Big League Spring Games - Farmhands Invited

[Jim Goulart]

53 minutes ago, Jim Goulart said:

Jesus Made had his spring debut at 17 years old, grounding out.

Via our own Jake McKibbin:

Made replaced Jorge Alfaro in the bottom of the eighth inning at DH, facing off against Jose E Hernandez, who saw time in the majors last season for the Pittsburgh Pirates (to a 3.38 ERA in a small sample size). Made took a fastball on the outer third before laying off a changeup that tunnelled beautifully with his first pitch before tailing outside the zone. A swing and a miss on the slider (Hernandez's best offering with a 41.5% whiff rate in the majors in 2024) should have slowed Made's bat down but he was right on time, if a little early, on the low heater that followed resulting in some solid contact to third base.

Jesus Made didn't look overmatched by big league stuff despite his mere 17 years of age and hopefully we can see more of the young man in spurts during the early days of spring training.

[Jim Goulart]

55 minutes ago, Jim Goulart said:

Braylon Payne doubled and Eric Bitonti singled as part of their two-AB games. Made had his spring debut at 17 years old, grounding out.

Again, via Jake:

I'll group these two together as they featured in back-to-back at bats facing former closer Giovany Gallegos. Payne was slightly too early on a slider, pulling it about 10 feet foul and 40 feet over the right field fence. Payne came into the draft under the radar of most publications due to his slappy swing, low exit velocities and ground ball tendencies. So far with the Brewers Payne has shown EV' up to 110 mph and if we can see signs of pulling the ball in the air with more regularity it bodes incredibly well for the young speedster. Payne produces a fielder's choice on a ground ball to second in an 0-2 count but to his testament the speed (and a random pirouette) did help him stay out of a double play.

Bitonti has the opposite problem but did showcase his capabilities nicely. One of the best swing decision makers in the Brewers organization per Baseball America, Bitonti can swing and miss more than you would like while producing booming contact. He demonstrated as much against Gallegos, sitting on two changeups down and out of the zone before turning on one down and in for a rocket through the infield.

The fact these 18-year-olds are performing like this against MLB caliber stuff is the most impressive feat for two of the most intriguing high upside hitters in the Brewers farm system.

[Jake McKibbin]

I tried to channel my inner Joseph Zarr for these. A pale imitation but one can do what they can!

[Joseph Zarr]

5 hours ago, Jake McKibbin said:

I tried to channel my inner Joseph Zarr for these. A pale imitation but one can do what they can!

You did truly wonderfully. Proud of you. 

(Not as proud as I am of one INF Josh Adamczewski, however.😉)

[Jim Goulart]

Thursday 2/27:

Home vs. Royals (Gameday)

MINOR DETAILS: Over from Minor League camp today: INF Josh Adamczewski (88), INF Juan Baez (95), INF Daniel Guilarte (0), C Nick Kahle (94), OF Hedbert Perez (96), OF Yophery Rodríguez (92), INF Zavier Warren (97), RHP Tyler Bryant (66), RHP Chase Costello (98), LHP Mark Manfredi (68), RHP Evan McKendry (58) and RHP Abdiel Mendoza (57).

Adamczewski singled in his other at-bat.

Catcher Nick Kahle did not see action. Today was the first day this spring he was on the bench for the big-league game. Nice birthday eve present (turns 27 today - Friday).

[snoogans8056]

Not really flying under the radar this spring, but I’d love to see some more metrics from Ernesto Martinez Jr.

Based off of the few games that have had the cameras for it, his bat speed has come in at 79+ mph. If that is consistent, that would put him second in the league behind Stanton at 80mph. Everything he’s hit has been an absolute rocket.

Why isn’t he a prospect list darling? Not even Rule 5 drafted? Late bloomer?

What are the warts?

 

[Jake McKibbin]

5 minutes ago, snoogans8056 said:

Not really flying under the radar this spring, but I’d love to see some more metrics from Ernesto Martinez Jr.

Based off of the few games that have had the cameras for it, his bat speed has come in at 79+ mph. If that is consistent, that would put him second in the league behind Stanton at 80mph. Everything he’s hit has been an absolute rocket.

