Your 2014 Nashville Sounds

[Mass Haas]

Indications are that we will begin to see some formal minor league roster announcements as early as Monday 3/31 or Tuesday 4/1. The formal announcement will come directly from the Sounds, not the Brewers. All four minor league affiliates will likely send out their press releases within an hour or so of each other once the Brewers have given them the official go-ahead to do so.

 

Feel free to link to any formal notices you see here.

 

As you might know, we use the "Your 2014" threads to post and link to feature stories that are outside the scope of game activity covered in the Daily Link Report.

 

These threads have become among the most popular for viewing here, and we look forward to kicking them off formally.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Sounds 2014 Roster - PDF Format

 

Sounds Announce Tentative Opening Day Roster

Nashville Sounds

 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Nashville Sounds - the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers - have announced their tentative Opening Day 28-man roster, a group highlighted by three of the organization's top 10 prospects, 15 returning players from the 2013 squad, and 11 members of Milwaukee's 40-man roster.

 

Nashville will have to make three roster moves by Thursday's opener to get to the 25-man active limit.

 

The Sounds' roster is heavy on experience. All but four of the team's members have big league experience under their belts in their careers, and fifteen of the 28 players on the Nashville roster played in the majors in 2013. Only pitchers Kyle Heckathorn and Dustin Molleken and infielders Hunter Morris and Stephen Parker have yet to make their major league debuts.

 

Right-handed starting pitcher Jimmy Nelson, rated as the Brewers' top prospect by Baseball America, highlights the Nashville starting rotation on the heels of an impressive 2013 campaign. He led the Brewers organization and ranked 5th in the minors with 163 strikeouts in 152 1/3 innings between Huntsville and Nashville, posting a 3.25 ERA in 27 starts, before advancing to Milwaukee in September to make his major league debut.

 

Joining Nelson in the Sounds' rotation is Johnny Hellweg, the 2013 Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year. The Brewers' #4 prospect was dominant for Nashville a year ago in earning All-PCL honors. The 6-foot-9 fireballer -- playing his first season at the Triple-A level -- ranked 2nd in the PCL in wins (12) and ERA (3.15) while posting the top winning percentage (.706) and lowest opponent average (.228) among all league hurlers.

 

Morris, who was voted as the 2013 Sounds Fan Favorite and ranks as the Brewers' #10 prospect entering the year, returns for his second season in Music City after belting a team-best 23 home runs to rank second among PCL sluggers and also leading Nashville with 73 RBIs.

 

Hellweg will serve as Nashville's Opening Day starter and be followed in the five-man rotation by Nelson, right-hander Hiram Burgos, right-hander Ariel Pena, and right-hander Mike Fiers. Of that group, all have previously appeared for the Sounds except Pena, who was a Southern League midseason All-Star at Double-A Huntsville last year after being acquired from the Angels in the July 2012 Zack Greinke trade.

 

Fifteen players return to Music City from the 2013 Sounds squad, including starting pitchers Burgos, Fiers, Hellweg, and Nelson; relievers Alfredo Figaro, Donovan Hand, Heckathorn, Molleken, and 2013 PCL All-Star Rob Wooten; catcher Robinzon Diaz; infielders Morris, Parker, and Eugenio Velez, who finished 2013 with a PCL-best 36-game on-base streak that included a season-ending 22-game hit streak; and outfielders Caleb Gindl, who ranks among Nashville's top 10 career leaders in hits and doubles, and Sean Halton, the Sounds' 2012 MVP who split last year between Nashville and Milwaukee.

 

Another recognizable face returns to Music City: infielder Taylor Green, who spent parts of the 2011 & 2012 seasons in a Sounds uniform and captured Brewers' Minor League Player of the Year and All-PCL honors following a stellar season for the club in 2011. He has appeared in 197 games for Nashville in his career, posting a .311 average. Green missed the entire 2013 season due to a hip injury.

 

Notable new additions to the Brewers organization who will join the Sounds this season are veteran infielders Irving Falu, Elian Herrera, and Pete Orr, as well as outfielder Jeremy Hermida.

 

Falu is a .278 career hitter who spent his first 11 years in the Kansas City Royals system, including stops at Greer Stadium with Triple-A Omaha in each of the past five years. The versatile infielder/outfielder was a member of the Storm Chasers' PCL championship clubs in 2011 & 2013.

 

The versatile Herrera, who has played every position except catcher during his pro career, is a .280 lifetime hitter who joins the Sounds after spending his first 11 years in the Dodgers organization, including 197 games in the PCL with Albuquerque over the past four seasons.

 

Orr, a 15-year veteran, has logged time in the bigs in eight of the last nine years, including making five Opening Day rosters during that stretch. He is another versatile player, appearing at five different positions last year (2B, SS, 3B, LF, RF).

 

Hermida, a 13-year pro and former top prospect in the Marlins' system who carries a .281 lifetime minor league average, has logged 632 major league games while appearing in the big leagues in eight of the past nine campaigns.

 

Manager Rick Sweet enters his first season at the helm of the Sounds and will be joined by a coaching staff that remains intact from 2013: coach Bob Skube, pitching coach Fred Dabney, trainer Aaron Hoback, and strength and conditioning coach Andrew Emmick.

 

The Sounds begin their 2014 Pacific Coast League season on Thursday, April 3, in Omaha, Nebraska, where they kick off an eight-game road trip with their 7:05 p.m. opener against the defending PCL champion Storm Chasers. On Friday, April 11, the Sounds return to Greer Stadium to host Omaha in their 7:05 p.m. home opener.

 

Ticket packages are currently on sale. Call (615) 690-HITS or visit the Sounds' website at www.nashvillesounds.com to order or for more information..

[TheCrew07]

No Taylor Jungmann to start the season...

[82brewcrew11]

No Kentrail Davis, Josh Prince, or Jason Rogers at Nashiville. Rogers going to AA or staying in Arizona to work at third?

[Mass Haas]

Looks like Kentrail Davis will be back in Huntsville.

 

Until Huntsville's roster is announced and they landed at AA, these veteran players may be on the employment bubble, unfortunately for them -- RHP Johnnie Lowe (with an insightful tweet), LHP Brent Leach, OF/IF Josh Prince, and IF Hainley Statia. We'll see...

[Mass Haas]

Looks like Kentrail Davis will be back in Huntsville.

 

Until Huntsville's roster is announced and they landed at AA, these veteran players may be on the employment bubble, unfortunately for them -- RHP Johnnie Lowe (with an insightful tweet), LHP Brent Leach, OF/IF Josh Prince, and IF Hainley Statia. We'll see...

 

Just learned that all the players listed in this post will be in Huntsville.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville will have to make three roster moves by Thursday's opener to get to the 25-man active limit.

 

Sounds currently at 13 pitchers, 15 position players -- and that's after jettisoning several vets to Huntsville, as noted above. Going to need some creativity to maintain that level of depth at both AAA and at AA (not saying it's super quality depth, it's just very heavy in sheer numbers right now). Huntsville also needs to pare three players.

[igor67]

Some of the crunch so far has been caused by having such a healthy spring.

[And That]

No Kentrail Davis, Josh Prince, or Jason Rogers at Nashiville. Rogers going to AA or staying in Arizona to work at third?

 

Josh Prince doesn't bother me, but what in the world are Davis and Rogers doing in AA? They are both entering their age 26 year, and need to sink or swim right now, not tread water in Huntsville. I understand maintaining organizational depth, but Pete Orr made it over both Davis and Rogers? Really? Crazy.

[brewmann04]

They must be using Rogers full time @ 3rd and use Green as the full time 3rd baseman at 3a

[JohnBriggs12]

Making room for vets Hermida and Mattison and Gindl not making the opening day roster caused a backlog. If either vet doesn't produce, they won't be around long.

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO: Brief comments from new Sounds manager Rick Sweet

[reillymcshane]

Questions about our AAA roster:

 

- How many 30+ old versatile career minor league vets do we need. Falu, Orr, Velez - even Elian Herrera is almost 30. That's four guys who really have no chance on helping the big league club except as a little used back up type. Weird and wasteful.

