Joseph Zarr

Vennaro just gave up a single, walk, walk, and single. It's now a tie ball game. 3-3. Two down. Men on 1st and 2nd for the Blue Wahoos.

Yup. It was a historic blast:

With the Carolina victory they move back to 3 1/2 G ahead of the 2nd place Lynchburg Hillcats. Big 'W' tonight. 22-13 overall in the 2nd half.

RHP Corbin Burnes barely makes this list!

The DSL Crew Dos had runners on the corners with one down in a 1-1 game in the top of the 5th. They had talented INF Filippo Di Turri at the dish - exactly what you'd want - and, unfortunately, he grounded into a 6-4-3 DP. It stays 1-1 and they head to the bottom of the 5th frame.

With the DSL Cerveceros Uno trailing the very talented DSL Phillies Blanco, 3-0, 17-year-old Nicaraguan RHP Enniel Cortez came on in relief of 18-year-old Jose Meneses (rare off day - 3 IP, 2 H, 4 BB, 3 K, 3 R 1 Earned). Why do I bring up Cortez? Because, like Mogollon and (to a lesser extent) Reyes in 2022, he is flashing in nearly every start. Through 3 IP (bullpen), 1 H, 0 BB, 0 R, and 5 K today, Cortez adds further case-making work to an already fantastic season. Coming into today's bullpen work, Cortez had worked 8 G, 6 GS, 33 2/3 IP, 39 K, 5 BB, 5 ER, 1 HR, 2 HB, 0.197 BAA, 0.86 WHIP. And the BAA and the WHIP appear ready to lower even further. This is stellar output for a 17-year-old in his first professional season. I had already taken notice. If you hadn't, I believe it's time you start tracking his every outing.

- RHP Wandy Cabrera was assigned to the DSL Brewers 1

The well-oiled machine that is the Minor League reports chugs onward down the second half stretch. May we all be so lucky to see some post-season reports. Fingers crossed!

How awesome is it for RHP Sam Gardner to get the recognition? This just in: it takes a few outings for new faces to get their proverbial feet wet. Does he have the raw stuff of Rodriguez or Rivero? No. But, he is doing everything you'd hope we would do pitching High-A at his age. I completely agree a push to Double-A is likely. They need the bullpen arms. Gardner has shown he's more than ready for the next challenge. It will be well-deserved. As Thompson and Middendorf have shown is: getting to Double-A and beyond is only half the battle. But, it is the proving grounds these young men need to develop their toolkits further.

He certainly could. He hasn't just been good since his promotion, he has been electric. Shears has also been very very good but he hasn't been as consistently accurate with all his pitches like Smithy. The addendum here would be: it's still only 12 2/3 IP at High-A. I will say, however, that curveball (whew) with the rise on his fearless mid 90's heat likely plays in a lotta places right now. It's that good. An added bonus would be: Smith had shifted to a starting role at Wake Forest but was derailed by the TJ surgery and is on record stating he would like to be a starter as he personally feels his stuff plays best in the 4th-thru-6th innings. He's likely to get that chance in Biloxi given how their pitching carousel has traveled in 2023.

I, for One, have quite enjoyed the evolution of RHP TJ Shook's season. Of all the guys listed here, I have found him to be the most intriguing of the long inning or 'he might give us 5IP starting tonight'. His K numbers have held in any role. It's a bit unfair to say what is what for Meeker at present given the small sample size of GS's (in general, not you saying any of this 😁) but I personally much rather have him shoring up the high-leverage relief innings. As a whole, however, given how absolutely erratic the Shuckers bullpen has been I certainly hope Woessner is promoted so guys can move into their best versions of themselves - ie know their roles for a Playoff push.

