Jim Goulart

Article on Reese Olson’s 2022 season here

Nice to have RH reliever Lucas Erceg back for 2023 on his new minor league deal (which, like RHP Tyler Herb’s deal, includes a big league camp invite). Those arrangements, however will leave both pitchers eligible for Rule 5 loss, certainly a possibility in the case of Erceg.

Nice to have RH reliever Lucas Erceg back for 2023 on his new minor league deal (which, like RHP Tyler Herb’s deal, includes a big league camp invite). Those arrangements, however will leave both pitchers eligible for Rule 5 loss, certainly a possibility in the case of Erceg.

Having provided followers of the Brewers' minor league system six full months of wonderful efficiency and success in terms of talent and teamwork, the AAA Nashville Sounds unfortunately had a night to forget in Las Vegas, dropping a 13-0 decision to the Tamps Rays' Durham club. The Bulls, the victor in the single game winner-take-all contest for the International League Championship, now move on to a Sunday game vs, the Reno Aces (Diamondbacks) for the crown of 2022 AAA Champion. Final: Durham (Rays) 13, Nashville 0 Via the Sounds' site - Sounds Fall in International League Championship Game - Nashville’s season comes to an end in loss to Durham Box Score / Game Log anticlimactic - causing disappointment at the end of an exciting or impressive series of events "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" There are a number of ways we could put the postscript of this game together. After a scoreless first inning produced the Sounds' lone highlight: Brice Turang would make his way to second base with two outs in the bottom of the opening inning (single, wild pitch), but cleanup hitter Jon Singleton grounded out to end the frame. Durham would break through on a one-out RBI triple in the 2nd inning, but the Sounds limited the damage by next thwarting the contact play, cutting down the runner at home. Then, Joey Wiemer singled and Pablo Reyes walked to open the Sounds portion of the stanza, but things quickly fizzled. That sequence of 0-for-3 with RISP was part of an 0-for-9 evening in that category for Nashville. Birthday boy RHP Caleb Boushley (29 years old) struggled to open the 4th, failing to retire a batter: infield single, walk, walk, line drive double. Veteran RHP Marcus Walden would allow both inherited runners to score, Later in the game, RHP's Lucas Erceg and J.C. Mejia would each allow two inherited to score as well. Six of eight inherited runners came in on the night, so brief kudos to Hobie Harris and Zack Brown, who each stranded one runner without allowing a run of their own. Overall, however, Nashville hurlers walked eight and fanned only five. With the score already out of hand entering the 7th, LHP Ethan Small entered and perhaps the biggest "what the heck happened to him?" of Milwaukee's entire minor league campaign walked the first man he faced, and then three subsequent singles mixed with a couple of ground ball outs led to four runs being charged to Small's ledger. The big-league club really needed Small on numerous occasions this season, but in nearly all instances, couldn't dare turn to him. Small is #1 among the salvage projects assigned to the organization this winter. All eight Nashville hits were singles. They at least came from promising sources - Turang with two knocks, as had Wiemer. Sal Frelick and Esteury Ruiz both had one. As is the case with AAA players across the baseball landscape, many of these Sounds will be minor league free agents shortly - RHP Zack Brown RHP Lucas Erceg RHP Hobie Harris RHP Tyler Herb RHP Josh Lindblom RHP J.C. Mejia C Pedro Severino 1B Jon Singleton INF Andruw Monasterio OF Matt Lipka OF Jonathan Davis UT Weston Wilson Several 2022 Sounds who finished the season in Biloxi also make up the detailed list of Milwaukee farmhands who are on the cusp of minor league free agency. Then, you've got "fringy" 40-man roster members, and it remains to be seen if they will remain as such through the offseason: RHP Jason Alexander RHP Jandel Gustave RHP Miguel Sanchez INF Pablo Reyes C Alex Jackson Perhaps the 2nd biggest salvage project this offseason will be catcher Mario Feliciano's defense - You can place LHP Robert Gasser and RHP Victor Castaneda in the promising but still-much-to-prove category, otherwise the true gems of this squad are the "Nashville Five" as they were dubbed on our forum back in early August - Turang, Ruiz, Frelick, Wiemer and Garrett Mitchell. That's a huge swath of position player talent to hang our collective fan hats on. Thank you to our faithful readers on joining myself, @Joseph Zarr and @damuelle on our daily journeys throughout the Brewers minor league system. We hope to put our postseason naps to good use and join you again next spring as the legacy of the Minor League Link Report (b. 2001) grows. Be sure to keep up with our Minor League Forum throughout the upcoming offseason. View full article

