Joseph Zarr

The Mudcats graced us with a matinee 18-hit blow-out of the Cannon Ballers. They set the bar quite high. In the evening, we had all three remaining affiliates and the ACL Crew to give us their best shots as they looked to build off of yesterday's 6-1 overall record system-wide. There were notable offensive performances throughout the system as well as a shutdown effort from the collective Sounds bullpen. Let's get into the report! /images-custom/google-analytics/author-tracker.gif/images-custom/google-analytics/author-tracker.gif Image courtesy of Brewer Fanatic Game Balls: OF Terence Doston gets the nod here because I like consistent and impactful production. Doston is one of the least-heralded outfielders in the system and yet every time I watch him play he is making impact plays. He stretches singles into two-baggers. He swipes bases at a very efficient rate. He is an increasingly likable player who knows his strengths and limitations, plays within himself, and rarely makes mistakes. I see you Mr. Doston. You get the nod for your 2-for-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 SB efforts. INF/OF/DH Keston Hiura gets the nod for his 4-for-5 evening - three very hard hit singles (two oppo knocks) and an infield chopper. This is another achievement award for a young man who has performed at the dish all season long. Tonight was no exception. RHP Cameron Wagoner gets the nod here for what was clearly, far and away, his best outing of 2023. It was a much needed 5 IP in more ways than one. It helped the Timber Rattlers jump to a 2-0 series lead at the Reds' Dayton Dragons ballpark. OF Hendry Mendez gets the recognition for his 3-for-5, 3 RBI, 1 HR outing rewarding his manager for being gifted clean-up duties. Clean up he did. And then some. I said it when he returned healthy off his ACL stint: he looks stronger and thicker in his base. Let's hope for more good things in the games ahead! 1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. gets the nod for his ongoing onslaught of the baseball in the batters box. Nobody in the system is swinging a hotter piece of lumber than this large man. Tonight was another scorching performance: 4-for-5, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 SB, 1 CS (he was safe...I'm not lying). What a run he continues to be on. Honorable Mentions: the entire Mudcats line-up ? Seriously, just go take a peak at that ridiculously loaded 18-hit box score. It was also nice to see INF Isaac Collins reward my kind words last evening with more kind work at the dish: 2-for-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI, 1 R - OPS now up to 0.864 on the season. Don't sleep on this young man. Transactions: OF Reidy Mercado was assigned to the Carolina Mudcats from the ACL Brewers LHP Nate Peterson was assigned to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers from the Carolina Mudcats INF Eduardo Garcia was placed on the 7-Day IL by the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (retroactive to July 18th) RHP Brannon Jordan was placed on the 7-Day IL by the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Final: Nashville 5, Jacksonville (Marlins) 3 Box Score / Game LogGame Notes Via the Sounds' site, game details, please visit and review: Hiura Smacks Four Hits as Sounds Snap Losing Skid The Sounds trailed 3-0 early after a series of singles surrounding a free pass in the second frame. But, other than that inning, RHP Caleb Boushley successfully worked around eight hits and said free pass: 5 IP, 8 H, 1 BB, 3 ER, 4 K. Another workmanlike outing for the now entrenched Sounds starter in his second year with the club. Boushley doesn't wow you with electric stuff, per se, but he is very dependable and has now pitched at least five innings in each of his last eight starts dating to June 1st. He is a much needed stabilizing force - especially now that LHP Thomas Pannone is no longer in the starting rotation. After tonight's victory, the Sounds both ended their four game losing streak post-All Star break and moved to 9-7 in the second half - two games back of both Iowa and St. Paul. Three Quick Strikes: 1) They struggled mightily last night with RISP but they lost the contest. Tonight, they managed to take the lead late and hold it. BUT, this certainly wasn't because they were RISP savants. Entering the eighth frame, the Sounds were sitting 3-for-14 with RISP and clinging to a 5-3 lead. This is how they finished. This is obviously not a sustainable pace but it will be something to track as this series progresses. 2) These two men poked 7-of-10 Nashville hits on the evening: Oddly, in a game with 21 combined hits between the two squads the only XBH was an INF Abraham Toro double. That's 20 blue collar singles adorning our screens. 3) When you are only poking one bag knocks, it pays to have your bullpen revert to its prior shutdown form. The combined scoreless 4 IP (2 H, 2 BB, 6 K) amongst RHP Pedro Fernandez, LHP Justin Wilson, RHP Pete Strzelecki, and LHP Clayton Andrews was a much-needed sight for these weary eyes. Wilson and Strzelecki, in particular, really stood out - both had their Big League form atop the hill tonight. Strzelecki's 12 pitch, 10 strike, 1-2-3 2 K outing was extremely refreshing considering how he landed and skidded when re-assigned to the Sounds bullpen. Wilson features a four-seamer, a cutter, and a curveball by my eyes. Deceptive tailing movement at as the cutter approaches the dish. The four-seamer was touching 95 mph. The curve seemed a 'keep you honest' pitch. Most impressive was his location - he was dotting the outer stripe pitch after pitch. Nothing up. Nothing meaty. It's plain to see, even after TJ surgery, he knows how to execute. Final: Montgomery (Rays) 9, Biloxi 8 Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the Shuckers' site, game details, please visit and review: Shuckers Fall to Biscuits, 9-8, on Walk-Off Single Having jumped out to a 7-0 lead, RHP James Meeker was initially done in by a INF Freddy Zamora error that was casually not scored an error allowing the first run to eventually cross the dish. Those types of mistakes are far too common for the ultra-talented and smooth shortstop - a source of constant frustration for someone like me who views these Shuckers games. I digress. Meeker was solid if unspectacular throughout the early part of his outing - the primary damage came via a two out, three run long ball just over the wall in right center field. However, the hits came aplenty as the outing progressed and those knocks definitely came back to haunt him - 5 IP, 11 H, 1 K, 0 BB, 6 ER, 1 HR. It's important to remember, Meeker has only just taken this starting role and made a run of it of late (all 4 GS have come in Meeker's last four outings) - he was a bullpen arm for the better part of a year for the Brewers organization. The strikeouts are down in these extended displays as the lead-off hurler. It's a significant adjustment and a work in progress. And, as I'll allude to below, it's also a significant loss to the bullpen staff. Three Quick Strikes: 1) Seven of the first eight Shuckers runs came in the opening frame. Quite a way to start an evening! The inning started with the effective display from blue-chippers INF Tyler Black, OF Jackson Chourio, and C Jeferson Quero. That's quite a trio for any pitcher to face. Black ripped what looked like a single into right center but, as he does, he motored it into a double. He then played a savvy game of cat-and-mouse with a hard hit Chourio grounder toward the hole past second base obstructing the shortstop and allowing Chourio to reach 1B. Quero then walked to load the bases from there. Then it was a series of gaffes by the Biscuits pitcher (wild pitch) and both corner outfielders that allowed runners to score and advance. This does nothing to take away from timely hits by Zamora and Collins. Taking advantage of these situations is the Achilles heel of any baseball team. The Shuckers succeeded and then some in the first frame. After the first frame, actually, they had scored 27 runs in their last 18 innings played. It's fair to now point out: they've scored one run over their last 8 innings played. Baseball. A game of sample sizes. 2) I'm going to be the one to say it: INF Tyler Black is improving at third base. It's still a work in progress but he is definitely getting better and it is discernible as he completes more innings. What sticks out more than anything to my eyes is he absolutely has the arm to man the hot corner - it's a bit of a cannon. He is beginning to make more challenging plays as well. It's not all roses, by any measure, but I see enough progress there to understand why the Brewers made the shift and are sticking with it. Many fans have wondered why he hasn't been promoted sooner. I would opine: to continue giving Black daily work at 3B. He needs the experience and exposure if this is the plan moving forward. The bat will play any day and anywhere - it's already an MLB bat - 2-for-4, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB. 3) The ongoing dilemma manager Mike Guerrero is facing with his talented Shuckers, as I see it, is the ongoing inconsistencies and unknowns within the bullpen stables. On any given night, it certainly feels, the bullpen is liable to give up crucial tying or losing runs. Tonight, it was the combination of RHP Ryan Middendorf and LHP Nick Bennett who allowed the tying and losing runs. This isn't to single them out in any way. Rather it is to share: this is an ongoing trend. IF the Shuckers are to make a meaningful run in the second half of their season, they will absolutely need better bullpen efforts. As it stands, of late, the