Nashville, Wisconsin dominate heading into All-Star break
Each week, I’ll be bringing you a roundup of the Brewers minor league affiliates, including score updates, key players, and more. Here is the week 16 roundup.
Triple-A Nashville
The Sounds took five of six from the Iowa Cubs (41-52 overall; 8-10 second half) this week, improving to 49-44 overall with an 11-7 second-half record, moving into first place in the International League West.
Brewer Hicklen led the offense with a trio of homers, driving in eight runs and scoring six. Wes Clarke and Joey Wiemer each homered, as Wiemer slashed .412/.545/.706 with seven hits and five walks. Owen Miller led the team with 10 hits in 19 at-bats, slashing .526/.571/.632. As a team, the Sounds hit .282/.368/.411 with five homers and 35 runs scored.
Joe Ross had a solid rehab start, allowing no runs across 3 ⅔ innings with three strikeouts. Garrett Stallings had a solid start as well, allowing one run across 5 ⅓ innings with four strikeouts. The real story of the week is the Nashville bullpen, which allowed just five runs over 27 innings (1.67 ERA) with 29 strikeouts. The Sounds pitching staff finished the week with a league-best 2.33 ERA, striking out 56 across 54 innings.
The Sounds take to the road once again as they head to Norfolk to take on the Tides (44-48 overall; 8-9 second half) for three games starting Friday. Nashville went 2-4 against Norfolk in early May.
Double-A Biloxi
The Shuckers took four of six against the Chattanooga Lookouts (25-62 overall; 5-13 second half) to improve to 12-6 in the second half and 42-43 overall this season. Biloxi is one game ahead of Pensacola for the Southern League South second-half lead.
Brock Wilken raked this week, picking up eight hits, including three homers, with six RBIs and seven runs scored. Carlos D. Rodriguez led the team with nine hits, including a homer, while Ernesto Martinez hit .471/.609/.706 with eight hits and four RBIs. As a team, the Shuckers hit .262/.386/.388 with five homers and 43 runs scored on the week.
Jacob Misiorowski continues to impress, striking out 10 and allowing no runs across six innings of work in a winning effort. Bradley Blalock led the team with 11 strikeouts across two starts, allowing four runs across 9 ⅓ innings. Kaleb Bowman pitched three scoreless innings in relief, striking out five while allowing just one hit. The pitching staff finished the week with a 3.74 ERA, striking out a league-high 66 batters in 53 innings.
Biloxi gets an extended break before a three-game series with the Montgomery Biscuits (48-39 overall; 8-10 second half) beginning on Friday night at home.
High-A Wisconsin
The Timber Rattlers took all five of their games against the West Michigan Whitecaps (41-45 overall; 10-10 second half) as the series finale was canceled. Wisconsin is now 14-6 in the second half and 56-30 overall.
Luis Lara hit a homer for the second straight week, joined by Luke Adams, Felix Valerio, and Jheremy Vargas. Valerio slashed .471/.526/.706 with seven RBIs and eight hits, while Adams picked up a pair of steals and five RBIs. Jadher Areinamo went 7-for-15 with five RBIs and four doubles on the week. As a team, Wisconsin hit .290/.383/.458 with four homers and 25 runs scored.
K.C. Hunt continues to mow down hitters, striking out nine while allowing one run over six innings. Alexander Cornielle picked up a pair of wins in a start and a relief appearance, striking out nine across seven scoreless frames. Devin Williams made his first rehab appearance with Wisconsin, striking out all three batters he faced in a scoreless inning of work. As a staff, the Rattlers finished the week with an incredible 0.78 ERA, allowing just four earned runs and striking out 51 batters over 46 innings.
The Rattlers head to Cedar Rapids to take on the Kernels (50-35 overall; 13-8 second half) for three games this weekend. Wisconsin went 4-2 against Cedar Rapids in mid-April.
Single-A Carolina
The Mudcats went just 2-4 against the Fredericksburg Nationals (51-36 overall; 16-5 second half) in a bunch of low-scoring games, falling to 50-35 overall and 9-11 in the second half.
Yophery Rodriguez picked up the only homer of the week as he also led the team with a solid .313/.476/.563 slash line. Yhoswar Garcia was the only other standout offensively, picking up five hits and four steals as he hit .263/.333/.316. As a team, the Mudcats hit a dismal .174/.293/.239 with one homer and 11 runs scored.
Three Mudcats made strong starts this week, as Enniel Cortez, Manuel Rodriguez, and Bishop Letson combined to allow just four runs (three earned) across 16 ⅔ innings with 20 strikeouts. Rodriguez struck out seven and allowed one across six innings in the best start of the week. Jeferson Figueroa and Dikember Sanchez each pitched a pair of scoreless innings in relief. As a pitching staff, the Mudcats had a 3.43 ERA, striking out 49 batters in 42 innings.
The Mudcats return home to welcome the Lynchburg Hillcats (48-39 overall; 11-10 second half) for three games beginning on Friday. Carolina is 3-3 against Lynchburg this season.
Performances by Top 10 Brewers Prospects (Weekly Performance; Season Totals)
- (MLB No. 32) RHP Jacob Misiorowski (AA): 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER (0.00 ERA), 2 BB, 10 SO; 72 ⅔ IP, 48 H, 25 ER (3.10 ERA), 41 BB, 98 SO
- (MLB No. 33) 3B/1B Tyler Black (AAA): .273/.333/.273 (22 at-bats), 0 HR, 1 RBI; .279/.380/.452 (283 at-bats), 10 HR, 48 RBI
- (MLB No. 95) SS Cooper Pratt (A): .000/.000/.000 (7 at-bats), 0 HR, 0 RBI; .291/.388/.378 (230 at-bats), 2 HR, 31 RBI
- 3B Brock Wilken (AA): .308/.379/.692 (26 at-bats), 3 HR, 6 RBI; .235/.326/.428 (243 at-bats), 12 HR, 36 RBI
- RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez (AAA): 5 ⅔ IP, 4 H, 2 ER (3.18 ERA), 3 BB, 7 SO; 89 ⅔ IP, 89 H, 58 ER (5.82 ERA), 39 BB, 91 SO
- OF Luis Lara (A+): .278/.333/.500 (18 at-bats), 1 HR, 2 RBI; .245/.318/.323 (269 at-bats), 2 HR, 29 RBI
- OF Yophery Rodriguez (A): .313/.476/.563 (16 at-bats), 1 HR, 3 RBI; .254/.350/.415 (284 at-bats), 6 HR, 45 RBI
- SS Eric Brown Jr. (AA): .385/.429/.385 (13 at-bats), 0 HR, 2 RBI; .195/.281/.258 (236 at-bats), 2 HR, 23 RBI
- RHP Josh Knoth (A): 4 ⅔ IP, 5 H, 4 ER (7.71 ERA), 2 BB, 9 SO; 58 ⅓ IP, 48 H, 26 ER (4.01 ERA), 34 BB, 70 SO
- 3B/SS Eric Bitonti (Rookie): .333/.412/.667 (15 at-bats), 1 HR, 6 RBI; .308/.435/.564 (156 at-bats), 7 HR, 33 RBI