Jump to content
Brewer Fanatic

Harold Hutchison

Brewer Fanatic Contributor
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    6,817

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Profiles

Forums

Blogs

Events

News

2026 Milwaukee Brewers Top Prospects Ranking

Milwaukee Brewers Videos

2022 Milwaukee Brewers Draft Picks

Milwaukee Brewers Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

Guides & Resources

2023 Milwaukee Brewers Draft Picks

2024 Milwaukee Brewers Draft Picks

The Milwaukee Brewers Players Project

2025 Milwaukee Brewers Draft Pick Tracker

Store

Downloads

Gallery

Everything posted by Harold Hutchison

  1. Harold Hutchison
    Wisconsin's team-wide slump has obscured Miller - and it also has hit Wood some - but those two are really good fits for American Family Field. Quero gets a lot of attention, but Miller and Wood are no slouches in terms of prospect status, even if Miller is probably destined to move to 1B/OF and be an occasional catcher like Dave Nilsson did.
  2. Harold Hutchison
    With the MLB season half-over, it may be a good time to see how things are going down on the farm. We will start by revisiting the catchers, and the Crew still is boasting a lot of depth behind the duo of William Contreras and Victor Caratini, who have been superb all season. Image courtesy of © Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports Nashville Sounds The three-headed monster of Alex Jackson, Payton Henry, and Brian Navarreto are not just holding down catcher in Nashville; each has also seen at least nine games at DH. Henry and Jackson are also proving to be solid with the bat. With this wealth of short-term options, Caratini’s pending free agency means he will likely head elsewhere after 2023, but the Brewers could benefit from good continuity with Henry and Jackson as solid secondary catchers familiar with the Triple-A pitching staff. Biloxi Shuckers Jeferson Quero has been delivering the power, and his OBP skills have improved as well (21 walks in 189 ABs in 2023, compared to 30 in 367 last year). Add to that superb defense at age 20, and he will likely be in Nashville to start 2024. There is no rush--he is only 20 years old--but he could bump Contreras to DH. Otherwise, the Crew could flip Contreras for a haul around the 2024-2025 offseason, or just keep both behind the plate, utilize them at DH or first base for partial days off, and keep them both more fresh. That said, Wes Clarke has also been superb as the backup catcher, and has also held down first base when called upon. Nick Kahle and Jason Lopez have also chipped in behind the plate. Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Darrien Miller is rebounding from an early-season slump, providing doubles and walks galore. The offense usually has been there for the 2019 ninth-round pick, but the question is really about his defensive home. Miller’s situation got more complicated when Matthew Wood was promoted to Wisconsin, after posting dominant numbers with the Mudcats. Wood has also flashed OBP skills, but the power he had in Carolina seems to have stayed there. Alex Hall has become the third catcher, who also sees time in left field and first base and delivers OBP and power from both sides of the plate. Carolina Mudcats With Wood’s promotion, Blayberg Diaz and Jose Sibrian have held down the catching duties in Zebulon. Sibrian has flashed OBP skills and power, while Diaz has done better at hitting for average. Jhonnys Cabrera and Tayden Hall have also chipped in as backstops at times. Arizona Complex League Brewers The Brewers went from two ACL teams to one in 2023, and they may be regretting that decision when it comes to finding playing time for the five catchers on their regular roster (not to mention Tayden Hall, on rehab). Satchell Norman and Edgardo Ordonez are the top two, and both have very potent bats – but each has only seven starts at catcher as of July 1. Dominican Summer League Brewers 1 Yannic Walther and Brayan Oropeza are the primary backstops, and both are hitting well. Both have also seen some time at first base, and Walther has a game as DH, while Oropeza took the mound once. Dominican Summer League Brewers 2 Eric Martinez is the primary catcher for the second DSL squad in the Brewers system, and is flashing OBP skills and power so far. Estebano Lozano, Freider Rojas, and Roman LaTorre have backed Martinez up. Overview The Brewers have almost too many good prospects at catcher, especially in the ACL and DSL. Already, in the ACL, two superb catchers are seeing too little playing time, and there are three catchers in the DSL who will compete for playing time. Higher up the ladder, Quero, Miller, Clarke, and Wood look to have bright futures in MLB, although Miller’s will more likely be as a DH, first baseman, or corner outfielder. Henry and Jackson could both contribute as well. View full article
  3. Harold Hutchison
