Article: Brewers Farm System X-Factors, Part Two: The Blue-Chip Pitchers

[Harold Hutchison]

While the Brewers' minor-league system looks robust, several uncertainties could affect what the Brewers do, not just during the season but for future years.

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

In the second part of this series, we will look at pitchers listed on the Brewer Fanatic top prospects list and MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 list and 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 get into it.

Jacob Misiorowski
The top pitcher on the MLB Pipeline list and the number two pitcher on the Brewer Fanatic list, Misiorowski has some real heat. Still, the big question is if he can avoid the injured list – and that is a very open question based on his junior college track record. He is also a bit away from the majors, having had two starts with the Mudcats in 2022.

Robert Gasser
Acquired in the Josh Hader trade, Gasser is the top pitcher in the Brewer Fanatic list and #2 on MLB Pipeline’s. He’s looked solid since the Brewers acquired him, and in spring training, he has posted an incredible 9:1 K/BB ratio. Here, the question is when Gasser arrives in Milwaukee and what form it takes. If one judges by how Woodruff, Burnes, and some other pitchers have been handled, he could be a boost for the bullpen in 2023.

Abner Uribe and Cam Robinson
Often, the Brewers have made late-season deals to bolster the bullpen, but Uribe and Robinson could fill that role at some point in the 2023 season. Both are already on the 40-man roster, and given some of the questions surrounding the state of the Brewers bullpen; the biggest question is when they arrive and who they will displace.

Ethan Small
The 2019 first-round pick’s debut in Milwaukee wasn’t very good and then had more walk issues in a return to AAA Nashville. So far, Small has flashed some good stuff in spring training, with 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings, but he also has walked 5.4 per nine frames. He may need extended time in the “pitching lab” to figure something out. 

Carlos Rodriguez
Rodriguez made both the MLB Pipeline and Brewer Fanatic top prospects lists after posting solid numbers with the Carolina Mudcats before he dominated for the Timber Rattlers. He doesn’t overpower, but he knows how to pitch. The question is, does he remain a back-end starter, or does he take the next step to become a viable replacement for Burnes and/or Woodruff?

Stiven Cruz and Alexander Cornielle
These two pitchers were both international signees and have flashed potential. Cruz drew comparisons to one-time Brewer Zach Greinke, while Cornielle is seen as a taller Freddy Peralta. The big question is whether these pitchers break out big time. If they do, the Brewers could have an easier time replacing Burnes and Woodruff. If not, there will be a desperate scramble.

Joseph Hernandez
Acquired in the trade that sent Justin Topa to the Mariners, Hernandez punched out 143 batters in 116.2 innings, making him a potential high-end reliever on the low end of good outcomes for the Brewers. However, he could also emerge as a solid starting pitcher if the walks are under control. This could be a real fleecing if Hernandez emerges as a top-end pitcher.

Logan Henderson
Henderson performed well in the Junior College World Series and was a fourth-round pick in 2021. But his big problem is avoiding the injured list – he made only seven starts for the Mudcats, and a planned AFL assignment was postponed due to injury. Will he start? Will he relieve? Those two questions can only be answered when he is on the field.

Overview
The Brewers have some excellent options regarding the blue-chip pitching prospects, particularly in the bullpen. As for the rotation, there is a lot of potential, but many of these pitchers have questions about their ability to avoid the IL. This doesn’t include any return for Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, or Willy Adames, who could easily net a top-30 pitcher.

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