only bullpen arms consistently performing are the recently-promoted RHP Ryan Brady and the tentatively effective RHP Cam Robinson. Beyond that, on any given night as a fan of this team, I have no idea what I'm going to witness. Final: Wisconsin 8, Dayton (Reds) 5 Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the T-Rats' site, game details, please visit and review: Rattlers Drop Dragons 8-5 RHP Cameron Wagoner was effective with his breaking ball early as he got the Dragons lead-off batter striking out swinging on a hammer curve down and in to start his outing. He used a similar hammer curve to strike out the fourth batter he faced in the first frame stranding a runner on second base in the process - a really nice pitch that hooked inside on a lefty. If this was the version of Wagoner we were working with, I was ready. It was the best I've seen Wagoner through 4 IP -3 H, 0 BB, 6 K, 0 R. He definitely came apart just a wee bit to start the fifth inning when he gave up a huge two-run homer over the wall in right field on a hanging dead center 80 mph change-up. This came after walking the first batter on five pitches. A credit to him is due, most definitely, as he dug deep after a mound visit and exited the inning without further damage getting a routine grounder to Metzinger shifted into the shortstop dirt and then striking out the next batter on yet another fantastic curve ball. All told, Wagoner finished a line of 5 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 8 K, 1 HR. Other than the brief loss of his stuff to start the fifth frame, this was quite easily the best Wagoner outing of 2023. You love to see it. I am jonesing for more as Wagoner is starting to execute more consistently - something he absolutely struggled with throughout the first months of 2023. Three Quick Strikes: 1) C Darrien Miller continues to experience ongoing SB issues when he mans the back stop. If the pitchers delivery is anything remotely of the off-speed variety, those throws to second base tend to arrive several steps too late. Honestly, the ball appears to hang in the air struggling to pick up steam on its way to the second base bag. 3 SB in 3 SBA on the evening - none of them particularly close. Miller is now just 16-for-77 in SBA for his 2023 season. That is a meager 20.77 CS%. All this being said, I'm going to be honest: those 16 CS were quite a bit higher than I anticipated. Progress is being made, albeit small, from previous season. And, let me call a spade a spade: this is also a 1.73% higher than the current CS% of Brewers' William Contreras ?. 2) INF Jose Acosta is the Doston of the T-Rats infield. He isn't the touted prospect many of these young men are, but everything he does when manning 2B is smooth and easy. I don't take this for granted. He seems to always make the smart play. His glove is sure and his hands and scoops are clean. It's a pleasure to watch a player who is comfortable with who he is and, to boot, has the propensity for key hits. I'm a big fan and his increased PT is one of the silver linings of the unfortunate injuries to INF's Eduardo Garcia and Eric Brown Jr. He finished 2-for-5 (2 2B) for the evening. 3) What a pitching pipeline we have seen come the Timber Rattlers way from Carolina in 2023. First it was RHP Edwin Jimenez (despite his recent struggles he hit the ground running), then it was RHP Jacob Misiorowski (purportedly now in Double-A Biloxi) and now we have the shutdown bullpen duo of RHP Shane Smith and RHP Tanner Shears among others. Shears has taken the closer role, it would appear, from first half stalwart RHP Brannon Jordan (now on the 7-Day IL). And, as we know from his time with the Mudcats, RHP Shane Smith can certainly fill that role when called upon as he was tonight. We know Smith is entirely unafraid to challenge hitters with his heater - unabashedly so. But, tonight, it was his hammer curve that impressed the most. It was truly nasty during both K's in his successful inning of work. Big things ahead for both of these young men. Final: Carolina 13, Kannapolis (White Sox) 2 Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the Mudcats' site, game details, please visit and review: Carolina Crushes Cannon Ballers 13-2 Now, this is a way to get the day started after a brief weather delay. 18 hits for the Mudcats to the Cannon Ballers 4. A real shellacking in every sense of the word. RHP Quinton Low began his work with consecutive 2-2 punch outs. He then gave up a solo shot and a single before C Jose Sibrian threw out the would be base stealer at second base - Sibrian is now 17-of-49 on the season throwing out runners; a healthy 34.69 CS%. Low wasn't the shut down dominant version we've seen several times in 2023 - 3 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 3 K, 2 ER, 1 HR. However, this was definitely the most complete and impactful outing we've seen from young RHP Yujanyer Herrera: 5 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 7 K, 0 R. He picked up his third win of 2023 for his efforts moving to 3-4 on his season. The Mudcats moved to 10-9 in the second half of their Carolina League season and 43-39 overall. They are just 1/2 game back of first place Delmarva as of Wednesday morning. Three Quick Strikes: 1) INF Jadher Areinamo continues to show why he was sent to High-A Wisconsin early in the 2022 season from the ACL. As he continues to showcase March was an anomaly, he is now bringing the XBH game into his mix. Given he is already an elite defender at multiple positions, the 0.568 SLG% in July and 1.006 OPS in 44 July AB's is absolutely noteworthy. This remains a young man who has completely flown under the radar in 2023 because of his slow start and his lack of walks but I will point out to you dear readers: he is only striking out at a 10.87% clip. I suggest you toss out his anomalous 54 AB's in March. Start there. See what you find. He is playing extremely confident and fantastic baseball. This young man is a player in every sense of the word: 2) INF Luke Adams just continues to demand notice for the Mudcats. After today's performance (2-for-4, 3 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 2B, 1 HR), he now leads or is tied atop the following offensive categories for the Mudcats: HR, RBI, R, SB. The early-season pop-up woes appear to be falling further behind him as he is making more and more line drive contact. Today, we saw him rocket a 107 mph 437 foot blast over the wall in left field. Athletic gifts for days: 3) I've noted Areinamo and Adams above, but, really, this was a total team effort. Six Mudcats had multiple-hit games at the plate - Sibrian and Areinamo had three hits apiece and INF Gregory Barrios was 4-for-5. This was a massive offensive outburst. And, after mentioning 1B Jesus Chrinos just yesterday - how he appears to get hot near his birthday (July 27th) - he went ahead and hit his second long ball in two days. He finished 2-for-4 and is beginning to demonstrate an uncanny resemblance to his 2022 season. Let's hope he gets red hot from here and helps the Mudcats win this second half! ACL Athletics 9, ACL Brewers 5Box Score / Game Log The first thing that popped off the box score, for me at least, was lead-off specialist INF Dylan O'Rae's 0-for-4, 1 K performance. I had to check the last time I saw him with an 'O-fer'. Oh, that's right: he had reached base in all 22 games of his ACL season before tonight's doughnut. What a run he's been on. Let's start another. INF Juan Baez (who else, really?!) went 2-for-3, 1 RBI, 1 R, 1 3B. He grabbed his 30th RBI of his ACL season and he sent the OPS north to 1.029. Just an unreal season at the dish for the young man. Also of note, OF Miguel Briceno was moved up in the batting order (from my vantage point this may be the highest he's batted in 2023 in his small but growing sample size?) to the second spot. He rewarded the coaching staff with a 1-for-3, 2 R, 1 BB evening. This was a classic abbreviated 7-inning ACL contest in the back fields of Arizona, however, so the ACL Brewers had limited opportunity to claw back into this one after first falling behind by a run in the fourth frame. We see both RHP Yorman Galindez (3 IP, 4 H, 3 BB, 5 ER, 3 K) and RHP Henrison Mota (3 IP, 4 H, 4 BB, 4 ER, 6 K) struggled with men on base throughout their innings of work. The ACL Crew fell back to two games under 0.500 at 14-16. Despite their recent scufflings, the Crew are still alone in second place just a mere 2 1/2 GB of the ACL Reds. Lotta ballgame left. That is a wrap for me and my Minor League reports for this week. By reporting duties next week, I will have turned a ripe ol' 45 years of age. I have seen many a Brewers and Brewers Minor League baseball game in my lifetime. They just never grow old - even if I inevitably do. I give great thanks to these young men who entertain me on a nightly basis - their pursuit of their dreams is truly my enjoyment. You will se an eight game slate of Minor League tilts tomorrow. The DSL Brewers Dos will play two early morning contests as they look to complete their July 17th game versus the DSL Guardians Blue before facing them again shortly thereafter. The DSL Brewers Uno will look to keep their torrid recent winning pace going against the DSL Braves. Highlights on the mound elsewhere in the system: RHP Jason Alexander's continued work for Nashville as he tries to work his way back to consideration for the Brewers, RHP Patricio Aquino brings his tantalizing mix to the hill for the Mudcats, and RHP Alexander Cornielle looks to find better end result given he's actually pitched quite well overall despite what misleading stats might say. 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

