Where does Sal Frelick fit?

[jonescm128]

Frelick has been the prospect I have been most excited about but where does he fit? With Mitchell in CF, Weimer in RF and Yelich in LF, is there room on this team for Frelick? Not to mention Chourio knocking on the door I feel like one of these guys becomes expendable in a trade. Maybe with Winker on his one year deal there is room next year to have those guys rotate as DH? Yelich for sure isn't going anywhere with his contract so really its two OF spots for 4 guys.

Thoughts?

[Brock Beauchamp]

4 minutes ago, jonescm128 said:

Frelick has been the prospect I have been most excited about but where does he fit? With Mitchell in CF, Weimer in RF and Yelich in LF, is there room on this team for Frelick? Not to mention Chourio knocking on the door I feel like one of these guys becomes expendable in a trade. Maybe with Winker on his one year deal there is room next year to have those guys rotate as DH? Yelich for sure isn't going anywhere with his contract so really its two OF spots for 4 guys.

Thoughts?

I fully expect one of Wiemer or Mitchell to stumble badly enough to earn a demotion. It's just how this works most of the time.

And in that case, Frelick is next in line.

Prospects are a game of attrition and if all three pan out, that's a great problem to have and a bridge to be crossed at a later date.

[sveumrules]

If everybody pans out (they very likely won’t) I think the 2024 OF could look something like this…

LF: Sal CF: Chourio RF: Wiemer DH: Yelich 

That leaves 4th OF for Mitchell/Taylor with the other as a possible trade candidate.

[owbc]

If Yelich has some success this year (a big IF), I wonder if we can try to dump his contract. Obviously we'll have to eat a big chunk of salary, but it would be nice to get rid of that one and move on to the young guys. 

[igor67]

With the rest patterns and Yelich getting older it is very possible to imagine 5 players splitting those 4 'starting' positions next year or so. For this year Brock is spot on, if someone struggles or there is another injury we have another option to try.

[MVP2110]

It's very likely one of the Outfield prospects "busts" just from a pure numbers standpoint. If all 4 "hit" that is a great problem to have for next year and as stated if you factor in the DH you'll have 5 guys for 4 spots which really isn't a problem at all. And if they happened to find a deal they like where they can flip 1 for something else then that works too 

[nate82]

9 minutes ago, owbc said:

If Yelich has some success this year (a big IF), I wonder if we can try to dump his contract. Obviously we'll have to eat a big chunk of salary, but it would be nice to get rid of that one and move on to the young guys. 

The only option for a trade for Yelich without the Brewers paying a portion of Yelich's contract is with the Angels for Rendon.  The only other trade possibility would be with the Yankees for LeMahieu but I think the Brewers would have to pay a portion of Yelich's contract for that to work. 

 

In regards to Frelick the only way I see him on the team this year is if someone gets hurt or if one of Mitchell or Wiemer struggle at the MLB level something like a .125 average for a month.  I don't see the Brewers making a change from Mitchell or Wiemer if they are not hitting early and it will take some time before they move on to the next one. 

For the 2024 season that should be an interesting season and I will assume Chourio starts the year in AAA next year with a call up by June.  Yelich is probably the primary DH at that point once that happens.  Ultimately I think Yelich is going to be the Brewers future DH even if one of the prospects get traded. 

[shanedog19]

This is a question I have been thinking a lot about lately. If Weimer, Mitchell, and Frelick are all successful MLB players, then the Brewers should do everything they can to unload Yelich's contract. You don't give up on any three of the prospects mentioned with the amount of ability and years of control they each possess. I suppose you could make Yelich your everyday DH, but that is a pretty hefty price tag for a player who appears his best years are behind him. It would be a shrewd move for Arnold to unload Yelich's contract and get something noteworthy (or not) in return.

[liveforoctober]

Winker gone after 1 year and Yelich to DH so Frelick, Wiemer, Mitchell can handle the OF next year is the most likely scenario IMO.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

You have four young, uber-talented OFers for three spots. Plus Yelich, who isn't going anywhere, and is still decent in the OF. 

I think one of the young'uns gets dealt. Perhaps at this year's deadline. But it will be for a big name. 

[Lathund]

It's likely that not everyone will pan out. And we don't know yet who. They're all either not on the 40-man yet, or have 3 option years remaining. No rush to make any trades. It's also like people are forgetting injuries. Not all of them will alwyas be healthy. And even if they are, fitting 5 players into 4 positions means plenty enough playing time for all of them. Just enjoy the "problem" of having "too many" good players, if it happens. If they all genuinely hit, then yeah sure look at trading one. 

