Article: Brewers Minor League Link Report (8/20): Mudcats Streaking and Now in Playoff Push

Mass Haas · August 21, 2022

It's not just Nashville, currently holding a 2.5 game lead in their division, that has us looking to the farm playoff chases. Though Biloxi and Wisconsin are on the edges of their own division races (going to be very tough for each), a resurgent and reconfigured Carolina team now gives us reason to hope youngsters there will gain the pressure experience of a late push and actual postseason games. Keep it going, Mudcats!

Transactions:

- C Mario Feliciano optioned to AAA Nashville from MLB Brewers
- C Nick Kahle assigned to AAA Nashville from AA Biloxi
- LHP Andy Otero released from AAA Nashville
- C Jakson Reetz cleared waivers and declined an outright assignment, becoming a free agent
- C Tayden Hall assigned to High-A Wisconsin from ACL Brewers Blue

Forum post summarizing Otero's pro journey and wishing him well can be found here.

Hall is just 19 years old. The 6'4", 215 lb. LH bat was drafted in the 9th round this summer out of a Florida junior college.

Idle: Nashville was off due to a scheduling conflict at the sports complex in Jacksonville. The Sounds will play a doubleheader on Sunday.

Suspended, top of the 5th: Montgomery (Rays) 11, Biloxi 2
Via the Shuckers' site, game details, and we encourage readers to review each of the affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine:
Shuckers and Biscuits Suspended - Game Will Resume on Sunday at 1:30 pm
Pre-Game Media Notes / Gameday Thus Far

That was a miserable game summary - not the writing, but the game details. Tough to psyche oneself up for finishing up five more turns at bat and at least four on the mound upon arrival at the park Sunday given the score. We will see. Actually, Gabe Holt led off the top of the 5th with a double, the last play before the game was called. Rally has commenced! This was Holt's 175th professional game, but first starting in the outfield.

LHP Nick Bennett had pitched very well in a stretch of four of five games between July 7th and August 3rd. This came after online buzz about adjustments made via discussions with contacts working with the Driveline development team. Since that stretch, Bennett had been touched for three home runs in each of his last two starts, however, and this effort was just the last thing you want, putting the staff out with a 1st inning exit.

Things were promising early on -

Final: Wisconsin 6, Cedar Rapids (Twins) 2, completion of Friday's suspended game
Bullpen Closes Out Suspended Game for a Rattler Win - Wisconsin beats Kernels 6-2
Pre-Game Media Notes / Box Score / Game Log

Two-run home runs from Wes Clarke and Joe Gray, Jr. were the main reason the T-Rats overcame a 1-for-10 RISP game. All three of Gray's RBI came with two out, and I will admit to severely underutilizing the "2-Out RBI" notation within my box score analyses this season.

Two singles and a sacrifice fly for shortstop Antonio Pinero, one of the (now 18) players set to reach minor league free agency this fall. The initial list was 20 in our feature article on the topic, but the Tyler White trade to Atlanta and Saturday's release of LHP Andy Otero has dropped the number. Garrett Whitley, spotlighted from the Biloxi game above, is on the list.

Final: Cedar Rapids (Twins) 8, Wisconsin 3, regularly scheduled game, seven innings
Early Homer Can’t Save Wisconsin - Cedar Rapids rallies from early 3-0 deficit for 8-3 win
Box Score / Game Log

Especially at this time of year when post-draft roster adjustments are frequent, things tend to get a little promotion-happy. Shortstop Eduardo Garcia is an example of a player, bumped up to Wisconsin from Carolina on August 5th just a month after turning 20 years old, who has a long way to go despite his prospect pedigree. Oh, Garcia's strong defense and on-the-surface fine .262 batting average with the Mudcats are notable, but the 122-to-19 K-to-BB mark at Carolina was not. Since his promotion to Wisconsin, Garcia has yet to walk and has fanned 17 times in 47 at-bats. Gee, talk about raining on his parade here, three-run bomb on Saturday. Expect Eduardo to begin 2023 in Appleton.

Speaking of promoted players, RHP Israel Puello was a bit opposite, in that his surface numbers didn't scream Carolina success (3-7, 5.51 ERA), but his peripherals (61 K's, just 17 walks in 49 innings) did. Puello's first three starts with Wisconsin after his June 28th promotion were nothing short of spectacular. His six starts since have been poor, kindly speaking. Coaches need to unlock something, it's been too long of a rough stretch. Reminder - Puello's just 21 years old (22 in October).

Final: Carolina 3, Fayetteville (Astros) 1
Streaking Mudcats Win Fifth Straight 3-1 - The second-place Mudcats pulled within 2.5 games of first with their fifth straight victory
Pre-Game Media Notes / Box Score / Game Log

Postgame audio interview with Manager Victor Estevez

Reminder from the Media Notes -

PLAYOFF DROUGHT: The Mudcats failed to reach the playoffs in 2021, thus stretching the club's playoff drought to a Minor League Baseball worst 12 consecutive seasons. The Mudcats last reached the postseason in 2008 where they lost to the Mississippi Braves in the Southern League Championship Series.

I'm sure many of you remember how Carolina inexplicably collapsed in the final week of this season's first half, especially at the plate, denying an end to the record of playoff participation futility. Maybe the current group reverses that in these final couple of weeks as 19 games remain. They do not play first place Fredericksburg the rest of the way.

Quite a weekend thus far for this young man --

Golden sombrero for LF Eduarqui Fernandez who is another with scary strikeout figures despite his recent promotion - 45% in Maryvale this summer, now 46% in Carolina, 181 2022 at-bats for the big bonus 2018 signing.

Final: ACL Brewers Gold 8, ACL Brewers Blue 2, seven innings as scheduled
Box Score / Game Log

In just six frames, Blue pitchers walked 12 and hit two others.

Illinois high school 12th round pick third baseman Luke Adams, drew three of those walks while batting in the three-spot of the order.

The Maryvale teams have only two games left apiece, and Tuesday's season finale pits them against each other one last time.

The island youngsters are not ending their seasons in a blaze of glory.

Final: DSL Phillies Red 6, DSL Brewers #1 Squad 0, seven innings as scheduled
Box Score / Game Log

All six Uno hits singles.

Final: DSL Phillies White 3, DSL Brewers #2 Squad 2, completion of Thursday's suspended game
Box Score / Game Log

Game was scheduled for seven but went eight. Brewers had their ghost runner Erick Reyes picked off to begin the inning. Phillies showed them how it's done scoring with no outs to end it on an RBI single.

Speaking of Reyes, we've yet to point out this year that the Brewers have four Reyes on this one team alone - RHP Reybert, LHP Anfernny, and infielders Erick and Edgardo. We know where to send Nashville's Pablo to provide guidance.

Final: DSL Phillies White 7, DSL Brewers #2 Squad 2, regularly scheduled game, seven innings
Box Score / Game Log

Five Crew errors contributed to four of the Philly runs being unearned. 18-year-old Venezuelan RHP Daniel Corniel, who pitched into the 6th, deserved much better.

While all the rookie teams have their usual Sunday off, the Sounds play two and the Shuckers finish up Saturday's unappetizing opener before starting anew. So, the four full-season teams will hand us six completed box scores, Mother Nature permitting. Withholding comment on the parent club.

Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores

Standings and sortable stat pages

Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth

Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth

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