Harold Hutchison

Moving on in our look at the overlooked prospects in the Brewers farm system, we come to the outfield. One might argue that these prospects aren’t so much overlooked as entirely forgotten, although some new faces are emerging. How have they fared this season? Image courtesy of Curt Hogg / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK The fact is, several of these prospects could still emerge as major-league players, or provide valuable sweeteners in a deal to improve the Crew over the offseason. Let's run them down. All stats are as of August 5. Left Field Tristen Lutz, Biloxi Shuckers (AA) .227/.352/.387 in 150 at-bats with 6 doubles, 6 home runs, 26 walks and 62 strikeouts Lutz, once a premier prospect, has settled in as a solid one with a “three true outcomes” bat. He’s been bypassed by Jackson Chourio and Joey Wiemer in the system and was released August 9, but that doesn’t mean he is washed up, being only 24 years old. Noah Campbell, Biloxi Shuckers (AA)/Nashville Sounds (AAA) .258/.384/.429 in 233 at-bats with 10 doubles, 8 home runs, 44 walks and 67 strikeouts Campbell has quietly emerged as a low-wattage prospect for the Brewers. He’s played all over the diamond, is a switch-hitter, and shows signs of Andruw Monasterio-esque offensive ability. His ceiling isn’t that of Chourio or Tyler Black, but it isn’t going to be an embarrassment, either. Brian Sanchez, DSL Brewers 1 (Rookie) .326/.440/.500 in 86 at-bats with 7 doubles, no home runs, 18 walks and 21 strikeouts Yophery Rodriguez is getting the hype, flashing an offensive skillset like Chourio’s. However, Sanchez has emerged as a credible prospect himself in the DSL. He’s shown speed (4 triples and 8 stolen bases) during his tenure in left field. Further development could see some doubles and triples end up as home runs. Overview Lutz has had some struggles since the pandemic, but is not a bad prospect. Campbell is making a strong case for a 40-man roster spot, and to be in the mix for a 2024 roster spot in Milwaukee as a bench asset. Sanchez has an exciting bat and OBP skills, and could force his way into the Brewers outfield picture in a few years. Center Field Joe Gray, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (A+)/Biloxi Shuckers (AA) .225/.284/.360 in 356 at-bats with 13 doubles, 11 home runs, 23 walks, and 103 strikeouts Like Lutz, Gray was a heralded prospect who has been forgotten due to the rise of talents like Chourio and Wiemer. Gray’s best tools are his defense and power, and at the age of 23, he still has a lot of baseball left in him. To get to the big leagues, though, he'll obviously need to cut down his strikeout rate and get on base more consistently. Right Field Hedbert Perez, Carolina Mudcats (A) .216/.288/.345 in 232 at-bats with 10 doubles, 6 home runs, 22 walks and 68 strikeouts Perez has gone backward, but still has time to get back on track if his skills can catch up to his tools. The OBP skills have taken another tick upward, and the strikeouts have gone down a little from 2022 for the 20-year-old, who is developing a bit slower than some other prospects have. Luis Castillo, Arizona Complex League Brewers (R)/Carolina Mudcats (A) .272/.357/.383 in 81 at-bats with 6 doubles, 1 home run, 13 walks and 27 strikeouts Castillo is just 19 years old, and he hasn’t been on the field much, but the OBP skills and some power have still been there. He’s posting solid numbers, and would not be a bad prospect in most cases… but it’s hard to be a nugget when there are so many gems. Hendry Mendez, Arizona Complex League Brewers (R), Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (A+) .244/.306/.348 in 135 at-bats with 6 doubles, 2 home runs, 12 walks and 20 strikeouts Mendez has missed time with injury this season. He’s still flashing solid OBP skills when healthy, and he is only 19 years old. The real question will center around if he can fix his swing and take advantage of his physique. Overview The 2023 season has been rough for Castillo and Mendez, but Perez is on a good trend with the walks and strikeouts, and there is a chance he could put things together in 2024. None are old enough to have a post-game beer, so there is plenty of baseball left in them. Next: Starting Pitching View full article

There is always the choice to add him to the 40-man roster.

