Your 2013 Helena / Maryvale Brewers -- Latest: RHP Scott Lieser feature article

[Mass Haas]

Official rosters still pending, although player Twitter feeds give us plenty of info.

 

To kick off this year's thread, here's a video report from Helena on one returnee.

 

Catcher Mike Turay returns to lead the Brewers

[Mass Haas]

More on the one of the undrafted free agent signees, RHP Scott Lieser, who we brought to your attention initially this AM in the transaction thread.

 

Leg kick!

[Mass Haas]

Very psyched that the Mad Bahamian (Al Hrabosky reference for the young'uns), RHP Sean Albury, is returning to the mound with Helena this summer.

 

Video report

[Mass Haas]

Lieser got call at right time

Andy Rennecke, St. Cloud (MN) Times

 

When Scott Lieser wasn’t selected in the Major League Baseball first-year player draft, he thought his dream of playing professional baseball would have to start in an independent league.

 

Lieser, the former St. Cloud State pitcher and Browerville High School graduate, had an offer from Fargo-Moorhead of the American Association after he wasn’t picked.

 

But then came a call from Milwaukee Brewers scout Drew Anderson on Wednesday. It was the call Lieser had been waiting for his whole life. The call came right before he was going in for a job interview at his uncle’s company in St. Paul.

 

It’s strange how life works sometimes. Lieser was probably hours away from accepting a full-time job after thinking his baseball options were limited and almost over.

 

“I was bitter right away about not being drafted,” Lieser said. “I had to sit back for a little bit and think about things. I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Drew called me literally five minutes before the interview. I had a pro contract waiting for me and I knew what I wanted to do.”

 

Lieser feels like he has a lot to prove after not being drafted. He had a solid four-year career at St. Cloud State, which included throwing three no-hitters. Not every college pitcher can say they did that.

 

He’s headed to Phoenix on Monday to begin rookie camp with the Brewers. Before he signed with the Brewers, he was playing amateur ball with Lake Henry to begin the summer. His dad is the manager for the Lakers this season.

 

“I’m going in with the mentality that I have a lot to prove,” he said. “I’m just saying the heck with it. Let’s move on to the next stage and show the Brewers that I can pitch. I’m going to give my best and that’s what I’m hoping they see.”

 

Lieser, 23, admits he’s a little nervous about beginning his professional career.

 

“A little bit. But it’s probably more excitement than nerves,” he said. “Everybody has those early nerves when you start something new. I’m leaving for Arizona and I don’t know anyone on the team or any coaches. I’m looking forward to the challenge.

 

“I’ll miss my friends and family. I love Central Minnesota. I’ll be back here in the offseason.”

 

Lieser doesn’t know much about the Brewers, except that they’re the Twins’ National League rival.

 

It didn’t matter who he ended up playing for. He’s just grateful he got a chance at making it with an MLB team.

He’s also hoping to eventually run into Minnesota State-Mankato pitcher Harvey Martin, who signed a free-agent deal with the Brewers the same day as him.

 

“I’m looking forward to this,” he said. “I would have drafted Jason Hoppe and Harvey Martin if I had had the chance. They’re both so good. I know Harvey was probably disappointed he didn’t get drafted, the same as I was.

 

“But I think the Brewers got two pretty good pitchers from the NSIC (Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference).”

[Mass Haas]

Clint Coulter's eventual activation from the DL (oblique strain) will include a transfer down to Helena from Wisconsin, via his tweet.

[TooLiveBrew]

Clint Coulter's eventual activation from the DL (oblique strain) will include a transfer down to Helena from Wisconsin, via his tweet.

"Thankful to have started the season in Appleton, thanks to all the fans who made it home, I can't wait to be back! On to Helena, Montana!"

 

I couldn't help but be reminded of just how opposite-ly Lawrie conducted himself over similar issues when with the Brewers. Sure don't miss that dope. It's great to see Clint have such a well-adjusted attitude to the lumps you take as a young ballplayer. I'm sure you'll be back to Wisconsin soon enough, Clint!

[nate82]

Clint Coulter's eventual activation from the DL (oblique strain) will include a transfer down to Helena from Wisconsin, via his tweet.

"Thankful to have started the season in Appleton, thanks to all the fans who made it home, I can't wait to be back! On to Helena, Montana!"

 

I couldn't help but be reminded of just how opposite-ly Lawrie conducted himself over similar issues when with the Brewers. Sure don't miss that dope. It's great to see Clint have such a well-adjusted attitude to the lumps you take as a young ballplayer. I'm sure you'll be back to Wisconsin soon enough, Clint!

 

I think this is more to do with getting Coulter more playing time than anything else. He just wasn't getting enough consistent playing time when in WI and I hope he starts nearly every game while in Helena.

[TheCrew07]

I think this is more to do with getting Coulter more playing time than anything else. He just wasn't getting enough consistent playing time when in WI and I hope he starts nearly every game while in Helena.

 

 

I think defensively he doesn't belong in A ball.

 

He caught 33 of the team's first 47 games, which is a little more than 2/3 of the games while getting beat up in every single game I watched on TV or in person.

[82brewcrew11]

Tucker Neuhaus, Devin Williams, and Josh Uhen are showing up on the Maryvale roster now, per MLB.com

[82brewcrew11]

Taylor Williams and Barrett Astin showing on the Helena roster, per MLB.com

[splitterpfj]

A lot of the new draft picks have been tweeting about their assignments in recent days. Neuhaus and Uhen made mention of cockroaches in their apartment, while pleading with Williams to hurry up and get out to AZ.

[TheCrew07]

A lot of the new draft picks have been tweeting about their assignments in recent days. Neuhaus and Uhen made mention of cockroaches in their apartment, while pleading with Williams to hurry up and get out to AZ.

 

Only the best for Brewer farmhands!

[Mass Haas]

Draft picks and undrafted free agents opening up in Helena, based on various reports, please keep in mind this is an unofficial list and those who just signed in the past few days would not be included here yet.

 

3rd round: Barrett Astin - RHP, Univ. of Arkansas

4th round: Taylor Williams - RHP, Kent State U.

6th round: Garrett Cooper - 1B, Auburn U.

7th round: Omar Garcia - CF, Miami Dade CC South (FL)

9th round: Tyler Linehan - LHP, Fresno State

21st round: Tristan Archer - RHP, Tennessee Tech (Cookeville, TN)

24th round: Chris Razo - RHP, Illinois St. U (Normal, IL)

38th round: Charlie Markson, CF, Notre Dame (South Bend, IN)

Undrafted: Harvey Martin - RHP, Minnesota State-Mankato

 

Also in Helena (tentatively) --

 

RHP Sean Albury, LHP Anthony Banda, RHP Estevenson Encarnacion (the former Arizona Summer League Cleveland Indian, RHP Ryan Fasano, RHP Danny Keller, LHP David Otterman, RHP Zach Quintana, RHP Eduard Reyes, LHP Juan Santiago

 

C's Dustin Houle and Mike Turay (and now we learn, Clint Coulter)

 

INF's Taylor Brennan, Jalen Harris, Renaldo Jenkins, Angel Ortega

 

OF's Dionis Hinojosa, Ruben Ozuna, Jose Pena

 

That's 28 names, and Pioneer League roster limits are 35, although not every team carries that many.

[nate82]

I think this is more to do with getting Coulter more playing time than anything else. He just wasn't getting enough consistent playing time when in WI and I hope he starts nearly every game while in Helena.

 

 

I think defensively he doesn't belong in A ball.

 

He caught 33 of the team's first 47 games, which is a little more than 2/3 of the games while getting beat up in every single game I watched on TV or in person.

 

OK maybe I was thinking of someone else on WI who is getting limited AB's. But Helena does have the DH so it should allow him to develop offensively more than he would be in WI I believe. Defensively he is definitely not ready at catcher and I will just leave it as that as I don't believe he should be playing catcher at all anyways.

[DHonks]

wasn't there a fast IF/OF from DSL that played in Maryvale last year? I want to say Hernandez.

[nate82]

wasn't there a fast IF/OF from DSL that played in Maryvale last year? I want to say Hernandez.

 

2012 AZL Brewers

 

No one named Hernandez was on the team last year that match your description.

 

Players from the DSL.

2B:

Jose Sermo

 

SS:

Angel Ortega

 

OF:

Jose Garcia

Edgardo Rivera

Jose Pena

Dionis Hinojosa

[TooLiveBrew]

DHonks, are you possibly thinking of Yonki Hernandez?

[DHonks]

that's it! Yonki Hernandez. Was hoping that with time his OBP skills would translate in the states.

[Mass Haas]

Maryvale preview from Brad -- with a surprise twist.

 

D'Vo!

[gregmag]

JS this morning says the org planned to assign Coulter to Helena all along; he was just up in A ball so that he could play before the rookie season started:

 

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/211972241.html

 

Candor or damage control? We report, you decide.

 

Great to see D'Vo (apparently) back in the fold.

[Mass Haas]

A link to our thread on D'Vontrey Richardson's decision to walk away from baseball last year.