    More information about "Revisiting The State of the Brewers Farm – Catcher"
    Nashville Sounds The three-headed monster of Alex Jackson, Payton Henry, and Brian Navarreto are not just holding down catcher in Nashville; each has also seen at least nine games at DH. Henry and Jackson are also proving to be solid with the bat. With this wealth of short-term options, Caratini’s pending free agency means he will likely head elsewhere after 2023, but the Brewers could benefit from good continuity with Henry and Jackson as solid secondary catchers familiar with the Triple-A pitching staff. Biloxi Shuckers Jeferson Quero has been delivering the power, and his OBP skills have improved as well (21 walks in 189 ABs in 2023, compared to 30 in 367 last year). Add to that superb defense at age 20, and he will likely be in Nashville to start 2024. There is no rush--he is only 20 years old--but he could bump Contreras to DH. Otherwise, the Crew could flip Contreras for a haul around the 2024-2025 offseason, or just keep both behind the plate, utilize them at DH or first base for partial days off, and keep them both more fresh. That said, Wes Clarke has also been superb as the backup catcher, and has also held down first base when called upon. Nick Kahle and Jason Lopez have also chipped in behind the plate. Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Darrien Miller is rebounding from an early-season slump, providing doubles and walks galore. The offense usually has been there for the 2019 ninth-round pick, but the question is really about his defensive home. Miller’s situation got more complicated when Matthew Wood was promoted to Wisconsin, after posting dominant numbers with the Mudcats. Wood has also flashed OBP skills, but the power he had in Carolina seems to have stayed there. Alex Hall has become the third catcher, who also sees time in left field and first base and delivers OBP and power from both sides of the plate. Carolina Mudcats With Wood’s promotion, Blayberg Diaz and Jose Sibrian have held down the catching duties in Zebulon. Sibrian has flashed OBP skills and power, while Diaz has done better at hitting for average. Jhonnys Cabrera and Tayden Hall have also chipped in as backstops at times. Arizona Complex League Brewers The Brewers went from two ACL teams to one in 2023, and they may be regretting that decision when it comes to finding playing time for the five catchers on their regular roster (not to mention Tayden Hall, on rehab). Satchell Norman and Edgardo Ordonez are the top two, and both have very potent bats – but each has only seven starts at catcher as of July 1. Dominican Summer League Brewers 1 Yannic Walther and Brayan Oropeza are the primary backstops, and both are hitting well. Both have also seen some time at first base, and Walther has a game as DH, while Oropeza took the mound once. Dominican Summer League Brewers 2 Eric Martinez is the primary catcher for the second DSL squad in the Brewers system, and is flashing OBP skills and power so far. Estebano Lozano, Freider Rojas, and Roman LaTorre have backed Martinez up. Overview The Brewers have almost too many good prospects at catcher, especially in the ACL and DSL. Already, in the ACL, two superb catchers are seeing too little playing time, and there are three catchers in the DSL who will compete for playing time. Higher up the ladder, Quero, Miller, Clarke, and Wood look to have bright futures in MLB, although Miller’s will more likely be as a DH, first baseman, or corner outfielder. Henry and Jackson could both contribute as well.
  4. Harold Hutchison
    Bush was clearly done. As for Andrews... a rough debut, but there have been rough debuts for a lot of good pitchers over the years. Not quite Joe Nuxhall's debut from long ago.
  5. Harold Hutchison
    At this point, Bush should only be used to pitch garbage innings. The DFA cannot come soon enough.
  6. Harold Hutchison
    Hard to see the Brewers passing on Schanuel, even if he is a LF/1B type. His bat looks like an amazing fit for American Family Field.
  7. Harold Hutchison
    More information about "Brewers Draft Retrospective: Fifth Round Has Brought Success, And a Lesson Or Two"
    Who was that pick? Nomar Garciaparra, who later became a superstar shortstop with the Red Sox, Cubs, Dodgers, and A’s. He has 44.3 wins above replacement over his career–a figure exceeding that of the four next-most successful (Bill Wegman, Charlie Moore, Steve Sparks, and Pat Listach) fifth-rounders in Brewers history over their major league careers. If the Crew had signed Nomar, there are a lot of "what-ifs" that go on, from how the team did over the years, to just how some popular SNL sketches with Jimmy Fallon and Rachel Dratch might have changed. The Brewers couldn’t close that deal, though, and are left with a big “what if” for the late 1990s and early 2000s. You never know if the one you let get away would be a Nomar. Every pick can matter. Not that Wegman, Moore, Sparks, and Listach didn’t have their moments during their careers. Moore, drafted in 1971, played 14 seasons with the Brewers, and ranked among the best Brewers catchers of all time. Wegman was a solid starter for much of his career, but particularly came into his own in 1991 and 1992 after being drafted in 1981. Injuries derailed him, but he was surprisingly adept at keeping the team in games without strikeout stuff. Steve Sparks had a lengthy career as an inning-eating knuckleball pitcher–spending his first two seasons with Milwaukee before he was let go after an injury-riddled 1997. He led the AL with eight complete games in 2001 with the Tigers. Sparks was a solid pitcher the Brewers could have used during the late 1990s, and therein lies another lesson learned: The pitfalls of cutting bait too soon. Pat Listach won Rookie of the Year in 1992, then played a few more seasons with the Brewers, serving primarily as a bench asset and utility player after a 1994 injury. Listach was part of the 1996 trade that brought Bob Wickman to Milwaukee before being returned due to a previously undiagnosed foot injury. Of course, we can’t forget Steve Woodard’s memorable debut outing against Roger Clemens. Woodard was a solid pitcher for a few seasons, before he and Wickman were part of the trade that brought Richie Sexson to Milwaukee. We know how good Sexson was for the Brewers. Caleb Gindl was a solid corner outfielder for the Crew in 2013, but only had a cup of coffee in 2014 in the majors. Joey Meyer had a solid rookie season as the primary DH in 1988, but after 1989, he never made the majors again. Damien Magnifico also made the majors, for a stint with Milwaukee before he was traded for an international bonus slot. Angel Salome, Michael Reed, and Duane Singleton also had cups of coffee in the majors among Brewers fifth-round picks. It should be noted that, for the most part, the Brewers did learn the lesson from Nomar Garciaparra: Since 1991, they signed every fifth-round pick but one: future NFL safety Jarrad Page. All in all, the Brewers have a lot of good things to point to from the fifth round of the draft–but also some valuable lessons to keep in mind for the future.
  8. Harold Hutchison
    He's my pick for #18 overall. The bat and plate discipline alone are positives. As a corner OF/1B, he is not their usual defensive type, but the offense in this case is a must-have.
  9. Harold Hutchison
    More information about "The Crew Got Some Fourth Round Fabulousness"
    First, let’s look at the obviously fabulous recent fourth-round pick by the Brewers: Corbin Burnes. What’s there to say? A Cy Young award. Status as the ace of the rotation. A combined no-hitter that was the second official no-no in Brewers history (yes, C.C. Sabathia was robbed in 2008). He's contributed 10.6 wins above replacement to date, and he will likely add some more before the 2023 season is out. While it would take a miracle to sign him to an extension, even if the Brewers went full Bobby Bonilla in terms of deferred cash, Burnes has clearly set the mark by which other picks in that segment of the Draft will be judged based on on-field performance. But then there is the case of Tyler Wagner, the Brewers fourth-round pick in 2012. He had a rough cup of coffee in three starts in 2015 with the Crew, then was dealt to Arizona before the 2016 season along with Jean Segura. Who came back? Aaron Hill, Chase Anderson, and Isan Diaz. Hill was dealt for Aaron Wilkerson, who provided some pitching depth for the Crew from 2017-2019. Anderson was a solid starter for the Brewers, then was dealt for minor-league outfielder Chad Spanberger. As for Isan Diaz? Well, Diaz never made it to the Brewers’ active roster, but he was part of the package that brought Christian Yelich to Milwaukee. Billy Bates is somewhat similar to Wagner. He had some brief appearances with the Brewers, then was part of the trade that brought Ron Robinson and Bob Sebra to Milwaukee. While Sebra touched off one of the more notorious brawls in Brewers’ history, Robinson pitched like an ace in 1990, which was a bright spot in an otherwise injury-riddled and disappointing season. Taylor Williams and Mat Gamel, both fourth-round picks, made some contributions to the Brewers over several seasons, but didn’t really become stars. Brad Nelson’s career was thrown off by the presence of Prince Fielder, and he ended up as a Triple-A player after two cups of coffee with the Crew. Eric Farris had a couple brief stints in Milwaukee before he ended up with the Twins’ Triple-A team. Nick Ramirez became a reliever for Detroit, San Diego, and the Yankees, and is still with the Bronx bombers, Currently, the Brewers have Aaron Ashby and Joey Wiemer as fourth-rounders who have seen the majors. Wiemer is holding down center field as a rookie, while Ashby is recovering from a shoulder injury. Meanwhile, on the farm, Nick Kahle is catching behind Jeferson Quero in Biloxi, Logan Henderson is flashing dominance with the Mudcats, and Matthew Wood is taking playing time behind the plate in Wisconsin. All in all, the Brewers have had some fabulous fourth-rounders in their draft history–and they didn’t need to make it to Milwaukee to help bring the team some successful seasons.
  10. Harold Hutchison
    For Conteras, the answer to that question is: Jeferson Quero. It may be that Contreras gets flipped for a package when he hits arbitration, especially if one of Wood/Miller also moves up fast. Plus, Payton Henry and Alex Jackson are hitting well at Nashville.
  11. Harold Hutchison
    More information about "This May Be One Time And Place To Open The Checkbook"
    One place the team may want to consider is with their minor-league players. Yes, there were some major salary bumps from the new collective bargaining agreement, but the Brewers may be well-served to go above and beyond those minimums. This may seem counterintuitive, especially when looking at the success rate (we discussed the second and third rounds earlier, and did a retrospective on the 11th), but in fact, it could give the Brewers a crucial edge. Even the current minor-league minimums, while much better than the past, are still quite low. Remember in 2019, when Tyrone Taylor first came up? His initial plans were for a seasonal job with FedEx, at least before he got placed on the 40-man roster for that year’s Craigtember run. If one has to work a second job in the offseason, one’s ability to stay in shape for baseball is compromised. The team could give its prospects a chance to develop more by upping the minor-league salaries. Paying Rookie-level players $30,000 a year, Low-A players $36,000, High-A players $39,000, Double-A players $45,000, and Triple-A players $54,000 would come to a total of $7,722,000, assuming 28 players per Double- and Triple-A roster and 30 for the levels below that. That is $500,000 less than what Jesse Winker is being paid. The team could also up the newly required pay during spring training, and for offseason workouts, to approximately double the current minimums in the CBA. That, of course, doesn’t account for two-way contracts for players on the fringes of the 26-man active roster, but when you think about it, it evens out, because the increase from the minimums is a bit less than the $7.722 million we talked about. The advantages of this are obvious. First, players who don’t have to take an offseason job to make ends meet can focus more on baseball. As a byproduct of that, they don’t have to worry about injuries during their offseason jobs, either. By being able to keep in better baseball shape, and to focus on baseball, these prospects have a better chance of panning out. In addition, this could be a huge difference in signing players who slip a little in the draft and for attracting minor-league free agents. In the former case, the higher salaries could get that player to sign, giving the Brewers a larger talent pool–the Brewers failed to sign six out of their 21 picks in 2022, and five of 21 in 2021. In the latter case, it gives Milwaukee an edge in finding depth and getting some of the better players who go on the market. Besides, it doesn’t seem smart in a 20-round draft to leave unsigned picks on the table. There is one other advantage: The Brewers can sign a lot of minor-league free agents for a lot less than they can bring in someone to patch a hole in the major-league roster. In a way, it’s like throwing darts at a board, but the Brewers have had success: Peter Strzelecki was a minor-league free agent in 2018. The Crew has also done well securing prospects from the independent leagues, too, giving them a chance to sparkle. The Brewers can’t make big waves in the major-league free-agent market, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t spend money. The best place to spend it might be on the players in the farm system, which could pay off big down the road.
  12. Harold Hutchison
    If the draft goes like this, I'd be hoping for Schanuel at 18 and Whitman at 33, if only because they could move through the system faster. Schanuel not only has a superb bat, but he's probably much better defensively at first than Tellez.
  13. Harold Hutchison
    More information about "The Third Round Hasn’t Always Been The Charm For The Crew"
    For the Milwaukee Brewers, the old saying “the third time is the charm” might draw a sarcastic laugh. Here’s why: Out of the third-round picks since the 2000 season, only two have posted positive career WAR totals: Tyler Thornburg and Jonathan Lucroy. Thornburg, of course, was a key component in the trade that brought Travis Shaw to Milwaukee prior to the 2017 season, giving the Brewers two of the best seasons of performance by a third baseman since they moved Ryan Braun to the outfield. Lucroy is arguably the best catcher in Brewers history. Logan Schaefer bounced between the Brewers and the minors for five years, and is the third-best third-round pick since 2000. Other than that… the Brewers can point to K.J. Harrison, who was part of the package dealt for Gio Gonzalez, a key contributor in 2018 and 2019; Cole Gillespie, who was traded for Felipe Lopez in the 2009 season; Drew Gagnon, who was part of the package for Jett Bandy; and 2019 pick Alex Binelas, who was dealt to Boston as part of the Hunter Renfroe trade–which has netted the Brewers a solid bullpen asset in Elvis Peguero. Don’t get me wrong, when you can trade a player, it helps, but some of the third-round picks who didn’t do so hot drew substantial bonuses–some of which come close to the major-league minimum. With the traded players mentioned here, seven out of the 21 picks from 2000 onward have ended up contributing something to the Brewers–about 33.3%. Now, .333 is not a bad batting average. Heck, if several Brewers were regularly hitting .333, it would be great. But when it comes to draft picks that they are spending some relatively big money on, it is not quite good enough. We’ve all known the harsh realities about the hot-stove league that plague the Brewers for years, and with those realities comes another one: They can’t afford to miss with draft picks that they are spending mid-six-figure bonuses on, to say nothing of the seven-figure bonuses that second-round selections receive (we’ve discussed those picks earlier). The Cubs, Dodgers, and Mets can always deal with misses in the draft by going out on the market to sign a big-name free agent–usually one from a smaller-market team–and they still make plenty of money, even with the luxury tax. Just look at what Steve Cohen was willing to spend this past offseason. The Brewers do not have the luxury of big spending–not if they want to be profitable in the market they are in. For them to compete, they have to score big from the farm system time and time again. That pipeline needs to be not just solid, but close to bursting. So far, the third round has been more tough luck than a lucky charm for the Brewers. If the Brewers want to emulate the Tampa Bay Rays or to be a team that is constantly in contention, this is one round where the Brewers need to make some big improvements in terms of drafting and developing players.
  14. Harold Hutchison
    More information about "Brewers Need To Avoid “Terrible Twos” In The Draft"
    When it comes to the draft, since the year 2000, the Brewers have had some big hits from the first round. Early on, it was Ryan Braun, Rickie Weeks, Jeremy Jeffress, and Prince Fielder. More recently, Keston Hiura helped during the 2019 playoff run, while Brett Lawrie, Matt LaPorta, Jake Odorozzi, Trent Grisham and Mitch Haniger were used to acquire key components for later successful teams, either directly, or through what happened further down the road. The Brewers have been less lucky in the second round, particularly since 2000. They have had some hits, to be sure: J.J. Hardy, Yovani Gallardo, Jimmy Nelson, Tyrone Taylor, and Devin Williams all have been solid contributors for the team, and some of them even helped acquire additional help down the road. Hardy, Williams and Gallardo all are in the discussion as being among the best to play their positions in Brewers history. Other second-round picks were traded and helped acquire crucial pieces for success. Monte Harrison, for example, was part of the package for Christian Yelich. Cody Ponce brought the Crew Jordan Lyles, who played a key role in the 2019 run to the playoffs. Jorge Lopez was part of the package that brought Mike Moustakas to Milwaukee for the 2018 stretch run (and, eventually, the 2019 season). Cutter Dykstra was traded to the Nationals for Nyjer Morgan prior to the 2011 season. Morgan was a dynamic player for the Brewers in that run to the NLCS. However, there have been a lot more misses than big hits in the second round, and those misses have had some high price tags. 2008 second-rounder Seth Lintz got a $900,000 bonus, and never got past Class-A ball. Tucker Neuhaus got $771,000 and never made it past Advanced A. Micah Bello cost $550,000, and also topped out with the Timber Rattlers before he retired. Caden Lemons got a bonus of nearly $1.5 million, and is trying to make a comeback in the Frontier League. Josh Murray and Brent Brewer are also among the second-round picks who didn’t quite work out for the Crew. Other technical “misses” include third baseman-turned-reliever Lucas Erceg, who looks like a solid bullpen contributor–for the Oakland Athletics, after the Crew dealt him for cash. Catcher Mario Feliciano was waived after four at-bats in the big leagues. Antoine Kelly was traded to the Rangers for Matt Bush, who has been lit up more often than not for the Crew. Erceg could have been a useful asset for the Brewers, Feliciano couldn’t have been much worse as a AAA option than Brian Navaretto, and Kelly might have been a nice left-handed reliever for the Brewers system. It goes without saying that a small-market team like the Brewers can’t really afford those sorts of misses, particularly at the price they are paying to land second-round picks. Now, some of the more recent picks, like Jacob Misiorowski, Robert Moore, and Freddy Zamora, look promising. Joe Gray Jr. has flashed power and defense in the minors, and Russell Smith is racking up a lot of strikeouts as a Timber Rattler and Shucker. But going forward, the Brewers have to get more consistent success out of this round, particularly given that they can't afford to make big splashes in free agency to paper over the gaps. It could be the difference between them playing for the title or watching others do so from their homes.
  15. Harold Hutchison
    This win tonight is a huge one. I know, it counts the same as the ones where we completely owned teams, but how this team won says a lot. The fell down early, but got back up and roared back. Makes me feel good. Kind of a 2018 vibe.
  16. Harold Hutchison
    My guess is that it will be a lot more complicated for a team tied to the RSN to move than an NFL team with no such ties.
  17. Harold Hutchison
    NFL teams play once a week, and are broadcast on national networks (CBS, FOX, ESPN, etc.) at specific times. MLB, NBA and NHL play multiple games a week, and the times vary.
  18. Harold Hutchison
    NFL teams are not tied to RSNs the way NHL, NBA, and MLB teams are, though.
  19. Harold Hutchison
    First of all, there are two pitchers. Sullivan and Whitman. Whitman is the sleeper, and I might move him up in place of Jebb, depending on how he does in the Cape Cod league. One Mariners writer would take him in the second, and provides a bit more of a write-up (https://www.midnightmariners.com/p/my-mariners-mock-draft-10) that could prompt a re-evaluation. Second, Schanuel is probably the best hit-for-average/OBP bat in the draft, and worth taking to lock down one of first base or left field for five-plus years. Think Sal Frelick with power, someone who can move Yelich to full-time DH in the 2026-2027 timeframe. Velazquez could be an excellent pickup - not just at catcher, but at any of the corner OF/IF positions, given his arm, and that left-handed power bat fits American Family Field quite nicely. So, I'll stand by those two for the first round and the CB-A pick. As for Sullivan, look at how Teheran. Miley, and Adrian Houser have done this year, especially with the Brewers defense. I'm not going to dismiss a prospect if they're not a flame-thrower.
  20. Harold Hutchison
    If so, then it may be worth picking up the options for 2025 and 2026 at the very least.
  21. Harold Hutchison
    Can't see the division-leading Brewers dealing Burnes mid-season after the Hader trade, unless they were really blown away. Same with Adames, especially if he does regress to the mean. Like if Baltimore offered Rutchsman/Rodriguez/Westburg for Burnes, then I would be thinking about such a deal, but otherwise... hard pass, talk in the offseason.
  22. Harold Hutchison
    All for it, if anything, it would be great to find an artificial surface that could play to some of the strengths of Turang and the prospects coming up.
  23. Harold Hutchison
    More information about "What Would An Ideal Draft For The Brewers Look Like?"
    Without further ado, it’s time to name names. First Round, #18 Overall – 1B/LF Nolan Schanuel Yes, he’s at #30 overall on the Consensus Big Board and might be seen as a reach. Yes, he primarily plays first base and could see action in the corner outfield, as opposed to premium up-the-middle positions. However, in this case, the reach is more than justified by virtue of his bat--most notably the strikeout-to-walk ratio. The Brewers offense is struggling and posting horrific numbers, and Schanuel could rocket through the system both by playing a position where the Brewers farm system is thin and by virtue of his elite talent. The Brewers have had a pattern of selecting “up the middle” players, but this year, it may be time to break that pattern for an elite bat. Competitive Balance A, #33 Overall – C/1B/3B Raffaelle Velazquez Yes, I’m ignoring shortstops and center fielders again, but like Schanuel, Velazquez is probably worth selecting on the basis of his left-handed power bat. He does play catcher. Yes, I know Jeferson Quero is in Double A and making a strong case for packing his bags for Nashville and that William Contreras will be in Milwaukee for a while, but Velazquez also offers versatility by being a solid player at four corner positions (1B, 3B, LF, and RF), and his bat could be an excellent fit for American Family Field. Second Round, #54 Overall – SS Mitch Jebb, Michigan State Jebb could be an excellent choice for the Brewers based on his high-contact left-handed bat, speed, and OBP skills. He’s seen action at shortstop and third base, but some scouting reports have him moving to the outfield. Second base might also be an option for him. At worst, he could be a bench asset who doesn’t embarrass himself at the plate, and he could move relatively quickly through the farm system, especially if Brice Turang doesn’t sort out his skills at the plate. Third Round, #87 Overall – LHP Sean Sullivan, Wake Forest A relatively soft-tossing lefty, Sullivan is racking up an astounding 15 strikeouts per nine innings for Wake Forest. Sullivan could rocket up the board and the Crew may want to consider a reach for Sullivan at #54 overall. The results and the breakout speak very loudly, and Sullivan could move up the system rapidly. With the Brewers facing the loss of Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and others in the rotation, Sullivan could be a good pick. Fourth Round, #119 Overall – LHP Joe Whitman, Kent State There are not a lot of write-ups on Whitman, but in this case, one reason for the Brewers to grab him is the number two. That number is how many home runs Whitman surrendered in all of the 2023 season for Kent State. He did that while still striking out 11.1 hitters per nine innings. Even though he might be a bit of an enigma, the stats point to Whitman fitting in well with the type of defense the Brewers have in Turang, Garrett Mitchell, Joey Wiemer, and other players. Who do you want the Brewers to take with their picks among the first 150 in the MLB draft? Let’s have it out.
  24. Harold Hutchison
    More information about "Brewers Manager Retrospective: Ned Yost"
    The 2002 season was an unmitigated disaster for the Brewers, who finished 56-106, the worst record in franchise history. After that season, general manager Doug Melvin began searching for a new manager. According to the Associated Press coverage of his hiring, Ned Yost wasn’t even in the picture when Melvin began his search. But Yost was extremely eager to manage the Brewers. Ken Macha, the team’s first choice, ended up staying with Oakland for 2003. Yost ended up beating out Bob Melvin, one-time teammate Cecil Cooper, and former Brewer Willie Randolph for the job. In 2003, Yost oversaw a 12-game improvement from the 2002 nadir, even though the team arguably saw a downgrade at shortstop due to the departure of Jose Hernandez via free agency. The next season, despite the trade of Richie Sexson, the team hung in there. In his third year, the Brewers reached .500 for the first time since 1992. Despite a step back in 2006, Yost finally saw the team go above .500 in 2007, with the core of the 2008 and 2011 playoff teams (Ryan Braun, Rickie Weeks, and Prince Fielder) almost fully in place. Indeed, Yost was managing the best left fielder, second baseman, and first baseman in the team’s history, as well as the second-best shortstop, during those years–although those years saw Ben Sheets and Yovani Gallardo miss significant time with injuries. Yost would be fired with 12 games to go in the 2008 season, with Dale Sveum taking over. Perhaps one of his biggest calls was during 2005, when Rickie Weeks and JJ Hardy were struggling. According to a 2019 tweet by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Yost told then-GM Doug Melvin to keep them up, being willing to take the hit on his managerial record. That move worked out quite well down the road. Overall, Yost’s Brewers finished one game over their Pythagorean record (counting the 12 games Dale Sveum handled as interim manager). He was often criticized by the team’s fans for the calls he made within games. His overall record of 457-502 as Brewers manager doesn’t seen impressive, but in things that didn’t show up in the box score, Yost made a big difference. However, Yost’s impact arguably goes beyond a won-lost record. In a very real sense, even as the team was struggling in 2003 and 2004, he brought about a change in mindset following the doldrums of the Davey Lopes/Jerry Royster years that was crucial to the Brewers becoming the (largely) successful team they have been since Mark Attanasio purchased the Crew in 2005. Yost went on to manage for Kansas City from 2010-2019, where he would reach the World Series in 2014 and 2015, winning it all in the latter year. Yost, though, would impact the Brewers during that 2015 season, according to the Athletic, giving the Crew’s new manager, Craig Counsell, advice that arguably helped make Counsell the team’s best manager in history. When it comes down to it, Ned Yost ranks with Tom Trebelhorn as one of the most underappreciated managers in Brewers history.
  25. Harold Hutchison
    It was the right call. Heck, in some ways... it may even be the right call to roll with them in 2024, if they can get a brief 1-2 year extension. I bet Woodruff would go for that on a "prove it" basis.
×
×
  • Create New...