Jim Goulart

Mudcats videos: SS Luis Aviles defense (he's good at that) Marcos Diplan K montage Remember, you don't walk off, the losing team does

Here's a follow-up article that includes a video report (click arrow to go beyond initial photo), which indicates: The junior said that he turned down a $75,000 signing bonus offer by the Kansas City Royals earlier in the draft, but agreed to what is expected to be a bonus in the neighborhood of $100,000 with Milwaukee.

“Playing baseball on the professional level has been a dream of mine since I was first able to walk and throw a baseball,” Hintzen said. “Having the opportunity to pursue this, which is something I love, as a career, is crazy.” There was never a doubt whether 10th round Florida Southern senior J.T. Hintzen would sign, and this confirms he already has and is headed to Helena. Quotes galore and photos at the article link... Greenwich native J.T. Hintzen will soon live his baseball dream By David Fierro, Greenwichtime.com (CT)

AUDIO via the Rattler Radio Soundcloud: "The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers rallied for a 4–3 win over the Quad Cities River Bandits on Wednesday night. Trever Morrison delivered the big hit for Wisconsin, a two-run, two-out double in the bottom of the seventh inning. Morrison, Hitting Coach Hainley Statia, and Michael Petersen are the guests on the podcast tonight. Plus, Chris Mehring & Kyle Lobner talk about the game, the Timbe Rattlers All-Star Selections, and more."

Final: Wisconsin 4, Quad Cities 3 Morrison Delivers Big Hit for a Rattlers Win Wisconsin tops Quad Cities 4-3 By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Chris breaks it all down nicely as usual, click away for the quick read this morning... *** *** Box Score / Game Log

Full eight-minute audio interview with Brewers 4th round pick, LHP Crowder College (Missouri) Aaron Ashby; non-committal on signing, but sounds promising, plus an "I love cheese" quote

The senior committed to UNC Wilmington but said he will “probably” sign with the Brewers. Brewers draft Lake Norman High pitcher Jarvis in round 5 Senior was 8-2 this season for the Wildcats with one perfect game By Brian Meadows, statesville.com (NC) The Milwaukee Brewers selected Lake Norman High School ace Justin Jarvis in the fifth round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Tuesday afternoon. Jarvis was taken with the 155th overall pick. He witnessed it while following MLB.com’s live stream of the draft. “I stood up, hugged my dad, all my buddies around me, my nana, my grandpa, my mom,” Jarvis said when asked about his reaction. “I was kind of speechless there for a little bit, but it came back to me.” The senior committed to UNC Wilmington but said he will “probably” sign with the Brewers. Jarvis didn’t say he had a preference as to which organization picked him but noted that he was pleased the Brewers wanted his services. He was in Milwaukee last week for workouts. “I threw in Miller Park and got to meet everyone,” Jarvis said. “I like it. It’s a cool place. I’m looking forward to it.” His high school coach, former Major Leaguer Ty Wigginton, was happy to hear about Jarvis’ good news. “You get the opportunity to go in any round in the draft it’s a dream come true,” Wigginton said. “I’m sure emotions were running high when it happened. “He’s one step closer” to being a major league baseball player, Wigginton added. “It’s a pretty cool achievement for him.” Jarvis had an impressive spring on the mound and helped the Wildcats claim a share of the I-Meck Conference championship. They lost in second round of the 4A state playoffs to eventual runner-up Charlotte Ardrey Kell and finished 24-4. Jarvis posted an 8-2 record and a 1.60 ERA. He struck out 95 batters in 57 innings of work while yielding only 33 hits. The season started with a bang. The 6-foot-3 right-hander tossed a perfect game in a 5-0 win over East Rowan. Utilizing an effective fastball that reached the mid-90s, he struck out 18 of the 21 batters he faced. “I transferred schools this year, but I think I fit right in,” said Jarvis, who previously played at Mooresville High. “The whole team (at Lake Norman) took me in. I did my best to win there. We fell short of a state championship, which we wanted to win. “This kind of just tops off my whole life, honestly.”

“I’m going to celebrate tonight, then start negotiating, with my advisor & the Brewers.” In this nicely detailed article, learn about prior "funny bone surgery" for Brewers 22nd round JUCO pick & Penn State commit LHP Joey Baran; very much on the signing fence, it seems

Found at the bottom of linked article regarding the 12th round community college shortstop: Hawkeye shortstop signee Korry Howell went to Milwaukee as well in the 12th round (No. 365 overall). The former Kirkwood standout told HawkCentral he’ll “most likely” sign with the Brewers. The MLB signing deadline for underclassmen and high school seniors is July 6 at 4 p.m. CT. "It was an extreme relief," said Howell, who Baseball America ranked as the No. 385 overall prospect heading into the draft. "I’ve been working my whole life for this, and to finally see everything pay off in literally 30 seconds of my future, I just got a nice little view of what’s going to happen." Howell piled up 40 stolen bases, 45 RBIs and hit .401/.483/.572 as Kirkwood's leadoff hitter. His Baseball America scouting report describes him as having "excellent athleticism" with solid range and speed.

