2026 Minor League Transaction Thread

[Ro Mueller]

- RHP Orlando Noguera (17-year old from Venezuela) signed to minor league contract and assigned to DSL Brewers Blue

[Ro Mueller]

- RHP Caleb Nieman released by ACL Brewers

Nieman, now 21 years old, was signed as a non-drafted free agent out of Central Arizona College in July 2025, while still recovering from Tommy John surgery.

He spent the 2026 season with the ACL Brewers, posting a 6.40 ERA, 1.73 WHIP and 8.6 K/9 in 32.1 IP. He tossed 75 pitches in his second last outing and 4 scoreless innings in his final appearance. We wish Caleb immense success in his next opportunity.

[Jim Goulart]

 

[Ro Mueller]

- LHP Thomas Pannone elected free agency from AAA Nashville

[Jim Goulart]

MiLB shows RHP JB Bukauskas as still on the 60-day IL, but Baseball America reports he has been released. He had been set for minor league free agency on Monday regardless.

[Ro Mueller]

- OF Akil Baddoo was recalled to MLB Brewers on September 28 (paper move) and has now been claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates

- LHP Jared Koenig was recalled the same day (paper move) and has now been waived, outrighted and he elected free agency

[Ro Mueller]

Elected free agency:

- C Ramon Rodriguez
- C Darrien Miller
- RHP Reiss Knehr
- OF Luis Matos
- INF/OF Jihwan Bae
- INF/OF Eduardo Garcia
- INF Freddy Zamora
- OF Jacob Hurtubise
- RHP Stiven Cruz
- C David Garcia
- RHP Yerlin Rodriguez
- RHP Gerson Garabito
- INF/OF Jheremy Vargas
- C Blayberg Diaz
- C Andrick Nava
- LHP Ben Moore

The only eligible free agent missing from this list is INF/OF Jonathan Ornelas

[82brewcrew82]

Eh, nothing we are gonna miss all that much.

[Trail]

On 11/3/2026 at 3:58 PM, Ro Mueller said:

Elected free agency:

- C Ramon Rodriguez
- C Darrien Miller
- RHP Reiss Knehr
- OF Luis Matos
- INF/OF Jihwan Bae
- INF/OF Eduardo Garcia
- INF Freddy Zamora
- OF Jacob Hurtubise
- RHP Stiven Cruz
- C David Garcia
- RHP Yerlin Rodriguez
- RHP Gerson Garabito
- INF/OF Jheremy Vargas
- C Blayberg Diaz
- C Andrick Nava
- LHP Ben Moore

The only eligible free agent missing from this list is INF/OF Jonathan Ornelas

Definitely need to restock the cupboard for catching depth.  Also, good for Zamora that he moves on...that had to be a real kick in the shorts when the big club was desperate for infielders for a couple weeks and he didn't get a call up.  

[biedergb]

On 11/3/2026 at 3:58 PM, Ro Mueller said:

Elected free agency:

- C Ramon Rodriguez
- C Darrien Miller
- RHP Reiss Knehr
- OF Luis Matos
- INF/OF Jihwan Bae
- INF/OF Eduardo Garcia
- INF Freddy Zamora
- OF Jacob Hurtubise
- RHP Stiven Cruz
- C David Garcia
- RHP Yerlin Rodriguez
- RHP Gerson Garabito
- INF/OF Jheremy Vargas
- C Blayberg Diaz
- C Andrick Nava
- LHP Ben Moore

The only eligible free agent missing from this list is INF/OF Jonathan Ornelas

Darrien Miller may come back or he knows he is lost in the depth right now so we will see. But we lost a ton of catching depth, but maybe will re-sign someone or find a few more depth pieces like we did with Ramon Rodriguez and David Garcia a couple of years ago.
Zamora and Stiven Cruz will be interesting to see where they land.
And is this the end for Yerlin. 😢

[Joseph Zarr]

Some fan base somewhere is about to dive head first into the next iteration of 'The Yerlin Rodriguez Experience'

[Joseph Zarr]

On 11/3/2026 at 1:58 PM, Ro Mueller said:

Elected free agency:

- C Ramon Rodriguez
- C Darrien Miller
- RHP Reiss Knehr
- OF Luis Matos
- INF/OF Jihwan Bae
- INF/OF Eduardo Garcia
- INF Freddy Zamora
- OF Jacob Hurtubise
- RHP Stiven Cruz
- C David Garcia
- RHP Yerlin Rodriguez
- RHP Gerson Garabito
- INF/OF Jheremy Vargas
- C Blayberg Diaz
- C Andrick Nava
- LHP Ben Moore

The only eligible free agent missing from this list is INF/OF Jonathan Ornelas

That is a lot of depth innings leaving there. Miller, Rodriguez, Zamora, Cruz, Garcia & Garcia, and Vargas have covered many many innings over the recent and past seasons. It will be interesting to see who in this list of mainstays re-ups. I would have to think, off the top of my head, Darrien Miller and Zamora are the most likely candidates. Rodriguez/Garcia/Garcia re-signed as FA's last year if I am not mistaken? Players typically don't re-up twice.