Tedaldtada

I wasn't going to mention this one, partly because it seemed too obvious maybe, but after seeing him in action a few times this Spring, Daniel Dickinson looks like a freaking sportscar out there., Maybe not a Lambo, like Luis Pena, but he's got some horsepower inside a really well-built baseball chassis. I'm hitching my wagon to the idea that he can make it. Not a big name out of high school. Walked on at Utah Valley. Raked from day 1 there. Charged his way to a 125 wRC+ in the SEC as a Junior with a hurting wrist. He fell to the 6th round in 2025 and then signed for a very modest bonus ($325k). Dickinson has not played in a professional game except for this Spring Training. I see shades of Nico Hoerner in the batter's box. Can sting a mistake. Can get the bat on almost any shape or zone. Fast and quick. Seems to have the tools to be a good fielder and baserunner. The comps that come back for Dickinson will be very interesting. I'm excited to see how the Brewers decide to deploy this talent. Daniel Dickinson - Stats - Batting | FanGraphs Baseball Daniel Dickinson College & Amateur Leagues Statistics | Baseball-Reference.com Daniel Dickinson Stats: Statcast, Visuals & Advanced Metrics | baseballsavant.com

Dorchies looks like a major home run. For an underslot ($162.5k) 10th-round pick, everyone’s got to be thrilled. Joey Broughton ($535k), Jayden Dubanewicz ($665k), and Tyler Renz ($850k) — maybe none of them end up contributing, but Dorchies and Tyson Hardin (12th, $147.5k) both look like they’ve got the goods. Those other guys have plenty of time. The 10th round has been good to the Brewers lately, with Brian Fitzpatrick and Dorchies both looking like big leaguers. Hopefully Braylon Owens (2025, $10k bonus) is next.

Super interesting that they've had Bitonti playing some 3B this Spring. If it's workable, his value took a big step up. Bitonti was also in the Wilson Warbirds media guide at least mildly suggesting he'll return to low-A to start the year. That makes sense if you plan to work him at 3B. Still, I'd put him in A+ because he already has 600+ low-A at-bats.

Sir, you need a new Pick to Click!

Was at the game and saw Fitz close it out. The Reds had their backups in by then but the stuff popped and he is a towering figure on the mound. Lefty to boot. Pretty sure the Brewers cultivated another high leverage bullpen option here and only needed a 10th round pick, an $100k signing bonus, and a few years in the system to do it. How many millions did the Cubs spend on their bullpen this offseason? Cooper Pratt made a spectacular diving catch on a line drive in the hole to end the game. Fitz and Gary were loving it.

Yes, lots of weak contact, but that’s partly because he gives up a lot of contact in general. He also gives up a lot of hard contact and thus a lot of runs. One of his comps on Baseball Savant is 2024 Colin Rae. I’m wondering if that’s the guy the Brewers are dreaming on here. He won’t eat as many innings as Rae did in 2024 but might be similarly effective. Brewers defense and bullpen are both elite. His stats should improve considerably even if his under the hood data doesn’t. Hunt did stall a bit. But I’m sure Tampa is happy to have him. I imagine both teams see a tweak that could help each guy.

Crow, Kuehner, Hardin, Letson, DeBerry It just goes on-and-on

Let’s see what the K and Contact rates look like after 45 games or so. Many good hitters sell out for pull and step in the bucket now. He is hitting 110 MPH rockets and carries defensive and base running value.

And both of those went pull side. Before he hit the double today, he yanked one foul that was also 110+.