[TheCrew07]

Maryvale preview from Brad -- with a surprise twist.

 

D'Vo!

 

Wow I'm not sure what to make of this.

[Mass Haas]

We noted this signing earlier -- here's a followup feature article:

 

***

 

Harvey Martin signs deal with Brewers

By Drew Kochanny, petoskynews.com (Petosky, Michigan)

 

All Harvey Martin ever wanted was a shot.

 

When it came in college, Martin, who’s family has ties to the Petoskey area, became the Division II baseball National Pitcher of the year, a first team All-American and led his Minnesota State team to the National Championship game.

 

Now, Martin has yet another shot, this time as a professional baseball player after recently signing a professional contract with the Milwaukee Brewers organization.

 

“It was surreal, definitely an awesome opportunity,” Martin said. “I knew I was going to get a shot with some team, I had a really good school year and was hearing from a lot of teams. It was an honor to get a call from the Brewers.”

 

The son of Petoskey News-Review Circulation Director, Jim Martin, Jim never doubted his son’s dream of making it to the next level, always feeling he’d earn his way in through hard work on and off the field.

 

“In my heart of hearts I always knew he was going to get his shot,” Jim Martin said. “So many kids don’t get the shot and he got the shot. So that’s pretty cool.”

 

A really good year might be an understatement to describe the 2013 season for Martin, as he went 9-1 on the mound with a 2.06 earned run average. He allowed just seven walks in 13 games and threw 91 strikeouts. Batters hit just .217 against him.

 

“I think my whole mind set for the season was if I never played pro ball I wanted to leave college and I wanted everyone that I faced to think that I was the best pitcher they saw all season,” Harvey Martin said. “Fortunately enough, I was the National Pitcher of the Year, so I guess a lot of people thought that.”

 

A 2006 graduate out of Farmington High and a 2012 transfer from Central Michigan University, Martin was used primarily as a relief pitcher for the Chippewas, but always wanted to break into the starting rotation, something he knew he could get at Minnesota State.

 

“Hands down that was probably the best decision I ever made,” Martin said. “I became a starter at Minnesota State and went 19-1. I got a chance to play pro ball, which was my ultimate goal. It was a great decision.”

 

Martin signed as a free agent moments after the First-Year Player Draft on Saturday, June 8, after receiving a call from Milwaukee scout Drew Anderson. From there, he instantly flew out to join the Helena Brewers, a minor league affiliate of the organization.

 

“It’s been a fun ride,” Jim Martin said. “I think being a good teammate and having a drive and desire to play the game is important. Good things will happen to good people.”

 

Numerous teams had been in contact with Martin leading up to the draft and throughout the draft process including the Detroit Tigers, but the Brewers never looked to be in the picture.

 

“I actually never really heard from the Brewers. I got a letter from them earlier in the year but I never got a call from them leading up to it. It was kind of a shock out of left field.”

 

It might have been a shock at the time, but it was also a dream come true and one that sent him to one of the most pristine area’s to play baseball in the country.

 

“It’s unreal, we’ve got mountains surrounding our stadium and its beautiful out here. Right now we’re just doing a mini camp, doing some strength and conditioning and doing some throwing and hitting.”

 

In the offseason, Martin plans to continue his masters at Minnesota State and work as a personal trainer in Minneapolis. Any time back to Northern Michigan for now will be reserved for holidays.

 

“For the holidays I’ll definitely be in Northern Michigan and depending on where I want to train, it depends on where I feel is the best option for me. Right now, Minneapolis or Northern Michigan.”

 

The season begins for Martin and Helena on June 22, and with the opportunity now in hand, he’ll turn his focus to taking it one pitch, one out and one day at a time.

 

“I’m just appreciating every day being out here, I think my ability and everything is there and it’s just going to come down to what it always is in baseball, which is getting people out. As long as I’m doing that I should be able to move up. We’ll see how long I can play and hopefully one day I’m in a (Milwaukee) Brewers uniform.”

[TheCrew07]

Numerous teams had been in contact with Martin leading up to the draft and throughout the draft process including the Detroit Tigers, but the Brewers never looked to be in the picture.

 

“I actually never really heard from the Brewers. I got a letter from them earlier in the year but I never got a call from them leading up to it. It was kind of a shock out of left field.”

 

This is a common theme on Brewer later round targets, I wonder what their policy/reasoning is behind this? It is a tipping their hand thing?

[craigharmann]

Maryvale preview from Brad -- with a surprise twist.

 

D'Vo!

 

Wow I'm not sure what to make of this.

 

Can't hurt, can it? Although hopefully he makes up his mind one way or the other!