Brewers Minor League Link Report (5/24): Ethan Small Starts, Nashville and Carolina Win, Biloxi Postponed

Transactions: (from 5/23) (RHP's) Miguel Sanchez and Trevor Kelley were both recalled from Nashville to the Milwaukee Brewers, (RHP) Dylan File was outrighted from Milwaukee to the Nashville Sounds

(5/24) (INF/OF) Mark Mathias was selected from the Nashville Sounds (YES! Congratulations and well-deserved, Mark!) to the Milwaukee Brewers -

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Carolina Pre-Game Media Notes      

Final: Carolina 11 , Kannapolis (White Sox) 8
Box Score / Game Log 

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

Comeback Cats Rally Back for 11-8 Victory - Hedbert Perez and Arbert Cipion Both Had Career Nights as the Mudcats Defeat Kannapolis 11-8

Before we get into the game tonight, let's honor the fine season of Zach Raabe and, especially, his past week of offensive output:

Zach managed a 1-for-4  evening at the plate with an rbi and a walk to boot. His OPS continues to stay above 0.800. I bring this to your attention here, but, please see this and more in last week's affiliate recap by @Seth Stohs Here. This is always a great reframe for the week ahead.

All eyes were on Fernando Olguin for his second start of his young season. Unfortunately, the young hurler struggled with control early and often and he left the game with his team facing an unfavorable deficit. However, these young Mudcats have shown quite a bit of resilience of late. Tonight was no different.

Further Viewing Notes:

• Though three runs crossed the plate in the top of the first, only one was charged due to an atypical relay throwing error from defensive stalwart, Eduardo Garcia. Two runs crossed the plate on the gaffe after the sacrifice fly had already scored one.
• This being said, Fernando Olguin struggled early and often in his second start. Control was the biggest issue for the young hurler. He finished his outing going a mere three complete innings of six hit, five walk, three strike out, eight run (six earned) ball. 
• With two more walks tonight, Hendry Mendez has reached base safely in fifteen straight games. What a run for the youngster!
• Kudos to Hedbert Perez and his epic bounce back day and his three-run jack to make it an 8-7 game in the bottom of the fifth. Perez ultimately finished 4 of 5 getting that batting average back to 0.200! Let's go for a quaint panoply of highlights to give you a taste of what we saw during the multi-inning Mudcats comeback: 

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• If I'm going to tout Hedbert, and rightfully so, let's also go the way of one of my early-2022 affiliate darlings: Arbert Cipion. He came to the plate in the same bottom-half of the fifth inning with runners on first and third (Jheremy Vargas and Chirinos, respectively) having hit three of three on the day. Arbert proceeded to hit an absolute laser shot 102 mph line-drive grounder headed for the un-occupied hole between first and second base. Unfortunately, this laser shot literally ricocheted off the bottom of the pitcher's foot directly into the glove at first base. And, so it goes. Regardless, Arbert finished his night 5 of 6 at the plate with an rbi in the lead-off spot. His OPS is now north of 0.800 at 0.812 on the season. What an early-going for the New Jersey native!
• Vargas made a heck of a stab on a hard-hit ground out to end the top half of the sixth inning with a runner on third and two down. He made the stab and throw look much easier than it was. The score was held at 8-7 and, at the time, it felt like a key play for a possible comeback.
• The Mudcats offense chipped away and grabbed the lead over several key middle innings but this game was 100% also about the Mudcats' bullpen. They finished six scoreless innings to secure the victory. Though bullpen stalwart Michele Vassalotti is credited with his third save, special mention and special note will go to  Pablo Garabitos who grabbed his second win on the season. Pablo settled the entire Kannapolis momentum down with three stellar innings of two walk and six strike out ball just after Olguin had given up his eight runs. Without his poise, this may be a completely different result. 
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Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes via their all-encompassing Virtual Press Box 

Final:  Cedar Rapids(Twins) 13, Wisconsin 2
Box Score / Game Log    

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

Rattlers Drop Decision at Cedar Rapids - Kernels Open Two Game Lead Over Wisconsin with Win

Perhaps there isn't all that much positive to glean from a 13-2 butt-whooping. We saw third baseman

Ashton McGee pitch the eighth inning, after all. BUT, I should point out, as a rule we trend toward the positive here in our Minor League reports. This being said, I definitely point out things as I see them - I watch the games after all. Nothing I say here is a routine or casual glance of a box score unless otherwise noted. It is informed by viewings - day after day,  week after week. Take that with a grain of salt, most definitely. Or, take it as a nice bit of informed perspective - truthful but sprinkled with positivity. 

