Your 2017 Helena and Maryvale Brewers

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO via KULR TV: First, an explanation of what the exhibition game below was about

 

***

 

Story below includes a photo gallery, including a scary moment for OF Jose Gomez (seemingly OK, though); we also learn that 19-year-old Venezuelan RHP Harold Chirino is up from the Dominican League, corner infielder Gabriel Garciais up from Maryvale, as is catcher Payton Henry. RHP Karsen Lindell is back for a 2nd go-round.

 

Helena Senators enjoy exhibition with the pros

Erik C. Anderson, Helena Independent Record

[Mass Haas]

Additional photos -- no identifying captions, but we may go back up and match numbers to names later on.

 

First one's a cutie...

[Mass Haas]

Brewers return to Helena

John Riley, KTVH

 

The boys of summer are back in town and preparing to kick off the new season Monday.

 

The Helena Brewers held a media event today at Kindrick Legion Field to reintroduce the baseball club to the big sky state.

 

Returning players, coaches, and staff welcomed the new faces to the team and fielded questions from reporters.

 

Pitcher Michael Petersen said he’s glad to be back with the great group of guys he plays with.

 

But Petersen says his favorite part is just being back in Montana.

 

“When you leave Phoenix and it’s just dessert and boring and hot,” said Petersen. Adding, “No offense to anyone who’s [from Phoenix], but when you get to come out here and enjoy the mountains and the nice weather it’s fantastic.”

 

Petersen also wants to thank the fans and community for all their support and hopes they come cheer the team on at their season opener Monday June 19th against the Great Falls Voyagers.

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO: Exhbition game (nameless)

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO via KFBB: Includes a Chad McClanahan appearance with quotes

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO: More from Helena (RHP Karsen Lindell and one of the two Pitching Coaches, Rolando Valles

[Mass Haas]

Helena Brewers roster has six players back from last summer

Erik C. Anderson, Helena Independent Record

 

Yerald Martinez photo at link

 

A few familiar faces will be back at Kindrick Legion Field this summer.

 

As of now, the Helena Brewers' Opening Day roster contains six players from last year’s team.

 

They are pitchers Rodrigo Benoit, Juan Diaz and Karsen Lindell, and catcher Yoel Vasquez, infielder Franly Mallen and outfielder Yerald Martinez.

 

Back on the diamond for the Brewers this season, Benoit went 0-3 last year with a 7.23 ERA. The 6-foot-2, 170-pound righty played three seasons in the Dominican Summer League prior to his stint in Helena. He comes from Santiago, Dominican Republic.

 

Diaz had a short amount of work last season in Helena as he split time between Montana and Arizona. He pitched 11 2/3 innings here to put up a 3.09 ERA. The 6-foot, 180-pound pitcher is a right-hander from La Vega, Dominican Republic.

 

Lindell of West Linn, Oregon, returns for his second season with the club. In 2016, the 6-3, 190-pound pitcher had a 1-4 record with an 8.89 ERA as he battled through nagging injuries. This season he looks to stay healthy and make an impact on the diamond.

 

Vasquez, from La Guaira, Venezuela, split duties between Helena and Arizona last season, appearing in 10 games in the Queen City and three down south. He had four hits in 33 at-bats last season. He is 6-1 and 180 pounds.

 

Mallen played second base for 2016’s club, appearing in 50 games. He hit .279 with a slugging percentage of .327. Mallen, of Sabana Grande de Palenque, Dominican Republic, is 6-1, 171. Mallen also appeared in a Helena Brewers uniform one other time, playing in three games in Helena during the 2015 season.

 

Martinez played right field for the Brewers last season. He hit .198 and had a slugging percentage of .385. The product of Santo Domingo Centro, Dominican Republic, spent two season in the Dominican Summer Leagues before joining the Brewers organization in 2015, when he played in Arizona. His 10 home runs were second best last year.

 

The Brewers’ roster is not finalized, and a few of the MLB draft picks were expected to complete physicals this weekend and be available for Monday’s season opener against the Great Falls Voyagers.

[Mass Haas]

Brewers back, ready for 2017 season

Erik C. Anderson, Helena Independent Record

 

Professional baseball is back in the Queen City.

 

The Helena Brewers kick off their season against the Great Falls Voyagers at 7:05 PM Monday (8:05 Central). Brewers manager Nestor Corredor is back at the helm for his second season in charge of the club and seventh season total working with the organization. Corredor is intimately familiar with Kindrick Legion Field, having been there for two seasons as a player -- once as a catcher in 2004 and another time as a pitcher in 2008.

