Brewer Fanatic's 2026 Brewers Minor League Hitter of the Year

[Ray Stuedemann]

Image courtesy of USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Milwaukee Brewers' farm system continued to produce plenty of intriguing offensive talent throughout the 2026 season. Several young hitters took significant steps forward and established themselves as pieces of the organization's future. There were breakout performances throughout the system, anywhere from Triple-A Nashville to Single-A Wilson, and now that the minor-league seasons have wrapped up, it's time to see who had the best season among the Brewers’ future stars. 

So, which hitters stood out the most in 2026? Here are the top five candidates for the Milwaukee Brewers Minor League Hitter of the Year, along with some honorable mentions.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• Jesus Made – 122 G, .271./.344/.430 (.774), 24 2B, 6 3B, 14 HR, 103 wRC+, 10.2 BB%, 14.3 K%, 37 SB
• Brady Ebel – 115 G, .252/.413/.406 (.819), 26 2B, 4 3B, 10 HR, 124 wRC+, 19.5 BB%, 21.1 K%, 40 SB
• Daniel Dickinson – 120 G, .283/.428/.438 (.866), 26 2B, 2 3B, 11 HR, 131 wRC+, 17.4 BB%, 20.1 K%, 61 SB
• Eric Bitonti – 117 G, .262/.378/.507 (.885), 27 2B, 1 3B, 25 HR, 122 wRC+, 15.9 BB%, 33.3 K%, 24 SB

 Pay special attention to Made's line. He had a terrific season, for a teenager taking on Double-A. He's the No. 1 prospect in baseball. It's extremely telling that, in this organization, that doesn't even get you automatic admittance to the top five.

5. OF Luis Lara – Nashville Sounds, Milwaukee Brewers
78 G, .321/.432/.470 (.902), 10 2B, 3 3B, 9 HR, 144 wRC+, 15.6 BB%, 13.9 K%, 24 SB

Made was considered for this spot, but Luis Lara deserved to get his flowers. Lara’s unexpected power surge was one of the big stories of the early season, and it eventually led to a long-term extension with the club. The 21-year-old may not have showcased that kind of power at the big-league level so far, but his speed, on-base skills, and defense have been valuable for the Brewers ever since he was called up. Had he played more in the minors this season, he’d be higher on the list, but Lara is one of the primary success stories for the Brewers' farm system this year and a key part of the future of the outfield. 

4. 1B Blake Burke – Biloxi Shuckers, Nashville Sounds
127 G, .263/.350/.538 (.889), 28 2B, 3 3B, 34 HR, 127 wRC+, 10.2 BB%, 25.7 K%, 29 SB

Burke, a first-round pick by the Brewers in 2024, reached Biloxi in his first full minor-league season in 2025 and built on that success this year, slugging over .600 at Double-A before earning a promotion to Nashville for the end of the season. While Burke struggled to a slash line of .193/.299/.336 in 137 plate appearances with the Sounds, the 23-year-old should be able to build on this season and start knocking on the big-league door in 2027.

3. CF Braylon Payne – Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Biloxi Shuckers
102 G, .277/.358/.552 (.910), 21 2B, 4 3B, 28 HR, 127 wRC+, 10.5 BB%, 29.1 K%, 25 SB

Payne is currently the Brewers’ 6th-ranked prospect according to MLB.com, and he's 4th according to Brewer Fanatic’s rankings. Another first-round pick from 2024, the 20-year-old showcased a great power-speed combination for the Timber Rattlers, hitting 23 homers and stealing 22 bases before earning a promotion to Biloxi. Payne more then held his own as a very young player at Double-A, slashing .277/.321/.525 in 110 plate appearances with the Shuckers. Payne unlocked something this season, upgrading from his 2025 OPS of .736 and his wRC+ of 114, and he’ll look to continue climbing the system in 2027,—probably starting back in Biloxi with the Shuckers.

2. LF Josh Adamczewski – Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Biloxi Shuckers
116 G, .300/.417/.509 (.926), 27 2B, 2 3B, 18 HR, 142 wRC+, 15.8 BB%, 19.2 K%, 18 SB

A 15th-round pick in 2023, Adamczewski has rocketed up to become the 3rd-ranked prospect in the Brewers system. Adamczewski showcased a strong, balanced offensive profile in 2025, finishing with a .320/.420/.490 line while splitting time between rookie ball, Single-A, and High-A. The 21-year-old built on that success in 2026, posting a 1.037 OPS through 211 plate appearances before earning the call-up to Biloxi. His numbers weren’t as amazing there, but they were still very good, slashing .278/.382/.465 in 283 plate appearances with the Shuckers. Adamczewski would’ve been the clear choice for the No. 1 spot on this list in a regular year, but make no mistake: he's an offensive threat moving forward, and hopefully a more permanent defensive home can be found for him in 2027.

Brewers Minor League Hitter of the Year: 3B/1B Andrew Fischer – Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Biloxi Shuckers
126 G, .273/.413/.654 (1.066), 17 2B, 3 3B, 48 HR, 162 wRC+,18.2 BB%, 33.0 K%, 9 SB

There truly was no other choice but Fischer. The 22-year-old showcased his elite power throughout the season, starting with a strong performance in the World Baseball Classic with Team Italy, helping them reach the semifinals of the tournament before losing to the eventual champions, Team Venezuela. Since then, Fischer hit 50 total home runs: 48 in the regular season and 2 more in the playoffs with the Shuckers. He now has the most dingers in a single minor-league season this century, surpassing Ryan Howard’s season in 2004. The high strikeout and whiff rates will always be issues, but if he hits this many bombs, it certainly makes up for that. This is a type of player the Brewers usually aren’t accustomed to with their style of play, and if Fischer continues this production to the big-league level, he could be one of the best power bats in the league—and a jolt of electricity for an already high-voltage lineup.

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