable crowd of 5,645 opposing fans. Offensively, it was number nine hitter C Nick Kahle (1-for-3, double, walk, 2 RBIs) who produced the Shuckers first hit, a clutch 2-out, 2-run double in the 2nd inning to give Biloxi a 2-0 lead after his teammates had drawn 4 walks and a hit-by-pitch to that point. DH Darrien Miller (1-for-2, 2 walks, 2 runs) later triggered the Shuckers’ 6th inning mini-barrage with a leadoff single to left field, the first of four consecutive hits, including a 2-run double by right fielder Connor Scott (1-for-4, double, 2 RBIs, run). This game also marked the AA debut for 20-year old super-prospect SS Cooper Pratt, who was hit-by-pitch his first time up, then grounded out twice before coming through with an RBI single in the 6th inning to push Biloxi’s advantage to 5-0. He also struck out and had an error in the 9th inning, so I guess it’s good that he also got those “firsts” out of the way. Shuckers’ Extras: Although Hunt was truly exceptional, he was still ultimately charged an earned run, as RHP Blake Holub relieved him with a runner on first base and 2 outs in the 8th inning, conceding a 4-pitch walk and RBI single before settling in to close out the game: 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K. Left fielder Zavier Warren (2-for-3, walk, run scored) also came through with a solid performance, while center fielder Lamar Sparks doubled and scored a run, and 2B Dylan O’Rae drew two walks. Biloxi’s number 3 and 4 hitters 3B Brock Wilken and 1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. saved their big hits for the series finale tomorrow, going a combined 0-for-10 with 3 strikeouts. Friday’s outlook: 24-year old LHP Nate Peterson (4.08 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 9.3 K/9 in 92 2/3 IP) has been named the starting pitcher for the Division Series’ deciding Game Three, with the winner advancing to the Southern League’s Best-of-3 Championship Series starting on Sunday. Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Norfolk 8, Nashville 4 Box Score and Game Log Via the Sounds’ website, game details: Sounds Stumble Late in Loss to Tides Nashville and Norfolk played their 3rd game in a 24-hour span, with the Sounds unfortunately coughing up a late lead for the third consecutive game. At this stage of the AAA season (which ends on Sunday), any pitcher entering the game is likely making his last appearance of 2024 and trying to end the campaign on a positive note. For starting 22-year old RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez (6 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 6 H, 1 BB, 1 WP, 4 Ks), the results were solid through five innings before an infield error to start the 6th inning set him back, with Norfolk batters getting two first pitch hits to plate 2 runs and tie the contest at 3-3. Sounds’ hitters battled through 7 innings, taking a 2-1 lead on three hits in the 4th, then getting a solo shot from center fielder Chris Roller to re-take the lead at 4-3 in the 7th. Unfortunately, RHP Elvis Peguero and LHP Tyler Jay (both on the 40-man MLB roster) weren’t sharp on this evening, combining to allow 5 runs over 2 innings (4 H, 4 BB, 2 Ks). Sounds’ Extras: 1B Wes Clarke had the team’s most productive day offensively with a 1-for-3 effort – double, walk, 2 RBIs, run scored. C Francisco Mejia also went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. 24-year old Tyler Black’s season can’t seem to end fast enough. He did collect one single, but also struck out 3 times and had an error in left field. The team may face an interesting off-season decision on Jay’s status. The 30-year old was extremely effective at AAA Syracuse (2.40 ERA, 1.02 WHIP in 41 1/3 IP), but wasn’t generating strikeouts (6.5 K/9) and has struggled at Nashville since coming over in a July trade (4.70 ERA, 1.63 WHIP in 15 1/3 IP). Will the pitching lab be key to transforming him into an effective Major League reliever in 2025? Friday’s outlook: RHP Mitch White (2.25 ERA with 37 Ks in last 32 IP) gets one final 2024 start to make his case to the Brewers and the rest of the league that he deserves a Major League contract this offseason, with Nashville needing a victory to start clawing back from this week’s 0-3 series deficit. Congratulations to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers’ Midwest League All-Stars: We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. On Friday, we’ve got Nashville (5:35pm CST), Biloxi (6:35pm) and the Milwaukee Brewers (7:10pm) all in action. Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View full article

After 4 walks and an HBP in their first 8 batters (but alas, no runs), it’s C Nick Kahle who delivers the first big hit! 2-0 Shuckers early:

20-year old SS Cooper Pratt makes his AA debut as Biloxi aims to stave off elimination in its Best-of-3 Division Series at Montgomery. RHP KC Hunt (quite possibly the Brewers’ Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year - 2.12 ERA with 139 Ks in 102 IP) gets the critical start. Go Shuckers!!

