Brewers Minor League Link Report (6/27): Burke, Encarnacion, Rijo, Moneys Key to Four Saturday Victories

Transactions:

• C Darrien Miller promoted to AAA Nashville from AA Biloxi
• INF Freddy Zamora transferred to Development List from AAA Nashville
• RHP Kaleb Bowman transferred to Development List from AAA Nashville
• RHP Jacob Morrison activated from Low-A Wilson’s 7-day injured list
• OF Nick Monile transferred to Development List from Low-A Wilson

There’s also sad news on Griffin Tobias’ status, while former Brewer farmhand RHP Harold Chirino is dealing with an unimaginable loss in Venezuela.

Game Action:

Nashville Pre-Game Media Notes
Suspended in 1st inning: Gwinnett at Nashville
Box Score

Via a Sounds’ press release, suspension details: Sounds, Stripers Suspended Sunday Night

Starting RHP Gerson Garabito allowed a single and two walks to the first three batters of the game before the game was suspended for rain.

Sunday’s outlook: Nashville and Gwinnett will play a twinbill to decide the fate of this week’s knotted series (2-2), with Manager Rick Sweet having to decide whether to stick with Garabito or go even deeper into Nashville’s bullpen for Game 1.  LHP Thomas Pannone is the scheduled starter for Game 2 on 4 days’ rest (4 IP, 4 R, 3 Ks on Tuesday).

Biloxi Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Biloxi 10, Montgomery (Rays) 3
Box Score

Via the Shuckers’ website, game details and we encourage readers to review affiliate write-ups as part of their Link Report routine: Letson Masterclass, Offensive Firepower Lead Shuckers to Series Win

This game was actually tight until the 6th inning, with C Matt Wood throwing out a baserunner to help keep a 4-3 advantage in the 4th inning, then a 3-6-3 ground ball double play (yes, Blake Burke plays legitimately solid defense at first base) eliminating the Biscuits’ leadoff runner in the 5th frame.

And of course, Burke (2-for-5, HR, 4 RBIs) also obliterates baseballs, adding his league-leading 18th tally via this 3-run shot in the first inning.

After making 7 consecutive outs as a team, SS Jesus Made (3-for-4, triple, walk, SB, 3 runs) opened the 6th inning with a walk and Wood (1-for-4, HR, 3 RBIs) delivered his own 3-run dinger four batters later to blow open the contest.

21-year old starting RHP Bishop Letson polished off his exceptional June with aplomb (7 IP, 3 R (2 ER), 6 H, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 8 Ks; .93 pitches), while RHP Jack Seppings (2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K) faced the minimum over the final 2 innings.

OF Mike Boeve’s .279 AVG and .767 OPS are quite respectable. He had a 1-for-3 day with a homer and a sacrifice fly:

Shuckers’ Extras:

• Letson in April: 7.36 ERA, 1.77 WHIP in 14 2/3 IP. In May: 4.41 ERA, 1.35 WHIP in 16 1/3 IP). In June: 2.25 ERA, 1.19 WHIP in 16 IP. His June K% is also up (24.6%), while his June BB% is down (10.1%).
• Even though Burke and 3B Andrew Fischer both committed their 9th errors of 2026, I stand by my ascertain that the big bombers are solid defensive players.
• Some veteran options to restore Biloxi’s catching depth include David Garcia (presently in High-A) and Andrick Nava (presently the third string catcher in AAA).

Sunday’s outlook: 25-year old RHP Tanner Gillis makes his second start of the week (6 IP, 0 R, 4 Ks on Tuesday), with Biloxi aiming to close out a 5-1 series victory.

Wisconsin Pre-Game Media Notes
Final: Cedar Rapids (Twins) 5, Wisconsin 4
Box Score

Via the Timber Rattlers’ website, game details: Kernels Stop Rattlers Win Streak with Late Rally

Despite the late stumble which ended Wisconsin’s 6-game winning streak, the Timber Rattlers’ fantastic media team has still compiled the video highlights here:

That was a detailed YouTube video which included the opposition’s 3-run 8th inning that turned the tide, as well as OF Josiah Ragsdale’s double off the top of the wall to start the attempted 9th inning rally, DH Marco Dinges’ intensity after striking out, OF Braylon Payne’s rocketed groundout and 3B/1B Eric Bitonti’s final swing which might have been a walk-off 2-run homer on most days.

