Brewers management introduces Coulter (left) and Roache (right) last summer.

Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

18 of the 25 players on the Timber Rattlers active roster are members of the Brewers’ 2012 MLB Amateur Draft class, including each of their first four picks. Through just 13 games, they are showing exactly why there are high hopes for the group of first-year pros.

Among these names are the team’s three first round draft picks, Victor Roache, Clint Coulter, and Mitch Haniger; Tyrone Taylor, taken in the second round; fourth-rounder Tyler Wagner, fifth-rounder Damien Magnifico, and twelfth-round selection and Oak Creek native Eric Semmelhack.

In front of 2,487 at Time Warner Cable Field on Sunday night, outfielder Roache–taken with the 28th overall selection last summer–had a profound professional debut. In the bottom of the first, he lined the second pitch he saw off the scoreboard in left-center for a two-run home run.

Roache, along with fellow 2012 draftee Adam Giacalone, was activated and joined the team Sunday morning after remaining in Arizona for extended camp for a hamstring injury that set him back a few weeks.

Roache (right) celebrates his first professional homer with Michael Reed (17). (Ron Page/Post Crescent Media)

Coulter + Haniger = Absolute bombs.

“Sitting, being injured is tough when you want to play with these guys,” Roache said after the game, “You hate being injured, but it’s great playing again. It’s a great group of guys.”

After a period of trading away prospects for major league talent and draft picks that never panned out, seeing the future take the field every day provides for a refreshing scene.

“What Milwaukee’s doing in their low and high A-ball clubs is great. Maybe three, four guys in the lineup today will be playing in the bigs in four years,” one scout told me minutes before Roache’s home run.

You have to look no further than the outfield for manager Matt Erickson’s Timber Rattlers to see what’s taking shape in the lower levels. Roache, Haniger, Taylor, and 2011 fifth-rounder Michael Reed comprise an outfield ripe with talent.

Erickson noted the boost that the returns of Roache and Giacalone bring to the lineup.

“[They] add more of a threat to our offense, definitely. Victor gives us four guys in the outfield that could hit at the top of any lineup at this level.”

The return of Roache is, indeed, not only a large boost to the Rattlers, but also to those keeping tabs on the Brewers farm system.

Ranked as the seventh prospect in the organization prior to even playing a game, Roache missed seven months with a wrist injury. He asserts that he hasn’t lost any of his power. There were worries when he didn’t make the trip to Appleton with the rest of the team at the outset of the season because of a nagging hamstring, but all setbacks are behind him now.

Much like how the early-to-mid 2000′s core of the Brewers came up together–names like Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, and JJ Hardy–that is much of what is in place now.

“Having everyone here now is awesome. We’ve all had time to gel and now actually being on the same team brings us closer together,” said Coulter, who has exclusively been working at catcher, though there remains questions as to if the Brewers will move him or not with Jonathan Lucroy’s success.

“It’s hard to predict the future,” he added, “so the key is to try to stay healthy. When you’re not playing, you’re not getting better.”

Many of the team’s picks from the 2012 draft stayed in touch in the off-season through social media, texting, and team events.

“Me, Clint, Mitch, Tyrone, all the rest of the guys are all good friends now. Hopefully that’s something we can carry through for a while,” Roache said of the team chemistry. As did Coulter, he also noted the importance of remaining healthy.

The Brewers organization should pray for them to stay healthy because, if they do, expect a lot more moments like Roache’s dramatic entrance Sunday and for the rest of the future faces of the Brewers.

For those of you that followed this club throughout the 2012 season, this finish may not come as a surprise to you – the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers had one of the most cohesive groups of young talent in the Brewers organization.

For those of you who did not follow the Rattlers championship campaign, this is probably one of a half dozen articles you will see over the weekend about Minor League teams that you care little about. I’m not naive enough to think that I will change your mind with late coverage of low A-Ball playoffs.

I’m just dumb enough to try.

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APPLETON – It was far from a packed house Sunday night at Fox Cities Stadium, but the 566 fans that did show stood and cheered the same way they would have at Miller Park.

After all, it’s not everyday that you get to witness playoff baseball in Wisconsin. For many of these fans – it might be their only chance this year. The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers did not disappoint as the team fired on all cylinders to beat the Clinton LumberKings in Appleton and secure a place in the Midwest League Championship.

