Your 2016 Biloxi Shuckers

[Mass Haas]

We will begin to see some formal minor league roster announcements soon. 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 4/7!

 

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 2016" 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.

[Mass Haas]

A unique situation this year, as with the Brewers-Biloxi exhibition game planned, we should get an early indication of who will be on the Shuckers' squad to open the AA season.

 

Now, is it possible a player could be moved to AAA or High-A from that trip based on last minute issues or decisions?

 

Sure, but all things considered, the Biloxi roster may be the first to be fully revealed this year.

[Mass Haas]

Looks like veteran RH reliever Jaye Chapman will begin 2016 with Biloxi (post).

[Mass Haas]

All kinds of tidbits coming in from your Brewers Twitter beat guy follows, such as this one from Adam McCalvy.

 

Others here (with the big-league Brewers today) & presumably Biloxi-bound for start of season: Javier Betancourt, Brandon Macias, Victor Roache, Hobbs Johnson, Austin Ross.

[monty57]

Also from Adam McCalvy's tweets:

 

"Jacob Nottingham is also making the trip with the Brewers and will begin the year at Double-A Biloxi with Brett Phillips."

 

I'm making the 15 hour road trip to Biloxi tonight to watch the Brewer/Shucker game on Saturday, so I'm pretty exited to see the kids play.

[Mudville9]

Man, that Biloxi team look just as good as last years, even without Arcia.

[Outlander]

Good to see that Biloxi should have a quality team again and that the Brewers will have an exhibition game there. It would be nice if Biloxi and the Brewers can maintain a healthy relationship with each other so the situation at AAA doesn't happen at the AA level any time soon.

[kalle8]

https://www.facebook.com/garrett.cooper.9?fref=ts

 

Garrett Cooper heading to Biloxi

[monty57]

T Archer

P Berberet

J Betancourt

J Bradley

J Chapman

G Cooper

D Gagnon

R Garcia

J Hader

A Houser

H Johnson

B Macias

C McFarland

J Nottingham

N Orf

J Ortega

Steve Peterson

B Phillips

N Ramirez

V Roache

J Salas

N Shaw

T Taylor

D Tillman

M Viramontes

W Wang

K Wren

 

From the exhibition game guide. Also, Kirk N beat out Presley for 5th OF

[Jenkins5]

Well Clint Coulter fed to the sharks, cross him off prospect lists. In Biloxi he could have thrived instead they threw him back were his bat doesn't stand a chance.... He has until mid May to hit his way out of there before the air is to thick and dense to travel. Any hitter with lift in swing is doomed in BC come June. Throw in Houser, Phillips, & Hader.... Brewers love for AAAA players over prospects at AAA is always super annoying and only hampers the development of younger prospects. Sure Biloxi should just smoke competition again this year but disappointing.

[monty57]

Wren starting over Taylor confuses me.

[reillymcshane]

The Brewers should have the following guys at AA/AAA in the OF playing every day:

 

C. Coulter

T. Taylor

V. Roache

M. Reed

B. Phillips

 

I really don't care that much where they want to play them - AA or AAA - but those guys need to be in the line up everyday. And not at DH - everyone of those guys can benefit from playing the OF on a regular basis. You still have one spot open for Wren, plus whomever else the team wants to keep fresh.

 

I don't like keeping down Coulter just so guys like Guez, Peterson, Young and Presley can get ABs. These guys aren't part of our future - having them around doesn't make a lot of sense if they are blocking other guys.

 

That's just my opinion. Perhaps the club really thinks Coulter needs to repeat BC - but I think the guy would have benefited from the promotion.

[monty57]

This is the only game I've ever attended where a person starts the game for one team and then comes in as a replacement for the opposing team.

[ctmyers]

This is the only game I've ever attended where a person starts the game for one team and then comes in as a replacement for the opposing team.

 

Did Jason Lane get a pinch hit home run as a coach?

[brewmann04]

Header Houser Johnson Salas Wang nice rotation

[bkrause2]

Chris mentioned during today's broadcast that the rotation to start out the season will be Hader, Salas, Houser, Wang, Ortega. He said that Hobbs Johnson will be working out of the bullpen.

[monty57]

This is the only game I've ever attended where a person starts the game for one team and then comes in as a replacement for the opposing team.

 

Did Jason Lane get a pinch hit home run as a coach?

 

Yes, that was awesome!

 

Braun, Santana, Phillips and Nottingham also hit home runs.

[Noche]

Javier Salas must be a new regime fav. His issue in college was command. The arm and stuff are there. Exciting to see him already in AA rotation. If Wang or Ortega could just bump their stuff up a half a grade, they would be MLB rotation fodder. Early scouting reports will be important for them. Hader is the gem of the group without a doubt. He is a good bet to no-hit someone if he hangs in AA for long.

 

I will keep my opinions on Coulter's prospect status on hold until all of this becomes official. Gotta figure he comes up as soon as one of the AA outfielders is bumped up. Might only be a few weeks or a month. He was by far the deadliest hitter from the BC lineup last year.

 

I fully expect Betancourt to put up a .290/.340/.400 Arcia-lite type line. Cooper, Orf, McFarland and Ramirez will be spitting the AB's at 3B/1B/2B. I assume Roache will DH a lot. Hoping Macias is little more than a glorified coach at this point. Wren is kind of forgotten but he is a MLB bench type with a contact bat and speed.

 

This is a heck of a team.

[paul253]

Little surprised to see both Taylor and Phillips repeating. Are the Brewers being too safe/passive with their roster assignments?

[MadThinker88]

Little surprised to see both Taylor and Phillips repeating. Are the Brewers being too safe/passive with their roster assignments?

 

Not surprised by Phillips. He spent most of last season in High A ball so I would expect a start in AA and if performing well and there is a spot in AAA come June 1, he then moves to Colorado Springs..

 

I am surprised at Nottingham starting in AA. He split last season between low and high A ball. Kinda of figured he was High A bound to start and likely heading to Biloxi in June...

[DHonks]

Noche, how much stuff does Wang need? He was throwing 95 regularly in the majors, and showed the makings of several very good offerings. The problems are with command, control, and execution

[DHonks]

Also, what a messed up AA schedule. I was looking at possibly trying to take in a weekend in Biloxi with some baseball, golf, and gambling, and I see that they are only home for 1 weekend in the month. The Southern League also does some weird stuff where teams begin road trips on Saturdays??? Maybe June or July is possible, but I was thinking May would be perfect

[Noche]

Noche, how much stuff does Wang need? He was throwing 95 regularly in the majors, and showed the makings of several very good offerings. The problems are with command, control, and execution

 

More recent reports have him working 91-93 as a starter. Jorge Lopez made the "stuff" jump as he used to be 90-92 and is now 93-95. Wang is a decent bet to see his stuff tick up slightly but probably not like that. Is this the year?

[Mass Haas]

The Southern League also does some weird stuff where teams begin road trips on Saturdays???

 

Since every Southern League series (well, 95% of them) is a five-gamer (to cut down on travel), yes, series can start on pretty much any day of the week.

[Mass Haas]

Saturday notes via Marcus at Miller Park Prospects