Brewers Minor League Link Report (4/19): Pitching Performances Abound and Only One for Naught in Biloxi

One could easily argue it is the system-wide pitching keeping the entire organization up in the standings. A 10-1 victory for the Mudcats, a 3-2 victory for the Timber Rattlers, Biloxi loses a 2-1 affair, and Nashville rocks 7-0 as Luis Perdomo officially shuts the door in an overmatched three up and three down strikeout buffet.

Your 2022 Milwaukee Brewers: Pray for the Bats. Stay Blessed by the Pitching.

Transactions:
In Arizona, RHP Jolon Zhao is added to the Carolina Mudcat roster from Extended Spring Training (ACL Brewers Gold roster). Please read more on Zhao in the Brewer Fanatic forum post below:

OF/1B Dustin Peterson, formerly of the Nashville Sounds, was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies organization for cash considerations and assigned to their Triple-A Lehigh Valley affiliate. 

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Carolina Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Carolina 10, Lynchburg (Guardians) 1
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Mudcats' site, game details, please review each of the affiliate write-ups as part of your Link Report routine:

Mendez Homers as Mudcats Route Hillcats 10-1 - The Mudcats Improved to 4-0 at Five County Stadium with Tuesday's Series Opening Victory

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It was advertised as another 'Bark in the Park' night at the Mudcats' very own 'Five County Stadium.' But unlike the cacophonous Biloxi yap fest of the past week, at least early with a sparse crowd in attendance, most locals were frolicking at the dog park and not the ballpark. I see a broader minor league appeal to the masses, understandably so, in this dog-themed night. And, as a dog lover and dog owner myself, I have to say: I don't quite know how I feel about leashing up the pup and bringing him along. We have moved well beyond the casual dog treat novelty from the drive-through bank teller and into a new modern realm of canine collectivism. I am simply thankful we haven't seen the potentially disastrous 'Bring Your Horse' nights! I shudder at the mere thought. On to the game at hand:

To start a 6-game homestand, the Mudcats' Jefferson Figueroa took the mound touching 95 on the radar gun in the early going. It was wonderful to see Jeferson Quero man the backstop after a foul tip scare a few days prior - it appears to have been prudent with no lingering or possible concussion side effects. Figueroa mixed a nice off-speed breaking ball into his early pitching mix, yet, he loaded the bases in inning one when he was not given the called third strike on a knee-buckling breaking pitch with runners on first and second base. He did manage to collect himself and induce the ground out to Jesus Chirinos down the first base line. 

Eduardo Garcia stayed hot off the bat (though, he would strikeout three times on the evening) with a lined single up the middle to get the Mudcats going in their bottom half followed by a single to right field by Hedbert Perez. Please, get hot Hedbert! Ultimately, the bases were juiced on a four-pitch walk and it brought the aforementioned Quero to the plate and Hillcats starter Franco Aleman continued his location struggles walking Quero on five pitches. Mudcats 1-0. Follow that up with a wild pitch and a Chirinos ground out to short and it was 3-0 on the two early singles. Low-A ball certainly can have adventurous innings where the plate is elusive for these young arms as the young men discover the shape of their craft. A credit to Aleman is due as he settled down and left the inning with no further damage. Those three early runs would last into the seventh inning before the floodgates opened for the Mudcats.

Final Viewing Notes:

• Will Micah Bello continue batting the seventh spot if he stays as productive as he has been in the early going? I would love to see him get a stab in that second or third position in the batting order. In the early going, outside of Eduardo Garcia, he has been far and away the most productive hitter in the Mudcats' line-up on a consistent basis. How hot has Bello been? He went 0-4 on the evening but he still sports an unsustainable 0.428 batting average with a 1.219 OPS on the season. 
• Figueroa has an interesting three pitch toolkit when he works in his changeup - his third pitch in his Mix. However, in his young development, he will need to work on fine-tuning that control as he has struggled in that department in both starts. He left the contest after 3 1/3 innings while only managing to toss 31 of 64 pitches for strikes. The stuff is there to develop but he will need to harness that control.
• Former positional player (OF) Pablo Garabitos made his fourth appearance on the young season. The now lefty hurler features a sweeping breaking pitch as his go-to offering. After throwing his first ball roughly three feet short of home plate he managed to strand his sole inherited runner though he did sprinkle in two wild pitches for good measure. ?
• It would appear Figueroa and Miguel Segura will be combining in outings in the season's early going and potentially further ahead. Segura picked up the Middle innings after the Garabitos appearance. The two young hurlers have similar stuff in some regards - at this stage of the young season, both hurlers work their ways in and out of walks but overall are finding success. It will be interesting to see how the season progresses for the young arms as they both look to fine-tune their overall pitching toolkits. What I have seen early is worth tracking.
• As mentioned above, the three early Mudcats runs held until a five-run seventh. I mentioned this in an earlier report, but the name of the game for these young Mudcats is early runs: on the calendar year they have 14 first inning runs (including this evening) and this is their eighth straight game scoring first. Tune in early if you are looking to catch a Mudcats viewing.
• Arbert Cipion hit a 100 mph fly ball do deep left-center in the early innings. Had he adjusted his launch angle even slightly, that's a home run ball. He continues to demonstrate a better approach at the plate in 2022. 
• Have a night Hendry Mendez! The 18-year-old outfield prospect batted in the DH spot and he raked a 3-4 evening with a two-run home run, 4 RBI total, and a walk. He is showcasing as an ascending talent in his inaugural season at the Low-A level.

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

Final: Wisconsin 3, Quad City (Royals) 2 
Box Score / Game Log 

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

Miller Time for Wisconsin - Darrien Miller has Three Hits, Drives in a Run, and Scores Another in Game with River Bandits

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In the top of the first inning, we witnessed a very strange fielder interference call at second base on Yeison Coca, on a savvy deke move by the shortstop I might add. The runner was given first base even though he was picked off at first on an adept center field fly out and throwback by Sal Frelick. It was a head scratcher. Shortly thereafter, a screeching car alarm fired off in the distant parking lot, and, boy, it was only High-A inning number one. Thankfully, young RHP Justin Jarvis collected himself amidst the confusion and got the strikeout to end his top half. Frelick opened up the Timber Rattlers bottom half with a line drive single up the middle on his 22nd birthday evening. He followed immediately with his fourth stolen base on the young season. Happy Birthday, Sal! 

Tyler Black followed suit and sent Frelick home with a looping double down the left field line and it was quickly 1-0. Laying off a very tantalizing breaking pitch hooking away from the plate, Joe Gray Jr. took his seventh walk of his 2022 season on an ensuing inside fastball inside to take first base. And, after a botched near double steal on a wild pitch - foiled by confusion on the bases and leading to Joe having to ensure a run down allowing Tyler to make his way to third (a heads up play by Gray Jr. it is worth noting) - Darrien Miller roped a line drive single over the leaping second baseman and it was 2-0. Zavier Warren ended the inning on a groundout. But the single by Miller was a sign of things to come.

Further Viewing Notes:

