Harold Hutchison

Assumes extensions for Burnes, Adames and Woodruff. C: William Contreras ($0.70M) 1B: Rowdy Tellez ($5.30M) 2B: Brice Turang ($0.7M) 3B: Luis Urias ($4.30M) SS: Willy Adames ($15M) LF: Christian Yelich ($26M) CF: Garrett Mitchell ($0.70M) DH: Jesse Winker ($8.25M) Bench OF: Sal Frelick ($.7M) Utility: Keston Hiura ($2.00M) Utility: Abraham Toro ($0.70M) Backup C: Victor Caratini ($2.80M) RP: Peter Strzelecki ($0.70M) 2B: Kolten Wong (trade to Seattle) ($1.75M) RF: Tyrone Taylor ($0.70M) SP1: Corbin Burnes ($20M) SP2: Brandon Woodruff ($17.5M) SP3: Freddy Peralta ($3.50M) SP4: Eric Lauer ($5.20M) SP5: Adrian Hauser ($3.60M) CL: Devin Williams ($3.20M) RP: Luis Perdomo ($1.00M) RP: Matt Bush ($2.00M) RP: Justin Topa ($.7M) RP: Hoby Milner ($1.10M) RP: Aaron Ashby ($1.00M) RP: Jason Alexander ($.7M) Payroll is 0.15% under budget

Even throughout the down years, the Brewers always seemed to find excellent pitchers who could close out the rare games when they had a lead in the late innings. These days, while many Brewers fans celebrated the rotation and closer Josh Hader, the real unsung heroes were other bullpen pitchers who got the ball to Hader to slam the door. Many of these pitchers the Brewers turned to come from free agency. But some come through the system and are not necessarily conventionally acquired. Who might be the next great Brewers reliever from out of nowhere? Right-handed Relievers Michele Vassalotti, Carolina (A) 9-2, 2.64 ERA, 7 saves, 47.2 IP, 24 BB, 56 K in 33 appearances Bats: Right, Throws: Right Age: 21 Vassalotti was snake-bitten by some defensive issues (8 of 22 runs were unearned), but otherwise, he did very well. He only allowed one home run all season and a 1.112 WHIP. He went two or more innings in nine of his 33 appearances. James Meeker, Wisconsin (A+)/Biloxi (AA) 4-4, 2.38 ERA, 17 saves, 64.1 IP, 17 BB, 57 K in 44 appearances Bats: Right, Throws: Right Age: 27 Meeker is older, a find who pitched in independent leagues for a few seasons before the Crew signed him. But in this case, the Brewers could have someone who could step into a late-inning role. If he continues to pitch like he has - including a dominating stretch in Brisbane – he could be a very cheap late-inning option that could help the Crew keep one or more of Burnes, Woodruff, and Adames in Milwaukee. Lucas Erceg, Biloxi (AA)/Nashville (AAA) 3-4, 4.55 ERA, 2 saves, 61.1 IP, 37 BB, 69 K in 49 appearances Bats: Left, Throws: Right Age: 26 2022 was Erceg’s first full year as a pitcher after he took the two-way player approach in 2021. He stepped it up in Nashville (3.43 ERA in 33 appearances) and, at the very least, offers the Crew someone to take an inning or two from the back end of the bullpen. Jeison Pena, ACL Brewers Gold (R)/Carolina (A)/Wisconsin (A+) 3-1, 3.30 ERA, 2 saves, 46.1 IP, 32 BB, 64 K in 24 appearances Bats: Right, Throws: Right Age: 19 Pena strikes batters out, but he also tends to walk a lot. He’s also not very charitable with the long ball, giving up only one homer in the 46.1 innings. To reach A+ Wisconsin at 19 says a lot. He went two or more innings in 14 of his 24 appearances. Quinton Low, ACL Brewers Blue (R) 0-0, 0.82 ERA, 2 saves, 11 IP, 5 BB, 16 K in 10 appearances Bats: Left, Throws: Right Age: 19 The Brewers could have their own Shohei Otani in Low, who not only put up some dominant numbers reminiscent of Hader at his best but also posted a decent .756 OPS while playing first base and designated hitter. Left-handed Relievers Clayton Andrews, ACL Brewers Blue (R)/Biloxi (AA) 0-2, 7.84 ERA, 0 saves, 10.1 IP, 7 BB, 19 K in 7 appearances Bats: Left, Throws: Left Age: 25 Since the pandemic, Andrews, a 17th-round pick in 2018, has been derailed by injuries. Before that, in 2019, he was showing signs of being not just a poor man’s Hader, but he also flashed the ability to play center field, giving the Brewers a slap-hitting two-way player (.772 OPS in 16 games as a CF). In his return, though, he averaged 16.5 K per 9 IP. Pablo Garabitos, Carolina (A)/Nashville AAA 6-1, 1.83 ERA, 0 saves, 59 IP, 19 BB, 62 K in 25 appearances Bats: Left, Throws: Left Age: 21 Garabitos, a converted corner outfielder drafted in the 25th round in 2018, moved to the mound in 2019 and has been getting good results since. He averaged over two innings an appearance in 2022 and was briefly at AAA at 21 years old. He only gave up two homers all year, one at Nashville. Karlos Morales, Carolina (A)/Wisconsin (A+) 3-4, 2.35 ERA, 6 saves, 46 IP, 22 BB, 55 K in 32 appearances Bats: Left, Throws: Left Age: 23 Morales did not surrender a single home run while also posting excellent numbers, improving after his promotion to Wisconsin. The walk rate was a little high, but Morales, a 25th-round pick in 2017, could be a steal simply by becoming a valuable contributor out of the major league pen. Overview These relievers are all over the place. The fact is, if the Brewers are to have success over the long term, they need to find a lot of their bullpen contributors from the farm system to maintain a cost-controlled bullpen, allowing Milwaukee to use financial resources elsewhere on the roster. Some of the older pitchers had a position-playing background, and some could still contribute both at the plate and on the mound. View full article

