Article: 2023 Brewers Farm System Positional Preview: Center Field

[Harold Hutchison]

To say the Brewers are stacked at center field is to understate the issue. Garrett Mitchell will likely start in Milwaukee after being the Crew’s first-round pick in the 2020 draft. However, three other prospects are forcing their way to Milwaukee, and all are in center – for now.

Image courtesy of © Curt Hogg / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Let’s look over this very deep position for the Brewers.

AAA Nashville
If he’s not in Milwaukee, Sal Frelick could very well be in center field for the Sounds. Spring training non-roster invitees Skye Bolt and Monte Harrison also could see time in center for Nashville, as could Blake Perkins. Joey Wiemer, who primarily plays right field, is also a credible center fielder. Frelick and Wiemer could be in Milwaukee sooner rather than later, forcing the Crew to make some trades from their existing outfield corps.

AA Biloxi
Jackson Chourio will likely return to Biloxi after a meteoric rise through the Brewers system in 2022, putting him in the top ten of the MLB.com Pipeline Top 100. Terrence Dotson, a 22nd-round pick in 2019, had an aggressive jump in 2022 after showing superb OBP skills in the ACL in 2021 and didn’t embarrass himself in Biloxi. Joe Gray and his three true outcome bat could also factor in here, as could Tyler Black, also a second base and third base contender, but it is hard to imagine Chourio being displaced by any of them.

A+ Wisconsin
The Brewers will have an interesting choice in 2023. Do they hold Joe Gray back and see if he can reduce his strikeouts and get his average above the Uecker line? Or do they push Jace Avina, who had a superb 2022 in the ACL and Carolina League, to see if he can rise almost as swiftly as Chourio? Arbert Cipion, Eduarqui Fernandez, and Hedbert Perez could also be factored in center. The Timber Rattlers will have plenty of options, and all of them could be better.

A Carolina
Jace Avina rose to Carolina and did not embarrass himself. Still, he now faces competition from Kaylan Nicasia, who also saw time at shortstop and right field in 2022 with the ACL Brewers Gold, while Avina dominated with the ACL Brewers Blue. Diego Larez’s on-base and speed combination could make things interesting in Carolina.

Rookie Leagues
Luis Lara is coming off a superb 2022 in the Dominican Summer League. He will likely man center for the Brewers’ lone affiliate in the ACL, especially after Reminton Batista went to the Marlins in the deal that brought Payton Henry back to the Brewers. Mendy Ferreira looks to be the second-string center fielder in Arizona. In the DSL, the Brewers will cycle through their January signees.

Overview
By Opening Day 2025, the Brewers could see Frelick, Chourio, and Wiemer in the majors with Mitchell, with Avina and Lara having made their way well up the minor-league ladder. This position is where the Brewers boast a lot of depth and exciting talent, some of whom may move a little to the left – or right – depending on your perspective to provide Brewers fans plenty of excitement for years to come.

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