Our report today provides the details on Nashville's first game post-clinch, but the focus is on the transaction wire, including a goodbye to the Crew's 2nd round pick in 2017, RHP Caden Lemons, who made only 17 appearances as a Brewers farmhand, and only four in full-season ball. Transactions - RHP Matt Hardy placed on AAA Nashville’s temporarily inactive list - 23-year-old RHP Caden Lemons released from Low-A Carolina (last pitched in May 2021, after missing previous 2 1/2 seasons with injures / Covid cancellation) Folks may forget Lemons was the 46th overall pick by the Brewers in 2017 out of an Alabama high school. We wish Caden the best going forward. 2019 - Missed the season after undergoing right hip surgery on 8/6, later underwent left hip surgery on 10/14 that year. 2020 - Covid happens 2021 - Injured after just four appearances with Carolina, underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2022 - Was reportedly throwing bullpens in June of 2022, but did not return to an active roster Here's the 2nd round list from the draft in '17. Not exactly dripping with players on their way to stardom. Drafting is such a crapshoot, my goodness, though UW-Milwaukee's Daulton Varsho 22 picks later sure would have been nice. We're seeing some of the various activations from the injured lists for the full-season squads, all formalities unrelated to the actual health of each player, although Black and Smith are set for Arizona Fall League action. - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers activated 2B Tyler Black. - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers activated CF Carlos Rodriguez from the 7-day injured list. - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers activated 2B Ashton McGee from the 7-day injured list. - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers activated RHP Justin Bullock from the 7-day injured list. - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers activated LHP Russell Smith. - Carolina Mudcats activated RHP Michele Vassalotti from the 7-day injured list. - Carolina Mudcats activated RHP Miguel Segura from the 7-day injured list. Final: Louisville (Reds) 6, Nashville 4 Via the Sounds' site, game details, and we encourage readers to review affiliate write-ups as part of your Link Report routine: Sounds Break Strikeout Record, Drop Series Finale - Marcus Walden Records Sounds’ 1,237 Strikeout This Season, Most in Nashville History Pre-Game Media Notes / Box Score / Game Log The three-run burst in the 9th detailed in the summary made it interesting late, but clearly there was a bit of celebration carryover early on for this noon affair. "Opener" starter Robbie Baker is a minor league free agent to be, barring a re-sign with Milwaukee. Veteran Marcus Walden signed a two-year minor league deal in June and is slated to be back. Cam Devanney, what a season...now rocking AAA. Late consideration for a 40-man spot? Hopefully, we see Sal Frelick back on Tuesday, Nashville's next scheduled game. Enjoy your rare Minor League-free Sunday, folks. Go Brewers, Braves, and Rockies! Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View full article