Miller did kick his OPS up by 100 points from 2021-2022 and his OPS went from 51 to 89. Might be a big-time steal.

The Brewers farm system has developed some fantastic talent in recent years. The trio of Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Freddy Peralta has topped the starting rotation since 2018. Josh Hader nailed down the ninth inning from 2019 until the July 2022 trade that may or may not have derailed the season. Brent Suter, Aaron Ashby, and Devin Williams made their way through the pitching pipeline. So, Brewers fans can justifiably look at some of the top pitching prospects and feel excited. But Woodruff and Suter made their way up under the radar compared to more flashy prospects like Kodi Meideros, Cy Sneed, and Anthony Banda. Could that happen again for the Crew? Some of these pitchers look very promising to do just that. Right-Handed Starting Pitchers Max Lazar, ACL Brewers Blue (R)/Carolina (A)/Wisconsin (A+) 1-1, 3.83 ERA, 40 IP, 12 BB, 26 K Bats: Right, Throws: Right Age: 23 Lazar dominated before the pandemic but was set back by missing all 2021 and much of 2022. But when he was on pre-pandemic, he was on. He recovered some of his 2019 form with Brisbane during winter baseball, though, so he could do what Adrian Houser did for the Brewers. Kevin Briceno, DSL Brewers 1 (FRk)/ACL Brewers Gold (R) 4-3, 2.02 ERA, 49 IP, 14 BB, 48 K Bats: Right, Throws: Right Age: 20 Briceno’s just kept people off the bases and kept them from scoring. It’s a long way from the DSL and ACL to the majors. His adjustment to full-season baseball in 2023 will be crucial. Cameron Wagoner, ACL Brewers Gold (R)/Carolina (A) 3-0, 1.83 ERA, 19.2 IP, 2 BB, 24 K Bats: Right, Throws: Right Age: 21 Like Woodruff and Suter, Wagoner is a later-round pick. That being said, the production in his first pro season and what he’s doing down under could rocket him up. He’s simply blowing away the competition. This can’t be ignored, like Suter’s 2015 performance in the notoriously hitter-friendly Colorado Springs. Overview While these three pitchers have different backgrounds, all three have, in the past, delivered results or are delivering them now. Lazar’s 2023 will be crucial as he returns from two injury-plagued seasons, but Briceno and Waggoner have the challenge of adapting to full-season ball. Left-Handed Starting Pitchers Brandon Knarr, Wisconsin (A+)/Biloxi (AA) 11-8 2.83 ERA, 146.1 IP, 47 BB, 152 K Bats: Left, Throws: Left Age: 24 A major league team didn’t even draft Knarr. But the Brewers picked him up, and so far, he looks like a steal. While his strikeout rate is down, the walks and WHIP also went down, and he was an ace for the Timber Rattlers and solid for Biloxi. Finding a Knarr, a Brent Suter, or someone similar who can fit into the back end of a starting rotation is how the Brewers will be competitive. Anfernny Reyes , DSL Brewers 2 (FRk) 2-0, 1.54 ERA, 46.2 IP, 24 BB, 48 K Bats: Left, Throws: Left Age: 18 Reyes posts some good strikeout numbers. Most impressive – he allowed no home runs in the 46.2 innings he pitched. Now, ten unearned runs were allowed, and he had quite a few walks, but one can’t help but think Reyes could be a tremendous asset down the road. Osbriel Mogollon, DSL Brewers 1 (FRk) 2-3, 2.74 ERA, 46 IP, 24 BB, 57 K Bats: Left, Throws: Left Age: 18 Mogollon, like Reyes, did very well in avoiding the home run ball – only one allowed in 46 innings – and he flashed even better strikeout numbers. His WHIP was quite good in his first professional season, though. He faces a long road to the majors, but he could be pretty good if the peripherals hold up. Overview Reyes and Mogollon have a long way to go, but both are flashing excellent tools. Knarr, on the other hand, has an immense value already, either as a replacement for Eric Lauer in the rotation or as a trade chip for a crucial piece. View full article

Not really. By itself, it is, but when you compare the RFs with other players - either on a team or across a league - I think it gets a bit more value. For catchers, it doesn't work, given that strikeouts are often scored as putouts for the catcher, and it's utility is limited for first basemen, but for other positions, I think it does work a bit better.

