Sports stats



Mississippi Braves

Game Info: Tuesday, April 9 vs. Biloxi Shuckers: 6:05 PM CT: Trustmark Park

April 9, 2024 - Southern League (SL)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Tuesday, April 9 | 6:05 PM CT | Trustmark Park | Pearl, MS

Mississippi Braves (0-3, 4th, SL South, -3.0) vs. Biloxi Shuckers (2-1, 2nd, SL South, -1.0)

Pitching Matchup: RHP JJ Niekro (0-0, --) vs. RHP TJ Shook (0-0, --)

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

Listen Live: 102.1 The Box

Today's Roster Move

N/A

Today's Promotions:

Dog Days: Bring your dog to the game! Well-behaved, socialized dogs are welcome to enjoy giveaways, dog-related vendors, and more throughout the game. We will also offer $2 hot dogs!

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

STARTING LINEUPS

TODAY'S GAME: The M-Braves open Trustmark Park for the 20th year and 19th season on Tuesday with game one of a six-game homestand against the Biloxi Shuckers. RHP JJ Niekro will make his Double-A debut for Mississippi and face off against Biloxi RHP TJ Shook.

ABOUT LAST SERIES: The M-Braves were swept in their opening series in Pensacola this past weekend and outscored 24-14. On Sunday, the M-Braves fell 9-1 and were held to just five hits after recording double-digit hits in the previous two games.

MAGNOLIA REUNION: Mississippi's two professional ball clubs meet for the first time in 2024 this week. Since 2015, the M-Braves are 91-106 against the Brewers affiliate. Last season, the M-Braves were 12-15 against Biloxi, including 5-10 at Trustmark Park.

SOLID OFFENSIVE START: The M-Braves are currently third in the Southern League with a .269 batting average. Nacho Alvarez Jr. is ranked eighth in the league with a .417 batting average, and Drake Baldwin is 10th at .357. Alvarez and Baldwin are tied for fourth with five hits each. Baldwin and Cody Milligan are tied for fourth with four RBI each. Justin Dean swiped three bases in the first series and is tied for second in the circuit. The M-Braves lead the league with 10 stolen bases through three games as a team.

NOT GOING TO "MISS" OPENING DAYS: After Friday night's 8-6 loss to the Blue Wahoos, the M-Braves close out their history, 4-15 on Opening Day, dropping five straight. The last win on Opening Day was a 3-0 victory on April 5, 2018, against the Tennessee Smokies. The club is opening the season on the road for the first time since 2019.

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

• Discuss this story on the Southern League message board...

Southern League Stories from April 9, 2024


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central