Harold Hutchison

In the short time since his promotion to the Brewers, Sal Frelick has been amazing. That said, perhaps there is room to use him better than he is being used now, and make the Brewers a better team overall in the process. Image courtesy of © Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports In his brief MLB tenure, Sal Frelick has batted sixth once, and cleanup twice in the three games he has played as of the morning of July 25. With his outstanding hit tool and speed, that just doesn’t make sense. It’s time to push him a little, and for the Brewers to tinker with the lineup a bit. The big move should be to have Frelick batting leadoff. Yes, Christian Yelich has done well in that spot for the Brewers in 2022 and 2023, but Frelick’s offensive skill set (as demonstrated through his pro career) screams LEADOFF HITTER. Similar Players To Frelick Batted Leadoff First, let’s go back to the players that Frelick seemed to evoke based on his minor-league career. The comparisons were rather lofty: One was Ichiro Suziki, a surefire Hall of Famer who collected 3,089 hits in MLB after he notched 1,278 in Japan. Suzuki also offered lots of speed, stealing as many as 56 bases in a season, as he usually batted leadoff for the Mariners, Yankees, and Marlins in his career. The other primary comparison was none other than Brewers legend Paul Molitor, who also mostly hit leadoff for the Crew. Like Frelick, Molitor hit for average, drew walks, and stole a lot of bases. Other players we compared Frelick to, like Lorenzo Cain and Nori Aoki, also spent a lot of time in the leadoff slot for the Crew, and both were very similar to Frelick in being able to hit for average and steal bases. The fact is, when you look at Frelick’s excellent hit-for-average tool, his speed, and his ability to draw walks, Frelick is just the guy you want leading off, especially if Yelich looks reasonably likely to hit close to 30 home runs a season again. Yelich Gets More RBIs Yelich and his apparent offensive resurgence in 2023 makes the other part of the case for Frelick in the leadoff spot. If Frelick leads off, with Willy Adames and/or William Contreras batting second, it is quite likely Yelich will come to the plate with runners on base. Yelich hitting home runs is nice, but wouldn’t it be nicer if the home runs came with runners on base? This is more about making the most of Yelich’s skills as well. Given that the Brewers have had some collective struggles scoring runs (four of the players in the July 25 lineup had an OPS+ below 100, and Andruw Monasterio’s OPS+ was at 100 on the dot, while Frelick and Jahmai Jones have very small sample sizes), if Yelich is going to have plate appearances, it is best for them to come with runners on base, so that the Brewers can score more runs. Yes, Yelich has done well in the leadoff spot, and the adage of not fixing what isn’t broken is generally wise, but in this case, the Brewers offense has been broken for a bit. Moving Frelick to leadoff may be just the spark that is needed to improve the offense. View full article

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

If so, then it may be worth picking up the options for 2025 and 2026 at the very least.

I'm wondering if "Marlins-plus" Yelich - someone who can be a 30-30 threat - is what the Crew is getting.

The Brewers have fallen behind Pittsburgh, trailing the surprising Pirates by a single game as of June 13. But while the weekend sweep by the A’s has knocked the Crew out of first place for now, that is not the bad news that Brewers fans should fret about, given that there are still 97 games to play. Image courtesy of © Sam Greene-USA TODAY Sports The real bad news is what Brewers fans haven’t heard anything about: To wit: whether or not the Brewers will be looking for a new manager in the offseason. There is no word on whether Craig Counsell will still be wearing the blue and gold of the Brewers. This silence is very concerning, particularly given the fact that Counsell has probably been the best manger in Brewers history by just about every possible metric (be it wins, playoff appearances, longevity) that can be looked at on paper. Is that hyperbole? Let’s look through some of the record: In five of the six full (162-game) seasons under Counsell, the team posted 86 wins or more, according to the Brewers’ 2023 media guide. The only exception was 2016, which saw the Brewers win a not-too-shabby 73 games, considering the fact that the team dealt Jonathan Lucroy and Jeremy Jeffress for Lewis Brinson and Luis Ortiz, who each were components in deals that enabled the team’s 2018 run to Game Seven of the NLCS. Counsell has the highest win total of any Brewers manager in history–surpassing Phil Garner in 2022, and Garner’s tenure with the Brewers was sub-.500 overall. The Brewers manager with the most wins and a winning record prior to Counsell was Tom Trebelhorn, and he never got into the playoffs (although he did not have the benefit of Wild Card spots or the three-division format). Harvey Kuenn had the highest winning percentage over two stints (1975, 1982-1983), but only had the one playoff appearance that netted the Crew the 1982 AL pennant. The team got single playoff appearances from Buck Rogers in 1981, the duo of Ned Yost and Dale Sveum in 2008, and Ron Roenicke in 2011. Counsell has equaled that total in his tenure, which is the longest of any manager in Brewers history (1235 games as of June 10 and counting). Furthermore, Counsell’s Brewers have won 21 games more than their Pythagorean record would indicate from 2016 through the games of June 10, 2023. That includes four in this injury-riddled 2023 season, and a stunning eight in the 2019 Wild Card season. Counsell also exceeded the Pythagorean by five games in the 2018 season–so his managing got the Crew to Game 163 against the Cubs that year. It's not even up for debate at this point: Counsell’s done a superb job as manager of maximizing the talent on the Brewers roster. He’s clearly managed the clubhouse very well over the past eight-plus seasons in charge of the team. Sure, the team is scuffling offensively, and there have been a lot of injuries this season. The manager can play an important part. For all some Brewers fans like to dump on Ned Yost, can anyone deny that his enthusiasm to be the manager of the Brewers played a role in turning the team around after that horrendous 2002 season that marked the franchise’s nadir? But at this point, can anyone point to someone who is a certain upgrade over Counsell as the on-field manager? Right now, that seems to be highly doubtful. If anything, Counsell has clearly earned an extension from the Brewers. The apparent lack of any apparent movement to keep Counsell in the fold should be of great concern to fans hoping to see a run of success for the franchise continue. View full article

Picking at #18 overall, the Brewers will probably have little chance of some of the most hyped prospects in the 2023 MLB draft. That said, there will be a number of choices for the team at #18. Who could they pick? Let’s take a page from Leslie Knope and put together a pros and cons list for some of them. Image courtesy of © Chris Jones-USA TODAY Sports This whole exercise will be based on the Consensus Big Board as of May 24. This will include the player listed at that spot, a couple of players in the five spaces after number 18; two guys who are in the five spaces before 18; a couple of cheeseballs within the top 30; a “dropper” in the top ten, and a pair of “reaches” in the range of 31-50. At the pick #18 – 3B Aidan Miller, Mitchell High School (Florida) Pros: A big power bat who plays third base. Described as having a “solid” hit tool. Good defense. Power tool rated at 60 on the 20-80 scale. Cons: Prep athlete, not likely to rapidly climb the system. Might not stick at third, could end up at first base. Before the #18 pick #13 – 2B Tommy Troy, Stanford University Pros: Excellent hitter. College bat who could rapidly rise through the system. Improving atrikeout-to-walk ratio, shows ability to make adjustments. Cons: Missed time with injury. Is a bat-first player who may need to move to left field or DH. Farm system already crowded with middle infield prospects. #15 – RHP Noble Meyer, Jesuit High School (Oregon) Pros: Tall (6’5”) who could possibly add some muscle. Already a good power arm with a fastball and slider. Cons: Prep arm, which hasn’t worked so well for the Brewers at times. Third pitch a work in progress. Not likely to move rapidly through the system. After the No. 18 pick #20 – 1B/RHP Bryce Eldridge, Madison High School (Virginia) Pros: Two-way threat as first baseman and pitcher. Potential ability to also handle corner outfield slots. Left-handed bat, which could fit well at American Family Field. Cons: Prep player, and not likely to rapidly climb the ladder to the majors. Crew’s handling of Quinton Low indicates that one side of potential two-way contribution could be ignored. #21 – 3B Brayden Taylor, Texas Christian University Pros: Left-handed power bat that could do well in American Family Field. Good defense at third base. Could move up the ladder relatively quickly. Excellent walk rate in college. Line-drive power to all fields. Cons: Strikes out a lot. Exit velocity relatively low despite high come run totals. Top 30 “Cheeseballs” #27 – OF Chase Davis, University of Arizona Pros: Could move quickly up the system. Left-handed bat with power and OBP skills. Cut down strikeouts from 2022 to 2023. Cons: Crowded position in the farm system. Still has a relatively high strikeout rate. Not a threat on the basepaths. #30 – 1B Nolan Schanuel, Florida Atlantic University Pros: Does not strike out much. Incredible OBP skills. Threat on the basepaths. Could rapidly climb through the farm system. Plays a position of need in the system. Has some corner OF and 3B experience in summer leagues. Cons: Primarily plays first base, and DH may be the other option. FAU not known for facing powerhouse teams. Primarily played in warm weather. Potential “Dropper” #7 Jacob Gonzalez, University of Mississippi Pros: Could rapidly move through farm system. Excellent OBP skills. Avoids strikeouts. Possibly a left-handed Jeff Cirillo or Mark Loretta. Played well in SEC. Cons: Shortstop is crowded. Lacks speed on basepaths. Not a lot of power. The “Reaches” #38 – SS Adrian Santana, Doral Academy (Florida) Pros: Switch-hitter. Excellent defense. Speedy. High-contact bat. Cons: Not likely to move up the ladder quickly. Shortstop a very crowded position in farm system. #41 – C/1B Raffaelle Velazquez, Huntington Beach High School (California) Pros: High-power lefty bat. Has versatility, playing catcher, first base, and third base. Could be an option in corner OF slots with strong arm. Superb plate discipline. Cons: Prep bat, not likely to move fast through system. Needs work behind the plate, which could stunt development of offense. Catcher somewhat crowded in system. Which player from here would you like to see the Brewers draft? View full article

With the draft coming up, the Brewers will get the chance to infuse a lot of new talent into the farm system. In some areas, that infusion will be much-needed: By Opening Day 2024, they will need to find a way to keep fans interested after the all-but-inevitable departures of Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Willy Adames via trade. Image courtesy of © Angela Peterson / USA TODAY NETWORK Hopefully, the farm system will have prospects who can do that. But the Brewers have some needs they should look to fill. Let’s take a look at them. First Base Face it, the players manning first base for the Brewers farm system are not looking too hot. Aside from 31-year-old Jon Singleton, none have an OPS over .718 as of June 2. Rowdy Tellez is slated to be a free agent after 2024, so the Brewers may need to find a replacement unless they extend him (which might be a good idea). Even if Tellez is extended through 2030, by the end of the deal, he may be more of a DH than a reliable option at first base. Thus, looking for a first baseman who can rapidly climb the ladder might be good–say Nolan Schanuel, with the Competitive Balance A pick the Brewers have this year. Third Base Tyler Black has been handing third base well in Biloxi, but his injury history means it may not be a bad idea to have a backup option–or better yet, someone who can push Black to second base, first base, DH, or even left field. This player should be someone who could rapidly climb the system. Braden Taylor might be that option for the Crew in the first round, at pick 18. Starting Pitchers One lesson of 2023 is that there can never be too much depth for your starting rotation. With the exception of Burnes, every member of the planned Opening Day 2023 rotation was on the injured list in 2022, 2023, or both. This should be a pitcher who can make a fast climb as well. One candidate with their second-round pick (No. 54): Alonzo Tredwell, while Sean Sullivan would make an excellent choice at pick 87 in the third round, and Matthew Dallas could be a worthwhile risk in the fourth or fifth round. Pray For A Drop In 2018, Brice Turang dropped to the Brewers at No. 21 in the first round of the draft. The Crew could always hope for history to repeat itself five years later, and maybe get some great talent. Jacob Gonzales from Mississippi could be one such dropper–offering the Brewers someone who could move up quickly, and whose lefty bat could be very useful. Another possibility is Adrian Santana–who is currently 38 on the consensus big board, but could be worth taking if he slips to #54 overall. Make A Deal Or Three – Get More Picks Acquiring competitive-balance picks might be another option. The Brewers have given up picks to get players, and should consider making a deal to clear space for Black or other prospects (Quero, etc.). If that can be done, the Crew could add one or two more prospects. It also could be a way to address the roster crush as players continue to come off the injured list and re-join the parent club. Overview The Brewers come into the 2023 MLB draft with a number of needs. How they fill them could determine how they perform in 2026 and beyond. The success–or the lack thereof–in 2017-2020 has shown up in recent Brewers teams. But successful drafts can lead to success. View full article