Joel Elias Payamps Bio
Joel Elias Payamps (born April 7, 1994) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Atlanta Braves. A right-handed reliever with Major League experience across multiple organizations, Payamps first entered professional baseball in 2011 and reached MLB in 2019.
Early Life and Background
Joel Elias Payamps was born on April 7, 1994, and holds Dominican nationality. Public records and career summaries identify him as a Dominican native who signed as an international free agent to begin his professional baseball career in 2011.
Payamps began his professional journey as a teenager, signing with the Colorado Rockies organization in 2011. He spent his first seasons in the Dominican Summer League and in rookie-level U.S. affiliates while developing as a starting pitcher in the lower minors.
Path to Baseball
Payamps signed with the Colorado Rockies as an international free agent on May 1, 2011, and spent 2011 and 2012 with the Dominican Summer League Rockies. He moved through rookie-level stops in 2013 with the Grand Junction Rockies and made further progress in short-season and low-A assignments, including time with the Tri-City Dust Devils.
After being released by the Rockies organization in May 2015 and missing that season in game action, Payamps rebuilt his career in affiliated baseball by signing a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks on November 30, 2015. Over the next several seasons he advanced through Single-A, High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A levels, compiling innings and strikeout totals that led Arizona to add him to their 40-man roster ahead of the 2019 season.
Joel Elias Payamps Career
Early Career (2011–2018)
Payamps began his pro career in the Colorado Rockies system, posting serviceable ERAs and accumulating strikeouts in the Dominican Summer League in 2011 and 2012. He logged prospect innings in rookie ball and short-season assignments through 2014 while working primarily as a starter in the lower minors.
Following his 2015 release and a season without professional appearances, Payamps signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization at the end of 2015. Between 2016 and 2018 he split time among Single-A Kane County, High-A Visalia, Double-A Jackson, and Triple-A Reno, delivering seasons with double-digit win totals and consistent strikeout production that positioned him for a major-league opportunity.
Arizona Diamondbacks Breakthrough (2019–2020)
The Diamondbacks added Payamps to their 40-man roster on November 20, 2018, to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. He opened 2019 at Triple-A Reno but suffered a broken foot on April 6 after being struck by a batted ball, an injury that interrupted his minor league season yet did not end his ascent.
Arizona promoted Payamps to the major leagues on August 17, 2019, and he made his MLB debut on August 21, 2019, against the Colorado Rockies. Across brief stints with the Diamondbacks in 2019 and 2020, he appeared in four major-league games, tallied strikeouts, and posted a 3.86 ERA in those early MLB appearances before being designated for assignment in November 2020.
Toronto Blue Jays Breakthrough (2021)
Payamps experienced a flurry of roster moves in the winter and spring of 2021, moving through waiver claims that included the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays. He ultimately appeared for the Blue Jays in 2021 and produced a 2.70 ERA across 22 appearances before being designated for assignment in mid-July of that year.
Those outings in Toronto represented a notable stretch of effective relief work at the Major League level and helped maintain Payamps’ visibility around the league as teams sought bullpen depth heading into the second half of the 2021 season.
Kansas City Royals Breakthrough (2021–2022)
On July 21, 2021, the Toronto Blue Jays traded Payamps to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for cash considerations. He appeared in 15 games down the stretch for Kansas City in 2021, including one start, and posted a 1–1 record with a 4.43 ERA over 20 1/3 innings.
Payamps made the Royals’ Opening Day roster in 2022 and went on to make 29 appearances that season, compiling a 2–3 record and a 3.16 ERA with 33 strikeouts across 42 2/3 innings. The Royals designated him for assignment on August 18, 2022, as roster moves reshaped their bullpen throughout the season.
Oakland Athletics Breakthrough (2022)
The Oakland Athletics claimed Payamps off waivers on August 20, 2022. He made 12 appearances for Oakland down the stretch, logging a 1–3 record and a 3.46 ERA with eight strikeouts in 13 innings of work as the A’s utilized him in relief roles during the latter part of the season.
Milwaukee Brewers Breakthrough (2023–2025)
Payamps became part of a multi-team trade that moved him to the Milwaukee Brewers organization on December 12, 2022. In 2023 he established himself as a high-usage reliever for Milwaukee, recording his first major-league save on April 13, 2023, in an extra-innings win at Petco Park and making 69 appearances that season with a 7–5 record and a 2.55 ERA accompanied by 77 strikeouts and three saves in 70 2/3 innings.
Payamps continued as a regular bullpen arm for the Brewers in 2024, appearing in 68 games and posting a 3.05 ERA with six saves and 59 strikeouts over 59 innings. In 2025 he struggled in a limited role, making 23 appearances with an 8.35 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings, after which Milwaukee designated him for assignment on May 22, 2025. He cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Nashville later that month, and the Brewers selected his contract again in September before designating him for assignment on September 20, 2025.
Atlanta Braves Era (2025–Present)
The Atlanta Braves claimed Payamps off waivers on September 22, 2025, and he made two appearances that month, recording a 3.38 ERA with two strikeouts across 2 2/3 innings. The Braves removed him from the 40-man roster and outrighted him to Triple-A Gwinnett on November 6, 2025, at which point Payamps elected free agency.
On November 23, 2025, Payamps re-signed with the Atlanta Braves on a one-year contract reported at $2.25 million. He appeared for Atlanta in 2026 and was designated for assignment on May 1, 2026, clearing waivers and being sent outright to Triple-A Gwinnett on May 3, 2026.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones in Payamps’ career include being added to the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 40-man roster in November 2018, making his Major League debut on August 21, 2019, and recording his first major-league save on April 13, 2023, for the Milwaukee Brewers. He has experienced multiple waiver claims and a multi-team trade, reflecting frequent interest from several organizations in his bullpen capabilities.
Joel Elias Payamps Career Wins
Across his Major League service through April 30, 2026, Joel Elias Payamps posted a career win–loss record of 14–24 with a 3.55 earned run average and 253 strikeouts. Those totals represent his aggregate MLB results as recorded through the spring of 2026.
MLB Highlights
Payamps’ most productive MLB season came in 2023 with the Milwaukee Brewers, when he made 69 appearances and compiled a 7–5 record with a 2.55 ERA, 77 strikeouts, and three saves. He followed that with heavy bullpen usage in 2024 and a mixed 2025 that included a designation for assignment and outright assignments.
Other Wins & Perfromances
In the minor leagues, Payamps produced multiple seasons with double-digit wins and strong strikeout totals, including a combined 2016 season that featured 128 strikeouts across Single-A and High-A assignments and subsequent seasons that sustained his profile as a strikeout-oriented pitcher. Those minor league results helped earn him protection on the Diamondbacks’ 40-man roster and eventual promotion to the majors.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season was a transitional year for Payamps. He struggled in limited relief appearances for the Milwaukee Brewers, recording an 8.35 ERA across 23 appearances and 18 1/3 innings before being designated for assignment in May and sent outright to Triple-A. The Brewers returned him to the majors in September, and Milwaukee designated him again later that month.
Atlanta claimed Payamps off waivers on September 22, 2025, and he made two appearances for the Braves that season. He later re-signed with Atlanta on a one-year, $2.25 million contract in November 2025, remaining part of the Braves’ pitching depth chart heading into the 2026 campaign.