The Brewers Minor League ball clubs managed a 3-2 evening - victories by the Mudcats, Timber Rattlers, and ACL Crew. The Sounds pulled within 6-5 in the middle innings but ultimately fell short as the Bulls tacked on three more runs. The Shuckers were done in early and often in their 12-9 loss (more below). All in all, however, it was just the medicine I needed to move past that ninth inning Brewers debacle at Washington. Let's get into the report! Image courtesy of Biloxi Shuckers Game Balls: RHP Cameron Wagoner really struggled his last time on the hill. He's been inconsistent as all get out in 2023 but he has pitched two of his best outings of his season in the past month. Tonight's gem at South Bend was his best: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 1 ER, 0 HR, 7 K. Stellar work much deserving of recognition. Keep it up, Mr. Wagoner! C Payton Henry drove in the entirety of the five runs by the sixth frame pulling the Sounds within 6-5 on his second HR - a three-run jack just over the wall in left center. It was very odd seeing C Alex Jackson manning the Bulls' backstop but Henry's sublime offensive performance made it quite a bit easier: 2-for-4, 2 HR, 4 R, 5 RBI. Included in the stunning performance was a ripping oppo taco to RF: Not to be outdone, by any measure, Biloxi's C Wes Clarke smacked two long balls himself and his third homer in just two games. His season total elevated to 16 HR, Clarke ripped a grand salami and a mammoth 455 foot two-run blast in the ninth that had me dreaming of another Shuckers comeback. Just check out this absolute moon shot: INF Cooper Pratt debuted in the desert for the ACL Crew and he certainly did not disappoint. The tantalizing draft pick who defied the industry sentiments and signed with the Crew, showed out as a teenager in a very big way: 3-for-3, 1 2B, 2R, 1 RBI. He was pulled late in a substitution and defensive shift. I would imagine this was simply a pre-planned ordeal. Here's some footage of Pratt's first two knocks: INF Juan Baez once again showed out at the dish. He has been hotter than an Arizona heatwave this entire season. Not only did he smash another long ball (his 4th of the summer) but he also smacked a key two-run double in the 7th and final inning and stole his 13th base of the summer. The two-run 2B padded the ACL Crew's lead to 6-3. And, that remained the final score. Transactions: RHP Bradley Blalock was assigned to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers from the Carolina Mudcats C Jesus Garcia was assigned to the Nashville Sounds (and activated) from the ACL Brewers SS's Eric Bitoni and Cooper Pratt were assigned to the ACL Brewers Milwaukee Brewers INF/OF Owen Miller has been optioned to the Nashville Sounds RHP Carlos Canales has been assigned to the DSL Brewers #1 C Kegnnales Seijas has been assigned to the DSL Brewers # 1 Final: Durham (Rays) 9, Nashville 6 Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the Sounds' site, game details, please visit and review: Henry Homers Twice as Sounds Fall to Bulls In an odd twist of fate, the Rays scheduled starter RHP Evan McKendry is now a Sound. Deadline madness, I say! RHP Caleb Boushley still took his scheduled work atop the hill hoping to give Nashville a 2-0 series lead. Boushley wasn't magnificent tonight but he certainly wasn't as bad as his final line indicated - 5 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 ER, 2 HR. The homers were solo shots - the first of which came off the bat of his old backstop C Alex Jackson (hey, that's not fair!). He was largely done in by a double steal in the fourth where the Bulls then adeptly took advantage. The rest went South the way of the suddenly somewhat shaky Sounds bullpen - I honestly never thought I'd write that in 2023. But, alas, here we are. The Sounds loss dropped them to 15-13 in the second half. They will look to rebound in game three tomorrow night. Three Quick Strikes: 1) He's pitched less than 1/3 the innings he did in 2022, but LHP Ethan Small has now given up half the number of home runs (4-to-8). His opportunities have been limited since his return from the 7-Day IL in mid-July, but, Small has now given up 5 H, 1 HB, 3 HR, 4 ER in his last 4 IP over two outings. 2) This was not a good baseball game from 2B Josh Van Meter. He's been solid for a good bit for the Sounds. Tonight was not a part of this solid lineage. An 0-for-5, 2 K performance is one thing - all players are prone to such nights. However, when you toss in the high throw to 1B (not charged an error, fascinatingly) that immediately came back to bite his team in the form of a two-out two-run HR blast over the LF wall, that 0-for-5 night is suddenly mentioned in my report. What a thunderous gavel of baseball reporting injustice! Perhaps. Regardless, with Urias and Alvarez long gone from the Sounds clubhouse they're going to need better nights from Mr. Van Meter. 