Joseph Zarr

The Carolina Mudcats are now losers of eight straight games. Their precipitous fall from the mountaintop continues as the first half comes to its close in eight days. Biloxi was rained out and we were deprived of the possibility of that tantalizing line-up for one night (hopefully, just one). Nashville continued to enjoy the fruits of a home series. WIsconsin lost a very tight ball game in Great Lakes. But the ACL Crew evened our day at 2-2 with a late victory. Let's get into the report! Image courtesy of Brewer Fanatic Game Balls: RHP Tanner Shears gets the nod for a fantastic first outing at High-A. He fought adversity. He overcame some blown calls. He flashed dominance against the best team in the Midwest League. INF Brice Turang gets the nod for his welcome back three-run blast to dead CF. This proved to be the game-winning hit: LHP Thomas Pannone gets the nod for another fantastic start for the Sounds paving the way to victory. He's been a god send for manager Rick Sweet to date. INF Jhonny Severino did it again. His 4th long ball was a two-out two-run kind. What a season so far. He is currently tied for the HR lead in all the ACL and he is 4th in OPS. RHP Jason Alexander gets the final nod with his extremely effective 2nd rehab outing (more below). Transactions: RHP Taylor Floyd was traded to the Minnesota Twins as the PTBNL portion of the RHP Trevor Megill trade LHP Eric Lauer was optioned to the Nashville Sounds from the Milwaukee Brewers RHP Cam Robinson was designated for assignment by the Milwaukee Brewers RHP Ryan Middendorf was assigned to the Biloxi Shuckers from the Nashville Sounds OF Sal Frelick was activated by the Nashville Sounds off their 7-Day IL (previously rehabbing in the ACL) INF Abraham Toro was optioned to the Nashville Sounds by the Milwaukee Brewers RHP Robert Stock was released by the Nashville Sounds Final: Nashville 6, Gwinnett (Braves) 3Box Score / Game Log Game Notes * (game notes are unchanged from 6/13 - at time of publish no new Notes have been published online) *Via the Sounds' site, game details, please visit and review: Turang's Homer Powers Sounds Past Stripers LHP Thomas Pannone is quietly putting forth one of the better unheralded seasons of any starter in the system - a pleasant, if surprising, well, surprise in mid June. He seems to get better with every start. Tonight was certainly no different as he gave the Sounds everything they needed and more as they clung to a 1-0 lead into the middle innings. When all was said and done, Pannone put forth 5 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 3 K, 0 ER innings. It took only 72 pitches to hand the ball to his bullpen. Three Quick Strikes: 1) My hope for Jesse Winker, as he likely finds his way back to the Brewers, is he looks this comfortable at the dish for the MLB club. He looks so relaxed and is swinging so easy - to really good results to boot. He is quickly making the Sounds a better watch on a nightly basis. Truly. He finished his night 1-for-3, 1 R, 2 BB, 0 K. As the post-game recap article above points out: My hope for OF Sal Frelick is he begins making contact like he did to close 2022. Don't get me wrong, the two free passes in the lead-off slot are wonderful, but in his first game back I saw plenty more weak contact. Let's get back to those hard hit line drives of yesteryear! 2) If you were looking for a feel good RHP Matt Bush rehab outing, unfortunately, I can not give that to you. I saw several of the same issues that have plagued his time with the Brewers. The final line won't reflect this, per se, as the run scored was credited as a passed ball. But, he just wasn't all that sharp. Bush finished a mere 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 R. He'll look to sharpen his tools moving forward. If you're looking for an INF Eddy Alvarez highlight, I got you. Easily one of my favorite Sounds in 2023. A true pleasure to watch in the batters box: 3) It's no secret I am a fairly big fan of RHP Thyago Vieira. I love his story, his journey, and when he's on he is lights out. By and large, he has been fantastic for manager Rick Sweet and the Sounds as a high-leverage bullpen arm. However, if we're being neutral with our assessments of Brewers prospects it's definitely fair to point out: in June, Vieira has definitely hit a patch of uneasiness. This is really the first mild case of hiccups we've seen but we have seen it so it bares mentioning. After tonight's 1 IP, 2 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K outing, Vieira has given up the following in his four outings in June: 5 1/3 IP, 9 H (yikes), 2 HR, 2 BB, 9 K, 5 ER. For as good as he was previous to June, his June has gotten off to a rocky start. Relief work, especially high-leverage work, is a thankless job and numbers can swing to extremes in a hurry. All I am saying is this bares tracking moving forward. Bilox vs Montgomery Game 2 was Postponed: Final: Great Lakes (Dodgers) 2, Wisconsin 1Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the Timber Rattlers' site, game details, please visit and review: Loons Take Game Two 2-1 with Two Unearned Runs Looking to build off an incredibly productive 5-1 start to their ongoing road trip, the Timber Rattlers were looking to their new ace, RHP Jacob Misiorowski, to keep the good times rolling. In addition to such promise on the hill, we have the ongoing new look approaches at the dish - 10 walks and 11 hits yesterday showcasing these new looks. What better place to challenge these new trends than at first place Great Lakes? Misiorowski struggled with the strike zone early - he was scaling back his heat to the 95-97 range as a result. He simply wasn't able to consistently locate any of his pitches as he walked both batters to lead off the second frame. By and large, these weren't egregious misses, but they were misses none the less. Misiorowski ultimately lasted 3 IP of 1 H, 2 BB, 1 WP, 3 K, 0 ER ball. RHP Max Lazar came on in relief and really pitched a quality outing and ultimately deserved a chance at a victory if not for INF Eduardo Garcia's uncharacteristic (in 2023) throwing error on a fairly routine play up the middle. That play 'should' have ended the frame. Unfortunately, it extended it and led to the Loons only two runs of the game. Winning runs at that. Three Quick Strikes: 1) RHP Tanner Shears saw his first action in High-A and what a scenario to see that action. Trailing 2-1 to the best team in the League, on the road, why not toss the young man to the fire? He plunked two batters when pitches sailed up and in - a heater and a breaking ball (which is a nasty offering, by the way). He was touching 94-95 on the heat with his split fingered two-seam grip. All in all, you had to love he overcame an ump blowing two beautiful strikes at the knees; his own loss of control in those brief moments; and a wild pitch. He escaped unscathed and, frankly, was dominant in spells against the best team in the Midwest League. This was a very successful High-A debut. Let's hope it continues! 2) 3B Ben Metzinger made a really nice play to end Shears’ mini-jam and it was not an easy charging play - this needs to be acknowledged as it was clutch. However, tonight he looked nearly entirely lost at the dish. It was eerily reminiscent of the month of May in which he hit 0.185 with a meager 0.500 OPS. He wasn't seeing the ball. And, when he was, the contact was negligible at best. The body language was not good - as you can imagine. In every key spot, he failed to deliver contact that left the infield. He finished his day 0-for-4 with 3 K. He struck out with Miller on first base with two down in the 8th. He popped out to foul territory next to 1B with the bases juiced and nobody out in the 6th. Those are not winning AB's. He'll look to rebound from this performance and get back to what has been working throughout the first half of June. The T-Rats need that bat. 3) I could lament the loss of the feel good C/1B/DH Alex Hall story since his return stateside after truly fantastic play this winter in Australia. But, alas, I'll merely hint at that 😪. INF Robert Moore is back to that beautiful compact and level swing he showcased throughout his 2022 season. When Moore is at his best swinging the bat, his swing is extremely compact; tight; crisp; and quick. He made great contact throughout the night and made a game of things with his solo bomb over the RF wall. It was a no-doubter from contact with the casual immediate bat drop to adorn the smash. He also lined out to LF with another beautiful swing - it was a 'trust the process' winning fly out. This is a really positive turn and I am absolutely here for it. Final: Augusta (Braves) 6, Carolina 5Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the Mudcats' site, game details, please visit and review both game summaries: Perez and Sibrian Homer in 6-5 Loss in Augusta RHP Logan Henderson had his worst outing of 2023 and, as it seems to be amongst Brewers owned clubs at present, it came at the absolute worst time. The Mudcats have now lost eight games in a row - those first place days from just a mere two weeks back feel much further away than they are as the Carolina League first half comes to its close. Henderson completed a rough 3 IP with 4 H, 4 BB, 5 ER, 1 HR, and 1 K. A very uncharacteristic outing (all five runs came in the first two frames) when his club needed his best. This is how the cookie is indeed crumbling lately for the upstart Mudcats. Three Quick Strikes: 1) In 2022 we distinctly saw a vastly different version of 1B Jesus Chirinos during his birthday month of July and then throughout August. This season is playing out eerily similar to 2022, if not worse, in the early going. His 0-for-4 showing today with 4 K is a bit of an exclamation point on an extremely disappointing first half. This is especially disappointing considering he absolutely built atop his late summer of 2022 surge with a truly fantastic 2022/2023 Winter League. Playing for Zulia of the Venezuelan Winter League, Chirinos pumped out 111 PA, 0.326 BA, 0.841 OPS, 23 BB, 20 K, 1 2B, 1 HR, 9 R, 19 RBI. I was extremely excited to see him start with Wisconsin. Now, I'm just extremely confused.😂 2) Even though the Mudcats are indeed struggling to right the ship, there are always positives. OF Hedbert Perez has swung a remarkably better bat of late reminding us of the immense talent he still possesses when he holds the lumber. After an extremely sluggish first two months of 2023, Perez is hitting to the tune of 0.263 BA, 0.830 OPS, 2 2B, 2 HR, 2 R, 7 RBI, 5 BB, 10 K, 1 SB. In a line-up missing its best bats, Perez is definitely doing his part to fill part of that void. 3) In a series where the Mudcats have come out of the gates with an 0-2 mark losing by a combined two runs, it behooves us to look at missed opportunities. Through these two losses, the young Mudcats are a combined 2-for-15 with RISP. If they're going to turn things around, let's start there. They owe that to a pitching staff who has been atop the leaderboards throughout the first half. ACL Brewers 7, ACL Athletics 5 Box Score / Game Log With OF Sal Frelick back leading off for the Nashville Sounds, it was tantalizing INF Jhonny Severino leading off in the dry air of the Southwest. And, boy, is he on one. He continued his recent tear with a two-run bomb in the second frame - his 4th long ball on his young ACL season. I don't know about you all, but, I'm starting to allow myself to get excited. RHP Jason Alexander took the hill for his second rehab outing after a not so pretty first one on June 9th. He pitched a scoreless, 1 K first frame and he ultimately finished his evening with a very successful 3 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 5 K, and 0 ER. That's a great start for Alexander as he looks to get back to the higher levels. Unfortunately, this impactful start didn't appear to rub off on ACL Crew middle relievers as the combination of RHP's Darling Solano and Samuel Dario walked eight men in the ACL A's five-run sixth inning. Whew. Thankfully, trusty lefty LHP Osbriel Mogollon was there to help the ACL Crew escape that dreadful inning without further damage. Mogollon continues to showcase his merits with a fantastic job not only shutting down that threat but shutting down any possible threat thereafter. He finished the affair with 3 2/3 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 4 K, 0 ER. If we're going to keep touting Severino, and rightfully so, we need to include his stablemate INF Juan Baez who continues his scorching start - before exiting for unknown reasons early (an inning after a caught stealing 3B) in a 'defensive substitution', Baez ended his day 2-for-3 with 1 2B and 1 R. What these two infielders have done in the early going is stunning. Take a look at that box score though, fans, there are intriguing storylines happening up and down that line-up. The ACL Brewers move to 5-2 overall and are tied atop the ACL Central with the Reds. We are back to a jam-packed full seven game slate tomorrow as I return writing duties to my cohorts. We'll see RHP Caleb Boushley try to keep the good times rolling in Nashville. RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez will try to lead his teammates to a 2-0 start in Montgomery. RHP Cameron Wagoner will try and deliver another solid outing in a very challenging environment at Great Lakes. The DSL Crew return to action in the early going. The ACL Crew will fill the late bill. The Mudcats will look to remind themselves what winning feels like. As always, thank you for reading and thank you 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