“All I wanted was an opportunity, and I got an opportunity.” PHOTO at the link Brewers select University of Hawaii’s Kekai Rios in 28th round of MLB draft Stephen Tsai, StarAdvertiser.com (HAWAII) Rios hit .318 in 24 Big West games this past season as a catcher, third baseman and designated hitter. He also handled a pitching staff that used eight different starters. The Kansas City Royals had called Rios earlier today but made a conditional offer that was deemed too low. After a breakfast of pancakes and Portuguese sausage, Rios was returning to his family’s Hilo home when he learned he was selected by the Brewers. *** Hey, I'm Portuguese, cacoila, oh yeah! -- Jim

“I think he’s probably going to lean to go to college, which is probably why he fell where he did,” said Steve DiTrolio, director of recruiting at Diamond Nation in Flemington, where Hylton has been a part of the Diamond Jacks program since he was 13 years old. “College is very important to Brandon and very important to his dad.” Brewers select Ridge's Brandon Hylton in MLB Draft Greg Tufaro, mycentraljersey.com Photo at the link above The Milwaukee Brewers selected Ridge High School senior first baseman Brandon Hylton in the 33rd round of the 2018 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft on Wednesday with the 995th overall pick. A two-time Courier News first-team All-Area selection, Hylton transferred before the start of this academic year from Watchung Hills, where he batted .372 with a .686 slugging percentage as a sophomore and crushed seven homers last season. Hylton, who could not be immediately reached for comment, was one of eight scholastic players from New Jersey to be drafted, all but two of which were field position players. Ridge head coach Tom Blackwell said he exchanged texts with Hylton after the first baseman was drafted early Wednesday night, and that he wanted to refrain from talking to him until the school day on Thursday because he wanted his star player to have some space. The 6-foot-6 lefthanded slugger has already signed a National Letter of Intent to continue his baseball and academic career at Division I Stetson University, thus Hylton has options should the Brewers not be able to convince him to sign. Had Hylton been considered more signable, he almost certainly would have been drafted in the earlier rounds. “I think he’s probably going to lean to go to college, which is probably why he fell where he did,” said Steve DiTrolio, director of recruiting at Diamond Nation in Flemington, where Hylton has been a part of the Diamond Jacks program since he was 13 years old. “College is very important to Brandon and very important to his dad.” DiTrolio said he believes Hylton projected as a draft pick because “he fits the profile of a pro hitter. He’s lefthanded, very athletic and real loose.” “He definitely has a lot of room to grow. You can tell he is still young. He’s got a good frame. He’s going to put on some size in the next few years. Once he really matures, he’s going to be a beast.” DiTrolio said he has watched Hylton mature into a “tremendous young man” whose disposition does not change, whether he went 4-for-4 or 0-for-4 in a game. “He’s a lovable kid with a great personality,” DiTrolio said. “He’s got a good head on his shoulders that will really do him well whether he decides to go to Stetson or go to the Brewers. He just loves the game.” Hylton, who throws right-handed, led Ridge to a 15-7 record and the Skyland Conference Raritan Division championship while batting .328 with three homers and a team-leading 16 stolen bases. Opposing hurlers pitched around him to the tune of 20 walks. “He’s just an unbelievable kid,” Blackwell said. “I’ve never seen anybody have such an impact without saying a word. Obviously, he’s so big, he has such a presence. He’s a very quiet and humble kid. His work ethic in practice is amazing. He stood out. I’ve seen him do some things with a bat that I’ve never seen anybody do, and he makes all the infielders better and more comfortable. "When you look up and see that kid standing over there (at first base), it (making a throw across the diamond) is a heck of a lot easier."