- Stephen Parker - a .238 hitter in two AAA seasons. No power. What do we see in this guy? Honestly, I don't know much about him, so maybe he brings something special to the table. I just don't see it. And how much will he even play?

- Kevin Mattison - a .230 hitter in two AAA seasons. He strikes out a ton (138k in 334 ABs last year). What's the attraction? Is it the facial hair?

 

Otherwise, the club needs to be grooming players for 2015. 1B will be open again. 3B could be open as well if we don't pick up A-Ram's option. And we need to see how Scooter and Khris Davis progress. What that in mind, we should do the following:

 

- Let Morris play everyday at 1B. It's time for him to step up and set himself up as the team's 2015 1B (or not).

- Let Rogers play 3B everyday. He needs to face advanced hitting (and get lots of reps at 3B) to set himself up as the possible 1B or 3B in 2015.

- Let Taylor Green play everyday at 2B (or DH). After missing all of 2013, he has to get reps. If he does well, he can potentially be in the picture for 3B next year (maybe even 2B).

- Gindl needs to play everyday to be ready to take over in RF or LF if a player is hurt or falters.

- Kentrail Davis should be at Nashville playing everyday. Redoing AA at his age isn't helping him or the club.

- I'd like Jungmann at AAA. If the club believes Hellweg or Pena is destined to go to the pen, then move them there now and let Jungmann start. Otherwise, move Fiers there.

[CheeseheadInQC]

I have to think one of the utility guys is hurt and that is the reason for keeping so many (although I guess that would only be one less). The club still has three too many players, and while two of the likely DL candidates are May (this year's conveniently injured catcher?) and Parker (did he play at all this spring?), the third one almost has to be one of the infielders, right?

 

As for Mattison, I guess the only explanation is that the club wanted a "true" center fielder instead of playing Gindl or Davis there. Not sure that's the best move but ...

[reillymcshane]

I have to think one of the utility guys is hurt and that is the reason for keeping so many (although I guess that would only be one less). The club still has three too many players, and while two of the likely DL candidates are May (this year's conveniently injured catcher?) and Parker (did he play at all this spring?), the third one almost has to be one of the infielders, right?

 

As for Mattison, I guess the only explanation is that the club wanted a "true" center fielder instead of playing Gindl or Davis there. Not sure that's the best move but ...

Thank you. I appreciate the info.

[djoctagone]

the sounds needed to pare down by three players. it looks like they're stephen parker, lucas may and kyle heckathorn.

 

not certain what their statuses are, just that they don't appear to be on the sounds' opening night 25-man roster.

[TooLiveBrew]

I have to think one of the utility guys is hurt and that is the reason for keeping so many (although I guess that would only be one less). The club still has three too many players, and while two of the likely DL candidates are May (this year's conveniently injured catcher?) and Parker (did he play at all this spring?), the third one almost has to be one of the infielders, right?

 

As for Mattison, I guess the only explanation is that the club wanted a "true" center fielder instead of playing Gindl or Davis there. Not sure that's the best move but ...

Plus Gindl has manned CF in Nashville the past two seasons.

[TheCrew07]

Sounds Announce "First Tennessee Park" Will Be Name Of City's New Ballpark

Tennessee's Largest Bank Secures Naming Rights

[Mass Haas]

From Fox Sports Fantasy --

 

Brewers' Fiers on fire at Triple-A Nashville

[Mass Haas]

McCalvy: Hellweg has torn elbow ligament

[JohnBriggs12]

McCalvy: Hellweg has torn elbow ligament

 

Tough news for Hellweg. Hoping he comes back better than ever with improved command. Well the Brewers were not immune but when it happens to your #9 starter, you start thinking it might be your year.

[DoubleSwitch]

At some point soon Fiers just absolutely forces his way back to Milwaukee, right? Striking guys out like he did with his control is no fluke, or merely a deceptive arm angle. It would be nice to see him re-establish himself as Marco Estrada V2.0.

[torts]

wonder who will move up to AAA to take Hellwegs spot in the rotation.

[And That]

This is terrible timing given that Hellweg is out of options.

[Mass Haas]

Reminder -- where we keep track of remaining player options (important heading into 2015)