I was able to watch most of this one Hardin looked really good for the most part. Lots of pitches. Nice velo. Lots of shapes. Athletic and competitive. Made was sitting dead red fastball on the 1st pitch from Arnold and gapped it. Was great to see the Brewers rough up another 2025 1st round college pitcher. Made still gives away too many at-bats. It's not a concerning flaw going forward, just a mix of his overflowing confidence and his relative inexperience. If you had to decide on the Made or Pratt for SS of the future, I'm not sure how you cannot rush to choose Pratt at this time. Made is too sloppy. Pratt is excellent. I have no concerns with Pratt's range. Made will make a fantastic offensively minded 2B. Wichrowski has gas in that arm, but the arsenal plays very low on the electric/nasty spectrum. It's not really fooling anyone, and he still struggles to finish off good hitters. Keep tinkering with it is my vote. Find an arm angle or grip or something new that will make him funkier. Fischer and Adamczewski - They almost look like brothers in the batter's box. Lighting in those bats. Both are top 100 guys right now. Neither has an exploitable hole in their swing. Tough lefties will do what they do, but these are not platoon bats by any means. Blake Burke is becoming my favorite in the Adams/Wilken/Burke cluster. I'm racking my brain to think of a comp for Burke. A more hitter-ish Rowdy Tellez? Very little crouch in the box and he drops the barrel on the ball with ease. Braylon Payne looks well-coached and healthy as well. With health and prospect graduations, this is a top 100 guy at the end of the season. Bitonti's bat speed looks leveled up this Spring. And he's playing some 3B in minor league camp. I hope that continues because I want to see his cannon in use. The wind could have been 25 MPH in his face today, and his home run still would have went comfortably over the wall. How big is this dude, eh? Josiah Ragsdale and Daniel Dickinson were impressive from what I saw this Spring. Very well-rounded players. Cut from the perfect Brewers mold. More upside than the Freddy Zamora/Ethan Murray/Zavier Warren college hitter wave of yesteryear. And that's saying something because both Freddy and Ethan are on the cusp of earning big-league bench roles. Ethan Dorchies is ready to continue his ascension. Like Payne, this is a top 100 guy at the end of the season. Producing Dorchies and Bishop Letson has more than made the Brewers unique draft strategy successful. How big is this dude, eh? Speaking of big dudes who looked supremely capable, Wande Torres is going to throw 100+ quality innings this year. I'm hopeful he'll develop the rest of his shapes but the sinker and slider were enough today to set down the A's 2-4 hitters including Leo De Vries and Tommy White. Wande still has a future as a Brewers lefty bullpen piece with just the two pitches. This sinker alone was giving guys trouble. Looked in command of himself. The really young guys, Ebel, Encarnacion, Ortuno and Anderson, got some work. Ebel's present and future talent level appears to be closer to the Bitonti/Payne group than the Encarnacion/Ortuno/Anderson group.

This is the closest it’s been to what I think are the likely placements. Frias and Fielder aside. Everything checks out. Also, another day, another Bitonti start at 3B. He looked fit on TV yesterday.

Everyone I've mentioned so far likely won't be a factor in the big leagues this year. Not the case here. A 10th round pick in 2022 out of Brewers pitching prospect hotbed New Jersey (Rutgers), Brian Fitzpatrick is a contender to pitch quite a few innings for the Brewers in 2026. Like Torres, Fitzpatrick is big body lefty with a heavy arsenal. Unlike Torres, it's a much more eclectic mix including a well-graded fastball, sweeper, sinker, and slider. He's almost a future, optimized, version of Torres, albeit not nearly as built-up to eat innings. Fitzpatrick certainly looks like he could become a workhorse. So far this Spring, Fitzpatrick's metrics are terrific including 99th percentile wOBA and 99th percentile Zone Contact % for all MLB pitchers (21+ age and 20+ PA's) this Spring. His stuff is playing up. I see a man on a mission who is fully self-aware. There is more to unlock here if he can approach 50% GB%'s, like he has this Spring. Lots of weak fly ball. Good hitters make him work, so let's see if he can find an uptick in command or better sequencing to take advantage of all his above average shapes, hopefully generating more K's/whiff. It'll be an absolute dog fight in the AA and AAA pitching staffs this Summer and it's easy to forget Fitz is in the mix. I suspect he'll start in AAA. Don't be surprised if he is working in middle relief, or even gets a spot start, in Milwaukee as the Brewers weather injuries and inexperience. He was fiery has hell during his Spring Breakout shutdown relief appearance against the cream of the Mariner's crop. It's ready to click for him. Brian Fitzpatrick College, Amateur & Minor Leagues Statistics | Baseball-Reference.com Brian Fitzpatrick Stats: Statcast, Visuals & Advanced Metrics | baseballsavant.com Brian Fitzpatrick - Stats - Pitching | FanGraphs Baseball