3) And now, our much needed INF Cam Devanney moment of Zen. It's been a bit, folks, but the Devanney zealots are always waiting - meditating, dare I see - for his next moment: Nice calm and easy swing here. He's refined this batting approach this season. We see that in his slowly improving BB:K ratio. This season started on the wrong foot - injured and all. But, Devanney continues to battle. I remain a devotee. ? Final: Pensacola (Marlins) 12, Biloxi 9 Box Score / Game Log Via the Shuckers' site, game details, please visit and review: Shuckers Drop Slugfest to Blue Wahoos, 12-9 After taking game 1 in 10 innings, the Shuckers were back at it in beautiful Pensacola trying to take game 2 while extending their winning streak to eight games. So, how did they fare? Well, they scored nine runs on 11 hits! The pitching? Well, they conceded 21 hits and 12 runs in return. Check please! It wasn't all Blue (Wahoos), however, LHP Russ Smith pitched his second consecutive scoreless inning since his return - always a pleasant outcome. Let's see what else can be gleaned from my viewings. Three Quick Strikes: 1) The Shuckers offense was largely driven by the fantastic output of their middle of the order men. 2B Isaac Collins, 3B C Wes Clarke, and 3B Zavier Warren went a combined 7-of-12, 7 R, 7 RBI, 3 BB, 2 K, 1 2B, 2 HR. Goodness gracious could the desert-dry Brewers lineup use some of that action. The usual culprits atop the order (Black and Chourio) also got aboard four times, but, the ongoing Shuckers offensive explosion is coming at teams from all parts of the lineup. It has been a sight to behold. 2) OK, I shared Clarke's mammoth 455 foot blast in the ninth inning. Well, his grand slam blast over the left field wall was no cheap shot either: I sincerely hope Brewers Fanatics don't take Clarke for granted. He's the consummate steady as it goes player - never too high and never too low. He's nearly always available at two crucial positions - catcher and first base. He's steady. And, he's fast approaching a 20 plus HR campaign in Double-A. He currently has 57 RBI to boot. At still just 23 years old, there's a lot to work with here. If he can start to flip the script in his K:BB ratio (he's still striking out 32% of his PA) we're really going to start taking notice. 3) I've made brief mention of this in the past, but it's fair to say RHP Robbie Baker is in dire straits. After tonight's 3 IP, 9 H, 4 ER, 3 K, 2 HR outing, Baker has now given up 13 HR over his last 13 outings dating back to May 31st. That's 13 HR given up over a 24 inning span. I don't know what the organization does from here, but I sincerely hope Baker can somehow turn the tides. He was very good in May. Hopefully he revisits that tape and somehow re-discovers what makes him effective. It's never easy when you're in a rut. Baker is clearly in one. Let's root for him to turn it around. Final: Wisconsin 4, South Bend (Cubs) 2 Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the T-Rats' site, game details, please visit and review: Wagoner Show His Quality to Beat the Cubs The T-Rats tried to turn the tides of their woeful game one performance and sent the roller coaster that has been 2023 RHP Cameron Wagoner to the hill. Was it a peak or a valley in the second game of this six game series for Wagoner? Definitely a peak even after the small adventurous valley of the second frame. It was a very important statement outing for the young hurler - he faced some adversity and he battled through it early and went on to pitch a career high six frames. You love to see it. Let's hope this outing is a portent of things to come as Wagoner helps solidify the T-Rats playoff push. Wisconsin moved to 17-15 in the second half. They remain tied with the Peoria Chiefs who improbably walked off Quad Cities with a six run ninth inning. Yuck! ? Three Quick Strikes: 1) RHP Shane Smith has been stellar since his promotion to Wisconsin. But, this shouldn't take away from the extremely impressive ongoing work from RHP Tanner Shears who picked up his 5th Save of his 2023 High-A season. Shears came aboard in the ninth frame after RHP Sam Gardener ran into trouble (2 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 1 ER, 3K) giving up a lead-off single followed by a walk. Shears certainly didn't make it stress-free - 2 WP's and a BB - but, it remains easy to love his stuff. His throwing action is so violent on the mound and his curveball so nasty I'm surprised he doesn't have more than 12 WP's on the season. But, it's a little bit of a case of you take the good with the bad given how impactful the good currently is: 59 K: 28 BB in 38 IP. That's a over 1.50 K's per inning pitched! That filthy curve pairs incredibly well with his 95-96 mph gas and that's how he ended this one: a stellar 96 mph heater ripped to the top of the zone. 2) The T-Rats, like the Mudcats below, made things quite a bit harder on themselves then they needed to be with their 1-for-10 effort with RISP. The combined 0-for-12 output from DH Matt Wood, CF Joe Gray Jr. (3 K), and RF Hendry Mendez (back below the Mendoza Line) certainly didn't do any favors from those pivotal 2-through-4 spots in the batting order. Thankfully, the team received key contributions from the bottom of their order - none more important than INF Eduardo Garcia's RBI 3B and INF Jose Acosta's sac fly for the 3-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning. 3) Let's get back to the bullpen and close by discussing RHP Sam Gardner's ongoing fantastic work as a key set-up man late in games. The bullpen has been