To that end, Ryne Moore

had a fantastic first inning. He really did. It was night and day better from his start, at home, versus South Bend in his High-A debut. And, well, things got away from him shortly thereafter. There's nothing more to say, really. Let's simply get into the viewing notes below and, frankly, get on to game number 2 tomorrow ?.

Further Viewing Notes:

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• Joe Gray Jr. showed his continued improvement and improved approach at the plate. Case and point: Joe's ground out to end the first inning was a beautifully hit ball. It was reminiscent of the many outs Pablo Reyes was unfortunate to receive in Nashville before his ongoing break-out. The shift was simply in the right place. And, yet, it was by no means an easy out. Stay thirsty, Joe. Those hits will keep coming. He did grab a single later in the contest.
• Catcher Darrien Miller saw his 42nd, 43rd, and 44th stolen base runner reach safely in the early going. The first stolen base, mind you, opened a three run outburst as it could have (and, perhaps, should have) been a strike out throw them out inning ending double play. That absolutely would have helped the young Ryne Moore.  On the 2022 season, Darrien has only thrown out 10.2 % of base runners trying for a steal. That's not a typo: 44 of 49 successful attempts. What will Darrien do when the strike zone is automatic? There is an abundance of growth and opportunity here and, frankly, there is no sugarcoating this: this is a concerning statistic for a catcher. Over his minor league career, including 2022, Darrien has only thrown out 14.86% of base runners. 
• Wes Clarke continued his understated but extremely effective 2022 season with two doubles tonight (five on the season). He continues to be a fun prospect to watch on a nightly basis.
• Carlos Rodriguez continued his recent surge going 2 of 4 on the evening including his eighth double on the year to knock in Wes Clarke. 
• Ryne Moore started strong but had a rough cumulative three innings pitched: eight hits, seven earned runs, two walks, two strikeouts. Long gone are the early days of 2022 at Low-A Carolina. Here's hoping Ryne can find a new version of himself in High-A. We're rooting for you, Ryne!
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 Biloxi -  Montgomery - COVID Postponed ?
 

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Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes         

Final:   Nashville 6,  Toledo Mud Hens(Tigers)  4
Box Score / Game Log 

Via the Sounds' site, game details, please visit and review:

Sounds Take Series Opener in Extras at Toledo - Nashville Scores 3 Runs in the 11th for a 6-4 Victory Over the Mud Hens

Nashville managed to boot Toledo Starter Matt Manning in the top of the second after Weston Wilson drew a four pitch walk to load the bases. Manning wouldn't have pitched long regardless but the plan wasn't to see him leave in the second inning. The Mud Hens brought Logan Shore to the mound and he retired Jonny Davis on a fastball looking over the heart of the plate. It was Jonny's second punch out in the early going and, well, he didn't manage to take the bat off his shoulders with the bases full.

The Sounds tied the game in the top half of the second inning. Mario Feliciano extended his hitting streak to eight games with a single up the middle, and Tyler White managed to knock Pablo Reyes home on a single after Reyes had walked and stolen second base. Ethan Small 'settled down' after a two hit one run first managing two harmless ground outs to second base after a weak pop-up to Reyes on one of Small's patented 78 mph change ups in the second. If you don't watch Small's change-up on a regular basis, it would catch you by surprise like most hitters. It is uncannily effective. Personally, I can't wait to see it with the Brew Crew bullpen.

