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Mississippi Braves

Game Info: Friday, April 12 vs. Biloxi Shuckers: 6:35 PM CT: Trustmark Park

April 12, 2024 - Southern League (SL)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Friday, April 12, 2024 | 6:35 PM CT | Trustmark Park | Pearl, MS

Mississippi Braves (3-3, 3rd, SL South, -0.5) vs. Biloxi Shuckers (2-4, 4th, SL South, -1.5)

Game #7 | Home Game #4

Starting Pitchers: LHP Luis De Avila (0-0, 9.00) vs. RHP Bradley Blalock (1-0, 0.00)

Watch Live: Bally Live / MiLB.TV / MLB At Bat

Listen Live: 102.1 The Box

Today's Roster Move

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Today's Promotions:

Post-Game Fireworks: Stay after the game for an exciting Fireworks Show presented by William Carey University!

Magnetic Schedule Giveaway: The first 1,000 fans will receive a 2024 magnetic schedule presented By ChunkiT Axe Throwing and BreakiT Smash Rooms.

TrustCare Kids Run The Bases: After the game, kids can run the bases just like the pros!

TODAY'S GAME: The M-Braves continue the opening homestand of the 2024 season on Thursday with game four of the six-game series against Biloxi. LHP Luis De Avila makes his second start of the year and fifth career start against Biloxi.

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: Behind Drew Parrish and Ian Mejia's excellent pitching performances on Thursday night, the Mississippi Braves swept a doubleheader from the Biloxi Shuckers, 4-1 and 1-0 at Trustmark Park. The M-Braves have won three straight games to open the homestand. The nightcap was an extra-inning walk-off in the bottom of the eighth inning on a Drake Baldwin single. Parrish and Mejia combined to give up one run over 15 innings, while five combined Mississippi hurlers held Biloxi scoreless for the 14-straight innings after Biloxi scored their lone run in the top of the first in game one. Cody Milligan was 2-for-6 with a double, two runs, a walk, and four stolen bases in the doubleheader.

NEED FOR SPEED: After six stolen bases during Thursday's twin bill, the M-Braves lead all of Double-A baseball with 19. Midland is second with 18. Cody Milligan is second in the Southern League with six stolen bases, and Justin Dean is third with five.

MAGNOLIA REUNION: Mississippi's two professional ball clubs meet for the first time in 2024 this week. Since 2015, the M-Braves are 92-106 against the Brewers affiliate. Last season, the M-Braves were 12-15 against Biloxi, including 5-10 at Trustmark Park.

SOLID OFFENSIVE START: Justin Dean ranks among the league leaders in stolen bases (3rd, 5) and batting average. Dean has also reached in five straight games. Nacho Alvarez Jr. ranks among the circuit leaders in walks (1st, 7) and OBP (T-4th, .500).

BRILLIANT BULLPEN: The Mississippi bullpen has a 2.18 ERA (5 ER/20.2 IP), 25 strikeouts, and 15 walks over the first six games, holding the opposition to a .171 batting average.

JJ WAS TERRIFIC: Statistically, JJ Niekro turned in the second-best start of his career on Tuesday. The 6.0 shutout innings was his longest outing in his previous 35 outings (11 starts), returning to 8/30/22 while pitching for A+ Augusta. He threw 7.0 shutout innings on 6/10/22 at Augusta.

ABOUT LAST SEASON: The club finished with a 62-75 overall record, 33-35 in the first half and 29-40 in the second half. The M-Braves were 32-36 at Trustmark Park and 30-39 on the road. The M-Braves went 19-32 in July and August but finished with a franchise record nine wins in September.

The M-Braves made 201 transactions in 2023 and saw 59 overall players, 24 position players, and 35 pitchers wear a Mississippi jersey. The club made a season-high 50 roster moves in April and a season-low 21 in June. That stability over the middle of the season helped the M-Braves finish a combined 26-24 over May and June after getting off to an 8-13 record in April.

OPENING DAY ROSTER FEATURES FOUR TOP-20 ATL PROSPECTS/17 RETURNERS: Mississippi returns 17 players from last season's club and four of the Atlanta Braves' Top 20 prospects. The Top 20 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline, include RHP Hurston Waldrep (No. 2), INF Nacho Alvarez Jr. (No. 6), C Drake Baldwin (No. 11), and LHP Luis De Avila (No. 20). RHP Ian Mejia (No. 28), and INF Keshawn Ogans are part of Baseball America's Top 30 prospects.

The 17 returning players include pitchers De Avila, RHP Domingo Gonzalez, RHP Patrick Halligan, LHP Hayden Harris, LHP Jake McSteen, RHP Trey Riley, RHP Hurston Waldrep, and RHP Peyton Williams, and position players Baldwin, C Tyler Tolve, C Javier Valdes, INF Cade Bunnell, INF Cal Conley, INF Bryson Horne, OF Justin Dean, OF Cody Milligan, and OF Brandon Parker.

COACHING STAFF WITH A NEW FLO: After spending one season as manager of the Braves High-A affiliate Rome Braves (Emperors), Angel Flores will take the reins for the first time at the Double-A level, succeeding Kanekoa Texeira. Texeira was promoted to manager of the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers after Matt Tuiasosopo was named to the Braves' Major League coaching staff for 2024. Flores returns to Mississippi, where he served as bench coach in 2022. Flores took over as interim manager from April 26 to May 15, 2022, while Bruce Crabbe took a leave of absence from the club. During the 18-game stretch, the M-Braves went 10-8. During his first season as a full-time manager last year, Flores led the R-Braves to a 34-32 record in the second half and an overall 64-68 mark. Rome closed the year with a 21-15 record in August and September. Overall, he holds a 74-76 record as a manager.

MISSISSIPPI MADE: M-Braves outfielder Brandon Parker, a native of Saucier, MS, on the Gulf Coast and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College product, became the first player to prep in Mississippi and play for the M-Braves since Austin Riley in 2017. Riley prepped at Desoto Central in North Mississippi ... Parker was a two-time All-American at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Parker attended West Harrison High School.

FINAL SEASON IN MISSISSIPPI: On January 9, it was announced that after 20 years, 2024 will be the M-Braves' final season in Pearl, MS. As of the start of the 2025 season, the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves will be relocating to Columbus, GA.

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