Erceg has big week in minors.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK Lucas Erceg, 3B, Carolina: Erceg made the most of his seven-game week, hitting .400 with a double, three home runs and 12 runs batted in. He racked up 20 total bases, posted a .423 on-base percentage and an OPS of 1.223. Erceg homered in three consecutive games, hitting a grand slam to kick off the spree in a victory at Myrtle Beach on July 26 and then a game-tying solo round-tripper in a loss to Wilmington on July 29. Erceg also has hit in seven of his last eight games. PITCHER OF THE WEEK Kodi Medeiros, LHP, Carolina: Medeiros, the Brewers’ first-round pick in 2014, put together perhaps his best week of the season by going 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA and WHIP of 0.62 in a pair of starts – both of which the Mudcats won. Medeiros fired six shutout innings in a no-decision July 25 at Myrtle Beach, then allowed three hits, two runs and a walk with a season-high nine strikeouts in beating Wilmington on July 30. He is 4-8 with a 4.62 ERA and WHIP of 1.23 after 21 appearances (13 starts) and leads the team in both strikeouts with 98 and innings with 991⁄3. JOURNAL SENTINEL’S TOP FIVE PROSPECTS 1. Corey Ray, OF, Carolina: Ray hit .346 in seven games with three doubles, a homer, an RBI and a .970 OPS. He’s hitting .239 with five homers and 36 RBI, and has stolen 20 bases, which ranks fourth on the team behind Trent Clark (27), Luis Aviles (26) and Troy Stokes Jr. (21). 2. Isan Diaz, IF, Carolina: The season-long slump continues for Diaz, the Brewers’ 2016 minor-league player of the year. After hitting just .158 with one double and one RBI in seven games last week, his average has sagged to .227. He does have 11 homers and 48 RBI and his .340 OBP is respectable thanks in part to 57 walks. 3. Lucas Erceg, IF, Carolina: His recent surge has upped his average to .246. Erceg also has 12 homers, which is two off the team lead, and 65 RBI, which is tops on the team as well as the Southern League. 4. Luis Ortiz, RHP, Biloxi: Ortiz won his lone start for the week July 25, going seven innings and allowing four hits and one run while striking out a season-high seven. Ortiz’s next scheduled start, which would have been Sunday, was scrapped due to illness. He’s 4-5 with a 3.57 ERA and a WHIP of 1.13 through 17 starts with 72 strikeouts in 802⁄3 innings. 5. Mauricio Dubon, SS, Colorado Springs: Dubon jumps back into the rankings after former No. 1 prospect Lewis Brinson was recalled by
the Brewers. Dubon had a solid week, hitting .345 in seven games with two doubles, two homers, six RBI, three stolen bases and an OPS of 1.027. In 29 games since being promoted to the Sky Sox, Dubon is hitting .297 with four homers, 22 RBI and an .810 OPS. AFFILIATES UPDATE Class AAA Colorado
Springs: The Sky Sox’s 4-3 week left them at 64-42 in the Pacific Coast League’s American Northern Division. In seven games since being optioned by the Brewers to Colorado Springs, Keon Broxton is hitting .385 with a homer, seven RBI and an OPS of 1.077. Right-hander Brandon Woodruff, nearing the end of his minor-league rehab stint, made a five-inning, 69-pitch start July 29 and allowed six hits, no runs and two walks with six strikeouts.
Class AA Biloxi: The Shuckers went 4-3 over the last week and are 16-21 – good for fourth place in the Southern League’s five-team South Division. Stokes, promoted from Carolina to the Shuckers late last week, hit .278 with two doubles, a homer and two RBI with an .889 OPS in his first five games with his new team. Advanced Class A Carolina: The Mudcats had a big week, going 6-1 to move into second place in the Carolina League’s Southern Division at 19-19. Right-hander Trey Supak, promoted to Carolina earlier in the season from Wisconsin, had a solid week with eight scoreless innings in two appearances (one start). He allowed only three hits, didn’t issue a walk and struck out eight. Class A Wisconsin: It was a solid week for the Timber Rattlers, who went 2-4 and are 17-20 overall in the Midwest League’s Western Division. First-round pick Keston Hiura continues to be the story, hitting .391 in six games. He’s now reached base in all 27 of his professional games and collected hits in 26. Third baseman Weston Wilson had the best offensive week of any Brewers minor-leaguer, hitting .429 with a homer, five RBI and a 1.193 OPS in six games. Advanced Rookie Helena: The Brewers went 1-4 last week and finished at 15-23 in the first half in the Pioneer League’s North Division, which placed them last. Three Helena players were named all-stars – third baseman Dallas Carroll and righthanders Nelson Hernandez and Parker Bean. Carroll hit .336 with five homers and 21 RBI in 30 games, Hernandez went 5-0 with a 5.40 ERA in eight starts and Bean went 0-1 with a 4.82 ERA ERA and 18 strikeouts in 182 ⁄3 innings.