2023 AFL Brewers - Predictions; Latest: Actual Roster Named

[Brewcrew82]

Between the start of football, the cooler weather, and the leaves beginning to change colors, fall is setting in. As the full-season affiliates begin to wind down, it's about time to discuss who the Brewers will be sending to the AFL this year. Last year, the Brewers' AFL contingent included the likes of Abner Uribe, Tyler Black, and Jeferson Quero. Who do we think will go this year as representatives of the #2 farm system in baseball? 

My prediction (feel free to correct me if there are injury updates that would preclude any of these players):

Position Players: Jackson Chourio, Eric Brown Jr, Jace Avina

Pitchers: Jacob Misiorowski, Bradley Blalock, Stiven Cruz, Adam Seminaris

Maybe add in another position player and/or reliever. 

[wiguy94]

28 minutes ago, Brewcrew82 said:

Between the start of football, the cooler weather, and the leaves beginning to change colors, fall is setting in. As the full-season affiliates begin to wind down, it's about time to discuss who the Brewers will be sending to the AFL this year. Last year, the Brewers' AFL contingent included the likes of Abner Uribe, Tyler Black, and Jeferson Quero. Who do we think will go this year as representatives of the #2 farm system in baseball? 

My prediction (feel free to correct me if there are injury updates that would preclude any of these players):

Position Players: Jackson Chourio, Eric Brown Jr, Jace Avina

Pitchers: Jacob Misiorowski, Bradley Blalock, Stiven Cruz, Adam Seminaris

Maybe add in another position player and/or reliever. 

Misiorowski and Blalock are both shut down right now. 

[Brewcrew82]

14 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

Misiorowski and Blalock are both shut down right now. 

I'm assuming Misiorowski will be back in time for the AFL as it was described as a "pause". They'd be well served to get him some more innings now that he's in the high minors. 

[wiguy94]

I don’t think Chourio will because he’s 19 and has played a ton of baseball this season. He could end up with close to 600 PA depending on Biloxi making a deep playoff run.
 

My guesses would be.

EBJ - Missed a lot of time to injury so could use the extra reps

Hendry Mendez - Same reasoning as EBJ

Eduardo Garcia - Same reasoning as EBJ and Mendez 

Adam Seminaris - Missed a lot of time to injury and could use extra innings

Alexander Cornielle - Finished the year very strong but has almost 30 fewer IP than last season. Gets him more innings and against some heightened opposition.

Brian Fitzpatrick - Coming of injury he’s only thrown 30 innings this year and could probably use some more innings 

[wiguy94]

7 minutes ago, Brewcrew82 said:

I'm assuming Misiorowski will be back in time for the AFL as it was described as a "pause". They'd be well served to get him some more innings now that he's in the high minors. 

McCalvy said he was nearing his innings limit when he got shut down, so I’m not sure they will view him as someone who needs more innings.

[markedman5]

 

 

[damuelle]

44 minutes ago, markedman5 said:

 

 

Cool. Brown, Mendez and Seminaris were expected.

I didn’t think Joseph Hernandez would be sent, since he’ll reach free agency in Oct 2024 and had a low K% this year, but I guess they’re determined to see what he can actually do after just 47 High-A innings this year.

Great to see Yeager is healthy enough to give it a go - he never re-joined Biloxi, so I wasn’t sure. I was hoping that Quinton Low might be healthy enough to make a return, but I guess not.

I wonder if Clarke will be trying out some OF or 3B (or just play 1B). I’m not sure we see him as a Major League catcher.

King was dominant early in the year until an injury, while Shane Smith was probably our top minor league reliever - picking him up as an injured, undrafted player is looking quite savvy.

[ARobsBrewCrew]

1 hour ago, damuelle said:

I wonder if Clarke will be trying out some OF or 3B (or just play 1B). I’m not sure we see him as a Major League catcher.

Of course, Clarke’s bat is what is intriguing and that will be his ticket to the big leagues if he makes it.  That being said, the organization is determined to continue the development behind the plate so he can at least keep splitting his time between C/1B/DH.  He provides a big target and is a solid receiver of the ball, it’s mainly his arm that needs work behind the plate which is something that can be improved.  From what I’ve heard (and seen) there is no realistic possibility of 3B or OF.  Just not in the cards with his range and agility which is just fine.  Obviously, not all players need to have that kind of versatility or career trajectory to get to the bigs.

