Ro Mueller

Roller was injured Thursday. Likely minor (not placed on IL), but probably not quite ready to play.

- OF Joey Wiemer recalled to MLB Brewers from AAA Nashville - LHP Jared Koenig’s contract selected by MLB Brewers from AAA Nashville (replacing injured RHP JB Bukauskas) - INF Andruw Monasterio optioned to AAA Nashville from MLB Brewers - (from earlier) RHP Trevor Megill sent on rehab assignment to AAA Nashville

Switch-hitting 26-year old 1B/OF Thomas Dillard (a 5th round pick in 2019) serves as a pretty strong exhibit for how difficult it can be to make the majors: - 2022: first taste of AA ball: .755 OPS, 12 HRs, 14 SBs in 16 attempts - in 516 PAs. Released! 😳 - 2023: Atlantic League (the best of the independent leagues, chock full of former major leaguers): .988 OPS, 39 HRs!!!, 100 RBIs, 8 SBs in 10 attempts, 100 walks, 125 Ks - in 533 PAs Most of Dillard’s power comes from the left side of the plate. Clearly he’s not Ernesto Martinez in terms of defensive scoops at first base, but come on!!! - 2024: Signs with the Cleburne Railroaders (Texas) of the American Association of Professional Baseball (AAPB) Thomas, if you’re out there, please go to Japan, Korea or Taiwan, mash, make some money and maybe find your way back to affiliated baseball from there.

With stolen bases becoming a bigger part of the game again, we may need some safety lessons from Scotty Po.

These early April ACL-level releases look like an attempted goodwill gesture by the Brewers, giving them a chance to potentially latch onto another contract in affiliated baseball before ACL seasons commence on May 4th: 21-year old RHP Kevin Briceno from Venezuela was signed as an international free agent in January 2021, impressing with a 3.12 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 9.0 K/9 ratio the same year in 26 DSL innings. In 2022, he captured Brewer Fanatic’s Short-Season Pitcher of the Year Award by producing a fabulous 2.02 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 8.8 K/9 ratio over 49 innings, split about evenly between the DSL and the Arizona Complex League. Sadly, an injury suffered in spring training sidelined Briceno for the entire 2023 campaign and, although he’s reportedly healthy now, he now exits due to a roster crunch. For his sake, we hope that he’s able to recapture his 21-22 domination elsewhere or find similar success in another career path. 20-year old 1B/OF Yeison Perez was also signed in January 2021 out of Venezuela, putting up a .627 OPS in the DSL in 2021 in 167 PAs. Yeison then entertained us daily in a top-notch 2022 DSL campaign: .331 AVG / .409 OBP / .654 SLG, with 26 extra-base hits including 7 homers. Moved stateside to the ACL in 2023, Perez produced a respectable .675 OPS in 140 PAs, although with just one homer and a 12 BB / 50 K ratio. We wish Yeison luck finding another landing spot for the 2024 season and rediscovering that 2022 power stroke. 20-year old RHP Darling Solano joined the Brewers in July 2021 out of the Dominican Republic, making his debut in the DSL in 2022: 6.42 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 13.1 K/9 in 33.2 IP over 11 games (including 7 starts). The number of starts indicated the organization was relatively high on him and the K-rate was obviously encouraging, so it wasn’t too much of a surprise that Darling was promoted stateside in 2023. Struggling in the ACL wasn’t unexpected (7.96 ERA, 2.08 WHIP), but the interesting K-rate unfortunately disappeared (6.6 K/9 in 26 innings). Best of luck to Mr. Solano as he identifies his next opportunity. 20-year old RHP Henrison Mota from the Dominican Republic also signed in July 2021, notching respectable seasons in the DSL (2021: 3.20 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 12.1 K/9 with 2 saves in 25.1 relief innings) and ACL (2022: 3.62 ERA, 1.76 WHIP, 12.2 K/9 in 32.1 IP, starting 9 of 10 games). However, a 39 BB / 44 K ratio in that 2022 season forced him to repeat 2023 in the Arizona Complex League, where his results severely dipped: 11.12 ERA, 2.60 WHIP, 13.9 K/9 in 22.2 relief innings. We wish Henrison success in his next endeavor, whether in baseball or another career path. 22-year old RHP Anthony Perez from the Dominican Republic signed in June 2021, putting up a 7.36 ERA, 1.83 WHIP and 12.4 K/9 in 37.2 IP in the DSL before a June 2022 callup to the ACL. The numbers unfortunately didn’t get much better there in 2022-23 (7.36 ERA, 1.74 WHIP, 8.6 K/9 in 29.1 IP), although the fact that he started 9 of his 15 ACL games tells us that the team certainly valued Anthony’s potential. Unfortunately, MILB roster spots are especially difficult to hold onto in 2024. Good luck to Mr. Perez as he seeks out his next opportunity.

After 2.2 scoreless innings, 5 straight batters reached against Josh Timmermann as Down East took a 3-0 lead over Carolina. But the Mudcats responded with 7 runs in the 4th inning, starting with Tayden Hall and Daniel Guilarte line drive singles and capped off by a Yophery Rodriguez 2-run triple. Woo hoo!

Alexander Cornielle was only at 64 pitches, so I can understand letting him commence the 6th inning in South Bend: walk, single. But he's now on the hook for a possible loss, as RHP Jake Polancic came on in relief, hitting the first batter, then giving up a grand salami. South Bend 6, Wisconsin 3, still in the bottom of the 6th inning.