Why isn’t he a prospect list darling? Not even Rule 5 drafted? Late bloomer?

What are the warts?

 

Very late bloomer because of his sheer size. It takes a while to get control of those long levers, and his age would discount him from a few of the wider prospect lists however you'll most certainly have heard our minor league gurus gushing about him this past season.

One of the reasons why our dedicated minor league watchers are so damn awesome.

You're right though. I think he's still finding his timing to start the season (again natural) but his lowered K rate in Biloxi in 2024 combined with that explosive thud when he hits the ball is beautiful

 

[CheeseheadInQC]

4 minutes ago, snoogans8056 said:

Not really flying under the radar this spring, but I’d love to see some more metrics from Ernesto Martinez Jr.

Based off of the few games that have had the cameras for it, his bat speed has come in at 79+ mph. If that is consistent, that would put him second in the league behind Stanton at 80mph. Everything he’s hit has been an absolute rocket.

Why isn’t he a prospect list darling? Not even Rule 5 drafted? Late bloomer?

What are the warts?

 

I think the big reason for Martinez not being a prospect darling is that it took a long time for him to make consistent contact with his swing against lower level pitchers so there is skepticism he will against big league pitchers. If he can, though, everything else will play.

[sveumrules]

Yeah, EMJ was always tooled up but also in that nexus of old for his level, first base only (smattering of games in CF notwithstanding), good not great production at A/A+.

His first taste of AA in 2023 came in at 245/355/349 (97 wRC+) with a 13.6 BB% | 17.6 K% over 125 PAs.

Through June of 2024 he had nudged things up to 236/305/397 (108 wRC+) with a 6.6 BB% and 19.1 K% over 256 PAs to start the year.

Things really took off around July when he cranked it up to 349/443/558 (195 wRC+) over his final 201 PAs with an 11.4 BB% and 13.9 K%.

I wouldn’t expect anyone to maintain a 195 wRC+, but if EMJ continues his leveled up production in Nashville he could make things real interesting in the 1B mix.

[Joseph Zarr]

3 hours ago, snoogans8056 said:

Not really flying under the radar this spring, but I’d love to see some more metrics from Ernesto Martinez Jr.

Based off of the few games that have had the cameras for it, his bat speed has come in at 79+ mph. If that is consistent, that would put him second in the league behind Stanton at 80mph. Everything he’s hit has been an absolute rocket.

Why isn’t he a prospect list darling? Not even Rule 5 drafted? Late bloomer?

What are the warts?

 

I think it's as simple (and others are alluding to this) as a maturing process that had to travel its road. I say this to my soon to be 7-year-old daughter all the time and it applies with Ernesto's career arc: the time it takes is the time it takes. Let's not forget his COVID year was also stolen from his development path. Then, very thankfully, he flashed quite a bit of promise at Low-A Carolina but we were wondering if he could cut down on the big swing and miss inherent in that version of his swing. In his younger days, he really lacked head discipline during his massive hacks. It was quite common to see less plate discipline and his head leaving the swing path and looking into the 1B side stands. As Jake mentions, very long levers. Then he missed nearly his entire 2022 season with injury. He played, yes, but he missed May, June, July of that season and most of the first week of August and the T-Rats weren't really sniffing playoffs in 2022 - close but no cigar. That's simply a significant gap of wondering where his game was truly at.

The light really started turning on @ Cedar Rapids in late May of 2023. The second to last game, I literally have in my player notes: "I think I see a subtle shift in approach that could bear real fruit." Naturally, he went 0-for-3 with 3 K in the following and final game of that series. 😅 What do I know? However, from that point in time is legitimately when he officially started putting to rest my nagging questions I had had over his offensive game. If you remember, he went on an absolutely torrid run to close out his High-A work before promotion that summer. When he didn't skip a beat during his original Biloxi promotion? I started getting genuinely excited. Like, actually excited with reservations falling to the wayside by each game's completion. When he performed for an entire season in the Southern League, he very easily moved into my own personal belief he was the clear front runner as the best true first baseman in the entire system. I've stated this on more than one occasion. He had developed into a player that was clearly swinging harder and hitting the ball harder than pretty much any other player in the system - it was obvious - and he was doing so with control. Just a massive maturation.

