Brewers Minor League Link Report (7/8): CF Braylon Payne Stays Red Hot; Tobias Debuts for Carolina; Sounds Pound out 12 Runs

[Joseph Zarr]

Image courtesy of Brewer Fanatic

• OF Daz Cameron was sent outright to the Nashville Sounds from the Milwaukee Brewers
• LHP Tyler Jay was placed on the 7-Day IL (retroactive to 7/6) by the Nashville Sounds
• RHP Miles Langhorne was placed on the 7-Day IL by the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers

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Final: Nashville 12, Durham (Rays) 2

Box Score/Game Log

Game Notes

Last week, in a game one back at First Horizon Park, the Sounds were blasted by the Memphis Redbirds 11-2. My what a difference a week makes. LHP Bruce Zimmerman, yet again, gave his squad all they needed - he is truly coming on as he gets more comfortable within the Brewers organization. 6.0 IP of 3 H, 1 BB, 4 K, 1 ER ball. Feeling so generous with such a quality start, Zimmerman gave the Bulls a pitch clock violation. Tis the season. Zimmerman isn't an imposing presence on the mound, per se, but he is savvy and has a swooping quality to his lefty pitches and he literally has the classic 'everything but the kitchen sink' repertoire. He mixes them all heavily - as indicated by tonight's very diverse mix. He is not a velo guy whatsoever, but he has some deception when he is right given his off-speed arsenal has several different shapes and he can throw a four-seamer and a sinker. Tonight he earned 11 swings and misses in 38 total swings. It is known on Brewer Fanatic: I love me a splitter. Zimmerman throws one so he gets a longer leash. These are the rules. After a solid June, Zimmerman is off to a fantastic start to July. Let's hope he can keep this rolling as the Sounds greatly benefit when he is right - he can start and go six strong; he can piggyback a rehabber. I have to imagine this is what the Brewers had in mind when they signed him away from the Orioles organization this past December. 

Three Quick Strikes:

1) I've been saying this throughout much of this season: CF Jared Oliva is a heck of a baseball player. Athletic as they come, he's been a revelation at the plate when healthy. It's easy to forget: Oliva was absolutely rolling before hitting the shelf with a prolonged back injury - he missed what was essentially an entire month late May into late June. He can cover quite a bit of ground in center field with his wheels while also swiping many bags when he gets on base. He's also hitting an extra base hit in nearly 10% of his PA's. Tonight's double paired with two homers pushed his season tally to eight long balls. He has gap power. He is healthy and remembering that early season stride:

Do not sleep on Oliva. He has been a consistent performer for the Sounds (when healthy) all season. He has many tools in his bag.

2) Congratulations to 3B Oliver Dunn - we all just learned he is a brand new father. Fresh off the recent newborn delivery, Dunn had perhaps his best game as a 2025 Sound. 3-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBI, 1 3B, 1 HR. He did commit his seventh error (throwing) extending RHP Elvis Peguero's sole inning of work (28 pitches) to close out the blowout. It hasn't been an easy transition for Dunn since being optioned to the Sounds. However, we can certainly hope he catches fire and begins turning things around. Nights like this certainly go a long way toward starting that turn. I'd show the triple to the right field wall to showcase Dunn turning on his jets, but the oppo three run jack was just a superb swing taking advantage of what appeared to be a hanging change-up:

3) 1B Ernesto Martinez Jr. continues to get the not-so-coveted nine-hole duties in the Sounds batting order. However, if he continues to rediscover his form like he did tonight he won't be there that much longer. 2-for-3, 3 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 HR on the evening. It's important to remember a few things when we look at EMJ's 2025 season as a whole. Firstly, after a torrid April through three weeks he suffered some form of thumb injury that shelved him for nearly three weeks. Secondly, it's hard to know the true extent of that injury's lingering impact - we can certainly say he hasn't been the same player since. And, finally, in the interim the Brewers brought several veteran additions into the fold (one of which is currently filling in for the injured Hoskins) to eat into his playing time. With Andrew Vaughn now with the parent club Brewers, this suddenly feels like an extremely important stretch for EMJ's standing within the organization. No pressure. 

With the game one victory, the Sounds are above 0.500 for the first time in their second half at 7-6 overall. They trail first place Syracuse (Mets) by 3.0 G.

