Harold Hutchison

Quite frankly, the team cohesion and the approach are two of the biggest reasons I am optimistic. Seriously, games I thought were in the "L" bucket are probably in the "up for grabs" bucket, including the starts by Rea. That says a lot about this team, and it's very good, IMO. At this point, I'd be cautious about big adds, but again, looking to bring back Suter might be better, especially with how the Raptor's been doing so far.

A cheap closer is not a bad thing to have.

The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers bring some surprising returnees and exciting prospects for 2023. These are players facing some real tests–some of whom may not make it past this level. But at the same time, there are legitimate prospects for Brewers fans to be excited about, and they play right in many fans’ neck of the woods. Image courtesy of © Danny Damiani/USA TODAY NETWORK- via Imagn Content Services, LLC So, who might Brewers fans get a glimpse of this year? Let’s take a look. Pitching While the Shuckers bullpen is extremely exciting, the Timber Rattlers have a rotation headlined by Stiven Cruz and Alexander Cornielle, followed by comeback candidate Max Lazar. Russell Smith, Cameron Wagoner, and Joseph Hernandez also look to take time in the rotation. The bullpen looks to be led by Michele Vassalotti, Karlos Morales, and Joey Matulovich, with Taylor Floyd and Ryan Brady among others in the mix. Ryne Moore, a potential rotation candidate, is starting the season on the 60-day injured list. Catchers This position has a couple of surprises. Darrien Miller, who had an excellent offensive season in 2022, returns to Wisconsin. He will be joined by organizational soldier Alex Hall, who performed well in the Australian League in the 2022-2023 winter season, and Jesus Chirinos, who primarily played first base but has experience at catcher. This could be a very potent offensive group, but the defense may be an issue. Infielders First baseman Ernesto Martinez also returns to Wisconsin after spending a lot of time on the shelf in 2022. He is joined by second baseman Robert Moore, who dominated at Brisbane over the 2022-2023 winter season in Australia. Eric Brown and Eduardo Garcia will be competing at shortstop, with Brown having an edge there. Ben Metzinger will end up the primary third baseman. Jose Acosta will be the primary backup for second and third base, while Chirinos may see a lot of time at first, especially if Martinez can’t avoid the IL. Outfield Some legit prospects are in the Wisconsin outfield, even if they aren’t as hyped as Jackson Chourio, Sal Frelick, Garrett Mitchell, and Joey Wiemer. We start with Joe Gray Jr., who has flashed a three-true outcome bat with some solid defense. He’s joined by Hendry Mendez, who brings superb OBP skills, but a suboptimal swing, and Je’Von Ward, who missed playing last season barring a short AFL stint. Ernesto Martinez could see time here, too, along with backups Terence Doston and Micah Bello. Overview A lot of the players in Wisconsin have potential, particularly in the rotation and in the middle infield. For others, this is a make-or-break season. Miller and Martinez are potentially significant contributors, but one has to find a defensive home, and the other needs to stay healthy. Ward is in a similar situation. Gray needs to hit higher than the Uecker line, Mendez needs to fix his swing, Garcia has to show he can hit reliably, and Lazar must show he is back. We will probably know more in a couple months about how these questions will shake out – the Brewers tend to aggressively promote prospects at times, and should some of those in the make-or-break get moved to Biloxi, it will be a good sign for them and the Brewers. If not, we could see some very heartbreaking cuts take place. View full article

Wiemer's got the strongest arm, which argues for keeping him in right, if you ask me. Frelick in center, Wiemer in right, Yelich in left.

Can't have too much depth. I say bring up Frelick either way.

I did point to Yelich's Marlins years as a comp. Would LOVE to see Mitchell end up as Yelich 2018-2019, but think the batting average would still be a little lower.