• The duo of Tyler Black and Sal Frelick is going to be a fun one for the Wisconsin fans. The two young men both play with intensity and skill - a joy to watch on the High-A club. The first run of the first inning was but a glimpse of what these two might have in store. I, for one, am extremely intrigued to watch it play out.
• Justin Jarvis really dialed in on the evening and finished the affair with aplomb: 5 IP, 2 hits, 2 K's, 2 BB's, and 1 unearned run. 
• The Timber Rattlers pitchers as a group finished the game with one earned run over nine innings with 10 strikeouts. After Jarvis, the pitcher of the evening was Joey Matulovich who completed two innings of one-hit ball with five punch outs. Cam Robinson grabs the save giving up one earned with while fanning two.
• After a slow start, Darrien Miller is beginning to show why he made @damuelle's recent Six Unranked Brewers Prospects to Watch list. He had a blistering evening at the plate (3 of 4 with an RBI and a run batting clean-up - batting average to 0.333 and the OPS now sitting at 1.104) and backed that up by handling the catching duties with real class. Organizationally, with Quero and Miller the Brewers have two absolutely intriguing catching prospects at Low and High-A, respectively. 
• I mentioned the seventh walk above, and it was a well-taken walk, but it bares mentioning: Joe Gray Jr. also had two more strikeouts and now has 17 fans on the young season. Let's all hope Joe, who is as likable a young athlete and man as you'll meet, can find some of last year's early-season results at the plate. We're rooting for you, young man. Lotta season left. Let's get it!

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

Final: Birmingham (White Sox) 2, Biloxi 1
Box Score / Game Log   

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

Barons Hold Down Shuckers Offense in Series Opener - Bullpen Tosses 4.1 Scoreless Frames

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Garrett Mitchell ran out a deep infield single between second and third base to open inning one. Rising prospect Felix Valerio, batting second on the evening, walked to put two men on with no outs. After a Joey Wiemer routine fly out to centerfield, where Mitchell once again showed his blazing speed by tagging and taking third, Thomas Dillard loaded the bases with Davis Martin's second walk of the inning. It would all stop there, however, as both Aston McGee and Tristen Lutz struck out as Martin found his fastball touching 95-98 mph on the radar gun and ripping the heart of the plate. Little did we know at the time, this was to be a repeated theme throughout the contest.

In his inaugural bottom-half inning, Carlos Luna worked himself out of a one out and runners on second and third situation after two opposite-field shots down the left-field line (props in order for Lutz who ran down a deep double and held the runner on third with a nice throw into third base). Luna craftily induced a shallow pop-up to right followed by a chopper to Freddy Zamora, left off second base, where he threw an accurate strike to end the inning. This was a pitching affair early and remained so throughout. Sprinkle in two untimely plays, back-to-back, in the bottom of the fourth, several untimely at bats in the few crucial spots for the Shuckers, and, you have the recipe and result of a disappointing 2-1 loss in the books. 

Further Viewing Notes:

• It will be scored an RBI double for Mitchell, but it was merely scored as such because the lofty blooping pop-up never touched a glove. It was as routine as it gets but it was lost in the lights and fell six to eight feet beyond the left fielder Tyler Neslony where the ball died with a thud in the grass. Zamora rounded third base and it was 1-0 Shuckers just like that.
• Birmingham Barons starter Davis Martin uncharacteristically struggled with walks (two questionable) on the evening but, make no mistake, he has very good stuff. Like many young pitchers, harnessing his mix will be the key to advancing further in the Minor Leagues but it would appear he has a legitimate shot to see some action at the higher levels. He also tallied seven strikeouts on his five-inning evening.
• Carlos Luna is an enjoyable pitcher to watch. As the game progressed on the evening, he really found ways to mix in quite an effective change-up. He was pounding the zone, really, until he found trouble in the fourth. His only blemish, then, was a home run just after a dropped foul tip by Reetz. With the game then tied 1-1, his night seemed to fall apart after a series of fielding snafus during a routine double-play opportunity seemed to unravel his game (the error seemed unfairly doled out to Zamora. Dillard's throw appeared rushed to second base and in the dirt). In many respects, I would argue he was just getting started but he couldn't overcome the situation overall and fell prey to frustrations.
• If I'm going to call out Freddy Zamora for throwing issues it is time to celebrate a night of solid ropes to first base. Well done, young man! This was Freddy's best all around game I've seen so far this season. Patient and effective at the plate and clean in the field. Let's keep that going.
• The Biloxi bats had been feasting on opportunistic hot streaks and opportunistic hits but when you look deeper at the numbers, generally, as a team, they are hitting pedestrian at best. The 4-6 spots of tonight's lineup (McGee, Dillard, and Lutz, respectively) put an unpleasant 0-9 with eight strikeouts into the record books . The only real threat late, a Joey Wiemer lead-off double to start the eighth inning, was squandered by this same, um, hit squad. Let's hope they can get going in some fashion in the games ahead. As is, this type of futility in the clean-up slot down the lineup is going to cause problems in a full season. I still am holding out hope for a Lutz renaissance but the shine of timely early season hits has hit a rough patch.
• The aforementioned Zamora got aboard again to start a potential ninth-inning rally, Jakson Reetz followed with a single for two on and one out but Garrett Mitchell struck out and Felix Valerio grounded into a force out to end the game with two aboard. A frustrating evening finally over.
• Alas, let's end on a positive note: Welcome back Noah Campbell! He came aboard as a pinch-runner (for Reetz) in the above depicted scenario during the top of the ninth. Sadly, he didn't cross home plate, we'll see how long before he can swing a bat after his pinky dislocation last week. 