 

“Last year we try to know the league and how it works,” Corredor said. “This year it’s a place to play hard and try to hit. We have really young guys. We want to see if we can put it together and bring a competitive team. Let’s see. We have a lot of young guys.”

 

“It is what it is. I have a good feeling about these guys.”

 

The oldest player currently on the roster is 25-year-old pitcher Braulio Ortiz.

 

NOTE: 6'7", 253 lb. RHP Braulio Ortiz is a Dominican native in his 8th year of pro ball. He was released on May 30th from the High-A level by Cincinnati. The Reds had signed him in May of 2016 after his January 2016 release by his original club, the White Sox. One would imagine Ortiz could be a Timber Rattler before too long, given his advanced age and status. In his career, Ortiz has struck out 300 but walked 191 in 267.1 innings. He is certainly the most experienced player we can remember to suit up for Helena in quite some time. -- Jim (Mass Haas)

 

There are seven returning Brewers from last season’s team, including pitchers Rodrigo Benoit, Juan Diaz, Karsen Lindell and Michael Petersen, catcher Yoel Vasquez, infielder Franly Mallen and outfielder Yerald Martinez. The continuity from last season could pay dividends for the Brewers, who are looking for their first Pioneer League championship since 2010.

 

“It’s a big help, for example (Franly Mallen) knows how the ball goes,” Corredor said. “He can help (Antonio) Pinero, the really young guy. (Yerald) Martinez has some idea how they pitch in this league, so that can help some of the new guys.”

 

NOTE #2: This will be the age 18 season for switch-hitting SS/3B Antonio Pinero. The Venezuelan has only 35 DSL games under his belt. Pinero was one of three players the Red Sox had to release after improper signings, the Brewers snapped him up mid-season last year. A surprise here in Helena, rather than Maryvale. -- Jim

 

Those familiar faces at Kindrick will certainly help defensively, and perhaps nowhere more so than on the mound.

 

“The main thing is going to be the pitching side, with Benoit coming back, Lindell, Petersen, all those guys need to set the tone for the new guys and try to tell them how the hitters are in this league,” Corredor said.

 

Lindell, of West Linn, Oregon, is hoping to use this season as one to show his capability. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound right hander spent a portion of last season dealing with nagging injuries. He feels healthy now after taking some time off to rest and recover.

 

“Working on small things here and there,” Lindell said. “Making sure I repeat everything the same, not have any increased injury.”

 

The 20-year-old Lindell is excited to play under Corredor for a second consecutive year.

 

“It’s awesome,” Lindell said. “He’s a very good manager. He has a lot of fun with it. He knows when to get serious and when to help. It’s very good. I’m very excited for it.”

 

The Brewers expect to have another third baseman and a few pitchers ready for action by Monday night via the MLB Draft. In total, the Brewers made 41 selections in the 2017 first-year player draft. Some of those faces could shift in and out of Helena as the season unwinds.

 

While it’s impossible to tell early on, fans may never know when they are going to see the next future Hall of Famer coming through Helena. Names like Ryne Sandberg and Gary Sheffield decorate the paneling around Kindrick, serving as a reminder. It wasn’t too long ago current big leaguer Ryan Braun donned a Helena Brewers jersey.

 

The Brewers organization is the advanced rookie ball league, where young prospects play during the summer. Foreign players may move down to the Dominican Summer League, where the Brewers operate a team. The Arizona League Brewers are a step below the rookie ball players in Helena. The Brewers organization has an A affiliate in Wisconsin, A-advanced in North Carolina, a Double-A team in Biloxi and Triple-A in Colorado.

 

The ladder to climb to the big leagues is tall, but it starts in earnest for some players here in Helena.

 

NOTE #3: Clipped from this article was this line:

 

The youngest Brewer is 19-year-old pitcher Juan Diaz.

 

Now, the Brewers' media guide lists RHP Juan Diaz as 24 years old, so we'll trust that is correct.

[And That]

Players who are not on the Helena roster who, if healthy, I thought would be:

 

C Carlos Leal

RHP Milton Gomez

RHP Scott Serigstad

RHP Nash Walters

LHP Christian Trent

LHP Drake Owenby

LHP Jake Drossner

RHP Jake Smith

RHP Matt Smith

RHP Dalton Brown

LHP Blake Fox

[paul253]

Can we expect Gilbert Lara to be demoted back down to Helena?

