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Your 2015 Biloxi Shuckers

Mass Haas

By Mass Haas,
in Brewers Minor League Talk

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Mass Haas

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Indications are that we will begin to see some formal minor league roster announcements as early as Friday 4/3. The formal announcement will come directly from the Shuckers, 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.

 

Opening Night is Thursday 4/9!

 

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

 

Often we learn via farmhand tweets, who has been assigned where, prior to the formal affiliate announcements. We'll link to any of those posts in this thread as they come out.

 

As you might know, we use the "Your 2015" 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.

 

Please don't speculate here at this time, this is an anxious time for many on the farm, and unfortunately we're also going to learn about several player releases in the next few days, in addition to those players excited about their assignments.

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Mass Haas GOAT

Mass Haas

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Patrick Magee of the Biloxi Sun-Herald:

 

We won't really know how the field at MGM Park will play until it hosts a few games, but the dimensions should give batters a chance to clear the fence. It will be 326 feet down the right field and left field lines and 401 to center field. The humidity and a gulf breeze blowing in may make it a little harder for the Shuckers to hit homers in the new stadium.

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Mass Haas GOAT

Mass Haas

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From February 19th:

 

Earlier on Thursday, Jarret, who is at #19 on the Brewers mlb.com Pipeline rankings,

 

tweeted:

 

3 weeks post surgery today! Things are progressing very smoothly. Working hard to getting back on the field with my new teammates! #Brewers

 

Since we hadn't previously known about a surgery, Jarret was kind enough to briefly chat with my via direct message and gave me permission to copy his notes here:

 

Thanks (for the good wishes) I had to have a clean up on my left shoulder. A debridement. I had small fraying on the labrum. Looking to be game ready by All-Star break. Things are going well in my recovery process right now. Back throwing in another 5 weeks or so.

 

***

 

Not so great news, but note that Jarret is upbeat about how things are going. As we know, shoulder injuries are scary.

 

Martin provides a quick update here via Twitter.

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Jenkins5 First Round Pick

Jenkins5

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When judging prospects I like to look at age. For AA I think 23-24 year old season is the median age for a prospect. I like prospects to be between 21-23 at this level to rate them higher. Once you get to that 24-26 level, you're getting pretty old for the competition. Looking at the age for Biloxi players:

 

Pitching

1993

J. Lopez - Feb ( 22 All season)

 

1991

*Williams - July (23 most)

Magnifico - May (24 most)

Johnson - April (24 all)

Wagner - January (24 all)

 

1990

Popp - July (24 most)

Hall - June (24-25)

Barnes April (25 All)

 

Position Players

1994

Arcia - August (20 all)

Taylor - January ( 21 all)

 

1992

Reed- November (22 all)

Rivera -May (23 Most)

 

1991

Wren - April (24 all)

 

So Arcia, Taylor, Reed, Lopez, Rivera, Williams are all under 24 for the whole season which is impressive and good for a higher prospect rating.

 

A lot of college guys reach AA around the 23-24 range such as your Wagner, Johnsons, Williams and Magnifico's so they are still decent prospects. Only thing you'd hope for is these college arms would be advanced and move up quicker. That is why age still hurts prospect ratings here.

Proud member since 2003 (geez ha I was 14 then)

 

FORMERLY BrewCrewWS2008 and YoungGeezy don't even remember other names used

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Mass Haas GOAT

Mass Haas

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Four Photos at link - Who is with Orlando Arcia in the one mis-captioned photo?

 

Shuckers set for debut Thursday in Pensacola

By Patrick Magee, SunHerald.com

 

PENSACOLA, Fla.-- They may have what's essentially a 55-game road trip ahead of them, but the Biloxi Shuckers seemed a team anxious to get the season under way Wednesday in a practice at Pensacola Bayfront Stadium.

 

At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, the Shuckers start their inaugural season against the Pensacola Blue Wahoos. It will be the first contest in a five-game Southern League series.

 

The Shuckers donned their black and gray warm-ups that feature the team's new logo, a perturbed oyster holding a baseball bat.

 

Today's starting pitcher, Brooks Hall, gave the logo a thumbs up.

 

"It's really funny," Hall said with a grin. "It's got a little pink clam shell. I think it's pretty cool. It's a minor league team so it's going to be animated a little bit. It's kind of funny looking, but I like it."

 

Hall and the rest of his teammates seemed a laid back group as they went through practice Wednesday, and that approach could help them survive what will be a lengthy stretch spent away from their new home, MGM Park. The stadium is under construction on U.S. 90 across from the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi and likely won't host a home game until June 6 at the earliest.