Further Viewing Notes:

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• After leaving the bases juiced with two down in inning number two, the Sounds left runners on first and second with two down in inning number three. Jonny Davis struck out to end the second while David Dahl fought a pitch up and out of the zone but popped out along the third base line in foul territory with Reyes and Almonte leaving on the pitch. 
• The second Nashville run in the top of the fourth was vintage 2022 Nashville Sounds baseball. Taking advantage of a key error on a possible double play ball, Brice Turang fought off 3-4 tough strike-two pitches and ultimately hit a solid fly ball for the Sacrifice to left field. It was 2-1 Sounds
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• Let's just take a real quick sneak peak at the continued effective and dominating work Ethan Small:
• Reyes continued his scorching hot run of late. Tonight's 4 of 5 outing (3 rbi's, solo home run, 2 runs) simply builds off his recent work back in Nashville. I've said it before. I'll say it again: with the way he was making contact it was a matter of time. I am extremely happy for Reyes as he was one of my favorite late-season call-ups of 2021. Between Mark Mathias, Reyes, and Turang...the Brewers are in extremely good hands. What a luxury.
• Back to Reyes: during his current seven-game hitting streak, he is batting .567 (17-for-30) with nine runs, four doubles, three home runs and 11 RBI. He has had four hits in two of his last three games. The word is 'sizzling'.
• It isn't just Reyes heating up, however. In Nashville in 2022 it seems every other week a batter or two are getting scorching hot. Mario Feliciano has an eight game hitting streak. Eat your heart out, Pablo! During Feliciano's streak, he is batting .516 (16-for-31) with four runs, a double, three RBI and three walks. He also has two four-hit games during the streak. Sheesh! We'd love to see some more slugging peripherals but it's hard to complain with that type of production. To boot, he looked fantastic and spry behind the plate tonight. 
• Jon Singleton has an 0.875 OPS on a pedestrian batting average of 0.221. A significant reason behind the low average is his ongoing 2022 struggles against left-handed pitching. Hitting 0.148 against said lefties on the season coming into tonight's game, Singleton struck out looking with two down and the bases juiced in the top of the fourth inning facing (LHP) Sam Howard (no relation to Ron, I checked. If he is related, I didn't look hard enough.?) Ultimately, Singleton went 1-6 on the evening with four strikeouts and a run scored.
• A basic "I watch the Sounds on a regular basis..." comment: It's really hard not to absolutely appreciate Turnag's constant steady defense and accurate arm. He simply does not make many mistakes. Inning four was a prime example as he expertly made two outs to end the inning fielding a tricky ground out with absolute ease then throwing  a cannon to nail the runner by several feet at first. This is a 22-year-old MLB baseball player. It is a matter of time. I can tell you: the Brewers know this. (We'll ignore the hiccup botched grounder with one down in the bottom of the ninth, Brice. Even though it loaded the bases, it didn't result in a run!)
• Hobie Harris had a rare outing where he struggled with control. Three free passes is not something we see all too often in 2022. Thankfully, he had the adept Matt Hardy to help pick him up allowing only the one tying run with the bases full and only one out. Both ninth inning runs, ultimately, were charged to Harris. 
• Speaking of Hardy, what a job to get out of the extremely tricky predicament in the bottom of the ninth. Without his two crucial punch outs to end the inning, who knows what would have come of a single ball in play. A scoreless tenth, to boot, gets him an extra special nod. Incredible work from Hardy who was promoted swiftly from Double-A Biloxi and was thrown to the wolves in just his third outing with the Sounds.

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That's a wrap for my 'Minor League Monday' report. Unfortunately, with a couple away games on the books I didn't get an opportunity for all too many highlights. We'll have to stay tuned for what happens with Biloxi and Montgomery - rumor has it there were COVID issues for Montgomery in their last series as well. 

Please, keep in mind Nashville has a very early start tomorrow at 11:05 EST when Jason Alexander takes the hill. Wisconsin, as well, will tip off a matinee at 1:05 EST as Justin Jarvis looks to build of his recent outing of dominating 10k ball.

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