the strength of this Timber Rattlers team all season long and Gardner's ascent after a couple shaky inaugural outings has been key to stabilizing high-leverage set-up innings. Like RHP James Meeker in 2022, Garner is an older High-A arm (26 yo) having signed out of the Pioneer League in late May of this year. With that age, you hope to see calmness and control on the mound. We are seeing that consistently since the calendar flipped to July - 16 1/3 IP, 9 H, 8 BB, 20 K, 2 ER. He's been absolutely huge for this second half turnaround. Final: Carolina 5, Fayetteville (Astros) 2 Box Score / Game Log Via the Mudcats' site, game details, please visit and review: Castillo Drives in Two Runs as Carolina Evens the Series with a 5-2 Game 2 Win Having split the opening doubleheader, the Mudcats were back at it versus the pesky Fayetteville Woodpeckers. Taking the mound for the first place Mudcats was RHP Quinton Low. And, thankfully, we got the good version of Low. When he's mostly in and around the zone his stuff is extremely challenging for Low-A hitters - hitting upper 90's velocity with a very tight sweeping slider leads his intriguing mix. It was a much needed rebound outing from the young fireballer - 4 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 7 K, 2 ER. 77 total pitches isn't ideal but the end results and the advantageous K:BB ratio really pop. And, we would be remiss if we didn't point out Low got some very very good help in RF from Kaylan Nicasia: The Mudcats moved to 20-12 in the second half with a 3.0 G lead over the Lynchburg Hillcats. Three Quick Strikes: 1) As the article above alludes, the Mudcats were far from perfect in this one. They left the sacks dripping in each of the fifth and seventh frames. They were a meager 4-for-18 with RISP even though they outhit the Woodpeckers 11-to-5 and were walked five times but also struck out 17 times. Yikes. In other words, they did enough to win but they'll likely come away wanting to tweak some things in their collective approaches. 2) Even though we've been frequently discussing the intriguing toolkits we see when RHP's Quinton Low and RHP Jesus Rivero take the hill, RHP Yerlin Rodriguez is undeniably hitting his stride as the most imposing reliever out of the Mudcats bullpen. He is now 7-of-7 in SVO's and has only conceded one single run when attempting to shut things down in a Save situation. He grabbed the extended Save tonight with 1 1/3 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, and 1 K. That lack of free runners really sticks out here. In the 10 IP during SVO, Rodriguez has now only allowed 3 BB to 10 K. The future is very bright for this young man. 3) 3B Luke Adams was hit by a pitch in the top of the seventh frame and it was not a pretty moment. It was a scorching inside heater that beelined directly to his elbow and forearm area of his lead left arm. He was writhing in pain from the get go and ultimately fell back to the dirt for a good minute or so. After removing his elbow pad and both batting gloves he ultimately managed to rise to his feet and take first base. BUT, he was pulled in the bottom half of the inning for defensive replacement, INF Jadher Areinamo. We'll have to stay tuned to discover whether this was a precautionary move or if he will need some time to heal. ACL Brewers 6, ACL Royals 3 Box Score / Game Log As alluded to above, we had a INF Cooper Pratt debut. We also had an INF Eric Bitoni debut (DH in his debut - 0-for-3, 1 K). 3B Brock Wilken was not in the lineup, however - we'll have to stay tuned if this is related to a well-deserved promotion elsewhere. 2B Mike Boeve was definitely still in the lineup (1-for-4) which, well, is interesting and not something I'd expect to last all that long. On base juggernaut, INF Dylan O'Rae was doing his thing getting on base - 1-for-2, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 CS (only his second CS in his summer campaign). INF Juan Baez was again scorching hot in the desert as alluded to in the 'Game Balls' above so not needed to repeat here. Beyond these key points, any other tidbits you'll want to glean are within that new and fresh look Box Score interface. I am still getting familiarized with it and so should you. This was a nice win against a formidable ACL Royals squad. Let's hope the young Crew can build on this and chase first place. With the victory, the ACL Crew move back to 22-20 and only 1.0 GB their division leading ACL Reds. RHP Jacob Misiorowski is back on the hill for the Biloxi Shuckers in Pensacola - a tough ask for the young man. Lets hope he rediscovers his control and limits the free passes. RHP Alexander Cornielle will look to help the T-Rats jump to a 2-1 series lead in South Bend. The DSL Cerveceros Uno y Dos will be back in the fold for the morning tilts but we'll be all evening for the remaining five contests. As always thanks for reading and thanks for supporting Brewers Minor League baseball. I'll see you in the ongoing Game Threads and will be back writing early next week. Go Brewers! Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scoresCurrent Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and DepthCurrent Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View full article

