Bio
RHP Braunny Munoz was a mid-August addition to the Explorers roster after spending parts of six seasons in the Cleveland Guardians organization. Munoz was originally signed by the X’s on August 16, 2023 and would pick up the relief win on August 19 at Sioux Falls. The right-hander would work four innings, scattering four hits and a pair of earned runs in a 12-5 win over the Canaries. In his short stay in the Siouxland, the native of the Dominican Republic worked in four games and made one start during the final series at Chicago. He pitched in 13.2 innings with eight strikeouts and eight walks with a 1-0 record and a 6.58 ERA.
Munoz finished strong with Sioux City. Following his second outing where he went four innings and gave up eight runs, he would not surrender a run over his last 5.2 innings, and he held opponents to just three hits. His spot start on September 4 at Chicago was the highlight moment of the season for Munoz with Sioux City: he held the Dogs hitless through three innings and tossed four shutout innings in a no decision with a pair of strikeouts and just one hit in a 10-3 loss.
Munoz spent the early part of the 2023 season with Single-A Lynchburg, pitching in 21 games, including five as a starter before being released August 8. He totaled 68.2 innings including a four-inning scoreless relief appearance on July 1. He opened the season with a stellar five-inning shutout start where he allowed no hits and walked just one batter on April 11.
In 2022, Munoz split time between Class-A Lynchburg and High-A Lake County. At High-A Lake County, he pitched in two games, including a four-inning relief appearance on July 9 where he allowed two runs on three hits. At Class-A Lynchburg, he performed well over 65 innings, starting two games and posting a 3.60 ERA. He also put up a 1.246 WHIP while striking out 59 batters across 28 appearances, including four innings of shutout ball to finish the game and earn a win July 24 for the Hillcats.
2021 was Munoz’s first full season of professional ball, pitching in 15 games and making 11 starts for Class-A Lynchburg. He pitched 57.2 innings, posting a 6.55 ERA while striking out 48 batters. On August 10, he started against the Delmarva Shorebirds (Baltimore), going six innings while allowing just one unearned run on one hit. Two weeks later on August 24, he had another solid performance, pitching six innings while allowing one run on two hits but striking out nine batters.
In 2019, Munoz spent the season with the Indians Red rookie club, pitching in 52.2 innings across 11 starts while posting a 2.91 ERA and striking out 56 batters. The previous year was his first in professional baseball, pitching in the Dominican Summer League as a 17-year-old, going 63.1 innings while posting a 2.84 ERA with a 1.153 WHIP. Cleveland signed Munoz out of Cotui, Dominican Republic. For his career, Munoz has a 21-15 record in 326.2 innings with a 4.24 ERA with 285 strikeouts with a 1.350 WHIP.