After he won Sunday's game almost singlehandedly, Garrett Mitchell looks increasingly entrenched not only in the Brewers' lineup, but in the hearts of Brewers fans. Let's try to get a firmer handle on his future, by looking to similar players of the past and present. Image courtesy of © Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports Garrett Mitchell hasn’t been in the majors long, but already, he’s proven to be an exciting player for Brewers fans to watch. He effectively replaced Lorenzo Cain late in the 2022 season, roughly two years after being selected in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft. Who hasn’t enjoyed Mitchell’s home runs or defensive gems? In fact, in some ways, he seems familiar to Brewers fans. As a left-handed hitter with no shortage of pop so far, he seems very suited for American Family Field. He has also flashed elite speed over his career. Now, who does that sound like? Why, a one-time All-Star center fielder who was also involved in some transaction drama that helped create the run of success the Brewers have had since 2017. Carlos Gómez Gómez twice led the league in the Power-Speed Number, and from 2012 to 2015, he notched a Gold Glove and two All-Star Game appearances. He averaged 20 homers and 32 stolen bases in that timeframe, production that Mitchell could easily match, given the dimensions of American Family Field. They also share powerful arms: Mitchell racked up three assists in 17 games as a right fielder in the minors in 2022, while Gómez once led the NL in assists by a center fielder. But while both Mitchell and Gómez bring potent bats to the mix, the comparison isn’t exact. The biggest area, of course, is OBP. Mitchell has demonstrated superior walk-drawing skills in the minors, and has not done badly in a small MLB sample. Then, there’s the fact that they hit from opposite sides of the plate. So, to completely describe Mitchell’s skills, we probably need to look to another player–one who was with the Crew for just a short time. Curtis Granderson Curtis Granderson spent less than one full season with the Brewers – that magical 2018 run to the NLCS – but in understanding Garrett Mitchell, he is perhaps the other part of the hybrid that Brewers fans should look at. Granderson played a lot of center field, and he could draw walks like nobody’s business – he had 12 in 54 plate appearances with the Brewers. Like Mitchell, he batted left-handed. Granderson, though, brought far more power than Mitchell seems to, hitting as many as 43 home runs in a season. Mitchell’s power potential seems a bit lower than that, based on what we have seen so far. Given that Mitchell is playing in American Family Field, though, 30 homers a season doesn’t seem out of reach, but it may be more likely to see Mitchell approach double figures in doubles, triples, homers, and steals than to challenge the home run record set by Prince Fielder. Then again, Granderson famously had a season that was special in just that way, when he hit 38 doubles, 23 triples, and 23 home runs in 2007. He also stole 26 bases in 27 tries that year, and Mitchell could produce similarly in that dimension. Other Players One can’t help but look at Keon Broxton as another contender–albeit, perhaps, as a worst-case outcome for Mitchell. Broxton handled center field following the Gómez trade, providing defense, power, and speed. Christian Yelich’s years with the Miami Marlins (2013-2017) could also be an interesting comparison for Mitchell, especially given that both were center fielders who could slide over to a corner spot. Looking more to the past, the 1980s version of Fred Lynn could be interesting, if you ignore Lynn’s lack of larceny on the basepaths. Overview Garrett Mitchell could very well be in the heart of the Brewers lineup for five years or more. He may not stick in center field–but that will be due to the fact that the Brewers could place other superb talents like Sal Frelick and Jackson Chourio in that spot. But Garrett Mitchell could force his way into the top 5 list at center field–or any outfield position--in Brewers history. View full article

I'm thinking a right-handed Burnitz with speed, myself.