I went back and watched several AB's from April and May. His leg kick has indeed always been this wily. It's wily. It's essentially the Stiven Cruz of batting leg kicks. I don't know why I just noticed this. I have no explanation.😅

No worries, my friend! @wiguy94has you covered there. Thanks for reading and ask away any time!

With seven games on the docket, we had a full slate of Brewers Minor League tilts to open our post-All Star break week. It was a fun-filled night of baseball in my return to report duties - honestly, it felt like an entire mini off-season for me this past week plus. Let's see if I can knock the rust off and deliver a solid write-up for our fine Brewers Fanatics. Let's get into the report! Image courtesy of Biloxi Shuckers Game Balls: C Matt Wood gets the game ball for his ninth inning defensive work alone - just fantastic stuff from the backstop, believe me - but he also went 2-for-5, 1 2B, 1 BB, 2 RBI. Just a fantastic night of work. RHP Tobias Myers gets the nod for his gritty game one start at Montgomery: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 ER, 11 K. All three runs came after the Shuckers had jumped to a 10-0 lead. OF Jackson Chourio stays scorching red hot since those tacked balls were tossed in the dumpster. 3-for-5, 1 HR, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K. INF Juan Baez continues to be atop the ACL leaderboard in many many categories. He hit his second long ball of his 2023 ACL season. He finished 2-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 1 HR. He pushed his BA back to 0.405 with a 1.004 OPS in 115 PA's and he is sporting a very healthy 11.3 K %. Extremely impressive stuff. The defense, however? Well, that is clearly a work in progress to put it politely. DH Darrien Miller was Captain Clutch in the DH slot tonight: 2-for-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR. His solo jack in the ninth frame with one down really kick-started the game-winning rally. * Honorable Mention: LHP Russ Smith and 2 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 3 K, 0 R ball is very worthy of celebration. Can he stack success? Always the question with these young men - much easier said than done. RHP Enniel Cortez gets the mention here for his season-long stellar work but, more importantly, his 3 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K shutdown work for his fourth win and throwing the DSL Dodgers monkey off his back. Transactions: RHP Trevor Megill was recalled by the Milwaukee Brewers from the Nashville Sounds LHP Ethan Small was activated off the 7-Day IL by the Nashville Sounds C Alex Jackson was activated by the Nashville Sounds (suspension) Final: Jacksonville (Marlins) 6, Nashville 4 Box Score / Game LogGame Notes Via the Sounds' site, game details, please visit and review: Missed Chances Loom Large for Sounds in Frustrating Defeat The Sounds fell to 8-7 in the second half and 48-41 overall as they dropped game one at home to the Jumbo Shrimp after being swept at the Louisville Bats. The Sounds, in this recent stretch, very much have the look of a 0.500 ball club so their 8-7 record feels apt, unfortunately. RHP Justin Jarvis indeed was back to his fast-working ways we saw every time out while with Double-A Biloxi. He is still very much learning how his mix plays in the International League, but tonight's outing was definitely a step in the right direction. He looked more comfortable on the mound. In the end, he threw a quality start and gave his team every opportunity to break away from a tie score: 6 IP, 7 H, 1 BB, 6 K, 4 ER, 2 HR. He'll obviously look to tone down the long balls, but we'll consider this outing a success. Three Quick Strikes: 1) When you start experiencing throwing arm injuries like RHP Jake Cousins (he is just coming off a shoulder injury while with Milwaukee and this after last year's elbow injury), it can start to take a toll on a pitcher. Cousins' velocity was well below what we've grown accustomed to averaging 92.4 mph on his evening. He was inaccurate to boot throwing five consecutive balls to start his outing. Cousins did suffer from some seeing eye dribblers, but his recipe for success is far murkier than it used to be. 2) The Sounds stranded 13 men on base after six innings and this ultimately came back to haunt them when the above-mentioned Cousins couldn't find anything resembling his best stuff. They didn't go down in order until the seventh inning. They had the bases loaded in the first three innings and they stranded two runners in both the fourth and fifth inning. A 4-4 ball game heading into the eight inning, in other words, felt inauspicious given the Sounds inabilities throughout the contest to capitalize in favorable situations. 3) The last thing of note from this tilt was the move of CF Sal Frelick from the lead-off slot to the two-spot in the batting order. INF Luis Urias took the lead-off to open the series - given Urias' extremely slow gait, I don't know what precipitated this move other than a kick start for both men but it definitely worked early. Urias hit a long ball and a double but popped out 15 feet up the first base line with men on 2nd and 3rd base while trailing 6-4 with two down in the ninth and final inning. He'll obviously want that AB back. Frelick finished 2-for-4 with his 8th SB. However, he'll be remembered for his defense tonight as he continues to showcase his range and underrated arm: Final: Biloxi 13, Montgomery (Rays) 6 Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the Shuckers' site, game details, please visit and review: Five Multi-Hit Performances, Four Home Runs Power Shuckers to 13-6 Win The Shuckers moved to 8-8 in the Southern League second half and 42-43 overall behind RHP Tobias Myers' 11 K and their 10 run cushion earned in the early going. Myers got the game ball nod above, but this game was really about the offense. The talented Shuckers showed out early and often and, as the article above points out: this was the Shuckers 12th series opening victory in 16 tries in 2023. Let's just highlight a few things I saw throughout the contest. Three Quick Strikes: 1) All the mainstream media hype for the young and talented Reds of late is extremely well-deserved. BUT, Brewers fans don't get distracted. Say the course. Let's not overlook the immense amount of talent sitting in Biloxi in INF Tyler Black, OF Jackson Chourio, and C Jeferson Quero. These young men are, quite simply, studs. And with RHP Jacob Misiorowski coming to the pitching stables shortly, it is quite simply a talent buffet down yonder. Handling the 1-through-3 spots in the batting order, Black; Chourio; and Quero went a combined 9-of-14, 2 2B, 1 HR, 4 R, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 1 K. The only surprise here tonight is Tyler Black didn't swipe another base. Let's also not forget the back-to-back-to-back we saw Sparks-Black-Chourio in the fifth inning: 2) INF Isaac Collins (sometimes LF'er) has definitely had his own share of bright moments in 2023. He was called up to Nashville for a reason in the first half though he wasn't capable of taking advantage of that opportunity at the time - unfortunately, he was asked to play mostly LF in his very brief stint which isn't his natural position. Tonight, he managed a 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 2B, 1 SB (his 18th) output while adeptly manning second base. It may surprise you, but as someone who watches the Shuckers regularly I want you to know: Collins is now hitting 0.265 with an 0.845 OPS in 143 AB's - 7 2B, 4 HR, 30 R, 18 RBI, 37 BB, 29 K. This is a quality baseball player and my hunch is you may not quite know this yet. 3) I continue to enjoy watching INF Ethan Murray play the game of baseball. He had an uncharacteristic bout of errors playing SS in the past month but that is the exception not the norm. He is a very good infielder with a capable arm and surprising range and leaping ability. Since his surprising call-up to Biloxi lat year, however, he's really advanced in the batters box. This is a player on the rise. He finished his evening 2-for-5 with 2 R, 2 RBI, and 1 K. He also hit his fifth long ball of the year - an oppo blast to right center on a mistake curve: Final: Wisconsin 9, Dayton (Reds) 8 Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the T-Rats' site, game details, please visit and review: Wisconsin Wins a Wild One at Dayton They had outhit the Dragons. They had more RISP throughout the contest and, yet, the T-Rats trailed 8-6 heading into the ninth frame. Fear not, I said! Let us adorn our baseball crowns with mighty T-Rats rally caps! Fear not, I said! The T-Rats may have been 1-for-40 coming back when trailing after eight innings but the Dragons bullpen had blown 21 save opportunities in 2023. The Reds pitching woes run deep into the thorny briars. It was the perfect recipe the young Timber Rattlers needed to go 2-for-41 in their late game comeback bids. RHP Stiven Cruz got the opening nod and, well, he was mostly the 2023 version of Cruz we've become accustomed to. We hope he bends but doesn't break. This is the nature of his season so far, unfortunately. He ended his work after just 4 IP and just 67 pitches 6 H, 2 BB, 4 ER, 2 K. The Timber Rattlers led 5-4 at that point after rallying for five runs of their own in the top-half of the fourth inning. Three Quick Strikes: 1) Egregiously left out of the 'Game Ball' and 'Honorable Mentions' above (who writes these things anyway - sheesh), OF Je'Von Ward was clutch at the dish all night. No hit was more meaningful than his one out tailing double off the low left center wall to keep the comeback mojo alive post-Darrien Miller solo shot. He finished his evening 4-for-5, 2 2B, 3 R, 1 RBI at the plate and throw in a pivotal OF assist in there as well. No game ball? Unacceptable. 