Did I mention that it was a risk to ask Aaron Ashby to start 5 days after he threw 82 pitches? Well, Memphis enjoyed the decision, getting 7 earned runs, 7 hits, 3 walks and an HBP in just 2.1 IP (on 64 Ashby pitches). Nashville trails 7-1 in the 4th inning now. This isn't helping my headache.

Alexander Cornielle started well (retired 12 of first 13 hitters (with 6 Ks) over 4 scoreless innings) and Mike Boeve continues to assault High-A pitching (2 singles and a walk thus far), as Wisconsin grabbed a 3-0 lead. However, South Bend grabbed 2 runs off of Cornielle in the 5th inning to make it a ball game. Timber Rattlers 3, Cublets 2 going into the bottom of the 6th inning.

Hard-throwing 24-year old RHP Tyler Woessner (6 shutout innings with 8 Ks last week) leads Biloxi as they try to claw back from a 3-1 series deficit at Mississippi. C Darrien Miller (.700 OPS in 372 High-A PAs last year with an 18% caught stealing rate) makes his 2024 season (and AA) debut.

21-year old, 6’4” RHP Josh Timmermann (2 ER with 6 Ks in 4 IP last week) gets his first start with Low-A Carolina, who’s aiming to clinch their 4th victory of this week’s home series against Down East. SS Daniel Guilarte homered yesterday and will presumably be the principal shortstop whilst SS Cooper Pratt recovers from a broken pinkie.

LHP Aaron Ashby gets back on the hill for AAA Nashville after throwing 82 pitches in his MLB start just 5 days ago, as the Sounds try to break the 2-2 series deadlock in Memphis. C Francisco Mejia has been a solid addition to the lineup through his 5 games played: .375 AVG, 1.036 OPS, 5 RBIs.

The High-A Timber Rattlers lead their series in South Bend 3 games to 1 and hand the ball to RHP Alexander Cornielle (2 ER in 5 IP in a win last week) for tonight’s matchup. 1B/3B Mike Boeve has started the season well, leading the team in hits (9) and walks (8), whilst being second in OPS (1.043) in 30 PAs.

I don’t meet the “inner workings” criteria, but he’s certainly got it in him:

Almost a 6-and-1 evening, but the Cubs snatched a game from the Timber Rattlers despite putting zero runners in scoring position. Still a solid 5-2 evening.

RHP KC Hunt escapes a tricky 5th inning (bases loaded, 1 out despite Down East not hitting the ball out of the infield) with a K and a line out to third, then RHP Harrison Durow slams the door over the final 2 innings for the save. Mudcats win ‘em both(!), this one 2-0 while striking out 13 Wood Ducks in 7 innings. They now lead the series 3-1.

Let’s hope RHP Tobias Myers (2.79 ERA with 14 Ks in 9.2 IP) can turn in a 3rd straight excellent start to commence his 2024 campaign, as Nashville needs a win in Game 2 of their doubleheader in Memphis to knot the series at 2-2.

22-year old RHP Will Rudy (3.46 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 7.7 K/9 in 80.2 Low-A IP last year) makes his 2024 and High-A debut in Game 2 of Wisconsin’s doubleheader in South Bend, with the T-Rats seeking a 4-0 series lead: 1 - O’Rae - CF 2 - Lara - DH 3 - G. Barrios - SS 4 - Boeve - 3B 5 - Areinamo - 2B 6 - Chirinos - 1B 7 - R. Rodriguez - C 8 - Doston - LF 9 - Acosta - RF X - Rudy - P

Who else but Ernesto Martinez can drive in Biloxi runs? He follows a Wes Clarke double with one of his own. Shuckers lead 2-0 going into the bottom of the 3rd inning. Bradley Blalock has retired 6 of 7 hitters thus far, with 2 Ks.

Others may have more thorough opinions, but Wood generally gets positive reports on his receiving skills but only has an average arm (23% CS last year). https://www.milb.com/news/t-rat-talk-matt-wood https://diamonddreamsprospects.com/2022/04/01/player-profile-matt-wood-c-penn-state/

Well, it was just a 7-inning game. 6 1/2 innings really. And the Sounds were shut out. But Joey Wiemer still managed to K 4 times. Oh my. That’s a step back. Maybe he should rest in the nightcap. You know, let Isaac Collins play?

Struggling for any semblance of an offense thus far in the young season, Biloxi still managed to score in the 1st inning in Mississippi. Without a hit, of course. Eric Brown Jr. walked, stole second and scored on an Ernesto Martinez sac fly.

After a relatively uneventful first 3 1/2 innings of the 2nd game of their doubleheader, SS Daniel Guilarte starts off the bottom of the 4th inning with a BANG: solo shot to right field. RF Kay-Lan Nicasia then walks, steals 2 bases and scores on a CF Yhoswar Garcia single. But then the unthinkable happened: Garcia was caught stealing. Better check the replay on that one. 2-0 Mudcats through 4 innings. Hold on and Win!

I think nerves hurt his command in his first 2 starts, then he let bad luck get to him in his one bad inning today. I was thinking how Ethan Small was stunted at this level, but CF Rodriguez is much younger and has more pitches in his repertoire. There’s time to keep developing him into that eventual reliable number 4 starter.

Thank God the Cubs suck at all levels. Down 1-0 to the Timber Rattlers in the final half-inning, facing wild and nasty RHP Yerlin Rodriguez, the leadoff batter swings at the 2nd pitch (groundout - did he not read the scouting report?), the 2nd hitter singles and gets to 2nd on a wild pitch only to be caught stealing 3rd (well done Matt Wood). Then Rodriguez walks 2 batters and finally escapes via force out. Whew! 1-0 victory!