If there was one thing the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers could do in 2026, it was leave the yard. The lineup packed plenty of thunder, and the home run race turned into a two-man showcase between Brock Burke and Andrew Fischer.
Burke launched 30 before moving up to Triple-A Nashville late in the season, while Fischer arrived in Biloxi and hammered 28 in just 72 games. That pushed him to a minors-best 48 homers in the regular season, making Brewer Fanatic’s No. 5 prospect the first Brewers prospect to lead the minors in home runs in nearly 50 years. The last to do it was Bill Foley, who hit 34 in 1978 for Class A Burlington.
Fischer wasn’t done after the regular season, either. He added two more homers in the Southern League playoffs as Biloxi swept the Pensacola Blue Wahoos before falling in the best-of-three Championship Series.
For all that power, the Shuckers didn’t actually finish first in the league in homers. They landed fourth, six behind the Southern League leader.
Even so, the offense still carried its share of the load. Biloxi finished second in runs scored and batting average, and led the league in OPS.
The pitching staff, on the other hand, had a tougher time holding up its end, finishing seventh in ERA and sixth in batting average allowed in the eight-team league.
The season also came with a split personality in the standings. Biloxi won the South Division first-half title at 35-30 and posted a plus-40 run differential, the best mark in the league.
The second half went the other way. Even after Fischer joined the roster, the Shuckers went 31-38, finished last in the division, and were one of three teams with a negative run differential at minus-37.
This was also a roster loaded with prospects, starting with Jesus Made. Brewer Fanatic’s No. 1 overall prospect spent the full season in Biloxi and hit .271/.344/.430 with 14 homers and 91 RBIs, tying for the Southern League lead in RBIs. Whether Biloxi ends up being his final stop in the minors before a move to the major-league roster is a question for the Brewers’ front office this offseason.
Burke’s season earned him Southern League MVP honors after he put up a .285/.367/.603 line with 88 RBIs to go with those 30 home runs. Other notable prospects on the roster included second baseman-outfielder Josh Adamczewski, center fielder Braylon Payne, right-handed starter Bishop Letson, catcher Marco Dinges and right-handed starter Jaron DeBerry.
Among the batting leaders, Josiah Ragsdale stood out with a .698 slugging percentage and a 1.127 OPS, while Fischer finished second in OPS at 1.026 and Burke was third at .970. Made led the team in runs with 87, followed by Dylan O’Rae with 80 and Burke with 68. Burke’s 30 homers topped Fischer’s 28 and Matthew Wood’s 18, while Made’s 91 RBIs led Burke’s 88 and Wood’s 67.
On the mound, Cameron Wagoner led the staff with a 2.03 ERA, a 0.79 WHIP and a .161 opponent average. Tanner Gillis followed with a 3.32 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP and a .200 opponent average, while Mark Manfredi posted a 3.63 ERA.
Jareon DeBerry led the strikeout totals with 138, ahead of Manuel Rodriguez with 115 and Bishop Letson with 99. Ryan Birchard finished second on the team in opponent average at .168.
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