SL Mississippi Braves

Thursday, June 10 at Biloxi Shuckers: 6:35 PM: MGM Park

Published on June 10, 2021 under Southern League (SL)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Mississippi Braves (ATL) (17-15, 2nd, AA-S South, -2.0) at Biloxi Shuckers (MIL) (12-20, 4th, AA-S South, -7.0)

Starting Pitchers: RHP AJ Puckett (0-1, 3.18) vs. RHP Lucas Erceg (0-1, 7.50)

Radio: 103.9 FM WYAB and (LISTEN LIVE LINK)

TV: MiLB.TV

Today's Roster Moves:

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TODAY'S GAME: The Mississippi Braves (ATL) continue a 12-game road trip tonight with game three of a six-game road series against the Biloxi Shuckers (MIL) at MGM Park (2-0). The M-Braves are 5-3 on the current road trip after splitting the first series at Pensacola, 3-3.

MAGNOLIA STATE RIVALRY: The Magnolia State rivals meet 30 times this season (18 at MGM Park and 12 at Trustmark Park). The M-Braves are 4-4 against Biloxi this season, 56-62 since their first season in 2015 and 30-36 at MGM Park. Mississippi hasn't won a season series against Biloxi since going 14-9 in 2017.

M-BRAVES WIN THIRD-STRAIGHT WITH THREE HOMERS, GOOD PITCHING: Jefrey Ramos and Trey Harris hit their first homers of the season, and Braden Shewmake hit his second, providing all five runs in a 5-4 victory. Odalvi Javier won his third-straight start with 5.0 innings of one-run baseball on three hits with no walks and six strikeouts. Javier, Brooks Wilson, Chris Nunn and Troy Bacon combined for 14 strikeouts and no walks.

AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS: The 23-year-old Shea Langeliers leads the league in OPS (.977), slugging (.588) and home runs (8), T-6th in extra-base hits (12), T-8th in total bases (50), 9th in OBP (.388) and T-9th in walks. Justin Dean leads the league in stolen bases (10), T-5th in doubles (8), and T-9th in walks (15). Brandon White is 3rd in saves (5). Odalvi Javier is 3rd in ERA (1.40) and T-4th in batting average against (.184). Nolan Kingham is T-1st in starts (6), T-2nd in innings pitched (33.0), and T-6th in winning percentage (.667).

USING THE LONG BALL: The M-Braves have hit six home runs the past two days and 34 home runs so far this season, ranking 3rd in the Double-A South (BIR, 42/RCT, 44). Of the 119 runs scored this season, 59 have come via the home run ball (49.5%). Shea Langeliers leads the league with eight homers, which is T-5th in all of Double-A.

- The M-Braves have scored 25 runs and hit 11 home runs over the last three games played in Biloxi, May 16, and the past two days. Overall, the M-Braves have 17 home runs at MGM Park in eight games, half of the team's total output in 32 games.

- On the pitching side, M-Braves hurlers have served up just 17 home run balls, the fewest in Double-A. Braves pitchers have the 2nd-lowest ERA in the league at 3.68 but have walked the most batters in the league at 146 this season.

LANGELIERS SINCE MAY 26: Over his last 11 games, Langeliers is batting .333 (14x42) with two doubles, five home runs, 11 RBI, 10 runs, four walks, and a 1.155 OPS.

STREAKING: Wendell Rijo saw his team-best eight-game hitting streak end on Wednesday, but currently Jalen Miller is on a 5-game hitting streak, batting .438 two doubles, five RBI, two walks, six runs, one stolen base, and a 1.063 OPS.

SOLID DEFENSE: The M-Braves lead the Double-A South with a .982 fielding percentage, just 20 errors in 32 games and 1st with 32 double plays turned (also 2nd to Midland's 34 in all Double-A baseball). M-Braves catchers have given up only 16 stolen bases, which is 2nd-fewest in the league (Birmingham, 15) and T-3rd in all of Double-A baseball. Shea Langeliers is 13-for-24 in catching opposing base stealers, 54%, which leads all of Double-A baseball and is 2nd in the minors. His 13 caught stealings and 23 assists are T-2nd in MiLB.

SIC' EM...: Langeliers' three-homer game on June 2 at Pensacola was the first of his pro career and first since hitting three home runs for Baylor during the 2019 NCAA tournament against Nebraska-Omaha. He ended up with three home runs and an NCAA-record 11 RBI in the 24-6 Bears win. The four hits and four runs matched career highs.

m-braves finish SECOND homestand 8-4: The M-Braves went 3-3 against Chattanooga and 5-1 against Montgomery to finish a successful 8-4 homestand from May 18-30. With Sunday's win, the M-Braves are 14-12 in extra-inning games since the new rule of a runner at second base was installed in 2018.

GRAND SALAMI TIME: Langeliers' grand slam last Thursday night against Montgomery was the first by the M-Braves since Luis Valenzuela blasted one in Chattanooga on April 15, 2019. The grand slam was the first by a Braves player at Trustmark Park since Carlos Martinez hit one on June 12, 2018. The M-Braves have hit just four grand slams since 2014. For Langeliers it was his first professional home run and first since hitting a pair during the Cape Cod League during the summer of his freshman year at Baylor.

FIRST ROUND PICKS AND PROSPECTS: The squad features both of Atlanta's first-round selections from the 2019 draft in catcher Shea Langeliers (#9) and shortstop Braden Shewmake (#21). They represent the third and fourth-ranked prospects in the organization, according to MLB.com and Langeliers is #64 on the MLB.com Top 100 and sixth-ranked catching prospect in baseball.

- Overall, the M-Braves feature eight of the Braves' Top 30 prospects. After Langeliers and Shewmake, OF Trey Harris (#14), RHP Victor Vodnik (#15), RHP Daysbel Hernandez (17), INF Greyson Jenista (#19), INF C.J. Alexander (#20) and OF Justin Dean (#26) are among the Top 30.

BRAND NEW COACHING STAFF: The 17 newcomers on the Opening Day 28-man roster joined an entirely new coaching staff, all having major league experience. The M-Braves are led by manager Wyatt Toregas and is joined by hitting coach Einar Diaz, pitching coach, former Braves first-round pick Dan Meyer and coach Devon Travis.

- Toregas, 38, is a former catcher who played in 22 major-league games across two seasons with Cleveland (2009) and Pittsburgh (2011). After spending the previous five minor-league seasons managing in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, the upcoming campaign will be his first with the Braves, including most recently with High-A Bradenton in 2019. in fives seasons, Toregas holds a 293-263 (.527) record as a skipper entering the 2021 season.

150 MAJOR LEAGUE DEBUTS: Despite no season in 2020, the M-Braves saw their 150th player make their major league debut. Starting in 2005, the 150 include 32 All-Star Game appearances, 11 Silver Sluggers, 12 Gold Gloves, 11 World Series champs, two Rookies of the Year, and one MVP.

- In 2020, William Contreras, Joe Odom (SEA), Ricardo Sanchez (STL), Cristian Pache, Ian Anderson, Patrick Weigel, Bruce Zimmermann and Tucker Davidson. The first was Brian McCann back in June, 2005.

WELCOME TO THE DOUBLE-A SOUTH: In MLB's new structure for the 2021 season, the M-Braves will be part of the Double-A South. The eight-team circuit consists of eight former members of the Southern League, split into two divisions. Mississippi will be in the South Division along with the Biloxi Shuckers (Milwaukee Brewers), Montgomery Biscuits (Tampa Bay Rays), and Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Miami Marlins). The North Division will consist of the Birmingham Barons (Chicago White Sox), Chattanooga Lookouts (Cincinnati Reds), Rocket City Trash Pandas (LA Angels), and Tennessee Smokies (Chicago Cubs).

- The M-Braves will play the South Division in 80 of the 120 games this season. In a shedule quirk, the M-Braves will not play the new Rocket City Trash Pandas this season. The clubs were scheduled to meet during the first series of the 2020 season.

2019 SEASON IN REVIEW: The Mississippi Braves concluded their 15th anniversary season in Central Mississippi with a 64-75 overall record, finishing fourth in the Southern League South Division. While the club missed out on the postseason for the third-straight season, the 2019 campaign saw the 3 millionth fan enter Trustmark Park, 1,000th franchise win, third no-hitter in club history, record three postseason All-Stars and the first Southern League Most Valuable Player.

Check out the Mississippi Braves Statistics

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Southern League Stories from June 10, 2021


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