Article: Brewers Farm System X-Factors, Part One: The Blue-Chip Hitters

[Harold Hutchison]

While the Brewers' minor-league system looks very strong, several uncertainties could affect what the Brewers do, not just in the course of the season but for future years.

Image courtesy of © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

In this first part of a series, we will look at position players listed on the Brewer Fanatic top prospects list and MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 list, then discuss some of the uncertainties and questions around them.

Now, one thing we will clarify: Uncertainties don’t mean that this is a bad player, and when there are questions about a player, the various possible answers may be good. With that in mind, let’s go:

Jackson Chourio
How can there be uncertainty around the consensus #1 prospect in the Brewers system? Consider this: He is 19 and slated to start with the Biloxi Shuckers in AA as a teenager. At AA in 2022, though, his OPS was .284, and in a 31-game stint at Wisconsin, Chourio’s OBP was .317, and he drew only 11 walks in 127 at-bats. It may behoove the Brewers to take the foot off the gas a little, given that Chourio doesn’t face Rule 5 eligibility until after 2024, especially since they have Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick, and Joey Wiemer, who appear very high on both prospects lists, either in Milwaukee or with the Nashville Sounds in AAA.

Sal Frelick and Joey Wiemer
Frelick and Wiemer have been impressive in either spring training or the World Baseball Classic. Frelick’s offensive profile of speed and spraying line drives is reminiscent of Ichiro, while Wiemer looks like Hunter Renfroe with better on-base skills. These two players will be in Milwaukee; the questions are when they get there and how the Brewers will clear the roster space for them. The likely answer to “how” would be to move offseason acquisitions Brian Anderson and Jesse Winker for whatever return possible. The “when” will be dependent on health and performance, with Tyrone Taylor’s season-opening disabled list stint leaving open the possibility that Wiemer could be with the Brewers on Opening Day.

Brice Turang
Here, the question is whether Turang will play alongside Willy Adames in a double play tandem or if he will replace Adames at shortstop. If the former, Turang will bring superb defense, speed, and OBP skills, with some gap power to second base. If Adames ends up leaving Milwaukee, then Turang is a very capable replacement.

Tyler Black
Black is a potential option at second base, and when he’s on the field, he’s very, very good. He draws walks, can steal bases, and has a potent bat that has delivered a lot of doubles. Think of a left-handed Jeff Cirillo with more speed, and that’s Black. But what makes Black an X-Factor is that in 2022, he only appeared in 64 of 129 games for the Timber Rattlers and 17 out of 28 games for Glendale in the AFL due to going on the injured list. So, his ability to avoid trips to the IL is up for question. The other one is where he plays. He could be at second base, but the Brewers could have other prospects there. Third base and the outfield could be a problem due to his arm. Could he be the answer at first base or designated hitter?

Hendry Mendez and Hedbert Perez
These two left-handed sluggers have a lot of potential, but each comes with a big question. For Mendez, it is whether he can tap into some serious power potential because his bat-to-ball skills and ability to draw walks are already superb. For Perez, who still hangs on in the MLB Pipeline list, the question is whether he can add some OBP skills to a bat that led the Mudcats in homers for 2022.

Eduardo Garcia
Overshadowed in the last couple of seasons by Brice Turang and Eric Brown Jr., Garcia was once a top prospect who seems to be developing an Orlando Arcia-esque offensive profile. Arcia was not horrible in his seasons with the Brewers, but there was still plenty of room for improvement. If he can improve his on-base skills, he could become a bargain version of Willy Adames since he is flashing power. He also has good stolen-base skills, something Adames hasn’t shown in his career.

Robert Moore
A switch-hitting second baseman with some serious power, his dominating AFL season is enough to propel him to the top prospect at second base over Tyler Black. The big question will be how fast he can rise through the system. The other question: Is the real Robert Moore the one who posted a solid .770 OPS at Carolina, or is the real Moore the one who ricked eight homers in 40 games at Brisbane? 

Overview
For the most part, the questions surrounding the Brewers’ blue-chip hitting prospects are mostly the kind any manager or GM would love to deal with. If the answers go the right way, Brewers fans could see a lot of exciting stuff over the next few years.

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