"The Brewers know I am going to go to college but they just really liked what I did over the summer and this spring and they believe in me and they want to see me in three years" Central Catholic’s Steve Hajjar drafted by Brewers By Karl Capen, Boston Globe Correspondent Steve Hajjar intends to honor his scholarship to play baseball at the University of Michigan this fall. But the Central Catholic senior now has another option: pro ball. On Wednesday afternoon, the 6-foot-4 lefthander from North Andover was picked in the 21st round of the Major League Baseball draft by the Milwaukee Brewers, with the 635th overall selection, realizing one of his childhood dreams. Hajjar, the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year, received a call from a Brewers scout while en route to Central’s Super 8 first-round playoff game against Mansfield, an 8-3 victory. “I just got into Haverhill . . . [and the scout] told me that I was drafted in the 21st round and they know I am going to go to college but they just really liked what I did over the summer and this spring and they believe in me and they want to see me in three years,” said Hajjar, who started at first base against Mansfield. “It was just an amazing gesture and I couldn’t stop smiling for about a half an hour. It was one of the best moments of my life” In a 12-4 start for the fourth-ranked Raiders, Hajjar posted a 2-1 record with a 0.26 earned run average and 41 strikeouts. He allowed just 12 total hits and one walk through 27-plus innings of work, and also has a .350 batting average, .490 on-base percentage and .500 slugging percentage. Named the Merrimack Valley Conference Division 1 Player of the Year, Hajjar shut out Andover, 4-0, in his last start, on Saturday. “I just remember being a little kid and saying ‘I want to play in the MLB,’” said Hajjar. “It is every little kids dream, and then today, even though I am not going to go right out of high school, I mean, it is an unreal accomplishment. I never thought I would be drafted out of high school. I just can’t believe it. It is hard to put into words.” “I don’t want to sell myself short, you know? My goal is to be a first rounder in the next three years so that is what I want to do. And if that wasn’t going to happen out of high school, I am going to try and make it happen out of college. That’s the goal.” Central coach Marc Pelletier has a no cell phone policy at the field, but “I had to let [Hajjar] talk to his dad after [he was drafted] behind the dugout. I was thrilled. “It is so great. Think of yourself being 18 years old getting call from the GM of the Brewers.”

"As of right now, I'm leaning toward going back to school." Brewers draft former Champaign Central standout Alec Barger in 16th round Scott Richey, Champaign (IL) News-Gazette CHAMPAIGN — Former Champaign Central standout Alec Barger was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday during the second day of the MLB draft. Barger played this past season at Polk State College in Lakeland, Fla., after transferring following one season at Northern Illinois. Barger, who is committed to play at North Carolina State next season, was 7-3 with a 3.56 ERA in 17 appearances at Polk State College. The 6-foot-3 right-hander struck out 86 batters and walked just 16. The Eagles finished the season 29-23. Barger was a News-Gazette first-team All-Area selection during his senior season at Central. He had a 1.10 ERA and three wins for the Maroons on the mound, but he also hit .434 with five home runs, 30 RBI and 24 stolen bases as a two-way threat. *** UPDATED STORY WITH QUOTES: Alec Barger's ongoing rise through the ranks of organized baseball reached another high point — with this one occurring on the professional level. The Milwaukee Brewers selected Barger, a 2016 Champaign Central graduate, in Wednesday's portion of the MLB draft. Barger was taken in the 16th round, 485th overall. "It feels good," Barger said. "It's something I've worked for my whole life, and it's just a dream come true." Barger recently concluded a season at Polk State College in Lakeland, Fla., which followed a single campaign at Northern Illinois. He was a News-Gazette first-team All-Area choice as a Maroons senior in 2016, as well as a two-time All-Big 12 Conference athlete. Barger is the most recent Central alumnus to earn a position in the MLB draft. He follows in the footsteps of Dan O'Neill, a former Maroon and Illini who was nabbed by Philadelphia in the 1999 draft's 27th round. "We were hopeful (Barger would be drafted)," Central baseball coach John Staab said. "We heard some things and thought it was a possibility. I'm just excited. I'm proud of him and happy for him." Barger presently is committed to continue his college career at North Carolina State. He admitted Wednesday that he hadn't finalized a decision between going pro and staying at the amateur level. "I still have some thinking to do," Barger said. "As of right now, I'm leaning toward going back to school." Barger's Central tenure ended with three victories and a 1.10 ERA on the mound under Staab, as well as a .434 batting average with five home runs, 30 RBI and 24 stolen bases. Though Barger was clearly a dual threat for the Maroons, Staab said he wasn't surprised his former pupil carved a collegiate path through pitching. "He's one of those athletes that doesn't come around very often," Staab said. "I always thought his ticket would be his arm. As he got older, and certainly in college, it became more apparent if he was going to continue to play, it would be as a pitcher." Perhaps that wasn't immediately clear to Barger, but his time spent with Northern Illinois and Polk State College has resulted in an evolved view of his role on the diamond. "At Central, I was mostly a position player. I was just a kid that had a strong arm," Barger said. "Now, getting into college, I've realized my calling. I really just put forth all my efforts into pitching instead of playing both ways, and I think that really helped a lot." In one season with Polk State, Barger posted a 7-3 ledger with a 3.56 ERA in 17 appearances to go along with 86 strikeouts and 16 walks. Barger's baseball involvement hit a bit of a stumbling block as a freshman at Northern Illinois, where he said he wasn't truly happy. Connecting with head coach Al Corbeil and pitching coach Brad Cook at Polk State, though, eventually sent Barger's stock soaring to draft-quality heights. "It transformed me into a starting pitcher when I'd usually been a reliever," Barger said. "After this year, I started really getting attention from scouts and schools, and it was something to see." Regardless of whether Barger decides to compete for Milwaukee or N.C. State, he's not forgetting his roots at such a critical juncture of his athletic life. Especially considering he's the first Maroon baseballer to be drafted in nearly 20 years. "That program has had some great history, and that's an old school," Barger said. "For my name to be the first one in however many years, that's truly a blessing."

