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SL Mississippi Braves

Game Info: Saturday, April 27 at Montgomery Biscuits: 6:05 PM CT: Riverwalk Stadium

April 27, 2024 - Southern League (SL)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Saturday, April 27, 2024 - 6:05 PM CT - Riverwalk Stadium - Montgomery, AL

Mississippi Braves (6-13, 4th, SL South, -4.0) at Montgomery Biscuits (10-9, T-1st, SL South, --)

Starting Pitchers: RHP JJ Niekro (1-1, 2.87) vs. RHP Cole Wilcox (1-1, 4.15)

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 GAME: The M-Braves and Biscuits continue a six-game series tonight with game five of the set at Riverwalk Stadium, the fifth of 24 meetings between the teams this season. The two teams next meet for a six-game series from May 27 to June 2 at Trustmark Park. This series is the second leg of a 12-game road trip. The M-Braves went 1-5 against the Birmingham Barons last week, April 16-21, at Regions Field.

BRING ON THE BISCUITS, LET'S COOK: Mississippi went 11-19 against Montgomery last season, 4-8 at Riverwalk Stadium, and 7-11 at Trustmark Park ... Montgomery has won the season series against Mississippi in 14 of 18 seasons since 2005 ... The M-Braves are 144-196 all-time against the Biscuits franchise ... The Biscuits have played the most games against the M-Braves since 2005, with 340 total meetings.

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: Hurston Waldrep delivered his second-straight quality start on Friday night at Riverwalk Stadium, but the 22-year-old No. 2 prospect for the Braves had to settle for a no-decision as Montgomery walked off with a 3-2 win in the bottom of the ninth. The win would have been Waldrep's first in his professional career. He allowed only one run on six hits with four walks and five strikeouts in his fourth start of the year. The M-Braves took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning on a Nacho Alvarez Jr. two-run single. Alvarez was 2-for-4 with a stolen base on Friday night. Hayden Harris was electric again out of the Mississippi bullpen, striking out three over 2.0 shutout innings. Heriberto Hernandez hit a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning to tie the game, and later, Jalen Battles delivered a walk-off single.

M-BRAVES REACH 1,200 WINS: Thursday night's 13-3 win over Montgomery was Mississippi's 1,200th in franchise history. It took the M-Braves until the sixth game of the inaugural season in 2005 to win the first game in club history, which was a 7-4 win over the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx in game two of a doubleheader at Pringles Park on April 12, 2005. Jeff Francoeur was 0-for-3, with a walk and RBI, in the game, using a five-run sixth fueled by RBIs by Scott Thorman, Francoeur, and Derrick Gibson. Brian O'Connor got the win for Mississippi.

SCORING SPREE: Over the first four games of the series in Montgomery, the M-Braves have scored 27 runs, the most in Double-A over the span, with three home runs, seven doubles. In the previous 15 games, Mississippi had scored just 31 runs, the fewest in Double-A with three home runs.

THE TOLVE FACTOR: Catcher Tyler Tolve was 1-for-19 in the series at Birmingham but has turned things around this series. Over the first four games, Tolve is 6-for-18 with two home runs, three doubles, seven RBI, and four runs scored.

NEED FOR SPEED: The M-Braves are tied for the Southern League lead with Rocket City and are T-2nd in Double-A with 42 stolen bases (42/46) through 19 games. Midland leads Double-A with 43. Geraldo Quintero leads the club and ranks 4th in the league with 10 steals ... Justin Dean and Cody Milligan are T-3rd with nine stolen bases each. Mississippi had 157 (1.1 per game) stolen bases last season and is on pace for 305 (2.2 per game) in 2024. The most by an M-Braves team was 159 in 2007.

"NACHO" AVERAGE SHORT STOP: Atlanta's top-ranked position player prospect, Nacho Alvarez Jr., is on an 11-game on-base streak, batting .310 with 13 hits, five RBI, five walks, and a .383 OBP. The 21-year-old ranks among the circuit leaders in walks (T-1st, 12), hits (T-7th, 19), and OBP (4th, .403).

DRAKE IS "TOO GOOD": Atlanta's top-catching prospect, Drake Baldwin, has reached base safely in 11 straight games from April 11 to 26. Baldwin hit his first home run in game two of Sunday's doubleheader in Birmingham. Over the 11 games, Baldwin is slashing .289/.400/.447, with 11 hits, three doubles, a home run, three RBI, seven walks, and two runs. Over his last four games, he is 6-fo-13, with a homer, three doubles, two RBI, and four walks.

THERE'S JUST SOMETHING ABOUT THE NAME NIEKRO: JJ Niekro, the son of Joe Niekro and nephew of Phil Niekro, is trying to create his legacy. The 26-year-old made his first two Double-A starts during the opening homestand and went 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA (2 ER/10.2), two walks, and eight strikeouts. Niekro won during the home opener on April 9 with 6.0 shutout innings in the 2-0 weather-shortened contest. The Plant City, FL native ranks 8th in the Southern League with a 1.02 WHIP.

GIVE ME FIVE: The M-Braves are 6-4 when their starters go 5+ innings and 0-9 when starters go less than 5.0 innings. In the 10 games with 5+ innings, they have combined for a 1.74 ERA (11 ER/57.0 IP). In the nine games of less than 5, the starter's ERA is 8.13 (28 ER/31.0 IP).

MR. MEJIA: After struggling in his first start, Ian Mejia has allowed just one run over his previous two quality starts, including 12 innings, one run allowed, four walks, and 13 strikeouts. Mejia set a new career high with nine strikeouts in his start on April 17 at Birmingham. Mejia ranks among the league leaders in strikeouts (T-6th, 22), and opponents' average (8th, .203).

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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