They have entertained us from start to finish. The Nashville Sounds, under erstwhile legendary Manager Rick Sweet and his veteran coaching staff, have played exemplary ball since the start of the 2022 season, and it culminated (for now) in a division championship after an extra-inning victory on the road Friday night. The Brewers' AAA club has provided support to the big-league team in terms of depth pieces, and it has been the proving ground for a couple of months now for a youthful new prospect core that is thriving. There's been little-to-no-controversary we're aware of, hard to avoid in the next-level down from MLB. Kudos, team, we "Bleed Sounds" with you, as your season mantra goes. Transactions: - RHP Jake Cousins optioned from MLB Brewers to AAA Nashville (making room for the return of LHP Eric Lauer from injury) - INF Daniel Castillo released from ACL Brewers Blue - his pro journey recapped here, it included 19 games in Carolina in 2021 - RHP Braudin Ciprian of DSL-Brewers1 placed on the restricted list (60-game Stanozolol suspension) - we provide info on Ciprian's two-year stint thus far here Final: Nashville 6, Louisville (Reds) 3, ten innings Via the Sounds' site, game details, and we encourage readers to review affiliate write-ups as part of your Link Report routine: Sounds Clinch Division Title in Louisville - Nashville Takes 12th Division Title with Extra Inning Triumph Pre-Game Media Notes / Box Score / Game Log Surely folks have tired of me indicating as such, but for a wonderful rundown of how the game played itself out and a treasure trove of statistical notes, please visit that game summary if you have not done so already. Then we can enhance that with our own tidbits and news - we'll drill that routine into 2023 and beyond. With help from forum poster @wiguy94 we learn - "AAA championship weekend is in Las Vegas this year. Nashville would play a one-game playoff against the International League East winner (currently Durham) on Saturday, October 1st. If they win that game, they will play a one-game playoff against the winner of the Pacific Coast League championship game for the AAA National Championship on Sunday, October 2nd." Stand proud, Hortonville, Wisconsin and UW-La Crosse! Guess who has a birthday on Saturday, October 1st? Ace RHP Caleb Boushley turns 29 that day. Think we can pencil Boushley in for that birthday start. Can't save him for a Sunday game that may not happen. One more year of Brewers control on Boushley, expect to see him a whole bunch in big league camp next spring. He has proven to be a heck of pick in the minor league phase of Rule 5 (via the Padres). Speaking of astute pickups, still two more years of organizational control over June trade acquisition Patrick Dorrian. The 26-year-old LH-hitting infielder was acquired from Baltimore for the always handy cash considerations. So many relievers bounced between Nashville and Milwaukee in 2022, yet one of them was not RHP Hobie Harris. Fifty-one appearances with a 1.08 WHIP, money. Harris followed Boushley with a perfect 7th, two K's. The fact that the WHIP is so low despite 27 walks in 51.2 IP reveals that Harris has allowed only 29 hits. That MLB debut will need to happen in another organization unless the pending minor league free agent is brought back for 2023. After exiting Thursday's game in the 9th inning, Sal Frelick did not play Friday. Brice Turang helped pick up the multiple-base hit slack in Frelick's absence with a double, single and two RBI. On the flip side, Joey Wiemer was back in the lineup for the first time since last Saturday the 17th, one single in five at-bats. Nice to have his .900 OPS in September back. We agree with the Voice of the Sounds! Here's a reminder on the rest of the Nashville regular season schedule as they prep for next Championship Weekend. It's a 12:05 Central Time game today (Saturday) to wrap up the Louisville series. After a day off Sunday, the Sounds get to host Memphis (Cardinals) Monday thru Wednesday. Then it's off to the bright lights of Sin City (where they will be the home team, having clinched the #1 seed). They have beer in Vegas too, right? Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View full article

Minor league free-agent-to-be...

Minor league free-agent-to-be...

