Brewers Farm Report: Brevard County Manatees, July 7-13

(Author’s Note: I would like to dedicate this column to my father, Gerald Trzinski, who had major surgery three weeks ago to repair a ruptured aorta. He is currently in fair condition in the ICU at Aspirus Wausau Hospital. Get better, dad and I love you!)

Each week throughout the regular season, the staff at Reviewing the Brew will be bringing you a comprehensive minor league report about each of the Brewers’ affiliates. There hasn’t been much to write home about up at the big league level this season for the Brewers this season, but Milwaukee does have plenty of exciting prospects playing well throughout their minor league system. The Brewers’ high-A affiliate, the Brevard County Manatees, are no exception.

The ‘Tees took two of three from Tampa but dropped three of four to Charlotte, who has the best record in the Florida State League. They dropped to 36-51, last in the FSL North and 14 games behind Clearwater.

As a team, the Manatees are tied for second with 39 home runs hit and are fifth in batting average with a .247 average. Pitching-wise, the ‘Tees are ranked first in the league with six complete games.

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More than a few players rank among the leaders in the FSL: Clint Coulter leads the league in dingers with 11, total bases with 144, and plunks (HBP) with 13. Taylor Smith-Brennan leads with 55 runs scored and 46 base on balls.

Chris McFarland paces the loop in hits with 104 and now ranks in a tie for fourth with 134 total bags. Garrett Cooper is second with 24 doubles, while Omar Garcia is second with 31 steals. Victor Roache–promoted to AA Biloxi–is still in third with his 10 jacks.

Jorge Ortega–arguably pitcher of the year in the FSL–is tied for second with eight wins, ranks second among qualifiers with his 2.16 ERA, and leads the league with four complete games, one shutout, 100 innings pitched, and .950 WHIP. Like I said, the BEST pitcher in the league.

Javi Salas has seven wins, which is tied for fifth.

HITTER OF THE WEEK: Omar Garcia, CF

Garcia went 11-for-27 (.407/.407/.556) with three runs scored, a double and a homer, along with a pair of RBIs. The right-handed hitting speedster is 15-for-46 in his last 13 games, raising his season average to .256.

Runners-Up: Garrett Cooper went 6-for-17 with four runs, two doubles, one triple, one home run, and five RBIs in a very productive week. Chris McFarland (along with Trevor Seidenberger as one of my favorite players) banged out 11 hits in 33 at bats with two doubles, two homers, and seven runs scored and seven RBIs.

PITCHER OF THE WEEK: Jorge Ortega, RHSP

In a pair of starts, Ortega earned two wins while toiling 15 innings, allowing 14 hits and two earned runs, walking one while striking out seven.

Runners Up: Kaleb Earls earned a pair of saves in two outings, while newcomer Cy Sneed notched a victory in a seven inning start, giving up eight hits and an earnie while whiffing three.

UP NEXT:

The Manatees begin a seven-game homestand, taking on Fort Myers in a four-game set and finishing with three against Tampa.