I think it's fair to say I expected this move for Blalock but did not have the C Jesus Garcia to Triple-A in my cards. I am wondering if this is akin to the LHP Pablo Garabitos 'cup of coffee' last season? Hard to tell. None the less, good for him!

I hope Henderson gets the call to High-A. It's a much-deserved opportunity and I would opine he's absolutely ready for the challenge and has been for some time. Honestly, when he gets promoted I'd instantly consider him #1 or #2 on the T-Rats staff. I'm that confident in his stuff.

Really cool interview posted from C Brent Diaz (highlighted in the Shuckers section above) with Shuckers announcer, Javik Blake posted today. These pre-game interviews are available all week, fwiw. Among other things, he discusses his third year in Double-A - his approach with the coaching staff and how it augments his own game preparations and execution. He is clearly a very intelligent young man. Extremely well-spoken and clear in his communication. Refreshing.

- Milwaukee Brewers INF/OF Owen Miller has been optioned to the Nashville Sounds - RHP Carlos Canales has been assigned to the DSL Brewers #1 - C Kegnnales Seijas has been assigned to the DSL Brewers #1

What's interesting about McKendry is I have seen him pitch on three occasions in the International League in 2023. Once versus the Sounds. After that shutdown performance, I watched him at Memphis and then vs Charlotte. Each time I watched him, I couldn't help but think: if RHP Joseph Hernandez can simplify his arm slot and release inconsistencies this feels like a possible pitching trajectory. Their balls tend to move the same way - McKendry is just quite a bit more advanced (one might put a 'duh' here). Regardless, Hernandez has quite a bit of work to do to harness his toolkit. It's a shame he's lost so much of his season 😔. I do not like those injuries. No I don't. I will not like them no I won't. Not on a hill nor on the dirt. Not in the grass not when they hurt! Guess who read his daughter ye' ol Doctor Seuss this am? Hint: not Hernandez.

