Minor League Roundup Week #21

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 21 roundup.

AAA Nashville

The Sounds had another 4-2 week, this time against the Charlotte Knights (8-37) to improve to 24-20, 1.5 games behind the St. Paul Saints (26-19).

Keston Hiura continues to produce for the Sounds, slashing .421/.455/1.053 with four homers, eight hits, and eight RBIs across 19 at-bats on the week. He’s now slashing .314/.401/.581 with 21 homers and 71 RBIs this season. Tyler Black also had a big week for Nashville, slashing .304/.407/.609 with a homer, four doubles, and four RBIs. As a team, the Sounds slashed .249/.341/.447 with nine homers and 27 runs scored on the week.

Robert Gasser had another quality start this week, going six innings and striking out 10 while allowing just one run on seven hits and no walks. Janson Junk also had a strong start, spanning seven innings and allowing two runs on six hits and one walk with seven punchouts. As a team, the Sounds pitching staff finished the week with a 4.17 ERA and 60 strikeouts over 54 innings.

The Sounds now travel to Gwinnett to battle the Stripers (22-21). Nashville is 9-3 against Gwinnett this season, including a six-game sweep over the Stripers in June.

AA Biloxi

The Shuckers went 5-1 against the Mississippi Braves (17-27) to improve to 26-19 in the second half, two games ahead of second-place Montgomery (24-21).

Wes Clarke added two more homers this week, slashing .364/.417/.682 with eight hits, three RBIs, and six walks. Felix Valerio also homered twice, while Carlos D. Rodriguez added seven hits of his own. As a team, the Shuckers slashed .248/.351/.348 with four homers and 29 runs scored on the week.

Jacob Misiorowski continues to mow down hitters, striking out 12 across six scoreless innings this week, allowing just one hit and three walks. Fellow starters Tobias Myers, TJ Shook, and Carlos F. Rodriguez also impressed, allowing a combined two earned runs across 16 ⅔ innings while striking out 19 batters. As a pitching staff, the Shuckers led the league with an incredible 1.53 ERA and 66 strikeouts over 53 innings.

Biloxi now returns home to play the Pensacola Blue Wahoos (22-23). The Shuckers are 11-13 against their division rivals this season, losing four of six to them earlier this month.

High-A Wisconsin

The Rattlers had a rough week, going just 1-5 against the Cedar Rapids Kernels (31-17) to fall to 22-26 in the second half, nine games behind the Kernels for first place.

Je’Von Ward had the lone homer for the Rattlers this week, slashing .375/.375/.750 with three hits in eight at-bats. Mike Boeve led the team with seven hits and five RBIs, slashing .304/.320/.348. Jesse Winker also produced while on a rehab assignment, slashing .385/.467/.462 with five hits and two RBIs in 13 at-bats. As a team, the Rattlers slashed .241/.329/.310 with one homer and 22 runs scored this week.

Nick Merkel was strong out of the bullpen for Wisconsin, totaling 4 ⅔ scoreless innings across two appearances, striking out seven. Sam Gardner also had a scoreless long-relief appearance, allowing just three walks with six strikeouts over 3 ⅓ innings. The lone win of the week went to Cameron Wagoner, who spanned five innings and allowed one run on four hits with five punchouts. As a staff, the Rattlers finished the week with a 5.07 ERA, striking out 55 batters over 49 ⅔ innings.

Wisconsin now returns home to battle the Quad Cities River Bandits (18-30), who currently sit in last place in the division. The Rattlers are 5-13 against the Bandits this season.

A Carolina

The Mudcats went 2-4 against the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers (24-24) to fall to 29-19. Carolina now leads the Carolina League North division by just two games over the Lynchburg Hillcats (27-21).

Jace Avina, Luis Castillo, and Jesus Chirinos all homered this week, as Avina slashed a strong .421/.593/.737 with five RBIs and six walks compared to five strikeouts. Jadher Areinamo led the team with nine hits, slashing .375/.400/.583 and driving in four runs. Dylan O’Rae also had a huge week, slashing .381/.533/.381 and going a perfect 7-for-7 in stolen base attempts. As a team, the Mudcats slashed .288/.385/.420 with three homers and 29 runs scored.

Brian Fitzpatrick led the pitching staff with a strong start, spanning four scoreless innings, striking out five and allowing just one baserunner via a walk. Jesus Rivero pitched 3 ⅓ scoreless out of the bullpen, striking out four en route to a victory. After leading the league in ERA last week, the Mudcats finished the week with a league-worst 7.54 ERA, striking out 39 batters across 51 ⅓ innings.

Carolina now returns home to play the Columbia Fireflies (23-25). The Mudcats went 5-1 in their lone series against the Fireflies back at the end of July.

Performances by Top 10 Brewers Prospects (Weekly Performance; Season Totals)

1. (MLB No. 2) OF Jackson Chourio (AA): .217/.250/.217 (23 at-bats), 0 HR, 3 RBI; .280/.336/.457 (418 at-bats), 17 HR, 74 RBI
2. (MLB No. 22) OF Sal Frelick (MLB): .214/.313/.214 (14 at-bats), 0 HR, 1 RBI; .251/.359/.374 (243 at-bats), 5 HR, 35 RBI
3. (MLB No. 34) C Jeferson Quero (AA): .176/.167/.235 (17 at-bats), 0 HR, 1 RBI; .276/.356/.466 (268 at-bats), 14 HR, 43 RBI
4. (MLB No. 38) RHP Jacob Misiorowski (AA): 6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER (0.00 ERA), 3 BB, 12 SO; 71 ⅓ IP, 42 H, 27 ER (3.41 ERA), 42 BB, 110 SO
5. (MLB No. 55) 3B/OF/2B Tyler Black (AAA): .304/.407/.609 (23 at-bats), 1 HR, 4 RBI; .265/.405/.499 (355 at-bats), 15 HR, 54 RBI
6. LHP Robert Gasser (AAA): 6 IP, 7 H, 1 ER (1.50 ERA), 0 BB, 10 SO; 113 ⅓ IP, 100 H, 48 ER (3.81 ERA), 43 BB, 143 SO
7. RHP Carlos F. Rodriguez (AA): 4 ⅔ IP, 1 H, 0 ER (0.00 ERA), 2 BB, 3 SO; 100 ⅓ IP, 62 H, 28 ER (2.51 ERA), 49 BB, 127 SO
8. 3B Brock Wilken (High-A): .227/.370/.318 (22 at-bats), 0 HR, 3 RBI; .301/.458/.479 (73 at-bats), 2 HR, 15 RBI
9. *OF Luis Lara (High-A): .294/.368/.353 (17 at-bats), 0 HR, 1 RBI; .285/.378/.354 (291 at-bats), 2 HR, 22 RBI
10. SS Cooper Pratt (Rookie): .286/.444/.357 (14 at-bats), 0 HR, 0 RBI; .356/.426/.444 (45 at-bats), 0 HR, 8 RBI

*Lara was promoted to High-A Wisconsin from A Carolina on Monday, August 14.