[owbc]

I hate the idea of trading away young talent. Yelich is a sunk cost, the last thing we need is for his existence on the roster to influence what we do with the young guys. If all Yelich can do is play DH with a .750 OPS, then we should look to see if we can get someone to take him in exchange for us only having to pay 80 or 90% of his remaining contract. Or even 95% of his contract. In the short term, we need to hope that he produces. If there's a roster logjam, he should be the first to go. 

[nate82]

1 hour ago, Ron Robinsons Beard said:

I think one of the young'uns gets dealt. Perhaps at this year's deadline. But it will be for a big name. 

If one gets traded it will probably be Frelick.  I don't see anyone right now who the Brewers would go after in a trade involving Frelick. 

[CheezWizHed]

11 minutes ago, owbc said:

I hate the idea of trading away young talent. Yelich is a sunk cost, the last thing we need is for his existence on the roster to influence what we do with the young guys. If all Yelich can do is play DH with a .750 OPS, then we should look to see if we can get someone to take him in exchange for us only having to pay 80 or 90% of his remaining contract. Or even 95% of his contract. In the short term, we need to hope that he produces. If there's a roster logjam, he should be the first to go. 

Yes. I was just to say essentially the same thing (though less eloquently).  Just because we pay him, doesn't mean we play him. He still has to produce and beat out others.  Yes, he will get more chances, but his playing time shouldn't be automatic.

[nate82]

23 minutes ago, owbc said:

I hate the idea of trading away young talent. Yelich is a sunk cost, the last thing we need is for his existence on the roster to influence what we do with the young guys. If all Yelich can do is play DH with a .750 OPS, then we should look to see if we can get someone to take him in exchange for us only having to pay 80 or 90% of his remaining contract. Or even 95% of his contract. In the short term, we need to hope that he produces. If there's a roster logjam, he should be the first to go. 

I don't believe the Brewers will do this because that is a lot of money to tie up in a player to not play for your team.  If all 4 were to be legitimate players and all pan out then sure this could work.  Though I think you are looking at a lower payroll if this were to happen. 

[Brewcrew82]

1 hour ago, nate82 said:

If one gets traded it will probably be Frelick.  I don't see anyone right now who the Brewers would go after in a trade involving Frelick. 

Why is Frelick most likely to get traded, other than the fact that he’s the only one yet to reach majors? Top prospect of the bunch and much safer with the bat compared to Mitchell and Wiemer…. 

If any of them are getting traded, it seems to me like it would be Mitchell in order to clear they way for Chourio in CF. 

[Brewcrew82]

1 hour ago, owbc said:

I hate the idea of trading away young talent. Yelich is a sunk cost, the last thing we need is for his existence on the roster to influence what we do with the young guys. If all Yelich can do is play DH with a .750 OPS, then we should look to see if we can get someone to take him in exchange for us only having to pay 80 or 90% of his remaining contract. Or even 95% of his contract. In the short term, we need to hope that he produces. If there's a roster logjam, he should be the first to go. 

Trading Yelich is great in theory, but it’s important to remember that he has a full no-trade clause…

[nate82]

8 minutes ago, Brewcrew82 said:

Why is Frelick most likely to get traded, other than the fact that he’s the only one yet to reach majors? Top prospect of the bunch and much safer with the bat compared to Mitchell and Wiemer…. 

If any of them are getting traded, it seems to me like it would be Mitchell in order to clear they way for Chourio in CF. 

Because Chourio is more than likely a LF than he is a CF.  Frelick is also a better LF than he is a CF.  If Wiemer and Mitchell are both adding value to the big league club it is more likely that Frelick gets traded than either of those two.  Also Frelick hasn't started his clock yet while Mitchell and Wiemer both have started their clocks. 

A team trading for a prospect will be more interested in retaining as much control as they can.  Mitchell's clock has started and thus would have less value to a team trading for a prospect.  Wiemer depending on how long he stays up for would also start to be in the same boat as Mitchell.  So that leaves Frelick and Chourio.  Chourio is the least likely to be traded unless it is for a really big name with a lot of control.  Frelick is the odd man out in this scenario which makes him more likely to be the one to be traded. 

[Ro Mueller]

Today, for instance, LHH Frelick would likely be starting in RF instead of RHH Wiemer. Then against lefties, Frelick or Mitchell would likely sit while the other plays CF. The real trickiness would start once Tyrone Taylor is healthy, but we’ll most likely option one of Mitchell, Frelick or Wiemer to AAA then.