[CheeseheadInQC]

Players who are not on the Helena roster who, if healthy, I thought would be:

 

C Carlos Leal

RHP Milton Gomez

RHP Scott Serigstad

RHP Nash Walters

LHP Christian Trent

LHP Drake Owenby

LHP Jake Drossner

RHP Jake Smith

RHP Matt Smith

RHP Dalton Brown

LHP Blake Fox

 

I've got a feeling injuries are involved with a couple of these. If I remember correctly I think Owenby and Fox were on the list of players who never appeared in any of the spring games.

[Mass Haas]

Cool tidbit -- Catcher Charlie Meyer signed a contract with the Brewers after serving as a bullpen catch in Brevard County (High-A) last season.

[ewitkows]

Can we expect Gilbert Lara to be demoted back down to Helena?

I don't think so. He's hitting the month of june on a team that isn't hitting well at the moment. He's hitting .271 for the month and they are going to give him every chance to succeed.

[Mass Haas]

Assigned to Helena, nice new feature article on 21st round RHP Dylan File.

[And That]

After tonight's flurry of Helena/AZL roster assignments (detailed in transactions thread), Helena is two players under the league limit of 35. The AZL club is four players under the limit.

 

So six total roster spots available in rookie ball.

 

There are 19 unsigned draft picks, including Caden Lemons who has not officially signed with the Brewers.

[Mass Haas]

Add one more to the UDFA pile - catcher Kyle Beam from Old Dominion.

 

How awesome is this story!

 

***

 

Beam signs with Milwaukee Brewers

By Ben Mitchell, Hood River (Oregon) News

 

PHOTO at the link

 

Monday morning, Kyle Beam woke up and reported to his first day of work at Beam Excavating and A-1 Septic Tank Service.

 

By the end of the day, Beam had a new job: professional baseball player.

 

Beam, a 2013 graduate of Hood River Valley High School and a former standout on the Eagles’ varsity baseball team, signed a professional contract as an undrafted free agent with the Milwaukee Brewers this week, a Major League Baseball (MLB) club located in Milwaukee, Wis., realizing a lifelong dream to play pro ball. He’ll start off competing in the Arizona League, a rookie league in the minors down in Phoenix, Ariz. His first game is this Saturday.

 

“I’m really excited, obviously; it’s something I’ve been working for my entire life,” he said early Wednesday evening via phone, having landed a couple hours before in Phoenix after the Brewers whisked him away from Hood River. “I couldn’t have done it without the support of the community, my coaches, and my family.”

 

Before that phone call, however, Beam thought his dream was over.

 

Beam just finished up his senior season at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., where he played Division I ball for the Monarchs and majored in criminal justice. In his two years at ODU (Beam transferred after playing his freshman and sophomore years at Lane Community College in Eugene), Beam, a catcher, started 54 games, attaining a batting average of .222 and tallying 30 RBIs and seven home runs. In his junior year, Beam recorded a .984 fielding percentage with 100 putouts and 27 assists.

 

After wrapping up his college baseball career this spring, he watched “bits and pieces” of the MLB draft, which started June 12, and waited, unsure of whether he would be taken or not. His name never came up on the board, but Beam took it in stride.

 

“I thought I was done and I accepted that,” he said. “I was moving forward, I got a job, and I was blessed enough to get another opportunity.”

 

Beam moved back home to Hood River with his parents Mark and Terri Beam and got a job working as a laborer at his cousin Chad’s excavation and septic service business. His first day of work was scheduled to be June 19. On Friday, June 16, though, Beam said he received a call from the Brewers, asking if he was still healthy and still interested in playing. He said yes to both, and the Brewers requested he fill out some medical forms first for the club to review.

 

On Monday, still without a contract, Beam went to work, easing into his new job with an emergency pumping of a septic tank first thing in the morning. When he got off work, the Brewers called back, saying his medical forms were in order, and offered to sign him.

 

“I had a one-day glimpse of the real world,” he joked.

 

Crystal Beam, who operates the business with her husband Chad, was amused at how Kyle’s day started compared to how it ended.

 

“I think it’s so hilarious that night he got the call. Can you imagine that?” she said with a laugh.

 

Chad noted Kyle “got broke in well” his first day with the septic emergency, among other duties, and Crystal also characterized him as a hard worker at the company, even if only for the one day.