The thing I first noticed about Alastre (these are in my notes from the few highlights I've gleaned across the interwebs): switch-hitter arm has reputation of needing move to 2B down the line (?) early word from @ARobsBrewCrew(early June - HERE) is (along with Lameda) he has impressed the Brewers early - keep an eye on different leg lifts right to left side of plate - interesting. More pronounced on left side. Subtle and subdued on right. lefty swing reminds me of Lara Anywho, as to bonus pool money, I can't help you there. Either way, he has flashed several times this summer and I've mentioned him a couple times before this report but felt with the Brewers PD showcasing him it was time to bump his name. As to the early thoughts (again, online in a couple outlets) he may need a move to 2B due to his arm, he's actually played 12 games at 3B whereas he's played 8 at 2B and 6 at SS. They give him an 0.800 FP% at the hot corner - not so spicy. LOL. He's more than holding his own, statistically speaking, at 2B with a 0.950 FP%. That's all I have for now.

What was supposed to be a nine game Tuesday slate quickly turned into a 6 1/2 game day of Brewers Minor League baseball when inclement weather arrived early. The DSL Brewers Uno game was postponed and the DSL Brewers Dos managed to steal a victory after just 4 1/2 innings (more below) while their second game was also postponed (lightning). The Mudcats had a doubleheader of their own at Fayetteville. The T-Rats were playing at South Bend. Biloxi was at Pensacola facing phenom RHP Eury Pérez. And, Nasvhille was taking on their new trade partner (more below in 'Transactions') in the Durham Bulls. Let's get into the report! /images-custom/google-analytics/author-tracker.gif Image courtesy of Brewer Fanatic Game Balls: INF Mike Boeve gets the nod for his sudden demonstration of long ball power - 2 HR in his past two contests for the ACL Crew. 1B Keston Hiura gets the nod for his absolutely clutch two-out bases clearing double that proved the difference in the Sounds 6-4 victory. CF Luis Lara gets the nod for his clutch 6th inning hit - stretching it into a double and scoring the winning run. Winning players make winning plays and Lara is very much a winner. RHP Cam Robinson gets the nod for his cool, calm, and collected work in the crucial 9th and 10th frames of the Shuckers game 1 victory at Pensacola DH Wes Clarke gets the final nod for his clutch and insurance-adding oppo taco in the 10th and final frame giving Cam that extra bit of cushion to adroitly work around the Wahoos' free runner. More below... Transactions: INF Luis Urias was traded to the Boston Red Sox for RHP Bradley Blalock Nashville Sounds (and Brewers) C Alex Jackson was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays for RHP Evan McKendry LHP Eric Lauer was assigned to the Nashville Sounds from the ACL Brewers LHP Bennett Sousa was sent on a rehab assignment to the Nashville Sounds by the Milwaukee Brewers (had been with the ACL Brewers) 3B Brian Anderson was sent on a rehab assignment to the Nashville Sounds by the Milwaukee Brewers LHP Adam Seminaris was sent on a rehab assignment to the ACL Brewers by the Biloxi Shuckers RHP Evan McKendry (C Alex Jackson trade) was assigned to the Nashville Sounds RHP Bradley Blalock (INF Luis Urias trade) was assigned to the Carolina Mudcats LHP Brian Fitzpatrick was activated off the 60-Day IL by the Carolina Mudcats 1B Jesus Parra was released by the Carolina Mudcats Highlights from the Week that Was: It was the best work on the hill I've seen from RHP Will Childers. C Jose Sibrian expertly leaned into Childers' advanced array of off-speed pitches. I'm chomping at the bit to see more of this: Oh, hey, it's another young Brewers organizational infielder little discussed (see more below) but extremely worthy of recognition: And, lastly, how absolutely awesome was it to see one of our first half darlings in RHP Edwin Jimenez rebound after a recent rough patch to win the Midwest League's Pitcher of the Week? I said it in the game thread that fine July day but here's your look at his nasty off-speed offerings. That curveball was in rare form for the near no-hitter: Final: Nashville 6, Durham (Rays) 4Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the Sounds' site, game details, please visit and review: Six Run Sixth Takes Sounds Past Bulls RHP Brandon Woodruff took the start as he continued his rehab work to Nashville. He was cruising until the fourth inning when a series of fairly weak seeing eye pokes on balls outside the zone found their ways to the outfield grass. Woodruff was sitting 95-96 mph on his heater and working in his off-speed arsenal quite adeptly. All three runs he surrendered came in the fateful fourth inning. All in all, however, we'll consider this outing a big success. He looked healthy. He left healthy. He managed to hurl 72 pitches 4 2/3 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 4 K, 3 ER. The Sounds moved to 15-12 in the second half - just 1/2 GB of the three-way tied Iowa Cubs, St. Paul Saints, and Indianapolis Indians in the International League West. Just 2.0 GB the second half greater League leaders Buffalo and Lehigh Valley who share 17-10 records after Lehigh's 10-1 thrashing tonight. Three Quick Strikes: 1) LHP Eric Lauer also saw his first work with the Sounds tonight since way back on June 11th. He came aboard to start the sixth inning after LHP Alex Claudio successfully relieved RHP Brandon Woodruff inducing a groundout to rehabbing INF Brian Anderson at 3B. Lauer's first pitch was a 93 mph heater middle in. His second pitch was a 94 mph heater inside. He then struck out this first batter on a gorgeous 76 mph curve on the outer stripe. This was exactly what we hoped to see. His sole mistake pitch in his brief return outing, I would opine, was the lead-off change-up to start the 7th inning - entirely too much of the heart of the plate. A hanger in every sense. He got away with a deep double to the LF wall on the pitch, but at the MLB level that is likely a long ball. After a weak liner RBI knock to CF, Lauer used his expert move to 1B to pick off the runner while he lay hapless on the basepaths pleading for a balk. All in all, it was a successful re-introduction to Triple-A ball. 2) Who else to get the sixth inning rally caps fit tight other than under recognized and under appreciated, INF Patrick Dorrian and C Brian Navarreto? Their back-to-back doubles really got the run scoring action going in the crucial sixth inning rally. I've been touting these young men for over a year as they've each demonstrated time and again they have a penchant for big knocks. What's more? They're both impactful defensively. Two more Minor League veterans on the Sounds roster that greatly aid in fostering a winning culture in the clubhouse. This being said, the true game winning hit was this gorgeous looping liner double to the LF wall by 1B Keston Hiura. The count reads 2-2 here but it started 