Joey Wiemer has been a pleasant surprise for Brewers fans since he was called up after Luis Urias went on the disabled list after Opening Day. As of this writing, he’s been a key part f the Brewers' 8-2 run since Urias was injured, with a home run, two doubles, and some excellent defense in right field. Image courtesy of © Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports When Brewer Fanatic did their top 20, Joey Wiemer was behind two other outfielders, Sal Frelick and Jackson Chourio. There was even a credible case that Wiemer and Frelick deserved spots on the Opening Day roster, only to be blocked by trade acquisition Jesse Winker and long-time standby Tyrone Taylor, who’s been no slouch in center. But Wiemer is a top prospect, but who could he be compared to? Let’s take a look. Hunter Renfroe Wiemer’s right-handed power bat and strong arm immediately remind Brewers fans of the team’s regular right fielder in 2022 – Hunter Renfroe. Wiemer’s bat could easily rack up 25-30 home runs in an MLB season, as Renfroe has on average since becoming a major-league regular in 2017. But he also has a cannon for an arm, posting double-digit outfield assists totals – and he’s already snuffed out a runner from the outfield in the majors. But Wiemer doesn’t have some obvious weaknesses seen in Renfroe’s game. For instance, Renfroe has struggled to draw walks and get on base consistently. Wiemer’s been a consistent walk machine, even in the majors. Then there is speed – Renfroe hasn’t flashed the ability to engage in on-base larceny, while Wiemer has. Corey Hart The Brewers’ long-time right fielder, Corey Hart, was a mainstay in right field during two playoff runs in the 2006-2011 timeframe, having moved there from initially playing first base to third base. Hart demonstrated speed in his early MLB career and the minors, posting 20-20 seasons in 2007 and 2008. Hart, like Wiemer, also proved to be credible in center field early on before finding a permanent home in right. While Hart was able to hit 30 home runs later in his career, his bat was more a gap-power bat with 45 doubles in 2008 and 9 triples in 2007. Wiemer’s been more of a pure power bat. Hart’s OBP skills were solid but relied a bit more on being plunked at the plate – which can be a hazardous way to do so. Jeromy Burnitz Another comparison could be Jeromy Burnitz – who handled right field for the Crew in the last 1990s and early 2000s. Burnitz had the power and the OBP skills, albeit he was a left-handed batter. Much like Wiemer, Burnitz also provided decent play in center field. The biggest breakdown was that Burnitz was never much of a speed merchant on the bases, averaging seven swipes a year. Wiemer is a threat for a 30-30 season. Other Players Ryan Braun was a right-handed power bat with power and speed over his career but lacked the OBP skills and defense to compare to Wiemer. Rob Deer offered the power and OBP but not the speed. Overview On many teams, Wiemer would be the top prospect in the system, and the fact he plays a clear third fiddle to Frelick and Chourio speaks well for the team’s depth. But his ceiling includes some Brewers who were among the best in team history in right field. View full article

This is where maybe extending Houser would not be a bad idea. He'd probably come reasonably cheap ($5 million or so), and having him as a solid back-of-the-rotation guy at worst probably helps moving forward. At this point, go with a five-man of Burnes, Rea, Lauer, Peralta, Miley, then expand to six when Houser finishes his rehab. Start stretching out Ethan Small to fill in for the rotation, and have him, Junk, and Gasser ready to backfill any holes.

Fifteen games is, in baseball terms, practically nothing. It’s less than 10 percent of a season. It’s enough to affect many fans’ feelings about offseason moves, though. In that spirit, let’s take a look at the Hunter Renfroe trade. Image courtesy of © Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports The Brewers had a tough decision to make around the non-tender deadline just prior to the Winter Meetings, and they elected to pull the trigger on a trade that would give them some budgetary flexibility and bolster their pitching depth, at the expense of a powerful bat. Los Angeles Angels Received OF Hunter Renfroe Milwaukee Brewers Received RHP Janson Junk RHP Elvis Peguero LHP Adam Seminaris The Brewers embarked upon the 2022-2023 offseason with multiple prospects in the outfield, including Garrett Mitchell, who performed well in September 2022; Joey Wiemer, who showed power, speed, and defense in a rapid climb after being drafted in the fourth round of the truncated 2020 MLB Draft; and Sal Frelick, the team’s 2021 first-round pick. Mitchell, Frelick, and Wiemer were all in the Top 101 prospect list Baseball Prospectus issued prior to the 2023 season. Given the proximity of all three players to the big leagues, the organization needed to make some room. In the meantime, with the departures of Brent Suter, Brad Boxberger, Trevor Gott, and Taylor Rogers, there was a need for some new bullpen arms. The Angels were looking for a corner outfielder to upgrade from Jo Adell, their disappointing former top prospect. The deal with the Angels helped the Brewers address both needs, and let the Angels move Taylor Ward to left with Renfroe taking over in right. Assuming Christian Yelich moved to being the primary designated hitter and Tyrone Taylor became the fourth outfielder, the Brewers had space for all of their prospects, and all five of the Crew’s outfielders on the MLB roster could play at least a decent center field. That’s some pretty enviable depth on a 26-man roster. Then came the Kolten Wong trade, and Jesse Winker became the primary DH. That re-formed the outfield logjam that had been cleared by the Renfroe trade. Ultimately, Luis Urías and Taylor going on the injured list led to Mitchell and Wiemer seeing plenty of time in Milwaukee, while Frelick started 2023 at Triple-A Nashville. Going into Saturday’s game, Wiemer and Mitchell had each posted 0.6 WAR, according to Baseball-Reference, tied with Willy Adames. That’s an outstanding pace this early in the season, especially with Wiemer’s struggles at the plate. Frelick is scuffling a little in Nashville. In Los Angeles, Renfroe has produced a .937 OPS and boasts his best walk rate since 2019, delivering 0.5 WAR for the Angels. Junk, Peguero, and Seminaris are all in the minors, with Junk coming up to replace Brandon Woodruff after the Brewers’ co-ace went on the injured list, too. When one considers that the Brewers are 10-5 after a loss to the Padres Saturday, while the Angels were 7-6 going into Saturday, things have worked out reasonably well for the Brewers in this deal over the short term–albeit not perfectly, given Wiemer’s struggles to hit for average at the MLB level in a very small sample. But trades don’t just have a short-term outlook. Take, for instance, the deal in the 2015-2016 offseason wherein the Brewers traded Adam Lind to the Mariners for three pitchers who hadn’t even gone to full-season ball. The Mariners got one year of decent production (Lind had an OPS+ of 94), but Freddy Peralta made his Brewers debut in 2018, and since then, he’s been third fiddle to Corbin Burnes and Woodruff in the rotation. Similarly, the Josh Hader trade of last year, while roundly panned given the struggles of Rogers and how Dinelson Lamet ended up a waiver wire claim by the Rockies, saw the Brewers flip outfielder Esteury Ruiz for William Contreras, Joel Payamps, and Justin Yeager in a three-team deal this offseason, and Contreras has been producing well so far for the Brewers, while Payamps has been decent in the lower tier of the Crew’s bullpen hierarchy. Will Renfroe stay with the Angels? If so, this deal will look better for the Angels, because he will provide more production for them. Will he walk? If so, the Angels could find themselves watching Junk, Peguero, and Seminaris contribute to Milwaukee’s success for years to come, while the Crew’s young outfielders shine. The short version of all this is: we have a long way to go until we can really evaluate the Hunter Renfroe deal. It seems to be working for both teams so far, but there’s a lot of time to go before the full effects of the deal this season are known, not to mention what it means in future years. View full article

While much attention of fans will be directed to the Nashville Sounds, the Biloxi Shuckers are almost as crucial. Image courtesy of © Curt Hogg / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK The jump from A+ to AA is where many prospects hit the wall. So this is a proving ground – prospects either prove they live up to the hype, take a big step forward, or never see the majors. The Biloxi roster features a number of players at that crossroads and others looking to take that next step. Let’s see who is there. Pitching The Shuckers staff featured the only player on that team to be on the 40-man roster, Abner Uribe, whose fastball regularly hits triple digits. He, James Meeker, and Ryan Middendorf form the core of a bullpen that should be able to lock down games once the Shuckers have a lead. Adam Seminaris will headline the rest of the pen. The rotation will be headed by breakout prospect Brandon Knarr, Brewer Fanatic top 20 prospects Carlos Rodriguez, and Justin Jarvis, who has been solid during his pro tenure, with Nick Bennett and TJ Shook rounding out that group. Catchers Jeferson Quero, unsurprisingly, headlines the catchers opening 2023 with the Shuckers. The real surprise is that Darrien Miller, who performed well at A+ Wisconsin, was kept there, leaving Nick Kahle and Jason Lopez as the backups. Wes Clarke has spent time behind the plate during a brief 2022 stint in Biloxi but may be seeing a lot of action at first base due to the absence of other players. Infielders Since Ernesto Martinez is joining Miller for another Opening Day with the Timber Rattlers, Clarke will become the primary first baseman in the early going, where he has been solid defensively while posting good offensive numbers. Zavier Warren will be opposite Clarke on the infield at third base while Freddy Zamora, Felix Valerio, Tyler Black, and Ethan Murray fight it out for playing time in the middle infield. Outfielders MLB Pipeline’s new #1 overall prospect, Jackson Chourio and Tristen Lutz headline the group and will likely man center field and right field, respectively. While listed as an infielder on the official roster, Noah Campbell is likely the primary left fielder and has played there a lot. Still, Tyler Black and Felix Valerio have seen some time in the outfield, Black in center and Valerio in left. Given the crowded state of the Shuckers' middle infield, one or both could be in left. Overview The Shuckers have some talent, but the front office also made a couple of confusing calls. The Shuckers could have had Quero, Miller, and Clarke as their catcher group, with Martinez manning first base. However, they will have to use left field and designated hitter to handle a surplus of talent in the middle infield. The pitching staff has some real potential, as well. It is easy to imagine that this team could have at least a half-dozen players up with the Brewers for Opening Day 2025. View full article

Sal Frelick had a very exciting spring. Between Spring Training and the World Baseball Classic, posting a .808 OPS in some abbreviated spring training action before he took the WBC by storm with a slash line of .303/.333/.435 for Italy. Image courtesy of © Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin via Imagn Content Services, LLC Despite that superb performance, he’s in Nashville right now, awaiting his shot – collateral damage from the Kolten Wong trade that cleared space for fellow top prospect Brice Turang, who we discussed earlier because the return included DH/OF Jesse Winker. Like Turang, Frelick is not quite a clone of some past or current stars, he’s a bit of a hybrid, but a very obvious comparison can be made from the get-go. Ichiro Suzuki The similarities between Frelick and Ichiro are quite noticeable. Both are outfielders with superb defense, hit for a high average, and can swipe a lot of bags. Add in Ichiro’s NPB stats, and the comparison becomes somewhat stronger. Frelick is a classic leadoff hitter who could contend for a batting title. But the comparison breaks down into one key area. Unlike Ichiro, though, Frelick has shown a solid ability to coax walks over his minor-league career. That ability didn’t quite show up as strongly in the WBC and spring training in 2023, but it is nice to know that Frelick has that capacity. But who could it be comparable to if the walk drawing doesn’t come from Ichiro? Paul Molitor Frelick’s walk drawing ability seems to be reminiscent of another iconic player, the Ignitor himself. To be precise, we’re talking the Paul Molitor from 1987 to the end of his career in 1998 when he averaged as many walks as strikeouts. Frelick’s career minor-league totals (as of the morning of April 5) of 158 games, 745 plate appearances, and a .327/.403/.473 slash line, 36 doubles, ten triples, 13 homers, 38 steals, and 76 walks are comparable to the average of Molitor’s 1991-1992 seasons. That said, the Molitor comparison does break down because, in the later years, Molitor was more of an RBI threat and flashed much more power than Frelick seems to show. Frelick, who is 5’10” and 182 pounds, gives up a couple of inches to Molitor (6’, 185 pounds) in height and is built a bit more like Ichiro (5’11”, 175 pounds). Other Comparisons If you want to talk about other comparisons for Frelick, it is hard to ignore three former Brewers: Lorenzo Cain, Carlos Gomez, and Nori Aoki. Cain, like Frelick, offers speed and a good ability to hit for contact while also providing excellent defense. That said, Cain’s ability to draw walks was nowhere near what Frelick offered. Gomez was a superb defender with speed, but he didn’t have Frelick’s ability to hit for contact or draw walks. Aoki was a contact hitter with speed, and some OBP skills, who primarily played corner outfield positions. Overview Frelick’s floor is probably that of Nori Aoki, but with the ability to play defense at a near-Gold Glove level in center field. Not a horrible outcome and extremely valuable, but that is the floor. The ceiling is more akin to that Ichiro/Ignitor hybrid, a regular threat to provide double figures in doubles, triples, homers, and steals while walking 65-70 times a season and hitting .300. Truly a special player and one who the Crew should consider extending as soon as possible. View full article

Andrews also saw some time in CF during the 2019 season. Might be interesting to see if that comes back as well.

The Nashville Sounds, the AAA affiliate of the Brewers, arguably is the minor-league roster of most importance to the Brewers in 2023. Image courtesy of © Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports After all, the players here have climbed through multiple levels of competition and are on the cusp of the majors. A fair number of the players on this roster were non-roster invitees to spring training or were on the Brewers’ 40-man roster to start the spring. Let’s take a look at this team and give some thoughts. Pitching At least 14 of the pitchers on the Sounds roster were on the 40-man roster were NRIs to spring training. This gives the Brewers a lot of depth options, both in the rotation (where Janson Junk, Robert Gasser, Colin Rea, and Tyler Herb are) and out of the bullpen (from which Ethan Small, Cam Robinson, Alex Claudio, Jake Cousins, Clayton Andrews, Elvis Peguero, and Lucas Erceg could contribute). Cousins is currently on the 7-day disabled list for the Sounds, while Jason Alexander, expected to be part of the Sounds rotation, is on the 60-day injured list with the MLB team. Catchers Payton Henry is the third of three catchers for the Brewers – and should be the primary catcher for the Sounds, and would be a credible second catcher for the Crew if not for the presence of Victor Caratini. Alex Jackson and Brian Navarreto are suitable backups, along with Brent Diaz, who is on the “developmental list.” Could the Brewers have been better served by an aggressive promotion of Darrien Miller or Wes Clarke, who arguably are closer to the future of the position than Jackson or Navarreto are? Infielders The Brewers have a pair of one-time major-leaguers at first base in, Jon Singleton and Keston Hiura, who are trying to get back to the big leagues after showing a lot of promise before losing their way. The Sounds infield has NRI Josh VanMeter and prospect Cam Devanney on the injured list to start 2023. Still, Andruw Monasterio, Eddy Alvarez, and offseason acquisition Abraham Toro all look to get playing time, while third-base prospect Patrick Dorrian is on the developmental list. Outfielders For Sal Frelick, being back in Nashville after spring training and his performance in the World Baseball Classic must be frustrating. But it will be a question of when, not if, he joins Garrett Mitchell and Joey Wiemer in Milwaukee. Blake Perkins, who was on the 40-man roster, joins 2023 NRIs Monte Harrison (on the development list), Skye Bolt, and Tyler Naquin in the outfield. Hiura spent some time in left field with the Brewers in 2022, and Devanney has also seen time in the outfield. Overview The Brewers could field a not-so-horrible team that could sneak its way to 75 wins from the Sounds roster, particularly given some of those currently on the IL. But Nashville’s real purpose is to have players ready to move to Milwaukee – or make their way back. Peguero, Erceg, Robinson, Small, Gasser, Devanney, and Frelick all could be part of the future. Claudio, Hiura, Cousins, Rea, Henry, and VanMeter are among those who have been in the big leagues in the past. There is no shortage of potential contributors to major-league success here, albeit if some are showing up, it’s a bad sign for the Brewers on the injury front. View full article

No, not assuming that, but if there is a package coming... maybe get a couple of near MLB-ready prospects or low-service time MLB players, but also get a younger player or two.

