Wagner to get a home start

who never experienced pitching at home during the 47 games he was with Class AA Biloxi this season, will make his majorleague debut at home for the Brewers on Sunday.

Did he think about the irony of that?

“Yeah,” he said Saturday. “It’s going to be my first home start of the year, technically. But, you know, I’m just grateful for the opportunity.”

It’s an opportunity not many players get, jumping from the Class AA level to the big leagues. But the Brewers felt Wagner was most deserving of any of their pitching prospects after going 5-1 with a 2.01 earned run average in nine starts for the Shuckers, so he gets a shot at filling the spot vacated by injured Wily Peralta.

So, if all goes well, Wagner will miss the first actual home game for Biloxi, which is scheduled to play next Saturday in brand new MGM Park. That date comes after 55 games on the road, including so-called home games in Huntsville, Ala., where the franchise previously was located.

“It’s something I was looking forward to,” said Wagner, a fourth-round draft pick in 2012 out of the University of Utah. “Spending that much time with that team, it was going to be a cool experience. But I’m not complaining at all.”

Wagner said it was a bonding experience to spend so much time on the road, and the Shuckers certainly responded to the challenge, moving into first place in

Tyler Wagner, their division.

“That group of guys is unbelievable,” he said. “The relationships we developed with each other, spending so much time together, is great. The best thing is that we were winning games down there, so the atmosphere in the clubhouse was awesome. And the coaching staff and the team was great.

“We spent so much time together you develop relationships that you wouldn’t any other time. Being in a hotel room with the same guy 55 days, 60 days, you know you’re going to have to learn to talk about some things you don’t normally talk about.” When Biloxi manager

called the team together to spring the surprise call-up news to Wagner, he said, “The whole clubhouse erupted. It was good to see the support from the whole team.”

Wagner said he would have approximately 25 family members and friends from both Las Vegas and Minnesota on hand for the game against Arizona. Despite jumping two levels to make his big-league debut, he said he would try his best to approach it like any other game.

“Same game,” he said. “The biggest thing for me is being able to slow things down. Trying not to notice the 40,000 people here at Miller Park is going to be quite the task, but I think I’m up for it.

“I’ve dreamed about it for a long time. Visualization techniques brought me to this point. I’ve seen myself pitch here. I’ve seen me have success at this level. So, it’s nothing new to me in my dreams. In my head, it’s familiar.”

Subero

Carlos

Injury updates:

Right-hander one of the Brewers’ top pitching prospects who has been sidelined all season with an elbow flexor tendon injury, received a blood platelet-rich plasma injection last week with hopes it will get him over the hump and back on the mound this season. Right-hander

who had the same injury and was sidelined early last May, received a PRP injection that eventually helped him recover, but he did not pitch again in 2014. Assistant general manager

said he expects Williams to have enough time to get ready to pitch at some point this season after the shutdown required following a PRP injection. Williams suffered the injury at the end of spring training after spending time in the Brewers’ camp.

Williams threw the ball well in his first Brewers camp, but perhaps he ramped up his throwing a bit too soon to impress the big-league staff.

Another top Brewers pitching prospect, right-hander

is scheduled to pitch this week at Class A Brevard County after completing his recovery from Tommy John surgery last April.

“(His velocity) is where it was beforehand,” said Ash. “He had an oblique strain in spring training that probably cost him three to four weeks, but it’s within the scope (of the original timetable).”

Assuming all goes well, Ash said the plan is to eventually move Hellweg up to Biloxi, then Class AAA Colorado Springs.

Taylor Williams,

Gord Ash

Johnny Hellweg,

Tyler Thornburg,