The Nashville Sounds drew closer to a division title. The Biloxi Shuckers are closing with an amazing flourish. Let's dig into the game summaries and box scores as always while also providing backstory info and insights on some of the player journeys heading into 2023. I know, we're always rushing Father Time, aren't we? Here we go! Transactions: None. Final: Nashville 3, Jacksonville (Marlins) 0 Via the Sounds' site, game details, and we encourage readers to review each of the affiliate write-ups as part of your Link Report routine: Sounds Return Favor with Shutout Win - Nashville’s magic number to clinch the division shrinks to seven Pre-Game Media Notes / Box Score / Game Log RHP Caleb Boushley turns 29 on October 1st. The Brewers control his rights for another year. Is it possible that an organization views his 2022 season and claims Boushley in Rule 5? Given his age, it wouldn't be a rebuilding club. The likely path is that Boushley receives an obvious invite to Brewers big league camp next spring, gets a chance to break into the big-league rotation if injuries occur, and then provides a nice depth option for the 2023 season while again toiling in Nashville. Is that fair to Boushley? No, and I'd expect one of the things we eventually see out of the new unionization of MiLB players is a drop from seven to six years of overall control. It won't happen in time to aid Boushley, however. My goodness, the upper half of that Sounds box score is a beautiful sight. You just read about Sal Frelick's latest cumulative statistical exploits in that fine game summary. Esteury Ruiz reached base four times. Brice Turang had two more knocks, and Jon Singleton and Joey Wiemer's sacrifice flies were critical (sacrifice flies are the "hidden gems" of box score perusals). Oh, then slide down a bit further and see that Ruiz and Turang were successful on their combined four stolen base attempts. Glorious. We still see you, Lucas Erceg . Pending 40-man addition decision awaits, five days after the World Series ends. There is no game log obvious reason for Pablo Reyes to have been pulled in the top of the 4th inning. These guitar awards are awesome! Be sure to click on the picture to enlarge. Final: Biloxi 4, Pensacola (Marlins) 1 Bennett Shines, Strikes Out 11 as Biloxi Wins Ninth In-A-Row - Warren, Lutz and Kahle Each Homer Pre-Game Media Notes / Box Score / Game Log Was eight enough? Heck, no! Cast photo of the 1977-1981 ABC family series "Eight is Enough Wow, fun joy ride for these Shuckers. Already lined up the Christmas Wish list for LHP Nick Bennett , and consistency tops it. The highs don't need to be quite as high as this fantastic effort (though that would be amazing), but the lows can certainly be better than his 2022 game log shows. Bennett's development path this season wasn't linear - well, it was linear, but a zig-zag. Wonderful final outing! Sure, Jackson Chourio 2-for-19 in AA, fanned three times (now nine at this level), but he also did this - Catcher Nick Kahle making the case that he deserved more than 76 at-bats all season - was never on an injured list. Find the Zavier Warren, Tristen Lutz and Kahle home runs so prominently featured in the game summary via the Shuckers Twitter Media feed here. With a single, Gabe Holt's OPS lands right at .500 (yes, OPS, tough season, big bounceback in 2023 coming). That being said, that mark is on the precipice depending how Sunday goes. It's a 1:05 Central start Sunday for Nashville, and a 4:05 start for Biloxi's finale. If I know our own @Joseph Zarr, that lines up as a perfect alternative to any NFL doubleheader! Keep it up, Biloxi - we're all about book-ending the 2022 season with a seven-game and ten-game positivity streak! Give the New York City Seinfeld locale, do you think Yankees fans will make an occasional Jason Alexander reference today? "Are you the guy that put us in that Ramada in Milwaukee?" Seinfeld-George Teaches Yankees how to play - YouTube Have a great day, everyone, thanks for visiting. Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scoresCurrent Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View full article

The Brewers top two affiliates are dueling with the Marlins' clubs this week, and Friday saw a split decision. Nashville gave their fans a rare silent night, while Biloxi is reminding us of how their season began, and that's a very good thing. As of this coming week, the Sounds will stand alone, but Zavier Warren and the Shuckers are giving us reason to follow them to the very end. As much of a dud as Nashville played, the men still maintain a solid division lead as another page flipped on the calendar. Transactions: None, although the Brewers did name the eight participants for Arizona Fall League. Read about them here. Final: Jacksonville (Marlins) 4, Nashville 0 Via the Sounds' site, game details, and we encourage readers to review each of the affiliate write-ups as part of your Link Report routine: Sounds Shut Out by Jumbo Shrimp - Nashville’s division lead remains at 4.5 games with 11 remaining Pre-Game Media Notes / Box Score / Game Log It was an uneven performance throughout. LHP Robert Gasser only allowed two runs (one earned) in his five innings, walking four. Free-agent-to-be RHP Zack Brown tossed a scoreless frame, but within that he gave up a single and plunked two batters. RHP Tyler Herb allowed two runs in two relief innings after being knocked around in his prior start, a start which had followed his best outing of the season - eight innings, one earned run. Catcher Pedro Severino with two passed balls, and I'm reminded that we may not be a fan of that recurring problem for him on the big-league stage next season if the Brewers decide to re-add Severino to the 40-man immediately after Nashville's season ends. Rehabbing CF Jonathan Davis was a late scratch, but Garrett Mitchell made sure we didn't mind Friday night. Final: Biloxi 2, Pensacola (Marlins) 1 Warren's Double Enough in Biloxi's Eighth Straight Win - Jarvis Throws Five Scoreless, Middendorf Earns First Double-A Save Pre-Game Media Notes / Box Score / Game Log This winning streak becomes the longest of Biloxi's season, surpassing their seven-game winning streak to begin the 2022 campaign. In between, the club has gone 51-67, though to be fair, if you took away a lot of clubs' two longest winning stretches, they may see a similar split. It's just so odd the Shuckers are bookending their season this way. Will they win the weekend games to sweep this road series and finish with ten in a row? Stay tuned. Zavier Warren celebrated his Fall League inclusion with the deciding knock -- 22-year-old RHP Justin Jarvis walked six in five scoreless innings. So, he and Robert Gasser combined to walk ten over ten innings Friday with only one earned run allowed between them. Jarvis has walked 4.2 per nine in his otherwise excellent 2022 effort. With the exception of RH reliever Ryan Middendorf, whose exploits you just read about in the game summary, and Warren, the rest of this group wraps up their season on Sunday, barring any promotions to fortify Nashville's playoff chase. We definitely could see a move or two in that regard. Guessing that Jackson Chourio (1-for-15, two walks, six K's) won't be going to the Sounds. So that would be fireballing RH reliever Harold Chirino, INF Yeison Coca, RHP Carlos Luna and OF's Corey Ray and Garrett Whitley potentially seeing their last bit of action in the Brewers' chain on Sunday. Both squads see traditional Saturday evening action tonight, and we'll detail those results for you in the AM. Must admit, I could get used to these mini-Link Reports (nothing against the A-Ball teams). Have a great day, everyone. Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View full article

