Brewers Minor League Link Report (7/14): A Trio of Garcias Highlight One Win Monday

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Milwaukee Brewers designated LF Drew Avans for assignment.

Milwaukee Brewers activated CF Blake Perkins from the 60-day injured list.

Milwaukee Brewers activated LHP Aaron Ashby from the paternity list.

Milwaukee Brewers optioned RHP Easton McGee to Nashville Sounds.

Milwaukee Brewers optioned CF Blake Perkins to Nashville Sounds.

Game Action:

DSL Brewers Gold 6, DSL Orioles Orange 3

Box Score

In the lone victory for the organization on Monday, the Brewers Gold defeated the Orioles Orange 6-3. The Brewers got two short shutdown pitching performances from 17 year-old Daniel Garcia and 18 year-old Derlin Garcia to start the game. Daniel worked two innings allowing just one walk, and Derlin worked 2.1 innings with a two hits and a walk allowed. Both Garcias recorded one strike out. Derlin has now thrown 5.1 scoreless innings to start his career in the Dominican Summer League.

On offense, top signee Kenny Fenelon would open the scoring with a two run single in the top of the third. After the Orioles knotted the game at two in the fifth, the Brewers immediately responded with three runs in the sixth. Juan Martinez delivered the big blow with a two-run triple, and then later came around to score on a sac fly to make it 5-3 Brewers. The final run of the game came on a Jonathan Rangel RBI single in the eighth.

Fenelon notched his first multi-hit game since June 30 with two singles. He also was caught stealing for the eighth time, which leads the DSL. Other top signee Cristoper Acosta was on base twice, scored twice, and stole two bases as well. Cristian Montilla also had a two-hit game with a double and a single.

DSL Padres Gold 10. DSL Brewers Blue 7

Box Score

The Brewers jumped on Padres in the bottom of the first inning, scoring three runs to grab a short-lived lead. Moises Polanco walked, stole second, and scored on Yoneiker Lugo’s single to break the seal on scoring. Jefer Lista followed with a triple and then scored on Leonard Rijo’s single to make it 3-0.

Unfortunately the lead would not last long as Brewers starter Lonell Downs once again went off the rails in a second consecutive start after allowing five runs in three innings last Monday. In the second inning, the Padres batted around – or maybe more appropriately walked around – as they scored seven runs on just two hits in the inning. The Padres were benefactors of four walks, two HBP, a balk, and an error in the inning. Downs was removed after 1.1IP and 6ER allowed on just one hit.

The Brewers would respond with a solo tally in the second inning after two walks and a wild pitch brought a run home to make it 7-4. The Padres would extend the lead to 10-4 before the Brewers scored three times in their final at-bat. Polanco had the big hit in the 9^th with a two-run double. The Brewers plated their final run on a wild pitch.

ACL Dodgers 9, ACL Brewers 2

Box Score

It was a rough day for the ACL Brewers in the desert on Monday, as they were hammered by the Dodgers by a score of 9-2. The Brewers offense managed just two hits – a triple by rehabbing Josh Adamczewski  and the fifth homer of the season from Kevin Garcia. Adamczewski is now slashing .370/.471/.556 on his rehab assignment that started on July 1, so one would expect we’d see him back home in Carolina just about any day now.

Brewers starter Hayden Robinson once again struggled, as the 20 year-old managed 2IP, 7H, 6R, 3BB, and 1K in this outing. On the season, Robinson has as many walks (10) as innings pitched, with 12 hits and nine runs allowed. Jose Meneses struck out four in his two innings, with the only blemish being a solo homer allowed. Gabriel Colemenarez finished the game by working the final four innings and allowing only two runs despite a combined seven walks and hits allowed.

Both Brewers DSL squads and the Brewers ACL club will be in action tomorrow, as the only games being played while the full-season leagues take a few days off for the all-star break.

Elsewhere around the minor league affiliates:

The Mudcats had a tough week hosting Fredericksburg, dropping three of five to see their lead over the Nationals’ affiliate narrow to just half a game in the second half standings. All five games in the series were decided by two runs or less, with each team scoring a win in their final at-bat in the series.

Speaking of which, did you see 2024 first round pick Braylon Payne’s walk-off three-run bomb?

I love the way Payne plays with such panache and showmanship. Payne is slashing an absurd .433/.564/1.364 with three homers and three steals through eight games in July. After a brutal May and a tough June, it’s good to see Payne back on track. For his efforts from last week, Payne was named the Carolina League’s player of the week.

After the all-star break, the Mudcats get back in action at last place Delmarva this weekend.

In Appleton, the Timber Rattlers endured another tough week as they lost five of six games to South Bend, including two losses by nine runs. The Timber Rattlers now sit in the Midwest League’s cellar with a 6-15 second half record.

Last year’s 34^th overall pick Blake Burke continues to swing a hot stick. Burke collected seven more hits last week, including three doubles. Jadher Areimano was right there with Blake, as he also tallied seven hits including his ninth homer of the year on this vicious uppercut:

Shoutout to 22 year-old catcher Blayberg Diaz, who also collected seven hits for the Rattlers this week and has now hit safely in six consecutive games.

On the mound, Tanner Gillis continued to look good after missing all of June. The 24 year-old righty struck out four batters in his three scoreless inning start last week. Ryan Birchard struck out seven in 4.1IP last week, but also walked five which led to three runs (one earned) being scored despite only one hit allowed in his start.

The weekly Rattlers pod went around the horn to check in on all the Brewers affiliates. Check it out here:

Wisconsin has their work cut out for them, facing two of the Midwest League’s best teams as they travel to Cedar Rapids this weekend and then to Quad Cities the following week.

At the AA level, the Shuckers lost all six games to Birmingham last week and now have lost seven games in a row to fall to last place in the Southern League South. As a team last week, the Shuckers combined for a putrid .179/.288/.260 slash line against the Southern League’s top team in ERA, WHIP, and average allowed. There were not a lot of offensive highlights for Biloxi last week, and some of that is to be expected after losing the league’s top two sluggers to injury in June.

On the run prevention side, Tate Kuehner had another solid outing with a line of 6IP (a career high), 2R, 0ER, 1BB, and 4K. Here’s a couple of whiffs from his last start:

Brett Wichrowski also notched a career high in innings pitched for a game with his 6.1IP outing last week and is now sporting a tidy 2.41 ERA through 52.1IP this season. With 29 career starts at AA, Wichrowski could be looking for a late season promotion, should some space open up in Nashville.

The Shuckers will look to get back on track this week when they head to Montgomery to take on the Biscuits after the break.

Finally, the Sounds split the six games series at Durham last week, though two of Nashville’s wins were by double digits and all three loses were just one-run games. Eight Nashville players hit homers last week, including multi-homer weeks from Drew Avans, Tyler Black, Daz Cameron, Jared Oliva, and Jeferson Quero. Cameron’s blast was a grand slam:

Quero’s homer was his first at the AAA level after missing all of 2024:

On the bump, Logan Henderson and Chad Patrick each notched quality starts last week. Henderson was superb in six innings with seven strikeouts, no walks and just two hits (one solo homer) allowed. Patrick, in his first start back at AAA, worked six innings and also struck out seven, while allowing two runs, which also came on a homerun. Both pitchers will look to stay ready for a second half call-up barring an injury or trade.

Nashville will resume play Friday with three games against West Division leaders Indianapolis.

Interested in learning more about the Milwaukee Brewers' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!