Joseph Zarr

Joe Ayrault has been extremely complimentary toward Tristan Peters all season long - before he was trending to the top of many the Midwest Leagues offensive categories. He discusse his professional purpose-driven approach in that postgame pod above. Always so great to get the Home series T-Rats media machine rolling!

Choice prizes. Couldn't go to more worthy 'Fanatics'. Awesome posters. Awesome fans. Offering meaningful and thought-provoking commentary on the regular. Cheers to all of you!

The ACL Brewers will return to the diamond tomorrow in Maryvale, but until that time it is all DSL coverage all the time as the DSL Brewers 1 and 2 went head-to-head yet again. This contest featured a potential up-and-coming 20-year-old right-hander in one Jeral Vizcaino - he has really come on in July and is building on an already impressive resume of relief and starting work. All told, we flipped the script today and the DSL Brewers 2 literally pitched a shutout over the DSL Brewers 1. The two squads finished their two-game series this week 1-1. Transactions: It would appear we have a couple of new arms headed to the DSL Brewers 1 pitching staff: *** In a week with limited action until the latter half, I will again focus on our great content in the Minor League Forums - the game threads in particular. I again encourage each and every one of you passionate Brewers fans to head on over and join is in our ongoing discussions. Today, for instance, we discussed the intriguing and wonderfully uneventful but highly consistent work of 17-year-old INF (primarily shortstop in 2022) Juan Baez: Our very own @damuelleand our Minor League aficionado (and, frankly, a Brewers Minor League expert in his own right) @CheeseheadInQCdiscussed his 2022 season HERE. In long-hand form, here are the highlights: Baez is having one of the least interesting good seasons in the system. Not least interesting from a prospect perspective, but just that there hasn't seemed to be much in the way of peaks and valleys lately. He seems to show up, go 1-3, occasionally throw in a walk. These types of casual deep dives happen often in our game threads. This is where you real Fanatics will want to go to get beyond the reports and into the finer details of the players we follow and root on every day. Baez led off for the Brewers 2 today and, well, went 1-for-2 with a walk (he also reached base by a HBP). On to the game recap... DSL Brewers 2 6, DSL Brewers 1 0 Box Score/Game Log This one was really about the shutdown work of rising RHP Jeral Vizcaino . As I noted in the same Game Thread above: He is really coming on in interesting fashion and has fast become a young hurler to keep our eyes on. He appears to be, early at least, another 2022 international free agent signee putting that $10,000 bonus money to work. Here's to more shutdown results! Of additional note in this particular game, the Brewers 2 successfully stole eight bases with not a single runner thrown out on the base paths. DSL Brewers 1 catcher Roman La Torre is going to want to sleep this one off. Without seeing the actual game, we obviously can't fully understand what happened here, but an 8-for-8 success in steals is not ideal for defensive or pitching success. The DSL Brewers 1 will hope to change this outcome in the games ahead. All told, we saw two shutdown innings (one inning apiece) between 17-year-old lefty, Jose Meneses, and 21-year-old RHP Nelson Cuevas who continues to pitch those late innings for the DSL Brewers 2. Every Brewers 2 batter reached base except 19-year-old OF prospect Jose Gonzalez, who left after a third inning fly out and gave way to Irving Igualas in right field. What can be said of the DSL Brewers 1 offense on the day? Well, the managed to knock two hits and finished 0-for-2 with RISP. They'll look to regroup tomorrow. *** Stay tuned tomorrow as we discuss any transactions, injury updates, news or otherwise and the DSL Brewers 1 and DSL Brewers 2 head off to play the Tigers 1 and Cardinals squads, respectively. And, as I noted above, both the ACL Brewers Gold and Blue will return to the diamonds to continue working on their craft in Maryvale. Additionally, just around the bend on Friday all full season clubs will return to competition in hopes of wiping away the struggles heading into the All-Star Break. As always, thanks for checking in and supporting the Brewers affiliates! Arizona Complex League Scoreboard Dominican Summer League Scoreboard Standings and sortable stat pages Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View full article

As has been noted on multiple occasions this week: Maryville ACL teams are off until Thursday. All full-season affiliates are off until Friday. That leaves us with the beloved Brewers Dominican Summer League affiliates. Today, the DSL Brewers 1 and 2 went head-to-head in a quality DSL pitching match-up - the first of back-to-back contests between the DSL Brewers 1 and 2 before they branch out and face other organizations on Thursday. Let's see how the young men fared! Transactions: (7/18): RHP Jason Alexander was optioned to the Nashville Sounds by the Brewers INF/OF Tyler Black was placed on the 7-Day IL by the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (7/19): LHP Angel Perdomo was claimed on waivers by the Tampa Bay Rays (and immediately sent to their Durham Triple-A affiliate) *** Like a quality middle reliever, @damuelleoften comes in and provides that meaningful mid-day coverage of our DSL affiliates. I want to again encourage each and every one of you readers to join us in the daily game threads (7/19 Minor League Game Thread HERE). We're always ready to talk Minor League Brewers baseball. Here's Daniel giving us his recap: "This was the 6th addition of DSL Brewers-1 vs. DSL Brewers-2 in 2022, with DSL Brewers-1 earning its first victory (4-2 in 7 innings) in this year‘s series. It was also Round 2 of starting pitchers Osbriel Mogollon (1.21 season ERA) vs. Anfernny Reyes (1.10 season ERA) - aka Pity the Hitters. The 18-year old southpaws were solid as always, combining for 8 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 4 H, 5 BB, 3 WP, 10 Ks. Each allowed one earned run and while Mogollon didn’t allow a hit to the outfield, he also threw the three wild pitches and exited down 2-1 on a pair of sacrifice flies. DSL Brewers-1 brought home three runs in the 5th inning to claim the 4-2 lead, which held up. SS Jhonny Severino (.787 season OPS) hit his second double of the game to start that rally. 3B Richard Rojas hit the clutch 2-out, 2-run single which gave DSL Brewers-1 a 3-2 lead. The inning also featured two hit batsmen, a wild pitch, walk and a balk. DSL Brewers-2 did put two runners on in the 5th inning and loaded the bases in the 6th inning, but couldn’t get the key hit, going 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position in the game (though DSL Brewers-1 wasn’t much better at 1-for-13). 18-year old LHP Jhofez Mejias inherited that bases loaded, two-out situation in the 6th inning, inducing a ground out to escape, then retiring the side in the 7th inning to earn his first save." *** DSL Brewers 1: 4, DSL Brewers 2: 2 Box Score/Game Log I personally take note when the young Johnny Severino completes a game minus any throwing or fielding errors because that's been a struggle for the young prospect in 2022. Today, he put up a clean fielding sheet. Finally, I'll give a mention, via the last tag, to INF Richard Rojas for plating the winning runs with his fifth inning single. *** And, here's a highlight package from Brewers Player Development Twitter of improving ACL pitcher, Yujanyer Herrera: As I noted in the above-mentioned 'Minor League Game Thread': *** Stay tuned tomorrow as we discuss any transactions, injury updates, news or otherwise and the second of the DSL Brewers 1 versus DSL Brewers 2 back-to-back contests. Thanks for checking in! Dominican Summer League Scoreboard Standings and sortable stat pages Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View full article

Boy, that's a tough way for that T-Rats game to end. A near tip of the glove grab at the wall by Joe Gray Jr. pops out as he corrals before running into the wall? Whew. Also, that was an absolute hanger from Floyd. That's a mistake pitch. Bummer.

For a self-proclaimed 'pessimist generally', you've done a stand-up job of bringing a shiny patina of optimism to our Minor League coverage, Daniel. I commend you and I find it inspiring! I also lean that pessimistic route as a fellow small market sports fan. It's a daily Zen practice to let those doubts and negative nellies roll through the mind like water on a duck's feathers. I salute you. Welcome back to Wisconsin!

Absolutely agreed on the BPA route. If it's an outfielder, take an outfielder. The rest will reveal itself in the draft and as trade deadlines approach. I think what has become more clear this season is regardless of position the Brewers have very solid depth 1-10 but then quite a bit of question marks beyond that. At least, I consistently find there hasn't been much separation in the pack of players developing beyond the top-tier prospects. They've also shown an ability to find many a worthwhile Minor League FA and these FA's are willing to sign-on. With that, again, the BPA has to be the route. Talent. Talent. Upside. Upside. Position becomes meaningless, then, in my humble opinion.

Thought-provoking piece. Thanks for putting it to virtual paper. It certainly will be interesting to discover what they actually have planned - as Daniel said above, the use of that last player option is what surprised me the most. Why would they do that if there isn't some greater play or need here? The move itself was fairly surprising, yes, but the greater context of the move considering what has been happening in and around the ball club gives one a bit of head-scratching. We shall know soon enough.

Absolutely have had this same thought this year - that's funny ?. When you watch Mitchell play, it's quite easy to see the innate fluidity and athleticism - he's truly a smooth running gazelle. Where he 'concerns' you at this stage is the obvious ongoing nagging injury issues but he's also been fairly inconsistent at the dish. All the ingredients are there, however, and he does show decent plate discipline. The obvious addendum is: if we're talking about this, the organization obviously knows the same thing and then some. Can he stay healthy, take another couple steps, and put it together? It's really that simple.

Quinton Low, imho, has quickly become one of the more interesting lower-level prospects in the system. He has yet to give up a run on the mound and now his bat is heating up? Maybe they’ll let him write some line-up cards in the near-term to really get that resume tidied up! The three players catching my eye this week: (1) OF Tristan Peters - he is putting forth a serious professional season. The really good ones tend to step up in the face of adversity. What he has done in this Whitecaps series with Tyler Black mysteriously shelved (due to dinged up injury - see discussion HERE in Yesterday's GT) and what he has done since the Frelick promotion and the Carlos Rodriguez season-ending promotion is nothing short of solidifying himself as a top prospect. Do not underestimate the young Canuck. (2) OF Garrett Mitchell has come up from his ACL rehab assignment and shown why he was so highly thought of: 6-for-9, 2 dubs, 3 RBI’s, and 2 OF assists? Toss in that delicious speed out of the batter’s box and the entire package is being showcased. As always, the question will remain: can he string together a stretch of games? Can he stay remotely healthy to close out the season? He remains a wild card but, man, we get these sublime glimpses and it leaves us wanting more. (3) OF Jace Avina is really starting to separate himself down in the ACL Brewers pool of players. OPS now 1.000, 5 HR, 1 3-Bagger, 6 dubs, 0.280 BA. I wish his 35:9 k:bb ratio was a wee more palatable but, at this point, I’m not going to let it deter from my excitement: I want to see him on MiLB.TV? The Brewers have such an immense wealth of OF prospects in the system - this is the obvious ‘trade from here’ department if they go that route by the deadline. Given how 2022 has evolved, what appears to be true at present is there is a significant gap when it comes to infield depth.

And then there were 3:

Thanks for the update! Always appreciated.

With matinee games to get things going and Biloxi going for a 1 1/2 game affair, we had a full day of activity even though the DSL and ACL Brewers had days off. Stiven Cruz and Jeison Pena flexed their collective pitching muscles in Zebulon, the Biloxi bullpen...um...we'll get to that, Israel Puello continued his High-A dominance, and the Sounds lost another nail biter one-run affair. Let's get into the report! Transactions: RHP Connor Sadzeck had his contract selected by the Brewers - a big congrats to Connor who is having an excellent and consistent season shutting things down in key innings for the Nashville Sounds. 1B/2B/DH Keston Hiura was optioned to Triple-A Nashville (leaving many to scratch their heads) RHP Luis Perdomo was sent to the Nashville Sounds on a rehab assignment *** Before I get into today's games, I'd like to share some highlights from Brewers ACL 24-year-old southpaw Leoni De La Cruz. I highlighted fellow 24-year-old righty, Ryan Middendorf, yesterday (and, honestly, quite often in the Minor League daily game threads). Well, De La Cruz is the yin to Middendorf's yang. In my humble opinion, it is simply a matter of time before both young men head to higher levels given their age and continued stellar results: *** Carolina Pre-Game Notes Final: Carolina 1, Delmarva (Orioles) 0 Box Score / Game Log Via the Mudcats' site, game details, please visit and review: Carolina Ends Six Game Skid with 1-0 Victory - Stiven Cruz Totaled Eight Strikeouts Over Six Scoreless Innings in the 1-0 Victory Coming off his most recent outing in Kannapolis where he gave up five earned runs, 20-year-old RHP Stiven Cruz was looking for the scoreless success he discovered earlier in July versus Fayetteville. Luckily for the Mudcats, he certainly found his Ace form today at Five County Stadium. When all was said and done, Cruz limited the Shorebirds to a mere four hits and one walk over six complete eight strikeout innings. Check out his wily leg kick and strikeout work here: Not to be outdone, recently promoted (July 6th) 19-year-old RHP Jeison Pena strutted more of his excellent stuff in just his second outing for Carolina: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K. Pena is definitely one to keep an eye on in the second half - he has 10 strikeouts in his two relief outings. Three Key Observations: (1) In a game where the majority of the line-up was shut down (and Jackson Chourio was inactive), SS Eduardo Garcia willed his team to victory. Going 3-for-3 on the afternoon, scoring the winning and only run, and swiping two bases (12 on the season) was all the Mudcats needed to pull out the close victory. Garcia still has quite a bit of work to do to evolve his game at the plate (105k:14bb), but it's games like these coupled with his already stellar defense that keep you very engaged with his progress. The second swiped base led to an errant throw to second and he advanced to third base. It was a game-changing play. Here's to many more in the games ahead! (2) Coming off a game in which he knocked his third home run of 2022, Jesus Chirinos gave his Mudcats teammate a look at a fantastic situational at bat in a crucial spot. With a 1-1 count, Chirinos was able to patiently muscle an off-speed breaking ball to the gap between left and center fields: Chirinos also logged two walks on the day. In a day where the majority of his teammates struggled to find success, he did his best to work in tandem with Eduardo Garcia . The shift to first base from behind the plate certainly has been easy, but, stacking successes like these has to give the young man confidence. (3) The five through nine spots in the Mudcats batting order pulled off an 0-for-15, 1 bb, 6 k performance. The ongoing challenge Victor Estevez faces as the Mudcats manager, with such a youth-filled team, largely relates to somehow coaxing more production from a bevy of players struggling to hit the ball. The numbers don't lie, frankly, and if and when Chourios is promoted these Mudcats are going to have a tough time replacing that production anywhere in the lineup - individually or collectively. This being said, these same struggles also pave the way for players in the DSL and ACL to find a promotional pathway. This will be something to pay attention to as the 2022 season comes to an end and the 2023 Mudcats roster begins taking shape. *** Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes Wisconsin 5, West Michigan (Tigers) 2 Box Score/Game Log Via the Timber Rattlers' site, game details, please visit and review: Wisconsin Survives for 5-2 Decision in Eleven Innings - Puello Allowed One Run on One Hit in Seven Innings as Rattlers Starter RHP Israel Puello has been putting on an absolute clinic of how to take a promotion and run with it since leaving Carolina - it's truly hard to fathom what the young hurler has accomplished given the circumstances. Puello has now faced three of the Midwest League's toughest teams in Cedar Rapids, South Bend, and West Michigan and, after today's dominant outing, this is what he has put into the record books: 19 IP, 3 ER, 2 HR, 7H (!!), 5 BB, 16 K, 1 HB. Opponents are hitting sub-0.150 against him with a 0.63 WHIP. Great googly-moogly! Here's to more of that. This is definitively one of the more pleasant and awe-inspiring surprises of 2022 as far as I am concerned. Three Key Observations: (1) A day after lauding the fine season from OF Tristan Peters , the young Canadian continued to shine. Batting in the clean-up spot, he went 2-for-4 including the go ahead RBI triple in the pivotal 11th inning. We'll forget about being picked off first base, the young man continues to produce in key spots. You'll be hard-pressed to find a more complete performer in the entire system in 2022. (2) OF Terence Doston made two stellar plays in extras - including a chef's kiss bunt down the first base line to lead off the tenth inning (2-for-4 on the day). It isn't often you see a fabulous bunt these days. Let me tell you baseball nerds: it was glorious. The same can not be said for Jose Acosta' s failed bunt the ensuing at bat, but, alas, Doston showed how it's done. Then, with one down in the bottom of the tenth and Whitecaps on second and third base, Doston stood in extremely shallow center field awaiting a chance to pounce on potential shallow pop ups or liners. He definitively doesn't have a plus arm, so to ensure even the chance at a fly out throw 'em out this was the only workable field position. And, the perfect line out followed. A little luck off the mound (the throw fell well short of home plate) - the bounce and roll were true and skidded perfectly down the mound into the waiting mitt of Darrien Miller who steadfastly held onto the ball as the baserunner slid into his glove and under his body. It was on to the eleventh where the T-Rats plated their winning runs. Doston made winning plays in extras. A game ball is definitely deserved. (3) When it rains it pours and RHP Taylor Floyd can attest to this. When your season has run away from you a bit, it's innings like today's ninth frame that say it all. Floyd was the recipient of some incredibly bad luck and misfortune. It's a true testament to his resilience he left the inning with a tie ball game. It started with a seeing eye looping liner past the outstretched dive of Acosta (I still don't know how the ball found its way beyond his mitt). The ensuing batter hit an absolutely weak top-spun chopper oddly bouncing off the pitcher's mound and beyond the outstretched glove of a charging Acosta (who was trying to both evade the runner running to second base while simultaneously making a read on the weird hop). The very next batter hit another weak grounder directly under the hurried glove of a charging Zavier Warren at third base. The bases were juiced, suddenly, with zero outs and you could argue not a single ball should have left the infield. With better luck, there very well could have been three outs and a game completed! Ultimately, Floyd was credited with the blown save but he did get the victory. *** Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes Game 1 Final: Tennessee (Cubs) 11, Biloxi 7 Game 2 Final: Tennessee 5, Biloxi 3 Game 1: Box Score / Game Log Game 2: Box Score / Game Log Via the Shuckers' site, game details, please visit and review: Smokies Storm Back to Win Suspended Game, Take Game Two 5-3 - Mitchell Goes 3-for-4 in Return from Injured List It's always nice to resume a suspended game and send nine men to the plate while putting up a five-spot right off the bat. This was the case for the Shuckers and they took a 1-1 game and made it 6-1 after they completed their top half of the fifth inning. However, if you think it's ever smooth sailing for the Shuckers in 2022 you are sadly mistaken. The Biloxi bullpen managed to give up a seven-spot before a single out in the seventh. Ultimately, the Shuckers felt even more generous and gave up three more runs for a 10-run inning. Woooof! They then fell short in the seven-inning shortened second game after LHP Nick Bennet gave up two deciding home runs - 5 ip, 8 hits, 0 bb, 5 k's, 5 runs (4 earned) - while the Shuckers offense went 2-for-11 with RISP. Three Key Observations: (1) Welcome back Sal Frelick and Tristen Lutz! Frelick hit an RBI single to get the fifth inning rally going in Game 1 and he had a web gem to grab out number one to start bottom of fifth. Lutz also smashed a 3-RBI double deep to the wall in right center to keep the fifth inning rally alive. Here's the Frelick grab in left center - what a jump: (2) Let's add another 'Welcome back!' to OF Garrett Mitchell seeing his first Double-A game action in what feels like months - well, actually, it has been a couple months - quite the 7-Day IL stint! Mitchell stepped right into the five spot in the batting order in game 2 and proceeded to go 3-for-4 (all singles) with a run and an RBI. As the Shuckers continue to ride their roller coaster season trying to find any semblance of consistency, they are going to need a healthy and impactful Mitchell to stay in the lineup. Let's hope he can finish off his 2022 campaign with plenty of reason for optimism. It's just so different when you have Frelick's and Mitchell's wheels spinning down the base paths: 3) Real Talk: The most glaring and concerning ongoing issues for the Shuckers - bullpen meltdowns and fundamentally unsound baseball - reared their heads in a Smokies 10-run seventh inning in Game 1. Robbie Hitt and Harold Chirino were getting absolutely smacked around the park and outfielders were flexing throwing muscles to the detriment of missing relay throws left and right. All three runners who advanced to second on said forced throws scored. These weren't credited as errors as they are subjective decisions, but, let's also call it like it is: the Shuckers lead the Southern League by 15 errors committed. 2022 just hasn't been kind down yonder in Double-A. *** Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Memphis (Cardinals) 3 , Nashville 2 Box Score / Game Log Via the Sounds' site, game details, please visit and review: Sounds Edged Out by Memphis - Tyler White's First Inning Homer Not Enough as Nashville Drops Third Straight Four more riveting scoreless innings from the Sounds shutdown bullpen were not enough to overcome another ho-hum start from LHP Ethan Small . It's been a very mixed bag since Ethan got smacked around a bit in his MLB debut, and tonight was unfortunately another pedestrian line and performance: 5 IP, 3 ER, 4 H, 4 BB, 4 K, 1 HR (a tying two-run jack). The walks continue, unfortunately. In the near-term, we simply don't know which version of the promising lefty we are going to get. We all know what he's capable of, but we'd be lying to ourselves if we didn't recognize: the ongoing walks are a problem as is the over-reliance on a two-pitch mix. Miles to go, and there is ample room for optimism and positivity, but the journey suddenly feels filled with more obstacles than originally forecasted. Sometimes, it's better to serve these opinions cold than to dish them freely and piping hot! ? Three Key Observations: (1) Pablo Reyes, Brice Turang, and Tyler White led the Nashville batting order going a combined 5-for-11 with 2 runs, 2 RBI (all via White's two-run blast), and a walk. They set the tone. However, the rest of the line-up absolutely did not follow this lead: starting with Jon Singleton batting clean-up on down through Brian Navarreto in the nine-slot, Sounds batters combined to go 1-for-21 with 2 walks and 8 k's. Check please! Waiter?!? Check please! (2) A public service announcement: do not sleep on Brice Turang 's age 22 season. Sometimes we hyper-focus on OPS a bit too much - I am a victim of this as well. But, heck, if we want to hyper-focus on OPS let's simply look at his 0.926 OPS sample from July. After a 2-for-4 night at the plate, Turang now further leads the Sounds with 25 multi-hit games, he has hit safely in six straight (the fifth time this season he has hit safely in five or more straight games), and he is now fourth in the International League with 92 hits. Couple this with his fantastic defense and his overall smarts and you have a surefire MLB player. It is quite simply a matter of time. For all the talk of top Brewers prospects, Turang is seemingly consistently overlooked. It's right time we stop doing this. (3) After tonight's loss, the Sounds trail the Redbirds in their season series 3-5. The Sounds division lead fell to 4 1/2 games over these same Redbirds. It's fitting a Cardinals affiliate and a Brewers affiliate are going toe-to-toe in hotly contested match-ups that may just decide the division altogether. All told, the two teams will face each other 16 more times this year (including the four remaining home games for Nashville in this series). Given what I've seen in these first two contests, I'd say the one missing ingredient for the Sounds is the bats simply need to wake up. There haven't been many chances for either club, but the Redbirds are 2-for-13 with RISP whereas the Sounds are 0-for-10. Both games were decided by one run. You can do the math. *** That's a wrap for my reports this week. I certainly hope I can pass the baton toward more organizational victories in the days ahead as I've definitely paid my dues and watched some tough losses. Remember, the DSL and ACL teams will be back on the diamond tomorrow. Taking the mound in the higher level contests will be (Low-A to Triple-A, respectively) Edwin Jimenez, Russ Smith, Brandon Knarr, and Josh Lindbolm . Here's hoping they bring their best stuff and we see many victories! As always, thanks for reading. Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Arizona Complex League Scoreboard Dominican Summer League Scoreboard Links for affiliate audio Standings and sortable stat pages Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View full article

Carolina and Nashville returned to their home ballparks while Wisconsin and Biloxi continued road trips at West Michigan and Tennessee, respectively. The DSL Brewers 1 and 2 faced off in a heated contest - friends and teammates bringing out the best in each other. Meanwhile in the ACL, the Brewers Gold faced the ACL Cubs while the ACL Brewers Blue battled the formidable 17-9 ACL Guardians. Let's get into the report! Transactions: (Including Monday 7/11) Best of luck to OF David Dahl as he looks to latch on to a MLB club. It was a true pleasure watching him play the outfield for the Nashville Sounds. Just in: Angel Perdomo pitched one inning of one hit, two strikeout work in his first rehab assignment. Additionally, LHP, and recently promoted, Justin King has been placed on the 7-Day IL by the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. The DSL Brewers 1 and Brewers 2 faced each other yet again and our very own @damuelle was all over the coverage: HERE Mentioned within the quoted summary above, lefty Osbriel Mogollon (an early season favorite in our daily Minor League Game Threads) was featured on the Brewers Player Development Twitter Page yesterday: There's a little 'young Andy Otero' vibe going on here with Osbriel. It will be interesting to see how he develops and grows! *** ACL Cubs 11, ACL Brewers 9 Box Score/Game Log With the score 11-9 Cubs in the top of the seventh, I had to remind myself: the ACL Cubbies had a nine-run first inning! What was, perhaps, even more surprising: RHP Ryan Middendorf conceded runs - two of them (!) - losing grip of a brief tie game in the sixth inning. Yet, he still did ACL Ryan Middendorf things: 2 ip, 4 hits, 2 er, 5 k's. We'll look past this minor blemish: he belongs in Low-A. Let's see what he can do, please. The Brewers Gold missed out on their key bases loaded no out opportunity in the top of the seventh and final inning - a three-pitch strikeout, a first pitch pop-up to second base, and a three-pitch strikeout ended the chance and the game. Yuck! This being said, let's honor the fine work in the ninth spot of the batting order and the lead-off spot - Diego Larez and Jadher Areinamo , respectively. Larez went 1-for-1 with two runs, one rbi, and three walks improving his OPS to 0.760 in the process. Areinamo was hitless in an 0-for-2 evening but also drew three free passes, plated a run, and grabbed a rbi. ACL Guardians 5, ACL Brewers Blue 3 Box Score/Game Log A fine night at the plate for OF Eduarqui Fernandez batting clean-up and going 2-for-4 with two runs, one rbi, and his fourth home run. It would appear the five ACL Brewers Blue errors were their demise: of the five Guardians runs that crossed the dish only one was earned. That's not going to win many ball games. A successful rehab return for LHP Angel Perdomo and two-way 2021 13th round draft pick RHP Quinton Low remains un-scored upon in his seven complete innings of relief work. Carolina Pre-Game Notes Final: Delmarva (Orioles) 7, Carolina 3 Box Score / Game Log Via the Mudcats' site, game details, please visit and review: Chirinos Homers in 7-3 Loss to Delmarva - The Loss Was Carolina's Sixth Straight, Matching Their Longest Losing Streak of the Season Coming off five straight losses to close the series in Kannapolis, the Mudcats were back at Zebulon's Five County Stadium in hopes of a rebound performance. Taking the mound for Carolina was RHP Miguel Segura . In a season where he has now walked more batters than he has struck out (52bb:51k), the men on base continued to set the tone for this particular start - 5 ip, 7 hits, 3 bb, 4 runs, 3 earned. Segura will see his already 1.60 WHIP rise slightly after tonight's outing. Leading 2-1 heading into the fifth inning, Segura gave up a first pitch home run and the game was tied 2-2. Two more runs would plate that inning - via a walk, single, wild pitch, and double in consecutive at bats - and the Mudcats trailed the remainder of the game and ultimately lose their fifth straight 7-3. Three Key Observations: (1) It isn't often Jackson Chourio is highlighted for a negative reason, but on a team with erratic offense the Mudcats overly rely on his bat. Tonight, unfortunately, was a night that will send Chourio back to the proverbial drawing board: 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. (2) In a season filled with only brief spurts of excellence, Hedbert Perez has mainly been an afterthought. Coming into this game, the young outfielder had gone 4-for-28 (0.143 BA) with a couple walks over his past eight games. Struggles like these have put Perez lower in the batting order, unfortunately. Batting sixth tonight, Perez went 3-for-4 with his 14th double and eighth stolen base, but, ultimately, the bottom of the order were incapable of taking advantage. The main issue to date, as I've seen it, is Perez rarely walks - 93 k's: 19 bb's - and, as a result his OBP has really taken a hit (0.274). Lots to improve in the second half. Let's hope we see it. It wasn't all dry desert behind Perez. Jesus Chirinos managed a solo shot early: (3) Let's do a mini deep dive as to why I continue to be quite bullish on catcher Jeferson Quero (BF's #8 prospect). We know he is young, he has the frame and body-type and athleticism to catch your attention but with his recent surge at the plate (1-for-3, 2 runs tonight batting in the three-hole) his defensive numbers really start to add punctuation. Quero, at age 19, is second in all of Minor League baseball with 30 caught steals. Tonight, he picked a runner off third base - I've seen him grab runners at first throughout the season and he's had several other near misses. He trusts his eyes, he's quick to his feet, and he has a cannon. Do not sleep on what is perhaps our most intriguing catching prospect in the system. Apologies, Jakson Reetz ...the Hype Train has more than one track! Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes West Michigan (Tigers) 1, Wisconsin 0 Box Score/Game Log Via the Timber Rattlers' site, game details, please visit and review: Whitecaps Beat Rattlers 1-0 - Holton's RBI Single in Bottom of the Ninth Beats Wisconsin It was clear early, despite my conspiratorial trade suggestions in the Minor League Game Thread ?, the plan for LHP Antoine Kelly was quick work and then rest up for an upcoming Sunday opportunity in the MLB All-Star Futures game. Kelly was dealing early and often. Robbed of one strikeout on a pitch that must have caught too much Middle, he went three complete innings when all was said and done. Zero hits. 44 pitches. One walk and two strikeouts. Much to the pleasure of the Whitecaps' announcers, he was shelved and made way for RHP Joey Matulovich. Three Key Observations: (1) Tristan Peters came off a 7-for-24 series in South Bend and grabbed a single through the short stop and second base gap early in this one. He finished 1-for-4 on the evening. As noted by the Whitecaps' announcers, Tristan has been solid all year long; plays excellent defense; and has some speed on the base paths. He is absolutely a key reason the Timber Rattlers have had so much success in 2022 and with Carlos Rodriguez shelved for the season they are going to continue needing his consistent presence. (2) Hats off to Malutovich for his three complete innings of scoreless middle relief. Filling in for Kelly and his brief 'no hitter', Matulovich only surrendered a couple hits, did not walk a batter, and struck three men out. With Cam Robinson and Kent Hasler in Double-A, the T-Rats are going to need more outings like this. (3) He doesn't get mentioned often in our reports, but that isn't for lack of solid and meaningful production. Jose Acosta was acquired via trade with the Texas Rangers in late May and has been a solid and steady contributor at second base for the Timber Rattlers. After a 2-for-3 evening batting seventh, Acosta is batting 9-for-28 in eight games of action in July with a double, a home run, four walks, and four rbi's. He is fulfilling his role as a contributor lower in the order. It's a pleasant and unexpected surprise. Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Biloxi 1 , Tennessee (Cubs) 1 - POSTPONED: Top of the Fifth, Gabe Holt on first base, nobody out...play will resume 7/13 Box Score / Game Log Via the Shuckers' site, game details, please visit and review: Biloxi and Tennessee Suspended in the Fifth - Game Will Resume Wednesday 4:30pm CST This one was a battle of two solo shots - Biloxi's came from now Double-A HOF candidate, Andruw Monasterio . With Jakson Reetz promoted to Triple-A Nashville, the Shuckers better hope the red hot Monasterio remains with their ball club given Joey Wiemer 's ongoing woes. After tonight's first inning homer (his fourth since his re-assignment), he extended his hit streak to seven games: His batting average is now up to a ripe 0.412 and his OPS well over 1.000 in 51 Double-A AB's. He's a one-man wrecking crew in Biloxi. Briefly, kudos are also in order for TJ Shook who worked around a solo home run himself while surrendering only one more hit and two walks while striking out three batters over four complete innings. Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Memphis (Cardinals) 2, Nashville 1 Box Score / Game Log Via the Sounds' site, game details, please visit and review: Redbirds Clip Sounds in Series Opener - Sounds Lead Redbirds by 5.5 Games in International League West Division Cardinals' LHP Steven Matz most likely saw his last rehab outing before heading to the big club and he dominated the Sounds bats on a beautiful muggy evening in Nashville. In 4 1/3 complete innings of two-hit, two walk, seven strikeout work, Matz gave way to the Redbirds' bullpen who held on - avoiding any chance at a Sounds comeback when Weston Wilson popped out weakly to first base with the bases juiced and two down in the bottom of the eighth. This game was filled with a lot of strikeouts and a lot of walks for Sounds batters. Ultimately, they couldn't get the big hit when they needed it. Three Key Observations: (1) In a juxtaposition of what it's like to head down to Double-A versus what it's like to head up to Triple-A, we have the parallel and ongoing cases of the above-mentioned Monasterio and the recently Triple-A promoted Jackson Reetz. How about heading up a level and facing a veteran MLB pitcher, Mr. Reetz? How about doing so while playing left field in a new ballpark? Such was the case in his first action for Nashville in 2022. Reetz ultimately finished 0-for-3 with a strikeout, ground out, fly out and took a key full count HBP off his left elbow (ouch!) giving the Sounds a chance to walk in their first run of the evening. All told, this was a decent night of getting his feet wet for the up-and-comer. (2) It was apparent early and often: neither ball club was all too enthused with home plate umpire, Matt Winter. I tend to agree with both ball clubs. The zone was quite mysterious - balls below the knees were strikes and balls. Balls off the outside stripe were balls and strikes. There were simply way too many questionable calls and way too many batters left befuddled and complaining walking back to the dugout. Hopefully, it was just an off night. I can still hear the faint chirping echoing forth from each dugout. (3) We've talked about the Sounds bullpen all year and why change now? After starter RHP Dylan File conceded two runs (the only Redbirds runs of the evening) during a prolonged 26 pitch second inning, he was pulled and the impeccable Sounds bullpen work began. Seven complete shutout innings adds another feather into an already plumage-laden bullpen cap. I'll highlight the bounce back 1 1/3 shutdown two strikeout innings of work from Lucas Erceg and the flawless eighth inning two strikeout work from consistently overlooked RHP Matt Hardy. Hardy doesn't wow you with size or stature but he certainly delivers results and a beautiful mullet. Further hats off to him for getting his first strikeout after Weston Wilson biffed a fly ball just inside the dugout - it's a play Weston should have made and, thankfully, Hardy didn't flinch. That drop was emblematic of Wilson's 0-for-4 two strikeout night. That's a wrap for today's Minor League Report. Keep in mind, the DSL and ACL affiliates will have the day off tomorrow so we will feature the Brewers Low-A through Triple-A clubs. We'll see Stiven Cruz and Israel Puello taking the mound for Carolina and Wisconsin in the morning hours while Nick Bennett and Ethan Small will take the mound in the evening. And, remember, the completion of tonight's Biloxi game will be on a mini double-header docket in Tennessee tomorrow - this will most likely begin with a Biloxi bullpen arm. As always, thanks for reading! Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Standings and sortable stat pages Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View full article

Just a refresher of the much-needed success at South Bend for Joe Gray Jr: 3HR, 6 RBI, 2 SB, 1.012 OPS He was due. And, he delivered. Good stuff!

Do I trade Tyler Black for a rental of Josh Bell? We’ve got a big man down in Nashville with a heck of a glove, power, and an incredible ability to get on base. ? I know that won’t impress or invigorate a lot of fans, but, I also really love me some Tyler Black. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: He has MLB player written all up in his game. Now, thinking ‘inside the Box’, a trade centered on selling Jakson Reetz back to Washington? Now, that makes me giggle a lil bit.

Of all the thoughts racing through his mind after that glorious Start in April of 2004, I can nearly guarantee you one was not: "I'm going to be a railroad engineer!". Life has such a fascinating way of taking you on a journey - Minor League ball players live this on a near daily basis. Saenz's story is another in a long line of: It's really really hard to make it to the Big Dance. And, it's even harder to make it back. And, it's hardest to stay. Thank you for sharing this one @reillymcshane.

I agree with you on Joey Wiemer, Jim. It's hard to fathom the current ongoing slump and precipitous decline in production at the plate. It's important to note, of course, he's still routinely making plays in the outfield but...I remember when he first returned from the mysterious non-disclosed hand/thumb injury, he crushed a solo HR off prized Marlins' Ace Eury Perez (also in Futures Game) - a line drive rope over the wall in left center. I thought to myself: OK, maybe this brief stint on the shelf was mysterious but he seems to be back. And, well, here we are amidst 3-for-42. When his slump was well underway, I noted in a report: he was pressing at the plate. He took an already aggressive swing and was clearly over-aggressive - as if trying to force his way out of a prolonged stretch of ineffective AB's. I personally don't see any visible issues with his hand/thumb. What I see is a player who has lost confidence, is pressing much too hard, and has frankly lost himself at the dish. Hopefully, he can reclaim that incredible form we saw for essentially near 1.5 years. For now, tho, it would certainly appear he is in the doldrums.

Man, Darrien Miller hit by two pitches and then the foul off the face? Ugh. Talk about adding insult to injury. Booooo!

I think a very good solution for every Brewers fan struggling to make peace with this version of the Brewers and their Brewers offense or, well, just the Brewers in general - and, I do want to be clear: I am not pointing a finger at anyone here or anyone anywhere ? - spend a dedicated period of time watching the Brewers' Double-A 2022 Biloxi Shuckers. They'll sober you right up into a state of gratitude for any semblance of consistency anywhere in any level of baseball. They'll give you a couple moments of 'Up', they'll give you many moments of 'Down', and they'll most likely leave you in a complete state of confoundedness as they seesaw their ways from 6-8 games under 0.500 back to 4-5 games above 0.500 seemingly on the monthly. Every expectation will face challenge. Every facet of play that can sabotage a chance of victory will be performed for a stretch or stretches - occasionally at the same time. There will be slumps, injuries, over-promotions, send downs, thin rosters, six-game series sweeps. The whole gambit. If you can keep your positivity through it all, it is akin to achieving a level of Aikido mastery. And, I think it will bring you back to the Brewers side of things a modern-day Fanatic Zen Master. You will find yourself ready for any devious tendencies or malfeasance in the batters box. Just my two meaningless centavos. Go Brewers!