Brewers Minor League Link Report (8/21): Mudcats Finish Off Sweep, but Teams Win Only Two of Six Games

Carolina starting RHP Yujanyer Herrera just turned 19 years old, but wasn’t intimidated in his debut in full season ball as he led the Mudcats to a victory.

Though a bit older at 30, Nashville starting RHP Tyler Herb is also turning heads as he continued his terrific recent form with a 7-inning shutout.

Sunday’s Game Balls go to the aforementioned Herb, Herrera, Brice Turang, Esteury Ruiz and Hedbert Perez.

Transactions:

• N/A

Game Action:

Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes
Game One Final: Nashville 7, Jacksonville 0 (in 7 innings)
Box Score / Game Log

Game Two Final: Jacksonville 6, Nashville 3 (in 7 innings)
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Sounds’ website, game details, and we encourage readers to review each of the affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine: Sounds Split Doubleheader in Jacksonville

Nashville opened the first game with five consecutive hits to grab a 4-0 lead in the 1st inning, before RHP Tyler Herb (7 IP, 0 R, 5 H, 0 BB, 6 Ks) then dominated in a complete 7-inning game shutout.

OF Sal Frelick (2-for-4, double), OF Esteury Ruiz (2-for-4), 3B Brice Turang (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBIs) and RF Garrett Mitchell (2-for-4) each collected two hits in the game, including Turang’s 11th homer of the season via a solo shot in the 2nd inning.

That victory clinched a series win for the Sounds before the teams re-convened to play another 7-inning series finale.

Nashville opted for a bullpen game in the second game, with starting RHP Lucas Erceg (2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 1 K) extending his scoreless streak to nine innings with two more shutout frames here.

However, rehabbing RHP Jake Cousins and normally-reliable RHP Matt Hardy didn’t fare as well, giving up three runs on four hits, three walks and two hit batsmen while recording just five outs as the Sounds fell behind 3-0 by the 4th inning.

Nashville battled back via RBI hits from OF Esteury Ruiz (1-for-3, double, sacrifice, RBI) and SS Brice Turang (2-for-3, walk, RBI), then 3B Patrick Dorrian (2-for-3, triple, double) doubling and scoring on a sacrifice fly to tie it 3-3 in the top of the 6th inning. Unfortunately, RHP JC Mejia had his first bad outing of August as he gave up three hits in the bottom half of the inning, the last a 3-run blast to restore Jacksonville’s 3-run advantage.

The Sunday split means that Nashville won this week’s series 4-2.

Three Quick Strikes:

• SS Pablo Reyes exited the opening game in the bottom of the 4th inning and didn’t play in the latter contest, so this is something to monitor. With the team leading 5-0 by that point and committed to giving Turang some playing time at 3rd base, Weston Wilson stepped in to man shortstop for the first time in 2022.
• RHP Hobie Harris (season ERA 1.94) came into Game Two to strike out his only batter in the bottom of the 4th inning, stranding Jumbo Shrimp runners at second and third to prevent that game from getting out of hand.
• 1B Jon Singleton is a unique baseball player, walking four more times across the two games and knocking in two runs. His batting average is just .206, but he’s walked 95(!) times to give him a terrific .375 on-base percentage. He also has 19 home runs and 60 RBIs through 345 at-bats this year.

Next week’s outlook: It’s a battle of first place titans, as Nashville (70-46) travels to take on 66-51 Durham (Rays’ AAA affiliate). Expect rehabbing RHP Adrian Houser to start the opening game, with RHP Marcus Walden (only one run allowed in last 11 innings) getting the lion’s share of the work.

Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Game One (Resumption) Final: Montgomery 12, Biloxi 2
Box Score / Game Log

Game Two Final: Montgomery 5, Biloxi 4 (in 7 innings)
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Shuckers’ website, game details: Biscuits Walk-Off Shuckers in Series Finale

Sunday’s opening game was a continuation of Saturday’s suspended demolition, in which Biloxi already trailed 11-2 in the top of the 5th inning. As such, there was little to play for, but at least RHP Carlos Luna (4 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 1 BB, 3 Ks) put in an effective shift. For the record, Montgomery scored 12 runs on 17 hits and also struck out 14 Shuckers in the one-sided contest.

The teams got down to serious business in the follow-up game, which was originally planned as a 9-inning game but ended up finishing early. Presumably the teams agreed to shorten it during one of the day’s rain delays.

Although the offense grabbed a 2-1 lead in the 3rd inning, sparked by perhaps unexpected contributions from 2B Yeison Pena (1-for-3) and C Jason Lopez (2-for-3), starting RHP TJ Shook (3 2/3 IP, 4 R, 5 H, 3 BB, 0 Ks) couldn’t quite escape a two-on, nobody out 4th inning jam as he conceded a 3-run homer with his final pitch.

The Shuckers didn’t give up, however, as 1B Zavier Warren (1-for-2, walk) singled and SS Cam Devanney (1-for-3, HR, 2 RBIs) smacked his 17th home run of the year (his first since July 30) to knot the contest at 4-4 in the top of the 6th inning.

RHP Nash Walters struck out consecutive batters in the bottom of the 7th inning before conceding a pinch-hit double and walk-off single to end it.

Biloxi’s two Sunday losses gave Montgomery a 4-2 series win.

