Cooper Pratt Getting the Call

[brewmann04]

Let’s please. To remember to taper expectations at the start of his call up 

[TwinsBrewersWorldSeries]

85 G 0 errors, .350/.380/.550/.930 is the expectation.  He might get to stay if he (Pratt) can do that (blue)

[Samurai Bucky]

3 hours ago, liveforoctober said:

Envision this with me...

Ortiz slides back to 3rd and remembers again how to be 2024 offensive Joey Ortiz?!

Remember, Ortiz was tearing it up while at third base until he got hurt.  He hasn't hit well since.

[liveforoctober]

4 minutes ago, Samurai Bucky said:

Remember, Ortiz was tearing it up while at third base until he got hurt.  He hasn't hit well since.

Yes! Exactly what I'm referencing.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Definitely agree with all the folks mentioning Rengifo to IL. As soon as he got that little knock (the World Cup has me talking in soccer terms), a whole lot of people were thinking the same thing I was. "This lets us call up a top prospect without DFAing him."

Seems like the org is smart enough to have that thought too.

[Samurai Bucky]

1 hour ago, brewmann04 said:

Let’s please. To remember to taper expectations at the start of his call up 

Excuse me, Ms. Debbie Downer, but he is the savior we have all been expecting!!!!!!

BTW:  I 100% agree with you.

[markedman5]

Brewers have the 3rd best record in the majors…….2nd best run differential. 
They have scored the 3rd most runs and given up the 4th least.

They don’t need a savior………thank goodness. 😎
 

 

[wallus]

Some Pratt stats to consider:

2026 Spring Training: .645 OPS

Last month: .825 OPS

AAA against LHP: .863 OPS

AAA against RHP: .685 OPS

Turang's first MLB season: .585 OPS

[Turning2]

12 hours ago, brewmann04 said:

Let’s please. To remember to taper expectations at the start of his call up 

That's too much to ask for from far too many fans. I fully expect him to disappoint a lot of them. Personally, I think it's a little rushed, but definitely a new story line and angle of interest to keep us entertained.  The question is how much does it help a playoff run? Solid move for the future, but feels like a lateral move offensively. 

[igor67]

I think Pratt underperforming whatever combination of Rengifo and Ortiz he does offensively is relatively unlikely. Solid strikezone control and good bat to ball skills make that hard to do. As you say there's a good chance it's a lateral move for this season, but one with a reasonable chance of there still being more upside. I think he's done enough as well that you can look at it as him getting that rookie season out of the way and boosting his chances for more development at the plate next year too. Keeping Ortiz around as the utility guy for defense and some platoon protection for Hamilton works fairly well since he's hit better than Rengifo and has the way better glove.

[igor67]

I also think it's a relatively low pressure situation for his debut. Not just midweek against an AL team, but overall a lot of the reason for the focus on the left side of the infield was because we already had those obvious alternatives to call-up. Now we have done that and Hamilton has already shown he can provide OK production at 3rd. Keep the batting average up over the Mendoza line and take some walks and we'll spend most of our time waiting for Miz's next start and worrying about his innings at the same time now.

[Samurai Bucky]

I watched some of his highlights.  Of the ones I saw, he is a big-time pull hitter.  I didn't see many balls driven to the right side.

I am hoping that he can learn to go with pitches and to hit the ball the other way when necessary.

[TURBO]

I'm not 100% sold that he is ready to be honest.

I'll be pulling for him, but this may be a change just to make a change, and I'm fine with that.  What we were doing before wasn't working.  Glad they are trying to do something different!

[willie key]

I don’t care if he goes 1-15 or whatever.   It’s clear the brewers think he has talent or they wouldn’t have signed him.   He should have been up here earlier because the other guys ahead of him were terrible and weren’t going to get better.    I would rather give this guy a chance

 

the only thing that would hurt if he is just god awful on defense.   That would hurt us

[RWeeksFan23]

27 minutes ago, TURBO said:

I'm not 100% sold that he is ready to be honest.

I'll be pulling for him, but this may be a change just to make a change, and I'm fine with that.  What we were doing before wasn't working.  Glad they are trying to do something different!

his stats in AAA are certainly underwhelming. It sure would be nice if there was a better option than him to replace the banged-up Rengifo.

[BruisedCrew]

My read on this is that Rengifo is legitimately ready for an IL stint. In the last couple of days he fouled balls off his leg twice, and yesterday he hurt his shoulder or something after  diving for a broken bat popup. 

So, this is a chance to let Pratt play regularly for 10 days with Hamilton and Ortiz manning third. If he struggles too much he can always be sent back when Rengifo is ready. I don’t see it as making a change just to make a change.

My expectations for prospects coming to the big club for the first time are usually pretty low and I’m rarely too surprised. Like Willie said, I just hope he doesn’t hurt the defense.

[rickh150]

The whole why pull Pratt in the middle of the game? What gives?  The only thing that happened was Rengifo getting dinged a bit. He didn’t come out of the game, but he looked sorta kinda hurt. Was that enough to make the Brewers  brass think an IL stint was a way to keep depth and get Pratt up? Or was a Brewer traded? Or was the Ortiz error the last straw?