The defense always had many many more pluses than minuses. Sure, he may lose a bit of that lateral side-by-side agility in terms of diving for balls that are hit hard and in that 'no man's land' for a man his size. BUT, he more than makes up for that with his incredible hands and overall mammoth coverage. He makes everyone's job easier to the left of the infield. If we couple this with his incredible personhood - his personality is magnetic and his 'joi de vivre' palpable - he is just arguably the most likable player in all the Minors. This is why I have been pining for a career in Milwaukee. Let the investment give the fans real dividends. A man can dream. I continue to do so. 

[Jim Goulart]

Friday 2/28 Gameday at SF:

MINOR DETAILS: Over from Minor League camp today: INF Eric Brown Jr. (88), INF Wes Clarke (75), C Blayberg Díaz (98), OF Bladimir Restituyo (97), RHP Will Childers (99), LHP Mark Manfredi (68), RHP Evan McKendry (66), RHP Nick Merkel (61) and RHP Tyler Woessner (58).

***

We'll update tonight with results.

[Jim Goulart]

15 hours ago, Jim Goulart said:

Friday 2/28 Gameday at SF:

MINOR DETAILS: Over from Minor League camp today: INF Eric Brown Jr. (88), INF Wes Clarke (75), C Blayberg Díaz (98), OF Bladimir Restituyo (97), RHP Will Childers (99), LHP Mark Manfredi (68), RHP Evan McKendry (66), RHP Nick Merkel (61) and RHP Tyler Woessner (58).

Clarke K's in lone at-bat; Brown, Jr. pinch-ran, and Merkel could not strand Bryan Hudson's two baserunners. Light day. 

[Jim Goulart]

Saturday 3/1 Gameday vs. TEX:

MINOR DETAILS: Over from Minor League camp: INF Daniel Guilarte (0), C Edgardo Ordoñez (95), OF Braylon Payne (94), OF Yophery Rodríguez (92), RHP Blake Holub (66), LHP Josh Maciejewski (57), RHP Sam McWilliams (84), RHP Zach Peek (58) and RHP Garrett Stallings (68).

Payne walked in his lone plate appearance.

Although neither played, this was the first game that Ordonez and Peek were on hand for a big-league game this spring.

[Jim Goulart]

Sunday 3/2 Gameday at CLE:

MINOR DETAILS: Over from Minor League camp: INF Josh Adamczewski (88), INF Blake Burke (61), INF Eduardo García (0), INF Jesús Made (92), OF Hedbert Pérez (96), C Matt Wood (95), RHP Chase Costello (98), RHP Blake Holub (66), LHP Josh Maciejewski (57), RHP Sam McWilliams (84), RHP Zach Peek (58) and RHP Garrett Stallings (68)

***

Holub the mound standout, getting two outs and stranding three inherited runners. Stallings has struggled over three outings.

Burke singled in two trips, now 2-for-4 on the spring.

Made walked in two trips, the first time he's reached in three plate appearances. He was caught stealing, 28-for-32 in that regard in the DSL. Welcome to big-league backstops!

 

[Jim Goulart]

Monday 3/3 Gameday at CIN:

MINOR DETAILS: Over from Minor League camp: INF Jadher Areinamo (95), C Blayberg Díaz (98), INF Dylan O'Rae (0), OF Yophery Rodríguez (92), OF Garrett Spain (96), INF Zavier Warren (97), RHP Tyler Bryant (66), RHP Chase Costello (57), RHP K.C. Hunt (94), RHP Nick Merkel (75) and RHP Ryan Middendorf (99).

***

The three pitchers combined for 2.2 innings of scoreless ball, though a Middendorf error contributed to an inherited run scoring. Hunt walked two but was asked to enter for an injured Aaron Ashby, warming up on the game mound. Costello continues to impress.

