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SL Mississippi Braves

Game Info: Sunday, April 14 vs. Biloxi Shuckers: 2:05 PM CT: Trustmark Park

April 14, 2024 - Southern League (SL)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Sunday, April 14, 2024 - 2:05 PM CT - Trustmark Park - Pearl, MS

Mississippi Braves (3-5, T-3rd, SL South, -3.0) vs. Biloxi Shuckers (4-4, 2nd, SL South, -2.0)

Starting Pitchers: RHP JJ Niekro (1-0, 0.00) vs. RHP TJ Shook (0-1, 1.93)

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

Listen Live: 102.1 The Box

Today's Roster Move

N/A

Today's Promotions:

Sunday Family Fun Day & TrustCare Kids Run The Bases: The M-Braves invite you to bring your family for Sunday baseball at Trustmark Park! For just $25 per person, fans get a game ticket, hat, hotdog, and drink voucher! Tickets must be purchased at the M-Braves box office. After the game, kids get to run the bases courtesy of TrustCare!

Join Us 4 A Jackson: Every Sunday this season, "Join Us 4 A Jackson," and let $20 get you (4) Field Level Tickets and (4) 16 oz. Fountain Drin ks!

STARTING LINEUPS

TODAY'S GAME: The M-Braves will wrap up the opening homestand of the 2024 season on Sunday with game six of the six-game series against Biloxi. After pitching six shutout innings in the series opener on Tuesday, RHP JJ Niekro will take the mound for the series finale.

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: In front of 3,603 fans on Flowood Night at Trustmark Park on Saturday night, the Mississippi Braves dropped their second straight to the Biloxi Shuckers, 6-1. Mississippi pounded out nine singles, and Brandon Parker and Tyler Tolve recorded multi-hit nights at the plate. Hurston Waldrep (L, 0-2) suffered his second loss in his second start of 2024 and his first at home. The 22-year-old Atlanta Braves' No. 2 prospect gave up three runs on four hits over 4.1 innings, matching a career-high in innings and setting a new career high with 85 pitches.

NEED FOR SPEED: As a team, the M-Braves lead all of Double-A baseball with 22 stolen bases. Midland is second with 21. In minor league baseball, the M-Braves rank 10th and fifth among non-Triple-A clubs. Justin Dean is 2nd in the league with seven steals, and Cody Milligan is T-3rd with six. Mississippi had 157 (1.1 per game) stolen bases last season and is on pace for 380 (2.8 per game) in 2024.

MAGNOLIA REUNION: Mississippi's two professional ball clubs meet this week for the first time in 2024. Since 2015, the M-Braves have been 94-108 against the Brewers affiliate. Last season, they were 12-15 against Biloxi, including 5-10 at Trustmark Park.

AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS: Justin Dean ranks among the league leaders in stolen bases (2ND, 7), and batting average (9th, .353). Dean has also reached in six of his seven games played. Nacho Alvarez Jr. ranks among the circuit leaders in walks (1st, 8) and OBP (6th, .441). Cody Milligan is among the leaders in runs (T-6th, 6) and steals (T-3rd, 6).

BRILLIANT BULLPEN: The Mississippi bullpen ranks 10th in Double-A to start the season with a 2.61 ERA (9 ER/31.0 IP), 39 strikeouts, and 21 walks over the first eight games, holding the opposition to a .223 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.

Check out the Mississippi Braves Statistics



Southern League Stories from April 14, 2024


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