Harold Hutchison

Then he DHs and the Crew goes with one of Tellez/Canha/Hiura at first for 2024.

First base has been nightmarishly unproductive for the Brewers in 2023. For 2024, though, they might have a really good option right in-house. Image courtesy of © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports At the start of 2023, first base looked solid for the Brewers, with Rowdy Tellez coming off a 30-home run season; Keston Hiura looking like a decent fill-in; 2020 home-run champ Luke Voit working as a part-time DH and backup to Tellez; and Jon Singleton demolishing Triple A. An injury to Tellez and failures to perform by the others led the Crew to make deals that brought Carlos Santana and Mark Canha into town for the stretch run. However, Santana and Canha are due to be free agents, so should the Crew look for a free-agent replacement, or is the answer already on the roster? Granted, Tellez is still under team control for 2024, and Canha has a team option that year. Still, there might be a better option for the Brewers that could hold down first base, and also clear space for a very deep position on the team–and he was originally seen as a first baseman. Believe it or not, when Christian Yelich was drafted in the first round in 2010 by the Marlins, they saw him as a first baseman. Given his offensive resurgence this year after his struggles in 2021 and 2022, he might be the answer for the position in Milwaukee for years to come. Yelich’s 127 OPS+ is 50 percent higher than the figures posted by Tellez (82 OPS+) and Canha (85 OPS+) for the Brewers, and almost twice as high as Santana’s (68 OPS+). Such a move would actually solve a lot of problems for Milwaukee, not just the offensive black hole at first base. If Yelich moves, the 2024 Brewers outfield could feature Sal Frelick, Joey Wiemer, Garrett Mitchell, Tyrone Taylor, and Blake Perkins as the top five, with Noah Campbell and Jackson Chourio as potential call-ups. That is a lot of depth. Now, Yelich has zero professional experience at first base, not even playing that position in the minor leagues, much less in the majors. The other option would be to have Yelich take over at DH, where his OPS is more than twice that of Jesse Winker (60 OPS+). It’s almost the opposite of the situation at first base. Tellez is a question mark after his 2023 season, and while a recovery would be great (and solidify first base and DH), he is slated to be a free agent after 2024. Canha has a team option for 2024, but it’s worth $11.5 million, and that is money that could be used to keep Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff around for a 2024 all-or-nothing run. In the high minors, the Brewers also have some options. Keston Hiura seems to be re-working himself after an abysmal 2021 and a technically above-average 2022 (114 OPS+). He has team control through 2025. He would come relatively cheap, even at his 2023 salary of $2.2 million. His strikeout rate seems to be down, and if he has figured it out, he could be a bargain option. Then there are two of the Brewers’ overlooked prospects at first base, Ernesto Martinez and Wes Clarke. Martinez has shown excellent defense at first and flashed the ability to also play center field in 2021. He missed a lot of time in 2021 and 2022 with injuries, and slumped early in 2023, but has just made a mid-season jump to Double A. Clarke has spent the full season at Biloxi, splitting time between first base and catcher, and he has posted very high strikeout totals to go with plenty of walks and 20 homers (tied with Patrick Dorian and Willy Adames for second across the Brewers system as of August 21, per Baseball Reference). At this point, the Brewers look to be making their way to the playoffs, but first base and designated hitter have been a long-running issue. The stopper for one of those gaps could very well be Yelich–and if his offense holds at this level, it could make the Brewers much better in 2024. View full article

Price is too high. They were right to pivot away. Tellez, Jace Avina, and Freddy Zamora for Alonso. Otherwise, I'd gladly pick up Canha's option to DH, with Yelich at first.

"Of the 137 batters he has faced, he struck out 28, has induced 54 ground balls, 44 fly balls, six pop-ups, plunked two, and allowed only 16 line drives." Don't know how many hits/reached on error/etc. we have on each, but 16 line drives and only one home run out of 137 batters faced seems to point that way.