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Final: Birmingham (White Sox) 7, Biloxi 5

Via the Shuckers website, please be sure to click and read each of the affiliate write-ups as part of your season-long Link Report routine (believe me, it's worth it):

Warren Drives in a Pair in Shuckers Loss to Barons - Murray Records Multi-Hit Effort as Surge Continues

Box Score/Game Log

Game Notes

RHP Alexander Cornielle was masterful in his early Double-A work. Truly. I would say, over the past month, Cornielle is pitching more along the lines of how I envisioned his debut Double-A season. 5.0 IP, 8 H, 0 BB, 2 HR, 5 ER, 1 WP. It's a work in progress with Cornielle. I certainly don't think he's the 8.38 ERA pitcher giving up a 0.310 BAA we've seen through two starts in July. But, much like his up-and-down season at large, I just believe we are witnessing a 23-year-old still figuring out who he is as a pitcher. There are many pluses in his season, but he still lacks the fine-tuned edges to his complete body of work and arsenal as a pitcher. He'll look to bounce back in the remaining outings this month.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) I told you on more than one occasion just last week. Spencer told you all in a formal article Tuesday morning. INF Ethan Murray has reached new heights in 2025. With his improved build; full health; and renewed confidence, we are witnessing an emerging MLB-caliber player before our very eyes. It is quite the transformation and evolution we've seen in Murray since he shared the infield dirt with Antonio Pinero in the Midwest League back in 2022. I distinctly recall questioning the Double-A promotion at the time. However, Murray's initial play at Biloxi opened my eyes. This season is expanding my POV and tearing down any limitations I've placed on his possible trajectory as a professional baseball player. 2-for-3, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 2B. 0.903 OPS on his season. Expert defender. This is a legitimate future MLB utility player with developing pop. 

2) Let's once again tip our caps to veteran and also utility man extraordinaire 3B Zavier Warren. With his 1-for-3, 2 RBI, 1 2B, 1 K performance he pushed his team-leading RBI total to 51. Warren has been as dependable as they come in 2025 - always available and available anywhere. Outside of his solid overall performance at the dish in 2025, I can honestly say his steady defense has been the most impressive. Prone to mental and focus gaffes in his earlier career, we just haven't seen any of those same mistakes in 2025. If people are sleeping on Murray, they are hibernating on Warren. This is going to sound as clichéd as it gets but I just don't care: he is a pro's pro. He has been complimented by numerous Brewers prospects (current and former) for his ability to think and teach the game. Would I like him to tone down his K numbers by, say, 5%? Absolutely. Am I going to complain about a 25% K rate when he's providing what he is providing on a nightly basis? Absolutely not. My hope for Warren is what we are currently seeing is his new floor. A versatile 0.250, switch-hitting, 0.750 OPS utility guy is a very solid floor. What more does he have in his bag?

3) LHP Brian Fitzpatrick gave up a two-run homer in a 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 HR, 3 K evening of relief. This was just his second long ball in 28.0 IP on his season as a whole. Despite this mini hiccup, believe me when I say: everything is trending up for Fitzpatrick in 2025. His attack mode and K:BB ratio are all in very healthy condition. He continues to be one of the more dependable pitchers in the Shuckers bullpen. As an aside, welcome back RHP Nick Merkel! Large Mammal pitched a scoreless 1.0 IP of 1 H, 1 K work in his first Double-A innings since May 15th. 

With the loss, the Shuckers fell to 7-6 on their second half. They are currently 1.0 GB the division-leading Columbus Clingstones.

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Final: South Bend (Cubs) 13, Wisconsin 4

Cubs Club Four Homers to Beat Wisconsin - Rattlers Fall 13-4 in Game One

Box Score/Game Log

Game Notes

If you care to see the carnage, feel free to watch the full 5 minutes and 51 seconds:

If you would like to hear Chris and Kyle share their thoughts on the game one debacle:

LHP Sam Garcia is finding his transition to High-A a challenging one. He just hasn't found his footing for any prolonged stretch of time. As you'll see in the highlight reel above, it isn't easy to transition smoothly when a pitcher is hanging low velo stuff belt high and dead center. 5.0 IP, 5 H, 4 BB, 3 K, 3 HR. He threw 92 pitches. 50 landed for strikes. He has surrendered seven long balls in just 29.0 Midwest League innings. That is very clearly an unsustainable path. Much to do at the drawing board in the following weeks. RHP Patricio Aquino's recent run of rough outings continued with his 2.0 IP of 5 H, 3 K, 1 HR, 4 ER work. I guess the sole pitching positive in this one is the always uplifting: RHP Yerlin Rodriguez pitched an efficient 13 pitch, 7 strike, 1 K inning of relief. Our four leaf clover in the Brewers system for the month of July.

On the offensive side of the ledger, we see multi-hit nights from SS Eduardo Garcia (3-for-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 K); 1B Blake Burke (2-for-5, 1 R, 1 K); 2B Jadher Areinamo (3-for-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 HR); and 3B Juan Baez (2-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 2B). I'll end this with one thought and one thought alone: I miss C Marco Dinges. 

With the game one loss, the Timber Rattlers fell to 5-11. A record very befitting of the way they've played of late. 

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Final: Fredericksburg (Nationals) 5, Carolina 4

Fredericksburg Takes Series Opener from Mudcats - Mudcats Lose Consecutive Game Ones in Back-to-Back Series

Box Score/Game Log

Game Notes

Despite surrendering four runs and taking the loss in his 5.0 IP, 7 H, 0 BB, 1 WP, 1 HB, 9 K, 4 ER outing, there are obvious plus signs littered throughout LHP Wande Torres' outing. He reached 70 pitches for the second time in his past three outings. He punched out nine batters. He did not walk a single batter. Granted, yes, Torres plunked a hitter and threw a WP. It all remains a work in progress. BUT, when you see the glimpses, and they are most definitely there, you can see the big picture. With the loss, Torres fell to 1-6 on his season. That mark feels representative of the overall inconsistencies we've seen in 2025. Bryce Meccage gets all the second-round draft pick headlines. You can argue he and Torres are very similar in their inabilities to stack outings and locate pitches consistently. Comparisons aside, this was a plus outing for Torres. We take the loss, but we salute the growth.

Three Quick Strikes:

1) RHP Griffin Tobias' Low-A debut: 4.0 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 ER. Not half bad, young man! Honestly, the walk is a wee shocking considering he threw one free pass in 36 2/3 ACL IP. However, he absolutely pounded the zone - a trait he carries over from the desert. 59 pitches and 43 strikes. This must be a joy to play behind. It's hard to be more impressed with the ACL high school draft pick trio of Tobias, Dorchies, and Dubanewicz.

2) CF Braylon Payne has modified his swing (which, if you recall, I pointed out to you on several occasions the past month was a hot mess) and the results are absolutely arriving. He extended his hitting streak to seven games with his sixth long ball of 2025:

If you've watched Payne hit at all in 2025, you can very clearly see he has tightened his stance to a more upright start while he's really simplified and greatly smoothed up his entire swing in general. That is a much more efficient use of motion. It's pretty clear his time off is paying dividends during this current run. What's fascinating is that despite Payne's prolonged slump, he is fast approaching the season outputs of INF Jesus Made. Payne gave us a 1-for-2, 2 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 1 SB night from the lead-off spot.

2) @sveumrules posted another one of his patented statistical nuggets when he shared his not so glamorous 'All Walks No Hits No Power' list in today's game thread. Well, a 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K, 1 HR night is a first attempt at shattering this established narrative.  I do think it's fair to say Tyler Rodriguez may not be able to hit a baseball harder and further than this - his second home run as a Mudcat:

3) When you watch the Mudcats regularly, which I do, it is abundantly clear the massive talent gap between now gone C Marco Dinges and the current youthful catching battery of C Edgardo Ordonez, C Eric Martinez, and C Yannic Walther. There are levels to the professional baseball game, literally and figuratively. Dinges was a pure clean-up hitter and continued to be a clean-up hitter for the Timber Rattlers. He is also a premium level of athlete. This just back in: I really miss watching C Marco Dinges play baseball. Ordonez gave us an 0-for-3, 1 BB, 3 K night batting in the nine-hole. He did nab a base runner trying to swipe third base and has caught 12-of-50 attempts in Low-A. 

With the loss, the Nationals gained 1.0 G on first place Carolina. At 10-5 in their second half, the Mudcats now lead Fredericksburg by a mere 1/2 G.

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Final: ACL Brewers 3, ACL Mariners 2
Box Score/Game Log

Another nine-inning game for DH Josh Adamczewski. That's his second in a row. 2-for-4, 2 R, 2 2B, 2 K. Let's keep the good health good, young man! The Mudcats are going to need Adamczewski back in the heart of their batting order in their playoff push. SS Jorge Quintana knocked two key runs across in a 1-for-4, 2 RBI, 1 K night. RF Roderick Flores knocked in the winning walk-off run with what appears to have been a swinging bunt down the third base side.