Hiura knew of his promotion before his final game. He made the most of it Samuel Evers, Rocky Mount (NC) Telegram "He knew he was going up the next day, which is not usually how it goes,” said Mudcats' manager Joe Ayrault of the Brewers No. 1 prospect.

Nine Biloxi Shuckers Named All-Stars Four Position Players, Five Pitchers Make All-Star Roster By Garrett Greene / Biloxi Shuckers

Nine Biloxi Shuckers Named All-Stars Four Position Players, Five Pitchers Make All-Star Roster By Garrett Greene / Biloxi Shuckers

Mudcats players dish on being drafted from high school Patrick Mason, Rocky Mount (NC) Telegram

Davis has since found work in the Mexican League with Dos Laredos, and so for the moment, his stateside independent league work is done.

Timber Rattlers DVR Alerts Thursday, June 7 vs. Quad Cities 7:05pm - Spectrum Sports Saturday, June 9 vs. Cedar Rapids 6:35pm - CW 14 Sunday, June 10 vs. Cedar Rapids 1:05pm - CW 14

Full at-bat sequence vs. Bowden Francis during Francis' fantastic Tuesday night effort --

Another look at Tuesday's double --

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Brewers draft Crowder's Ashby Left-hander has 'big decision to make' Jared Porter, Joplin (MO) Globe One Twitter refresh at a time, Crowder College baseball coach Travis Lallemand spent most of his Tuesday afternoon checking in on pitcher Aaron Ashby’s MLB Draft fate. The name of the Roughrider’s ace popped up around the time Lallemand anticipated — a little after 1 p.m., MLB Draft Tracker (@MLBDraftTracker) reported Ashby had been selected in the fourth round by the Milwaukee Brewers, who took the southpaw with the 125th overall pick. Lallemand’s phone rang just a few minutes later. “I picked up, and it was Ashby,” Lallemand said with a laugh. “He told me I was the first person he called. I said something like, ‘Man, I would have thought of about five better people to call first than me.’” On numerous occasions, Ashby mentioned Lallemand and his uncle — 14-year MLB pitcher and former Crowder standout Andy Ashby — as a couple of the influencers in his decision to return to Crowder this past spring despite being selected by the Texas Rangers in the 25th round of the 2017 draft. “Obviously my uncle was a big influence on me when I decided to come to Crowder, and on my visit, I just connected with Lallemand more than any other coach I’d ever been around,” Ashby said in March. “I was on the phone with both of them every night after I was drafted. ... Like I said, it’s all about family. I’m having a lot of fun right now, and I just want to focus on the season and help the team win. If another pro opportunity comes up in the future, then we’ll see what happens. But right now, I’m just taking it easy.” The decision to return to Crowder proved to be a fruitful one for Ashby, who improved his draft stock by leaps and bounds after leading all NJCAA Division I pitchers in strikeouts (156) and strikeouts per nine innings (18.8) in the spring. He also tossed three no-hitters and finished 11-2 with a 2.29 earned run average. “You hear people say a lot that it’s hard to improve your draft stock from year to year, but I don’t think those people knew about (Ashby’s) work ethic,” Lallemand said. “What’s really cool is reflecting on the growth he had from his freshman season. He just kept working at his craft and working on his body — he put on probably 20 pounds since the end of his freshman season, and his confidence in his pitches skyrocketed.” In the midst of his breakout year, Ashby accepted an offer to continue his career at the University of Tennessee. “He’s about to have another big decision to make this summer, and I’m pretty certain he’s already made it,” Lallemand said. “He’s been very excited about the possibility of playing (Division I) ball at Tennessee, but I think he’ll forego that opportunity to join the Brewers’ organization. It’s his decision. ... So that can be confirmed by him.”

Orimoloye, Henry, & File are Timber Rattlers All-Stars in 2018 Midwest League Mid-Summer Classic to be held in Lansing on June 19 By Chris Mehring / Wisconsin Timber Rattlers