He's certainly had injury problems, but when he is on the field... he's good. I always thought he was an Eric Thames with speed.

Making a case to be re-signed this year as a minor-league free agent.

Has the time come to rearrange bullpen roles, at least temporarily? Image courtesy of Ken Blaze, USA Today Following the surrender of back-to-back home runs in the seventh inning of what became an eventual 7-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies, some Brewers fans are wondering why Elvis Peguero is still being sent out to handle late innings when there is a narrow lead and Abner Uribe is in Milwaukee. The Peguero Track Record On the one hand, Peguero has been quite solid in the bullpen for the Crew this season. He is 2-4 with a 3.86 ERA in 46 2/3 innings pitched with 18 walks and 41 strikeouts. He has secured one save and 15 “holds” along the way. That’s not a horrible performance, and Peguero is relatively cheap through 2026, and doesn’t become a free agent until three years after that. On the other hand, there are four blown saves, three of which have come since July 22, two came in the span of eight days. The last two blown saves, against the Nationals on July 31 and the Rockies Tuesday, arguably have made it harder for the Crew to maintain their lead in the National League Central over the Cubs and Reds. This isn’t to say Peguero is a liability, far from it. He was quite good through July 21. But the 17-day stretch from July 23 to August 8 has been far different. In eight appearances, he has pitched 7 2/3 innings, given up eight runs (all earned). He has allowed three home runs and blown three saves, all of which led to losses. To put some more perspective, prior to that 17-day stretch, he had only given up one home run and 13 runs (12 earned). This stretch has shown that Peguero may need to either make some adjustments in a lower-leverage role or to have a mental “reset” after a rough stretch. It’s not like the Brewers don’t have other options for the seventh inning. One of these options, the aforementioned Abner Uribe, would arguably be an investment in the team’s long-term future. Let’s look through them really quick. Abner Uribe Uribe is probably the top candidate to bump Peguero, either directly in the seventh inning, or by sliding Joel Payamps from the eighth inning to the seventh. Uribe has been a Brewer Fanatic Top 20 prospect with electric stuff that points to a potential future as an MLB closer. He has also been red-hot in the majors, posting a 1.54 ERA with a 1.03 WHIP so far. If Uribe is a future closer, he should be working high-leverage situations at the MLB level – and a one-run game against the Nationals is not a bad place for him to start doing so. There is another benefit to having Uribe take over a late-inning role, whether by directly replacing Peguero or bumping Payamps to the seventh. It could enable the Brewers to consider dealing Devin Williams in future seasons, allowing Uribe to take over the ninth inning. The return on Josh Hader wasn’t overwhelming, but dealing Williams could bring a nice package of prospects (or MLB players) in return, just as the team ultimately turned Hader into William Contreras and Robert Gasser . Hoby Milner Milner has not flashed the overpowering stuff that Uribe has, but over the entire 2023 season, he’s posted a 2.17 ERA in 52 appearances covering 45 2/3 innings pitched. That is a remarkable track record of consistency. If a one-run lead was too tight for the rookie, Milner certainly has made the case that he should be the primary guy in the seventh inning when a starter doesn’t handle it. Andrew Chafln Yes, Chafin struggled as well Tuesday against the Rockies, but at the same time, the Brewers dealt Peter Strzelecki for him at the deadline. If you’re going to deal a relatively cheap reliever with multiple years of control for another reliever, then perhaps that reliever should be put in the high-leverage spot. Overview Elvis Peguero has been a valuable pickup for the Brewers from the Hunter Renfroe trade. His recent rough patch is something that can happen to any reliever (just look at Josh Hader in 2022), but he could rebound and be solid. That said, if the Brewers are looking for a title, it may be time for the team to either go with the steady Hoby Milner or future closer Abner Uribe – at least for the time being. If you were in charge, how would you handle this situation? View full article

Nadal and Hernandez will definitely be on, Martinez, Sanchez, Norman and Miller all kinda fighting for the last spot.