In his first ACL action, RHP Gabriel Colmenarez went 4.0 IP of 3 H, 2 BB, 1 WP, 1 K, 0 R work picking up his very first stateside win. Colmenarez built off RHP Miqueas Mercedes' solid start of 5.0 IP of 5 H, 2 BB, 5 K, 2 ER work. In a tight game such as this the difference came down to the ACL Crew capitalizing on 2-of-4 RISP opportunities whereas the Mariners managed a mere 1-for-6 with RISP themselves. With the win, the ACL Brewers are back above 0.500, if just barely, at 25-24 overall

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Final: DSL Brewers Gold 8, DSL Cleveland Mendoza 1
Box Score/Game Log

It's nice to see the Brewers Gold capitalize on four Mendoza errors. It's also nice to see six different Brewers Gold batters knocking runs across. DH Isais Chavez and 1B Matthew Moses (no relation to the Biblical figure) were the multi-hit performers for the Gold. Moses also grabbed the sole extra base hits as both his pokes were two-baggers. It is rumored when Moses sent his first double to the gap, the outfielders, oddly, parted like the Red Sea. Who knocked Moses across? None other than still performing admirably RF Pedro Tovar in his 1-for-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB day at the dish.

Workmanlike and effective efforts in the 9.0 IP of 4 H, 4 BB, 3 K, 1 R (unearned) combined between starting RHP Gustavo Garcia; RHP Carlos Canales; and RHP Fabian Reyes. With the victory, the DSL Brewers Gold improved their record to 11-16 overall.

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Final: DSL Brewers Blue 8, DSL Royals Ventura
Box Score/Game Log

With CF Brailyn Antunez's 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K, 1 2B day at the dish we achieved a miraculous feat for the Brewers 2025 DSL season: a headliner signee reached the Mendoza Line. It has definitely been that type of DSL season so far. Don't blink, the DSL Brewers Gold's OF Kenny Fenelon also achieved that feat on the same day! Bask in the riches, Fanatics! Antunez was the sole Brewers Blue player to achieve multiple hits, but three players achieved two-RBI days and three players achieved two-walk days. And it was all happening from the five-hole and beyond:

That's a pretty fun and chippy set of AB's right there - Lafond and Polanco each hitting doubles and Lafond and Polanco each swiping their seventh bags of their season. In his second season at the Brewers Dominican Complex INF Moises Polanco continues to stand out on a regular basis. 19-year-old Nicaraguan RHP Josue Toledo pitched the final two scoreless innings - 1 H, 2 BB, 2 K, 2 WP, 1 IBB - to pick up his second Save of his summer.  With the victory, the DSL Brewers Blue improved to 14-12. 

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With the Summer League young men all on their rest days, we will see two mid-day matinees for Biloxi and Wisconsin. Both squads will look to bounce back behind the arms of RHP Brett Wichrowski and RHP Ryan Birchard, respectively. In the evening hours, young phenom RHP Melvin Hernandez will try to square things in Zebulon and RHP Coleman Crow will look to continue mowing down hitters at every level in 2025.

As always, thanks for reading and thanks for supporting Brewers Minor League baseball.

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[James Zumstein]

It's hard to be more impressed with the ACL high school draft pick trio of Tobias, Dorchies, and Dubanewicz.

I couldn't agree more. And don't sleep on Tyler Renz and his 3.07 ERA and 1.098 WHIP in Arizona while waiting for his chance at Carolina. I hope we continue to stock up on high upside HS arms in the later rounds of the draft this year rather than spending millions for guys early on. We are consistently finding talent at lower costs than other teams, and it's going to keep paying off for many years. Don't change a thing!

[Joseph Zarr]

4 hours ago, James Zumstein said:

It's hard to be more impressed with the ACL high school draft pick trio of Tobias, Dorchies, and Dubanewicz.

I couldn't agree more. And don't sleep on Tyler Renz and his 3.07 ERA and 1.098 WHIP in Arizona while waiting for his chance at Carolina. I hope we continue to stock up on high upside HS arms in the later rounds of the draft this year rather than spending millions for guys early on. We are consistently finding talent at lower costs than other teams, and it's going to keep paying off for many years. Don't change a thing!

Hard to disagree with the early results. I think with the way they've been drafting and signing recently, it may also give them an open playbook come the trade deadline. The winds have shifted and the tenor of what this Brewers team is and can be has risen to new heights. I've personally completely changed my approach seeing how they've competed against the Phillies and Dodgers and mostly handled their business over the past 1.5 months plus. We may lose some players we love in the coming month. That's just the price of chasing that highest goal of an elusive World Series.