Wonderful. Then, by definition, Wisconsin has more lakes! 😅

Turang, Dorrian, Devanney, Alvarez, VanMeter, Michael Brosseau, and VanMeter all adorn the INF dirt. Isaac Collins was called up because he can try to play the OF grass (albeit, not all that well). There isn't any room for a guy who strictly plays 2B with a very inconsistent offensive track record at Double-A. Every one of those guys listed can play 2-3 positions. Heck, they are playing Devanney at 1B. And, with Hiura set to return shortly even he has positional versatility with a much more established track record in Triple-A. AND, for as hot as Valerio has been, he still has a sub 0.700 OPS and is still just hitting 0.252. I see his current run as a classic rebound after his extremely bad luck with BABIP last season. Granted, obviously, if he kept up this torrid streak for another 3-4 weeks I agree with you. I guess what this says is: I don't see this streak lasting. 😅 Anywho, this also brings me to: I sincerely wonder how Valerio is viewed within the organization. I would love to know.

He still could be a very solid MLB reliever. In 2023 it would appear it's in his head. A change of scenery might be very good for him. OR, if he goes unclaimed, a re-assignment (staying in Biloxi or, heck, rediscovering himself in High-A) and continued work in reclaiming his stuff and presence on the mound. He is still just 23 years old. This is a by-product of a significant step back season and a regression after having earned Rule 5 rostered protection. Another team will see the work of 2022 and he will likely get scooped right up.

He hasn't. It only feels that way. This is his second season. And, considering the massive log jam of versatile infield vets with the Sounds, that is most likely not happening any time soon - regardless of how hot his bat stays. We likely have to temper our enthusiasm here because Valerio is so positionally limited. They tried a LF experiment for a handful of games in 2022. That experiment, to date in 2023, has been restricted to INF/OF Isaac Collins. This is a very long-winded way of saying: I find it highly unlikely Valerio is promoted in 2023.😅

As someone who spends the significant portion of my Brewers time watching the Minor League tilts, I greatly appreciate these write-ups. Thank you. PS: That Title is chef's kiss. Well done. Wisconsin has more lakes than Minnesota. And, now the Brewers are proud owners of more 'L's!😂

RHP Taylor Floyd has been traded to the Minnesota Twins as the PTBNL portion of the RHP Trevor Megill trade

RHP Cam Robinson has been designated for assignment by the Milwaukee Brewers INF Abraham Toro has been optioned to the Nashville Sounds by the Milwaukee Brewers LHP Eric Lauer has been optioned to the Nashville Sounds RHP Ryan Middendorf has been assigned to the Biloxi Shuckers from the Nashville Sounds OF Sal Frelick has been activated by the Nashville Sounds off the 7-Day IL

I think the thing that has been most impressive with Jimenez in 2023 (aside from the obvious developments within his pitch mix) is he has avoided the blow up outing. Naturally, now that I've said this...he is destined for a 3 IP, 7 ER, 3 HR quagmire. Last year, when he struggled to find his stuff in a Low-A start he often lost his way. This year, even when he doesn't have his best stuff - and those outings have happened - he finds a way to dig down and his stuff is now fine-tuned and good enough and he can still give his team 4-to-5 solid IP. That's a big difference. And, it's a huge step.

