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SL Mississippi Braves

Game Info: Wednesday, April 17 at Birmingham Barons: 7:00 PM CT: Regions Field

April 17, 2024 - Southern League (SL)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Wednesday, April 17, 2024 - 7:00 PM CT - Regions Field - Birmingham, AL

Mississippi Braves (3-7, 4th, SL South, -3.0) at Birmingham Barons (6-4, 1st, SL North, +0.5)

Starting Pitchers: RHP Ian Mejia (0-0, 4.70) vs. LHP Ky Bush (0-1, 9.00)

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

Listen Live: 102.1 The Box

Today's Roster Move

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STARTING LINEUPS

TODAY'S GAME: The M-Braves continue their longest road trip of the season on Wednesday night with game two of a six-game series in Birmingham. The road trip will include 12 games: six against the Barons at Regions Field, April 16-21, and six against the Montgomery Biscuits, April 23-28. The M-Braves send Opening Night starter RHP Ian Mejia to the mound tonight for his third start of 2024.

ABOUT LAST NIGHT: The Barons and M-Braves combined for 18 hits (17 singles) in Tuesday's series opener, with Birmingham hanging on for a 2-1 victory. A season-high four M-Braves recorded two-hit nights, with the club cracking nine in the contest. Justin Dean led the way again for Mississippi, finishing the night 2-for-3 with his eighth stolen base and a walk. Bryson Horne notched his first multi-hit game and ended the night 2-for-4 with a double and RBI. Drew Parrish (L, 1-2) made his third appearance and second start for the M-Braves and suffered a tough loss. Over 4.2 innings, the lefty struck out seven and walked one, giving up just two runs on seven hits to a prospect-heavy Barons lineup.

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 134-122 against the White Sox affiliate, including 61-66 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 26 stolen bases through nine games. Midland is second with 25. Justin Dean ranks second in the league with eight, and Cody Milligan is third with seven. Mississippi had 157 (1.1 per game) stolen bases last season and is on pace for 359 (2.6 per game) in 2024.

AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS: Justin Dean ranks among the league leaders in stolen bases (2nd, 8), batting average (4th, .348), and OBP (7th, .429). Dean has also reached in seven of his eight games. Nacho Alvarez Jr. ranks among the circuit leaders in walks (1st, 8), hits (T-4th, 11), steals (T-5th, 5), and OBP (6th, .432).

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 innings pitched (T-7th, 10.2), WHIP (9th, 0.84), ERA (10th, 1.69), and opponent's batting average (10th, .179).

GIVE ME FIVE: The M-Braves are 3-0 when their starters go 5+ innings and 0-7 when starters go less than 5.0 innings. In the three games with 5+ innings, they combined for a 0.52 ERA (1 ER/17 IP). In the seven losses, the starter ERA is 8.52 (24 ER/25.1 IP).

FINALLY LEFT THE YARD: Cal Conley's solo home run in Sunday's fourth inning was the first home run by an M-Braves batter this season. Entering Sunday's game, Mississippi was one of three teams in minor league baseball without a home run. Atlanta's high-A affiliate, Rome, and Hickory (PIT) also ended the drought Sunday.

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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