 

It will be a chore for Shuckers manager Carlos Subero to keep his players focused on the task at hand, but he's got 15 years of experience as a minor league coach.

 

"We talk about it," Subero said. "The main thing is we don't use a 55-game schedule on the road as an excuse not to perform out there on the baseball field. We have to keep focused on the main thing, and that's development. We have to keep on playing hard and not focus on the things we can't control. Being on the road so long will be a new experience for all of us. We will learn and make adjustments to keep things fresh."

 

The Shuckers will play their first two originally planned home series on the road and then play three home series in Huntsville, Ala.

 

Hall, a South Carolina native, already has a few ideas on how to handle the monotony of hotel rooms and bus trips.

 

"It's really tough living on the road 50 days, but I want to make sure I have a fishing rod and my golf clubs so I can do something on off days," he said. "My dad will come to town and I'll play golf with the guys."

 

Hall will have the honor of being the first pitcher in Shuckers' history today.

 

"That's pretty cool if you think about it like that," Hall said.

 

The 6-foot-5 right-hander was the starting pitcher opening day for the Huntsville Stars last year, but an arm injury ended his season after five starts.

 

"He has the experience and he did it last year," Subero said of his reason for starting Hall. "We want to honor that. He's healthy and he had a good spring. Hopefully, he'll get off to a good start."

 

Hall is part of a pitching staff that may prove to be the backbone of the team.

 

"Our starting pitching is going to be really good," Hall said. "I would say we'll have the best starting rotation in (the Southern League). Our infield defense is going to be unreal. We can hit. We've got good hitters. We'll have to see when the season starts, but I think we have strengths everywhere."

 

The Shuckers will have plenty of speed in the outfield today with Kyle Wren in left, Tyrone Taylor in center and Michael Reed in right field. The three combined to steal 102 bases last season.

 

"That's three fast guys and we're all pretty good outfielders," Taylor said. "Hopefully, we'll do these pitchers good."

 

First baseman Nick Ramirez will be relied on to provide pop in the cleanup hole this season after hitting 19 homers last year and batting over .400 in spring training.

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Mass Haas GOAT

Mass Haas

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Beat this road trip: Minor-league team scheduled for 55-game trek

Associated Press

 

Pitcher Brooks Hall won't get on the bus without his noise-canceling headphones.

 

First baseman Nick Ramirez needs his PlayStation 4 and he makes sure there's plenty of caffeine on hand.

 

Most players making a living in minor-league baseball like Hall and Ramirez have a secret remedy or two for dealing with life on the road.

 

The Biloxi Shuckers are about to put those remedies to the test.

 

Over the next two months, Hall, Ramirez and the rest of the Milwaukee Brewers' Double-A affiliate will embark on a scheduled 55-game road trip, one of the longest in recent memory.

 

The team is piling on a bus for a mammoth road swing through the Southeast: Pensacola-Mobile-Jacksonville-Pensacola-Huntsville-Jackson, Mississippi-Jackson, Tennessee-Huntsville-Chattanooga-Birmingham.

 

"By the end of this thing," Ramirez said with a grin, "we might need a little break from each other."

 

Welcome to the current life of the Shuckers, who play in the Southern League.

 

The franchise moved from Huntsville, Ala., to Biloxi, Miss., in the offseason, lured partly by the promise of a $36 million stadium. It is expected to a beautiful facility — eventually.

 

Due to various issues, including construction delays, it probably won't be ready for two more months.

 

In the meantime, there will be a lot of bus rides, hotels and trips to Applebee's. The expected toll: 60 straight nights in a hotel, 55 games, nine different cities and some frayed nerves.

 

The journey begins Thursday night when the Shuckers play the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.

 

"It's a unique experience and we've just got to adjust as we go along," Biloxi manager Carlos Subero said. "It's a lot of games, so managing fatigue is going to be a feel thing for the coaching staff.

 

"Honestly, the thing I'm most concerned about is the lack of privacy. Sometimes you need it. You might see a few guys walking around the local mall trying to find a little alone time."

 

The extended road trip is a rare situation in professional baseball, though not entirely unprecedented. The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees — the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees — played their entire 144-game schedule away from home in 2012 because of stadium renovations. But the Yankees at least had a semi-permanent base in Rochester, NY, where they played 37 "home" games that season.

 

The Shuckers won't have that luxury.

 

They do, however, have Buck Rogers.

 

No, not the fictional astronaut traveling through space in the late 1970s, but the team's general manager who is in his 19th season working in minor-league baseball.

 

"What we're trying to do is make sure all these guys have to do is concentrate on baseball," Rogers said. "It's not an ideal situation, but we want to make the best of it."