0-2: 3) The bat may have cooled off considerably at the MLB level before 3B Brian Anderson was sent to the 10-Day IL, but make no mistake about it: his incredible defense and cannon of an arm at the hot corner was on full display in his first Sounds rehab outing. He makes the difficult look absurdly routine. I do not take his defensive work for granted: I would opine this wasn't even his best casual play of the game - his charging defensive gem to end the game was an incredible piece of work likely more difficult than the above. He did manage a 1-for-4, 1 BB, 1 K night at the dish as well - the lone strikeout coming with the bases juiced and one down. Another skilled baseball player waiting in the wings ready to bolster the Brewers roster for a playoffs run. Final: Biloxi 9, Pensacola (Marlins) 6 Box Score / Game Log Via the Shuckers' site, game details, please visit and review: Collins, Clarke's Clutch Hits Extend Shuckers' Win Streak to Seven It was the start of a fresh road series at first half Southern League champs, Pensacola, for the first place Shuckers and, well, let's get right to it: they fought and earned their way to their seventh consecutive victory. What a great Double-A ball game. Workhorse RHP Christian Mejias was given the unenviable task of facing off versus newly christened Marlins Ace, RHP Eury Pérez. Mejias gave a classic 2023 Mejias outing for manager Mike Guerrero and his Shuckers teammates: 4 2/3 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 4 K, 5 ER, 1 HR. Mejias may not light it up consistently (though he is certainly capable of a dominant outing) but he almost always gives his squad 5 IP. Thankfully, tonight at least, his teammates were up to the task of pulling out the victory. The Shuckers have now won seven straight games and sit atop of the second half Southern League South division leader board at 18-10. Three Quick Strikes: 1) C Brent Diaz may have been a forgotten 'Development List' man throughout the majority of the 2023 season (well, let's be real: he has 20 AB's after tonights tilt 😁) but tonight, as he seemingly always does, he absolutely rose to the occasion. This is a young man who nearly always makes a mark when I watch him play - he's athletic, he has a natural swing, and he plays the part behind the dish. In other words, he's just a very good baseball player when healthy and when afforded an opportunity. It was a pleasure to see him back on the diamond and producing meaningful results. This, his first of two 2B's, was off of phenom RHP Eury Pérez: 2) It wasn't the eye-popping XBH-filled outing of much of July, but I still greatly appreciated CF Jackson Chourio's approach at the dish. His first inning walk off Pérez was exactly the kind of growth he's demonstrated for over a month - patient pitch recognition. Chourio managed a 1-for-4 night with 1 RBI, 1 BB, and 2 K. He scored the go-ahead run in the 10th frame playing the part of 'Manfred's Man' on INF Isaac Collins line drive single to RF. He also caught a deep fly to very deep CF in the ninth inning off the always-threatening bat of the Wahoos' Griffin Conine and quickly threw a dart to 2B to help keep INF Jacob Berry tied to the bag. It's the little things that win many a baseball game and tonight Chourio contributed in those little but extremely important ways. 3) Special mention is deserved for the shutdown and poised late innings we witnessed from RHP Zach Venarro and RHP Cam Robinson. They haven't always been pretty in 2023 but tonight it truly felt like they were in control of their stuff. It was a sight for sore eyes for this Brewer Fanatic. All told, the two covered 3 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K, 0 R. Limiting those base runners - even when they were inherited, in Robinson's 10th inning case - was and is a crucial part of these talented young hurlers' success. Let's hope they can keep this good mojo going in this series and in the remaining weeks ahead. Lastly, please enjoy this oppo taco from DH Wes Clarke - this was the very first long ball extremely talented and dominant Double-A LHP Jefry Yan has allowed over 38 IP for the Wahoos in 2023: Final: South Bend (Cubs) 9, Wisconsin 2 Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the T-Rats' site, game details, please visit and review: Wisconsin Falls Flat in Series Opener at South Bend That headline says it all. The T-Rats have played a lot of good baseball games of late - tonight was not one of them. LHP Nathan Peterson was getting hit hard, long, and often in the early going at South Bend. His off-speed arsenal was doing just fine. It was his 89-91 mph heater, finding all too much of dead center, that was the main culprit. Two two-run jacks over the left field wall. Another deep blast off the top of the left field wall should have been ruled a three-run homer but, regardless, it was scored a two-run double. The T-Rats were down 6-0 before the end of the third inning. This game had the feel of a classic first half T-Rats blow out, unfortunately. It didn't get all that much better as the game progressed though the T-Rats bullpen managed to keep things relatively calm. The T-Rats fell to 16-15 in their second half tied with the Peoria Chiefs for second place. Three Quick Strikes: (we're going to keep these short as this one was mostly a snoozer for us T-Rats fans) 1) Ongoing kudos to 2B Jose Acosta as he continually finds ways to impact games with his increased PT at 2B. Tonight, he hit his fourth long ball of his 2023 campaign - a two run shot in the 6th inning well after the game was out of hand. He also made a nice diving stop and toss at 2B in the early going when it was still a manageable deficit. He continues finding ways into my Minor League Link reports. 2) This is only the fourth time in the last 22 games, 1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. hasn't gotten a hit. The T-Rats are going to need his bat to keep at that pace if they want to make their mark against the sudden infusion of 2023 draft talent that has come aboard this already talented Cubs roster. Here's hoping he stays hot and keeps making hard contact over the next five games. 3) 8 IP, 14 H, 5 BB is not a winning output by the Timber Rattlers pitching staff. What's more? They're on deck waiting to see what version of RHP Cameron Wagoner they're getting tomorrow after he lasted a mere 2/3 IP his last time on the hill as a starter. They're going to need this pitching ship to steady itself if they hope to make this is a series and keep their second half pace going. Game #1 Final: Carolina 4, Fayetteville (Astros) 3 *completion of a July 9th game* Box Score / Game Log Game #2 Final: Fayetteville (Astros) 8, Carolina 1Box Score / Game Log Via the Mudcats' site, game details, please visit and review: The Mudcats Took Game 1 of the De Facto Doubleheader 4-3 but Dropped Game 2 Three Quick Strikes: 1) Game one came down to the impactful work of CF Luis Lara. He led off the bottom half of the sixth with a rip to RF. The moment he left the box and saw the Woodpecker's RF approach he was going for two bags. He succeeded in stretching the knock to a double and this proved crucial when OF Luis Castillo muscled a grounder into CF for the game winning RBI. I said it in the game thread, and I'll say it again here: we are truly lucky to have a player of Lara's caliber for our baseball entertainment. He plays with such passion, fire, and skill. This young man has a very bright baseball future. 