Much of it was just looking at the numbers. With Suter, it was his 2015 performance in Colorado Springs - more accurately, it was what wasn't happening to him. He posted a 3.31 ERA with about half of his starts coming in one of the most hitter-friendly venues in pro baseball. The next season, it was a 3.50 ERA. By comparison, Josh Hader's ERA in 2016 with Colorado Springs was 5.22. The Brewers first-round picks Jed Bradley and Taylor Jungmann posted 9.00 and 6.37 ERAs, respectively. The walk rates that Cortez and Hernandez have posted - in addition to their low ERAs - are similar outliers, given that the DSL is a place with a lot of raw talent that is just beginning to be refined. There is still a long ways to go, but when there is such a dramatic outlier - whether Suter's ERA in Colorado Springs, or the walk rates of Hernandez and Cortez in the DSL - that commands attention. With Hernandez in particular, he's not punching people out, he's inducing a LOT of soft contact. The hitters don't make good contact. In a sense, he is like Suter. The big difference is that at 16 on Opening Day, there is a lot of physical growth that can still take place for the guy, The fastball velocity is going to tick upwards. Maybe he never has Misiorowski's stuff, but what the numbers are indicating he has right now, control and command of his pitches, is something Brewers fans are wondering when - or whether - Misiorowski will develop.

There is also the fact that this guy by the name of Tyler Black is doing pretty well at the hot corner - tearing the cover off the ball and avoiding the injured list.

Hernandez is going to fill out a bit - he's barely 17 years old. It's a fair bet that the stuff will come, be it more velocity, etc. But he held his own as someone two and a half years younger than the average DSL player. The fact the control and the command is already there... that's a good thing, a very good thing. It's an easy call to have him in the ACL in 2024.

Brewers fans have been rightly excited about Jacob Misiorowski’s rapid rise, not to mention the presence of Robert Gasser and Carlos F. Rodriguez in the upper levels of the minors. However, could two pitchers in the low minors be even better prospects? Image courtesy of © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports The Dominican Summer League is a place where there is some very raw talent. Between that unpolished quality and the small samples of short, lopsided schedules, it can be hard to get a good read on players. Sometimes, however, the numbers can say something, and the numbers point to two pitchers who could be extremely good. In fact, Melvin Hernandez and Enniel Cortez might be even better than some of the more hyped prospects in the Brewers farm system. Melvin Hernandez Let’s start with Hernandez. According to the DSL Brewers 2 roster page, he is five feet, eleven inches tall and weighs 139 pounds. He turned 17 in July, in the earlier parts of the DSL season. He has not seemed very imposing on paper. But the stats tell a very different story. Hernandez has arguably been the ace of the Brewers Dos squad – posting a team-best 2.18 earned run average and allowing only nine walks as of August 16. He also has a team-best 3.11 strikeout-to-walk ratio, despite only striking out 7.6 batters per nine innings. Of the 137 batters he has faced, he struck out 28, has induced 54 ground balls, 44 fly balls, six pop-ups, plunked two, and allowed only 16 line drives. He isn’t walking hitters, and he isn’t getting hit hard; only one batter has taken him deep all season. This is a pitcher who has shown excellent command and control. Now, imagine what happens when he fills out, with the resulting increase in velocity. Once that happens, Hernandez could have a rise through the system comparable to those of Misiorowski or Jackson Chourio. Enniel Cortez Cortez, like Hernandez, is young for the DSL; he turned 17 on May 1. He’s an even six feet tall, and weighs 180 pounds, so while he can still mature, he’s already just a little thinner than Freddy Peralta is now. As Peralta did, Cortez is racking up strikeouts in the DSL–44 of them in 40 2/3 innings pitched, or 9.7 per nine frames. However, the one number that stands out among all of Cortez’s statistics is five. That’s how many walks Cortez has issued all season. Cortez also has been taken deep just once. Other numbers show Cortez’s dominance, starting with a 0.89 WHIP and a ratio of 8.8 strikeouts for every walk. His 1.55 ERA leads the DSL Brewers One staff. At this point, Cortez will likely fill out some more as well as he gets older, which could fuel a very rapid rise through the Brewers system. Overview Hernandez and Cortez have a long way to go to reach the majors, but both have flashed signs that they could be extremely exciting prospects for the Brewers. Both have shown incredibly advanced control–even in the DSL–and that bodes well as they will move up the ladder. In a year or two, this pair of teenagers could be the best pitching prospects in the Brewers system. View full article