 

The Shuckers' trip will be all road games from Thursday until June 6, when the home opener in downtown Biloxi is tentatively scheduled. Even that date isn't etched in stone.

 

Video updates on the team's website show a stadium that's far from completed. A rainy spring could delay construction even further.

 

Nobody wants to think about that.

 

"Believe me, we want to be in our stadium as soon as possible," Rogers said.

 

There have been a few long Major League Baseball road trips, though nothing this extreme.

 

Of course, MLB players get a big-league salary to deal with road life. The lowest-paid Shuckers are subsisting on $1,500 a month and $25 per day in meal money while on road trips.

 

By contrast, major leaguers get $100.50 daily per diem and their minimum salary is $507,500 this season.

 

Rogers flew to Arizona to the Brewers' spring training facility last week to try and answer questions from players, who were understandably anxious about the unique situation.

 

The GM said the Southern League's leadership, along with other general managers across the league, have been gracious about helping the Shuckers when possible. The team has arranged to have players' personal laundry done once in each city and Rogers has secured parking at a local hotel in Biloxi so that players can store their cars.

 

The team is also paying for players who are bringing families to have their own hotel room instead of the usual arrangement of two players to a room.

 

Subero said the most important thing is that the players don't allow the nuisance of a long road trip interfere with their development as baseball players.

 

"If for some reason we lose 10 straight games, it's because we're playing bad baseball, not because we've been on the road," Subero said.

 

If it's any consolation, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre actually won its division during its nomadic 2012 season, finishing with an 84-60 record.

 

Shuckers pitcher Austin Ross, who is in his fifth season in the Brewers' organization, said he doesn't expect the trip to be that bad. His secret on the road: A few books to take his mind off the day-to-day grind.

 

"You get used to packing light after a few years playing minor-league ball," Ross said. "The good thing is we're able to see the light at the end of the tunnel and we know the new stadium is going to be great."

 

Until then, there are always those noise-canceling headphones.

 

"I'm telling you, that's the secret," the 24-year-old Hall said laughing. "Those things are legit."

 

http://a1.fssta.com/content/dam/fsdigital/fscom/mlb/images/2015/04/09/040915-MLB-Game-Road-Trip-PI-CD.vadapt.955.high.0.jpg

 

Photo by Michael Spooneybarger, AP

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Article link includes a Kyle Wren photo gallery

 

Following trade from Braves, Wren fits in well with Shuckers

Outfielder is son of former Braves GM

By Patrick Magee, sunherald.com

 

Biloxi Shuckers leadoff man Kyle Wren is not your typical third-year minor leaguer.

 

The 23-year-old outfielder can talk big picture when analyzing the Milwaukee Brewers organization or nearly any other team.

 

He gets that ability honestly.

 

He is the son of Frank Wren, who served as the general manager for the Atlanta Braves from 2007-14. Frank Wren worked with the Braves for 15 years and served as the general manager of the Baltimore Orioles in 1999. He also worked in the front office with the Montreal Expos and Florida Marlins.

 

Kyle Wren joined his dad with the Braves when he was drafted by the team in 2013 out of Georgia Tech. He played last season with the Double-A Mississippi Braves in Pearl.

 

When Frank Wren was let go by the Atlanta Braves in September, his son wasn't with the organization much longer. He was traded to the Brewers in November in a move that didn't come as a complete shock.

 

"Obviously, when my dad got fired it crossed my mind that it could come up that I'd be traded," Kyle Wren said. "I had a lot of really good friends with the Braves so even though the situation was a bit awkward with my dad being fired, with all the animosity that brings, I kind of put it all aside, put my head down and said I was going to play."

 

Now the starting left fielder for the Double-A Shuckers, Kyle Wren feels that he's landed in a good position in the Brewers' organization.

 

"I think they do everything right," he said. "They develop talent from within and that's a sign of a great organization. They're not the Yankees or Dodgers. They can't buy all the most expensive free agents out there so they really have to put value in players in the minor league system. In the opening day lineup, they had a lot of guys they developed. As a minor league player, you're proud of that because one day you could be up there. I couldn't be happier with how they've treated me."

 

Frank Wren is still under contract with the Braves so he's got more time to spend time with family these days. He was in Pensacola, Fla., last week to watch his son play.

 

"He's been in baseball over 30 years," Kyle Wren said. "He's trying to decide if wants to get back in or if he wants to pursue other business endeavors. I think he's really enjoying having time off to come see me play and spend time with my brothers."

 

Kyle Wren has started three out of the Shuckers' four games this season and is batting .250.

