Joseph Zarr

Baez shallow pop out to the LF grass to Augusta SS. Yophery grounds out sharply to 2B. Tayden Hall stays red hot hitting a sharp liner to RF for a single. Guilarte grounds out sharply to 3B where they take the easy out nabbing Hall at 2B.

Man, I am back in the Bizarro World of Rain Outs on my nights of reports. Come on nawwwwww!

I'm sure I've missed some others in here in the lead-up but two of my favorite DL prospects came in for visits this past week so I am happy to bump this and share it here:

Our first look @ recently acquired (claimed off waivers via the Marlins) RHP Vladimir Gutierrez in a Nashville Sounds jersey tonight as he takes the hill for game 1 vs 10-5 Omaha - the Triple-A affiliate of the suddenly surging KC Royals; first place in the International League West. LHP Nate Peterson will look to maintain his early season Double-A momentum for the Shuckers (5-4) as they take on the Reds Double-A affiliate Chattanooga Lookouts (3-5). And, RHP Patricio Aquino will look to build off his recent fantastic start at South Bend as the young Timber Rattlers (6-3) take on last year's Midwest League juggernaut Cedar Rapids Kernels (4-4). He'll be taking on Twins 2022 8th Rd pick, 23-year-old 6'5" RHP Zebby Mathews who is back for his second stint in the Midwest League. He went 5 scoreless, 8 K innings in his first start of 2024. 'Should' be an interesting contest! We don't know who is taking the hill for the upstart Mudcats, but, we do know manager Nick Stanley has his very young squad dealing quality of baseball well beyond the rosters' cumulative years:

They were your 'Money Balls' in your Pitching Lab rack and you chose not to shoot them!

A Jack proclaimed 'Minor League' expert and @Smichaelis9leaves out the incredibly impressive starts of RHP's Craig Yoho and Yerlin Rodriguez?! Shameful! I am aghast! We both know what we're watching there. And, as RHP Edwin Jimenez continues scuffling we may as well discuss the revamped and new version of RHP Yujanyer Herrera we are witnessing early in Carolina. Night and day difference between 2023/2024 in the very best of ways. Controlled and on the attack with purpose and massive break:

Speaking of Boeve:

Extremely fair and well-reasoned remarks. As per usual. Love your baseball brain.

I completely forgot the 40-Man issues at stake w Wiemer. Thank you for that reminder - I almost always overlook this being deluged in the lower levels 😂. Again, thanks for that obvious facet of this I consistently overlook. AND, I just disagree on the surface number remarks re: Hicklen. What do I mean? When I watch Hicklen in the batters box, I see an extremely compact and powerful swing. Very fast hands, powerful flips of the wrists. Very consistent easy mechanics. I see a fantastic base. There is no wasted movement. He may not have Wiemer's inherent power but in Wiemer - a player I have been hyping since 2022 - I just see entirely too much all or nothing and entirely too much inconsistency. Being that I advocated for Blake Perkins before he even played an inning within the Brewers organization (Yankees scouting contact - close family friend) and continued to tout him much of last season as I watched him night in and night out, I am absolutely going to trust my eyes here. And, despite what the Statcast data says, at some point in time we all need to have a conversation on actual production and end results versus the over-investment on what the data says happened historically when we are basing absolutisms on not even a 9 year set of data criteria. I'm in no way shape or form dismissing the data. I am in no way shape or form ever going to over-invest in it.

I think, perhaps, I have seen him top several dribblers foul and it is giving me PTSD from last summer's pre-injury funk? Thanks for the reminder. I think, perhaps even more pleasantly surprising (the OBP and BA seem to almost be foregone conclusions given he is healthy and his history) is his play at 3B. Not only has he looked quite comfy but the arm has been surprising. Much better pace than say a Metzinger whose arm never seemed adequate down the line.

7 more SB for the T-Rats today. You have to love how aggressive Estevez has been with a lineup that lacks pop. The group is just scrapping and they play a very entertaining old school/new school blend of ball. 3B Mike Boeve is very quietly hitting 0.481 with a 1.019 OPS. He is really growing on me - he hasn't been driving the ball quite like I'd prefer to see but he is making many heady plays and executing smart AB's (another SF today) that. My concern currently falls to the wayside. RHP Craig Yoho and RHP Yerlin Rodriguez may be our most exciting relievers in the entire system right now. Very early, obviously, but both are killing it and looking electric in doing so.

Zastryzny and Paredes have been phenomenal for the Sounds. Absolutely phenomenal. AND, I'm sorry, there is just no way in hyeck you can explain to me in any reasonable and rational way why Wiemer earned a call up over Hicklen. That is a pure prospect hype over actual production move and I am not a fan. Wiemer just did not earn the call. Hicklen absolutely did and continues to do so.

That was just a huge series and performance by the young upstart Mudcats. Well done and major kudos to new manager Nick Stanley. Facing their arch nemesis of the past two seasons - an older and more experienced Down East squad - they take 5 of 6?