The Brewers should not just look at immediate or near-MLB prospects in any deal involving Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, Willy Adames, and Eric Lauer, among others. After all, there is always the future to consider, and taking a long view can reap benefits. Take the Adam Lind trade, where the Brewers got three very young prospects, including Freddy Peralta. Image courtesy of Brock Beauchamp So, it may not be bad for the Crew to look for that option in the rookie leagues (DSL, ACL, GCL) or even full-season A and A+ leagues. After all, given the harsh hot-stove realities they face, the Brewers should be looking to generate multiple waves of prospects and, ideally, find the prospects that other teams are undervaluing. These players come with a bigger risk – they won’t quite have the track record of the AAA or AA prospects discussed earlier, and there’s a longer road to MLB. Well, you make the trade and take your chances. SS Frederick Bencosme and OF Braylin Tavera, Baltimore Orioles Think of Bencosme as a left-handed Jeff Cirillo with some speed who can play shortstop—a good option off the bench in the worst case. Tavera already has monster OBP skills and could develop into a superb power bat in the outfield, with an ETA down the road, even if the outfield is already crowded in the farm system. SS Angel Genao and OF Jaison Chourio, Cleveland Guardians Genao is a switch-hitting middle infielder who looks to develop some decent power down the road. Given how the Brewers love versatility, Genao looks like a natural fit for the Crew if they keep the front office band together. If the other guy sounds familiar, he’s Jackson’s younger brother. Jaison has incredible OBP skills and is a switch-hitter, so a family reunion could pay off big for the Crew. RHPs Miguel Ullola and Jose Fleury, Houston Astros If the Brewers want to create the Peralta Poach of a decade ago, the Astros could be a potential partner to do that with a pair of pitchers. Ullola has a fastball that hitters struggle with, much like Peralta. Fleury posted a 15:1 K/BB ratio in his early stops. Either pitcher would be a massive boost to a late 2020s Brewers rotation or bullpen. 2B Adrian Palencia and RHPs Walter Urena and Nixon Encarnacion, Los Angeles Angels Palencia is a switch-hitting middle infielder with some pop, a lot of speed, and excellent OBP skills, and they could be a Keith Ginter with speed for the Brewers bench down the road. Urena and Encarnacion would-be candidates to replicate Peralta as rookie-league steals. SS Ryan Reckley and C Patrick Bailey, San Francisco Giants A pair of switch-hitters, Reckley and Bailey, both have flashed excellent OBP skills. Bailey is a 3TO bat at catcher with the superb defense who’s had injury issues, meaning he may need time at DH or first base to minimize trips to the disabled list. Reckley has OBP skills, speed, and pop but suffered cracked vertebrae, which ended his season after 11 games. SS Carlos Colmenarez and 1B Xavier Isaac, Tampa Bay Rays The Crew could have a couple of intriguing options for lottery tickets from the Rays. Colmenarez is a superb defender with OBP skills, some speed, and the ability to rack up doubles – much like Craig Counsell. Isaac is a slightly taller Prince Fielder, but his coachability and left-handed bat could bode well as the Brewers' primary 1B in the late 2020s and early 2030s. SS Tucker Toman, RHP Dahian Santos, and UT Adrin Pinto, Toronto Blue Jays If Brewers fans like Robert Moore, they could also like Tucker Toman, a similar switch-hitter who plays the middle infield. Toman could easily slot in at third, second, short, or be a utility guy. Pinto is only 5’6” tall, but he has a ton of speed, OBP skills, and the fearlessness that could remind Brewers fans of Fernando Vina. Santos has a dynamic slider that could make him a dominant closer like the “Nasty Boys” types the Reds put together in 1990. Overview This list is far from exhaustive, but the Brewers could secure several prospects for the long term in any trade that involves Burnes, Woodruff, or other players. There are risks – injuries and inability to adjust; we’re familiar with all of that from other prospects who looked good at first. But the rewards from some of these prospects could be huge. View full article