Brewers Minor League Link Report (6/29): Rookie Squads go 3-0, Scoring 30 Runs

The complex league teams combined to hit .317 with runners in scoring position, developing skills that will hopefully translate oh, about five years from now.

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Final: ACL Brewers 10, ACL Cubs 7
Box Score and Game Log

The A-Crew, now 23-20, jumped out to a 9-0 lead through five innings on the strength of a four-run 2nd inning and a five-run 5th. The Baby Cubs were playing like the 14-27 team they were entering the game. Chicago's rookies scored all their runs in a seven-run 6th, and the good guys held on from there.

19-year-old Ma'Kale Holden, the club's 20th round pick out of an Alabama high school in 2025, has certainly seen both ends of the success spectrum in his nine games (two starts), and you're invited to view his game log to see those highs and lows detailed. His last two outings have blown up his season-to-date numbers despite several strong outings earlier.

4th year RHP Argenis Aparicio, repeating the Arizona League after two initial Dominican League seasons, did allow two of Holden's runners to cross the plate and also allowed a run of his own when the first batter Aparicio faced homered. Notably, all seven Cubs runs in that inning were plated after there were two outs. Essentially, and one can't truly indicate this, but the Brewers were one out away from twirling a shutout.

We'll get to the healthy offense but may as well wrap up the pitching notes. Starting RHP Caleb Nieman managed three scoreless innings (he allowed a leadoff single in the 4th before departing) despite giving up five hits - all singles, that helped - and three walks. The oddest game log note is that the Cubs had runners on 2nd and 3rd with one out in the 2nd when a single dropped in to left field, loading the bases. The runners didn't advance, seeing if the ball would be caught. Understandable, but you don't view that often. A popout and groundout ended that dangerous situation. 

Jonathan Rangel, in his first season stateside after two in the D.R., is fascinating. It doesn't appear he received a significant bonus out of Venezuela as part of the January 2024 international class. The 19-year-old is listed at 5'9", 176, though that likely matches his vitals at the time of his signing two and a half years ago. Seeing time only at catcher/1B/DH this season and last, his future lies on whether he'll be able to stick at catcher (13 errors and nine passed balls in 22 pro games behind the plate), and whether the left-handed bat will mash enough. Rangel has walked (18.9% of the time) nearly as often as he's K'd (a manageable 20.7%). Rangel can slug, .460 mark for his career. Rangel can also run a bit, 21-for-24 in career SB attempts.

Rangel's 5th inning home run to center went out at 104.8 MPH, 32-degree launch. His 2nd inning double traveled 401 feet on a line at 106.4 MPH. He was the designated hitter Monday.

Brewer batters drew nine walks, with four players earning two apiece. The other extra base hits not off Rangel's bat were triples. 18-year-old infielder (playing second base here) Leonard Rijo, who received a deserved bump stateside on June 12th had one, as did another recent midseason promotion, just-turned 18-year-old RF Gerlyn Payano. Payano also contributed an outfield assist.

Both LF Kenny Fenelon and 3B Juan Martinez moved their stolen base totals to 21. Fenelon has been thrown out seven times but has been successful in his last five attempts. Martinez has only been thrown out three times.

With July a day away, we'll remind everyone the Arizona League's regular season ends on the 23rd. MLB moved up the schedule a few years back to help avoid extreme heat, but you know the Maryvale complex will still be busy with rehabbers and miscellaneous workouts.

Final: DSL Brewers Blue 9, DSL Red Sox Red 6
Box Score and Game Log

The now 14-7 Blue Crew, in 3rd place within their division, took care of the last-place division rival Boston Red squad, overcoming a 5-3 deficit after four innings with four unanswered runs.

They also overcame five errors, each committed by a different team member, and five wild pitches by starting RHP Jordy Brache, the 16-year-old Dominican native making his 5th pro appearance and second start. Brache somehow only allowed three runs (only two earned) in his three innings. With a 3.80 WHIP, that run count can be considered a small victory.

Following Brache on the mound was 18-year-old Colombian native Carlos Galindo, who will be stateside in 2027, having posted solid numbers for a second year. The zero walks (one HBP) are shiny and represents a second consecutive five-inning, no-walk effort.

3rd year RHP Lukas Gonzalez, 19 years old out of Panama, wants off the island, and his 2026 work is trending towards that.

Still just 16 years old for a few more days, infielder (primarily 3rd baseman thus far) Leanders Matos was a triple shy of a cycle. Eleven of his 21 hits on the season of the extra-base variety, and he hit his 4th home run Monday, and it was a shot to center in the 7th that converted a 5-4 deficit into a 6-5 lead that would not be relinquished. Matos is also 10-of-11 in SB attempts, though oddly in this contest Blue only attempted one steal (unsuccessfully) despite having 11 hits and drawing a dozen free passes.

Matos' $300,000 price tag is at the bargain level currently, and as advertised. In January, the right-handed hitting Matos was touted as a potential high-contact hitter with great strike-zone discipline and gap power. 

All nine Blue batters reached base at least once. In fact, five reached three times, and the other four reached twice. Haven't tracked that sort of thing but can't imagine many boxes this Link Report season in which every member of the lineup reached multiple times. Enjoy your box score breakdown clicking on the names of interest to you.

Three hours and 50 minutes of baseball, wow.

Final: DSL Brewers Gold 11, DSL Pirates Gold 10
Box Score and Game Log

No, you're not imagining things. The Golden Crew, now 9-12, also won by an 11-10 score on Friday night. In between those games, they defeated their Blue brethren 6-5 Saturday. Enjoy the ride, guys, five wins in a row!

Through seven innings, this was a perfectly "normal" 4-2 game with the good guys on top. The Pirates scored five in the top of the 8th (7-4 PIT lead), followed by a four-run response (Crew on top 8-7). Each team would score three runs in the 9th, and while the Pittsburgh kids used speed and Crew mound wildness to score their three runs, the G-Crew pumped up the power for their rally. First, a one-out blast by just-turned 18-year-old first baseman Jefer Lista, and a two-out two-run walkoff blast by 16-year-old CF (occasional left field and/or second base) Angeni Fernandez. One of the youngest signings of MLB's international class, Fernandez turns 17 on August 9th, the Brewers signed him for $500,000. Fernandez, a right-handed bat, drove in six runs in all here, as two doubles preceded the winning blast.

Fourteen free passes (ten walks, four HBP's) issued to the Gold boys certainly helped their cause.

Second-year Dominican Republic native RHP Derlin Garcia, has had strong outings and two clunky ones, as his game log shows. 

It's a super-charged DSL offensive environment in 2026 to be sure, but we still have to love that among the Brewers exceeding the most this spring and summer are the youngest, matching their pedigree buzz entering the season.

On Tuesday, DSL Gold plays while their Blue siblings take a break. There's lots of home cooking on the schedule as only the Timber Rattlers hit the road among the full-season clubs, and Maryvale is home as well. Stay cool, everyone!

Organizational Scoreboard including starting pitcher info, game times, MiLB TV links, and box scores
Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Batting Stats and Depth
Current Milwaukee Brewers Organization Pitching Stats and Depth

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