SL Mississippi Braves

Game Info: Saturday, May 11 at Rocket City Trash Pandas: 6:05 PM CT: Toyota Field

Published on May 11, 2024 under Southern League (SL)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Mississippi Braves (11-20) at Rocket City Trash Pandas (15-15)

Saturday, May 11, 2024 - 6:05 PM CT - Toyota Field - Madison, AL

Game 32 of 138 - Away Game 20 of 69 - 102.1 The Box - Bally Live - MiLB.tv

Starting Pitchers: LHP Luis De Avila (0-4, 4.55) vs. RHP John O'Reilly (0-0, 1.80)

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 Mississippi Braves and Rocket City Trash Pandas play game five of a six-game series tonight at Toyota Field ... This is the fifth of 12 meetings between the clubs this season ... Rocket City will visit Pearl for a six-game series, June 11-16 at Trustmark Park.

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: Behind Ian Mejia's 5.2 scoreless innings and a combined three-hit shutout, the M-Braves beat Rocket City 8-0 on Friday night to even the series at 2-2. The M-Braves out-hit Rocket City 12-3 in the win, while the pitching staff struck out 15 and walked three. Mejia gave up three hits and matched a career-high with nine strikeouts and two walks in his second-straight win. Jake McSteen (1.1), Anthony Vizcaya (1.0), and Rolddy Munoz (1.0) finished off the shutout. Drake Baldwin reached base safely four times, finishing 2-for-3 with a run, RBI, and a walk. Keshawn Ogans and Cody Milligan added two-hit games, while Nacho Alvarez Jr notched two RBI and a stolen base.

FINAL TRIP TO THE ROCKET CITY: This week marks the final meeting between the Mississippi Braves and Rocket City Trash Pandas at Toyota Field ... Since Rocket City's first season in 2021, the M-Braves are 17-11 against the LA Angels Double-A affiliate ... The two teams did not meet during the 2021 season. In the first-ever matchup at Trustmark Park, the M-Braves swept the Trash Pandas in a six-game set, July 12-17, 2022 ... Against the previous iteration of minor league baseball in North Alabama, the Huntsville Stars, Mississippi was 81-82 against the Stars from 2005-14.

THE MEJIA MAGIC: When RHP Ian Mejia takes the mound, the Mississippi Braves are 6-1 in his seven starts. Mississippi's opening-day starter ranks sixth in the Southern League with a 2.02 ERA and leads the league with 43 strikeouts. He also ranks among the league leaders in innings pitched (2nd, 35.2), WHIP (9th, 1.07), and opponent's batting average (5th, .187). The 24-year-old has not allowed a run over his last two starts and 13.2 innings with 16 strikeouts to three walks. Mejia tossed 7.0 shutout innings, on two hits with one walk, and seven strikeouts on May 4 to earn Southern League Pitcher of the Week.

PRIME TIME PITCHING: The M-Braves pitching staff has a 3.51 ERA through 31 games, which ranks eighth in Double-A. Mississippi also ranks eighth with 294 strikeouts.

WINNING WALDREP: RHP Hurston Waldrep, the Atlanta Braves' first-round pick in 2023 (24th overall), earned his first professional win on Thursday night. Over his last four starts, Waldrep has a 1.17 ERA, giving up just three earned runs in 23.0 innings.

NEED FOR SPEED: The M-Braves lead all Double-A in stolen bases with 66 (66-for-74) through 31 games. The club has five players who have reached double-digit steals. Geraldo Quintero leads the club and ranks T-2nd with 13. Justin Dean and Cody Milligan are T-5th with 12, Nacho Alvarez Jr. has 11, and Cal Conley has 10 ... Mississippi had 157 stolen bases last season and is on pace for 294 (2.1 per game) in 2024. The most by an M-Braves team was 159 in 2007.

COUNTIN' ON CAL: INF Cal Conley is on an 11-game on-base streak, which began on 4/27 ... Conley has a hit in 11 of his last 13 games.

"NACHO" AVERAGE SHORT STOP: Atlanta's top-ranked position player prospect, Nacho Alvarez Jr. has hit in 11 of his last 13 games, and has reached safely in seven-straight games. He went on a 13-game on-base streak from April 13 to May 1, the longest by a Mississippi player this season. The 21-year-old leads the club and ranks 5th in the Southern League with a .397 OBP ... He ranks among the circuit leaders in walks (T-3rd, 18), and batting average (11th, .284).

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.

GIVE ME FIVE: The M-Braves are 10-11 in games when starters go 5+ innings. In the 21 games with 5+ innings, they have combined for a 2.30 ERA (31 ER/121.1 IP). In the 10 games of less than 5, the starter's ERA is 7.69 (30 ER/35.1 IP).

TOP PROSPECTS: According to MLB Pipeline, the M-Braves have five of Atlanta's Top 30 prospects. RHP Hurston Waldrep (No. 2), SS Nacho Alvarez Jr. (No. 6), C Drake Baldwin (No. 11), LHP Luis De Avila (No. 20), and INF/OF Geraldo Quintero (No. 28) are included. In Baseball America's Top 30, OF Cody Milligan (No. 27), RHP Ian Mejia (No. 28), and INF Keshawn Ogans (No. 30) are included.

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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Southern League Stories from May 11, 2024


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