Jacob Misiorowski Flat-Out Shoved Last Week, With Three Promising Indicators

First of all, let's temper expectations a little bit. Jacob Misiorowski only made it through eight total innings this week, on a controlled pitch count in both of his starts. The Brewers are ramping him up slowly, and that's potentially one reason why he didn't start quite so hot, but this week's performances were electric for three very big reasons.

The Fastball is Back
Earlier in this season, Misiorowski was sitting in the 93-95 mph range. That was a significant drop from last season, and with it, his whole delivery was out of sync. Balls were flying around and he couldn't seem to put hitters away. This week, the heat came back with a vengeance, regularly in the 99 mph range and hitters just. Could. Not. Deal.

That fastball produced some outrageous swings, particularly the last one in the video above, and was a big reason for his turnaround from some early scuffles. More to the point, everything looked smoother on the mound, with a lot more balance and poise. It's a really, really good omen for the Brewers' fireballer.

The Control
His line on the week was eight innings, one hit, one run, just two walks and a massive 13 strikeouts. As erudite followers of Misiorowski's progress, your attention will be drawn first to the walks in the box score. Then, you divert a quick glance to the footnotes for the hit-by-pitches. There were none this week. Other than those two free passes, the only blemishes were a couple of wild pitches that allowed his opponents to score the single run he allowed this week.

The fastball control (if not necessarily the command) looked good, but even when he misses his spot, the raw stuff will allow him to smoke hitters. That being said, the command was improved. Particularly noticeable: how effective he was in 3-2 counts at digging in and staying in the zone, as well as how effectively he worked ahead in counts.

The Efficiency
Perhaps the best marker of Jacob Misiorowski’s performance this last week was not his velocity, nor his command, but his efficiency. Big raw stuff and limited command usually result in long innings and high pitch counts, but Misiorowski was highly efficient this time around. By challenging hitters early in the count and not allowing them to get ahead, he produced a heady combination of weak contact and strikeouts that bodes well  

He required an average of 15 pitches per inning, which is significantly less than normal, and he allowed very little threatening contact. In short, he was dominant, and his control unlocked an efficiency we haven't seen before.

While he may just be hitting his stride in the 2024 season after a longer buildup, there are words of caution. It was just eight innings, albeit unrecognizable ones from previous weeks, and the opposing Blue Wahoos' bats have been very ineffective to start the season. Sterner tests loom, and further lessons will be learned by Misiorowski before he reaches the big leagues, but the promise of his untapped potential was laid bare this past week.

Interested in learning more about the Milwaukee Brewers' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!