Three Quick Strikes (all stemming from Game Two):

• OF Corey Ray was in an 0-for-21 skid, but snapped it with an RBI single to tie the game 1-1 in the 3rd inning. However, he followed that up with a back-breaking ground ball double play with two-on, nobody out in the top of the 5th inning and a strikeout in the final frame.
• OF Terrence Doston collected two hits in the game, the latter a bunt single to lead off the top of the 7th inning. In a game of “howevers”, he was then caught stealing.
• RHPs Zach Vennaro and Harold Chirino (season ERA 3.45) were effective in middle relief, covering 2 1/3 scoreless innings.

Next week’s outlook: Biloxi (56-56) returns home to face Reds’ AA affiliate Chattanooga (48-66). LHP Brandon Knarr (3.05 season ERA in High-A/AA) is scheduled to get the first crack at the Lookouts.

Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Cedar Rapids 7, Wisconsin 3
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Timber Rattlers’ website, details: Kernels Homers Hurt Wisconsin

Taking on a solid Cedar Rapids (68-46) squad is difficult, but doing it without OF Jackson Chourio and C Jeferson Quero (both resting for a few days after reported soreness) makes for very little margin for error.

To their credit, Wisconsin battled back from a 2-0 deficit in the 1st inning, with 6th inning hits from 2B Antonio Pinero (1-for-3, double), OF Reidy Mercado (1-for-3, SB) and 3B Ben Metzinger (1-for-4, RBI, SB) enabling the Timber Rattlers to tie the game 2-2.

Starting RHP Justin Jarvis (5 1/3 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 3 BB, 6 Ks) faced a lot of traffic in ultimately throwing 100 pitches, but did well to limit the Kernels to only two runs before exiting with one-on and one-out in the bottom of the 6th inning.

However, RHP Joey Matulovich wasn’t able to provide much relief on this day, as he conceded two homers, a triple and two walks in that same 6th inning before exiting in favor of RHP Taylor Floyd with the Timber Rattlers down 7-2.

The loss dropped Wisconsin to a 1-5 series defeat for the week.

Three Quick Strikes:

• C Darrien Miller grabbed a run back with a solo homer in the top of the 8th inning, his 10th of the year.
• Floyd (2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 2 Ks) was again solid in relief, turning around what had been a challenging season in the initial months. He’s only conceded one run in his last seven appearances (15 1/3 innings).
• Striking out 15 times in 33 at-bats won’t get the job done on most days. Only Pinero and Mercado managed to avoid a K on Sunday, but each also batted one fewer time than their teammates.

Next week’s outlook: Wisconsin (59-54) will face 46-68 Lansing (Athletics’ High-A affiliate) at home this week. Expect RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez (season ERA 3.22 in Low-A/High-A) to start the opener, building on 9 Ks in a tough luck loss in his last outing.

Carolina Pre-Game Notes
Final: Carolina 6, Fayetteville 2
Box Score / Game Log

Via the Mudcats’ website, game details: Mudcats Hit Four Homers in Sweep Clinching Victory

RHP Yujanyer Herrera (5 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 3 BB, 2 HBP, 3 Ks) had a terrific Low-A debut, overcoming a 1st inning run to keep Fayetteville scoreless over his remaining innings. Having just turned 19 years old on Wednesday, I’m sure that he only needs one or two more games like this to start climbing prospect lists.

OF Hedbert Perez (2-for-3, HR, walk, RBI) smacked his 15th home run of the year to tie the game 1-1 in the 2nd inning before 3B Jadher Areinamo (1-for-3) singled and scored on a SS Robert Moore (2-for-4, RBI, SB) single in the 3rd inning to give Carolina its first lead.

After a rain delay entering the 6th inning, RHP Miguel Guerrero came in to strike out the side in that frame before conceding a run on two hits in the 7th inning.

Thankfully, the Mudcats responded to the challenge immediately, with DH/INF Alberis Ferrer (1-for-4, HR, 2 RBIs) blasting a 2-run shot in the 7th inning to re-capture the lead 4-2, then 2B Eric Brown Jr. (1-for-4, HR, RBI) and 1B Jesus Chirinos (1-for-4, HR, RBI) each adding solo shots in the 8th inning.

The victory completed a 6-0 series sweep for Carolina on the week.

Three Quick Strikes:

• It was truly a day for exciting, young pitching prospects as fellow 19-year old RHP Jeison Pena (2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 Ks) earned his first Low-A save with two shutout innings.
• Contributor @CheeseheadInQC highlighted in the forum that Herrera was only the second Brewer minor league pitcher in the last 16 years to make a Low-A debut in his “age 18 season”. I believe that the other was RHP Brailin Rodriguez in 2021, who’s unfortunately been injured throughout 2022.
• RHP Miguel Segura had been noted as the incoming 6th inning reliever, but didn’t actually face any batters. This was either due to the rain delay, the manager changing his mind or perhaps Segura didn’t feel quite right during his warm up. We’ll have to monitor this, as he’s not pitched since July 29.

Next week’s outlook: Carolina (61-53) heads to Kannapolis (50-64) to battle the White Sox’s Low-A affiliate. Expect 2021 4th round draft pick RHP Logan Henderson to make his second start for Carolina, as he builds up strength following an injury and recent rehab work.

We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. Good luck on Monday DSL/ACL squads! Get some rest on your travel day, full season squads.

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