Road to the Show: Brayden Wiley, LHP

[12]

Heyward makes big club, Mississippi roster set

By Luke Johnson

Perhaps the biggest story in Spring Training in baseball this year has been the emergence of Jason Heyward, one of the top prospects in baseball. It was confirmed today that Heyward will not play in the minor leagues to start the season. Rather, the 6'4", 240 pound right fielder will start the season with the big club in Atlanta.

Is that really a surprise, though?

Mississippi's roster was set earlier today and as expected, the team will carry 10 pitchers. The most polished on the staff belongs to Julio Teheran, a 6'2", 150 pound right handed starting pitcher who is among one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball.

The team will also carry two catchers, four infielders and four outfielders. Mycal Jones looks to anchor the infield and set the tone for the offense with his blazing speed.

Perhaps to some people's surprise, the Braves have elected to start Brayden Wiley, a 6'4", 210 pound left handed pitcher, in Double-A. This comes as a bit of a shock to most as Wiley was pretty underwhelming in camp. It doesn't seem like the kid has an out pitch, and his fastball looks like a beach ball hovering toward the plate at times. Wiley has struggled with his velocity ever since a major shoulder injury plagued him all of last summer. He did not pitch a single inning for the Braves' organization last season, and the team was pretty mum about his injury when asked about it.

He'll start the season in the bullpen.

Mississippi starts the season at home against the Tennessee Smokies on Thursday, April 8. Julio Teheran is scheduled to get the start and will be opposed by Tennessee's Trey McNutt.

[HARLEE23]

Quote: Originally Posted by Apostle

Heyward makes big club, Mississippi roster set By Luke Johnson Perhaps the biggest story in Spring Training in baseball this year has been the emergence of Jason Heyward, one of the top prospects in baseball. It was confirmed today that Heyward will not play in the minor leagues to start the season. Rather, the 6'4", 240 pound right fielder will start the season with the big club in Atlanta. Is that really a surprise, though? Mississippi's roster was set earlier today and as expected, the team will carry 10 pitchers. The most polished on the staff belongs to Julio Teheran, a 6'2", 150 pound right handed starting pitcher who is among one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball. The team will also carry two catchers, four infielders and four outfielders. Mycal Jones looks to anchor the infield and set the tone for the offense with his blazing speed. Perhaps to some people's surprise, the Braves have elected to start Brayden Wiley, a 6'4", 210 pound left handed pitcher, in Double-A. This comes as a bit of a shock to most as Wiley was pretty underwhelming in camp. It doesn't seem like the kid has an out pitch, and his fastball looks like a beach ball hovering toward the plate at times. Wiley has struggled with his velocity ever since a major shoulder injury plagued him all of last summer. He did not pitch a single inning for the Braves' organization last season, and the team was pretty mum about his injury when asked about it. He'll start the season in the bullpen. Mississippi starts the season at home against the Tennessee Smokies on Thursday, April 8. Julio Teheran is scheduled to get the start and will be opposed by Tennessee's Trey McNutt.

I am sure that B-Wi will start soon! I see it happening!

[12]

Mississippi wins on Opening Day
Braves hold on to beat the Smokies, 5-4

The season is off on the right foot in Pearl, Mississippi.

Last night, the Braves started the 2010 season in style by beating the Tennessee Smokies 5-4 in front of 4,349 fans at Trustman Park.

Julio Teheran struck out the side in the first inning, and the Braves' offense got out to a quick start when Mycal Jones led the off game with a triple. He came around to score on an RBI ground out by Jordan Schafer. At the end of the first, the Braves led 2-0.

Teheran ran into a couple jams throughout the game, but got out of most of them. He went 6 innings, scattered 6 hits and surrendered three runs while striking out 7. He left the game when it was tied at 3-3 in the seventh inning.

Brett DeVall came in and got the first out, but then gave a home run to Starlin Castro.

Manager Rocket Wheeler wasted little time in giving DeVall the hook and brought in Brayden Wiley.

Wiley, making his professional debut, came in to face second baseman Ryan Flaherty. After working the count to 3-2, Flaherty continued to foul off pitch after pitch in what turned in to a battle. On the 11th pitch of the at-bat, Wiley threw a sweeping curve that Flaherty swung right through. Wiley retired the next batter on the first pitch.

Wiley continued to pitch into the eighth inning and sat the Smokies down in order. He was pinch hit for in the bottom of the 8th.

With the score tied at 3 in the ninth, Mycal Jones led the inning off with a walk. On the next pitch, Jordan Schafer hit a two-run home run for the win.

The Braves will continue the five-game set against the Smokies tomorrow at 7:30. Plenty of seats are still available.

Brayden Wiley faces his first professional hitter. He struck him out.
The Braves went on to win 5-4.

[12]

Brayden couldn't wait to call his dad.

As he got in his truck, he couldn't help but smile. He just pitched in his first professional game. His team won, and he pitched well. An inning and two-thirds of mistake-free ball. He even struck a guy out. 22 pitches, 14 strikes.

His line was beautiful.

1.2 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, and 1 strike out.

His fastball was pedestrian. After studying the game tracker in the locker room, he saw that he threw 13 fastballs, with an average velocity of 86.6 miles per hour. He had to do something about that. These hitters would start eating him alive if he didn't get some velocity back. He felt like Rick Vaughn in Major League, when the flame thrower forgot how to "throw gas." It seemed the same thing had happened to him.

Enough with the negativity, he thought. Enjoy your performance.