Nadal, I think is at least on par with Wilken, Adams. and Boeve. Melvin Hernandez is flashing some real good stuff in the DSL, and Sanchez's OPS isn't that far from Yophery's in the DSL, either.

@Brock Beauchamp Can we add Demetrio Nadal, Brian Sanchez, Melvin Hernandez, Juan Baez, Ernesto Martinez, Satchell Norman, and Darrien Miller?

The Brewers have seen some serious struggles in their lineup in 2023, prompting many to question if it is time for an upgrade. But could the answers be down on the farm or otherwise in-house? Image courtesy of Mike Krebs, Biloxi Shuckers The depth of the Brewers farm system cannot be overstated. After all, they just dealt Jhonny Severino, a shortstop with an .872 OPS in the ACL, for a two-month (or longer) rental of Carlos Santana, and Severino arguably was the third-best player to have seen time at that position just on that roster behind Dylan O’Rae and Juan Baez. So, what positions could be upgraded “in house,” so to speak, either directly (assuming a player comes up from the farm) or indirectly (through a minor-leaguer pushing a major-league player elsewhere in the lineup)? Let’s take a look. Catcher The Contreras/Caratini duo has been one of the better ones in MLB. Contreras is producing at an amazing clip and has become average defensively. Caratini works well with ace Corbin Burnes. However, Jeferson Quero’s development has been superb in Biloxi, and he could make the case for being in Milwaukee in 2024. First Base Rowdy Tellez tried to tough out a forearm issue – and sent production at that position spiraling way down. The Brewers have 37-year-old Carlos Santana as a short-term fix. For the short term in 2024, the Crew could decide to look to Nashville for someone to fill in. Keston Hiura may have finally turned things around and could be worth a look there, while Patrick Dorrian has flashed some power. For a long-term solution, Tyler Black recently started playing first base in Biloxi. Noah Campbell and Cam Devanney could also be in the mix. One interesting possibility is to move Yelich to first to have room for an outfield of Sal Frelick, Garrett Mitchell, and Joey Wiemer in 2024. Second Base Brice Turang’s defense isn’t the issue, the questions usually surround his bat. However, over the last week, his OPS+ was 85, a big improvement over his season-long OPS+ of 60. But if the Crew wants an in-house upgrade, they could always call up Tyler Black or give Abraham Toro a long-term look at the position. Shortstop Willy Adames has delivered 1.4 wins above replacement as of July 29, due to a season-long slump in terms of batting average. If the Crew wants a potential upgrade, they could turn to Cam Devanney, who has slammed the cover off the ball the last two years. Freddy Zamora might be another option. Third Base Tyler Black’s performance in Biloxi opens the question as to whether he is the best choice to take over at third. Other options could include Abraham Toro, Cam Devanney, or even Patrick Dorrian. Left Field Could the Brewers improve on Christian Yelich? More like, Yelich can improve other positions, like designated hitter or first base, given the depth of talent the Brewers have in the outfield. Center Field Joey Wiemer has not been awful in center field. Yes, his batting profile looks a lot like Keon Broxton right now, but in the minors, Wiemer showed OBP skills and speed. Jackson Chourio is a huge X factor – and could force his way to the majors sooner rather than later, even if there is a case to be patient. Right Field Blake Perkins and Tyrone Taylor have generally struggled in right field, with Perkins posting a 74 OPS+ and Taylor at a 19 OPS+ (after struggling with injuries). Brian Anderson also saw time there with a 90 OPS+. Wiemer, who originally went there, could be an upgrade as he adjusts to MLB pitching. Designated Hitter This will likely be improved indirectly by the talent flowing upwards from the minor leagues. The outfield talent glut could push Yelich to this role easily, Tyler Black could step in from Opening Day 2024, or Jeferson Quero could force William Contreras into a lot of DH at-bats. Overview The Brewers have a lot of talent down on the farm when it comes to the position players. Some of those players could be very credible in-house options for the Crew at position where the team’s performance fell short in 2023 – and at very cheap prices for at least the short term. Making use of those solutions could be the difference for the team in 2024. The Brewers are relying on several young and inexperienced players as we enter the final months of the season and a pennant chase. Looking forward, are there other minor leaguers who could factor into the season this year or in 2024? View full article

Real Men pitch to Sal Frelick... just as Real Men kick to Devin Hester.

And Canha with a hit...

Any Tyrone Taylor with another jack... is he heating up late in the season?

I'd consider him a top priority to lock up over the long term. That's your leadoff guy, folks. Bump Yelich to the 3 hole... see his extra-base hits come with folks on base. 😁

Or Quero... Nashville's been using three catchers a lot this year.

We have considered the “overlooked” prospects in the Brewers farm system over the offseason and earlier this season. Now, with about a month remaining in the minor-league season, it is a good time to discuss some under-discussed Brewers prospects. Who has emerged as the season has moved forward? Image courtesy of Joshua Sumrall, Biloxi Shuckers It might be fair to ask the question: "why look at these minor leaguers that aren't highly touted and discussed?" Two words: Andruw Monasterio. He didn’t get a lot of hype prior to the season - few minor-league signings do. He just performed, and currently he is making a lot of the starts at third base for the Brewers' big-league club. For the record, the players being written about below were not among the Top 30 Brewers prospects per MLB Pipeline. They didn't appear on any Brewer Fanatic Top 20 rankings. However, they are doing something that has caught my eye and they warrant being discussed. All stats are as of August 5 of this season. Catcher Darrien Miller, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (A+) .224/.332/.384 in 245 at-bats with 16 doubles, 7 home runs, 34 walks and 58 strikeouts Miller slumped early in the season, but he has rebounded to a level close to his 2022 production since then. The real question is what, exactly, his defensive home will be, or even should be. His bat certainly seems worthy for promotion to Double-A or Triple-A, but is he more of a first baseman or designated hitter than a catcher? The Brewers will need to figure that out over the offseason. Edgardo Ordonez, Arizona Complex League Brewers (R) .242/.388/.379 in 66 at-bats with 6 doubles, 1 home run, 17 walks and 27 strikeouts Ordonez has been caught up in a crowded catcher situation in Maryvale. The Brewers made the decision to have only one team in the ACL this season. However, in his limited time, he has made a strong case to go to Carolina next season with Satchell Norman. He has shown excellent on-base skills and some pop. Overview Both Miller and Ordonez would be considered prospects in a system that did not have Jeferson Quero relatively close to the majors - or in any of their affiliates. First Basemen Ernesto Martinez, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (A+) .268/.342/.444 in 239 at-bats with 10 doubles, 10 home runs, 23 walks and 57 strikeouts Martinez repeated at Wisconsin after a 2022 season mostly lost to injury. Like Miller, he struggled early in the season, but his bat has been lethal in July. He remains a threat on the bases, with 13 steals, and his 2021 foray to center field is tantalizing, even with the team’s depth at the position. The Brewers may be in need of a new first baseman come 2025, as Rowdy Tellez nears free agency, and Martinez has made a case for consideration. Of course, that is if he can handle Double-A and Triple-A pitching. However, he will be a minor-league free agent this offseason, so the Crew may need to work something out. Should they? Jesus Chirinos, Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (A+)/Carolina Mudcats (A) .241/.372/.372 in 191 at-bats with 11 doubles, 4 home runs, 41 walks and 83 strikeouts Chirinos slumped and struggled early in the year, and he was sent back to Carolina from Wisconsin. He has rebounded some since then, helping hold first base down for the Mudcats, but splitting time with Tayden Hall, Jesus Parra, and Luke Adams. At 21, Chirinos can turn things around career-wise, but he has taken a hit. Wes Clarke, Biloxi Shuckers (AA) - New .216/.361/.454 in 271 at-bats with 14 doubles, 17 home runs, 55 walks and 105 strikeouts Clarke has seen time both behind the plate and at first base, while having emerged as a legit “three true outcome” bat. While a cutdown in the strikeout rate would be nice, he’s made a case to reach Triple-A next season, where he could split time with Zavier Warren at first and also spend time behind the plate. Overview Clarke and Martinez have established themselves as solid prospects. Much like Monasterio, they have provided solid production in the minors, and could easily be solid producers at the major-league level. Chirinos will be looking to rebound in 2024, and has to work on reducing strikeouts, but is still very young. Please share your thoughts on these specific Brewers prospects, and which other Catchers, First Basemen/DHs aren't be talked about enough in your opinion, and why. Next: Second Base, Third Base, and Shortstop View full article

In that case, I think the Crew dodged a bullet. Adams is not a bad corner IF/LF prospect, and Lara is a legit topp-of-the-order sparkplug. Would hate to deal them for a rental.

The Brewers were involved in a flurry of deals as the trade deadline hit. With the team coming off being swept by the Braves and a heart-wrenching loss to the Nationals as of Tuesday morning, how did the team do? Here’s a way-too-early evaluation of the moves. Image courtesy of Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports Last year, then-President of Baseball Operations David Stearns’s biggest move was to deal Josh Hader to the Padres for a four-player package. It didn’t go well, with the Brewers missing the playoffs by one game. No such major deal happened this offseason. But the five smaller deals may matter a lot. Let’s look them over. Brewers trade minor-league SS Jhonny Severino to Pirates for 1B Carlos Santana Severino was falling behind Juan Baez and others in the ACL, and while he flashed power, his OBP skills were a little iffy (one walk in 48 at-bats). Getting Carlos Santana to bolster first base in return was an excellent return for what was, for all intents and purposes, a bench player in the low minors. Grade: A Brewers trade RHP Justin Jarvis to Mets for OF/1B/DH Mark Canha and cash Jarvis had a breakthrough season in 2022, and the early part of 2023 saw him continue to dominate in AA before falling off in AAA. Canha filled the need to bolster right field with the lack of offense from Blake Perkins, Tyrone Taylor's struggles this season, and Rowdy Tellez’s freak injury that set his return back four weeks. Dealing Jarvis, who at one time was among the Brewer Fanatic Top 20 Prospects, may sting, but Canha fills a need, and none of the top prospects in the system were moved. Grade: B Brewers trade RHP Peter Strzelecki to Diamondbacks for LHP Andrew Chafin Chafin gives the Brewers a second reliable left-handed pitcher, a need given Justin Wilson’s injury setback. With eight saves already, Chafin has some late-inning experience that could help the team out when Devin Williams needs a day off. Strzelecki, whose four-pitch arsenal helped the Crew put an early-season dagger into the Cardinals, is a relatively high price to pay given his team control and solid 2022, though. Grade: B- Brewers trade C Alex Jackson to Rays for RHP Evan McKendry This deal likely clears the way for Jeferson Quero to head to Nashville, following a superb offensive season. Quero’s defense has drawn rave reviews, but his bat has also been superb (.871 OPS, including 31 walks in 233 at-bats), even if overshadowed by Jackson Chourio’s rise. Getting McKendry gives the Brewers a replacement of sorts for the traded Justin Jarvis. Grade: A Brewers trade IF Luis Urias to Red Sox for RHP Bradley Blaylock One-time extension candidate Luis Urias had his season derailed by an Opening Day hamstring injury, and he never really recovered. The development of Andruw Monasterio made a trade the best thing for both Urias and the Brewers, with Urias getting a fresh start, and the Brewers getting another potential rotation piece, given the struggles of Stiven Cruz and Cameron Wagoner. Grade: B- Overview The Brewers may not have made big splashes at the trade deadline, but they also avoided the twin pitfalls of emptying the farm system and blowing up team chemistry. While the results for the 2023 season are yet to be determined, these deals could already be improving the Brewers for the medium-to-long term. Overall Interim Grade: B You've had four or five days to take it all in, see a few more Brewers games, and decompress. It's still too early to evaluate, but what are your early thoughts on what the Brewers did at the deadline? View full article

Still waiting on his well-deserved extension...

And Turang with another hit...

So why is Perkins pinch-running? Anyone know?