Article: Brewers Minor League Link Report (7/2): Excitement Aplenty in (Nearly) All Locales

[Mass Haas]

For a second consecutive day, large crowds in Nashville, Appleton and Zebulon were treated to exciting victories. For a second consecutive day in Biloxi, not so much. Don't worry, Shuckers fans, we're calling it now, big win coming Sunday. We've got the details on all of Saturday's action, including full recaps on the four rookie complex league games, so let's kick off the festivities this morning.

Transactions:

RHP Trevor Kelley optioned to Nashville. With the Brewers about to head back to Milwaukee, it's likely Kelley will actually return to the Sounds this time, rather than begin another taxi squad stint. We'll see.

Catcher Brent Diaz was assigned to Nashville from Biloxi. This isn't the 26-year-old's first visit to AAA, as Diaz began the 2021 season with Nashville, but saw action in only two games before heading to Biloxi for the first time. In 31 AA games with the Shuckers this season, Diaz has a fine .262/.350/.495 line with six home runs.

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Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Nashville 10, Indianapolis (Pirates) 8
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Sounds' site, game details, and we encourage readers to review each of the affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine:

Singleton's Blast Lifts Sounds Past Indians - Sounds erase early five-run deficit, go-ahead with Singleton’s two-run homer in 8th

It's more than just the outstanding 46-30 record. This Nashville team is consistently entertaining and simply put, fun to follow. Sounds management (as is Brewers brass) must be gleeful over the re-establishment of this relationship.

Perhaps the best gift given to Manager Rick Sweet this season was the mid-May bump of 5'9" 30-year-old LHP Andy Otero from Biloxi. Otero's effective long relief stints have saved Sweet's bullpen load on basically each of his ten appearances thus far. In Saturday's case, it led to a win, as you just read in the summary.

Following the Sounds-related Twitter feeds Saturday was like following an orchestral crescendo, fitting for the holiday. Allow eight second inning runs? No problem, let's tend to business at hand.

Kudos, Otero, Zack Brown and Peter Strzelecki. What a bullpen masterpiece.

Nashville rests Abraham Almonte (being careful with his status), Mark Mathias and Corey Ray yet recovers for the win. Keep this in mind as we visit Biloxi's roster shortly.

One potentially important note to follow - the above-mentioned Brent Diaz pinch-hit for Mario Feliciano in the bottom of the 4th, still a close game at the time, Sounds down 8-7. Voice of the Sounds Jeff Hem had no immediate info as I reviewed the MiLB.TV archive, though he may have passed along information later in the broadcast.

Newcomer Patrick Dorrian --

Behold the flip -

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Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes via the Shuckers' Virtual Press Box

Final: Mississippi (Braves) 18, Biloxi 4
Box Score / Game Log 

Via the Shuckers' site, game details, please review: 

Early Runs Lead To M-Braves Blitz of Biloxi - Devanney Hits 10th Homer of Season for Shuckers

Plain and simple, RHP Noah Zavolas took one for the team's sake here. No need to detail the carnage, the links are above. The Harvard product will need to work his way past this one.

Infield defensive specialist Yeison Coca started in center field, just the third outfield appearance of his career, all this season with Biloxi. Why? Well...

With Brent Diaz gone, the Shuckers bench to begin the game consisted of young OF Terrence Doston and backup catcher Jason Lopez as the nationwide hiring dilemma extends to Biloxi. Doston would come in for Joey Wiemer, but Voice of the Shuckers Garrett Greene put any injury concerns about that to bed.

Speaking of bed, Joey's trying to wake up his bat - love the playful attitude, it'll happen, Joey.

There was a bright spot as Cam reached double-digits in home runs for the first time --

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Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes via their all-encompassing Virtual Press Box

Final: Wisconsin 7, Cedar Rapids (Twins) 6
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Timber Rattlers' site, game details, please review:

Timber Rattlers Take a Thriller from Kernels - Wisconsin record eighth walkoff win of the season with a 7-6 victory in eleven innings

The T-Rats are 7-1 to begin the second half! Gotta be riding in first place, right? Not so fast, say the 8-0 South Bend Cubs. Really? Guess where Wisconsin travels to Monday!