[CheeseheadInQC]

1 hour ago, damuelle said:

I didn’t think Joseph Hernandez would be sent, since he’ll reach free agency in Oct 2024 and had a low K% this year, but I guess they’re determined to see what he can actually do after just 47 High-A innings this year.

I wonder if they move him to the bullpen next season. If the slider is still as good as the scouting reports said when they acquired him, maybe shorter stints would suit him.

[LouisEly]

Had Brown, Clarke, Seminaris, and Smith on my mental list.

Wondering if Clarke's upside is a poor-man's Christian Walker.  Both short-ish, stocky RHH 1B.  Both went to the University of South Carolina.  Both walk a ton and walked 50+ times their junior year at South Carolina.  Difference is that Walker strikes out a lot less, but Clarke put up a lot more power earlier in his career.

In AA Walker struck out 19% of the time, BB 9.2%, and HR 4.2%.  Clarke struck out 29%, BB 16.8%, and HR 5.4%.  Walker didn't break out until his age 28 season.

[sveumrules]

5 minutes ago, LouisEly said:

Had Brown, Clarke, Seminaris, and Smith on my mental list.

Wondering if Clarke's upside is a poor-man's Christian Walker.  Both short-ish, stocky RHH 1B.  Both went to the University of South Carolina.  Both walk a ton and walked 50+ times their junior year at South Carolina.  Difference is that Walker strikes out a lot less, but Clarke put up a lot more power earlier in his career.

In AA Walker struck out 19% of the time, BB 9.2%, and HR 4.2%.  Clarke struck out 29%, BB 16.8%, and HR 5.4%.

Walker has also posted the best defensive metrics in MLB at 1B since becoming a regular in 2019.

Between that and his more balanced offensive profile, he seems a little more baseball player-ish to me.

Clarke just feels like an old school 3TO masher. It’s encouraging he’s sticking behind the dish for now though because whether he ends up a serviceable catcher or not will probably be the major factor in his future trajectory.

[Joseph Zarr]

I can echo what @ARobsBrewCrewis speaking to here on behalf of the Brewers from watching a large percentage of Shuckers games in 2023. Clarke is quite solid behind the dish. He doesn't scream blue chip defensive catcher by any means but he is certainly more than solid framing and catching and rarely allows a passed ball. The arm and pop are legit concerns at present. He is run on quite easily - 4 of 39 CS% is a pretty paltry 10%. However, given the Brewers have managed to help Darrien Miller get up to almost 19% CS this season there is definitely hope Clarke can get there. And, given his very real 1B/DH versatility there's plenty to love in the whole package. He also has a 99 FP% at 1B. He's just a very very solid player. There's plenty of MLB love for a player who can utility serves as a C/DH/1B guy with a pinch hit power bat. 

[Jim French Stepstool]

1 hour ago, Joseph Zarr said:

 There's plenty of MLB love for a player who can utility serves as a C/DH/1B guy with a pinch hit power bat. 

That's where I think Clarke needs to hang his hat to make it to the show. If he can catch as well as play 1B there's at least some versatility in this age of the 4-man bench. I've gotten a real kick out of his HR binge this summer. looking forward to seeing how he does in the fall. Didn't expect to see him selected.

[nate82]

https://www.mlb.com/news/rosters-announced-for-2023-arizona-fall-league

For the Brewers it is:

Eric Brown Jr., SS; Hendry Mendez, OF; Wes Clarke, 1B/C; Joseph Hernandez, RHP; Justin King, LHP; Adam Seminaris, LHP; Justin Yeager, RHP

[Joseph Zarr]

The Brewers will be playing with the Surprise Saguaros this AFL season. Last season, if you recall, they were playing with the Dodgers; Reds (and Matt McLain); White Sox; and Twins on the Glendale Desert Dogs.

This season, they'll be paired with the Reds; Rangers; Blue Jays; and Royals.