2) He just keeps hitting. And, as a result, he's now seeing his name in the clean-up spot to open a road series. 1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. is cooking in July. After tonight's 2-for-5 work at the dish, Martinez is hitting a scorching 0.375 BA with a 1.111 OPS in 48 AB's in July. And, this is after hitting 0.295 BA with a 0.839 OPS in 51 AB's in June. He's trending. Two-month trending. How Martinez Jr. closes out his 2023 season is one of the most inriguing storylines in all of Brewers Minor League baseball given their lack of meaningful depth at the 1B position. 3) 10-9 overall in the second half and just three games back of first place Peoria. A win like this demonstrates why several of us were so high on the T-Rats potential in the second half of their 2023 season. This just feels like a team on the rise. They are executing better in key spots. They are playing better baseball for longer stretches. If (and it's a big if given trends) they can get more arms pitching more consistently from the starting rotation, they could really make some noise to close their season. Stay tuned. Final: Carolina 6, Kannapolis (White Sox) 0 Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the Mudcats' site, game details, please visit and review: Mudcats Blank Ballers 6-0 in Series Opener The Mudcats moved to 9-9 in the first half - just 1 game out of first place Delmarva - and 42-39 on the season as a whole. It was a combined shutout effort between starter LHP Nate Peterson (3 2/3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 K), RHP Tyler Wehrle (4 1/3 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 W), and RHP Jeison Pena (1 IP, 1 K). The entirety of the Mudcats damage came in the first four frames. Baseball is a game of opportunity, however, and the Mudcats made their mark when the irons were in the proverbial fire. Three Quick Strikes: 1) My memory certainly isn't what it used to be, but, I'm going out on a limb here: INF Luke Adams adjusted his leg lift during the All-Star break. I absolutely don't recall this pronounced action: Do you? Chime in below. I'm going off memory here but I've watched likely 2/3rd the Mudcats game so the memory is fairly informed. Regardless, Adams had an improved night at the dish. That's now 24 SB (7 CS) in 2023. The athletic tools continue to pop. He remains a massive wealth of athletic talent. He is still just 19 years old through the entirety of 2023 and into the first month of the 2024 season. 2) OF Jace Avina has fallen to the ninth spot in the batting order? Well, when you are hitting 0.192 in July and that is your second best month of your season that will happen. However, I still see better things than I did in the very early going of this season. The 8:3 K:BB ratio in July plays for me - this is improved. His 0.738 OPS is acceptable as well. This is a big couple of months for the young man and I'm hoping these improved approaches lead to better contact and better results. I still appreciate his effort and he hasn't once given bad body language - believe it or not, this is meaningful. He likely isn't pleased with his season but he's working. The results will come with his commitment. 3) 1B/DH Jesus Chirinos has had one of the more forgettable seasons in the entire Brewers system in 2023. His struggles in Wisconsin - offensively and defensively - carried with him when he was re-assigned to Carolina. However, his 2022 surge truly began around this very same time - his birthday. He celebrates yet again on July 27th. Are we in store for another anomalous breakout? I have no clue. For a man his size to hit his first home run of 2023 on July 18th is quite surprising and I'm unsure if I'll ever understand the physics of taking your energy away from the baseball in a batting approach. But, hope springs eternal for this aging Brewers fan. The power is certainly in there: ACL Brewers 13, ACL Cubs 4Box Score / Game Log The ACL Crew bounced back from their Monday woes in fine fashion as they scored runs in each of the 4th-through-8th frames. They outhit the Cubbies 12-to-4 and managed a 5-for-16 mark with RISP. INF Dylan O-Rae continued to excel in the lead-off spot with his 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 3 BB, 1 K evening (a very healthy 0.325 BA and 0.854 OPS). I already alluded to INF Juan Baez's stellar and outgoing offensive output above, but the 7th error and combined 0.9055 fielding percentage between SS and 3B has to be cause for concern. C Edgardo Ordonez continues to shine in nearly every opportunity he receives behind the plate and his offensive output is anything but offensive: 3-for-5, 3 R, 2 2 B on his evening. Also of note in this one, RHP Ryne Moore's successful opening 2 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 0 R, 1 K as he continues to rehab in hopes of a promotion back to Low-A or High-A. Finally, LF Miguel Briceno continues to shine in his limited plate appearances: 3-for-5, 1 R, 1 RBI - 0.370 BA and 0.840 OPS in a mere 30 PA's. With the victory, the young ACL Brewers moved to 14-15. DSL Brewers #1 3, DSL Dodgers Mega 1Box Score / Game Log The combined victories here and for the Brewers Dos were the highlights of my Brewers Minor League day. Finally, the Dodgers fall at the hands of the young DSL Crew. A quiet sigh of relief stirred through my mountain valley. In the case of these Brewers Uno, they trailed 1-0 early to boot. They managed to score their first two runs on an infield single and a balk but INF Gery Holguin managed to smack his 8th double for the third and final run. This game was all about the combined pitching efforts of RHP's Jesael Cabrera and Enniel Cortez. 17-year-old Nicaraguan RHP Enniel Cortez, in particular, continues to showcase a game well beyond his years. He picked up his 4th win of 2023 in his 3 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 0 R, 3 K work. In 28 2/3 IP in 2023 he now has 33 K to just 4 BB. Batters are hitting a mere 0.194 BAA with an 0.84 WHIP. Quite the season. The DSL Brewers Uno moved to 20-11 on their season and they moved into sole possession of second place in the DSL North just 5 GB of the Dodgers Bautista. DSL Brewers #2 7, DSL Dodgers Bautista 3Box Score / Game Log I don't know why this game was called after six innings, but I don't really care when it means the DSL Crew finished 2-0 versus the mighty DSL Dodgers. This was a big victory for the young DSL Brewers Dos who moved to 12-18 in the process - 5-5 in their last 10 games and 12 1/2 GB these same Dodgers Bautista. INF Filippo Di Turri continues to get on base at an accelerated clip (1-for-2, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 SB) for the Brewers Dos despite their losing record. DH Pedro Ibarguen was the main run producer on the day as he sent three across home plate via singles (2-for-4, 3 RBI, 1 R). Scanning the box score and game logs, however, we see only three of the seven DSL Dos runs were earned. They were the willing beneficiaries of some much needed luck. We'll gladly take it. We'll be back at it again tomorrow. Both DSL Crew teams will be taking a much-deserved day off. The ACL Crew will be taking on the ACL Athletics late in the evening. RHP's Quinton Low and James Meeker will be the highlights for me personally as they take the hill for the Mudcats (in the very early going matinee - 8 am PST for me) and Shuckers, respectively. RHP Caleb Boushley will look to help get the suddenly struggling Sounds back on the winning track while RHP Cameron Wagoner will look to help the T-Rats start their road series at Dayton 2-0. 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

