Harold Hutchison

I'd be terrified. The cost would be high for a short-term rental since re-signing is very iffy at best... and we'd see the Angels get our prospects. I'd pass at this point. OTOH, I have no problem reaching out during free agency and making an offer then, especially if Tyler Black is coming up at third. The Crew could put Ohtani at DH/in the rotation, even offer him some action at first base and the corner OF, and Milwaukee's a great baseball town.

Does it hurt to keep the pipeline going? Williams-Uribe-Payamps can shut things down from 7-9. Use Milner to fill in at 7 on occasion, then have Suter, Bryse Wilson, and Rea as the multi-inning guys.

I agree. To me, the smart move is to punt on his 2023 season, and get him ready for a rotation sport in 2024. Send the Rockies SS Eduardo Garcia and OF Hedbert Perez for Suter. Flip Peguero to the Rays for a 2024 CB pick and some international bonus slots.

He's missed most of the season, there's a ton of rust. In a tight pennant race, it's a risk to put him in that spot. I hate to say it, but the Crew might be better off burning an option year and having him rehab indefinitely in the minors for 2023, and focus on having him in the 2024 rotation.

We need two multi-inning relievers. Ashby is likely to be back a bit too late, and I don't want to repeat the Jimmy Nelson mistake of 2019 (they put him in the majors too soon instead of using the option to have him on what would effectively be an indefinite rehab assignment). For a six-man rotation of Burnes, Woodruff, Peralta, Houser, Teheran and Rea/Miley, I see two spots that need multi-inning guys. Ideally, I'd like one to be a lefty. Suter's done well, and he is known to be a good clubhouse fit. I was thinking of dealing Peguero for a prospect to an AL contender - see if we can't re-stock the farm some more.

Chourio is a 0, the other four are 0.5s - to only be dealt for major talent on a long-term basis (at least through 2024 if not longer).

I'd like a second multi-inning guy. Maybe flip Peguero for a prospect and put Uribe in his place. Or replace the Small/Andrews duo and bump Rea to AAA.

I think he'd pair up nicely with Bryse Wilson as guys who could go 2 IP after a five-inning start from Rea or Teheran. Rotation of Burnes, Woodruff, Peralta, Houser, Teheran, Rea Bullpen of D. Williams, Payamps, Peguero, Milner, Suter, B. Wilson, and Small/Andrews until Miley gets off the IL would be a good approach. Miley could then bump Rea to the bullpen or AAA.

Turang is better than Gantner on two fronts: He's got speed and can steal bases, and his OBP skills have been much better. Think Omar Vizquel with better OBP skills and slightly more pop.

Turang's OBP skills seem to have resurfaced in the last two weeks (6 walks to 7 strikeouts), which is on par with how things went with mid-season promotions. He would walk a lot, struggle on the BA side, but the next year, whether promoted or repeating, he suddenly hits more than adequately. Going forward in 2023, I expect lots of walks, a batting average around the Uecker line, and excellent defense. Next year, I can see him taking the batting average up about 60 points, with some more doubles and triples. Think Omar Vizquel from 1996-2004, but with better OBP skills, some more power, and stealing 30-35 bases a season.

It can be harder to evaluate starting pitching in the rookie leagues, in both Arizona and the Dominican Republic, than in full-season ball. The biggest reason for that comes down to sample size: These leagues do not start until June, so we’re really only able to get a look at these pitchers for a month or so. Image courtesy of © Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports The Arizona Complex League, in particular, gets distorted in another way: Players often go there on rehabilitation assignments. As such, it is harder to tell just why a pitcher may appear to have struggled. But with those caveats in mind, let’s look over the starting rotations in the rookie leagues. ACL Brewers To get one sense of the distortion in the ACL so far, five of the 28 starts for the ACL Brewers as of July 17 were by players on rehab assignments: Jason Alexander, the fill-in from 2022, made two, while Ryne Moore, a prospect drafted in 2021, made three. But Yorman Galindez has made huge strides from 2022, having taken his ERA down by about 50%. Daniel Corniel has struggled some after coming up from the DSL. Other pitchers appearing in the ACL rotation include Brian Fitzpatrick (currently on the 60-day IL), Osbriel Moggolon, Felipe De Los Santos, and Brailin Rodriguez, who is coming off missing the entire 2022 season. DSL Brewers 1 The same sense of caution concerning numbers in the ACL should apply to some of the eye-popping numbers among the DSL Brewers 1 rotation. That caveat aside, the big question is: Which prospect has been the best? Is it Eric Prado, with a sub-1.00 ERA as of July 17 while splitting time between the rotation and the bullpen? Is it Enniel Cortez, who posts a 7.5:1 K/BB ratio and a 1.75 ERA? What about Gabriel Colmenarz, who has posted a 1.89 ERA despite only getting 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings? And let’s not forget lefty Anthony Flores, who is averaging almost four strikeouts every three innings. So far, with anywhere from three to six starts, they all look very good, but it will be interesting to see if it continues past this initial small sample. DSL Brewers 2 With a similar small-sample warning for the second Brewers affiliate in the DSL, there are some numbers that indicate some starting pitching prospects deserve a closer look. Melvin Hernandez is posting a 2.25 ERA, with only five walks in 20 innings as of July 17. Ismael Yanez is only 17, but has a 0.00 ERA in three innings as of July 17. Bryan Rivera has dominated over six starts, with a sub-1.00 WHIP, while Jesus Flores has allowed just one home run in just over 20 IP. Aneuris Rodriguez has taken some huge steps up in his second season in the DSL as well. Overview Small samples and rehab assignment distortions aside, the rookie leagues feature a lot of intriguing talent for the Brewers. While these pitchers have a long road to MLB, in the past, rookie-league talent has been used to make deals work at times. On the flip side, one just has to look at Freddy Peralta to know that in a few years, rookie-league talent can pay off big time for a major-league club. View full article

Here are the numbers that have me wanting to slow down a little: 86 BB to 251 K in 1,025 at-bats over his pro career. The walk rate is still low, and he's striking out almost three times for every walk. I'd like to see the walk rate get closer to 10% and to see the pitch selection improve and cut the strikeouts down some.

Chourio is still showing some holes in his swing. With Frelick-Mitchell-Wiemer as starters, Taylor and Perkins competing as 4th OF for the Crew, and Yelich as a corner OF/DH/1B option, why not have him improve his pitch selection/OBP skills in Nashville in 2024 and 2025? We saw what happened with Jimmy Nelson in 2019 when the Crew put him in MLB when he should have been optioned to AAA to start the year after his lengthy absence due to that shoulder injury. It was a mistake then, the Crew burned up service time that they didn't need to. The smart move is to have Chourio resolve those issues in Nashville. The Brewers don't need to add him to the 40-man until 2025, they have three cheap rookies and multiple solid backups, and Chourio will have three option years when he is added.

Taylor bats right-handed and could be used to rest Yelich, Mitchell, and Frelick in 2024. He's also been productive vs. lefties in the past. Frelick-Mitchell-Wiemer as starters with Taylor 4th OF and Yelich as DH/5th OF is an excellent setup to have for that year, and doesn't break the budget. Gives Chourio the full 2024 season and most of 2025 at Nashville to develop.

When it comes to starting pitching, the Brewers have a number of prospects on their full-season teams. Some have high ceilings and are exciting. Others seem to emerge out of nowhere. There are a lot of pitchers in the system to look through, so we’ll divvy this up between the full-season teams and the Rookie League squads. Image courtesy of © Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports Let’s start by taking a look at the full-season squads, where some pitchers have been making some very strong cases. Nashville Sounds Robert Gasser, Janson Junk, and Justin Jarvis have each made the Brewer Fanatic Top 20 list at times, and they headline the Sounds' rotation. Jason Alexander, who filled in the Brewers rotation in 2022, is on the comeback trail after spending a lot of time on the injured list. Eric Lauer has been struggling after some solid years in the MLB rotation, while Pedro Fernandez and Caleb Boushley have also spent time in the Nashville rotation. Should the Crew be forced to deal Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff in the offseason, there are potentially solid replacements in-house for the team, which at the MLB level has been able to get higher-than-expected performance from pitchers. Biloxi Shuckers Carlos F. Rodriguez has been the undisputed ace in Biloxi, but the real game-changer has been James Meeker’s move to the rotation after a dominating stretch in the bullpen in Biloxi in 2022. He set himself up for this breakout in 2023, with an amazing winter in Brisbane. Meeker’s shift to the rotation, following injured list visits by Brandon Knarr and Adam Seminaris is an interesting development that could be an opening for a couple other pitchers in the Brewers system, and could be a huge benefit for the Brewers come 2025. Christian Mejias, Tobias Myers, and TJ Shook also have spent time in the rotation. Wisconsin Timber Rattlers There are two sides to the Timber Rattlers rotation: The struggles of prospects Stiven Cruz, Cameron Waggoner, and Alexander Corinelle on the one hand, and the continued development of Tyler Woessner and Joseph Hernandez on the other, plus the promotion of Jacob Misiorowski from Carolina. While Misiorowski still has yet to average more than four innings a start in Wisconsin, he’s shown dominating stuff. Carolina Mudcats While some touted prospects have struggled in Wisconsin, a number of below-the-radar prospects have exploded on the scene in Carolina. Patricio Aquino has posted a 2.06 ERA and 1.01 WHIP for the Mudcats, emerging as the ace of the rotation. Logan Henderson is also putting up outstanding numbers. Will Rudy has also emerged as a solid starter in Zebulon. Quinton Low, Alexander Vallecillo, Yujanyer Herrera, and Aidan Maldanado have also seen time in the Mudcats rotation. Overview The Brewers have seen a number of their starting pitchers have setbacks down on the farm this year, but those who are emerging look to be quite good. In essence, the Brewers have some solid options at every level of the fam, and this is before anyone takes into account what may happen in the upcoming trade deadline period. After those moves, the Brewers could be very well-stocked, indeed. View full article

The Brewers have long had a tradition of pulling together excellent relief pitching and seeing it pay off in performance on the field, as well as returns in trades. Drew Rasmussen and Bob Wickman are among the relivers who have brough massive returns in the past. Right now, the MLB bullpen looks very solid with Devin Williams, Joel Payamps, Elvis Peguero, Hoby Milner, and Bryce Wilson leading the pack. Image courtesy of © Paul Halfacre-USA TODAY Sports In the minors, the same has been true – and much of the Brewers full-season system has seen some outstanding performances from relief pitchers that make it very likely the Brewers could see similar success for years down the road. We’ll look at the rookie league bullpens in a separate piece, given the fact that they will have smaller sample sizes. Nashville Sounds The Milwaukee-Nashville shuttle has been going two ways for a bit this season, and it makes for tough decisions between very good choices. Ethan Small, Clayton Andrews, Peter Strzelecki, J.B. Bukauskas, Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, Tyson Miller, and Alex Claudio have all spent time in both Brewers and Sounds uniforms. Justin Wilson has yet to make it to Milwaukee, but has pitched well while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Uribe looks like he will remain in the Brewers bullpen full-time, and others on the shuttle can certainly make cases for longer stays in Milwaukee as well, notably Andrews, Strzelecki, and Small. Darrell Thompson is also making a case for a 40-man spot, even if he is older than a typical prospect. Biloxi Shuckers The Shuckers bullpen is in a very different world than it was in March. Back then, it looked like Uribe and James Meeker would be the 1-2 punch in the late innings. Instead, Uribe is in Milwaukee and Meeker is in the starting rotation. Cam Robinson is back in Biloxi after struggling in Nashville, and has had a forgettable season, along with Zach Vennaro, Nick Bennett, and Ryan Middendorf. Harold Chirino had also dominated in Biloxi but has been placed on the 60-day IL as of July 15th. Some of the Shuckers’ best performers out of the pen are in Nashville – or even Milwaukee. Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Kaleb Bowman has pitched his way to Biloxi, but the Timber Rattlers have seen some excellent performances. Max Lazar is rebounding from injury to become a superb bullpen option, joining Tanner Shears, Luis Amaya, Sam Gardner, Shane Smith, and Brannon Jordan. Karlos Morales, Justin King, and Ryan Brady have also posted some excellent numbers in Appleton. The Brewers will not be lacking for options in the next two to three years. Carolina Mudcats Shears and Smith have pitched their way to Appleton from Zebulon, but the Mudcats are not short of potential relief prospects. Quinton Low has split time between the rotation and the bullpen while also handling some DH duties. Yerlin Rodriguez has notched four saves as of July 21, while Chase Costello has done well despite not ringing up strikeouts. Jeison Pena and Tyler Wehrle have also contributed out of the bullpen for the Mudcats. Overview How deep is relief pitching in the Brewers farm system? The Brewers could deal Devin Williams, Payamps, Peguero, and Milner tomorrow, and they could arguably call up replacements who could take over without missing a beat – at least on paper – from Nashville. It’s a very nice position to be in, but it also causes a problem as minor-league free agency and the 40-man roster only allow so many players to stick around. But considering other problems teams could have, the Brewers may have to accept the relative downside to their vast buffet of good options. View full article

Toro and Hiura, sending down Jones and DFA Winker.

When discussing the designated hitter in the Brewers farm system, one needs to have the dreaded asterisk alongside. In many cases, it is used to rotate among various position players to give them additional playing time, and allowing prospects to develop. Image courtesy of © Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports That said, it never hurts to see who is manning this position. In some ways, it will account for up to one-ninth of a team’s production, and if you can find a great DH – or even good players who can rotate – it helps the team win games. Nashville Sounds In Nashville, the DH has become a revolving door as of July 16, with players having at most ten games. For the Sounds, the three players who reached that level are catchers Payton Henry, Alex Jackson, and Brian Navarreto. Keston Hiura and Abraham Toro have each seen eight games at the position. Biloxi Shuckers Tristen Lutz has played 22 games at DH as of July 16, while Noah Campbell and Wes Clark have 14 and 13 games at that position, respectively. Lutz has shown on-base skills and power, while Clarke has split time at first and catcher. Campbell has played all over the diamond and has hit well enough to get DH at-bats, too. Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Like Biloxi, three players are seeing a lot of time at DH: Catchers Matthew Wood and Darrien Miller, along with third baseman Ben Metzinger. Miller’s time at DH could be necessary as he has had some defensive struggles behind the plate, as his bat has always been superb. Wood has also seen time at DH with the Mudcats. Carolina Mudcats As of July 16, four Mudcats lead the team in games at DH with nine: Luke Adams, Jesus Parra, Hedbert Perez, and Jheremy Vargas, with Quinton Low just one game behind those four while also seeing action on the mound. Adams has posted the best numbers of all these players, but the shuffle may have hurt Low the most, as his offense seems to have taken a step back from last year. ACL Brewers Juan Baez and Yeison Perez tied for the most games at designated hitter with five apiece. Baez has posted some dominating numbers, while Perez has been solid. Right behind Baez and Perez is Satchell Norman, whose bat has been outstanding but has also allowed 23 stolen bases. DSL Brewers 1 Argenis Aparicio and Luis Garcia have played six games at DH for the first Brewers DSL affiliate. Both come to that position from different routes. Garcia is a catcher posting a .354 OBP as of July 16. On the other hand, Aparicio has seen time in both corner outfield positions and has already made four appearances on the mound. Outfielder Pedro Tovar and shortstop Kevin Ereu have tied for second with three games at DH apiece as of July 16. DSL Brewers 2 Pedro Ibarguen leads the second Brewers DSL affiliate with nine games at DH. Shortstops Roderick Flores and Filippo Di Turi are the second and third DHs for the second Brewers DSL affiliate, with six and five games, respectively. All have been on-base machines as of July 16. Overview For the most part, designated hitter has been a revolving door in the Brewers system. That said, the Brewers may want to look at locking a couple of players into that role on a more permanent basis to move them up the ladder faster. View full article

I think Miller's got the better chance at actually reaching his ceiling. Mendez's swing still seems funky, but Miller's offense is good. He just needs to move to LF/1B full-time.