 

“He’s a darn good worker; I told him and I told Chad that it’s part of God’s plan. He’s going to appreciate every day he walks onto the ball field. We’ll miss him, though,” she said, and added, “We’re hiring!”

 

Mark said his son was back in town for about a week before he got the call, which he said was a pleasant surprise after the draft.

 

“It’s kind of a surreal feeling, because he’s worked his whole life to get that call… when you see people work so hard for something and it finally comes, it makes it all worth it,” he said.

 

Before professional baseball and college baseball, in high school, Beam started all four years (2010-13) for the Eagles, playing the same position he did in college (he also played football in high school). While the HRV baseball program was not as successful then as it has been the past few seasons (the team never won a conference title or advanced past the first round of the 5A state tournament during Beam’s tenure), Beam shined on the Eagles’ roster. Despite a failure to advance in the playoffs, other coaches around the state took notice: Beam was named First Team All-State catcher his junior and senior years and was named the 5A Player of the Year his final season. In his senior campaign, Beam recorded an absurd batting average of .506, racking up seven home runs and 34 RBIs.

 

Beam joins the list of several local athletes who have signed with Major League Baseball teams over the years, most notably Jeff Lahti, a 1975 alum who won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982, and Hood River High School alum Bobby Gene Smith, who played for several MLB clubs throughout the 1950s and 60s (Smith passed away in 2015).

 

For HRV Baseball Head Coach Erich Harjo, however, Beam is the first athlete he’s coached who has signed with an MLB team. He is not surprised that the Brewers wanted Beam, calling him the best player he’s ever coached, noticing his talent from the beginning.

 

“Awesome, it feels really good,” he said about the signing of his former player, who is also his neighbor in Hood River. “I’m just happy for him and happy for his family. “This guy has pro material written all over him. I saw that his freshman and sophomore year (of high school).”

 

Harjo remembers Beam as a “very fundamental-type player,” a power hitter who was particularly strong on defense, noting, “In my mind, I haven’t seen a better throwing arm on a catcher in the state of Oregon in my tenure.” He also remembers someone who never relied solely on his talent, a player who put a lot of sweat equity into developing his game.

 

“He’s just a great kid too… he deserves everything he gets. He puts in the time and the work and has an extremely good work ethic,” Harjo noted.

 

The work that Beam has to put in is far from over, of course. He’ll be among other young, hungry players wanting to prove themselves, with the ultimate goal of getting called up to “The Show.” Beam doesn’t know what will happen, other than that he will try his hardest to be one of those athletes who get that call.

 

“If you move up, you move up. If you don’t you don’t… it’s really tough, super competitive,” he explained. “I’ll give it everything I’ve got.”

[Jenkins5]

When does Arizona start?

[WV Brew]

When does Arizona start?

 

I believe it's today vs. the Diamondbacks.

[Mass Haas]

When does Arizona start?

 

I believe it's today vs. the Diamondbacks.

 

Yup, have included that date in the Daily Menu of the Link Report for several days now.

 

We'll have the new Link Report up Saturday afternoon, it's a 9:00 PM Central start time at the Diamondbacks' complex, you'll be able to follow the box/log then.

[WV Brew]

I see Tyrone Taylor is listed on Arizona's roster as a rehab guy. One of only 3 outfielders at the moment.

[Mass Haas]

Carroll & Diaz will be this years college Helena stars. Loved the Diaz pick & surprised he fell to 29th round. Was on of top catchers in the country. Carroll continues to play like you'd hope & expect as advanced college bat

 

VIDEO: Catcher Brent Diaz highlights and quote

[Jenkins5]

I see Tyrone Taylor is listed on Arizona's roster as a rehab guy. One of only 3 outfielders at the moment.

 

Luetz, Ward Jr., and Castillo signing would help a lot, hopefully at least 2 sign

[Mass Haas]

Nick Egnatuk eager to start professional career

by Dan Zielinski III, the3rdmanin.com

 

Includes quick quotes from Maryvale...

[Mass Haas]

Wow this kid oozes leadership -- check out the video at the link:

 

Why Brent Diaz decided to go pro over playing his senior season at Tech

Cory Diaz, NewsStar.com (Monroe, Louisiana)

[Mass Haas]

Dedication to Hard Work Makes Zach Clark Perfect Brewers Prospect

Robert Pannier, minorleaguesportsreport.com