Brewers minor-league update; Logan Henderson, Braylon Payne dazzle

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Milwaukee Brewers fans have been acutely aware of the organization's talented teenagers for a while, with Luis Peña and Jesús Made among the top prospects in baseball.

But perhaps we're all sleeping on Braylon Payne.

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The 19-year-old first-round pick in 2024 has been a monster for Class A Wisconsin, entering the final week of April baseball with a 1.288 OPS in 14 games and 49 at-bats, with six homers, three doubles, six stolen bases and a wild .492 on-base percentage.

Payne was particularly thorny for Fort Wayne over the past six games, upping his hitting streak to seven games while going 9-for-20 with two doubles and four homers, including one in each of his past three games.

Drafted out of high school in Houston with the No. 17 pick, Payne was a surprise for a franchise that often drafted college hitters first. He was one of the youngest players in the draft and wasn't seen as a first-round pick, so the Brewers were able to sign him for an under-slot deal of $3.4 million. They also procured savings from their other first-round pick, competitive-balance selection Blake Burke out of Tennessee.

The idea, seemingly, was to save as much as possible to offer second-round pitcher Chris Levonas, a highly touted high-school arm who turned down the Brewers' major overslot offer and is now one of the top prospects in the 2027 MLB Draft at Wake Forest. That left the impression that the 2024 draft would be a disappointment since Milwaukee's big swing didn't connect.

But Payne and Burke have become two of the most prolific players in the system. Not only that, Milwaukee's 2024 draft is full of current minor-league standouts, including Marco Dinges, Ethan Dorchies, John Holobetz (traded to Boston), Jaron DeBerry, Tyson Hardin and Bryce Meccage.

Payne will turn 20 in August, meaning Peña (who turns 20 in November and is at Wisconsin) and Made (who turns 19 in May and is at Class AA Biloxi) are still younger. But as good as Made and Peña have been this year, it might be selling the system short to only think of them as a fast-rising duo, when Payne makes it a trio.

The Brewers had a flurry of homers from top prospects April 26, with bombs from Payne, Dinges, Luis Lara and Cooper Pratt. They'll all get mentioned below:

Here's what happened last week

  • Nashville (14-13) went 3-4 against Charlotte (Chicago White Sox) despite some major bounce-back performances from some of the organization's prospects closest to the big leagues.
  • Biloxi (11-10) went 4-2 against Rocket City (Los Angeles Angels), including a thrilling walk-off win in extras early in the week.
  • Wisconsin (13-6) had a superb 5-1 week against Fort Wayne (San Diego), although the team's April 22 game ended early after a scary incident in which Peña had to be hospitalized.
  • Wilson (8-13) went 2-4 against Delmarva (Orioles).

Standout performance from a Brewers 40-man roster player

Logan Henderson was undeniable April 26, working in relief for Class AAA Nashville in a game started by a rehabbing Quinn Priester but enjoying his longest outing of the year. Henderson worked five innings, allowed one run on five hits and struck out nine batters with just one walk. Henderson also worked five days earlier, allowing no runs on four hits in 3⅓ innings with three punchouts and two walks. For the year (including an abbreviated spot start with the Brewers), he's got a 2.16 ERA in 16⅔ innings, and the workload increase shows he's nearing full capacity when the big-league team needs him back.

What a week as well for catcher Jeferson Quero, who seems to have shrugged off his early season struggles with a big week at AAA, collecting 10 hits in 23 at-bats, including three doubles, two homers and seven RBIs. His average was .163 with an OPS barely above .500 on April 15, but he's now up to a .260 average and a .766 OPS.

Best performance of the week from a Brewers top prospect

We already talked about Payne (No. 13 in the organization, according to MLB Pipeline), so we must again revel in the excellence of Nashville outfielder Luis Lara (No. 11), who had another nine hits in seven games against Charlotte (27 at-bats), with three homers (including back-to-back games April 25 and 26), a double and five RBIs. The switch-hitting, smooth-fielding outfielder already has a career high for homers in a season with five, with just 10 over four seasons in the previous four minor-league seasons.

We also shouldn't discount what Marco Dinges (No. 9) is doing at High A Wisconsin. Against Fort Wayne, the catcher had a hit in all five games he played, including two doubles, two homers and eight RBIs. For the year, Dinges has a 1.152 OPS in 50 at-bats at Wisconsin.

What's Jesús Made up to?

At this point, we're basically taking the 18-year-old at AA Biloxi for granted.

The No. 1 prospect in the organization and, possibly soon, the No. 1 prospect in baseball "only" had five hits this week, with four runs, with four RBIs, four walks, four stolen bases and four strikeouts. For the year, he has an .887 OPS with two homers, 11 steals and a .398 on-base percentage.

What's Luis Peña up to?

The shortstop (No. 2 prospect in the organization) had two hits in two games to start the week and a slick play in the field before he was taken out of the game April 22 and then was rushed to the hospital with what the Brewers called "overheating." He has a .974 OPS this year but only 43 at-bats, and he didn't play again last week after the scary incident.

What's Cooper Pratt up to?

The team's No. 4 prospect and new member of the 40-man roster had a huge turnaround week after a slow start with AAA Nashville. He posted six hits over the past four games alone, including his first home run of the year April 26, as well as a triple April 25. He also drove in four runs and is now up to a .608 OPS after a ruggedly slow start, with seven stolen bases and a .326 on-base percentage in 78 at-bats.

What's Andrew Fischer up to?

The No. 5 prospect and first-round pick in 2025 powered up with two home runs April 23 and another April 24, combining in those games for five RBIs and four runs scored. He also doubled April 22, leaving him with five doubles and four homers this season, along with 16 RBIs and an .873 OPS. He's struck out 30 times in 66 at-bats, but the power output has been encouraging.