Re: Josh Adamczewski, SS Lake Central HS From the NWI Times (Indiana) (PS: Highly recommend reading this article. Very in-depth look at the player) 35 BB in 2023 - 0.632 OBP 😁

This is hilarious:

- RHP Samuel Dario was activated by the ACL Brewers off their 7-Day IL

When I see four victories in a row to start this week for our DSL Cerveceros, I am brought back to my sojourns in the Dominican. In certain Domincan locales, there is a commonly used colloquialism: "Al que madruga Dios lo ayuda.". In English, we all know this in a different phrasing: "The early bird gets the worm." It appears the baseball gods have indeed shifted their early helping hands to aid our DSL brethren as they've broken free from the losing woes of the past couple weeks. Four straight DSL victories is how we keep our spirits high during a prolonged All-Star break. Let's get into the report! Image courtesy of Brewer Fanatic Spotlight: We've seen many box score highlights throughout the ACL season from the breakout season of INF Juan Baez. And, now, we are afforded the chance to see his form in the batters box via our good friends at the Brewers Player Development twitter team: I agree @Jake McKibbin: that swing looks very smooth - easy, relaxed, and repeatable. Quite the leg lift to boot. Transactions: NONE Final: DSL Brewers Uno 3, DSL Guardians Blue 0 Box Score / Game Log Outhit 4-to-2, the DSL Uno still managed a 3-0 shutout. Glorious. The big hit for the Crew came in the bottom of the second inning: a bases loaded two out three-run double off the bat of OF Pedro Tovar. Actually, both hits came in that frame. Four walks came the young Crew's way in the remaining seven frames but nothing came of it. This game was about the combined shutout between 17-year-old Nicaraguan RHP Enniel Cortez and 19-year-old Dominican RHP Jesael Cabrera. Cortez continues to excel in his first year as a member of the Brewers and, it is quite clear to me, he is currently pitching beyond his age. In his fifth start of the summer, Cortez managed to hurl 5 IP of 4 H, 1 BB, 5 K, 0 R ball. His K:BB ratio has now elevated to 30:4 in 25 2/3 IP. Man, that's eye-opening for a 17-year-old. Hitters are managing a 0.213 BAA and he is sporting a 0.94 WHIP. He moved to 3-0 on his season. RHP Jesael Cabrera was not to be outdone: 4 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 3 K. He picked up his first save of 2023 in the process. In his second season with the Brewers, Cabrera has definitely made improvements despite a similar ERA as 2022 (4.19-to-4.15). However, he is seeing batters hit a mere 0.200 BAA and he has lowered his WHIP in 2023 to a very workably 0.98. These are good signs for the young hurler as he looks to keep making strides toward a potential stateside ACL promotion in 2024. With the victory, the DSL Brewers #1 moved to 15-11 - 7 1/2 games back the first place DSL Dodgers Bautista (23-4). Final: DSL Brewers Dos 5, DSL Phillies Red 2 Box Score / Game Log The DSL Brewers Dos lost a precarious 1-0 lead in the bottom of the eighth frame when the Phillies Rojo tied it up 1-1 on the backs of three consecutive singles. Kudos to 17-year-old Venezuelan RHP Luis Guevara for escaping the jam (3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 K, BS, W - 2-0 / 9.82 ERA / 2.00 WHIP). After conceding the tying single up the middle, and a scored error on CF Ramon Moreno advancing runners to second and third, Guevara managed to work around a HBP (loading the bases) by striking out the final two Phillies. Close call! In the top of the ninth inning, the Brewers Dos pounced early with an INF Filippo Di Turri single (2-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 R - 0.354 BA / 0.864 OPS) and a Phillies throwing error allowing C Eric Martinez to advance to 2B and Di Turri to 3B. DH Pedro Ibarguen flew out but CF Ramon Moreno then walked to load the bags and 3B Luis Lameda cleared them all with a triple. It was just Lameda's second XBH of 2023 and definitely his biggest - hopefully this kick starts a run as he is clearly disciplined at the dish sporting a very healthy 11:11 K:BB ratio. Mr. OPS, OF Christopher Vazquez (1.210 OPS in 34 PA's), followed Lameda with a run-scoring double himself. Leading 5-1 at that point, the Crew #2 held on to win 5-2. INF Demetrio Nadal didn't repeat yesterday's heroics but he still grabbed a free pass in an 0-for-3 outing and managed to successfully swipe his 12th stolen base (12-for-12 in 2023). Finally, let's acknowledge the ongoing fine work of 18-year-old Venezuelan Jesus Flores. Starting his fifth contest for the DSL Brewers Dos today, he was unable to improve his 0-4 record despite his stellar 6 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 0 R, 2 K work. Clearly that record absolutely does not tell the tale of his season: 20 1/3 IP, 13 H, 8 BB, 15 K, 1 HB, 1 HR, 0.183 BAA, 1.03 WHIP. Is there more strikeout stuff in his young toolkit? We'll have to stay tuned as he works his way through the lower levels. The Brewers #2 moved to 11-15 - four games back their compadres on the Brewers Uno and 11 1/2 game back the juggernaut that is the first place DSL Dodgers Bautista. As Jim alluded to Monday, the Brewers are entirely off tomorrow. Click the link and check Thursday's schedule - both DSL teams will be back at it and our ACL squad will be taking on the formidable 19-8 ACL Rockies. Thanks for checking in during the All-Star break and, as always, 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

