GRAND CHUTE (NBC 26) — As the Milwaukee Brewers face off against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, their ties to Northeast Wisconsin are clear.
Several Brewers players and coaches developed their skills right here in Grand Chute, playing for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers—Milwaukee’s High-A affiliate. And for Chris Mehring, the longtime voice of the Timber Rattlers, watching the NLCS means seeing familiar faces on baseball’s biggest stage.
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"It's a great feeling seeing the guys come in here at the start of their careers and be able to excel at the big league level," Mehring said. "For Jackson Chourio, you just knew. Jacob Misiorowski, you just knew. And the same thing with Brice Turang."
Mehring has called Timber Rattlers games since 2000. As Milwaukee’s postseason run unfolds, he reflects on some of the most memorable moments from those players’ minor league days.
"I remember Jacob Misiorowski in his Otter Tuggers jersey. I can still see Bryce Turang in his Brattoberfest jersey. And, you know, see Sal Frelick going 5-for-5 on a brutal April day against Quad Cities. I can remember all of that," he said.
Six players on the Brewers' postseason roster once played for the Timber Rattlers:
- Brice Turang (2019)
- Freddy Peralta (2016)
- Jackson Chourio (2022)
- Jacob Misiorowski (2023)
- Aaron Ashby (2018, 2019)
- Sal Frelick (2021, 2022)
In addition, Robert Gasser, Joey Ortiz, Trevor Megill and José Quintana have all spent time in Appleton on rehab assignments.
Even the Dodgers have a Timber Rattlers tie: reliever Anthony Banda once wore the Rattlers uniform.
The coaching staff is no exception. Five current Brewers coaches have past stints with the Timber Rattlers:
- Matt Erickson (Manager, 2009–2021)
- Chris Hook (Pitching Coach, 2009–2011)
- Jim Henderson (Player, 2009; Pitching Coach, one season)
- Nestor Corredor (Coach for part of one season)
- Al LeBoeuf (former coach)
In total, there are 16 connections between this NLCS and the Fox Cities—including former players, coaches, and rehab assignments.
Mehring said that kind of organizational continuity stands out.
"It shows how tight-knit the Brewers organization is, and they're willing to promote from within and bring guys up to the big league level on the coaching and the playing side," he said.
As Milwaukee chases a World Series berth, Mehring believes it provides motivation for the next generation of prospects working their way up through the system.
"I think it shows that when it's 30 degrees in April and you're playing a game in front of, you know, not a lot of fans on a brutally cold day—it might be a little snow flurries—it's all worth it because those guys went through it too," he said. "Now they're playing against the Dodgers in Los Angeles in October, and it all starts here in April."
While the Brewers compete on the national stage, fans in Northeast Wisconsin can proudly say they saw many of these stars before they made it big.