No home runs or triples for either side, but this contest pretty much had everything else, as Chris Mehring's write-up which included plenty of words (good ones!), video clips, and full-game video highlights details for you. If that doesn't entice you to click above on a game summary, nothing ever will...

Sure, one double was a gift, but 2021 33rd overall pick Tyler Black is the real deal. This was start #13 in CF by the way, one error and one assist in those games.

Hopefully this will be a huge confidence builder for 6'8" LHP Russell Smith, what a performance. Taken exactly twenty picks after Black, this was Smith's second start after a 19-day break (injury or reset, unknown), and clearly his best performance in this, the TCU product's first season of action.

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Carolina Pre-Game Media Notes

Final: Carolina 4, Fayetteville (Astros) 3
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Mudcats' site, details, please review:

Mendez Homers and Collects Four Hits in 4-3 Victory - The Mudcats won their third straight with a crowd of 5,582 on hand in Zebulon

As good a place as any to remind you to at least occasionally dig into the various Media Notes that we link to, even if at minimum the first page of each. We know we provide a ton of information within each report, and you only have so much time each day to dedicate to consuming as much as possible (and we appreciate it!), but yeah, do yourselves a favor and take that bit of advice.

I'm on board with Victor, how much of a blast (literally!) is playing in front of 5,582 in Zebulon for these kids. Maryvale's attendance? Not quite.

Did anybody else think like me within the hiring and service industry quagmire we're all facing, how were the Mudcats able to have enough help in place to service such a massive short-term bump in attendance? Since Mark Attanasio owns Carolina, was he behind the grill? Was David Stearns tossing peanuts?

RF/CF Hendry Mendez posted an .879 OPS in 40 games as a 17-year-old in 2021. The sledding has been tougher in 64 2022 games, but Mendez raised his OPS 37 points to .665 in this one evening. What whip in this particular swing!

MLB Pipeline is watching --

Admit it, you immediately overlayed this into the Milwaukee big-league dugout.

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Final: ACL Brewers Blue 4, ACL Brewers Gold 3, eight innings (scheduled for seven)
Box Score / Game Log

The Golden boys tied things up in the top of the final scheduled frame on catcher Jason Ollarve's two-run home run pulled to right. Ollarve only turned 18 in May, this is his second season (first stateside), and a big moment for his first professional home run. Loving all the LH-swinging catchers infused in the system.

Blue then went down in order, sending the game to extra's and zombie/ghost runner territory.

Bouncing back from surrendering the lead, Blue RHP Samuel Dario dominated the 8th, getting three consecutive swinging strike three's.

Blue's victory came via K - intentional walk - wild pitch (runners now on 1st and 3rd) - pop out - stolen base - another intentional walk - and finally a traditional walk to end things. A bit of over-managing it seems.

Three Gold batters were HBP, and one Blue batter plunked. One of those plunkees, Gold infielder Jose Caballero (playing second base Saturday), with a .366/.481/.415 line through 13 games, had to be lifted immediately. Hate to see that, especially in what is in effect, an intrasquad game. Caballero had stolen his 4th base of the season (in as many attempts) earlier in the game.

Thirty-two K's in the game vs. four walks. Pitching coaches were pleased, anyway.

The two most impressive pitching performances were from a couple of 24-year-olds who got late starts in affiliated ball - recent independent league signee RHP Ryan Middendorf who has been nearly perfect in his five appearances (0.55 WHIP, 0.00 ERA), and second-year Dominican signing LHP Leoni De La Cruz.

As is the norm in the desert, both teams will enjoy Sunday off.

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Final: DSL Phillies Red 14, DSL Brewers #1 Squad 9
Box Score / Game Log

A six-run 3rd inning saw the home team Brewers up 8-3 at that point. I'll help you with the math, it was 11-1 Phillies over the final six innings.

Only one of six Uno pitchers represented well, and that was 16-year-old (17 in August) Mexican native Manuel Rodriguez. Rodriguez got two outs to strand an inherited runner upon entering in the 5th, then added two scoreless innings. 