[Jake McKibbin]

@Joseph Zarr Try not to get too excited

[wiguy94]

4 hours ago, Jake McKibbin said:

@Joseph Zarr Try not to get too excited

Name a more legendary combo than Brewers minor league RHP having their changeups misclassified as LHP curveballs.

[Jake McKibbin]

3 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

Name a more legendary combo than Brewers minor league RHP having their changeups misclassified as LHP curveballs.

This is the way

[Jim Goulart]

Wednesday 3/5 Gameday vs CHW:

MINOR DETAILS: Over from Minor League camp: INF Eric Brown Jr. (92), INF Eduardo García (88), OF Hedbert Pérez (94), OF Garrett Spain (95), RHP Tyler Bryant (66), RHP Will Childers (99), LHP Mark Manfredi (68), RHP Sam McWilliams (84), RHP Nick Merkel (75) and RHP Zach Peek (58).

Perez flied out as a pinch-hitter in the 9th.

 

***

 

Wednesday 3/5 Gameday at CHW:

MINOR DETAILS: Over from Minor League camp: INF Josh Adamczewski (88), INF Jadher Areinamo (94), INF Juan Baez (96), OF Bladamir Restituyo (97), OF Yophery Rodríguez (0), C Victor Torres (92), RHP Kaleb Bowman (58), RHP Blake Holub (66), LHP Josh Maciejewski (95), RHP Evan McKendry (57) and RHP Garrett Stallings (68)
 

This was Victor Torres' first day in big league camp. Adamczewski flied out and Areinamo K'd in their lone at-bats. Rodriguez did not get a plate appearance but played a bit of center field.

Bowman netted a well-earned hold by stranding two of Chad Patrick's baserunners to end the 6th with a groundout.

[Joseph Zarr]

On 3/4/2025 at 9:31 AM, wiguy94 said:

Name a more legendary combo than Brewers minor league RHP having their changeups misclassified as LHP curveballs.

HOF Post right here. I chortled.

[Jim Goulart]

Thursday 3/6 Gameday at ATH:

MINOR DETAILS: Over from Minor League camp: INF Jadher Areinamo (92), INF Juan Baez (95), OF Luis Castillo (96), OF Eduardo García (0), C Edgardo Ordoñez (88), OF Reece Walling (97), INF Freddy Zamora (94), RHP Will Childers (99), RHP Blake Holub (66), LHP Josh Maciejewski (57), RHP Evan McKendry (58) and RHP Garrett Stallings (68).

***

This was the first day that OF Reece Walling and INF Freddy Zamora were in big-league camp. Zamora participated in Nicaragua's successful WBC qualifying efforts in Chinese Taipei recently.

Walling K'd in each of his two AB's as the DH but scored a run as a pinch-runner for William Contreras.

Eduardo Garcia saw action in CF, and although 0-for-2 with a K, drove in a run on a groundout.

Nice moment for 2024 Carolina Mudcat Luis Castillo, RBI triple in his first-ever big-league camp at-bat.

Subbing in for SS Cooper Pratt, Jadher Areinamo flied out and grounded out.

[Jim Goulart]

MINOR DETAILS: Over from Minor League camp: INF Eric Brown Jr. (92), C Marco Dinges (97), OF Kay Lan Nicasia (88), OF Yophery Rodríguez (0), INF Jheremy Vargas (94), RHP Kaleb Bowman (58), RHP Chase Costello (98), RHP Blake Holub (66), LHP Josh Maciejewski (96), LHP Mark Manfredi (84), RHP Evan McKendry (57), RHP Nick Merkel (75), RHP Ryan Middendorf (99) and RHP Garrett Stallings (68).

***

With Friday's game canceled after two innings, the note from this one is that these were the first invites for INF Jheremy Vargas, and in particular, OF Kay Lan Nicasia, whose season ended when placed on the IL at Carolina on May 20th. Nicasia exited the May 16th game in the middle of the 6th inning at Down East (so no media archive). The game log makes note it was immediately after Yophery Rodriguez made a centerfield catch. We can speculate (no idea) that there was a collision with right-fielder Nicasia on the play?

[Jim Goulart]

We know based on the media notes which players, whether they have entered a big-league spring game or not, have been available for big-league spring game appearances.

