Ro Mueller

Gotta figure Sobotka gets called up for tomorrow's game...

It sounds like we just lost pitcher Paxton Schultz to Toronto as the PTBNL to complete the Derek Fisher trade. Schultz (23) was a 14th-round selection in 2019 who played in Australia over the winter and made some appearances in MILB Spring Training at High-A level. Good luck to him.

Here are the lineups for the final 2021 Brewer MILB Spring Training games for our AA, A+ and A level squads, who play the Giants again: [attachment=0]April 29th MILB Rosters.jpg[/attachment]

By my count, we'll have final MILB Spring Training games April 29th, announcements of Season Opening Team Rosters for Biloxi, Wisconsin and Carolina on May 1st, then the first official games for each on May 4th. I also count 14 players who've not been showing up in lineups recently, so I'll recklessly sound the alarm on their possible unavailability to start the season: - UT Weston Wilson (26) - no lineup since April 17 - SP Max Lazar (21) - never showed in lineup - SS Cam Devanney (24) - no lineup since April 19 - SS Antonio Pinero (22) - no lineup since April 17 - SP Brock Begue (22) - never showed in lineup - OF Pablo Abreu (21) - never showed in lineup - C Jose Sibrian (22) - not listed as camp participant - C Kekai Rios (23) - no lineup since April 16 - UT Ashton McGee (22) - no lineup since April 17 - RP Joel Shapiro (22) - never showed in lineup - SP Alexis Ramirez (21) - never showed in lineup - RP Bryce Milligan (23) - never showed in lineup - RP Harold Chirino (23) - no lineup since April 17 - OF Zane Zurbrugg (23) - not listed as camp participant

We've got three games against the Giants tonight, before the final scheduled MILB Spring Training games tomorrow night. Here are our lineups: [attachment=0]April 29 MILB Rosters.jpg[/attachment]

Jeez, with Pina injured, Nottingham claimed by Seattle and Freitas playing in Korea, the Brewers suddenly need to decide which catcher to promote to AAA to pair with Mario Feliciano. Too bad Tuffy and Kratz are retired. I'd thought we might claim Deivy Grullon, but the Mets just grabbed him. I was thinking we may push Brent Diaz to AAA as a stop-gap, but it actually makes more sense to promote Payton Henry, since he probably caught a lot of our AAA pitchers at the Alternate Site in 2020 and during 2021 MLB Spring Training. It could be a nice opportunity for Henry, if the Brewers opt for this route.

That’s great feedback. Thank you! It gives us a better feel of the likely initial AAA starting rotation and let’s us know where Jesus Castillo’s been hiding!

Three MILB Brewer games against the Calamitous Cubs tonight, before a Camp day tomorrow (no games scheduled). Here are today's lineups: [attachment=0]April 26 MILB Rosters.jpg[/attachment]

Does anyone know if these pitchers are now at the Alternate Site: - Alec Bettinger - Zach Brown - Thomas Jankins - Jesus Castillo? I'm hoping they're all healthy and throwing at the Alternate Site now, quietly being added as openings arose (Taylor 4/14, Yardley 4/17, Nottingham 4/22, Crawford listed in Arizona 4/22, Bickford 4/24, Ray 4/24).

We've got three MILB Spring Training games tonight against the Royals. Here are your lineups: [attachment=0]April 25 MILB Rosters.jpg[/attachment]

Three more Brewer Spring Training games against the A's today, before the schedule shifts to all night games from tomorrow. Here are today's line-ups: [attachment=0]April 24 MILB Rosters.jpg[/attachment]

I'm surprised to see pitcher Leo Crawford (our return in the Corey Knebel trade to Dodgers) listed as available for the 'AA' spring training game in Arizona, as he'd been at the Alternate Site in Appleton with the 'AAA' players. Perhaps he'll be starting in Biloxi instead of Nashville. He's young (24), but I was hoping he'd already conquered 'AA'.

We've got three MILB Brewer games against the A's today, before a scheduled OFF day tomorrow. Here are the lineups: [attachment=0]April 22 MILB Rosters.jpg[/attachment]

Three MILB Brewer games against the Angels today. Here are the lineups: [attachment=0]April 21 MILB Rosters.jpg[/attachment]

Three MILB Brewer games against the White Sox today. Here are the line-ups: [attachment=0]April 20 MILB Rosters.jpg[/attachment]

I think one of the more interesting decisions for the team is which 2B to pair with SS Turang at AA Biloxi. The lack of a 2020 MILB season deprived players of critical innings and the organization from seeing their main middle infield prospects in action, e.g.: - Gabe Holt (23) - 2019 7th rounder has only logged 50 innings (Zero above Rookie ball) in MILB after playing a lot of OF in college - David Hamilton (23) - 2019 8th rounder was injured in 2019, so is yet to play in minors - Freddy Zamora (22) - 2020 2nd rounder is yet to play in minors, DID play in 2021 MLB Spring Training, but his name hasn't been listed in any 2021 MILB Spring Training games yet (nursing an injury?) - Hayden Cantrelle (22) - 2020 5th rounder is yet to play in minors - Cam Devanney (24) - 2019 15th rounder logged 505.1 MILB innings at SS in 2019, but Zero innings at 2B and hasn't played above Rookie level - Yeison Coca (21) - played 591.1 innings at 2B and 388 innings at SS at Wisconsin (then Low-A) in 2019, but didn't hit at all (OPS .589) - Antonio Pinero (22) - played principally SS in 2019, split between Rookie and Low-A, while also struggling with the bat (OPS .516 in Low-A). - Felix Valerio (20) - acquired as part of 2019 Keon Broxton trade to Mets. Principally a 2B, but hasn't played above AZL-Rookie ball. One of these players could surprisingly start the year at AA, whilst Weston Wilson (26 - most often 3B/1B/OF) also fills some innings. That would then leave the remaining seven(!) key prospects splitting playing time at 2B/SS for High-A Wisconsin and Low-A Carolina, with the Brewers hoping for some EARLY break-outs.

Three Brewer MILB games against the Dodgers today: [attachment=0]April 19 MILB Rosters.jpg[/attachment]

One 'AA' Brewer game today against the Padres. Here's the lineup: 1 - Lutz - DH 2 - Turang - SS 3 - Castro - RF 4 - McClanahan - 3B 5 - Spanberger - 1B 6 - Devanney - 2B 7 - Aguilar - CF 8 - Kahle - C 9 - Lujano - LF Pitchers: Small, Jarvis, Murphy, Garabitos

That'll be an interesting transition for Erceg (thank you for the insight!). It also explains why he didn't get any PAs in 2021 MLB Spring Training and wasn't sent to the Alternate Site with other players destined for AAA Nashville, despite registering 406 PAs at AAA San Antonio in 2019. I wonder whether he'll break camp with the AA Biloxi team in 2 weeks as a 3B/P or stay back at Extended Spring Training for additional pitching work.

It’s terrific seeing Nathan Kirby (2015 competitive balance pick before 2nd round) and Caden Lemons (2017 2nd round pick) listed as available pitchers, as both missed the 2019 season with injuries.