Well, well, bonus baby Jhonny Severino, lookee here, 4-for-5 with a double. In his last four games, Severino is 12-for-18 with four doubles, a triple and a home run (two K's). So much for his slow start. He did commit an error at shortstop, his 11th overall on the season, his 6th while playing short (11 games there).

Catcher Ludwin Tejada only turned 17 years old in May. Playing in his 7th pro game, Tejada singled four times and is now 8-for-19 (two walks, only two K's). Tejada is another LH-swinging catcher, as the Crew seems to have their fair share in the lowest levels of the chain, nice.

Second baseman Angel Pereira exited the game after he grounded out in the bottom of the 7th. Simply noting this should his absence end up as extended.

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Final: DSL Tigers #1 Squad 6, DSL Brewers #2 Squad 4, seven innings as scheduled
Box Score / Game Log

Crew #2 led 4-3 after four, but a three-run Tiger 6th sealed the deal for the home club.

It's just become a part of the box score perusal routine. Which position players left the game and if possible, determine why. Rookie infielder (played second base Saturday) Demetrio Nadal is celebrating his 18th birthday today, but hopefully he's not nursing a major injury. Nadal was hit by a pitch in the 2nd, and though he initially remained in the game, left to begin the 4th.

Nadal's substitute, 16-year-old Donis Rodriguez, stole two bases after entering, though he also was picked off once. All six of the youngster's hits are singles thus far, though he's already stolen seven bases in eight attempts and has a .171/.383/.171 line after just 35 at-bats (nine walks, ten K's). Oh, the uniqueness we can find in those young teenage numbers.

Like their Arizona counterparts, Sunday is Funday on the island. Wear your sunscreen!

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The only matinee on Sunday is in Appleton, as fireworks continue to be the star with a rare trio of Sunday evening games on tap. 

Reminder that due to the holiday, the four full-season affiliates will indeed play on Monday evening the 4th and enjoy Tuesday off instead. Not only that, but all four teams leave their comfy confines and hit the road for quick turnarounds. Travel safe, both our readers and all the teams!

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[Joseph Zarr]

Hendry Mendez In the lead-off spot has been an awesome development of late. We forget, at least sometimes I do, he’s only a wee bit older than Chourio. Of all rostered Mudcats, Mendez hits it to the opposite field with savvy well beyond his years.

 

[Joseph Zarr]

Hendry Mendez In the lead-off spot has been an awesome development of late. We forget, at least sometimes I do, he’s only a wee bit older than Chourio. Of all rostered Mudcats, Mendez hits it to the opposite field with savvy well beyond his years.

 

[sveumrules]

Hendry seems like a good lead off option given what we can discern about his approach from BB/K numbers.

Among the Carolina teens…

Hendry 45 BB / 48 K / 265 PAs

Quero 24 BB / 45 K / 245 PAs

Chourio 15 BB / 65 K / 219 PAs

Hedbert 14 BB / 86 K / 256 PAs

Garcia 11 BB / 96 K / 285 PAs

Obviously age is a huge factor, but that 30% K rate for Jackson was one thing keeping him behind Wiemer on my rankings, for now anyway. 

Those BB/K rates for Hedbert & Garcia are downright scary though. Definitely need to make strides there if either is going to really tap into their potential.

Good news is they all have plenty of time on their side.

[sveumrules]

Hendry seems like a good lead off option given what we can discern about his approach from BB/K numbers.

Among the Carolina teens…

Hendry 45 BB / 48 K / 265 PAs

Quero 24 BB / 45 K / 245 PAs

Chourio 15 BB / 65 K / 219 PAs

Hedbert 14 BB / 86 K / 256 PAs

Garcia 11 BB / 96 K / 285 PAs

Obviously age is a huge factor, but that 30% K rate for Jackson was one thing keeping him behind Wiemer on my rankings, for now anyway. 

Those BB/K rates for Hedbert & Garcia are downright scary though. Definitely need to make strides there if either is going to really tap into their potential.

Good news is they all have plenty of time on their side.