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Wisconsin leads the series 1-0 on the heels of a 9-1 victory in Iowa last night.

We’re actually in the press box for tonight’s game for full pre-game and post-coverage of the Timber Rattlers playoff march. Here’s a run-down of what to expect for tonight’s game.

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It certainly doesn’t feel like it, though. Marcum has been out since early June, and was originally slated to miss just one or two starts with shoulder soreness, which has become quite common with Marcum over the past few years. But, it feels like he’s had to go through endless setbacks, including both shoulder and elbow issues. So here we are in mid-August, and Marcum still hasn’t returned to the rotation.

Barring any more “frustrating,” as Marcum calls them, setbacks, we should see him finally back in the rotation as soon as next week. Marcum has been rehabbing with the Timber Rattlers, the Brewers’ Class A affiliate, and has had up and down results. In his first start, which was last week, Marcum threw 36 pitches- 28 for strikes- over three solid innings while surrendering a solo homer. Marcum made his second start last night, which didn’t go quite as cleanly. He went 3 2/3 innings while giving up three runs, two of which were earned, on four hits. He also walked two and struck out four. But, Marcum needed 59 pitches (39 strikes) to get through those 3 2/3 innings.

Prior to his injury, Marcum was one of the more consistent Brewers starters, with a 5-3 record and 3.39 ERA. His only real bad start was a six-run disaster against the Giants back in May. Had he stayed healthy, Marcum would have been on pace to have a similar season to that of his 2011 season, when he went 13-7 with a 3.54 ERA.

Unfortunately, it looks like Marcum is going to come back, hope to stay healthy the last month or so, then test the free agent waters this offseason. I’ve heard multiple reasons that Marcum might be choosing to stay with the Brewers. The first is Marcum is bitter that the Brewers didn’t even attempt to extend him last offseason because they focused so much on Zack Greinke, despite the fact Marcum showed a lot of interest in staying Milwaukee long-term. Another rumor is that the Brewers think Marcum is going to draw $12.5 million per year. Even though Marcum is probably going to be a coveted starter in an offseason where there won’t be many starters available, I just can’t see him getting that much; his injury-plagued career doesn’t match it. The last reason is the Brewers simply don’t want him anymore because of his collapse in September and the postseason of 2011. Marcum had a 5.17 September ERA last year, and a horrible 14.90 ERA in three postseason starts, all of which he lost.

The most likely of those is that Brewers honestly think he’s going to attract too many suitors on the free agent market, and that they won’t be able to maintain him.

But we’ll see what happens. It’s a bit early to get into all of that free agent mumbo-jumbo. There’s still time for us to see how Marcum responds to not pitching in over two months, and that will determine his free agent situation.

Today catcher Jonathan Lucroy will officially be back as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers. But that will only be one change to the team that has seen a multitude of them over a disappointing 2012 season.

With Lucroy’s move back to the Majors, he brings with him Nashville Sounds closer Jim Henderson. The pair will be replacing back-up catcher George Kottaras – who was designated for assignment – and shortstop Jeff Bianchi who was optioned back to the Nashville AAA club.

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Last night, Lucroy donned his gear once again, only it wasn’t with the Brewers. It was with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, the first of his rehab stints before rejoining the team. An official date for his return is not set but Lucroy himself mentioned on Twitter that the last week of July, up until August 1st appears to be the goal.

The rehab schedule – if everything goes as planned – would have Lucroy back in the Brewers Blue by July 26th.

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So we’re taking a break from the negative nonsense today to bring you some quick news hits from a group of ballplayers whose dreams have not yet been crushed by injuries, losing streaks or whiny media-types. I’m talking about the Minor League affiliates of the Milwaukee Brewers, of course.

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The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, the Class-A affiliate of the Brewers, are sitting atop the Midwest League Western division at 22-13 (as of Saturday). Earlier this month, pitchers Chad Thompson and Mark Williams combined on a no-hitter in a 5-0 victory. Former Reviewing the Brew interviewee Seth Harvey is third in the league with six saves and starter Drew Gagnon is 3-0 with a 1.02 era. Offensively, Greg Hopkins, Jason Rogers, Brandon Macias, and Max Walla lead the way for one of the best-hitting teams in the Midwest League.