If there is one player group where the “overlooked” prospects are not-so-overlooked, it is in the bullpen. Just about every season sees the Brewers bring up some nugget who provides crucial contributions to the team out of the bullpen. At least one such nugget has made his MLB debut for the Brewers. Who could the other nuggets in the future be? Image courtesy of Wisconsin Timber Rattlers There were several contenders over the offseason. Lucas Erceg was traded to Oakland, where he’s struggled as a MLB reliever, and Pablo Garabitos is also gone, released after a stint on the 60-day injured list. Let’s look at how they have fared. All stats are as of August 5. Right-Handed Relief Pitchers Michele Vassalotti, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (A+) 0-0, 6.83 ERA, 0 saves, 29 innings pitched, 26 walks, 37 strikeouts Vassalotti has had a 2023 to forget, but is still striking out almost four batters every three innings. His walk rate went up this year, and he added six hit batters to the mix and uncorked seven wild pitches. He will be looking to rebound after a rough season James Meeker, Biloxi Shuckers (AA) 6-3. 3.31 ERA, 1 save, 65.1 innings pitched, 7 walks, 57 strikeouts Meeker might be 28 years old, but he has had a major breakout in Biloxi, and this was after a superb 2022 run. He moved to the rotation earlier this year after injuries to starting pitchers Brandon Knarr and Adam Seminaris and has locked it down. It could be an interesting offseason as the Brewers decide whether to keep him in the rotation, or to return him to a shut-down relief option. Jeison Pena, Carolina Mudcats (A) 4-2, 6.75 ERA, 1 save, 38.2 innings pitched, 21 walks, 41 strikeouts Pena has still been racking up the strikeouts, but he has given up four homers in just under 39 innings, which has hit his ERA hard. He’s also been pretty wild on the mound, with nine hit batters and seven wild pitches. He’s only 20, though, and there is plenty of time for him to develop. Quinton Low, Carolina Mudcats (A) - Two-Way Player 1-3, 4.26 ERA, 0 saves, 31.2 innings pitched, 26 walks, 46 strikeouts .207/.324/.345 in 29 AB with 1 double, 1 home run, 5 walks, 11 strikeouts Like Meeker, Low is making a move to the rotation – at least for now. Low has been hard to hit for the most part, allowing only 5.4 hits per nine innings, and punching out nearly three batters every two innings. The big issue is when pitches get away from him – he’s uncorked 12 wild pitches and hit four batters. He also is a potential force at the plate, but has only had 29 at-bats. The Brewers always can use relievers, but how rare is it to have one who would also be a credible option at first base or designated hitter? Overview The going has been rough for some of the right-handed prospects, while others are seeing time in the starting rotation. Meeker and Low both have potential to dominate – Meeker with outstanding control and Low with sheer stuff, while Vassalotti and Pena will look to turn things around in 2024. Left-Handed Relievers Clayton Andrews, Nashville Sounds (AAA)/Milwaukee Brewers (MLB) 3-1, 3.59 ERA, 4 saves, 42.2 innings pitched, 26 walks, 56 strikeouts 2018 17th-round pick Andrews has taken his spot on the Nashville-Milwaukee shuffle, completing a comeback after struggling with injuries in 2021 and 2022. Pre-pandemic, he not only appeared to be a poor man’s Josh Hader, but even saw time in center field for 16 games. Karlos Morales, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (A+) 4-4, 4.71 ERA, 2 saves, 42 innings pitched, 34 walks, 46 strikeouts Morales has had some struggles adjusting, but still has been quite solid, striking out more than a batter an inning. Control is an issue, with 34 walks and eight wild pitches hurting his cause on the mound. He’s given up only three home runs, though, and gives up just under seven hits per nine innings pitched. Darrell Thompson, Biloxi Shuckers (AA)/Nashville Sounds (AAA) - New 3-4, 4.60 ERA, 1 save, 43 innings pitched, 17 walks, 60 strikeouts Another older prospect, Thompson broke out in Biloxi earlier this year, and while he’s come down to earth somewhat in Nashville, he’s still racking up some good numbers overall, and could be a credible option in 2024. Justin King, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (A+) - New 1-1, 3.22 ERA, 0 saves, 22.1 innings pitched, 14 walks, 42 strikeouts King is a bit old for High-A ball, but the numbers are not lying. He’s been punching out hitters and emerging as a legit prospect, like James Meeker has. While he’s giving up nine hits every ten innings, part of that is due to an absurdly high .452 BABIP. If those are numbers when he’s unlucky, just imagine when things regress to the norm, Overview Andrews has become another late-round hit for the Brewers, while King and Morales both are flashing potential. Thompson could be the left-handed equivalent to James Meeker for the Crew. View full article