Like I said...wasn't 110.

OK. It's time to really start talking about 1B Tayden Hall. Another classic Rivero Low-A performance. I am getting ready to see him challenged in High-A. That's the obvious next step.

Two consecutive rough outings for Polancic. Hopefully, he can settle in amd turn a corner.

All I could think of after this one ended: I can't believe Frelick's RBI oppo slap hit double counted given it wasn't hit 110mph off the bat.

I mean, we are past the point of this being ridiculous. Well past. Enough is enough.

2024: the year Pitching announced itself as the Title Belt holder in the Brewers Minor Leagues. My how the makeup of a system can change in a very short window of time. And, this with two 2023 favorites shelved for the season in RHP's Cameron Wagoner and Tanner Shears (two very different but intriguing arms).

It 'should' absolutely undeniably be (and very likely will be) Brewer Hicklen. He has been really good for the Sounds on a very consistent basis. Best bat in the line-up so far in 2024.

I am ready for the injury gods to simply take the remainder of the season off. It's starting to get ridiculous. Hopefully, nothing too serious there for Brock - the system could really use some better luck moving forward. Biloxi starting out of the gates with this anemic of an offense was definitely not something I was preparing for. They are a hard watch at the moment. Historicity would tell us, however, those bats will wake up. Hopefully it's much sooner than later!

With the skills they possess and how they compete absolutely not. This being said, as we all know Double-A competition will really let us know where they are relative to their peers. We still haven't recuperated any consistent semblance of the promising High-A Felix Valerio. Another diminutive favorite of ours feom years past. Tho a very different type of player whose appeal was his surprising gap and line drive loft to power, it's quite fair to say he has really struggled to find any semblance of consistency (and consistent PT at that) with Biloxi.

Just a quick clarifier: Guilarte historically has been a jack of all trades on the left side of the infield but primarily a SS - when healthy (which has been is sole hindrance), definitely a plus defender. Smooth, agile, good arm. He actually reminds me of a young Zamora in terms of movement styles. The presence of Pratt as an everyday player and primary SS is likely going to see Guilarte moved to the back-up SS on Pratt's rest days. Early in 2024, the plan certainly seems to be giving Pratt as many reps as possible to become the MLB SS they surely envision in his future. Baez, on the other hand. has primarily been a 3B for Carolina while spot filling in at 2B (like this past night). With so many more range-y and more fluid athletes to play SS across the system, his days of playing that position (DSL/ACL dayd) certainly appear well on the back burner (we've discussed this at length tho some posters refuse to acknowledge this reality <cough>). Areinamo is also a jack of all trades and an incredibly smart and gifted defender. He lacks the top-tier athleticism of say a Zamora or an EBJ but you can slot him in at any position left side of the infield and know you ate more than taken care of. Lastly, tho Clarke is getting more reps at catcher given the 2024 shuffle and the clear intent since ST duties, he is still very much a capable 1B candidate.