It was a night to remember for the Shuckers Wes Clarke with a trifecta of blasts into the Biloxi sky. Even with a Wisconsin rainout and a Nashville loss, other prospects found their way into the spotlight of our report. Thanks again for visiting with us, let's get to it! Transaction: RHP Trevor Kelley recalled to MLB Brewers from AAA Nashville (replacing injured LHP Eric Lauer) Final: Charlotte (White Sox) 8, Nashville 5 Via the Sounds' site, game details, and we encourage readers to review each of the affiliate write-ups as part of your Link Report routine: Charlotte Rallies Past Sounds - Seven-Run Fourth Inning Dooms Nashville Box Score / Game Log The Columbus Clippers (Guardians) game had not completed as of the game summary you just read; however the Clippers did win 7-6 and trail the Sounds by 3.5 games (three in the loss column) with 16 games remaining in the season. It's pretty wild the Sounds have had to keep the pedal to the metal given their amazing record. Nothing's locked in yet in terms of a division title. Three innings into this game and I was literally saying to myself and was about to tweet. you know, given RHP Tyler Herb's recent work and the absolute need for the Brewers to pluck the organization's hottest hand, Herb was suddenly a candidate for a big-league start or two down the stretch. Check out Herb's game log going all the way back to July 26th. And then the 4th inning happened. Click on the game log link above to review in full. Yikes. Ho-hum, a 3-for-5 night for Sal Frelick. In his first 33 games at AAA (15 multi-hit games), his line is .364/.444/.447 (.891 OPS), In 132 AB's, Frelick has only struck out 10 times (16 walks), six stolen bases in nine attempts. On-base streak to 28 games. Esteury Ruiz’s home run was his 14th of the year, but first as a Sound and first as a member of the Brewers organization. MiLB.TV subscribers, go to the 02:05:45 hour minute mark here. Why do you want to visit? The RH-hitter pulled it 461 feet, what a bomb. Prediction: Brewers re-add catcher Pedro Severino to their 40-man roster immediately after the regular season. Dude is lighting it up at AAA (.918 OPS, 81 AB's). Severino will be able to elect free agency as a XX(d) player after the end of the Major League season and will not have to wait until five days after the last game of the World Series. Final: Biloxi 9, Mississippi (Braves) 1 Clarke Homers Three Times, Jarvis Dominates In 9-1 Rout - Shuckers Set Single-Season Home Run Record Pre-Game Media Notes / Box Score / Game Log Let's remember, Wes Clarke was just drafted in 2021 (10th round), so like Sal Frelick in Nashville, this is just Clarke's first full pro season. It's worth revisiting all the pre-draft scouting reports we gathered in our 2021 Draft Day Forum Thread. Add a single as well to Clarke's three dingers, 4-for-4 on the night. Quotes from the man of the hour within - it's always a good thing when the MiLB home office is requesting a post-game interview: Awesome third start at the AA level for RHP Justin Jarvis. Remember our August feature article on Rule 5 protection candidates? Jarvis was certainly worth considering then, and still is now, though I did not include him within my "Brice Turang - Cam Robinson - Abner Uribe" prediction. Now I'm thinking Lucas Erceg for Robinson, it's never as easy as it seems! Corey Ray's going to Corey Ray. Good luck in your next destination, young man. Saturday’s Game between the Timber Rattlers and Sky Carp Rained Out - Game will not be rescheduled; Season Ends Sunday Darn, was looking forward to commenting on this one as the T-Rats are on such a nice roll. Yeah, they could have scheduled two games Sunday, but then the locals wouldn't be home in time for 3:25 Packers kickoff, would they? Good luck to Trevor Gott in his first rehab outing Sunday before joining the Sounds in Nashville Tuesday. This is my final Link Report prior to the end of the Wisconsin season. Thank you, players, Joe Ayrault and staff, Chris Mehring and Kyle Lobner. Lots of fun following this team in 2022. Final: Carolina 7, Myrtle Beach (Cubs) 3 Mudcats End Losing Streak with 7-3 Victory - Cameron Wagner struck out six over four and 2/3 in relief to help Carolina end its three-game skid Pre-Game Media Notes / Box Score / Game Log 2022 draftees Eric Brown, Jr. and Robert Moore flip-flopped middle infield spots for this one, with Moore at short. Then Moore reached base all five times up (double, single, three walks) and Brown singled and walked twice. Both also stole a base. Big games also for 19-year-old Jace Avina and two 18-year-old's having nice seasons in Luis Castillo and Jadher Areinamo. College draftees performing as they should, and teenagers exceeding expectations, that's a nice recipe for future hopes. Hedbert Perez 0-for-4, sorry Hedbert, but hard to say 2022 was a positive for you overall. Glimpses, sure. Hey, how about 6'5" RHP Cameron Wagoner's pro debut campaign? The 11th rounder out of Eastern Michigan has a 24-to-2 K-to-BB ratio. I've got little statistical evidence beyond my recollections here, but I admittedly will often go to the "Inherited Runners - Scored" portion of the box score before anything else. The Mudcats either have a "3-0" mark, as LHP Leoni De La Cruz ably did here to help save RHP Logan Henderson's line, or it's "3-3" as a disaster relief stint. It's rarely in-between. Thanks to Greg Young, Jr. for all your efforts in Raleigh. Definitely enhanced our reports for another season. Odd for a Sunday, but other than the Timber Rattlers early start we referenced above, the other three affiliates all begin play in the early evening. The NFL controls all! Go get 'em in your season finales today, T-Rats and Mudcats. Trust me, it's not an afterthought. God Bless America and especially all those who were very directly impacted on this date 21 years ago. Take care, everyone. Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth View full article