The Timber Rattlers continue to play a fantastic brand of baseball over their past week plus. Despite some shaky bullpen work late, the Rattlers managed to take game 1 at Great Lakes - no small feat. Many runs were scored across many different levels. The Sounds scored double digits. The DSL #1 scored 17 runs. The Shuckers scored 10 and it was barely enough. It was a wild n' wooly night of Brewers organizational baseball. Let's get into the report! Image courtesy of Brewer Fanatic Game Balls: Though RHP Edwin Jimenez was once again very solid out of the gate, RHP Ryan Brady gets the nod here. His 3 IP, 3 H, 0 BB, 4 K work was reminiscent of his very first outing of the year. Impressive. Attacking. Dominant. OF Yophery Rodriguez gets the nod here. When you are the highest-paid signing in an International class and you have a day like today you get a game ball. More below - this was Rodriguez's best game in the very early going of the DSL. OF Jackson Chourio delivered on that tantalizing thing called 'promise'. So many tools. So many tantalizing gifts. And, yet, coming into this tilt he hadn't hit all that many Double-A XBH's. Tonight, at least, that very much changed. Two very hard hit doubles pulled to left field. When all was said and done, Chourio became the first Shucker all season to amass four hits in a single game: A classic Chourio three-run smash over the RF wall on a high outside heater. Take a look: Rehabbing OF Jesse Winker set the tone very early with his lead-off blast to RF. But, his night didn't end there whatsoever: 3-for-4, 1 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HR from the lead-off slot. A man's man leading off. C/DH Alex Jackson has demonstrated he can absolutely crush a baseball. Well, he certainly did it again tonight: Goodness me oh my, can that man access some power. Like Winker, that certainly wasn't all: 3-for-4, 3 RBI, 3 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 HR. Transactions: NONE Highlights from the Week that Was: I share this first package to showcase INF Eduardo Garcia who continues to play absolutely phenomenal defense all over the left side of the infield dirt: We've been talking about him for the past week plus. It's nice to finally see him get the publicity he deserves given his torrid streak at the plate: Final: Nashville 11, Gwinnett (Braves) 3Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the Sounds' site, game details, please visit and review: Explosive Sounds Second Powers Big Win LHP Robert Gasser and the Nashville Sounds were back home at First Horizon Park after last week's road series in Jacksonville. Gasser was looking to build on his recent run of truly fantastic outings. Personally, I was simply hoping for weather that allowed a full series after Jacksonville. Gasser was solid and effective overall as he continues to consistently pitch further into games. When all was said and done, Gasser completed a quality start: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 3 ER, 5 K. Three Quick Strikes: 1) I've said it before and I'll say it again as long as it keeps happening outing after outing: RHP J.C. Mejía is a completely different pitcher since his stint on the Development List awhile back. He's commanding the zone. The main difference I am seeing is the control of his fastball - we're seeing a very very effective sinker command the lower part of the zone. It's a really nice development for a young man who had been very up-and-down in his tenure as a Sound. Let's hope this keeps up! 2) With such a deep pool of infielders throughout the Sounds dugout - especially considering Brosseau and Turang were both just sent down - INF Cam Devanney is now taking innings at first base. Let me simply state: it's very much a work in progress. ? Bless his hard-working heart - anyone who knows Devanney's game knows he's an extremely talented infielder. However, it is quite clear he lacks familiarity with his pitching staff and situational positional awareness. Keep working Mr. Devanney. The bat is coming around and this will add to your quiver as you search out your first MLB opportunity. 3) More additions are coming Nashville way. And, these additions are fantastic Triple-A baseball players . Rejoice: Final: Biloxi 10, Montgomery (Rays) 8 Box Score / Game LogGame Notes Via the Shuckers' site, game details, please visit and review: Chourio's Four-Hit, Four-RBI Day Leads Shuckers to 10-8 Win Six back of first place Pensacola and holding a mere one game lead over the third place Montgomery Biscuits, RHP Christian Mejias was looking to give one of his patented solid 5 plus IP starts to manager Mike Guerrero and his teammates. Speaking of manager Mike Guerrero, remember fans: stay current with the ongoing Shuckers pre-game interview series with announcer Javik Blake (who continues to do a fantastic job offering a deep pool of coverage for us all) HERE - to conclude the recent Shuckers vs. Braves road series we see interviews with Guerrero, Development Coach Christian Correa, and Bullpen Coach Josh Spence. Very good stuff. Mejias was struggling with his command in the first inning throwing two wild pitches into the dirt and to the back stop. However, he limited damage and found the zone for a crucial punch out with two runners on and two down. The Shuckers headed to the second frame up 2-1. All in all, Mejias continues to give yeoman's efforts for manager Mike Guerrero and his club more often than not. I appreciate his competitiveness and I certainly appreciate the role he is filling for the pitching staff. Three Quick Strikes: 1) Oh, hey, INF Tyler Black extended his on base streak to 33 games. Yawn. The man is such a heady and disciplined bat - nobody in the system can reach and poke weak infield singles on off-speed pitches off the plate in tough counts like Black can. It's a skill that you will never see in a box score but with the surging power to all fields and his speed (he swiped two, count them, two more stolen bases - that's now 35 steals on the season) it's just another thing opposing teams have to be ready for when he's at the dish. 2) RHP Luis Contreras rightfully was given the opportunity to shut this one down. Let's challenge a young man who has been, by and large, extremely good all year long. Unfortunately, he didn't have it tonight. He was battling his slider - typically a very good pitch - as it was high and outside or it was in the dirt. His heater was sailing on him but, then again, he uses that to play off the slider. It was a rough outing overall as he was pulled after 2/3 IP and the bases juiced after he walked them full in a 3-0 pitch clock violation. On to the next, Señor Contreras - you deserve a mulligan. 3) Aside from the bullpen meltdowns of LHP Nick Bennett and RHP Luis Contreras, there were also sloppy plays throughout for the Shuckers. Chourio botched a routine scoop in CF allowing runners to advance to second and third bases. Mejias threw a pick-off attempt wide. Zamora sailed a classic push throw up the 1B line during a routine grounder. And Quero rushed a throw on a Contreras wild pitch sailing the ball into CF. It was not a clean baseball game by any measure. Let's be thankful the Shuckers scored more runs? Final: Wisconsin 8, Great Lakes (Dodgers) 5Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the Timber Rattlers' site, game details, please visit and review: Wisconsin Opens Series with a Win over the Loons Fresh off their series win versus the West Michigan Whitecaps, the surging Timber Rattlers began their road series versus the extremely formidable Great Lakes Loons. It was RHP Edwin Jimenez who set the tone early, as he has done so often in 2023. Though he only completed four innings, they were indeed tone-setting. He fought through 81 pitches. He gave very very little. He completed his outing with a 5 H, 0 BB, 1 ER, 1 HR, 6 K line. RHP Ryan Brady picked up where he left off preserving the early 3-1 Rattler lead and providing the cushion for those improving T-Rats batters and at-bats to keep adding runs. My main takeaway for you is this: the T-Rats are playing a much better brand of baseball at present. Let's give thanks they've turned a corner. Obviously, we don't know