Actually, it should have been a game-tying homer for Ragsdale, per Chris Mehring’s linked game report – “Replays showed the ball hitting high off a support post for the left field lofts for what should have been a game-tying home run.”

Where’s VAR? Where’s the replay challenge? That report also covers Wisconsin’s difficulties with runners in scoring position and multiple outs on the basepaths. The Timber Rattlers stranded 9 baserunners, while Cedar Rapids only stranded 3 baserunners.

Starting RHP Jayden Dubanewicz (5 1/3 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 3 BB, 5 Ks) was exceptional, retiring the first nine batters faced before conceding a full count walk and an RBI triple to open the 4th inning. That was the only hit conceded by Dubanewicz and I guarantee you that Ragsdale believes he should have made the diving catch in right field (watch the replay again).

RHP Chandler Welch (1 IP, 3 R, 1 K) deserved better than to concede three runs, as both singles that preceded the gut-punch homer were of the infield variety.

Timber Rattlers’ Extras:

• Each of Ragsdale (1-for-3, double, 2 walks, SB; .952 OPS), Payne (1-for-3, 2 walks, 2 RBIs; .981 OPS) and OF Luis Castillo (0-for-1, 3 walks) reached base 3 times for the good guys.
• Kudos to RHPs Jose Nova (1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 Ks) and Michael Fowler (1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 Ks) for their solid relief work.
• With the recent injury to Nashville's Ramon Rodriguez and the corresponding promotion of Darrien Miller from Biloxi, Dinges (1-for-4, double, walk, RBI; .879 OPS) would be perfectly placed to head to Biloxi if not for the shoulder impingement which has prevented him from catching since May 5.

Sunday’s outlook: 23-year-old RHP Braylon Owens is set to make his second start of the week (5 IP, 0 R, 8 Ks on Tuesday), with Wisconsin aiming to close out a 5-1 series victory.

Wilson Pre-Game Media Notes
Game One Final: Fredericksburg (Nationals) 7, Wilson 4
Box Score
Game Two Final: Wilson 4, Fredericksburg 3 (in 7 innings)
Box Score

Via the Warbirds’ website, game details: Wilson, Fredericksburg Split Doubleheader

These teams resumed Thursday’s rain-suspended game with the contest tied 1-1 in the 4th inning and Wilson having 2-on, 1-out, with 2B Luis Lameda and 3B Filippo immediately delivering a run-scoring single and sacrifice fly to hand RHP Carlos Carra a 3-1 advantage.

Carra (4 IP, 6 R, 5 H, 4 BB, 3 Ks; 77 pitches) allowed 2 walks and a run-scoring single in the bottom half of the frame, before the teams raced through the middle innings (16 batters, 16 outs). Unfortunately, Carra tired with 2 outs in the 7th inning, allowing a 2-run homer, then a 3-run blast.

The second contest was more enjoyable for the Road Warbirds, welcoming back 6’8” starting RHP Jacob Morrison (2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 3 Ks; 3.12 ERA) from a recent injury (the 20-year-old last pitched on May 30) and having always-stout LHP Jose Meneses (2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 4 Ks; 1.95 ERA) close out the come-from-behind victory.

OF Handelfry Encarnacion had three of the team’s seven hits in the win, knocking in the game-tying run and scoring the winning run. He was 4-for-8 with 2 doubles across the two games, while OF Alexander Frias was 3-for-7.

Warbirds’ Extras:

• LHP Enderson Mercado (3 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 6 BB, 5 Ks; 75 pitches) covered the middle innings in the second contest and earned the win despite some control challenges.
• SS Juan Ortuno (1-for-3, walk, 2 runs) and DH Jadyn Fielder (1-for-2, walk, SB, run) both reached base twice in the victory.
• RHP Joshua Quezada (1 IP, 1 K) tossed a scoreless inning of relief in the early defeat.