Otherwise, all this could have been announced today. 

 

[Lathund]

I really hope they don't send him down when Rengifo is back off the IL. It's very unlikely Pratt will hit worse than Rengifo did, given the high floor offered by the plate discipline and contact ability, but with the massive difference in defensive and baserunning value, he'll be an upgrade even if he's a decent bit worse at the plate. 

There are no service time considerations to take into account, so just let him play, and let him learn. Ortiz and Hamilton can platoon at 3B, and Ortiz can give Pratt/Turang some days off when needed. Hamilton/Ortiz consistently at 3B, and Hamilton NOT at SS are big defensive upgrades. 

[markedman5]

1 hour ago, Samurai Bucky said:

I watched some of his highlights.  Of the ones I saw, he is a big-time pull hitter.  I didn't see many balls driven to the right side.

I am hoping that he can learn to go with pitches and to hit the ball the other way when necessary.

I watched a game last week where he hit a line drive single to right center……..fwiw 

[nate82]

7 minutes ago, rickh150 said:

The whole why pull Pratt in the middle of the game? What gives?  The only thing that happened was Rengifo getting dinged a bit. He didn’t come out of the game, but he looked sorta kinda hurt. Was that enough to make the Brewers  brass think an IL stint was a way to keep depth and get Pratt up? Or was a Brewer traded? Or was the Ortiz error the last straw?

Otherwise, all this could have been announced today. 

 

Fairly confident this was pre planned and Pratt was coming up regardless for this series against Cleveland.  Prospects tend to get promoted on the road rather than at the home ballpark to "break them in".  I have no idea if this actually works there is probably a thought behind this but I am not sure it can be validated or backed up.  

I think the Brewers targeted this date for Pratt and it was either going to be Rengifo DFA'd or one of Ortiz or Hamilton optioned.  I think Hamilton still has an option.

The same is probably going to happen with Lara.  He should be up after the All Star break or the week after I think.  This all depends on how well Lockridge plays.  I think at some point Frelick or Perkins are moved off the team either by option (Frelick) or DFA (Perkins).  I wouldn't be surprised by a Frelick IL stint either.

[liveforoctober]

Of note, Pratt was 10-0 with a 0.14 ERA his senior year of high school. Bauers' days on the bump might be over.

Pratt's Uncle played for Murphy at Arizona State. 

Just another story in the Brewers' FO thinking outside the box to get Pratt (some other guys can clean up my memory if it isn't crystal clear) ... but Pratt was a Top 45 talent coming out of high school but wanted to play at Ole Miss back home and said as much so teams stayed away thinking he was unsignable. The Brewers went underslot ahead of him and were able to drop an extra million+ on his signing bonus to get him to sign in the 6th rd.

Creative/crafty by the FO to get him here in the first place... Hopefully it is a forever good story for us.

[LouisEly]

32 minutes ago, nate82 said:

Fairly confident this was pre planned and Pratt was coming up regardless for this series against Cleveland.

Could very well be.  Six weeks until the trade deadline, could have been a planned 6-week audition to see if they need to give up assets in a trade.

Think they will still add one infielder, but a Pratt audition could be to see if they need to add two.

[cragi]

its been pretty agreed upon that Rengifro is a negative both on offense and defense right now. just hasnt put it together since the injury. Replacing him with Hamilton/Ortiz in a strict platoon solves that. Pratt's defense at SS is on par with Joey's but his bat has more upside. 

I expect we instantly upgrade the defense and the offense is neutral or better this year.

[Roderick]

1 hour ago, nate82 said:

Fairly confident this was pre planned and Pratt was coming up regardless for this series against Cleveland.  Prospects tend to get promoted on the road rather than at the home ballpark to "break them in".  

That doesn't explain the taking him out in the middle of the game, where the manager has to take him off from playing defense at shortstop.  If its planned, then he wouldn't have been playing.

I think the Brewers had everything lined up and were close to pulling the trigger anyways, and the Rengifo getting dinged was the excuse to push the button.

[Turning2]

3 hours ago, willie key said:

I don’t care if he goes 1-15 or whatever.   It’s clear the brewers think he has talent or they wouldn’t have signed him.   He should have been up here earlier because the other guys ahead of him were terrible and weren’t going to get better.    I would rather give this guy a chance

 

the only thing that would hurt if he is just god awful on defense.   That would hurt us

Generally agree. But what if he ends up hitting .220 prior to the trade deadline? They can't expect much of a post season if the left side of the infield (regardless of which combo of Ortiz, Hamilton, Rengifo, Pratt) continues providing the punchless offense that it has been. Would you want them to make a trade for somebody at 3B if Pratt can't improve the offense?  As a very young rookie with a brief dip at AAA, I don't expect lights out offense this season from him. But we can't ignore, more offense is needed from the left side unless we're content with close but no cigar again this year.