how long this pleasing run of play will last but this is why we keep watching. Lastly, any day you beat a Dodgers organizational anything it is simply a fantastic day of baseball. Three Quick Strikes: 1) I think it is more than fair to state: the greater pool of Timber Rattlers bats lack high end depth or blue chip upside beyond a very select number of names. However, this should never take away from the improved approaches we are seeing across the board. The T-Rats lineup is making things harder on opposing pitching staffs - a true breath of fresh air. They are chasing far less. They are working counts. It's a pleasure to watch and I'm here for it. 2) RHP Michele Vassalotti had a fantastic WBC for Team Italy. There was quite a bit of intrigue coming into his 2023 High-A season given his solid 2022. However, his first full High-A season has been fairly wild and erratic. Today, with a 7-1 lead and the bases empty in the bottom of the eighth frame, I watched Vassalotti hit a Loons batter on his knee on a slider that never slid; toss two wild pitches (Wood likely should have caught the second pitch); walk two batters; and strike a batter out. It was an inning emblematic of his season to date. Frankly, it's a confounding development. Vassalotti has solid offerings warranting challenging hitters in the zone. But, at present, he just doesn't have any control of his stuff. Hopefully, this changes over the summer months. 3) The Brewers are one of the better teams in all of the MLB in identifying and signing Independent League pitching talent. I've now seen RHP Sam Gardner in both his High-A outings since signing from the Gateway Grizzlies. Though he can throw 94-95 mph, I haven't seen anything in Gardner's two outings demonstrating he can consistently find the zone. Two wild pitches today. Multiple 2-0 and 3-0 counts. His off-speed offerings were a wild adventure. This is obviously a very very small sample and this could obviously be entirely nerves, but if Gardner wants to stick in affiliated ball he is going to have to start tightening the bolts on his pitching toolkit. Final: Augusta (Braves) 4, Carolina 3Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the Mudcats' site, game details, please visit and review both game summaries: Mudcats Allow Four Solo Homers in 4-3 Loss Fresh off a truly ugly 1-6 home series versus the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, the Mudcats were looking to rebound on the road at the Augusta Greenjackets. The Mudcats entered their home knocks against those mighty Woodpeckers last week clinging to a 1/2 game lead over the Down East Wood Ducks. They enter this series at Augusts 4.0 game back the division leading Ducks. Ouch. That's what we call a tough stretch. After three very overmatched AB's for the Mudcats in the top of the first frame, it was RHP Quinton Low who took the hill in the bottom half. He induced two sky-high infield pop flies to grab his first outs. With a 1-2 count, he threw his fourth slider in his third batter faced and he hung that pitch dead center. It was crushed over the wall in LF. The Mudcats trailed 1-0 early and they never recovered. The Mudcats are now losers of seven straight contests. Quite the fall from first place grace. Three Quick Strikes: 1) Given the ongoing and sudden struggles of our beloved Mudcats, it's important to drink a healthy dose of perspective: these young men have lost nearly all their most potent bats and their two best pitchers of 2023 to promotion or injury. Lara is on the shelf. Guilarte is still on the shelf (now into his third week out of the line-up). Wood is in Wisconsin. Eduarqui Fernandez is in Wisconsin. You get the point. This may be a rough patch, but, it also gives the current roster an opportunity to take the reins. Patience plays at the lowest affiliated levels. The first half outlook may suddenly be bleak but there is still plenty of reason to keep tuning in. 2) Until I see something different, I'm going to continue pointing out: if RHP Will Childers is aiming for success in the Minor League level he is going to have to improve his heater. It's really that simple. He has delicious off-speed offerings. They are extremely effective all throughout the zone. But, the heater, as it currently stands is a problem. It is hit hard. And, it is hit hard often. He surrendered two solo jacks on the night in a solid relief effort. But, several other flat, still, hangers were hit quite hard to deep parts of the park. He's shown he can attack that upper part of the zone with the same pitch, however, if that pitch is in the zone it poses a serious risk of very hard contact. I'll be tracking this moving forward. Hopefully, it improves or he learns he simply can't located that pitch in any part of the center cut. He ended his relief innings with 4 2/3 IP, 2 H, 2 BB, 2 HR, 5 K. A solid effort, overall, but plenty to work on. 3) The name of this loss would have to be: "The Four Double Plays that Ended Nearly Every Threat". Quite the working title, I know. A double play in the second inning with the bases juice ended the first serious Mudcats threat. A double play after a lead-off Barrios single later in the game killed any notion of a run-scoring inning. The hardest pill to swallow was the double play that ended the eighth inning. Trailing 4-3, having already scored twice and with runners on the corners, OF Hedbert Perez hit an absolute screamer directly to the 1B who had stepped off the bag and forward. INF Luke Adams was off the bag. The inning was over. OF Jace Avina managed to smack a double to RF with one down in the ninth frame but pop fly outs off the bat of 1B Jesus Chirinos and DH Jheremy Vargas ended any notions of a comeback. So it goes when you are in the midst of a prolonged losing streak. Final: DSL Brewers #1 17, DSL Braves 8Box Score/Game Log There are stand-out offensive performances of note up and down this box score. Go ahead and take a look - it's very pleasing to the eyes. This is to be expected, however, when your team goes 9-for-25 with RISP. 13 walks by the opposing pitching staff will do that for a squad - which is to take nothing for the Brewers Uno bats. In a box score filled with intriguing outings, we will highlight this years top International signing, OF Yophery Rodriguez, and fellow 2023 International signee 16-year-old (!!) OF Pedro Tovar: Rodriguez: 3-for-3, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 CS, 1 OF assist Tovar: 3-for-5, 1 3B, 4 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 CS Fantastic days for these two young men. However, they were two of many - a reminder to check that box score! On the pitching side, despite the 8 runs conceded, Nicaraguan RHP Enniel Cortez did pitch 5 IP of 6 H, 0 BB, 2 ER, 1 HR, 6 K ball. Additionally, fellow Nicaraguan RHP Nestor Mena pitched 3 IP, 1 ER, 1 HR, 2 H, 0 BB, 4 K effectively. The DSL Uno move to 5-2 on their young season. Final: DSL Red Sox 2, DSL Brewers #2 1Box Score/Game Log The Brewers Dos lost a heartbreaker in a hard-fought 2-1 loss. The 0-for-7 mark with RISP was likely the leading cause of today's effort falling short. RHP Dikember Sanchez had his best outing of his young season going 2 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 BB, 5 K in a middle relief role. A much needed effort from the 19-year-old Venezuelan in his third year with the Brewers in the DSL. We also see, in the ninth and final frame, the young Brewers had runners on 2nd and 3rd base with one down. And, we presume the young men were running on contact as 1B Roman La Torre flied out to CF and the game ended in a double play at second base. That's a tough way to fall. Of note, offensively, is INF Demetrio Nadal's 1 3B, 1 BB, and 1 SB in a 1-for-3 effort as well as 16-year-old DH Roderick Flore's 2-for-3 effort with 1 2B, 1 BB, and 1 K. The Brewers Dos fall to 3-4 on their young season Tune in tomorrow evening as the T-Rats new Ace, RHP Jacob Misiorowski, tries to take two in a row at first place Great Lakes. LHP Thomas Pannone will take the hill for Nashville. Let's hope we keep these offensive outbursts coming! As always, thank you for reading and thank you 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