Sunday’s outlook: After pitching only one inning in the past 11 days, 20-year LHP Joey Broughton (2.42 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 10.9 K/9 in 22 1/3 IP) gets the start, with Wilson needing a victory to salvage a 3-3 series tie.

Final: ACL Brewers 14, ACL Reds 10 (in 7 innings)
Box Score

Trailing 8-2 after three innings, recently promoted SS Leonard Rijo (4-for-5, 2 doubles) catalyzed the rally with a leadoff double in the 4th inning, scoring on OF Brailyn Antunez’s 110.9mph RBI single.

An inning later, Rijo singled to put runners on the corners with 1 out, trailing 8-4, after which six of the next seven Brewers reached base via walk or hit-by-pitch, with C Jonathan Rangel (1-for-3, triple, 2 walks, RBI) earning a full count RBI walk to grab a 9-8 lead.

The onslaught continued with Rijo (102mph) and Antunez (111.4mph) both doubling in the 6th inning, before veteran C Eric Martinez (1-for-3, HR, 2 HBP, 6 RBIs) hit a first pitch grand slam to extend the advantage to 14-8.

Antunez matched Rijo’s 4-for-5 day, with a double and 2 RBIs. OF Gerlyn Payano (0-for-1, 3 walks, HBP, RBI) also reached base 4 times, 2B Juan Martinez 3 times (1-for-3, 2 walks, RBI).

18-year-old RHP Diustin Mayorquin earned the win with five innings of relief work (4 R (3 ER), 7 H, 2 BB, 1 HBP, 2 Ks), retiring the final 4 batters of the game after the Reds had narrowed it to 14-10 with 2 runners on in the penultimate frame. Starting RHP Bryan Regalado struggled this time out (2 IP, 6 R (5 ER), 3 H, 3 BB, 2 HBP, 1 K).

The sterling comeback lifted Zona Crew’s season record to 22-20.

Final: DSL Brewers Gold 6, DSL Brewers Blue 5 (in 7 innings)
Box Score

The Golden Men battled back from a 4-1 deficit with five unanswered runs from the 4th to the 6th innings, before holding on in the final frame via OF Ruben Revost gunning down potential game-tying runner Enrique Lovera at home plate on a fly out double play to left field.

The victory lifted the Gold team’s record to 8-12, while the Blue Men suffered a second consecutive close defeat to fall to 13-7.

SS Ricki Moneys led off the game with a triple, then stole home for a quick 1-0 lead for Brewers Gold, but Brewers Blue responded with its first four batters reaching via hit or walk to claim a 2-1 first inning lead on 2B Leanders’ Matos’ 2-run single. After the Gold team stranded the bases loaded in the 3rd inning, the Blue Men scored on a balk and a OF Frandy Lafond (1-for-3, RBI, SB) single to grow their advantage to 4-1.

The Gold comeback came via a run-scoring error, two RBI ground outs, a run-scoring double play and another run-scoring error.

18-year-old RHP Raymond Sarmiento (4 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 1 K) got the deserved win in relief for the Gold squad, facing the minimum from the 4th through the 6th innings before the dramatic final frame. Three other pitchers got in significant work for the combined teams: RHP Jesus Vasquez (4 IP, 5 R (3 ER), 1 K), RHP Adrian Bello (3 IP, 4 R, 2 Ks) and RHP Alejandro Bustamante (3 IP, 1 R, 3 Ks).

Moneys (1-for-2, triple, 2 walks, RBI, 3 SBs) had the game’s only extra-base hit, while Lovera (2-for-4, SB) and SS Jose Rodriguez (2-for-4, RBI, SB) delivered multi-hit games. The two catchers each reached base three times: Moises Salazar (0-for-1, 3 walks), Sebastian Franeites (0-for-1, 2 walks, HBP), although they were run ragged on the defensive side: combined 12 stolen bases on the afternoon.

We hope that you enjoy the Minor League Link Report. On Sunday, five minor league games are on tap, starting with Wilson at 12:35pm CST and Wisconsin at 1:10pm CST. Biloxi’s contest and the first game of Nashville’s doubleheader kick off at about the same time (3:34pm CST). The Milwaukee Brewers also play their rubber match against the Cubs at 1:10pm CST.

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