 

He's one piece of a speedy outfield. He stole 46 bases last year. Center fielder Tyrone Taylor stole 23 and right fielder Michael Reed swiped 33.

 

Biloxi manager Carlos Subero, who was on the staff with the Huntsville Stars last year, faced Kyle Wren when he was tearing up the base paths for the Mississippi Braves a year ago.

 

"He played against us very well and that's one of the reasons he's here," Subero said. "When they asked about a potential trade, we didn't hesitate. He's the typical leadoff hitter that works deep counts, bunts, runs well and plays a good outfield. He brings speed at the top."

 

After drawing close to the 50-steal mark last season, Kyle Wren believes he could clear that milestone this year.

 

"I think it's definitely possible," he said. "Last year, I was well on my way to 50-plus. I went through some struggles. It's a lot like hitting. You get in grooves. If you're not on base for a while, you can get out of the groove. That's what happened to me. I try not to think much about the numbers. I let the game dictate what I can do. If I have an opportunity to steal a base, I'll steal."

 

The focus for Kyle Wren this season is to improve on his on-base percentage after reaching base 35 percent of the time last year.

 

He's only had four games with the team, but the outfielder is upbeat about the prospects for the Shuckers (3-1) as they continue their 55-game road trip with a 5:05 PM doubleheader at Mobile today.

 

"It's going to be a great ball club," Kyle Wren said. "If you look at the team on paper, which means nothing, it's a great team. There's a chance some guys get called up or sent down, but we have a chance to challenge for the championship. That's a legitimate thing. I haven't seen all the teams, but I think we probably have the best team in the Southern League."

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Mass Haas GOAT

Mass Haas

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Shuckers' Arcia seems destined for big leagues

Patrick Magee, SunHerald.com

 

The Biloxi Shuckers will eventually produce players who become familiar names in Major League Baseball, and there's one position player on the current roster who appears best suited at the moment to make the jump to the game's highest level.

 

Shortstop Orlando Arcia continues to set the pace for the rest of the Shuckers with his performance at the plate and his play in the field.

 

It was obvious from the outset that Arcia was due a breakout season. In the season opener, he went 3-for-4 with three RBIs with all three of his hits coming to different parts of the infield, including a double to deep right field.

 

He was sparkling in every aspect of the game.

 

Arcia won't turn 21 until August, but he is playing at a level well beyond what you would expect out of most 20-year-olds.

 

Shuckers manager Carlos Subero sees something special in the native of Venezuela and it goes beyond the basic fundamentals of the game.

 

"An important part of his game is the way he goes about his business," Subero said. "That gives him in an edge in everything he does.

 

"He plays at a high level of intensity. He's smart. That's a rare combination with high-level intensity. As a 20-year-old, he plays at a high level of intensity and he's passionate about the game. But he's making good decisions."

 

Among his teammates, Arcia has quickly earned respect.

 

"He's a really good talent, great arm," Shuckers pitcher Brooks Hall said. "He's young, fiery, loves to play and he has fun out there."

 

Arcia batted .407 in April before having his batting average dip to .389 following a 1-for-6 night at the plate in a 4-2 loss in 14 innings to Mobile Friday night.

 

Even on a night when Arcia wasn't at his best at the plate, he forced the game to extra innings in the ninth by knocking in one run and scoring the other to tie it up at 2-2.

 

He's shown that he has pop in his bat to all fields and that should only improve as he matures as a player. He hit seven home runs in 211 at-bats in the Venezuelan Winter League in 2014.

 

It's Arcia's well-rounded game that makes him arguably the top prospect in the Milwaukee Brewers system.

 

"He can bunt a baseball, at the same time he can hit a ball out of the park," Subero said. "He can make the spectacular play and he can make the routine play. He can pick off the runner. He's just trying to beat you somewhere in the game. If you give him a little window, it seems Arcia is always in the right spot to beat you. I think that's a thing big leaguers have. Hopefully he'll continue to develop and realize his dream." Arcia already has a good idea of what it takes to reach the majors thanks to his older brother, Oswaldo Arcia, who is the right fielder for the Minnesota Twins.

 

If Orlando Arcia follows his brother's path to the big leagues, he could arrive in Milwaukee soon. Oswaldo Arcia, who has 36 homers in 775 MLB at-bats, was 21 when he was called up to Minnesota in 2013.

 

Jean Segura has done an adequate job as the Brewers' starting shortstop and was a National League All-Star reserve in 2013, but he took a step back with a .246 batting average in 2014.

 

With the Brewers off to a miserable 5-18 start, players like Orlando Arcia could have an easier path to the big leagues.

