Brewers Minor League Link Report (6/11): Nashville Is So Darn Solid; Big Wisconsin Road Win

Transactions:

- LHP Pablo Garabitos assigned to AAA Nashville from Low-A Carolina
- INF Mark Mathias recalled by MLB Brewers from AAA Nashville
- RHP Peter Strzelecki recalled by MLB Brewers from AAA Nashville
- RHP Luke Barker optioned to AAA Nashville by MLB Brewers
- RHP Phili Silverio assigned to ACL Brewers Blue from ACL Brewers Gold

Much more on Pablo Garabitos detailed below. 

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Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Nashville 4, Norfolk (Orioles) 2
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:

Sounds Take Second Straight From Tides - Brian Navarreto Cracks Three Hits, Throws Out Two Runners in Nashville’s 4-2 Win

The Sounds are 36-22, credit to them for placing victories in so many of our reports in 2022.

Game of the year for backup catcher (at times, deep backup catcher) Brian Navarreto, both at the plate and behind it.

Ok, so we really have to talk about this call-up of and performance by 21-year-old LHP Pablo Garabitos. the Brewers 25th round pick out of a Florida high school in 2018.

First of all, when you click on his MiLB Player Page, by default you get Garabitos' batting numbers, 74 at-bats in his rookie Maryvale season, when he did not pitch but played outfield. MiLB Administration needs to flip a switch in these situations - I used to have a contact in their office who would do so upon my request - this has happened before. I'll see if I can look him up, it's been awhile.

When we do flip to Garabitos' MiLB Pitching Player Page, you'll find he last pitched for the Mudcats back on May 24th. We don't know all the how's and why's that this particular call-up came about (no doubt partly related to losing Peter Strzelecki to Milwaukee), but Garabitos, as you read in the game report, was much more than just a token fill-in here. He was needed and came through with his three-inning effort. Hoping he's with Nashville long enough for Voice of the Sounds Jeff Hem to grab him for a pre-game interview. These stories add to the allure of minor league baseball.

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

Final: Tennessee (Cubs) 5, Biloxi 3
Box Score / Game Log 

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

Pair Of Innings Too Much For Shuckers To Overcome Against Smokies - Biloxi Bullpen Tosses Three Scoreless Frames

Not sure how non-descript the contest was, or if it was just a light staffing night among the video folks in Biloxi, but the lone video highlight tweeted was a Tennesse triple that became a failed inside-the-park attempt in the 8th. It sure was nice work - check out how much running CF Sal Frelick has to do on this play, and although we don't see the origin of the relay given the camera angle, Cam Devanney's throw was perfect. Plus Voice of the Shuckers Garrett Greene's call was on the money.

Frelick's last three games - 7-for-15, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K

LHP Nick Bennett's final line wasn't the prettiest, but his six innings were huge. To be honest, at most of the affiliate outposts, the staffs aren't prepared for the next blow-up one-or-two inning start. Length is critical these days given mid-season attrition.

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

Final: Wisconsin 12, Beloit (Marlins) 4 
Box Score / Game Log

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

Clarke and the Rattlers Get a Grand Win in Beloit - Wes Clarke homers twice and drives in six for Wisconsin in 12-4 win over Sky Carp

Chris Mehring's write-up linked above includes the Wes Clarke video we all need with our coffee today, too bad it was a road game minus Chris' "Slam Town" call.

Personally thanking Chris this morning, as the fantastic detail he provides on the many happenings in the later innings of this game saves me many keystrokes needed to detail the rookie complex games below.

Tyler Black made his 7th start in center field, and I love the notion that if you have a plus-bat and are athletic, the Brewers are going to get you reps in center field. Let's hope that position is never a black hole at the big-league level for the next 15 years given the multiple potential options on the horizon, coming in waves. Black and Tristan Peters (.861 and .876 OPS, respectively) are so darn critical to this lineup.

Thank you, Brewer front office, for a nice trade add, in infielder Jose Acosta, .942 OPS in six games with Wisconsin.

Justin Jarvis' April is but a very dim memory. My goodness, young man, nine K's and zero walks here. Cam Robinson, thank you again.

Three games back (owning the tiebreaker) with ten games to go, though they don't play first-place Cedar Rapids again in the first-half. Let's do this (with a bit of help, please).

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Carolina Pre-Game Media Notes

Final: Myrtle Beach (Cubs) 5, Carolina 0
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Mudcats' site, details, please review:

Mudcats Held to Four Hits in 5-0 Loss - Alexander Cornielle allowed just two run over five innings in a tough luck loss

As Voice of the Mudcats Greg Young Jr. noted, all four hits were singles.