Small sample size alert, but Woodruff's career OPS against Kershaw is about 450 points higher than Yelich's... https://www.espn.com/mlb/player/batvspitch/_/id/28963/clayton-kershaw 😆

My thinking for a lineup: 3b: Monasterio lf: Canha c: Contreras 1b: Santana ss: Adames cf: Wiemer 2b: Toro rf: Taylor dh: Woodruff (let's hope for some 2018 magic) Give Frelick and Yelich a "reset" day... and let Woodruff rake some more.

I wouldn't dismiss Meeker, despite the advanced age. He can be a cheap, effective rotation option, and he's dominated in the pen.

I always felt he had that Ichiro/early Molitor skill set, and that is probably what he should stick with. His plate discipline is something that will also serve him well as a leadoff hitter.

It's generally a recap of those before the season, but I did add Hernandez and Flores. Hernandez is going to be scary good when he fills out.

Brewers fans are rightly excited about the rise of prospects like Jacob Misiorowski and Carlos F. Rodriguez in 2023. Both look to be crucial contributors in the years ahead, just as Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Freddy Peralta have in the rotation. However, there are a lot of pitchers who can be overlooked. Image courtesy of Joshua Sumrall, Biloxi Shuckers When one considers that each minor-league team will have at least a five-man rotation (or even six), that leaves a lot of starts to be made in a given season. In the past, there have been folks who emerged almost from nowhere to fill a rotation role in the majors – like Brent Suter. But how have some of the more “overlooked” prospects fared? Right-Handed Starters Max Lazar, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (A+)/Biloxi Shuckers (AA) 1-4, 3.20 ERA, 56.1 innings pitched, 14 walks, 59 strikeouts Lazar has spent most of his 2023 bounce-back season in the bullpen, but returned recently to the rotation in Biloxi. Perhaps the best sign? In Biloxi, he’s struck out 11.1 batters per nine innings as of August 5th, a sign that he is returning to pre-pandemic form. Staying healthy and building up his endurance will be crucial in 2023 and 2024. Kevin Briceno, Arizona Complex League Brewers (R) On the 60-day injured list all season Briceno will have to bounce back from injury wrecking 2023, which is a big disappointment for himself – and for Brewers fans, who saw a lot to like in his 2022 numbers. At 20, he still has a lot of baseball in him, though, and should not be counted out. Cameron Wagoner, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (A+) 3-11, 7.05 ERA, 75.1 innings pitched, 29 walks, 63 strikeouts Wagoner has remained healthy this season, which may be the one positive he can draw from an otherwise forgettable 2023 season. Virtually every ratio has gone the wrong way for him this year, and the big question is how he will react in 2024. Corbin Burnes had a similar rough year in 2019, and turned out just fine, and Waggoner is only 22. Melvin Hernandez, DSL Brewers 2 (FRk) - New 2-2, 2.48 ERA, 29 innings pitched, 7 walks, 23 strikeouts Some of the numbers might not be eye-popping, but Hernandez is just 16 years old, and he’s racking up a relatively low WHIP (1.14), has allowed only one home run (in a league where he has to face off against fellow Brewers farmhand Yophery Rodriguez of the DSL Brewers 1), and he’s striking out 3.3 batters for every walk. Overview Lazar’s comeback looks like it is going well, and he could, if back to form, be a contender for the 2025 Brewers MLB roster. Briceno and Waggoner will have to rebound from adversity. Hernandez could be a very exciting pitcher, already showing excellent control at a very young age. Left-Handed Starters Brandon Knarr, Biloxi Shuckers (AA) 0-2, 8.25 ERA, 12.0 innings pitched, 9 walks, 19 strikeouts – currently on 60-day injured list Knarr had a rough start to the season, then went on the injured list, joining Adam Seminaris and relievers Harold Chirinos and Justin Yeager. Prior to his injury, Knarr had kicked his strikeout rate way up, albeit the walk rates were also up in the very small sample size. However, this can likely be attributed to the injury, and he should be able to rebound in 2024. Anfernny Reyes, Arizona Complex League Brewers (R) 2-2, 5.18 ERA, 24.1 innings pitched, 10 walks, 35 strikeouts Reyes has only seen action out of the bullpen so far this season. Despite the high ERA, the peripheral numbers (WHIP, opposing batting average and OPS) look quite solid for the 19-year-old in his first season in the United States. He’s had five hit batsmen and seven wild pitches, this year. Osbriel Mogollon, Arizona Complex League Brewers (R) 2-2, 3.74 ERA, 33.2 innings pitched, 21 walks, 37 strikeouts Mogollon’s strikeout rate has dipped a little, but he is still avoiding the home run ball (1 in 33 2/3 IP as of August 5). He’s split time between the bullpen and the rotation for Maryvale. One notable stat: No wild pitches or hit batters as of August 5, which is pretty incredible for the ACL. Anthony Flores, DSL Brewers 1 (FRk) - New 1-2, 3.44 ERA, 36.2 innings pitched, 16 walks, 43 strikeouts Flores has been racking up the strikeouts – almost 11 per nine innings – and he’s avoided the gopher ball so far in the DSL, giving up just one home run as of August 5. Opponents haven’t even cracked the Uecker Line against him when he’s on the mound. Overview Reyes and Mogollon are showing some very promising signs in the low minors, which could bear fruit for the Brewers sooner rather than later. Knarr’s injury is a setback, but the Crew – and Knarr – will be hoping for a 2024 rebound. Flores, though, is showing some real potential in the DSL. Next: Relief Pitchers View full article

Tyler BlackSal FrelickAbner UribeJeferson QueroYophery RodriguezJackson ChourioJuan BaezRobert GasserJacob MisiorowskiCam DevanneyMike BoeveBrock WilkenLuis LaraCarlos F RodriguezEric BitontiCooper PrattLuke AdamsDemetrio NadalMelvin HernandezRobert Moore

There are a lot of very talented infielders in the Brewers system playing second base, third base, and shortstop, particularly after the astonishing success the Brewers had in inking 18 out of 21 draft picks this July. That being said, it never hurts to look beyond the big names – and in this position group, there is a very big example of why that is important. Image courtesy of Mike Krebs, Biloxi Shuckers After considering some overlooked catchers and first basemen yesterday, today we move around and cover the rest of the infield. Again, the purpose of these articles to to recognize players that are not deemed Top 20 prospects by Brewer Fanatic or MLB Pipeline. Which of these players are under-ranked or underrated? Since the last time we looked at this group, there have been several roster changes. Zack Raabe was a surprising pre-season release, and prior to the season, the highly-versatile Weston Wilson signed with the Phillies as a minor-league free agent. Let’s look over the group, with stats as of August 5. Second Base Felix Valerio, Biloxi Shuckers (AA) .224/.289/.314 in 210 at-bats with 6 doubles, 3 home runs, 16 walks and 46 strikeouts Prior to Double-A, Valerio had been a top prospect with his bat. He’s struggled the last two seasons, but he is still only 22, and could turn things around. However, he faces a tough row to hoe as other prospects have entered the system and flashed real potential. Jadher Areinamo, Carolina Mudcats (A) - New .295/.320/.370 in 292 at-bats with 13 doubles, 3 home runs, 12 walks and 37 strikeouts Areinamo has flashed a strong hit-for-average tool in the Carolina League, and added a fair amount of doubles in the process. His on-base skills could use refinement, but he’s struck out less than 13 percent of the time. Dylan O’Rae, Arizona Complex League Brewers (R) - New .351/.522/.404 in 114 at-bats with 4 doubles, no home runs, 37 walks and 21 strikeouts O’Rae has emerged as an OBP god in Maryvale, adding some significant speed (25-for27 in stolen bases) in addition to the ability to draw walks and hit for average. Overview The emergence of Areinamo and O’Rae in 2023 is a good sign for the Brewers, who have already had some players in the MLB.com Pipeline Top 30 and Brewer Fanatic Top 20 at this position. Valerio will face a big “prove it” season in 2024. Shortstop Andruw Monasterio, Nashville Sounds (AAA)/Milwaukee Brewers (MLB) .280/.395/.394 in 294 at-bats with 15 doubles, 5 home runs, 49 walks and 57 strikeouts Monasterio could arguably be Milwaukee’s rookie of the year – even with the competition from Brice Turang, Joey Wiemer, and now Sal Frelick. While he mostly played shortstop in Nashville, he’s handled second base and third base in the majors, and done so well the Brewers dealt Luis Urias. He is a classic example of why one should not just focus on the consensus top prospects list. Eduardo Garcia, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (A+) .196/.270/.309 in 265 at-bats with 10 doubles, 4 home runs, 24 walks and 95 strikeouts Garcia’s on-base skills have improved somewhat, but he’s still struggling at the plate. His defense at shortstop remains superb, even as he has spent a lot of time at third base this season – at least when Eric Brown Jr. was healthy. Ethan Murray, Biloxi Shuckers (AA) - New .253/.367/.384 in 237 at-bats, with 11 doubles, 6 home runs, 40 walks and 60 strikeouts Murray has been less-heralded than teammate Freddy Zamora, but his OPS of .751 is actually slightly higher than Zamora’s in 2023. Murray’s OBP skills are quite strong, and his glovework has not been questioned much. Daniel Guilarte, Carolina Mudcats (A)/Arizona Complex League Brewers (R) - New .305/.398/.345 in 197 at-bats, with 4 doubles, no home runs, 28 walks and 50 strikeouts Guilarte has hit for average, drawn walks, and stolen a bunch of bases in Carolina before an injury threw him off track. Still, he’s an intriguing option at shortstop in a system that has a lot of them. Juan Baez, Arizona Complex League Brewers (R) - New .393/.411/.620 in 150 at-bats with 14 doubles, 4 home runs, 4 walks, and 18 strikeouts Baez’s offensive profile looks a lot like that of Jackson Chourio, who rocketed from Carolina to Biloxi at age 18 in 2022, only he is a bat-first shortstop. Like Chourio, his OBP skills need refinement, but the low strikeout rate and the power at this age is very tantalizing. Overview Beyond the top prospect lists, the Brewers have plenty of very capable players at shortstop, some of whom could arguably eclipse those seen as “top prospects.” Monasterio’s development into a solid Mark Loretta-esque player may be a preview of what’s coming, especially when looking at the exciting Baez. Third Base Zavier Warren, Biloxi Shuckers (AA) .214/.303/.373 in 271 at-bats, with 11 doubles, 10 home runs, 33 walks and 65 strikeouts Warren has seen some significant time at third base this season, but mostly has played first base due to Tyler Black’s emergence at the hot corner. Warren has seen action across the infield in his professional career, though, and given the general struggles players in the Southern League had, is worth a long look in 2024. Demetrio Nadal, DSL Brewers 2 (FRk) - New .352/.492/.573 in 82 at-bats with 6 doubles, 2 home runs, 18 walks and 10 strikeouts Yes, the Brewers added Brock Wilken, Mike Boeve, and Eric Bitonti in the 2023 draft, but Nadal has been making a case that he is the best third-base prospect in the low minors, with some pop, speed, the ability to hit for average, and excellent plate discipline. Overview Warren could easily end up a bench player in the majors due to his solid OBP skills, power, and versatility. That said, the relatively unheralded Nadal is likely to be every bit as good as the players the Brewers selected in the high rounds of the draft this year. Next: Outfielders View full article

What has made Andruw Monasterio, of all the prospects in the farm system, so valuable for the Brewers this season? Image courtesy of © Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports Andruw Monasterio has made himself a fixture of the 2023 Milwaukee Brewers, seeing action at second base, third base, and shortstop. The top-line numbers show one reason why: Monasterio’s .288 batting average is just behind Christian Yelich for the team lead – the big difference being Monasterio is not likely to qualify on that stat due to having only 153 at-bats as of August 13. His OPS+ of 113 is quite good, coming in fifth among those players on the 26-man roster. His .772 OPS is also fifth. Memorable Outbursts His performance in the early August series against the Rockies was memorable: He hit two home runs in that series that tied the game or put the Brewers ahead, had multiple hits in two games, and he won the last game of the series by reaching on an error in the bottom of the tenth inning, allowing Mark Canha to score. Before that, he collected two hits. He also went off in a series at Philadelphia, starting all three games, and collecting multiple hits in each of them, helping the Crew take two out of three in that set. The game against the Rockies on August 9th was emblematic of Monaterio's breakout season. He went 2-for-5 with a single, homer, reached on an error, struck out, and popped out. The single came on a seven-pitch plate appearance; the strikeout took five pitches. During those two at-bats, he fouled off four pitches, still making contact. He can draw out an at-bat, but he’s also not afraid to go for it if he thinks he’s got a good pitch to hit. His home run in the fifth came on pitch two. The final at-bat was Monasterio making good contact on the first pitch. Background Monasterio was an international free agent from Venezuela signed by the Cubs in 2014. In 2018, the Cubs dealt him to the Washington Nationals as part of the deal for Daniel Murphy – who couldn’t quite get the Cubs past Game 163 against the Crew that year. That off-season, he was part of a deal between the Nationals and the Cleveland Indians, which sent Yan Gomes to Washington. After 2021, he became a minor-league free agent and signed with the Brewers, where he emerged as one of the overlooked prospects in my review after the 2022 season. Monasterio got his break this season due to a pair of injuries. One was infielder Luis Urias’s hamstring injury on Opening Day. Joey Wiemer was called up, and Brian Anderson ended up playing a lot of third base. After Willy Adames suffered a concussion after a scary incident involving a line drive, Monasterio was called up to Milwaukee. He’s stuck around since after a hot start due to the offensive struggles of Urias and Brice Turang. Since then, Monasterio has played 25 games at third base, 18 at second base, five at shortstop, and four as the designated hitter. During his time up with Milwaukee, he’s collected 42 hits, with nine doubles and three home runs, counting his back-to-back blasts in the last two games of the series against the Rockies. Where He Stands Out Overall, Monasterio has stood out in two ways: The first, as seen from his top line numbers, is the fact that he has done well hitting for average and getting on base. This has been rare for the Brewers, who are last in the National League in batting average with .234 and 13th in OBP with .313 as of August 13. Willy Adames, Turang, Anderson, Joey Wiemer, and Rowdy Tellez have all been struggling in that regard as everyday position players. But the other value Monasterio has provided is in his splits. He is posting a .969 OPS against left-handed pitchers. That’s right, folks; the 2023 Brewers have a lefty-killer who slashes .357/.457/.513 for an OPS+ of 165 on their roster. Against righties, he is still pretty solid and posts a decent .711 OPS, for a 96 OPS+, with an OBP of .333. Monasterio Looks Like Loretta, Only Better In short, Monasterio is a valuable player for the Brewers this season and likely is staying in Milwaukee. But could he have a long-term future? Believe it or not, his general offensive profile looks like a Brewer from 25 years ago: Mark Loretta. During his eight years in Milwaukee, Loretta slashed .289/.355/.385 for an OPS+ of 92. During his 796 games over those eight seasons, he hit 135 doubles and 29 homers while stealing 22 bases in 41 attempts. Monasterio is actually exceeding Loretta as a stolen base threat, stealing five bases in six attempts so far, and he has nine doubles and three homers to date. His 162-game projection from BaseballReference.com is for 30 doubles and ten homers. His OBP skills are also pretty good, taking 19 walks in 153 at-bats, compared to Loretta’s 247 walks in 2,596 at-bats over eight years. He does strike out more than Loretta did, though. With all that taken into consideration, Monasterio looks to be a valuable bench asset, at the very least for the Brewers through 2023, if not longer. He would be a stopgap option should Adames be traded or injured and a very reliable substitute for any infielder. Monasterio’s emergence this season is on the same level as the defensive contributions of Turang and Wiemer and Sal Frelick’s offensive spark among the 2023 Brewers rookie class. View full article

@Brock Beauchamp Thanks. Can you cancel my previous vote?