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Mass Haas

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Hall bringing the heat in Biloxi

By Scott Adamson, independentmail.com

 

Photos at link

 

Brooks Hall had plenty of reason for optimism when he suited up for the Huntsville Stars in 2014.

 

The T.L. Hanna High School product — and fourth round selection of the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2009 Major League Baseball draft — was entering his second season in the Double-A Southern League, and he felt good mentally as the new campaign began.

 

Physically? There was some pain in his right elbow but he was confident he could work through it.

 

Making five starts, the right-handed pitcher logged a 2-1 record and 2.77 earned run average, securely establishing himself in the club's rotation.

 

But the optimism — and the opportunity to continue his upward trajectory in the minor league ranks — was derailed after just 26 innings.

 

"Last year I got shut down after my fifth start," Hall said. "I was battling elbow issues so I got it checked out and it was a couple bone spurs in my elbow bothering me. I knew once I had surgery I wouldn't make it back for the season because they weren't going to push my recovery."

 

The 6-5, 235-pounder then put all his efforts into getting his arm back into "pitching shape."

 

"Rehab was basically a lot of strengthening the forearm and tricep," he said. "And I would do a lot of shoulder exercises and long static stretches to get my elbow to straighten again because after surgery it wanted to lock up. I did lower body workouts almost four days a week during that time period rehabbing."

 

All Hall could do was work and wait as the season went on without him.

 

A year later, though, the wait appears to be worth it.

 

The Huntsville franchise — relocated to Biloxi and re-christened the Shuckers — is one of the hottest teams in the league and Hall is one of its best pitchers, boasting a 4-0 record and 1.32 ERA in six starts.

 

Hall got the call for the Shuckers on Opening Day and quickly established himself as the ace of the staff, getting the decision in a 4-0 win over Pensacola. He allowed three hits, two walks and recorded five strikeouts in five innings.

 

"Very well pitched game," Shuckers manager Carlos Subero told local media following the team's inaugural victory. "Brooks Hall was solid."

 

The Anderson native even got to show off his offensive prowess by hitting a home run last month against Jacksonville, his first career round-tripper as a pro.

 

Earlier in the week he was named the Brewers Minor League Pitcher of the Month for April after going 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA (22 innings pitched, 3 earned runs) over four starts in the month with five walks and 18 strikeouts.

 

A hint of things to come this spring came when Hall played for Glendale of the Arizona Fall League.

 

Although the primary goal was to simply get back on the mound, Hall managed a 1-0 record, 3.38 ERA and 13 strikeouts over 18.2 innings.

 

"I think fall ball was a great time for me to get my feet wet again and pitch," he said. "Missing the whole season is tough to deal with so it was nice to throw in the Arizona Fall League and compete again."

 

Hall says his pitching style hasn't changed since the surgery. If anything, he has more control.

 

"I would say my pitching style is pretty much the same," Hall said. "Just have a lot sharper pitches now. I'm still using my fastball in the 90-94 range and using my changeup, which is around 78-83. I'm a fastball/ changeup pitcher … just try to change speeds and change eye levels with my fastball to use my changeup down in the zone.

 

"I use my slider 83-86 for an early strike in the count and out pitch."

 

Before moving up to Double-A ball Hall pitched for the Brewer rookie league team in 2010, Wisconsin of the Single-A Midwest League in 2011 and Brevard County of the High-A Florida State League in 2012-2013, which led to the call-up by Huntsville.

 

Hall was named to the FSL North Division All-Star Team in 2013 but didn't play since he was en route to his new Double-A squad.

 

Hall was added to the Brewer's 40-man roster prior to the 2014 season but in March was outrighted to Triple-A Colorado Springs so the parent club could add veteran pitcher Francisco Rodriguez.

 

So far in 2015 Hall has gone 34 innings with 25 hits, 5 earned runs and 29 Ks, and is anxious to show how late into a game he can go.

 

"I feel great physically," he said. "Everything feels strong but yeah, I definitely could go into late innings. My pitch count has been down this season but it's early in the season so we aren't going as late as we would like to."

 

While Hall has been in the spotlight due to his success on the bump, the team itself has also garnered national attention.

 

Due to construction delays, the Shuckers' home field — MGM Park — won't open until June 6.

 

That means the team will spend its first 55 games on the road.

 

Hall said he and his teammates have made the best of the situation.

 

"Yeah, the whole 55 games on the road is pretty tough but we're managing it well," he said. "I have my golf clubs with me so I golf as much as I can. But the best thing about it is our team has great chemistry and we pretty much do everything together. We bought TVs for the bus so we play video games while we travel on the road late at night."

 

Hall will be back on the bump Monday when the Shuckers take on the Jackson Generals in Jackson, Tennessee.

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