SL Mississippi Braves

Game Info: Sunday, April 21 at Birmingham Barons: 1:45 PM CT DH: Regions Field

Published on April 21, 2024 under Southern League (SL)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Sunday, April 21, 2024 - 1:45 PM CT - Regions Field - Birmingham, AL

Mississippi Braves (4-9, 4th, SL South, -5.5) at Birmingham Barons (8-5, 1st, SL North, +0.5)

Starting Pitchers:

Game 1: RHP JJ Niekro (1-0, 1.69) vs. LHP Jake Eder (0-1, 7.27)

Game 2: LHP Drew Parrish (1-2, 4.76) vs. RHP Mason Adams (1-1, 3.27)

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

Listen Live: 102.1 The Box

Today's Roster Move

RHP Anthony Vizcaya transferred from Mississippi to Triple-A Gwinnett

STARTING LINEUPS - GAME 1

TODAY'S GAME: The M-Braves finish the first leg of their longest road trip of the season on Sunday with a doubleheader, games five and six of a six-game series in Birmingham. The road trip includes 12 games: six against the Barons at Regions Field and six against the Montgomery Biscuits, April 23-28. The M-Braves will send out RHP JJ Niekro in game one and LHP Drew Parrish in game two.

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The M-Braves were shut out for the second-straight game on Saturday, 1-0, with a walk-off in the bottom of the seventh inning. The second game of the scheduled doubleheader was postponed by rain. Hurston Waldrep was credited with a complete game despite the loss and turned in the best start of his career. Over 6.0 innings, allowed one run on eight hits with one walk and five strikeouts. Cody Milligan was 2-for-3 with a double, and Nacho Alvarez Jr. was 1-for-3, extending his hitting streak to six games.

FINAL TRIP TO BIRMINGHAM: This week's six-game road series marks the Mississippi Braves' final trip to Birmingham. Since 2005, the M-Braves are 135-124 against the White Sox affiliate, including 62-68 in Hoover or Birmingham. The Barons moved from Hoover to downtown Birmingham in 2013.

NEED FOR SPEED: The M-Braves lead all of Double-A baseball with 32 stolen bases (32/35) through 13 games. Rocket City is second with 31. Justin Dean is 2nd in the league with nine steals, and Cody Milligan is third with eight. Mississippi had 157 (1.1 per game) stolen bases last season and is on pace for 340 (2.5 per game) in 2024. The most by an M-Braves team was 159 in 2007.

AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS: Justin Dean ranks among the league leaders in stolen bases (2nd, 9), batting average (6th, .323), and OPS (10th, .857). Nacho Alvarez Jr. ranks among the circuit leaders in walks (T-3rd, 9), hits (T-3rd, 1), batting average (7th, .319), OBP (5th, .429), and steals (T-8th, 5).

"NACHO" AVERAGE SHORT STOP: Atlanta's top-ranked position player prospect, Nacho Alvarez Jr., is on a six-game hitting streak, batting .375 with one RBI, three walks, and three stolen bases. The 21-year-old has a hit in 10 of his first 13 games.

DRAKE IS "TOO GOOD": Atlanta's top catching prospect Drake Baldwin has reached base safely in seven-straight games, from April 11-20, the longest on-base streak by a Mississippi player this year.

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. Our Farm Bureau Pitcher of the Week, Niekro, 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 among the Southern League leaders in WHIP (6th, 0.84), ERA (5th, 1.69), and opponent's batting average (6th, .179).

GIVE ME FIVE: The M-Braves are 4-2 when their starters go 5+ innings and 0-7 when starters go less than 5.0 innings. In the five games with 5+ innings, they combined for a 1.03 ERA (4 ER/35 IP). In the seven losses, the starter's ERA is 8.52 (24 ER/25.1 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. Mejia ranks among the Southern League leaders in innings pitched (T-10th, 13.2) and BAA (7th, .188).

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

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Southern League Stories from April 21, 2024


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