What's Jett Williams up to?

Like so many of his Brewers prospect brethren, the No. 3 prospect had a big week.

Playing at Nashville, he has eight hits over the past four games, with a home run, four RBIs and three stolen bases. His slow start is still baked into his .644 OPS, but he's up to a .333 on-base percentage and has swiped eight bases.

A Brewers name you might want to learn

Jordyn Adams hit an absolute bomb 458 feet for Biloxi on April 21, then another homer April 22 and found himself promoted to Class AAA Nashville. The 26-year-old outfielder has a .702 OPS this year but already has a double at Nashville in his first three games. The former first-round pick (No. 17 overall by the Angels in 2018) was signed this offseason by Milwaukee and is worth monitoring.

Brewers minor-league highlights April 21-26

  • No homers this week for slugging Biloxi first baseman Blake Burke (the No. 17 prospect), but he did club five doubles, including a game-tying rifle to the wall April 22 when his team was down to its last out, driving in two runs and extending the game for an eventual Shuckers win. He had seven hits in six games and a .965 OPS this season.
  • Tate Kuehner allowed one earned run on three hits in 5⅔ innings for Nashville on April 23, with eight strikeouts and three walks for Nashville. The left-hander has a 3.42 ERA in five starts for the Sounds.
  • Dylan O'Rae missed all of last season with wrist surgery, but he's been making things happen for Biloxi, including setting a franchise record with five steals in a game April 22. The 22-year-old has a .908 OPS and is up to 15 steals on the season, second in the Southern League, and since he's reaching base at a .453 clip in the first 77 at-bats of the season, the chances for more damage will be there.
  • O'Rae was drafted in the third round by the Brewers in 2022 out of Canada and will need to be added to the 40-man roster this offseason or be left unprotected in the Rule 5 draft. But there's a big list of top players who fit that bill, so the Brewers will need a good evaluation on him in 2026. Those other players include Luke Adams, Brock Wilken, Lara, Kuehner, Ryan Burchard, Brett Wichrowski,Jason Woodward and Yorman Galindez.
  • Eddys Leonard had another big week at Class AAA Nashville, with eight hits in 22 at-bats, including three homers (two April 24), seven RBIs and a stolen base. The utility option for Milwaukee, just 25, has a .973 OPS this year, with five homers and 14 driven in, and he's reaching base at a .380 clip.
  • Braylon Owens, a 10th-round pick in 2025, allowed just one hit in five innings for Wisconsin on April 25, with two walks and six strikeouts. Other big pitching performances this week included nine strikeouts from Tyson Hardin (No. 18) at Biloxi, allowing two runs on four hits in four innings with one walk. Ethan Dorchies (No. 19) had a brilliant outing at Wisconsin, allowing one earned run on two hits with four strikeouts and no walks in five innings. Bryce Meccage (No. 20) was also strong at Wisconsin with five strikeouts in five innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits with two walks April 24.
  • Nashville relievers Brian Fitzpatrick (10⅓ innings) and Will Childers (10 innings) still haven't allowed an earned run this season. They've combined for 24 strikeouts, five walks, 14 hits and two unearned runs. In more limited outings, newcomer Reiss Knehr (3⅓ innings) and Thomas Pannone (6⅔ innings) also haven't surrendered an earned run.
  • Coming off a huge week, Josh Adamczewski (No. 10) kept rolling at Wisconsin, with eight hits in the last four games, including two doubles. He has a gaudy 1.239 OPS in 47 at-bats this year, playing outfield for the Rattlers.
  • Second baseman Ethan Murray went 4-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs for Nashville on April 25.
  • Brock Wilken had hits in six of the seven games this week (five in a row), with three doubles and a triple. The No. 21 prospect is still struggling overall at AAA, with a .579 OPS and one homer in 87 at-bats.
  • Brady Ebel (No. 14) is trying to get off an early schneid in Class A Wilson, and he had five hits over the past five games, with two doubles, two RBIs and two stolen bases.
  • Frederi Montero, a 19-year-old who was signed by the Brewers in 2024, had eight hits for Class A Wilson last week, including a homer, triple and six RBIs. He went 3-for-5 in a win April 26. He's listed as a shortstop but has played primarily first base for the Warbirds.
  • Coleman Crow's follow-up to his impressive Major League debut in Miami didn't go well in Nashville on April 24, when he allowed eight earned runs on six hits and four walks in 3⅔ innings, with five strikeouts.
  • Veteran minor-leaguer Eduardo Garcia made a game-saving defensive play for the Shuckers to help Biloxi escape with a walk-off victory April 22.

Intriguing opposing players

Shane Smith, the former Brewers prospect who was selected by the White Sox in the Rule 5 draft and then started opening day this year in Milwaukee, has been struggling in 2026. The White Sox sent him to AAA with Charlotte, where he faced Nashville on April 24 and yielded five earned runs on three hits and three walks in 2⅔ innings, with five strikeouts. Wilken hit an RBI triple against Smith and Williams had an RBI single among the hits.

Waukesha native Jarred Kelenic has been on fire for Charlotte. He belted four homers in the series against Nashville among his six hits, all in consecutive games April 22-25. He drove in 10 runs over the six-game series and stole four bases.

Brewers minor-league games April 28-May 3

The Timber Rattlers return home this week for Wisconsin fans interested in glimpsing Payne, Fischer, Adamczewski, Dinges and Peña.

  • Nashville vs. Norfolk Tides (Baltimore)
  • Biloxi at Pensacola Blue Wahoos (Miami)
  • Wisconsin vs. Quad Cities River Bandits (Kansas City)
  • Wilson vs. Salem RidgeYaks (Boston)

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Brewers minor-league weekly update; Logan Henderson, Braylon Payne

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