Biloxi Shuckers Spotlight Week 1 – LHP Josh Hader

The Biloxi Shuckers started their season on April 7^th and Josh Hader had a solid start to make sure Milwaukee Brewers fans remember he was a good part of the Carlos Gomez deal too.

The Biloxi Shuckers started off the season going 7-2 with the help of players like Josh Hader, Brett Phillips, and others as they hope to do the same as last year and get back to the championship game and win this time. So, let’s take a look how the players from the season preview have been doing  starting with the players that have helped them keep the Biloxi Shuckers in the games and 2^nd in the Southern League.

LHP Josh Hader

9.0 IP / 1.00 ERA / 3 BBs / 12 Ks

In his first start he went 4 IP as he had the 3 BBs and 5 Ks, but more importantly gave up 0 ERs. In his 2^nd start, he went 5 IP, 7 Ks, and 1 ER. Too early in the season to throw out sabermetrics, but for fun a 1.92 FIP sounds like a good number for any pitcher after 9 IP.

OF Brett Phillips

.364/.432/.606 / 1 HR/7 RBIs / 4 BBs/11 Ks

Brett Phillips has been as entertaining on the field as he has off. The Biloxi Shuckers may hope he stays with them all year as he’s a Marketing’s dream player. If he keeps his doubles and total bases at a steady pace, he should be up to Colorado Springs sooner than later this year. One thing he’ll have to watch is his strikeouts as he’s at a 26.7% K%, but very early in the season still.

P Wei-Chung Wang

11.0 IP / 2.45 ERA / 5 BBs / 9 Ks

Wei-Chung Wang has only given up 3 ER overall this year and his start last night is a good sign he’ll stay consistent as he went 5.1 IP, 2 ER, 2 BBs, and 4 Ks. It’s early, but a 4.76 BB/9 will certainly bring in more runs, but for now a great start for a player that was dropped off a number of Milwaukee Brewers prospects lists.

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P Hobbs Johnson

5.1 IP / 3.38 ERA / 2 BBs / 5 Ks

In 3 relief appearances Johnson has started out in relief for the Biloxi Shuckers and had a rough outing in his first appearance of the season going 1.1 IP giving up 2 ER with 2 Ks, but he popped right back up on his feet and has gone out for 2 more outings pitching 4 innings with 0 ER. Early signs may have shown the bullpen is the right spot for him as he didn’t have a reliable second pitch to continue being a starting pitcher.

OF Tyrone Taylor

.333/.371/.424 / 0 HRs/0 RBIs / 2 BBs/5 Ks

Tyrone Taylor batting line was below average until after yesterday’s double-header.  Something he did last year that concerned the Milwaukee Brewers and lowered him on BA’s Prospect Handbook list was simply not get on base, but it’s early in the season. But with a .371 OBP, it’s a good sign he’s getting on base. Something the Milwaukee Brewers need him to continue to get higher in the farm system. Scouts have to hope this continues throughout the season.

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OF Victor Roache

.238/.333/.571 / 1 HR/3 RBIs 3 BBs/9 Ks

Victor Roache is just like Wang where if anyone is hoping for a hot start for the Biloxi Shuckers, it’d be him. Until yesterday’s double header,  some of his numbers were right up there with Phillps. But, after Roache played one game and went 0-2 and Phillips played both games and went 4-7, they made quite a separation. Early in the season, but Roache is one that the Milwaukee Brewers scouts would’ve liked to see have a hot start.

C Jacob Nottingham

.148/.233/.407 / 2 HRs/5 RBIs / 2 BBs/6 Ks

If anything, Jacob Nottingham had one of the biggest highlight of the Biloxi Shuckers season with 1 of his 2 HRs being a game winner in the 13^th inning. With only 4 hits this year, the Milwaukee Brewers expect to see much more out of him, but at least have seen some pop in his bat, something that’s been expected after the trade. Some players like Roache, Milwaukee Brewers scouts want to see a big jump to start the season, but not much of a concern for Nottingham as his work is more to be looked at the catcher position.

Other notes:

P Jorge Ortega has had a solid start so far this season in his 1 GS, going 6 IP, 1 ER, 0 BBs, and 5 Ks. He was ranked #21 on the KATOH Projects from FanGraphs. 2B Nathan Orf has been a good reason the Biloxi Shuckers have gotten in so many runs. A .513 OBP helps out and he’s another one FanGraphs is a fan of where they simply call him a “scrappy gamer.”