Looking Over Rosters on the Farm: Carolina Mudcats

It’s a big leap, and not all players can handle it. Let’s take a look at the Mudcats roster, and see which players have something specific to prove.

Pitching

One notable stat jumps out when looking at the Mudcats roster: Eight pitchers are on the injured list for at least 60 days, if not the full season. The rotation could see a mix of Jeferson Figueroa, Yujanyer Herrera, Alexander Vallecillo, Fernando Olguin, and Edwin Jiminez return to the Mudcats, with Patricio Aquino, Tyler Wehrle, and Shane Smith coming up from the ACL.

The bullpen has some promising arms, from the 2022 draft and from free agency, including Nick Menzel, Nate Peterson, Aidan Maldonado, and Chase Costello. They will be joined by other farmhands, including Jeison Pena, Miguel Guerrero, and Jakob Brustowski. Much of this pitching staff is raw, but some of them could rocket up the way James Meeker and Ryan Middendorf did in 2022. Quinton Low, pursuing the two-way career like Shotei Ohtani, started in the bullpen in the ACL, but may become a starting pitcher.

Catching

Matthew Wood, the Brewers’ fourth-round pick in the 2022 MLB amateur draft, will get the nod as Carolina’s primary catcher. Jhonnys Cabrera, who showed power and OBP skills, joins Tayden Hall and Blayberg Diaz behind Wood. Hall and Diaz have also flashed some real offensive potential, although catcher is a secondary position for Hall, who spent most of his time at first base in 2022, and also saw time in the corner outfield positions.

Infield

Low will be the primary first baseman or designated hitter, where he has shown some real offensive skills to go with his skill on the mound. Luke Adams will be handling third base for the Crew, while Daniel Guilarte, a high-average hitter with OBP skills, will take most of the starts at shortstop. Gregory Barrios and Jadher Areinamo will compete for playing time at second, while Jesus Parra and Kaylan Nicasia will provide a lot of versatility.

Outfield

Hedbert Perez, Jace Avina, and Eduarqui Fernandez will be the primary starters. The fourth outfielder on the roster, Alberis Ferrer, is on the 60-day injured list, and didn’t play the outfield in 2022. However, Nicasia and Tayden Hall have seen time in the outfield, and Avina, Fernandez, and Perez all have played center field capably in their professional careers.

Overview

It will be an interesting season in Carolina. While a lot of the players there are on the rise, for some of those who have returned from last season–notably, Hedbert Perez, and some of the starting pitchers–it is arguably a make-or-break season. That being said, this is a chance for some of these players to figure out how to make it through a full 131-game season, and for the Brewers to see just how to maximize the production from these players as well.

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!