The DSL Uno y Dos were filling our Minor League fix with their Monday morning slates. The two combined for a 1-1 showing as the Dos lost their brief 2-1 lead in their final fateful inning. The ACL Brewers gave us our baseball dessert with their late knock against the ACL Guardians - it was quite the high-scoring affair. Let's get into the report! Image courtesy of Brewer Fanatic Transactions: RHP Abner Uribe was assigned to the Nashville Sounds from the Biloxi Shuckers: INF/OF Josh Van Meter was sent on a rehab assignment to the ACL Brewers from the Nashville Sounds RHP J.B. Bukauskas was Optioned to the Nashville Sounds from the Milwaukee Brewers (after being activated off their IL) INF/OF Noah Campbell was assigned to the Biloxi Shuckers from the Nashville Sounds Game Balls: LHP Anthony Flores dealt 4 IP of 3 H, 3 BB, 4 K, 0 ER ball. That is now 2 GS, 8 IP, 12 K, 3 BB, 0 ER, 0.115 BAA, 0.75 WHIP C Yannic Walther continues to show hints, albeit in an absurdly small sample size, the Brewers can find catchers anywhere on the planet. More below. RHP Bryan Rivera is demonstrating real growth in his age 17/18 season and his second in the Brewers DSL. He hurled 5 IP of 2 H, 2 BB, 1 ER, 9 K ball. He's been stellar through two starts. The punch out ratio is very new in 2023. INF Jhonny Severino hit two HR on the evening. He tallied 4 RBI, 3 R, 1 BB, 1 SB, 1 K. There's a reason he was the 21st ranked International Signing by MLB Pipeline in 2022. Now that he's stateside and removed from a rather pedestrian DSL season in 2022, by his lofty standards, it would appear he is ready to take off. Thanks to our very own @wiguy94, we have clips of both blasts and they sure sound pretty: This second blast has that 'it': INF Juan Baez is proving to be quite the right-hand man to Severino. He nabbed four SB on the evening. He also went 3-for-5 with 2 R and 2 RBI. Final: DSL Brewers #1 6, DSL Braves 3 Box Score/Game Log To be a 19-year-old German athlete playing in the Dominican Summer League. What a world. C Yannic Walther signed a professional contract with the Milwaukee Brewers on August 31st, 2022. And, so far, in a four game sample-size in the DSL he's demonstrating the bat he showed in the Bundesliga translates to the lowest level of affiliated ball. What a story for a young man who was originally destined to play college ball at Florida Southwestern State College and then Miami Dade as he chased his baseball dreams across the proverbial pond. He finished his day 3-for-5 with 2 doubles and 3 RBI (including a two out rbi). I'll be tracking what is quickly becoming a very fun story. We see INF Kevin Ereu left the game in the sixth inning. It shows up as a defensive switch and substitution after Ereu had singled, took 2B on a wild pitch, and then stole 3B (where he was stranded) in what proved to be his fifth and final frame. Hopefully, this was precautionary or a planned defensive shift. My antennae are on alert, however, given the bevy of injuries we've seen throughout the Brewers organization in 2023. More to come. There are intriguing tidbits all throughout the box score here. I'll highlight a few as the Dos moved to 4-2 on the young season: RHP Yonawil Florimon finished with a 2 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 5 K final line. A wonderful bounce back performance after his previous outing. However, we also see he inherited two runners in his opening action and allowed both to score on his bullpen mate's tab. In three games to date, 22-year-old Dominican RHP Roman Perez (in his second year with the Brewers DSL) has a 0.00 ERA and a 0.000 BAA. Yet, he also sports a 2.50 WHIP and hasn't hit a single batter. You can do the math. He grabbed his first save today in his first opportunity (3-for-3 in SO in 2022). The Brewers Uno had six stolen bases on the day. OF Idalberto Santiesteban had three of these. Speaking of Santiesteban, he also had a solid day at the dish: 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 3 SB. This is a name that has shown up for me now in both my reports in the first two weeks of the DSL. I'm listening. Final: DSL Guardians 4, DSL Brewers #2 2Box Score/Game Log 17-year-old Dominican OF Antony Gomez continues to flash intriguing potential in the very early going for the Brewers Dos. His 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K outing is the only line that really pops at you when you scan the box score. The numbers 5 through 9 hitters went a combined 0-for-13 with 1 BB and 3 K. The Brewers Dos could have used just one of those elusive knocks after the bottom of the order had loaded the bases in the sixth frame with nobody down. Unfortunately, they only plated one run in the scenario. That brief one run lead quickly vanished in the seventh and final frame when 18-year-old Dominican RHP Lenin Mendez ran into trouble to the tune of three runs. That was all she wrote as the Brewers Dos went down swinging in three straight trips to close out the affair. Sadly, this late mini collapse tarnished the fantastic outing of surging young Nicaraguan RHP Bryan Rivera who is highlighted in the game balls above. The young men fell to 3-3 on their young season. Final: ACL Guardians 11, ACL Brewers 10Box Score/Game Log The ACL Crew actually grabbed a brief 5-4 lead in the top of the fifth inning. This came on the heels of INF Jhonny Severino's second HR of his evening - a three-run shot (clip above). However, things unraveled relatively quickly from there. A throwing error from rehabbing Josh Van Meter opened a small window and the Guardians took advantage reclaiming the lead 6-5. The Guardians then broke it open with four more runs off RHP Anthony Perez in the next frame - in the blink of an eye, it was 10-5 Guardians. However, with this current offense - led by the dynamic duo of Severino and Baez - anything seems possible for the ACL Crew. A five-spot in the seventh inning saw the game tied back up at 10-10. The Crew were outhitting the Guardians 11-to-5 at that point. It seemed a matter of finding an arm out of the bullpen who could limit the free passes. Or, unfortunately, in tonight's case, a clean inning in the field. A fielding error by OF Reidy Mercado - the Crew's 4th on the evening - allowed a run to cross. The 11-10 deficit would be the final score. RHP Jose Chavez likely deserved a no decision at worst given his valiant effort when the score was knotted at 10-10. He completed 2 1/3 IP, 4 H, 0 BB, 5 K, 0 ER ball but was credited with the loss. The young ballers also managed a 10-for-10 SB tally on the evening. A frustrating and tough loss. The Crew fell to 4-2 on the year. We'll close with a quick OF Sal Frelick update. Frelick finished his evening with a 2-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K line. It would appear, by my estimations, he is just about ready to head northeast to the Nashville clubhouse. I'd say the thumb looks just fine in this easy swing single to RF: View full article

Fantastic report, Jim. Lots to digest in an extremely full day. Carolina's late funk is eerily reminiscent of last season's disastrous final series in, you guessed it, Down East. This season, for whatever reason, it's the inability to take advantage of Home Cooking. I will say, the Woodpecker's standing and record coming into this series was very mis-leading. They were in first place after their first two series of the year. AND, they have suffered an inability to score a single run in each and every extra-innings affair to date. Regardless, it's hard not to encounter feelings of: "Here we go again..." as a fan of the Brewers organization as a whole. 😔 All there is to say, fans, is: Keep the faith.

As to the DSL Crew Dos walk-off, I had to re-review after the game ended. Understandable, Jim. It appeared the original single and throwing error advance successfully stole third in a double steal. The Crew grabbed the runner at 2nd, however. Then the K. Two down now. Then the rbi walk-off single.

Wonderful report, Daniel (and Jim). Thanks for the read over coffee and surprising rain showers!

Sigh. Best of luck moving forward to all these men. I spend a lot of time watching these guys and I admittedly get attached to certain players. Farewell, Pablo, my Sweet Prince. Hopefully, this isn't due to extenuating injury circumstances. And, I sincerely hope everything is safe and sound in his life beyond baseball. This one is quite surprising given how stellar he was in 2022 (including a random, albeit super brief, stint with Nashville!). I had really high hopes for this young man. It's a sad baseball day for me. My pennants are waving at half mast.

It was Double Double-Header Make-Up Wednesday for the Sounds and Mudcats. The Mudcats continue to inexplicably play middle-of-the-road ball at their home ballpark. The Sounds split. The T-Rats cruised late. The Shuckers held on. Let's get into the report! Image courtesy of Brewer Fanatic Game Balls: INF/OF Noah Campbell absolutely gets the nod for his two homer 6 RBI game two in Jacksonville. Those long balls were not cheap. His second moon shot, a three-run jack, nearly left the entire ballpark. OF Je'Von Ward gets the nod for his two doubles in a 3-for-4, 2 R, 1 RBI performance. He nearly ended the game on a web gem catch at the wall to boot. He saved that honor for INF Eduardo Garcia on the ensuing play (more below). INF Tyler Black is now a part of the Shuckers record books. You don't extend your on-base streak to 28 games, break a franchise record, and not get more than one mention in this article. LHP Robert Gasser gets the nod for his 7 IP CG effort in Game 2 in Jacksonville. The recipient of more ridiculously bad luck on extremely weakly hit grounders and pop fly HR's, his line would have looked even better had the baseball gods not been sleeping throughout. RHP Abner Uribe gets the nod here. He tallied his 6th save on the calendar year in a 1 IP, 1 H (a broken bat seeing eye liner up the middle), 0 BB, 2 K outing. Transactions: OF Jesse Winker was sent on his rehab assignment to the Nashville Sounds C Brent Diaz was activated by the Nashville Sounds INF Brice Turang was optioned to the Nashville Sounds from the Milwaukee Brewers Game #1 Final: Jacksonville (Marlins) 4, Nashville 1 Box Score / Game Log Game #2 Final: Nashville 11, Jacksonville (Marlins) 4 Box Score / Game LogGame Notes Via the Sounds' site, game details, please visit and review: Sounds Split Twin Bill in Jacksonville RHP Caleb Boushley probably deserved better considering his ability to work around batters in a 5 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 3 BB, 7 K outing. LHP Robert Gasser definitely deserved a better final line. An absurd fifth inning saw two improbable 90 mph EV pop flies leave the yard in left field as the wind had miraculously shifted out LF way the inning prior. These improbable long balls came after two botched ridiculously weak choppers ate up INF's Patrick Dorrian and Eddy Alvarez. Throw it in the trash. Gasser was very good overall. We'll take it as another building block off his last shutdown outing. He is definitely trending. Three Quick Strikes: 1) I am going to say this now given what I witnessed in game two of todays' double-header: I am unconvinced the ABS system is always functioning as it should. There, I said it 😅. Let me be clear: I am all about the ABS system. I am unabashedly in support of the system given what I consistently see when human umpires are left to their own devices (don't get me started on Minor League infield umpires). But, I do want to ask: What and how is an automated strike zone determined from batter-to-batter? What oversights do we have in place to ensure the system is actually calling balls and strikes accurately throughout the game? The Jesse Winker called strike three in the third inning of game two was a sinker that landed in the right-handed batters box. The catcher slid a good three feet to his left. I welcome a deeper understanding. 2) Before a C Brian Navarreto deep fly landed just shy of the right field warning track to end the Sounds seventh inning, the Sounds had scored one run or more in every inning of game two of the double-header. It was a far cry from game one when a late INF Cam Devanney 447 blast to straightaway CF prevented a 4-0 shutout. Game two was about as fun as it gets as a Sounds baseball fan. Hits, hits, and more hits. Go ahead and check out that box score. 3) It pains me to say it, but RHP Ryan Middendorf continues to allow base runners and runs in nearly every outing in 2023. It's a season that is quickly getting away. This is a far cry from what we were all looking for coming off a shutdown AFL performance and a brilliant debut season for the Brewers in 2022 - his first in affiliated ball. I will say, the one thing I've noticed as a daily watcher he appears to be playing tighter than he did all of 2022 - I see it in his delivery and I see it in the very tight mechanical nature of his pitches. If he is to reclaim last year's glory, I would opine he needs to loosen up a bit across the board without losing what holds it all together. Final: Biloxi 4, Mississippi (Braves) 3 Box Score / Game LogGame Notes Via the Shuckers' site, game details, please visit and review: Black Sets Franchise Record with 28-Game On-Base Streak in 4-3 Win RHP Christian Mejias continues to give solid outings to manager Mike Guerrero and his Shuckers teammates. He may hiccup from time-to-time, but more often than not of late Mejias is giving you at least five solid innings. He completed 5 1/3 IP tonight of 3 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 7 K baseball. That will play most nights. Three Quick Strikes: 1) A huge congratulations are in order for super prospect, INF Tyler Black. What an offensive season for an incredible offensive talent: 2) Last year, in the summer months, INF Andruw Monasterio was sent down to the Biloxi Shuckers from the Nashville Sounds. The Brewers wanted to get him more playing time with a veteran-laden loaded Nashville dugout. He rose to the occasion. He is now a Brewer - improbably, perhaps, but he always showed flashes. I'm going to the pitching side in 2023 to discuss the continued excellent work I see from RHP Luis Contreras. Contreras was sent down early in 2023 even though he had been performing quite well in Nashville. Perhaps this was due to the loaded Sounds bullpen or, perhaps, it was a move made to give some other arms International League run as well. Regardless, nearly every outing I see in 2023 he makes a case he is a very underrated and, somehow, under-the-radar arm in the Brewers relief corps. He has very good ride and deceptive movement on his heater that touches 95-96 mph with regularity. He has some off-speed he can sprinkle in to keep hitters honest. If you don't know him, you do now. I'm a fan. 3) This game came down to an unearned run for the Shuckers and the tremendous scoreless 4 2/3 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 7 K, 0 ER from the combined bullpen effort of the above-mentioned Contreras; RHP Abner Uribe (6th Save in 1 IP, 1 H, 2 K), RHP Zach Vennaro; and LHP Nick Bennett. Just fantastic shutdown stuff from the relief corps adding mightily to a win that evened up the series at 1-1. Final: Wisconsin 9, West Michigan (Tigers) 4Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the Timber Rattlers' site, game details, please visit and review: Rattlers Comeback Breaks Whitecaps This was a much better outing for RHP Cameron Wagoner than most of recent High-A memory. We can build off an outing like this. He didn't walk a batter. He limited base runners overall - six total hits in five complete innings is great work. All damage came in the third frame. He allowed his team the opportunity to make a game of it. And, make a game of it they did when they knotted everything at three runs apiece scoring two runs with two down in the sixth frame. Overall, Wagoner completed 5 IP, 6 H, 0 BB, 3 K, 3 ER. The T-Rats are now winners of two straight at West Michigan to open the series. They are creeping their way back to ten games under 0.500. Kudos are due for the young men as they continue to try and steady the ship and get their season trending in the right direction. Three Quick Strikes: 1) I loved the aggression on the base paths from the young T-Rats legging out several borderline singles into doubles. I loved the AB's throughout. This was just a much much better version of the T-Rats overall. They worked the counts and drove several relievers from the game. They were extremely patient - something noted on more than one occasion by the Whitecaps' broadcast crew. I'll take this version of this team any night. 2) C/DH Darrien Miller continued his clutch moments with a two out double to right center field scoring C Matt Wood and pulling the Timber Rattlers within one run in the middle innings. Miller has been rising to the occasion quite a bit lately and is currently solidifying his bat as the 'must play' variety. We've seen runs like this in the past from the talented young lefty bat, but, as always, the challenge has been maintaining the consistency. 3) A play after LF Je'Von Ward missed corralling a wildly tailing fly ball to the wall in deep left field, INF Eduardo Garcia made what was quite easily the defensive play of the day throughout the Brewers Minor League system. Unfortunately, being a road game, we have no highlight to offer you. Let me just say it was a flat out winning play. With a runner on second base and two down, Garcia made a completely sprawling diving stop past the dirt into the shallow left field grass. He leapt to his feet with all momentum still carrying him into the outfield grass and delivered an absolute dead accurate missile to first base. He's made several charging tricky transfer plays of late as well - from 3B and SS. He continues to dazzle in the field. Game #1 Final: Fayetteville (Astros) 3, Carolina 1Box Score / Game Log Game #2 Final: Fayetteville (Astros) 5, Carolina 2Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the Mudcats' site, game details, please visit and review both game summaries: Late Rally Falls Short in Game 1 Loss to Fayetteville Mudcats Fall 5-2 While Dropping Both Games of Doubleheader 18-8 Away from Five County Stadium. Now a game under 0.500 at the home ballpark?! The young Mudcats lost both games of their double-header today against the pesky last place Woodpeckers. RHP Quinton Low started the first game and gave manager Victor Estevez 2 IP of solid work - 1 H, 0 BB, 3 K. The heater was touching 97-98 and the off-speed was dancing off that gas. RHP Aidan Maldonado grabbed the start in game number two and didn't fair as kindly: 2 1/3 IP, 4 ER, 4 H, 2 BB, 3 K. That shutdown debut where Maldonado was dominating the zone and attacking hitters feels like a lifetime ago. Let's hope he can turn it around. Three Quick Strikes: 1) After shaking off the rust in his debut, RHP Will Childers did get better in spurts. His first registered run is recorded as a balk. The second came via a throwing error to third base by C Blayberg Diaz (that runner had advance to 2B via the same balk). The third run, however, came in his fourth inning of work and it highlighted what in my humble viewing opinion is a current area of development: his four-seamer invites hard contact. He has a plus breaking ball. He absolutely does. Childers achieves very nice break that can leave the zone quickly: But, the four-seamer is, simply put, all too flat at present. It left that hand on an extremely level plane - very little ride and very little movement. I saw several 100 mph plus liners - including the home run that left in a hurry over the left field wall. This is a first outing so we take this observation with a precious grain of salt but the ball doesn't lie. Nor did the EV leaving those bats. 2) I've seen so many blown calls on the base paths this week going against the Brewers affiliates, I'm going to quickly show you what these players are dealing with on a nightly basis. First and foremost, a reminder is due here: there is only a single infield umpire in Low-A Carolina. But, in a tight playoff race in a bases loaded two-out scenario for a team that hasn't seen the playoffs in 10 years, blown calls like this... have happened far too many times for my liking. This was really a crucial blown call. And, well, I guess my point is: there is nuance to the stat line and the box score that mostly goes unseen. I salute the young men as they accept this fate with far more acceptance than I ever could. 😂 3) Two things repeatedly stand out in near every Mudcats contest (especially since 'Mr. Always On-Base', INF Daniel Guilarte's extended IL stint): INF Luke Adams has plate patience well beyond his years and INF Gregory Barrios is a different batter since the calendar flipped to May. All Adams needs is some more luck - 0.213 BABIP and his BA just don't tell the tale. A breakout feels imminent. All Barrios needs is further distance from his extremely rough start. Over his last 10 games Barrios has an 0.811 OPS while hitting 0.325. Zesty! Please return tomorrow when my cohorts begin covering the return of our DSL/ACL teams and the coveted 7-game affiliated write-up. DSL teams will be hitting the diamond in the morning hours. ACL teams will be the bookend final chapter in the later hours. The headliner will be RHP Jacob Misiorowski's High-A debut in West Michigan. But, really, this shouldn't overshadow RHP Logan Henderson back in Carolina or RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez down in Mississippi. It's been a fun few days. As always, thank you for reading and thank you 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 what I needed to hear, partner. <insert Clint Eastwood hat tip gif here>

This is fair. This being said, I would still propose he didn't look all that good working on his fastball. 🤣 That sailing release point is something I saw all last year with LHP Russ Smith - and, no, I am not comparing the two. I would love if the Brewers had a month to spare so Lauer could keep working on his toolkit to the tune of 4-5 outings. Then see where the dust has settled. Unfortunately, given the way the injury-laden season has gone they really don't have that luxury.

Valerio's ongoing 'issue' is quite simply: defensive limitations render his bat an absolute must. Last year's numbers were extremely skewed by a prolonged slump and then, really, just unfortunate results. He was really getting a hold of balls in late summer and they very very often just went right to someone. The bat has to play. But, thankfully, it can - he can absolutely rake.

It was an action-packed full day of Brewers Minor League baseball. When all was said and done, the affiliates came away with a stalwart five victories in six contests. We had late game heroics in many a tilt - down in the ACL, in West Michigan, at Five County Stadium, and in Jacksonville. Let's get into the report! Image courtesy of Brewer Fanatic Game Balls: RHP James Meeker gets a nod for his five consecutive K's and giving his team a chance to steal one late OF Michael Reed for his pivotal XBH's - a key two-run blast and a two-run double late. C Payton Henry (more below) continued his scorching hot work at the plate while calling a fantastic bullpen effort DH Darrien Miller poked a key sac fly early and then hit a pivotal and game-winning two-rbi single in the 8th inning. INF Felix Valerio continues a scorching hot run at the dish: 1 3B, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 R, 2 RBI in a 3-for-4 evening. Transactions: RHP Jacob Misiorowski was promoted to High-A Wisconsin from Low-A Carolina RHP Will Childers was promoted to Low-A Carolina from the ACL Brewers LHP Wande Torres was placed on ACL Brewers’ full season injured list RHP Aldrin Gonzales was placed on ACL Brewers’ full season injured list LHP Caden Vire was placed on ACL Brewers’ full season injured list Highlights from the MONTH that Was: INF Eric Brown Jr. was recognized as the Brewers Minor League Hitter in the Month for his May resurgence kickstarting the Timber Rattlers mini turnaround: And, newly arriving High-A ace RHP Jacob Misiorowski was recognized as the Brewers Pitcher of the Month for his fabulous May in Low-A Carolina: Final: Nashville 11, Jacksonville (Marlins) 4 Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the Sounds' site, game details, please visit and review: Late Offensive Explosion Leads Sounds to Win LHP Eric Lauer began his rehab tour as he looked to rebound from a disastrous start to his MLB campaign. The Sounds finally had a sixth starter in their clubhouse and I'm sure, rehab or not, manager Rick Sweet was pleased at the newfound flexibility heading into game 1 of a series. Lauer was actually fairly good early as he pounded the inside of the zone - no inning better than his second frame. However, as he has done most of 2023, he absolutely fell apart. He lost the zone up and away to righties consistently throughout. He gave up numerous liners and seeing eye hits. The 2-0 lead quickly evaporated to 2-3 and there was nobody out. He lasted a mere 2 2/3 IP. Thankfully, the Sounds bullpen simply shut it down from there. An incredible performance from the strength of the Sounds ball club. Three Quick Strikes: 1) Back to Lauer. A serious question could be asked at this point: Is Lauer in danger of a prolonged stay in Nashville? I only ask this given the same issues that have plagued him at the MLB level throughout 2023 were abundantly present tonight. He lacked control of his release point. He fell behind batters. He lacked any meaningful consistency. I know this is a rehab outing. I know the pitching staff up north is currently experiencing their own bout of injuries. But, I think it's fair to say Lauer needs to show something in Nashville. Tonight, he certainly did not. 2) C/DH Payton Henry continues his fantastic season for the Sounds. He has been on fire of late and that certainly didn't change tonight: 3) LHP Darrell Thompson's scoreless 1 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K effort was his third straight scoreless outing in June. You love to see these rebound efforts as he looks to find that shutdown success from his time in Biloxi up at Triple-A. Go take a look at that box score. There are big performances throughout - OF Michael Reed, INF Cam Devanney, LHP Clayton Andrews etc. The Sounds had 16 hits and every man in the line-up grabbed at least one knock. The 7-for-14 effort with RISP certainly helped. Final: Mississippi (Braves) 9, Biloxi 8 Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the Shuckers' site, game details, please visit and review: Shuckers Tally Eight Runs, 13 Hits in Series-Opening Loss to M-Braves The feel good story of RHP Tobias Myers' very early season has transitioned to a question of "Is he at risk of seeing his season get away from him?" I've mentioned in recent starts his fastball has appeared to completely level off - it has become a very hittable pitch. I proposed in the game thread tonight his recent success, though fleeting, has largely arisen when he relegates that heater to a third offering or a pitch he simply mixes in. Well, tonight, Myers couldn't quite find what worked. He lost the Shuckers lead in his fifth and final inning - granted this was aided and abetted by LHP Russ Smith giving up a long ball in relief. This was very much a game the Shuckers could have won had they gotten just a little bit more from Myers or Smith. Three Quick Strikes: 1) On a night where LHP Russ Smith and RHP Tobias Myers continued to work through their ongoing issues, it was RHP James Meeker who demonstrated how far he has come in a year's time. Showcasing that new-look sexy curveball, sprinkling in a very effective slider and change-up, and changing levels throughout every AB with his low 90's heater Meeker calmly struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh inning after OF Jackson Chourio had left the bags dripping with a swinging strikeout of his own. Meeker continues to show the confidence and poise you look for as well as an ability to grow. I remain a big fan. 2) OF Jackson Chourio, INF/OF Tyler Black, and C Jeferson Quero get the vast majority of the public accolades and notoriety, but I'm going to point out the ongoing improved play and offensive output of INF Felix Valerio; INF Ethan Murray; and 1B/C Wes Clarke. Their play of late should absolutely not go unnoticed. All three men have been coming on in various ways over the past few weeks. All three men filled the stat sheet tonight. 3) Ok. Back to the accolades and the top ranked prospects. INF Tyler Black did tie the Shuckers franchise record tonight with his 27th consecutive game on base after ripping a triple high off the CF wall in the top of the fifth frame. There's a reason we love him so. Unfortunately, for the Shuckers, they just couldn't pull this one out. The game was very much a 9-8 affair and both teams had ample chances. Final: Wisconsin 4, West Michigan (Tigers) 2Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the Timber Rattlers' site, game details, please visit and review: It's Miller Time for Wisconsin RHP Edwin Jimenez came to the hill with quite a bit less control than we've grown accustomed to - control he's demonstrated throughout the 2023 season to date. He fell to 3-0 on his first batter. He fell to 3-1 after an 0-1 count on his second batter. This was the first action I've seen from him all year where he regressed to his 2022 form. He managed to really locate the change-up, however, and found his way out of the jam with two punch outs and a weak pop fly to shallow CF. A really nice recovery. All in all, however, it wasn't a sharp outing by his 2023 standards. But, it's a testament to his resilience he managed to complete 5 IP and limit the damage: 7 H, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 2 ER. Three Quick Strikes: 1) The T-Rats drove the Whitecaps starting pitcher from the game after 2/3 IP. They drove his pitch count to 30 after INF Eduardo Garcia grounded into a force out at 2B. They led 2-0. They had men on the corners with two down. It could have been much worse, as well, when DH Darrien Miller crushed a potential grand slam down the RF that hooked foul by a matter of feet. Regardless, it's a fairly big win when you can drive the starter before the first inning is over. I don't imagine this was in the Whitecaps' game plan. Thankfully, Miller got his payback on that foul ball when he knocked in the winning runs in the eighth inning. 2) In a random bit of Brewers Minor League history, it's quite the thing to consider rehabbing INF Wily Adames played for the Tigers' West Michigan Whitecaps back in 2014. I wonder what was going through his mind as he visited his old stomping grounds from nine years back. He's had quite the journey since and I can't imagine he had this roadtrip on his baseball itinerary for 2023. 3) This was likely the best game I've seen from INF Robert Moore in over a month. He was everywhere on the infield. He was taking healthy swings at the dish. It was wonderful to witness. When he was in his funk, his swing was a proverbial mess. When he's at his best, like he was tonight, his swing is easy; level; and with limited movement. The double in the first inning was hit very well. He made a key diving stop to end an early inning threat with the toss to Adames at 2B. It's games like these that remind us how talented he is. Miles to go, but this was a nice bounceback outing. He ends his evening 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. He did get caught stealing for the sixth time on the young season - a surprising tally. Final: Carolina 7, Fayetteville (Astros) 6Box Score / Game Log Game Notes Via the Mudcats' site, game details, please visit and review: Perez and Perez Power Mudcats to Comeback Victory Clinging to a 0.5 game lead over red hot Down East with just 16 days before the first half is over, the Mudcats were looking for some home cooking versus Carolina League South's last place Fayetteville Woodpeckers. It's hard to believe, but the Mudcats are only 0.500 at their home park. RHP Will Rudy looked to stake his claim as the Mudcats first half Ace now that Misiorowski is up north in Wisconsin. He was a tad rusty to start things off but, boy, he found the zone early and often in the second frame. He grabbed two K's in the inning and also benefited from a fantastic sliding catch by RF Kaylan Nicasia down the shallow RF foul line. Rudy did give up his first home run on his young season via a two-run shot down the right field line as the Woodpeckers grabbed a 2-0 lead in the third frame. They tacked on another run in the fourth inning on an extremely weakly hit dribbler that found its way into the LF grass. Having given up only two runs on the season, Rudy suddenly saw an 0-3 deficit on the scoreboard. It was his least productive outing in terms of end result but, aside from the two-run blast (a no doubter), I would simply state the contact wasn't really worrisome. He'll look to sharpen his tools for his next trip to the hill. But, really, he'll look for better luck. Three Quick Strikes: 1) It didn't look good early for the Mudcats' bats with Woodpeckers starter RHP Jose Fleury keeping the entire lineup off balance and on their heels with an extremely good blend of a curveball to change-up all over the zone. He kept the Mudcats batters guessing further with some heat sprinkled in for good measure. There just wasn't a lot to hit. A tip of the cap is due for Fleury. He was very very good early. But, as the Mudcats have done all season, they started putting in professional AB's and they drove him from the game before the fifth frame was over. 2) It was OF Hedbert Perez and his line drive two-run blast over the RF wall that got the tying rally going in the 9th inning. It was a classic Perez liner. Easy swing. Great launch angle. Line drive. Suddenly, with his second homer of 2023, it was a mere 5-6 deficit. Pivotal two-out knocks by INF Gregory Barrios and Alexander Perez (with the automatic double) tied the game at six runs apiece. We were on to Extras! 3) Before the start of the 10th inning, Mudcats announcer Greg Young shared the Woodpeckers had yet to score a run in extra innings on the year. They failed to do so again tonight when their 10th frame ended in a 6-4-3 double play. If you want to look at reasons why Fayetteville started their early season in first place and now find themselves with the worst record in the Carolina League, that's certainly one place to look. That is an extremely tough situational hitting pill to swallow for any manager. Final: ACL Brewers 2, ACL Rangers 1 Box Score/Game Log Two DSL pitching standouts from 2022 debuted tonight in the ACL achieving very similar successes. 19-year-old LHP Osbriel Mogollon grabbed the starting nod and pitched a very effective 5 IP, 3 H, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 ER outing. His stablemate, 19-year-old LHP Anfernny Reyes, was perhaps even more impressive in his stellar 2 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 K. INF Juan Baez continued his clutch ways of the very early going knocking in OF Reidy Mercado for the go-ahead run on a single in the eighth inning. RHP Darling Solano struggled with free passes giving up 4 BB's in 1 1/3 IP late. It was up to 20-year-old RHP Jose Chavez, in his third year in the Brewers ACL, to try and end a two men on and one out scenario in relief of Solano in the 9th and the ACL Brewers clinging to a 2-1 lead. He was very much up to the challenge striking out the only two batters he faced. Final: DSL Brewers #1 5, DSL Brewers #2 0Box Score/Game Log Well, someone had to lose. The DSL Brewers Uno y Dos clashed head-to-head in just their second game of the DSL season. The Brewers Uno prevailed 5-0 - all runs came in the first two innings and held for the duration. The DSL Brewers #1 pitching staff - led by 17-year-old Nicaraguan starter RHP Enniel Crotez's 5 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 3 K, 0 ER - held the Brewers #2 to a single hit over a standard DSL 7-inning affair. 19-year-old RHP Yeferson Tales did manage to grab the Save after RHP Roman Perez (now pitching in his second DSL Brewers season) walked the bases full in the 6th frame. Tales went 1 1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K. INF Kevin Ereu continued impacting the end result in just his second game: 1-for-2, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 SB (his 3rd in two games). Contrary to yesterday's struggle with RISP, the DSL Brewers #1 capitalized on a 4-for-8 mark with RISP. An interesting aside, as our very own @damuellementioned HERE with his astute baseball eyes, we do appear to have our second two-way prospect (RHP/1B/DH Quinton Low in Low-A Carolina being the other) in the DSL: 17-year-old RHP Argenis Aparicio is also, apparently, a switch-hitter. He went 0-for-2 with a BB in the DH spot today for the DSL Brewers #1. The DSL Brewers (and the ACL Brewers) return to action Thursday. The DSL and ACL Brewers may have off tomorrow but, fear not, we have two double-headers for Nashville and Carolina as they seek to make-up previously postponed contests - no rest for us weary Minor League aficionados. Looking at the listed starters for tomorrow's tilts, I have to say I'm leaning heavy toward Carolina (yet again) with their RHP Quinton Low and RHP Aidan Maldonado pairing. As always, thanks for reading. And, thank you 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