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Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes 

Final: Nashville 7, Charlotte (White Sox) 0
Box Score / Game Log 

Via the Sounds' site, game details:

Sounds Throw Third Consecutive Shutout - First Time Team Has Thrown Three Straight Shutouts Since 2003

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In baseball, during long season after long season, when a feat is accomplished for the first time in essentially twenty years for a club, that carries weight. Three straight shutouts. My, how sweet it is. Nashville's current scoreless streak rests at 27 1/3 innings and their pitching staff overall is sporting a ridiculous 2.66 era - tops in the International League. Just wow.

Tonight's pitching gem was set up by the fine work of Dylan File - by far his best start in three opportunities on the mound - who pitched five scoreless innings of three-hit ball to pair with three walks and two strikeouts. The Sounds, as a staff, only gave up two more hits in the inning while striking out seven more amongst Strzelecki, Jankins, Kelley, and Luis Perdomo. Luis, I am looking forward to your call-up. Those young men were what we call 'overmatched' tonight. Three up and three walking back to the dugout a wee perplexed.

It is always Jon Singleton night in my reports. I am unapologetic. I unabashedly love watching the man play ball. Let us appreciate a moment of Zen:

We will see him with the big club at some point this season and, personally, I can not wait. That rope brought to you by the chiseled physique and agility he tirelessly sculpted while managing the gym he owns in California. Pump. It. Up. ?

Further Game Notes:

• Congratulations are in order for catcher Alex Jackson: He had been quite cold at the plate but he got a booming long ball to deep left field tonight knocking in 3. He also walked - always good to see. Let's keep it going!
• A tip of the hat to Tyler White who was involved in two run-scoring episodes - in the third with a double knocking in the Sounds first run and then again, in the fourth, when he ripped a triple down the right field line. He finished with his first three hit evening on his season to date (three of four overall on the night).
• Eight walks taken on the evening for the Sounds line-up. You love to see batters with patient approaches making the pitchers work for every out. 
• Weston Wilson was absent from tonight's lineup replaced by Pablo Reyes. Well, it's Weston, who am I kidding? He was replaced by a second baseman, a shortstop, a first baseman and the outfield. The Utility Knife was placed on the shelf. Let us hope he is sharp for his next opportunity.
• In interviews with voice of the Sounds, Jeff Hem, manager Rick Sweet has been complaining about the impacts of the new pitch clock - and, truthfully, he's said the biggest demand and troubles are concerning hitters. Well, it would appear by the two most recent outings, the Sounds are putting those troubles to bed for the time being.

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This wraps up another early-week report in the Brewers Minor League system - where Tuesday is Minor League Baseball Monday, but it's baseball and that is always good. Please peruse the following links to see what's on the docket for tomorrow's games and what we might currently glean from stats and depth across all levels:

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

Links for affiliate audio

Standings and sortable stat pages

Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth

Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth