2023 Brewers Farm System Positional Preview: Shortstop

Seven of the MLB Pipeline Top 30 Prospects for the Brewers are listed at that position, which should have Brewers fans breathing somewhat easier, even if a Willy Adames extension is not in the works for the Crew.

AAA Nashville
Will the primary shortstop be Brice Turang? Will it be Cam Devanney? Will Andruw Monasterio hold it down? Those three would be solid at the plate or in the field. Turang, a first-round pick in 2018, brings speed, on-base skills, and an excellent glove. Devanney has a power bat, can draw his share of walks, and has split time between shortstop and third. Monasterio has been at second, third, and short and probably has the weakest bat of the three. Turang’s eventual permanent rise to Milwaukee will sort things out.

AA Biloxi
Freddy Zamora spent more time on the DL than the field in 2022, but he showed a lot of promise in 2021. Ethan Murray has been solid, posting better numbers in Biloxi than Wisconsin in 2022, while Antonio Pinero appears to be on the outside looking in for time at the position in Biloxi.

A+ Wisconsin
Eduardo Garcia was once a hyped prospect and looked to repeat at Wisconsin. The defense is there; he has flashed some power over his career. But OBP is the big question – he drew no walks while at Wisconsin in 2022. Eric Brown Jr. could force his way into the conversation for the Timber Rattlers as well, given his performance offensively and the fact he was a first-round pick out of college in 2022. If he isn't at second base, Robert Moore could also be a factor.

A Carolina
Brown could be sent back to the Mudcats, given the desire to give Garcia and Brown regular playing time at shortstop. Jadher Areinamo also saw time at short with Carolina in 2022. However, OBP machine Daniel Guilarte, number 18 on MLB Pipeline’s top 30, Gregory Barrios, who flashed speed and on-base skills in the ACL, and Jose Caballero will also be making solid cases for playing time.

Rookie Leagues
The ACL and DSL teams could see a mix of players. Third-round pick Dylan O’Rae could get a start here. Barrios and Caballero could return to the ACL, given Brown’s presence in Carolina. Still, Jhonny Severino and Juan Baez also could force their way to some playing time with their solid DSL performances. Then there are the international signees, which could make things interesting in the Dominican Republic.

Overview
Could the Brewers have too many shortstops? In one sense, yes. There is going to be some difficulty getting them on the field at the premium position. On the other hand, solid shortstops can move easily to second base or third base and fill holes there. They have two solid options to replace Willy Adames in AAA in Turang and Devanney, while Zamora, Moore, Garcia, O’Rae, Brown, and Guilarte all seem highly regarded. Areinamo also is in the mix, even though he’s spent time at second and third. The Brewers may not just be set at shortstop – this glut of talent will help them at second and third base for years to come.