The latest interview in the series featuring prospects such as Tyler Thornburg and Eric Farrisis none other than Timber Rattlers right

Brewers prospect Max Walla of #TRatNation, taking action at Miller Park. (Image: Wisconsin Timber Rattlers)

fielder, Max Walla (@maxwalla).

Drafted in the second round in 2009, Walla, 21, signed a letter of intent to attend Oklahoma State University before signing with the Brewers. He missed time this spring with a broken finger but is well on his way again, reaching base at a .354 clip. He talks the minor leagues, goals, and #TRatNation with Reviewing the Brew.

Reviewing the Brew: Let’s start off with something that I love that the Brewers do: the Timber Rattlers game at Miller Park. How was the whole experience?

Max Walla: Miller Park was amazing. It’s so cool to play at a big league ballpark and feel like a big leaguer for a day. A little incentive! *Laughs*

RtB: Can you see yourself playing in front of 40,000 strong in the future?

MW: I think so, I would love to play in front of 40,000. It would be so much fun. I tend to be able to block out any number of fans anyways, so I can see myself playing for that many someday.

RtB:  Speaking of ballparks in Wisconsin, I’ll be headed up to Fox Cities Stadium for a Rattlers game later this month. What’s something I need to check out while I’m there?

MW: Dude, I haven’t been here too long thanks to my broken finger this spring, but you should definitely check out some of the golf courses up here. Gorgeous courses! And the mall is a pretty good size, too!

RtB: For sure, man! What are your short-term goals as a player?

MW: This year I really just want to be a guy they can count on to get the job done every day. I hope to be consistent and to be a solid grinder day in and day out.

RtB: Any long term goals?

MW: Long term there is really only one: To get to the bigs and stay there.

RtB: Being ranked by many as one of the top prospects and being drafted in the second round, do you feel any expectations from the organization?

Two of the Timber Rattlers top sluggers, Walla (left) and Brandon Macias greet each other after a Macias homer. (Image: Wisconsin Timber Rattlers)

MW: You try to forget any extra pressure or anything and try to keep it as simple as possible. If you let all that get in your head, you have a tendency to let the game get too big.

RtB: I’ve asked this to the other guys, so I might as well go for it again: What are the best and also the worst parts of being a minor leaguer?

MW: It really tests your love of the game. It’s a tough atmosphere a lot of times but you really see who loves the game and who doesn’t. The minor league journey is a tough road in some ways but I’ve had some priceless experiences and I hope to keep working my way up. I’d say the worst part is the food situations. *Laughs*. Not much meal money and weird schedules means a whole lot of pizza hut and other fast food places, not exactly ideal. But it really reminds you of how much you love [the game].

RtB:  So who’s the mastermind behind the #TRatNation craze? I’m trying to get to the bottom of this. I also see Harvey tried getting #swaggy started. 

MW: I believe Mark Williams started the TratNation hashtag. He is such a great team guy and really a solid part of our squad. It took off as you could see we all started using it. And Harvey is a creative cat, he’s pretty sharp I wouldn’t be surprised to see one or two of his hashtags catch fire!

RtB: Judging by the interactions of you guys on Twitter, the team seems like a really loose bunch. How’s the atmosphere with those guys?

MW: It’s a great atmosphere with some great chemistry! We enjoy spending time with each other and we have some great experiences on and off the field to share. Love it. 

RtB: Who’s probably the toughest pitcher you’ve had to face, ever? 

MW: The toughest pitcher I’ve ever had to face was Tyler Matzek. He was a first rounder my year, left handed pitcher throwing 98. Not too fun! Dirty curve ball, too. 

RtB: Sounds….delightful! Thanks for the time and best of luck this season!

MW: Hey no problem at all man! Glad to help out hope I answered everything alright! 

For most people, the Minor League affiliates of the Milwaukee Brewers will not even be glanced at until after the All-Star Break. This is totally normal. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t stories worth being told from down on the farm, even this early in the season. We start out our look at the minors this year with a trip to the Fox River Valley to look at the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

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