This is the way. Be ready to shine in those Minor League reports, Craig!

This appears to be shaping up as a very intriguing draft. That's fun!

One of the things that currently makes O'Rae even more appealing is he's actually 17-for-17 in SB. He stole his 17th base last night and he is yet to be caught. This definitely plays when you see how quickly he exits the batters box - he obviously has that get-off speed: He also appears to have added some off-season muscle mass. I can't help but dream on him adding some gap power in the next few years.

INFAbraham Toro is getting reps at 1B because in the cornucopia of non-1B options at Nashville (which now extends to Milwaukee as well as we know - I can't help but think Big Jon could've gotten another opportunity with the Big Club), he is actually quite smooth and competent. He's made several tricky plays look smooth and natural. Despite his size, he's been quite good for Sweetie and his staff.

Really nice to see the DSL pitching staffs have a stalwart performance after some double digit affairs in the past couple of weeks.

More below concerning the Sounds tilt, but, suffice it to say: I don't know if I've ever seen a stranger ending in all my baseball watching days. It had it all and then some in the strangest of ways. Elsewhere, the Shuckers lost a close one. The T-Rats pulled away for a laugher with some epic offensive performances. The Mudcats rallied to tie it in the middle innings but fell late. It was an all evening affair across the board and the ACL Crew even faced the DSL/ACL arch nemesis Dodgers. Let's get into the report! Image courtesy of Biloxi Shuckers Game Balls: OF Tyrone Taylor gets much-deserved recognition for his torrid start in his Nashville rehab assignment. He hit a long ball last night. He got things going tonight with a two-run shot in the first frame. A 2-for-4, 1 BB, 1 R, 4 RBI, 1 HR final line has him with 6 RBI in his two games so far. INF Keston Hiura gets a nod for his 0-2 count game-tying super bloop into shallow right field. He fought off several challenging pitches to keep the AB alive. But, it didn't stop there. Hiura showcased his continued hot bat throughout: 3-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, and 1 HR. C/LF/1B Alex Hall is now the frontrunner for offensive performance of the year: 4-for-5, 2 HR, 2 2B, 3 R, 9 RBI, 1 K. Just yowza. Give me some of that hot sauce! 1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. grabs back-to-back nods here. He extended his hit streak to 11 games with his third multi-hit outing in a row. His July batting average before tonight's 3-for-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 1 2B, 1 BB outing was sitting at 0.400 with an 1.038 OPS. This is an unreal development and I am absolutely here as a willing witness. Purportedly, Martinez consistently demonstrates the best exit velo on the squad - Mehring is on record stating he has been clocked at 117 mph on more than one occasion. With swings and hits like these you can see why: INF Dylan O'Rae continues his steady hand atop the batting order for the ACL Crew. A 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 SB evening saw him swipe his 16th base total with not a single caught stealing to spoil his mark. I continue to be very intrigued by what he may bring to the Carolina line-up and I sincerely I hope I am afforded that opportunity at some point in this second half of Low-A baseball Honorable Mention: INF Jonatan Guzman (ACL Crew) 3-for-3, 1 HR, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R Transactions: LHP Clayton Andrews was optioned to the Nashville Sounds by the Milwaukee Brewers RHP J.B. Bukauskas was optioned to the Nashville Sounds by the Milwaukee Brewers RHP Tyson Miller was recalled by the Milwaukee Brewers from the Nashville Sounds RHP J.C. Mejía had his contract selected by the Milwaukee Brewers from the Nashville Sounds LHP Thomas Pannone, who was DFA'd this past weekend, was released INF Jose Caballero was placed on the ACL Brewers 7-Day IL C Payton Henry was activated by the Nashville Sounds (related to the recent suspension) RHP Pedro Fernandez was activated (officially) from the 7-Day IL LHP Nick Bennett was assigned to the Nashville Sounds from the Biloxi Shuckers Final: Nashville 15, Columbus (Guardians) 14 Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the Sounds' site, game details, please visit and review: Sounds Walk-Off, Take Unbelievable 15-14 Win Over Columbus Just remember: you will never see it all in any baseball game. Ever. But, man oh man, does every baseball game have the propensity to show you something new. How about this for a walk-off? I'm not going to lie, we saw very similar baseball happenings at the Timber Rattlers' Fox Cities Stadium on this very same night! Take a look: Anywho... 1) It was a 9-3 game headed into the top of the eighth inning. And, boy oh boy, that all changed one hit after the next after the next after the next...after the next. Several of these knocks were of the 'seeing eye' variety. It was 10-9 Columbus after another liner made it into the center field grass. This rally all started with LHP Alex Claudio and his many low-speed hangers. All too many pitches swooped dead center into the zone - it was that kind of night. His final line will read 0 IP, 4 H, 4 ER and I have to say these were definitely earned. RHP Trevor Megill seemed the recipient of some fairly bad luck when it was all said and done though he certainly also gave up his share of decent contact. With a pitching staff stretched to its limits with recent call-ups and overworked arms, it was sink-or-swim no matter what. The Clippers showed they are a team you can't take lightly at any moment of any game. They came into tonight's tilt tied with the Sounds at 5-2 in the second half and this rally absolutely showed they can score in bunches. 2) RHP Abner Uribe was first on in relief of RHP Jason Alexander after Alexander walked his second man aboard in the top of the sixth inning. It was a high-leverage spot for Uribe so it was a good test for the young fireballer - a 6-2 lead with two men on and nobody down. He rose to the challenge: pop up to shallow right field; full count K looking on the lower outer corner; and an 0-2 groundout to Toro at third base. These are the types of situations we need to see Uribe thrown into. Consider it a success. 3) INF Cam Devanney thankfully lined a single to RF in the sixth inning. He had a HR robbed by a fantastic play in the fourth frame and he was then robbed of an infield single on a wonderful running stab and two hop throw to 1B. I've been saying it all season long, but the box score so often does not tell the full story. Devanney continues to swing a hot bat even if the results didn't fully demonstrate this truth. Final: Pensacola (Marlins) 3, Biloxi 1 Box Score / Game Log Game Notes (* NOTE: As of publish, the Shuckers Game Notes were not updated to reflect Game 2 information)Via the Shuckers' site, game details, please visit and review: Shuckers Fall in Pitcher's Duel to Pensacola No INF Tyler Black. OF Jackson Chourio given the day off. It was up to their Shuckers stablemates. And, they unfortunately weren't up to the task. RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez started very hot retiring the first six batters faced over two innings with two K's tossed in for good measure. Ultimately, he was highly effective going 5 IP of 3 H, 2 BB, 1 ER, 1 HR, 4 K - a very friendly outing for your ball club. Rodriguez continues to do more than enough on the mound but the now 4-3 record feels quite unfair. And, such is the game of baseball. We know the deeper layers here. Stay the course, young man. Three Quick Strikes: 1) I hate to say it, but the failed execution with the bases loaded and nobody out in the top of the second gave me thoughts of "Well, if that isn't about as Brewers as it gets!" ? It was a classic case of failed situational execution. We all know baseball is a very hard game. However, someone has to knock a single run in given the situation. That is not what happened, however. OF Carlos D. Rodriguez flew out to the left field foul territory (not deep enough to tag), OF Lamar Sparks struck out swinging, and INF Isaac Collins flew out to deep center field. It was a bevy of wrong ingredients and the platter was served ice cold. That was the best opportunity the Shuckers had all game. 2) RHP Ryan Brady came on for his inaugural action in Double-A. He was greeted by two errors (one apiece) from 1B Zavier Warren and C Jeferson Quero allowing his lead-off batter to reach second base. It goes without saying, but that's an extremely tough pill to swallow for a young man in his first Southern League action. Brady then threw a wild pitch advancing the runner to 3B and an ensuing single scored that runner. Thankfully, his defense came back to help him get out of the inning with a fly out double play to second base from the hand and arm of none other than CF Lamar Sparks. It was an up-and-down debut for the UDFA out of BYU: 2 2/3 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 2 K, 1 ER. 3) Four hits total. Seven walks taken, however. 1-for-10 with RISP and 10 men left on base. That's your ball game right there. There's really not much else to say. The Shuckers lacked the ability to take advantage of situations throughout - the bases loaded flop was the sign of things to come. Final: Wisconsin 14, Beloit (Marlins) 5 Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the T-Rats' site, game details, please visit and review: Hall Drives in Nine for Wisconsin in 14-5 Win It was a little shaky early for RHP Stiven Cruz as he surrendered two long balls and three runs to open tonight's tilt. Kudos to Cruz, however: outings like this ran away from him in the first half. He buckled down from there and gave manager Joe Ayrault five more strong innings. You love to see it. Adversity faced and tossed to the wayside. His final line reads 6 IP, 6 H, 1 BB, 3 ER, 3 K, 2 HR. If you toss out that first frame you really have something there. Despite his elevated season-long ERA, Cruz is definitely trending up. Spoil yourselves with some Timber Rattlers home cooking: Postgame Podcast: Full Game Highlights: 1) I said it on more than one occasion in the first half: with injuries and unlikely promotions coming down the pipeline, the T-Rats needed to rise up from within. And, boy, have they ever. C/DH Darrien Miller is bouncing back from a rough Quad Cities series. OF Joe Gray Jr. continues to lead the team - in the dugout and with on-field production. Now, we have a record-setting night from Australian Winter League masher Alex Hall? 1B Ernesto Martinez is in the midst of a double digit hitting streak? If we continue to pair this sudden offensive production with a resurgence in the starting pitching staff, we absolutely have a team who could surprise in the second half. 2) That's switch-hitting, Milwaukee Brewers legend, Alex Hall. And, regardless of his first half struggles, the swing always looks pure. As our beloved Chris Mehring exclaims: "Welcome to Slam Town, Mate!"?: 3) The Box Score is filled with intrigue so I won't belabor any further statistical prowess. However, I do want to add a little observational morsel: OF Hendry Mendez looks as though he has returned to High-A in peak physical condition. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he certainly didn't miss any leg lift days while on the mend. He looks thicker in his lower half. It may take some time to round into form, but, I will be entirely unsurprised if he goes on an XBH tear at some point in the second half. Remember, you heard it here first. Final: Fayetteville (Astros) 7, Carolina 5 Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the Mudcats' site, game details, please visit and review: Avina Homers in 7-5 Loss to Fayetteville A season is a long haul and it's fair to say the early-season shutdown performances of RHP Will Rudy have given way to an ongoing rough patch. Coming into tonight's matchup with the Woodpeckers, Rudy had surrendered at least three runs in each of his past five outings - pitching to a 6.17 ERA in the process. He saw three base runners in the first inning - two singles to right field and a deep double off the right field wall. He did manage to escape with only one run scored by striking out his final batter on a tasty slider (the third consecutive offering of the pitch) that dipped below the zone. Overall, I would say Rudy is presently leaving too many hittable pitches over the plate - in favorable or unfavorable accounts. No pitch was more emblematic of this than his 0-2 single he surrendered (his fourth hit allowed) with one down in the second inning - it was a mistake pitch. The body language matches what I'm seeing as well. He's in a grind and he'll simply need to keep working on his craft. All told, Rudy finished tonight with 5 IP of 10 H, 0 BB, 1 K, 5 ER, 1 HR ball. Keep grinding young man. Three Quick Strikes: 1) INF Luke Adams has been struggling to put it all together lately. The addendum here is: all the tools are there now as they've been all year. His BABIP was improving in the latter portion of the first half, but he found himself in a 2-for-19 slump with a mere single and RBI in an ongoing mini-rut coming into tonight's tilt. The walks, so bountiful in the early season, were also down. When Adams started getting the batting average headed north, he had reduced the early season pop-up tendency. He didn't build off this trend - or, in the very least, he hasn't taken off like we were hoping to see. If we add a recent bout of uncharacteristic throwing errors from 3B, it's fair to say, the hype train had slowed down for the time being. Tonight, however, was a step back in the right direction. He made good contact, he scored a run, and he stole a base. He took a key walk in the failed ninth inning rally. We 2) It's always nice to remember that despite the first half woes and strikeout numbers, OF Jace Avina can still hit for power with anyone on the Mudcats roster. His three-run blast was key in making a ballgame after a lackluster early going: It was anyone's ballgame at this point. Unfortunately, for the Mudcats it went the wrong way. 3) Let's continue with the theme of situational baseball as seen above with the Shuckers troubles this fine evening. Trailing by only one run at 6-5, the Mudcats failed to grab the lead runner on a routine grounder to 2B Jheremy Vargas in the top of the ninth inning. It would have been a close play, but it is definitely a play that had to be made (or in the least attempted) given the batter was a slow-footed runner down the 1B line and Areinamo was definitely covering the bag at 2B. Split second decisions often come back to haunt you in the game of baseball. That lead runner then advanced to 3B on a RHP Tyler Wehrle wild pitch. The Mudcats infield shifted in , as a result, then suffered the fate of a high chopper. It somehow made it over the leaping Vargas - leaping on the infield grass - bouncing off the infield dirt and into extremely shallow right center field. And, I simply offer: this all came after the failure to make the play at second base. ACL Dodgers 11, ACL Brewers 8 - Suspended Box Score / Game Log The sun rises, The sun sets. The ACL Brewers lose to the ACL Dodgers. Or DO they? In another odd twist of fate for my Minor League report duties, I was party to another suspended game. This time, oddly, a power outage in the 7th inning One of the only questions I have for the remainder of both the ACL and DSL season is: If the weather holds and the lights stay on, can any of the Brewers rookie ball clubs actually beat the Dodgers? This remains entirely uncertain given they have collectively lost double digit consecutive games to these West Coast foes. The ACL Crew lost an 8-7 lead in the sixth frame and they fell into an 11-8 deficit in the seventh after allowing another run to cross on a sacrifice fly. All four runs came against apparent two-way player RHP Miguel Briceno (who also went 2-for-3, 3 R, 1 RBI, 1 2B while playing third base). This is a mildly interesting development at this point though it is apparent that the bat is what plays best at present. We'll stay tuned. INF Juan Baez was uncharacteristically quiet at the dish and he greeted Briceno's work on the hill with a throwing error from 3B. INF Dylan O'Rae continues to carve his path to Low-A Carolina. Remember, you heard it here first: he's been coming on for well over 2-3 weeks as a legitimate lead-off man replacement or or companion to OF Luis Lara. His offensive output was noted above in the Game Balls. Not to be lost in the shuffle were 1B/LF/DH Yeison Perez's 2-for-3 evening and INF Jonatan Guzman's 3-for-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, 1 R, 1 HR evening. There will be Brewers baseball tomorrow. And, honestly folks, after enduring that Sounds game I'm going to likely take the evening off. Highlights for me tomorrow will include RHP Justin Jarvis' Triple-A debut as he looks to take on an extremely formidable Clippers offense. Hopefully, his fast-paced work will give them fits. Additionally, RHP Tyler Woessner will start for the Timber Rattlers as he looks to get back to his dominant stuff. 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

So what I wrote down (and it's hilarious as I was mistaken - we only got one speed reported on a change-up!😅): First wild pitch was a beauty - off speed classic down and in to a lefty. I put it on Cabrera or just his massive movement (he was credited with 3 WP, mind you). More a testament to his stuff than being 'wild'. Cabrera mistakenly tried to backhand catch a sinking inner off-speed headed to the dirt. He needs to move and block it. Would have loved to see the first pitch of his fourth batter on an accurate Gamecast - dropped a dime of a curve/slurve right on the outer stripe called a ball. Gorgeous pitch. 1-0 felt unfair. 2nd WP was indeed wild. High and outside went off-speed low and in. Runners advanced. 3rd WP - all 3 came in his first frame - and this one was also an off-speed pitch that ran away. Appears to have a sinker as well as possibly two types of heat? Would love to hear it from Rivero himself or the pitching coaches. Also has a slider. A curve/slurve. And, maybe even a change-up. Lots of tools. He can go straight four-seam riser OR he can go sink OR he can go tailing two-seam by my eyes. Robbed of another K second batter of 7th - beautiful outer half heater. It was a K. Eye test matters. He's been wild, yes, but in these lower levels the stats often lie. Change-up drops to 81 mph - so, yes, definitely a change-up I am seeing in addition... Slider appears to be a notch higher - I'd bargain 85-86. He opened up the 8th with a slider K. Back-to-back K's via the slider. Clearly a strikeout pitch. Final out on another pop-up. Lotta pop-ups induced. Hardest hit ball was an oppo liner run-scoring line drive single. So given that change-up and what appeared to be a low to mid 80's slider I'm going 93-95 mph on the heat when he dials back. But, not verified.

YES! Greg Young is fantastic in that way. When I get back to the farm I'll share from my notes - we have such great announcers I'm always logging player comments in a designated folder. I'll be back by 4 PM PST to get watching so will share here then.

Absolutely agreed there. I mean, I write these obssessive Daily reports 2 and sometimes 3 times per week and I'm still discovering new players surfing through the DSL/ACL game logs and box scores. There's no way a small staff can keep up with 30 teams in that manner. I won't hear it! NO SIR!

I must say: seeing the litany of 'Unranked by All Publications' coming into this June monthly award cycle simply reinforces my general sentiment that the MLB Pipeline lists et al (Those coveted Top 20 and Top 100 lists) just don't actually mean all that much. They're essentially a very broad and faint brushstroke in a massively more detailed organizational picture. They don't account for Independent League FA's, Minor League Free Agents etc. They are very myopic and hype driven but they inherently lack in-season adaptability and the ability to implement the minutiae of what these Minor League players are actually doing. Anywho... The thing you have to love about RHP Shane Smith is he is cut from the Old School cloth of: "Here it is. Try and hit this!" He is absolutely unafraid to try and blow it by hitters. He mostly succeeds here. Like last night when he lost the shutout, however, he is prone to the long ball from time-to-time. But, those solo shots in a 3-0 game don't mean all that much. Fun pitcher to watch.

LHP Clayton Andrews was optioned to the Nashville Sounds by the Milwaukee Brewers RHP J.B. Bukauskas was optioned to the Nashville Sounds by the Milwaukee Brewers RHP Tyson Miller was recalled by the Milwaukee Brewers from the Nashville Sounds RHP J.C. Mejía had his contract selected by the Milwaukee Brewers from the Nashville Sounds LHP Thomas Pannone, who was DFA'd this past weekend, was released

RHP Lucas Erceg's MLB success story hit an unforgiving hiccup in his recent outing versus the Yankees. In the past, at both Biloxi and Nashville these types of outings led to extended bouts of futility (and bad luck). For his sake, I hope he gets right back to wheeling and dealing like he has. I continue to question where those 'Traded for Cash' earnings went. It was reported at the time this was a favor to the player but, man, sometimes our favorite organization fails to see the forest for the trees. (Article HERE - 6/10) Full article of quotes below (6/29): Erceg's Run of Dominance Hits a Snag Against Yankees

Ugh. Just ugh.

As you know by now: I love his game. He has added wrinkles in 2023 to boot contrary to most fans typecasting those upper-20's 'prospect'. His off-speed game is dialed right now - noticeable advancements with his curveball in particular. His heater is now a pitch you can't sit on as he's enhanced his mix and adjusted his approach in the very challenging Southern League. A pitcher like RHP Tobias Myers, who certainly has tools and talent, could learn many things by simply watching Meeker toss the white rat - how to mix his pitches. I agree, he's likely a Sound sooner than later given what he's showing. It probably coincides with a RHP Logan Henderson promotion to Wisconsin (also coming soon me thinks) and then a contemporaneous promotion from the T-Rats staff. They probably want to see if Woessner rebounds from his 4 IP, 10 ER effort his past time out? OR, perhaps reward RHP Brannon Jordan for a fantastic first half? Hard to tell. Given both Jordan and Woessner scuffled in their past outings, they may just keep working Meeker as a Starter for the time being. And, given LHP Russ Smith's ongoing woes they could promote Meeker and send Smith back down to a place he never really proved himself at to begin with. Lotta words right there!😂