SL Mississippi Braves

Tuesday, June 8 at Biloxi Shuckers: 6:35 PM: MGM Park

Published on June 8, 2021 under Southern League (SL)
Mississippi Braves News Release


Mississippi Braves (ATL) (15-15, 2ND, AA-S South, -3.0) at Biloxi Shuckers (MIL) (12-18, 4th, AA-S South, -6.0)

Starting Pitchers: LHP Hayden Deal (1-2, 3.97) vs. RHP Noah Zavolas (2-1, 4.76)

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 one of a six-game road series against the Biloxi Shuckers (MIL) at MGM Park. The M-Braves split the first half of the road trip in Pensacola, 3-3.

MAGNOLIA STATE RIVALRY: The Magnolia State rivals will meet 30 times this season (18 at MGM Park in Biloxi and 12 at Trustmark Park in Pearl). The M-Braves are 54-62 against Biloxi since their first season in 2015, 28-36 against the Shuckers at MGM Park. Mississippi hasn't won a season series since going 14-9 in 2017.

M-BRAVES HANG ON FOR 4-3 WIN AND SERIES SPLIT ON SUNDAY: The M-Braves only had three hits on Sunday, but it was enough in a 4-3 victory. Nolan Kingham logged his third quality start and went 6.0 innings of one-run baseball (leadoff homer by Peyton Burdick), walking one, striking out two, and scattering three hits in a no-decision. Pensacola starter Jake Eder had a perfect game through 5.0 innings with eight strikeouts before being lifted at 63 pitches. The M-Braves got to reliever Jose Mesa Jr. with three runs in the sixth, including an RBI triple by Justin Dean and RBI double from Wendell Rijo. Brandon White pitched a scoreless ninth inning to secure his fifth save of the season.

AMONG THE LEAGUE LEADERS: The 23-year-old Shea Langeliers leads the league in OPS (.1002), slugging (.597), T-1st in home runs (7), 4th in OBP (.404), T-8th in extra-base hits (11), and runs (16), 8th in total bases (46), and T-9th in walks (14). Justin Dean leads the league in stolen bases (10) and T-10th in walks (14). CJ Alexander is T-7th in home runs. Brandon White is 3rd in saves (5). Nolan Kingham is T-1st in starts (6), 2nd in innings pitched (33.0), and T-6th in winning percentage (.667).

LANGELIERS AGAINST PENSACOLA/AA-SOUTH: In 10 games, the Baylor product is batting .257 with two doubles, five home runs, seven RBI, seven runs scored, four walks and a 1.093 OPS. Against the rest of the league in 14 games, Langeliers is batting .286 with two doubles, two home runs, six RBI, nine runs scored 10 walks, and a .921 OPS.

sic 'em...: The three-homer game he hit on Wednesday 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.

LANGELIERS SINCE MAY 27: Over his last eight games, Langeliers is batting .367 (11x30) with two doubles, four home runs, eight RBI, nine runs, three walks and a 1.290 OPS.

STREAK ENDS: Troy Bacon gave up his first run of 2021 in his 10th appearance on May 5 at Pensacola, after 13.0-straight scoreless innings. Bacon is 2-0 with a 0.66 ERA (13.2 IP/1 ER), three walks and 13 strikeouts.

SOLID DEFENSE: The M-Braves lead the Double-A South with a .980 fielding percentage, just 20 errors in 30 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-4th in all of Double-A baseball. Shea Langeliers is 12-for-23 in catching opposing base stealers, 52%, which leads all of Double-A baseball and is T-2nd in the minors. His 12 caught stealings and 22 assists are T-2nd in MiLB.

USING THE LONG BALL: The M-Braves have 28 home runs so far this season, ranking 3rd in the Double-A South (BIR, 42/RCT, 40). Of the 104 runs scored this season, 50 have come via the home run ball (48%). Braves batters rank last in the league with a .198 batting average.

- On the pitching side, M-Braves hurlers have served up just 14 home run balls, the fewest in Double-A and T-2nd-fewest in minor league baseball (Lynchburg, 13). Braves pitchers have the 3rd-best ERA in the league at 3.59 but have walked the most batters in the league at 141 this season.

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 8, 2021


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