We had matinee postponements in Memphis and Mississippi as the Sounds and Shuckers will look to make up their game two's as double headers (Friday and Thursday, respectively). However, both Wisconsin and Carolina won their evening tilts - Wisconsin moving to a 2-0 series lead and Carolina pulling even at 1-1 with Down East. Let's get into the report! Image courtesy of Brewer Fanatic Transactions: - RHP Kevin Herget was optioned to the Nashville Sounds from the Milwaukee Brewers - C Satchell Norman was placed on the 7-Day IL by the Carolina Mudcats - INF Daniel Guilarte was assigned to the Carolina Mudcats from the ACL Brewers (he started at 3B for manager Nick Stanley) Final: Wisconsin 14, South Bend (Cubs) 8 Via the Timber Rattlers' site, 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): Wisconsin Outslugs and Outlasts South Bend for Fourth Straight Win - Rattlers Beat Cubs 14-8 Pre-Game Media Notes Box Score / Game Log This is our first opportunity to see LHP Mark Manfredi and, at first look, he definitely appeared to fit the Brandon Knarr/Nate Peterson stocky, squat, strong-build lefty type the Brewers seem to love. He was sitting 92-94 mph on his heat and dropping his off-speed offerings into the low 80's. He toes the rubber to the first base side and definitely has an old school approach out of the stretch. Manfredi brought a 3-1 lead into his fourth and final frame where he started off with a two-strikeout bang, but the inning got away from him from there to the tune of a walk, a single, a two-run game-tying double (3-3), and another walk. Thankfully RHP Aaron Rund, on in relief, got the fly out to end the frame. All told, Manfredi had a mixed bag of 3 2/3 IP, 5 H, 4 BB, 5 K, and 2 ER on 81 pitches. You love the elevated pitch count so early - he has the ability to eat some important innings for manager Victor Estevez - but he'll surely look to polish his mix in the games ahead. ** I should note, Manfredi's night 'should' have ended before the two-run double. The 3B umpire missed a clear tag at 3B by Mike Boeve on the lead runner for the third out - Manfredi's night would have been over and his final line quite a bit more palatable. When Boeve went to tag said lead runner a second time beyond the base path, he unfortunately dropped the ball. Another case of: the box score doesn't always tell the actual story ** Three Quick Strikes: 1) A night removed from a game saving catch in left field, CF Luis Lara saved Mark Manfredi from another earned run in the bottom of the second when he charged a sharply hit shallow line drive and managed to dive to the grass for the final out. Not only does Lara cover solid ground with fantastic jumps, he makes the vast majority of plays. He is a defensive weapon. Don't undersell the arm either. He may be small in stature, but like Sal Frelick his arm packs a wallop. 2) From the get go, and once again, the Cubs announcers were gushing over Dylan O'Rae. Leading off and earning three free passes while swiping three bags kept the praise going throughout. As the announcers pointed out, O'Rae certainly isn't hitting the leather off the ball. He's simply owning his zone and executing simple and timely swings on his pitches. He's poking the ball to all parts of the infield dirt and shallow outfield grass. O'Rae is an on base machine in the early going of High-A and he's been an on base machine at every level to date. I want to remind you, dear readers, not every player needs to hit for power. When your lead-off is cresting 1.000 OPS, swiping bags, and playing sound plus defense at 2B and CF the home run ball isn't a necessity. 3) 3B Mike Boeve has looked quite comfortable and natural at 3B so far in the innings I've seen him. I would opine this is clearly a more natural fit than last year's experiment at 2B. He might fill in at 2B from time to time, but he has demonstrated he has a good feel and an arm fit for the hot corner. He's already showing vintage Boeve discipline at the dish in 2024 executing heady AB's - the early sac fly in tonight's game a prime example of this. Unlike O'Rae, however, I do question if and when we'll start seeing consistent gap or long ball power. I personally feel it is a crucial development for his career trajectory. ** Special shout out to RHP Craig Yoho. With RHP Tanner Shears shelved for the season <sad face>, it's quite fun to latch onto another young arm who gives catchers absolute fits with his off-speed movement. And, when I say movement, I mean movement. Shades of an Airbender with his change up, I may be even more impressed with Yoho's sweeping slider/curve. My goodness, I swear I saw one of his offerings late break 6 feet to his glove hand side. This is a ridiculous relief arm ** Final: Carolina 7, Down East (Rangers) 6 Mudcats Hold Off Wood Ducks for First Home Win - Cooper Pratt's Three Runs Batted in Prove to be the Difference Pre-Game Media Notes - None Provided Box Score / Game Log Our first live stateside look at RHP Daniel Corniel and it was an intriguing look. What I came away most impressed with in the 19-year-old Venezuelan's debut outing was his command and control in and around the zone. I would opine his bread and butter, early in his full-season work, is his breaking ball. It has really nice shape and is a deceptive delivery. I'm certainly looking forward to future outings to witness his growth over a full season. All told, he gave his team everything they could ask for in 4 IP of 3 H, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 ER ball. Three Quick Strikes: 1) SS Cooper Pratt missed a potential three-run long ball by 6-to-9 feet when he hit a deep fly to the warning track in right field in the sixth. But, not to be denied, he broke out of his mini slump with a crucial two run single in the bottom of the eighth frame: You love to see a talented young man rewarded for his hard work. It's very clear Pratt has many tools to work with in his development path and it's also very clear he cares about the game. 2) As noted in the transactions above, INF Daniel Guilarte was re-assigned to Carolina and slotted in immediately at 3B (which, as a result, was my first look at Juan Baez at 2B in 2024 and I have to say he looked natural). In addition to Guilarte's patented plus defense, he gave his team some fine work at the dish in a 2-for-4, 1 BB, 1 RBI evening batting fifth in the lineup. Check out this well hit oppo rbi single down the right field line to regain the lead in the fifth frame: 3) First baseman Tayden Hall really broke back onto the scene this past winter for Brisbane after struggling with injuries in the early going of his professional career, and he continues to establish himself in the Mudcats lineup and the Brewers system at large. I absolutely love his plate set up and presence. I love his build and physical stature. Hall is absolutely earning every bit of his daily clean-up duties. Keep an eye on this young man. Suddenly, the Brewers have a wealth of depth at the 1B position and Hall is very much in this mix. He finished his evening 2-for-3 with 3 R, 2 BB, 1 2B, 1 K and is red hot over his first five games of 2024 with an uber-sustainable 0.400 BA and 1.217 OPS. The Mudcats vs Wood Ducks game three is already postponed Thursday. However, Biloxi will be attempting to squeeze in their double header. RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez will look to get his season on track for Nashville and RHP Will Rudy will show us what 2024 has in store for him in the Midwest League in his debut outing. Plenty on tap. Let's hope the weather allows! As always, thanks for reading and thanks for supporting Milwaukee Brewers Minor League baseball and the many players deserving of our time and recognition. I now pass the baton to Daniel and Jim for the remainder of these ongoing series. 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