2) Very talented RHP Jesus Rivero got the starting nod for game two. It was his first nod as a starting pitcher for the Mudcats and manager Victor Estevez. Unfortunately, Rivero showed his warts over his 3 1/3 IP - loss of control and, hence, too many free base runners. 4 BB, 1 WP, 1 Balk, and 1 HBP are not a recipe for a calm day of work on the pitching mound. He flashed those dominant moments we've seen many a time in his early Mudcats tenure - 5 K, for example - but, it was a regression after his extremely dominant 7K relief outing just this past week in Columbia. Like RHP Quinton Low (who I always seem to discuss when I talk about Rivero), we bide our time with Rivero because the raw stuff is so good. Hopefully, he can start stacking outings no matter the inning or the situation. 3) RHP Chase Costello has quietly become a steady force in the Mudcats bullpen. I enjoy Costello's delivery (and results) quite a bit - he has a brief hiccup or slight pause within his delivery. As a viewer, I feel my timing is a tad off when I watch this so I imagine it's a potentially challenging read for hitters. After scuffling a bit to close out his June, Costello has now only allowed a single earned run over his last six relief outings spanning 16 1/3 IP. That's extremely solid work. Over those same innings we see 8 H, 4 BB, 1 HB, 12 K, 4 W, 0.145 BAA, and a 0.75 WHIP. Stellar work from Costello and a real boon for the remainder of his season. ACL D-Backs Red 6, ACL Brewers 1 Box Score / Game Log The Crew may have only mustered three hits in this one and managed a mere 1-for-5 with RISP but there were several ongoing storylines to track as rehab arms and new draftees now adorn the roster. Let's take note of the things I notice when I glean the box and various other data within the new and improved Gamecast format in the lower levels: LHP Adam Seminaris allowed 3 H in his sole inning of work but he was saved by an opportune strike him out, throw him out bit of work between he and C Satchell Norman. This allowed him to work around two singles to RF after a ground ball force out at 3B ended the frame. RHP Ryne Moore has now scuffled in consecutive outings. Tonight's 2 IP, 6 H, 1 BB, 1 K, 3 ER performance means he now has 6 ER over his past 5 IP with only 1 K to show for it against 3 BB and 12 H. That is not how he is looking to rebound after last season's lost time. INF Mike Boeve now has two HR in his last two games. Maybe he has more gap power than he was given credit for coming into the draft. Isn't that fun to dream about? INF Juan Baez remains a significant ACL offensive threat (1 2B on the evening - 12 total in his summer campaign), but he continues to struggle defensively I'm very sad to say. A throwing error and a fielding error on the evening while manning shortstop saw his short season total rise to 15 errors. I've seen enough errors in the ACL Crew's summer box score from Baez to have low-level concerns this is an actual issue. INF Dylan O'Rae was hitless but he once again got on base (1 BB) and swiped a bag (1 SB - 25 SB on the season). I continue to look forward to his possible promotion to Low-A Carolina. 3B Brock Wilken stole a base?!? Yes, 3B Brock Wilken stole a base. The Crew fall to 21-20 and have now lost two straight games to fall 1 1/2 GB of the ACL Central first place Reds. DSL Brewers #2 4, DSL Red Sox Red 1 - (Game called due to lightning after the top of the 5th inning) Box Score / Game Log *Note: The MiLB Box Scores have been updated in a very interesting way - there are several interesting new tabs in within the Game Log/Summary section. Go ahead and take a look! The DSL Brewers Uno were postponed entirely, but the DSL Crew Dos were able to steal a win after just 4 1/2 innings played. Their attempt to play a second on the day was called as well. The four runs were scored via a wild pitch, an error, and a walk - this bolstered their 0-for-6 with RISP efforts on the shortened day. Not all that thrilling but enough to steal a victory in half a game. This being said, the continued thing popping out in the DSL Brewers Dos box scores is repeat performances of one INF Demetrio Nadal. From my own comments in today's Minor League Game Thread: Not to be lost in celebrating Nadal, is the outing from 17-year-old Venezuelan RHP Luis Guevara - 5 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 ER. In a season of ups and downs for this young man, this outing was definitely one of the 'ups'. The Brewers Dos moved to 16-23 on their season as they continue their climb back to 0.500. It's an all evening five-game slate tomorrow as the DSL Cerveceros squads get the day off. As of the time of publish, we see RHP Cameron Wagoner will indeed start for Wisconsin in South Bend and RHP Max Lazar will try and help the Shuckers win their eighth straight game. What a run they are on! We'll have to stay tuned to the other pitching assignments as the day unfolds. Until then, and as always, thanks for reading and thanks for supporting Brewers Minor League baseball. Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scoresCurrent Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and DepthCurrent Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View full article

And, yet, here we are four months later...and Urias was in Triple-A and behind the depth chart featuring Andruw Monasterio, Brice Turang, and Abraham Toro. SO... Sometimes, a change of scenery and a lottery ticket is exactly what is in the cards for all parties. Best of luck to Luis. Sincerely. But, the writing was on the wall when he was optioned. I would casually opine (without an ounce of inside the clubhouse intel) his antics may have worn thin on the coaching staffs. I saw several body language signs in Nashville that I, as a serious observer, was quite wary of.

I randomly watch Minor League outings throughout the year beyond the Brewers system. I actually watched this tilt, fwiw. Really nice outing. Was the first time I became intrigued by Blalock. This is one of those rare instances where a guy I randomly watch within a Minor League season is actually acquired by the Crew😅. Check out the breaking ball at 0:40. This is what we would call 'nasty' in High-A. That pitch was dirty.

Ohhhhhhh, I really like Blalock. He has some rising gas - works 93-96ish. Noice. This is very surprising trade. And, stoked to see him in the Brewers system! Pitchers. Pitchers. Pitchers. Gimme gimme gimme. Good slider. Good curve. This is a fun surprising trade.