I'd disagree. It can tell us something - like how many plays a player makes. Quantity is part of the quality of one's defense. Higher RF can indicate range.

I'd take it. It may not be with the Brewers, but I could see a rebuilding team using Lutz as a filler (worst case).

Quite frankly, every player in the minors is. Their exact ceiling, their floor, can be up for question, but there is no real reason to write anyone off. See Brent Suter - 31st-round pick, on practically zero top 25 ballots among BF.net posters, Yet compare his MLB career to Jed Bradley or Kodi Meideros. We never really know who will succeed, who won't. Much of it comes down to watching the players play on the field.

Yeah... nobody from outside a top 5/10 list makes the majors. The recently-departed Brent Suter would like to have a word about that...

I would not bet against the A's. They did take the Moneyball concept to an extreme by finding things other teams undervalued. With his speed, OBP skills, and defense, Ruiz is going to be valuable as he gets more time in CF. I think 2 to 3 WAR is not unrealistic, especially if a fair bit comes from defense (see 2018 Keon Broxton). If he posts a .350 OBP and steals 100 bases, then this does good things for Oakland. Keep in mind, Oakland has Langeliers at catcher, and Pina has been solid. The A's have had 13 seasons at or above .500 since 2002, when they went full Moneyball. They've been doing a lot of things right, and Beane's track record is hard to dispute.

Thanks! Check out the gems at C/1B/DH, OF, and the rotation! C/1B/DH: https://brewerfanatic.com/news-rumors/brewers-minor-league/overlooked-brewers-prospects-catcher-first-base-designated-hitter-r627/?do=getNewComment&d=1&id=627 OF: Rotation: https://brewerfanatic.com/news-rumors/brewers-minor-league/overlooked-brewers-prospects-starting-pitchers-r636/?do=getNewComment&d=1&id=636

And Ruiz got flipped for an All-Star catcher who had a big offensive season in 2022. So, he had a lot of value not easily measured by BTV. That said... I think there was an overpay to the Crew to some degree. Is the stolen base making a comeback? Yes. It's been underutilized over the past 20 years or so. But was Ruiz worth Contreras and two potential bullpen mainstays? YMMV. My guess is that Contreras was, at least to the Braves, somewhat like Renfroe was for the Crew - a great asset, but given that they were getting Murphy, and seeking to win now, there was a logjam. Plus, the Braves have always had a good farm system. The Brewers gave the A's what they needed to pull the deal off, so for the Braves, dealing Contreras and Pina plus others and only getting Murphy cleared some 40-man roster spaces, just as dealing Renfroe eased the logjam in the outfield for Frelick/Mitchell/Wiemer/Chourio. Yeah, Adam Winker's acquisition complicates things a bit, but a part of me thinks that if things go right for the Brewers, Winker gets flipped at the deadline (Because Yelich would have rebounded to 2016-2017 levels, Frelick and Mitchell are having ROY-level campaigns, Taylor and/or Wiener have taken over RF full-time, and the Brewers have 2021-level health in their rotation).

On the flip side, won't we also see more steals from Frelick/Mitchell/Yelich/Turang, among others? Ruiz's speed and SB ability is good, don't get me wrong, but Vince Coleman 2.0 is a small price to pay for someone who could potentially end up the second-best catcher in franchise history behind Jonathan Lucroy.

The middle infield has received a lot of high-level attention. Brice Turang’s emergence in 2022 made it easy for the Brewers to trade Kolten Wong for Jesse Winker. Eric Brown, the first-round pick in 2022, looked great in his initial season, making it to full-season A Carolina. When healthy, Tyler Black has been a pure hitter, while Cam Devanney made the Top 20 as a 15th-round pick in 2019. Second base and shortstop have plenty of options at the major-league level, too, with Willy Adames, Luis Urias, Keston Hiura, and Brice Turang. But as is the case with catcher and first base/designated hitter, there are other players who Brewers fans may be overlooking as potential contributors to the major league team. As such, we will ignore those who made the Top 20 rankings but look a little deeper. Second Base Felix Valerio, Biloxi (AA) .228/.313/.357 in 417 AB, 14 2B, 12 HR, 48 BB, 80 K Bats: Right, Throws Right Age: 21 Valerio has been around for a long time – acquired after a solid 2018 in the DSL with the Mets organization. With the Brewers, in 2021 and 2022, he’s shown on-base skills, speed, and some pop. Primarily a second baseman, he’s seen action at third and in the outfield. To be 21 years old at AA often makes for difficult adjustments, but he has been solid if overshadowed. Zack Raabe, Wisconsin (A+)/Carolina(A) .232/.368/.297 in 276 AB, 16 2B, 0 HR, 58 BB, 58 K Bats: Right, Throws: Right Age: 22 Raabe has one outstanding tool: plate discipline. He gets on base, and while he doesn’t steal a lot, he succeeds most of the time when he does. He may not have the ceiling of Valerio, but he won’t hurt a team, either. