Joseph Zarr

Last night's (the above report) Timber Rattler victory highlights have surfaced:

Take a look at this work from Catañeda last night. What wonderful breaking action he has on a plethora of these strike out pitches:

Four affiliate victories on the evening made for an exciting evening and a joyous recap. Wisconsin with the lone blow-out while Carolina and Nashville pulled out late victories. Josh Lindbolm lost his chance at a no hitter (and a 1-0 lead) in the sixth inning. Biloxi tried to showcase the error of their ways but managed to pull out the win regardless. Dive in for more details! Transactions: Jandel Gustave (RHP) was optioned to Triple-A Nashville, JC Mejía (RHP) was recalled by the Milwaukee Brewers, Brandon Ramey (RHP) was released by the Carolina Mudcats, Ernesto Martinez (1B) was placed on the IL retroactive to May 8th, Yeison Coca (INF) was transferred from Wisconsin to Nashville, Ashton McGee (3B/1B) was transferred from Biloxi to Wisconsin. Before you get started digesting the sweet tastes of four victories, take a moment to read up on our Minor League Players and Pitchers of the Month in Micah Bello, Brice Turang, TJ Shook, and Peter Strzelecki; all four young men were much deserving of these honors. Congratulations! Carolina Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Carolina 2, Fayetteville (Astros) 1 Box Score / Game Log Via the Mudcats' site, game details, please review: Mudcats Open Trip with 2-1 Victory in Extras - Eduardo Garcia Broke a 1-1 Tie in the Eleventh with a Go-Ahead Single Before this contest started, the Brewers Fanatic Minor League forum was abuzz with talk of young and exciting prospect Jackson Chourio (OF). He continued his torrid pace and discipline at the plate on this fine evening with a 2-5 outing and zero strikeouts yet again. This young man appears to be something else. For those simply reading these reports at home, please feel free to check that forum link and take a peek at what Baseball America is saying of our youngest and extremely talented prospect - you won't be disappointed. For the record: Chourio joined the Mudcats on May 3 and has totaled six doubles and five multi-hit games in just seven games overall. He has now hit safely in five straight games, with at least two hits in each of his last four games. He singled and scored in the fourth on a throwing error by Santos. This young man is about as exciting as it gets in Low-A. Ryne Moore took the hill tonight, and the young hurler pitched an absolute gem: a career-high seven complete innings of one earned run, six-hit, one walk, and six strikeout ball. What a night for the youngster. He handed the ball off to Christian Tripp and Michele Vassalotti for four scoreless innings. Michele will make special kudos as he stranded two straight 'Manfred Men', allowing no additional baserunners and striking out three. I'll keep saying it: Michele has taken his transition to the bullpen and run with it. What a godsend he's been on the backend. Further Notes: We send our best of luck in future baseball and life endeavors to now-former Mudcat, Brandon Ramey. Thank you for your time and commitment to the Mudcats and Brewers organizations. The two teams combined for a 1 of 27 output with RISP. That's going to lead to many an extra-inning affair. We're lucky our Mudcats came out on top, but we certainly won't complain! The Mudcats home run streak ended tonight in Fayetteville at four games. It was a good run. Here's to more long balls tomorrow! Appreciating the true youth movement in Carolina: At just over 18 years old, Jackson Chourio is now the youngest player in the Carolina League (as of 5/3). With Chourio's addition, and at just a smidge under 18.5 years old, Hendry Mendez is now the second-youngest player in the league. By average age (21.37 as of 5/3), the Mudcats are the second-youngest team in the Carolina League. Happy Birthday is for Mudcat Jheremy Vargas (INF), who turned 19 today (5/10/2003 birthday). To be that young and playing professional baseball is something else. To be that young and playing professional baseball but knowing you are older than some of your teammates? That's a whole other can of worms. What a season in Zebulon! With Fredericksburg's 3-2 loss to Kannapolis, the Mudcats have pulled within 2.5 games of first place. *** Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes via their all-encompassing Virtual Press Box Final: Wisconsin 17, Quad Cities (Royals) 4 Box Score / Game Log Via the Timber Rattlers' site, game details, please review: Rattlers Win Big at Quad Cities - Rattlers 17, River Bandits 4 In another showdown of tantalizing Low-A logos, the Rattlers and talented lefty Brandon Knarr took on the Quad Cities River Bandits for their second series of the young season. The game-time temperature in Quad Cities Modern Woodmen Park was 90 degrees - um, that's not a typo. The mere mention of these temps had me sweating in my swivel chair. Get me some ice water! These rising temps certainly aided some equally hot Rattler bats as they scored in every inning but the sixth and totaled 16 hits overall, including four home runs. No batter was more impressive than the consistently performing Tristan Peters and his 2 of 2 night with four walks (!!) to boot. If there is a more pleasantly surprising player in our lower levels, I am unsure if I can name him. Tristan has played a fantastic glove in the outfield (zero errors in 124 1/3 innings of combined left and right field ball), and his plate presence has been steady as they come through 28 games. With the four walks and his second home run of the season in the fifth innings, Tristan knocked his season OPS north of 0.900. This young man is still just a young 22 years old (February birthday). With output like this, he might find himself promoted for a shot at Double-A come summer. Further Game Notes: It's another one of those "Just look at this box score!" kind of nights. I said it last week - in forums and in passing in reports - but it is worth mentioning again: Joe Gray Jr. is back to his more comfortable position in center field, and he is simply getting more comfortable in every aspect. Since his April 30th low point and coming off an 0-4 day, Joe has hit safely in seven of eight games and gone 9 of 25 in that span. Here's to more of this, Joe! Brandon Knarr finished his evening after five complete innings. He allowed five hits, one walk, and two earned runs with five punchouts. It wasn't a completely dominant performance like we've seen from Brandon. Nonetheless, he did Knarr-like things in limiting damage and giving his team a legitimate chance at victory. Wes Clarke added two more walks to his lead-leading 24 walks on the season. He now has 26 total walks in 2022. He walked ten times in the most recent series versus Fort Wayne. Wes is sneakily having a very nice season even though a first glance at the peripherals wouldn't give you this story. A tip of the cap is for the scoreless three innings of work from Joey Matulovich. It's nice to see quality mop-up work when your team is up 15-4. Three strikeouts and a lone walk on the short stint with zero hits allowed. That's a good way to seal the 'W.' *** Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes via the Shuckers' Virtual Press Box Final: Biloxi 7, Birmingham (White Sox) 6 Box Score / Game Log Via the Shuckers' site, game details, please review: Valerio Walk-Off Single Snaps Shuckers Skid - Castañeda Strikes Out Career High 10 Batters Victor Castañeda came to the mound ready to deal early. He completed his first inning with two strikeouts on 11 total pitches. He opened his second inning with a punch-out on quite an excellent splitter and ended it with another punch out on yet another splitter. In addition to the splitter, his slider was getting several swings and misses. The stalky bowl-legged right-hander was dealing. Victor ended his night going a great six innings of two-hit, one walk, with 10 (!!) strikeouts. The ten strikeouts were both a season and a career-high for Victor. It was beautiful to watch. And, sadly, a theme is seen all too often in this young Shucker season (Tyler Herb, I see you) reared its head again: Victor lost a chance at victory as things started unraveling. I've discussed certain facets of Shuckers' play that have beleaguered the team throughout the early going. I've talked about hitting with RISP, and I've talked about the bottom of the order's struggles. Unfortunately, it's time to bring a dim spotlight to the other day-to-day struggle: Fielding. The Shuckers led the entire Southern League in fielding errors with 35 in 27 games, coming into our Tuesday night tilt. Unfortunately, they added five more to the total tonight - several of which played critical roles in the Barrons' six-run 8th inning. When you are managing to take and possess a lead in 25 of 28 games played in a young season, the tell-tale signs of why you are somehow a sub .500 club tend to rear their heads. With our beloved Shuckers, it's pretty simple: if they field and throw the ball cleaner, improve the plate discipline and efficacy with men on, and find more consistency in the deeper parts of the lineup, they'll see more positive outcomes. If and when these things come to fruition, a winning ball club (and, despite their current record and struggles, I would argue this is very much a winning ball club) will start winning. The talent is there. The precision, at the current moment, is not. And honestly, this is just the nature of sports. There is plenty of season left to reverse some of these trends—May the young men soldier on and find the finer-tuned baseball moments in the games ahead. Keep on Shuckin'! Further Viewing Notes: Joey Wiemer blasted the fifth home run of his season. The young man is an extra-base machine. Before going 0-4 this past Saturday, Joey had an extra-base hit in his six previous games (five doubles and one home run). He added a single earlier in the contest and finished his evening 2 of 3 at the plate. A note about tonight's errors: Gabe Holt and Cam Devanney played alternate positions - third and first base, respectively. Let's roll with that. Gabe misplayed a couple of tricky ground balls in the fateful eighth, and he compounded this with a wild throw to the dirt in second. An inning to forget. Unfortunately, we've seen too many of those through 28 games. Thomas Dillard knocked in two rbi's on the evening, including this bottom of the seventh left-center field double to the wall. Dillard also took another walk - his 20th free pass of his season How fast is Garrett Mitchell? He's this fast. Wow. Let me also take a moment to mention the calming influence of Felix Valerio. This game-winning walk-off single aside, he is a pleasure to watch at the plate. Felix is a disciplined batter. Now that he has a few games under his belt returning from injury, I anticipate the OPS and OBP to continue rising. Kudos to Taylor Floyd for getting out of his seventh-inning two-men on jam. He had men on the corners - from two absolute dribbler infield hits (one I would argue was simply a missed foul call over the third base foul line) - by inducing an excellent 6-4-3 double play to exit his inning of work. Ending a seven-game losing streak is cause for celebration. Here's to better results ahead! Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Nashville 3, Jacksonville (Marlins) 2 Box Score / Game Log Via the Sounds' site, game details, please visit and review: Sounds Rally in Ninth Inning to Sink Jumbo Shrimp - Jonathan Davis Gets Go-Ahead RBI Single, Mario Feliciano Cracks Four Hits in 3-2 Win I recently discussed the AAAA prowess of our very own 34-year-old Josh Lindbolm. He entered the bottom half of the sixth inning with a legitimate chance at a no-hitter. However, it was clear that he was likely facing his final outs within one pitch. A 1-0 lead vanished as he relinquished a first-pitch line-drive double to deep left-center field. A triple and a single later; it's 2-1 Jumbo Shrimp. Nonetheless, Josh completed the inning and grabbed another out in the bottom of the seventh before departing. Another fine outing of mound work from a Nashville Sounds starting pitcher. Rinse and repeat. It's clockwork in 2022. Further Game Notes: Mario Feliciano returned from a brief absence and had a splendid 4 of 4 (including his fifth double on the season) evening at the plate. He managed a good game behind the plate as well. It was nice to see him back on the diamond, and any lingering effects of his minor injury have passed. Apparently, all Jonathan Davis does these days is walk-off baseball games. Since returning from his COVID stint, he's been fantastic and is yet another excellent 2021 free-agent addition playing lights out in Nashville. What a luxury to have so many competent Triple-A players on the roster. 2 2/3 more scoreless innings from the Sounds' bullpen. Tonight's master class was put on by Trevor Kelley, Peter Strzelecki, and Hobie Harris. Speaking of Trevor Kelley, he has not allowed an earned run since April 7 against Durham and has a 0.79 ERA (11.1 IP/1 ER) on the season. On Thursday, Kelley earned his first win and has allowed only nine hits and three walks to go with his 13 strikeouts. Hobie Harris is unscored upon in over ten innings of bullpen work. Manager Rick Sweet earns his 2,122nd managerial victory tonight. WOW. He has now moved into a tie with Bill Clymer at eighth overall in the history of the Minor Leagues. Can you say: legendary? Brice Turang and Mark Mathias continued their hot hitting ways with two hits apiece on the evening. It's hard to find two steadier infielders than these two right now in the International League. I hope both get their shot with the big club this season to discover whether their hot play in Triple-A can translate to the majors. That's a wrap for me on this fine 4-0 evening of May 10th. Please tune in for tomorrow's games and report. Additionally, please visit our daily Minor League game threads (pre-report) to partake in the discourse of the games - @damuelle and I are often quite active in those threads. And lastly, a little heads up: We have Biloxi and Nashville matinee games tomorrow, so check in on the organizational scoreboard for updates earlier in your day. Organizational Scoreboard, including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores 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

Awesome report, Jim. I remember 2021 in Nashville that was indeed nuts. 69 moves by early May is not friendly to 'Sweetie'!

Awesome report, Jim. I remember 2021 in Nashville that was indeed nuts. 69 moves by early May is not friendly to 'Sweetie'!

I’ll take Shook, Kelly, and Knarr and challenge any High A team to a 5 game series. Let’s go! There is some sneakkkkkky late movement on that Kelly heat. I’m (still) excite!

I’ll take Shook, Kelly, and Knarr and challenge any High A team to a 5 game series. Let’s go! There is some sneakkkkkky late movement on that Kelly heat. I’m (still) excite!

What a play by Mathias and what a snag and tag by Jackson. How about this two-game stint for Mark - winning plays for a winning ball club. I love to see it!

What a play by Mathias and what a snag and tag by Jackson. How about this two-game stint for Mark - winning plays for a winning ball club. I love to see it!

Thanks for doing this! I'm just getting into the draft season as I've been entirely focused on the Minor League teams we have right now?. BUT, obviously, adding to our talent pool is the ongoing 365 day activity in the personnel department. It will be fun to see how they play it.

Thanks for doing this! I'm just getting into the draft season as I've been entirely focused on the Minor League teams we have right now?. BUT, obviously, adding to our talent pool is the ongoing 365 day activity in the personnel department. It will be fun to see how they play it.

It was a full schedule of games in the Milwaukee Brewers' minor-league system on Wednesday. Find out which players had big games, if any pitchers impressed, and how the teams fared. Discuss in the Comments. The Biloxi Shuckers began our four-game slate with a disappointing Matinee session in Montgomery. The Shuckers did manage to pull within a run at 3-4, but Taylor Floyd's inaugural outing of his season went south in a hurry. Meanwhile, Carolina won in a walk-off after Jordan Tripp surrendered a tying two-run homer with two down in the top of the eighth. It was the Jose Sibrian and Zack Raabe show stepping up in a big way in the eighth and ninth spots in the batting order. Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, Brandon Knarr (third win), Kent Hasler, and Cam Robinson (fourth save) pitched a shutout while Wes Clarke continued his steady play of late, including some gems at first base. Nashville, trailing 2-1 late, shut things down via 3 1/3 clean bullpen innings and found timely hits in the bottom of the eighth. Let's get into the recaps! Transactions: None Carolina Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Carolina 4, Augusta (Braves) 3 Box Score / Game Log Via the Mudcats' site, game details, please review: Raabe Delivers Walk-Off Winner for Mudcats - Raabe and Sibrian Combined for Six Hits and Three Runs Scored in Carolina's 4-3 Walk-Off Victory AUDIO: Post-game interview with Manager Victor Estevez On a muggy and warm early evening in Zebulon, Ryne Moore took the hill for the Mudcats. Ryne started the tilt hitting his first two batters - a right-handed hitter and a left-handed hitter. He added another hit batter to the tally in the second inning on an inside breaking ball that was too far inside and too late to break. However, he left two men stranded in both innings. Ryne ultimately conceded his only un-earned run in the third after a catching error by Jesus Chrinos (on a challenging throw from Alberis Ferrer, I would add) allowed the lead-off batter to take second base. A walk to the next batter followed by a double steal allowed the run to score on a weakly hit ground-out to first. It's a telling sign when you struggle to find your best stuff early; you hit three batters; you find runners in three consecutive innings, and finish six complete innings with seven strikeouts and a mere three hits and a walk. That is battling for your team. Unfortunately, Ryne was not rewarded with a victory. Further Viewing Notes: Oswel Leones came into this tilt, having hit safely in six consecutive games. He finished this contest with an 0-2 batting line with two walks. The hitting streak ends, but the 'getting on base' streak continues at seven games. What incredible joy to be a young man, playing the sport you love, and walking off to an ice water bath! Here is the one-two punch of Jose Sibrian (lead-off double) and Zack Raabe winning the game in the bottom of the ninth. Both batters finished their evenings three of four : Game number two was a bit more challenging for youngster Jackson Chourio. He finished his evening 0-4 with three strikeouts. On to the next! Eduardo Garcia knocked in another runner in the three-run Mudcats' fifth innings. He now has 19 RBI on the season. I feel we might one day be saying: "Remember when Eduardo was a 19-year-old in Zebulon?!" Enjoy him in Low-A while you can. Michele Vassalotti continues to thrive in his shift to a bullpen role. He has solidified the make-or-break eighth and ninth innings. Tonight was no different as he pitched a scoreless and hitless (one strikeout) ninth inning for his third win of the season. The Mudcats are now winners of three straight games and have beaten Augusta in eight consecutive contests. Can they make it four straight and nine straight, respectively? Tonight's win was also their first walk-off in 23 games to start 2022. Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes via their all-encompassing Virtual Press Box Final: Wisconsin 4, Fort Wayne (Padres) 0 Box Score / Game Log Via the Timber Rattlers' site, game details, please review: Rattlers Pitch a Shutout to Beat Fort Wayne - Knarr with Six More Scoreless Innings to Win Third Straight Please Tune Into the Post-Game Podcast - Always worth a listen Find your post-game YouTube recap here: Zavier Warren is a professional hitter. You can see it in his approach and his opening at bat walk was a testament to this approach as he laid off several enticing outside pitches. It's also good to know this young man is capable of sporting, undeniably I would offer, the best mustache in the Brewers lower levels. I propose the loss of Zavi's mustache in this early 2022 season is on par with losing the flowing golden locks of Joey Wiemer. It leaves a man pondering things. This is not the way. And, apparently, it's 'mustache month' in the Timber Rattlers' clubhouse! Lefty Brandon Knarr has a nasty sweeping curve for a strikeout pitch. This pitch is approaching true 12-6 territory and, I'm not kidding when I say this: It's approaching filthy status. Tune in (several examples in the YouTube highlight video above), watch for yourself, and experience a moment of wonder: "What's it like to execute a pitch as pretty as that?" Brandon finished his evening with six complete innings, six punch outs, six hits, and a lone walk on 80 pitches (57 strikes). The progress we are seeing in 2022 in the step-up from Carolina is poignant: He's not nitpicking like he did in Zebulon. His walks are down. He's pitching in the zone more, playing to his defense and, because of that, his strikeouts are down slightly. But, the evolution as a pitcher is real. After the Micah Bello double play grounder in the bottom of the second, the Timber Rattlers reached 17 already in their young season. It will be interesting to see how this trend evolves as the season progresses. Tristan Peters took the lead-off spot for the second consecutive night. With a single and a stolen base on the evening, Tristan extended his on-base streak to 17 games. There's a reason his name consistently finds his way into my reports: he is playing lights out baseball in 2022. Wes Clarke continues to come up clutch in this string of recent games. With two on (runners on second and third) and two down in the bottom of the sixth inning in a 0-0 game, Wes lined a blooping muscled single over second base and into shallow right field. The two-run rbi was a crucial knock in a hotly contested game. Let's also take note: Clarke is making incredible defensive plays at first base filling in for Ernesto Martinez. We salute you, Wes! Antonio Pinero now has now hit safely in seven of his last eight games. With a jam-shot muscled single over the third baseman into left field, he continued his string of recent offensive output. Carlos Rodriguez is a very solid defender in all outfield spots. He deserves some recognition for the under-appreciated Swiss army knife he is defensively. He came up with a couple key plays tonight and also knocked a key opposite field hit scoring two baserunners and extending the lead. Apparently, his girlfriend is in town for this series. Way to show out, young man! Outstanding pitching, great defense, and key hits: this is what winning baseball looks like. And, let me tell you: it feels good! Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes via the Shuckers' Virtual Press Box Final: Montgomery (Rays) 8, Biloxi 4 Box Score / Game Log Via the Shuckers' site, game details, please review: Big Sixth Inning Separates Biscuits from Shuckers - Campbell and Zamora Each Record Multi-Hit Games Let us begin with the now familiar Joey Wiemer moment of Zen: Through his first 23 games with the Shuckers, Wiemer is hitting 27-for-89 (.303) with eight doubles, four home runs and 19 RBI. His 19 RBI are the fourth most in the early going in the Southern League. Backing up for one moment: the opportunities were limited in Montgomery on Tuesday, but the Shuckers did strand two runners in a pivotal late inning. During their series against Birmingham, the Shuckers stranded 36 runners and went 11-for-56 (.196) with runners in scoring position. Additionally, Biloxi hit just 5-for-47 (.106) in the series against Pensacola. If they are going to get trending more in favor of the win column, it would appear they need positive change in a couple of areas: improved hitting with runners on and some form of consistency from the lower part of the order. There's a lot of season left, but, in the early going these have been two primary every-day hindrances preventing a meaningful breakout from 0.500 ball. Here's to supporting our young men as they continue chipping away and putting in the hard work to get this going! Even though today ended in a tough loss, the Shuckers did manage to hit 4 of 13 with runners on. This is an improvement and something to build on. Sal Frelick slotted back to his familiar center field role while manning the lead-off spot in the order. Garrett Mitchell took over in the DH spot while Gabe Holt moved to third base and Noah Campbell was back in left field. Lots of changes for game number two. Freddy Zamora batted in the two-hole again - his second game in-a-row batting second. He rewarded his team with another two-hit outing. It has been a fairly rough transition into Double-A ball for the talented 23 year old - his strikeout to walk ratio is way up as are his errors but we're going to give this young man the time he needs to adjust to a higher level of competition. We are seeing small signs of better play ahead. We see you, Freddy, and we're rooting for you. Congrats to Sal on his first Double-A hit. At the time, it was a pivotal hit as Noah Campbell advanced to third and scored on a passed ball shortly thereafter. It was looking rosy up 2-1: Backing up for one moment: the opportunities were limited in Montgomery on Tuesday, but the Shuckers did strand two runners in a pivotal late inning. During their series against Birmingham, the Shuckers stranded 36 runners and went 11-for-56 (.196) with runners in scoring position. Additionally, Biloxi hit just 5-for-47 (.106) in the series against Pensacola. If they are going to get trending more in favor of the win column, it would appear they need positive change in a couple areas: improved hitting with runners on and some form of consistency from the lower part of the order. There's a lot of season left, but, in the early going these have been two primary every-day hindrances preventing a meaningful breakout from 0.500 ball. Here's to supporting our young men as they continue chipping away and putting in the hard work to get this going! Even though today ended in a tough loss, the Shuckers did manage to hit 4-for-13 with runners on. This is an improvement and something to build on. Sal Frelick slotted back to his familiar center field role while manning the lead-off spot in the order. Garrett Mitchell took over in the DH spot while Gabe Holt moved to third base and Noah Campbell was back in left field. Lots of changes for game number two. Freddy Zamora batted in the two-hole again - his second game in-a-row batting second. He rewarded his team with another two-hit outing. It has been a fairly rough transition into Double-A ball for the talented 23 year old - his strikeout to walk ratio is way up as are his errors but we're going to give this young man the time he needs to adjust to a higher level of competition. We are seeing small signs of better play ahead. We see you, Freddy, and we're rooting for you. Congrats to Sal on his first Double-A hit. At the time, it was a pivotal hit as Noah Campbell advanced to third and scored on a passed ball shortly thereafter. It was looking rosy up 2-1: Unfortunately, it wasn't the outing Taylor hoped for as it lasted a mere 1/3 inning and stymied the momentum gained after pulling within one. I'll just leave it at that. There's always next time. Here's hoping the rust has been shaken loose. With their third consecutive loss, the Shuckers fall to 12-11 on the young season and maintain a loose hold on first place. I would say this losing streak and their overall record validate what I've seen: up-and-down play throughout. We've had bright spots, rough spots, and everything in between. The talent is there to start playing more consistently but this is what a Minor League season is truly about: growth and discovery. I see plenty of both ahead and, thankfully, we have plenty of games remaining. Here's to getting back in the win column tomorrow! *** Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Nashville 4, Norfolk (Orioles) 2 Box Score / Game Log Via the Sounds' site, game details, please visit and review: Late Rally Leads Sounds Past Norfolk - Nashville Strikes with Two Eighth Inning Runs in 4-2 Bounce Back Win Viewing Notes: In a recorded conversation during the St. Paul Saints series with Tyler White and Mark Mathias, Josh Lindbolm mentioned throwing too many strikes during his most recent start. He wanted to work his way out of the zone to challenge hitters. He was aligned with these thoughts early as he was close to the zone but nibbling outside it with his vast blend of pitches. I've said it before, and I'll probably keep saying it: Josh really is an incredible AAAA pitcher. He has an uncanny ability to work in and around the zone. He's a thinker on the mound and has the toolkit to work with. Case and point, coming into tonight's contest with Norfolk he had kept opposing lefty batters to a 0.136 batting average. As a right-handed pitcher, at any level, that's just impressive stuff even if it is only a sample size in the 20's of innings. It's the 'Where is Weston?' traveling positional circus! In tonight's contest, Weston manned left field after appearing at the hot corner last night. The versatility of Wilson is incredible to witness on a night-in and night-out basis. He is as plug-and-play as it gets at this level. I continue to hope he gets an opportunity with the Big Club at some point in 2022. Both teams stranded seven baserunners but, the key in this one, was obviously the late work of Mark Mathias and Jon Singleton. Have I told you how much I love Jon Singleton as a player and comeback story? ? How about the night Mark Mathias had at the plate? His second home run on his season: And the crucial double to take the lead late? (Nice base running by Mike Brosseau here) Watch the call from the great Jeff Hem: Speaking of Home Runs, I'm still searching for this bomb from Jon Singleton - his sixth of the year. The bat drop says it all. Estimated 455 feet of chiseled sweetness: It truly was the 'Singleton and Mathias' show tonight. They both hit solo shots. They both knocked in the third and fourth runs in the crucial bottom of the eighth. What more is there to say? Ballers. Let's re-route and return to the season Mark Mathias is having. In 15 games, he’s batting .360 (18-for-50) with five doubles, a triple, two home runs and 10 RBI. He also has seven multi-hit games on the year. Under-the-radar, but definitely noticed. Another fine bullpen outing from the Sounds pitching staff. At this point, it's just to be expected (which is quite a thing to have as an organization): Miguel Sanchez, Hobie Harris, and Connor Sadzeck combined to go 3 1/3 scoreless inning of two hit, two walk, ball. Sadzeck closed out the ninth to get his first save while Hobie secured the win pitching a scoreless eighth. With tonights Singleton and Mathias homers, the Sounds have now homered 11 times over the past five games. They are tied with Memphis for the most home runs in the International League since April 28. About that pitching? Let's break it down after tonights work: Nashville remains unbeaten after leading through eight innings on the season (16-0). They’ve also held their opponents to three runs or less 16 times. The Sounds pitching staff holds the best ERA in the International League at 2.77. Nashville starters have the second-best ERA in the league (2.94), while the Nashville bullpen has a league-best ERA of 2.66... *** That concludes another Minor League Report for me. Brewers fans, let me tell you: We are truly blessed right now. Please take a moment in your days and consider what we are witnessing across the entire organization. This is a World Class thing we are witnessing at present. I, for one, will not take this current ride for granted. And, my hope is: you don't either. We have so much good happening and we have so much to look forward to. Here's to great games throughout the remainder of the week. All night games tomorrow - no matinee games on the slate. Enjoy! Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores 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

I really really like his stuff. He's definitely one to watch throughout this season. Movement - sinking, tailing...super active stuff. He also has a frame on the mound that is strong and subtly imposing. It's always best to go check out the Home Game YouTube highlights as you'll get small tastes of what the Rattlers pitchers can do. Here's a more detailed full highlight clip than the full highlights above. Just look at that movement. You can see how he had a 10k outing:

Agreed on Knarr(ly). If you haven't seen him pitch, his 12-6 curve is nasty. It is an incredibly effective pitch at the High-A level. I am eager to see him bump up in competition to see how it fairs in higher levels. He had another six punch-outs of scoreless ball tonight versus Fort Wayne (5/4). I would say he is one of our more enjoyable young pitchers to watch. He attacks hitters with an advanced blend of pitches.

Agreed on Knarr(ly). If you haven't seen him pitch, his 12-6 curve is nasty. It is an incredibly effective pitch at the High-A level. I am eager to see him bump up in competition to see how it fairs in higher levels. He had another six punch-outs of scoreless ball tonight versus Fort Wayne (5/4). I would say he is one of our more enjoyable young pitchers to watch. He attacks hitters with an advanced blend of pitches.

With Micah Bello cashing in on a fantastic start to his season, he packed his bags and headed north to Appleton. In his wake, we watched the much anticipated promotion and debut of Jackson Chourio back in Carolina. Rex Brothers was sent packing from Nashville and Moises Gomez filed his retirement papers. Oh, and there were games. Four of them. I tuned in live for the full performance of newly promoted Sal Frelick (playing in left field tonight) filling out the Biloxi outfield with absolute studs. All in all, Carolina and Wisconsin raked and put up a combined 23 runs while Biloxi and Nashville each coughed up late leads. Let's get to the report! Transactions: Sal Frelick officially promoted to Double-AA Biloxi ?, Micah Bello (OF) promoted to High-A Wisconsin, Jackson Chourio promoted to Low-A Carolina, RHP Moises Gomez (2021 Minor League FA signing) retired, LHP Rex Brothers released from Triple-A Nashville. Carolina Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Carolina 14 , Augusta (Braves) 1 Box Score / Game Log Via the Mudcats' site, game details, please review: Carolina's Offense Comes Alive in 14-1 Victory - Alberis Ferrer went 2-for-3 with Three Runs, Three RBI and a Two-Run Home Run Additionally, please read the player promotion press release from Zebulon here: Official words on the Bello and Chourio promotions For those of you unfamiliar with Jackson, here's a brief introduction: When you pull out a 14-1 victory, it's apropos to start it off with some highlights. Some of these hits are so tasty, you'll see them twice. For your viewing pleasure: With the much anticipated Jackson Chourio debut, our Mudcats brought their celebratory bats to the ballpark. This one was filled with performances throughout the line-up. Consider the following box score: That's a whole lot of numbers. And, the end result speaks for itself. It had to have felt cathartic to get 14 across after a hard-fought series split this past week at Down East. Further Notes: Eduardo Garcia continues his feast or famine approach. I, for one, am highly anticipating his inevitable promotion to High-A. How will the strikeouts translate at a higher level of pitching? Will he continue achieving this type of success when he makes contact? For now, I will quite simply patiently wait the evolution and discovery while celebrating his play. Enjoy this tantalizing Low-A dynamo. His glove work, as I've mentioned before, is really good with a cannon for an arm as well. What a debut for Jackson Chourio. Thrown into the proverbial mix as the three-hole hitter, this is a testament to how he is viewed within the organization. I really look forward to upcoming games and sharing the good news. Hats off to the fine pitching performances from Brannon Jordan, Brandon Ramey, and Junior Montero. The three hurlers combined for nine complete innings pitched with five hits, five walks, and seven punch outs. The sole run was unearned. This is the type of Low-A pitching performance that puts a smile on your face. The Mudcats won all six contests versus the GreenJackets last season and, with this victory, are now 7-0 overall in the all-time series. Can they make it 8-0 tomorrow? Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes via their all-encompassing Virtual Press Box Final: Wisconsin 9, Fort Wayne (Padres) 0 Box Score / Game Log Via the Timber Rattlers' site, game details, please review: Wisconsin Starts Fort Wayne Series with Shutout Win - Shook Strikes Out Seven Over Six Scoreless Innings for the Rattlers Let's start it out with a light-hearted interview with guitar-loving hurler, and tonight's starter, TJ Shook. TJ is off to a fantastic start in 2022 and he kept it going tonight (more to follow). It's always nice to get a sneak-peak at these prospects beyond the diamond: This game was partially about the break out six-run fifth inning that put the game out of reach. But, folks, this game is also about the development we're seeing from TJ Shook. Check out the YouTube highlight package below to see what I'm talking about: tailing, dipping, moving action. This is an exciting pitching prospect. On the young season: TJ has three games started and five appearances with a 2-1 overall record. Furthermore, he is dialing in a 1.05 era with a 0.82 WHIP while surrendering a paltry 0.140 batting average. High-A hitters are simply struggling to make contact on his stuff and he's struck out 34 (third overall in the league) while walking a mere 9 batters in 25 2/3 innings pitched. Tonights line: six complete innings, four hits, seven strikeouts with none across. Do you think he adjusted over the off-season? It sure as heck looks like it to me. What a fun surprise of the early 2022 season! Here's the full highlights package: And, please listen in from the team in your Timber Rattlers Post-Game Podcast: Here Further Notes: Zavier Warren continues his resurgence at the plate. He is on an incredible run of late - 4 multi-hit games in the current five-game hitting streak and doubles in all five contests. With Frelick's promotion, Wisconsin is going to need his continued presence. With Frelick no longer in the lead off spot, Tristan Peters received the nod tonight. Let's hope he can keep his fine young season going in all facets. He showed up with a walk and a run scored in inning one and had a key double in the six-run fifth inning. Joe Gray Jr. will now see quite a bit more action at his more natural defensive position in center field. Hopefully, this will translate to more comfort at the plate as well - a walk tonight and a one of three overall line with a run is momentum continuing Antonio Pinero with two balls struck at over 100 mph tonight including a well-hit home run smash over the wall in left field. It's nice to see Antonio experience success at the plate given we know he'll be solid in the field. Micah Bello, in his Timber Rattlers debut, hit a two-run double in the six run fifth. Congratulations, Micah! We're all hoping your hard work pays off in High-A. Tristan got the nod in the lead off spot tonight, however, it should be noted, manager Joe Ayrault is mixing the lead-off position for now (in post-game podcast) especially with the continued injuries keeping Black and Martinez on the proverbial shelf. I anticipate we'll see various players filling that role - unless, of course, Tristan gets red hot and shows he's a natural. You'll notice Shook and Lazar are a current pitching tandem for the Timber Rattlers. Tonight it was Shook with the starting nod but, when they last appeared, it was Lazar with the start and Shook out of the Pen. This will most likely continue throughout the season. Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes via the Shuckers' Virtual Press Box Final: Montgomery (Rays) 3, Biloxi 2 Box Score / Game Log Via the Shuckers' site, game details, please review: Biscuits Walk Off Shuckers in Series Opener - Wiemer Homers, Mitchell Drives in Run in Ninth It had the makings of a sneaky road victory in Montgomery. Garrett Mitchell had knocked in the suddenly heating up Freddy Zamora (lead off double) on a line drive single to center field. The Shuckers were hoping Lucas Erceg could hold on to the victory. Leading 2-1, the game was tied on an opposite field home run to left after three pitches with a fairly questionable 2-0 count. And, three singles later (the latter a game-ending line drive to deep left center with the outfield in) the game was over - Montgomery's first walk off victory of the season. And, with that, your Joey Wiemer moment of Zen (4th home run of the season): The Shuckers really had nothing doing offensively after Joey tied it up with the above solo shot - the bottom of the order continues to struggle mightily. However, with fantastic pitching through eight complete, they nearly grabbed victory from the jaws of a pitching duel: Further Viewing Notes: 30 year old Minor League journeyman, Tyler Herb, is dealing for the Shuckers right now. This is back-to-back fantastic outings. Facing a Montgomery line-up loaded with left-handed bats, he kept hitters off-balance all night with a fantastic slider and a timely changeup. It's a real shame he wasn't in line for a victory but, at present, he gives his team a shot every outing. You can't ask for more than that. Harold Chirino continued his fantastic work out of the bullpen for the Shuckers. He is a fun pitcher to watch as he is efficient, fast-working, and knows how to pound the zone and keep hitters off balance as he matures and fine-tunes his arsenal. Given his solid track record previous this promotion to Double-A, I would propose he deserves more chatter if this keeps up. After tonight's 1 1/3 innings of no hit, no run, three strikeout ball, Harold has 11 1/3 innings of one run, eight hits, four walks, and ten strikeouts on the season. He's holding batters to a 0.205 combined batting average with a mere 1.05 WHIP. He has been quite good and deserving of mention. It was awfully nice to see the continued comfort for Freddy Zamora at the plate tonight. You could see it early, as he missed a home run down the left field line by mere feet past the foul pole before hitting the crucial double in the ninth (2 of 4 overall on the evening). He also made two stellar defensive plays early - snagging a looping liner and sprinting deep into the outfield to slide and scoop a very odd carom off the left field wall preventing a runner from advancing to third. However, in 22 games we now have ten errors. A throwing error on a high chopper could have proven costly as it put a runner on with two down. The ensuing batter walked. You get the point. I really hope Lucas Erceg can develop some type of off-speed 'something' with staying power. When he's on, he can touch 98 maybe 99 on the gun. But, if he can't set that up or keep batters on their heels, he's going to have trouble like he did tonight. The Montgomery hitters were sitting and waiting for something over the heart of the plate. We've seen mixed results for the young hurler through 22 games. Tonight's blown save, his second blown save in three opportunities, had to hurt. Sal Frelick debuted 0-4 with a strikeout. He made some decent contact in a couple at bats, but all in all it was a quiet debut. Though the results weren't there, it was quite nice to see Felix Valerio back in the lineup. His timing appeared just a bit off but that has to be expected after a brief spell out of the line up. Here's to future hot streaks for Felix! The Shuckers are a more enjoyable watch when he's got the jersey on. I miss Abner Uribe. His injury is an early 2022 lowlight for me as he's one of my favorite pitching prospects in the entire system. Get well soon, Abner!? Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes Final: Norfolk (Orioles) 7, Nashville 4 Box Score / Game Log Via the Sounds' site, game details, please visit and review: Tides Rally to Stun Sounds in Series Opener - Nashville falls to 16-8 with Loss in Series Opener Nashville nearly grabbed a big league victory, but when you fail to score a run from the third inning onward you are leaving quite a bit of stress on your pitching staff. In uncharacteristic fashion, the late work of Jason Alexander and Peter Strzelecki gave away the lead for good in the top of the eighth inning. For a staff who have collectively pitched as strong as they have, we'll toss this one up to 'natural wear and tear'. It was a Jon Singleton OBP Party. <Deal With It Gif goes here?> Jon became only the second Sounds player in 2022 to earn three walks in a single game. He also added a blooping hook single down the left field line and scored a run. Careful rounding first, big fella, they almost snuck a tag on you there! The Sounds went with Luis Perdomo as a bullpen opener today. Typical starter Jason Alexander took over in the fourth inning and, by the beginning of the 7th, Alexander had a mere 53 pitches with one down. The Sounds have so many ways they can pitch to you and we are seeing more Perdomo bullpen openers in the past few weeks. Unfortunately, it didn't work out late tonight but a poor result has been the exception to the rule through 24 games in Nashville. Brice Turang pulled out a hit late to extend his hitting streak to 11 games. Congrats Brice, this is quite the tear you are on! For those counting at home, Brice is hitting .404 (19-for-47) with eight runs, five doubles, two home runs, ten RBI and five walks during the streak. Red hot! Hey a Zach Brown sighting! 1/3 inning pitched and now a fresh total of 4 1/3 innings pitched on the year. He relieved Perdomo in the third and got the fly out to Dahl in right field. Weston Wilson continues to do Weston Wilson things. One of three with two rbi's on the evening... ...and stellar glove work at third base. He and Jackson were a part of a fantastic throw out at third base as runners attempted to advance on an Alexander wild pitch. Jackson got an incredible bounce off the brick wall behind home plate but I still have no idea how he threw the runner out other than: Oh right, cannon for an arm. I swear, before he threw the ball, the runner was a mere 8-10 feet from third base. A truly beautiful bang-bang play. That's a wrap for our Tuesday slate of games here on May 3rd. Some wonderful results in the Low and High-A levels. Some frustrating tough losses at Double and Triple-A. Here's hoping for some fantastic baseball Wednesday. Take a look at what's in store - the Shuckers game in Montgomery begins at 11:00 AM Central should you choose to listen in to the Biloxi call in the office or elsewhere: Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores 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

Just an incredible afternoon by Eduardo Garcia. Legitimate Big Time hits in key key spots. Jheremy Vargas with the crucial tying home run. Key bullpen work. To be a fly in that clubhouse! Best win of the season!

Just an incredible afternoon by Eduardo Garcia. Legitimate Big Time hits in key key spots. Jheremy Vargas with the crucial tying home run. Key bullpen work. To be a fly in that clubhouse! Best win of the season!

Also, having watched near 3/4 the Wahoo vs Shucker knocks in the early season, I may have to submit a formal declaration to the Marlins: We really would all benefit from a Joey Wiemer and Jerar Encarnacion corner outfield tandem - or, in the very least, when Wiems is manning RF Jerar can man 1B (as he’s done in the past).. They both have absolute cannons for arms. Both are underestimated athletes who have much better rnge than you’d expect, and both prospects can absolutely rake. I essentially feel like my inner 12 yo fan boy holding their baseball cards and trying to manifest an Alliance in the same Brewer clubhouse.?

Also, having watched near 3/4 the Wahoo vs Shucker knocks in the early season, I may have to submit a formal declaration to the Marlins: We really would all benefit from a Joey Wiemer and Jerar Encarnacion corner outfield tandem - or, in the very least, when Wiems is manning RF Jerar can man 1B (as he’s done in the past).. They both have absolute cannons for arms. Both are underestimated athletes who have much better rnge than you’d expect, and both prospects can absolutely rake. I essentially feel like my inner 12 yo fan boy holding their baseball cards and trying to manifest an Alliance in the same Brewer clubhouse.?

When I tune in to Nashville games, it is legitimately as close to an extension of a Big League club as you can get. The Brewers have not been this deep on the fringes since I can remember. Ther are so many worthy candidates for a call-up it’s almost unfair. Watching the mic’d up clip there, it’s also very clear these men are comfortable with the game; their games; and each other. Cam Devanney is an early season contender for ‘Most Surprising Player’. The bat has been night and day better since 2021 and you already know you are getting an extremely good glove and arm at the hot corner. I am very excited about his development. Hopefully, we can see a resurgence in play from Zamora, Dillard, Holt and McGee at some point and the team could really start rocking.

When I tune in to Nashville games, it is legitimately as close to an extension of a Big League club as you can get. The Brewers have not been this deep on the fringes since I can remember. Ther are so many worthy candidates for a call-up it’s almost unfair. Watching the mic’d up clip there, it’s also very clear these men are comfortable with the game; their games; and each other. Cam Devanney is an early season contender for ‘Most Surprising Player’. The bat has been night and day better since 2021 and you already know you are getting an extremely good glove and arm at the hot corner. I am very excited about his development. Hopefully, we can see a resurgence in play from Zamora, Dillard, Holt and McGee at some point and the team could really start rocking.