"Dad!" yelled Brayden in to the phone. "I pitched tonight! We won! An inning and two-thirds. The only number I registered was a one, and that was for the first batter I faced - a strikeout."

"Excellent job, son! Let me go get your mother! How did you feel out there?"

"Good. Loose. Nervous. Alright dad, I almost crapped my pants when Wheeler told me to warm up. Then, I think I DID crap my pants when I saw him call me in. It was a great feeling."

"We're so proud of you, son. This is just the start. When will you be in the rotation? With performances like that, it can't be long."

"I have to improve a lot right now dad," replied Brayden.

[12]

Braves claw back and beat Smokies
Pitching is strong again in win

By Luke Johnson

Two games, two wins for the Mississippi Braves.

Once again, solid pitching was the Braves' calling card in a 3-2 win last night at Trustman Field.

It was a collective effort by the Braves' young pitching staff.

Jose Ortegano got the start for the Braves, but lasted only two innings before being removed from the game after complaining about a stiff hamstring. He went two innings, gave up two hits, and walked one. He did not give up any returns.

For the second consecutive night, Braves' reliever Cole Rohrbough was lights out in long relief, tossing four solid innings. He gave up two hits, one run, walked one and struck out one.

Brayden Wiley made his appearance in the top of the seventh and looked solid again, pitching a scoreless inning. He gave up one hit and walked a batter.

When asked about the adjustment from not pitching last year to being an early season contributor out of the bullpen, the 18-year-old Wiley said, "It's going to take a while for me to get in the groove again, but I'll get there. I have a lot of work to do."

Offensively, the Braves were led by center fielder Alex Romero, who finished 3-3 with two doubles and two RBI.

For the Smokies, Chris Carpenter took the loss.

Starlin Castro went 2-4 with a double and RBI.

The Braves will take on the Smokies tomorrow at Trustman Field. First pitch is slated for 4:35.

[12]

Braves win again, 6-4
3-0 on the season

By Luke Johnson

They sure use a lot of pitchers to get the job done, but once again the Mississippi Braves kept the bats of the Tennessee Smokies in check last night at Trustman Field and won their third game in a row, 6-4.

"It's a nice way to start the season," said Manager Rocket Wheeler. "Our pitching has been fantastic. We really have some good young arms."

The Smokies jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first on a home run off of Braves' starter Todd Redmond.

"I left the pitch up and it was crushed," said Redmond after the game.

The Braves battled back in the bottom of the second, with an RBI single by Jordan Schafer, which cut the lead to 2-1.

In the top of the third, the long ball struck again, as Redmond hung a curve ball to Smokies' center fielder Tony Campana, who stroked it out to right field.

"I don't think that guy has ever hit a home run in his life," said Redmond. "I'm glad I could help his career out. That [expletive] curve ball still hasn't broke."

Redmond would give way to Arodys Vizcaino, who pitched the Braves out of a jam in the fifth by striking out Starlin Castro.

The trio of DeVall (hold, 1), Wiley (hold, 2) and Sullivan (save, 1) shut the door on the Smokies.

Offensively, the Braves were led by Mycal Jones, who went 4-5 with three doubles and three RBIs.

The Braves will look to make it four in a row against the Smokies tomorrow at 7:30 PM.

Tyler Stovall will get the start, while Hung-Wen Chen will get the start for the Smokies.

[12]

Braves crush the Smokies 9-4
Offense comes alive in a big way

By Luke Johnson

There is three things you can guarantee in life - death, taxes, and the Mississippi Braves never losing a game.

Okay, maybe the last part isn't true. But you wouldn't know it when looking at how the Braves have played so far this season.

The Braves crushed the Smokies on a pleasantly warm evening in Pearl last night, 9-4.

In the first three games, pitching was the team's calling card. Tonight, the Braves' offense caught fire and never looked back.

Jordan Schafer took home the player of the game, after finishing 3-3 with a home run, a double, three RBIs and two walks. Mycal Jones again showed why he's going to be a force to be reckoned with this season, after finishing 3-5 with a pair of stolen bases.

Tyler Stovall went six strong innings and allowed two earned runs. He scattered five hits, walked three and struck out four.

The rest of the bullpen was dominant as usual. The only hiccup was when when Brayden Wiley came into the game in the top of the eighth inning. The Braves were leading 9-3 but Wiley surrendered a run on four hits in his two innings of work. He walked one and struck out one, but the defense bailed him out in both the eighth and ninth with rally killing double plays.

The Braves look for five in a row tomorrow against the Smokies.

Scott Diamond will get the start for the Braves while Thomas Diamond will take the hill for the Smokies.

[12]

Braves don't sweep, fall to Smokies 5-4
Wiley lets winning run score

By Luke Johnson

Close, but no cigar.

The Mississippi Braves dropped their first game of the season last night to the Tennessee Smokies, 5-4.

The game was nodded at 4-4 in the ninth inning when Manager Rocket Wheeler called upon Brayden Wiley to face the Smokies' heart of the order with a runner on first and second.

Bad move, Rocket.

Wiley immediately gave up a single and the game. He continued to pitch the ninth, and finished the game. One inning, no earned runs, one hit.

Jordan Schafer continued his hot streak by driving in all four runs for the Braves. He finished the series 9-17 with a home run and eight RBIs.

The Braves head to Jackson tonight to begin a five-game set with the Diamond Jaxx on Wednesday.

Julio Teheran will get the start for the Braves, and will be opposed by Jaxx' starter Michael Pineda.