To the offense's credit, they pushed across 4 runs in the middle innings to take leads of 3-1 and 4-3 on a homer (Roller), 2 doubles (Arroyo, Clarke) and 2 singles (Mejia, Black). However, Arroyo had an error to lead off the bottom of the 6th inning, when CF Rodriguez really needed the defense's support to get through his final inning of the season. Two hits followed to tie the game 3-3 before Roller's 7th inning shot. Then MLB 40-man rosterees RHP Elvis Peguero and LHP Tyler Jay combined to allow 5 runs in 2 innings on 4 hits and 4 walks, so the Sounds fell 8-4 to drop their third straight game of this week's series. I would guess we won't see Peguero until 2025 Spring Training and Jay's hold on that 40-man MLB roster spot may be tenuous given the pressure to protect other players from free agency or the Rule 5 draft. Of course, we traded respectable 5th year RHP TJ Shook for the 30-year old Jay, who'd been outrighted before, so we probably acquired him with the intent to transform him in the pitching lab this offseason. I assume we've tasked him with throwing harder than he had in Syracuse (6.5 K/9 with a 30 K / 4 BB ratio) given the spike in strikeouts in a short Nashville sample (11.2 K/9 with a 19 K / 8 BB ratio). His velocity peaked at 95.2mph today.

SS Cooper Pratt promoted to AA Biloxi from High-A Wisconsin SS Eric Brown Jr. placed on AA Biloxi's 7-day injured list

- INF Owen Miller activated by AAA Nashville from temporarily inactive list - C Andy Yerzy activated by AAA Nashville from Development List - C Brian Navarreto placed on AAA Nashville’s 7-day injured list - RHP Logan Henderson placed on Development List by AAA Nashville

After 2 walk-off defeats in Norfolk yesterday evening, AAA Nashville is right back at it this afternoon, led by 22-year old RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez (4.58 ERA with 125 Ks in 123.2 IP). SS Vinny Capra has a 7-game hitting streak and is hitting .381 in his last 63 PAs.

It’s an interesting decision. In 2018, Tyrone Taylor and Dylan Moore were eligible for free agency and the Brewers added Taylor to the 40-man MLB roster but not Moore (and thus lost him to Seattle). This feels similar to me. If we don’t add EMJ to the 40-man MLB roster, he may well scan the market in search of an MLB contract this winter. He’s about 7 months older than Taylor was in 2018 and has yet to play in AAA, but the plus defense and top-notch exit velocities make this a tough decision.

Phenomenal job as always Joseph. We really appreciate your knowledge and passion. Hopefully Biloxi grabs two shocking wins at Montgomery, which could put you write back to writing a report or two next week. It all starts with KC Hunt tonight!

Tough to win a series against left-handed hitting Lake County if you only have Manfredi available for one game and Molina (first appearance in High-A) as the only other LHP on the roster. Needed Brian Fitzpatrick. Good night all.

Navarreto and Roller knocked in 3 runs as Nashville comes back to take a 4-3 lead in the 4th.

Atta boy Lara! 2-run single with Pratt up to the dish next. Will Lara steal here?

We’re 1-for-13 with RISP, with Yophery getting the only such hit. Down 6-2 after letting Hall bat (and K) then pinch hitting Chirinos for a fly out. Garcia hit by pitch for the 2nd time. Can Lara knock in some runs please?

6-2, 2 on, nobody out against a LHP. C’mon Tayden.

Why is Hall batting here? Where’s Ramon?

Areinamo with another double. That’s why we needed Pratt or Adams to get on last inning by any means necessary with 2 base runners already on. Perhaps a tough lesson as Pratt swung for the fence and Adams swung at the first pitch.