There are certainly a few more hitters I'd like to get to before the season starts but let's highlight a couple of arms first. Wande Torres looks primed to make his mark. Torres has been exhibiting big stuff since he was signed in 2022 as an IFA out of the Dominican Republic. From what I've seen this Spring the stuff is as good as ever. Now a seasoned minor league veteran who is poised to pitch over 100 innings this season, Torres' skills and experience are converging. His repertoire is best described as heavy but maybe not electric. He throws hard. Of pitchers 22 and younger who have pitched in a Spring game, only Birchard and Letson have shown more top end velo this Spring. (Sidenote - Hell yes on Manual Rodriguez and that Prospect Savant Stuff+). He can generate sink as well. With a little more bite on the slider and better control, this is the year he will fully blossom into a weak contact, workhorse type. This is the perfect profile for what we do at the MLB level. Look for Torres to be in AA by the end of the year after an All-Star type first half in Appleton. Pitchers - 22 and Younger - 2026 Spring Training Metrics Wande Torres Minor Leagues Statistics | Baseball-Reference.com Wande Torres Stats: Statcast, Visuals & Advanced Metrics | baseballsavant.com Wande Torres - Stats - Pitching | FanGraphs Baseball

I wasn’t able to watch much but… -Letson looked good for sure. Unfortunately, Ryan Sloan was doing a lot of the same stuff but was filthy sharp in comparison -Meccage looks ready to pitch a lot this year. Big dude. Good repertoire -Pratt’s arm was incredible. 70 grade clearly -Jett Williams is a great hitter. He looked locked in and disruptive as hell -Wilken’s looking K was egregious. Perfect pitch to hammer And I was impressed with how our hitters battled. Sloan was a load but even against him they got deep into some counts. This is awesome stuff! Bravo to MLB and to both the Mariners and Brewers for loading up their rosters.

Josiah Ragsdale (Boston College, 2025 7th Round) isn’t a name you’ll find on any top-20 list, but I’ve heard him mentioned a few times by insider-types as someone to watch this season. I’m looking forward to seeing what the buzz is about. We don’t have much pro data to go on yet, but Ragsdale certainly hit the ground running in Low-A after signing last summer. Maybe that’s to be expected, but I also see some notable swing-decision improvement in there. Pair that with reports this Spring that his ability to impact the ball might be underappreciated, and it starts to look like a pretty interesting offensive profile. I hypothesized about the top four hitters in the T-Rats lineup on Opening Day in an earlier post (Luis Pena, Andrew Fischer, Marco Dinges, Eric Bitonti), but I suppose Ragsdale, Braylon Payne, and Daniel Dickinson deserve proper consideration as well. Have mercy! Josiah Ragsdale College, Amateur & Minor Leagues Statistics | Baseball-Reference.com Josiah Ragsdale Stats: Statcast, Visuals & Advanced Metrics | baseballsavant.com Josiah Ragsdale - Stats - Batting | FanGraphs Baseball

Corbin Carroll and Jarren Duran were the two names that came to mind for me. How about prime Lo Cain with his bat?

I get it. To think Pratt is an above-average regular you have to project some skill improvement. Brewers international and high school prospects tend to be super young for their level, if not their class. Pratt is old for his class but super young for each level he has played. BBIQ, defense and base running lay a good foundation. The hit tool lifts that floor a bit. One has to hope for more offensive impact but it’s a logical bet.

My second pick to click is Eric Bitonti. Not the sexiest prospect name at the moment — especially if you’re adamantly strikeout-averse. But I predict Bitonti is headed to Appleton, where he’ll hit cleanup behind the super trio of Luis Pena, Andrew Fischer, and Marco Dinges. He’ll do so as a burly 6'5", 20-year-old — and with 27 doubles, 27 homers, 20 steals, and 82 walks over 147 Low-A games already under his belt. The whiff in Bitonti’s profile is concerning, but there’s reason for optimism when you factor in his age and power ceiling. The hit tool may end up being his only below-average major league skill. Reports on Bitonti’s aptitude and work ethic allow for some hope there. The power (86 XBH in 210 career games) is already two deviations above the average major league hitter (++). He’s also light on his feet and boasts a strong arm — which maybe miscast at 1B, but an interesting weapon, nonetheless. I’m sure the cutting edge of run prevention has something to say about cutoff man positioning and arm strength. 🙃 From what I’ve seen, Bitonti is opportunistic on the bases, too. I’m willing to live with some whiff if the rest of the package is this well-rounded. And I'd argue it's much too early to write off an organic skill jump that changes the math even more favorably for Bitonti. Had Bitonti gone to college, he’d be draft-eligible this summer. What round would he be drafted? And how about if he clicks between now and July, like I’m predicting? Eric Bitonti - Stats - Batting | FanGraphs Baseball Eric Bitonti Stats: Statcast, Visuals & Advanced Metrics | baseballsavant.com

Honestly, what’s not to like? When it comes to pure offensive upside, Fischer might have the most in the system. That Spring homer he hit the other day was massacred.

That’s a good one. 18 months is an eternity when it comes to the lifespan of a prospect’s hype but he was a hot name after the 2024 season.

Here we are on the precipice of the most anticipated Brewers minor league season of all time. We’re about a month out from placements. We’ve seen a plethora of prospect-laden lineups so far this spring. It’s officially dreamin’ season. Who is your pick to click in 2026? My first pick is a guy looking to build off an impressive 2025 AFL campaign — Dylan O'Rae. Entering his age-22 season, I’m expecting him to re-establish himself as a notable prospect. He’s cut from the prototypical Brewers cloth, with a profile built on commanding his at-bats, speed, and defensive versatility. And he might be the smallest of the small-sized Brewers — 5'7" and as wiry as 14-gauge copper. How he performs at that size and build will be a fascinating stress test for how a modern baseball player can be put together. It’s a body type that has rarely been offensively productive. Nonetheless, he gets on base 40% of the time and really pressures the defense once he’s on. I predict he improves a power grade — or more — this season with some natural physical maturation and gets back closer to the gaudier batting averages that litter his track record. He’s capable of more extra-base hits, if not home runs, as a prodigal hustler with plus speed. If he can’t get to second base out of the box, he’ll likely try to steal it. It looks to me like 2024 was the batting line outlier, particularly his time in Biloxi. The naysayers lined up in droves after that performance. I’d argue O’Rae still found a way to be pretty damn disruptive with 62 steals and 87 walks that year. It’s wild to me that with all the fawning over Brewers depth, O’Rae is rarely cited as part of it. He’s one of those guys who’s beloved in the building, and he’s already in the high minors. He’ll get his due if he’s more impactful in Double-A. I’m betting he’s going to do it. Dylan O'Rae Stats: Statcast, Visuals & Advanced Metrics | baseballsavant.com Dylan O'Rae - Stats - Batting | FanGraphs Baseball

Andrew Fischer 110+ EV home run out to RF - as advertised.

Factoring in organizational constipation, I’d expect Peña, Fischer and Dinges to be hitting 1-3 in Appleton for the first month of the season. Then all bets are off. Let the production dictate from there.

What the hell are we going to do with all these guys? 😎 A season w/o an IL stint would do wonders but I don’t typically get too worried about innings. These guys throw most of their pitches during the year outside of the actual games. You can get plenty of work on backfields and in bullpens. Not ideal obviously. It has to be daunting to be one of the guys attempting to work their way up the Brewers MLB pitching staff pecking order. So much young cost controlled talent layered ahead of this guy, and we’re talking about a borderline top 100 AA prospect popping mitts with 5 average or better pitches in 2026 Spring Training. The ultimate Cream Will Rise experiment is unfolding with vigor. Hopefully our org culture can withstand the immense pressure that accompanies such intense competition.

Easy to dream on this one but Dinges is tough. It felt like he was a man-amongst-boys last season at both stops. Feels similar to what Made felt like before last year. The under the hood metrics make me confident. Nervous that the package is too good to be true. Let’s extend that track record young man!