Even though many players from A-Ball and below have been included, this mini-exercise review will focus solely on the AAA and AA level rosters.

We also won't be listing players below like infielder Mike Boeve (be sure to watch recently linked YouTube interview), LHP Brandon Knarr or others coming off long-term injury absences. In cases like Knarr's, we do not have definitive news of the nature of the injury.

So, who haven't we seen yet? Keep in mind we have no injury insights, personal leave of absence insights, nothing of the sort, for the players listed here.

Third baseman Brock Wilken is probably the most conspicuous absence thus far. Yes, it was a long 2024 season that included the Arizona Fall League, but it's still a bit of a surprise to not have seen him as of yet.

LHP Russell Smith made very solid strides in the Biloxi bullpen last year.

(See below on Spain, thanks for the correction!) Outfielder Garrett Spain was plucked from the Blue Jays in the minor league phase of December's Rule 5 draft, he saw time at both the AAA and AA levels in 2024.

Just-turned 30-year-old RH reliever Jesus Liranzo was signed in January as a minor league free agent out of the Phillies' system.

Likewise, 26-tear-old RHP Abdiel Mendoza was signed in January as a minor league free agent out of the Blue Jays' organization.

RHP Coleman Crow (Adrian Houser-Tyrone Taylor trade via the Mets) finally made his post-Tommy John Brewers debut in the Arizona Fall League, but that stint seemed to have ended prematurely, so it's a bit concerning we haven't seen him yet.

Infielders Ethan Murray and Casey Martin had their struggles at the AA level in 2024.

A pitcher who is totally excused is RH closer Justin Yeager, who had a very full and successful winter ball campaign in Puerto Rico, culminating in work at the Caribbean Series.

[duewizard]

16 minutes ago, Jim Goulart said:

We know based on the media notes which players, whether they have entered a big-league spring game or not, have been available for big-league spring game appearances.

Even though many players from A-Ball and below have been included, this mini-exercise review will focus solely on the AAA and AA level rosters.

We also won't be listing players below like infielder Mike Boeve (be sure to watch recently linked YouTube interview), LHP Brandon Knarr or others coming off long-term injury absences. In cases like Knarr's, we do not have definitive news of the nature of the injury.

So, who haven't we seen yet? Keep in mind we have no injury insights, personal leave of absence insights, nothing of the sort, for the players listed here.

Third baseman Brock Wilken is probably the most conspicuous absence thus far. Yes, it was a long 2024 season that included the Arizona Fall League, but it's still a bit of a surprise to not have seen him as of yet.

LHP Russell Smith made very solid strides in the Biloxi bullpen last year.

Outfielder Garrett Spain was plucked from the Blue Jays in the minor league phase of December's Rule 5 draft, he saw time at both the AAA and AA levels in 2024.

Just-turned 30-year-old RH reliever Jesus Liranzo was signed in January as a minor league free agent out of the Phillies' system.

Likewise, 26-tear-old RHP Abdiel Mendoza was signed in January as a minor league free agent out of the Blue Jays' organization.

RHP Coleman Crow (Adrian Houser-Tyrone Taylor trade via the Mets) finally made his post-Tommy John Brewers debut in the Arizona Fall League, but that stint seemed to have ended prematurely, so it's a bit concerning we haven't seen him yet.

Infielders Ethan Murray and Casey Martin had their struggles at the AA level in 2024.

A pitcher who is totally excused is RH closer Justin Yeager, who had a very full and successful winter ball campaign in Puerto Rico, culminating in work at the Caribbean Series.

No idea why he doesn't show up on the game notes but Spain played vs Colorado (Feb 23), Cincy (Mar 3), and the White Sox (Mar 5). He's gone 0-3 with a K.

Source

[Jim Goulart]

5 minutes ago, duewizard said:

No idea why he doesn't show up on the game notes but Spain played vs Colorado (Feb 23), Cincy (Mar 3), and the White Sox (Mar 5). He's gone 0-3 with a K.

Source

Thanks I thought so! I was going by the team’s transaction page, he did appear in the media notes.