Sometimes you have to just let a simple box like this stand on its own.

I will note that Carolina as presently constructed begins each game with two position players on their bench, one a backup catcher. Not sure why I find moving the chess-pieces so fascinating, it must be that many of us who dive deep into these daily reports would love to fancy ourselves manipulating said pieces.

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Final: ACL Brewers Gold 9, ACL Brewers Blue 7, scheduled for seven innings 
Box Score / Game Log

Clearly a lot to dive into during what becomes an intrasquad game with official stat implications.

Blue broke through first in the bottom of the 3rd as second baseman Daniel Guilarte drove in two with a bases-loaded ground-rule double, and a third run scored after a walk reloaded the bases, followed by a passed ball. But with runners on 2nd and 3rd and still no outs, the inning collapsed.

That allowed Gold to tie things up with a three-run top of the 5th. 19-year-old RHP Jose Chavez, a 2nd-year pro out of Venezuela, was brought in to start the inning and walked all three men he faced. 20-year-old 2nd-year Dominican RHP Phili Silverio, who, as noted in the Transactions above, switched dugouts prior to the game, saw all three inherited runners score - wild pitch, RBI single, RBI groundout. There are probably stats available as to inherited runner difficulty, as bases loaded no outs tops that chart.

Silverio remained in the game to begin what would become a six-run Gold 6th inning which included three Silverio walks (not in succession) and yes, a ground-rule double. Hard warning tracks in Maryvale, apparently.

Team Gold would plate two runs each in the 6th and 7th to make the final score reasonable.

Of the 19 hits combined, you'll see seven doubles in the box. Only one error between the two teams, always a plus for the coaching staffs.

19-year-old Venezuelan third baseman Jose Caballero, back in Maryvale after a 2021 .630 OPS debut, was on base all four times up. 18-year-old Dominican RF Luis Castillo is finding the transition stateside after five games just fine, as his early 1.550 OPS attests.

Stateside debuts for the two starting hurlers, Dominican natives and RHP's Henrison Mota, 18 and Arielbi Gonzalez, 19.

For Team Blue, catcher Jhonnys Cabrera made two pitching appearances in 2022, he did here as well, and professional ERA remains 0.00. For Gold, shortstop Carlos Roa switched from designated hitter to relief pitcher to end the game. 

Hey, it's why we dissect box scores.

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Final: DSL Cardinals 5, DSL Brewers #1 Squad 4
Box Score / Game Log

C'mon kids, gotta learn to beat STL clubs from the start.

Another picture-perfect 84 degrees, one MPH "breeze". Take us away for this three hours, 35 minutes!

Do not confuse 2022 signee CF Luis Lara and his early 1.105 OPS with long-lamented Doug Melvin $3 million bonus baby Gilbert Lara. Also don't confuse Luis Lara with cleanup hitting catcher Darlin Lora.

Fourteen K's by Cervecerito batters, though they reached ten times by walk or HBP.

Congratulations to 18-year-old 2nd year first baseman Edgardo Ordonez on his first-ever home run. The left-handed swinging Venezuelan native posted an .867 OPS in 84 2021 at-bats. One to watch, it seems.

Hailing from Nicaragua, starting RHP Bryan Rivera made his pro debut six days shy of his 17th birthday. When I began Link Reporting in 2001, I did not envision the day I'd be typing "born in 2005" in any game recap. 6'3" RHP Aneuris Rodriguez also pro-debuted, as the Dominican youngster did so three days shy of his 18th birthday.

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Final: DSL Texas Blue 12, DSL Brewers #2 Squad 9
Box Score / Game Log

The Crew2 led 7-3 before giving up five in the top of the 7th to trail 8-7.

No worries, as here we go again teenage dreamers, 16-year-old Dominican second baseman Juan Baez (turns 17 in two weeks) cracked a line drive two-run home run to left to take the lead back in the bottom of the 8th. Baez is off to a monster small-sample start with a 1.162 OPS in five games.

Worries. as 21-year-old RHP Nelson Cuevas, a DSL Brewer since 2019, had a miserable four-run top of the 9th.

Professional debut for 17-year-old starting RHP Daniel Corniel, a Venezuelan native. Solid work on his part. Don't confuse him with tonight's Mudcats starter Alexander Cornielle! Also 17 and a Venezuelan, LHP Anthony Flores followed Corniel with lesser results in his maiden pro voyage to the mound. Never forget this day, young men.

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No complex league games today, the norm for a Sunday. The latest start will be Biloxi's 5:05 Central contest, which you can enjoy after the big-league Brewers finally snap their losing skid. Until next time, take care everyone!

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