Missions player possibilities for 2020

Missions outfielder Tyrone Taylor chases down a fly ball at Wolff Stadium last summer. - photo by Joe Alexander
Missions outfielder Tyrone Taylor chases down a fly ball at Wolff Stadium last summer.
If and when the 2020 major league and Triple-A seasons get underway, here is a look at who might be playing for the San Antonio Missions:

These Milwaukee Brewers transactions from March list players the big club sent to San Antonio:

Brewers optioned 3B Ryon Healy to Missions.
Brewers optioned 2B Mark Mathias to Missions.
Brewers optioned SS Ronny Rodriguez to Missions.
Brewers optioned C David Freitas to Missions.
Brewers optioned CF Corey Ray to Missions.
Brewers optioned RHP Trey Supak to Missions.

The following players have minor-league contracts with the Brewers and were invited to spring training with the big club. They could end up in San Antonio and include six of last season’s Missions:

LHP Clayton Andrews
RHP Zack Brown
3B Andres Blanco
3B Lucas Erceg
C Payton Henry
RHP Thomas Jankins
RHP Mike Morin
C Mario Feliciano
RHP Drew Rasmussen
RHP Miguel Sanchez
LHP Ethan Small
RHP Aaron Wilkerson
1B Logan Morrison
C Tuffy Gosewisch

Other 2019 Missions who were in the Brewers’ minor league spring training were:

P Bubba Derby
C Skyler Ewing

Outfielder Tyrone Taylor had his 2019 season with the injured slowed by injuries. He is on the Brewers’ 40-man roster by wasn’t playing in spring training while he recovered from surgery.

Update on Friday, Feb. 27, 2020:

The Milwaukee Brewers optioned the following players to the San Antonio Missions:
C Jacob Nottingham
LHP Angel Perdomo
RHP Bobby Wahl
RHP Eric Yardley

Closeups of the 2019 San Antonio Missions

San Antonio Missions catcher/first baseman David Freitas won the Pacific Coast League batting title. - photo by Joe Alexander
San Antonio Missions catcher/first baseman David Freitas won the Pacific Coast League batting title. – photo by Joe Alexander
Even front row seats are a long way from some positions on a baseball field.

During the course of the 2019 San Antonio Missions season, I occasionally got closer a look at some of the players.

That seemed like a good way to wrap up my summer from Wolff Stadium.

Bubba Derby helps Missions overpower Baby Cakes

Bubba Derby was the San Antonio Missions' starting pitcher and also drove in a run on Sunday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Bubba Derby was the San Antonio Missions’ starting pitcher and also drove in a run on Sunday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
Bubba Derby had a run-scoring double and also started off a combined shutout as the San Antonio Missions beat the New Orleans Baby Cakes 8-0 Sunday at Wolff Stadium.

Derby (6-7) pitched five scoresless innings to earn the win. He allowed three hits with six strikeouts and two walks.

Miguel Sanchez followed with 1 2/3 innings, allowing two hits with one strikeout. Angel Perdomo pitched the last 2 1/3 innings, allowing one hit with four strikeouts and one walk.

Tyler Austin, playing first base and starting for the second time with the Missions, had two hits including a fourth-inning home run. Troy Stokes Jr. and Corey Ray also had two hits each.

Miguel Sanchez was the first pitcher out of the San Antonio Missions' bullpen on Sunday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Miguel Sanchez was the first pitcher out of the San Antonio Missions’ bullpen on Sunday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
Angel Perdomo entered in the seventh inning and finished the game on the mound for the San Antonio Missions on Sunday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Angel Perdomo entered in the seventh inning and finished the game on the mound for the San Antonio Missions on Sunday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander

Trent Grisham homers twice as Missions pound Storm Chasers again

The Missions' Trent Grisham (12) is congratulated by Blake Allemand (right) and Lucas Erceg after hitting a fourth-inning home run Sunday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions’ Trent Grisham (12) is congratulated by Blake Allemand (right) and Lucas Erceg after hitting a fourth-inning home run Sunday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
Trent Grisham lashed out four hits including two home runs as the San Antonio Missions beat the Omaha Storm Chasers 9-5 Sunday at Wolff Stadium.

The Missions swept the four-game series with the Storm Chasers, scoring at least eight runs and piling up double-digit hits in every game:

July 14: W 9-5, 11 hits, 3 home runs
July 13: W 8-2, 11 hits, 2 home runs
July 12: W 10-9, 11 hits, 2 home runs
July 11: W 9-2, 10 hits, 2 home runs

On Sunday, Grisham hit his sixth and seventh home runs in 20 games since joining the Missions from Double-A Biloxi.

Tuffy Gosewisch, a catcher who doesn’t see much playing time for the Missions, hit his second home run of the season. His solo homer gave the Missions a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning and they led the rest of the way.

Bubba Derby was the Missions starting pitcher. He went four innings, allowed five runs and did not get a decision.

Burch Smith had been the expected starting pitcher for the Missions on Sunday. It was announced to the media about an hour before game time that Derby would start instead.

Missions reliever Donnie Hart (3-2) pitched two scoreless innings and got the win.

The Missions' Tuffy Gosewisch hits his second home run of the season Sunday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions’ Tuffy Gosewisch hits his second home run of the season Sunday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions' Trent Grisham trots around the bases in the sixth inning after hitting his second home run of the game Sunday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions’ Trent Grisham trots around the bases in the sixth inning after hitting his second home run of the game Sunday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions' Cory Spangenberg slides into second base on his 23rd double of the season Sunday at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions’ Cory Spangenberg slides into second base on his 23rd double of the season Sunday at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander

Missions use late longballs to rally past Dodgers

The Missions' Jake Hager hits a pinch-hit home run with Jacob Nottingham on base in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Dodgers at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions’ Jake Hager hits a pinch-hit home run with Jacob Nottingham on base in the first game of Thursday’s doubleheader against the Dodgers at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
The San Antonio Missions hit three home runs and scored all their runs in their last two innings at bat in the first game of a doubleheader Thursday at Wolff Stadium.

Cory Spangenberg, Nate Orf and Jake Hager homered in the Missions’ 8-3 seven-inning victory over the Oklahoma City Dodgers. The Missions scored seven runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Orf hit a solo shot in the bottom of the fifth inning. Spangenberg hit a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth. Hager hit a two-run, pinch-hit home run in the bottum of the sixth.

Missions starting pitcher Bubba Derby lasted five innings and got a no-decision. He allowed three runs in the second inning and held the Dodgers scoreless in his other four innings. Reliever Josh Fields pitched the sixth inning and got his first win of the season.

The Missions' Nate Orf hits a solo home run in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Dodgers at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions’ Nate Orf hits a solo home run in the first game of Thursday’s doubleheader against the Dodgers at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions' Cory Spangenberg rounds first base after hitting a home run in the first game of Thursday's doubleheader against the Dodgers at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
The Missions’ Cory Spangenberg rounds first base after hitting a home run in the first game of Thursday’s doubleheader against the Dodgers at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander

Missions pitchers throw combined shutout in second game

Starting pitcher Burch Smith threw 5 1/3 innings as the Missions beat the Dodgers 3-0 in the second game of the doubleheader.

Smith (3-0) allowed two hits with one walk and stuck out five batters. Donnie Hart came in for Smith in the sixth. Taylor Williams went to the mound in relief in the top of the seventh inning and a runner on base and got the save.

Missions pitcher Burch Smith started Thursday's second game and got the win against the Dodgers at Wolff Stadium. - photo by Joe Alexander
Missions pitcher Burch Smith started Thursday’s second game and got the win against the Dodgers at Wolff Stadium. – photo by Joe Alexander