[tmwiese55]

The chances of all 4 young OFs panning out to be legit good is very low.  Chances are at least one caps out Taylor level if not worse, heck really it's probably more likely 2 end up that way.  If all 4 are good that's a great problem to have. 5 guys for 4 spots isn't even a problem due to injuries and playing RH/LH matchups.  If somehow they're all good then Yelich is the one that will play less and less as the years go on.

Some info that's relevant would be that after this year Yelich 'only' has 5 years left. By the time we know if all 4 are good he'll be down to 2-3 years left. (basically just saying the end becomes near then). Sure, that does make it easier to trade him and eat less money but as long as he's still being a competent .750 player you might as well keep him, since you're paying him anyway.   Another dumb random thought I've had on Yelich, and probably not true, is that it seems he does feel bad about how much he's dropped off. Of course he'd be a fool to walk away form the money, but it wouldn't surprise me if needed in a pinch to help resign someone that he'd say Yes to deferring some money to help out. 

[Brewcrew82]

58 minutes ago, nate82 said:

Because Chourio is more than likely a LF than he is a CF.  Frelick is also a better LF than he is a CF.  If Wiemer and Mitchell are both adding value to the big league club it is more likely that Frelick gets traded than either of those two.  Also Frelick hasn't started his clock yet while Mitchell and Wiemer both have started their clocks. 

A team trading for a prospect will be more interested in retaining as much control as they can.  Mitchell's clock has started and thus would have less value to a team trading for a prospect.  Wiemer depending on how long he stays up for would also start to be in the same boat as Mitchell.  So that leaves Frelick and Chourio.  Chourio is the least likely to be traded unless it is for a really big name with a lot of control.  Frelick is the odd man out in this scenario which makes him more likely to be the one to be traded. 

It’s more likely that at least one of Wiemer or Mitchell flames out due to contact issues, while Frelick establishes himself as a high average/high OBP bat that you can’t take out of the lineup. I mean, there’s a reason why Frelick is a consensus top 50 prospect while Wiemer and Mitchell are not..

That Chourio is more of a LF than a CF is not the consensus from the prospect industry either. He’s pretty much unanimously rated as a future 60 grade defender in CF. 

Most likely, according to the industry, you end up with Frelick in LF, Chourio in CF, Wiemer/Mitchell in RF. Probably Wiemer barring a swing change from Mitchell, as his high ground ball % and high K % is no bueno. 

 

[wallus]

Let's pretend all of the outfield prospects pan out which would be unlikely but awesome. Between injuries, the DH and different skill sets, it would all work itself out. 

[wallus]

2 hours ago, Brewcrew82 said:

Why is Frelick most likely to get traded, other than the fact that he’s the only one yet to reach majors? Top prospect of the bunch and much safer with the bat compared to Mitchell and Wiemer…. 

If any of them are getting traded, it seems to me like it would be Mitchell in order to clear they way for Chourio in CF. 

He is probably a safer prospect but definitely a lower ceiling. Mitchell is a much better defender and Wiemer is a better RF than Frelick. Everything I have seen from SF has shown he is a work in progress on the defensive side (maybe average now) but hopefully will be above average because he has a good work ethic and decent tools.

I wouldn't trade any of them personally, we will need cheap production.

[BrewCrew8675309]

Couple things:

Churio is crazy young. No need to rush him to the bigs like last year going from Low A to AA. Especially as he meets stiffer pitching and may not have the same numbers as in 2022. 

Rowdy's name has not been mentioned to be traded, but he could lose 1B to Yeli (drafted as a 1B) as Christian is not the fielder/thrower he used to be. 

Platooning is still a thing and breaking the kids into the majors when they have proper reserves (unlike now) could be a way to cut the wear and tear, reduce unfavorable matchups, and get them ready for the dog days of summer. It is a good mix of lefty/righty going on with them.

[Playing Catch]

I echo most of the thoughts on here. It would be awesome to have them all be everyday, non-platoon gold-glove all-star CFers, but I'll worry about that when it happens. I tend to be in the camp that Frelick will be a good LFer, but never more than a decent CFer. That puts Mitchell and Wiemer as prototypical CF and RFers. Chourio? Yes... this is a nice problem to have.

Not to derail the thread as it's discussed elsewhere, but I've also pondered packaging one WITH Yelich to get out from the contract. Yelich may say 'yes' to the Giants.