We've got three MILB Brewer games against the Mariners today. Here are the lineups from Brewers Player Development on Twitter (@BrewersPD): Shuckers: 1 - Lopes - 2B 2 - Spanberger - 1B 3 - Castro - RF 4 - Wilson - 3B 5 - Palma - LF 6 - Aguilar - CF 7 - Devanney - SS 8 - Diaz - C 9 - Hamilton - DH 10 - Francis - P Extras: Lutz, Turang, Henry, Medina, Castillo, Lujano, Cabrera, Parra, Erceg Pitchers: Beckman, Kirby, Alvarez, Vennaro, Webb T-Rats 1 - Mitchell - DH 2 - Howell - CF 3 - Dillard - 1B 4 - Kahle - C 5 - McClanahan - RF 6 - Garcia - 3B 7 - Holt - 2B 8 - Castillo - LF 9 - Coca - SS 10 - Castaneda - P Extras: Campbell, Pinero, Bello, B. Diaz, H. Perez Pitchers: Sunitsch, Adames, Chirino, Floyd, Reifert, Garcia, Guerrero Mudcats 1 - Cipion - RF 2 - Cantrelle - SS 3 - Rodriguez - CF 4 - Warren - DH 5 - McGee - 3B 6 - Miller - C 7 - Hardin - 1B 8 - Valerio - 2B 9 - Doston - LF 10 - Vassalotti - P Extras: Wilson, Gray, Wiemer, Jaraba, Roa, Hall Pitchers: Lemons, Gillis, Knarr, Uribe, Walters

To me, the Mild Surprise of the Day is actually Tim Lopes leading off and playing second base for 'AA' team. He's on the 60-day injured list for the MLB club and I don't believe he's eligible to return until May 7th. It's good to see that he's able to start playing a bit already. Other notes: Thomas Dillard (#22 prospect on mlb.com) gets a start at catcher in the lower level game, after starting at 1B for two days. Also, Noah Campbell gets his first competitive start in a Brewers uniform (2B in lower level game). Campbell was the 328th-ranked prospect (essentially an 11th-rounder) by Baseball America for 2020 draft, which was cut down to only five rounds (160 picks), so the Brewers signed him as an undrafted free agent. Welcome!

Two MILB Brewer games today against the Giants. It's not allowing me to upload the image for some reason, so here are the lists: Shuckers: Lopes - 4 Lutz - DH Turang - 6 Castro - 3 Wilson - 5 Henry - 2 Palma - 7 Aguilar - 8 H. Perez - 9 Ashby - 1 Extras: Erceg, Hamilton, Medina, Lujano, Devanney, Diaz, Castillo, Cabrera, Parra Pitchers: Schultz, Strzelecki, Hitt, Webb, Vennaro T-Rats: Mitchell - CF Bello - RF Dillard - C Kahle - DH McClanahan - 1B Pinero - SS Campbell - 2B Coca - 3B Howell - LF Extras: Holt, C. Rodriguez, Garcia, LG Castillo, Rios Pitchers: Bennett (+), Tavarez, Shook, Bullock, Garcia, Guerrero, Robinson

Given that there's a prioritization to play top prospects, I think this puts a quick spotlight on Luis Castro, who was the only starting position player yesterday that's not listed as a Brewers' Top 30 Prospect on mlb.com. He batted clean-up for "AA" yesterday and is doing so again today. Maybe yesterday was just a case of putting an older hitter (25) in the squad, but I think it's worth following. Signed by the Brewers in November 2019 (previously with the Colorado Rockies), he hit well in the recent Venezuelan Winter League (.804 OPS in 126 plate appearances). As for today's starting position players, the one I'm noting is Arbert Cipion (DH batting second in the "Low-A" game). I'd have expected more heralded or experienced players like Larry Ernesto, Pablo Abreu, Andre Nnebe, Ernesto Martinez or Korry Howell to see action before him, so perhaps the team sees something interesting in the still-20 year old Cipion who's barely played above AZL ball. Finally, I think today's the first time three of our 2020 draft picks have gotten to don their Brewers' uniform against a true opposing team: C Zavier Warren, RF Joey Wiemer and SS Hayden Cantrelle are all starting for our "Low A" team against the Dodgers. Congratulations to them! I don't think it would be surprising to see all five 2020 draft picks (including CF Garrett Mitchell and SS Freddy Zamora) start the season on the Low-A/High-A rosters.

Brewer MILB Rosters for today's 3 games against the Dodgers: [attachment=0]April 15 MILB Rosters.jpg[/attachment]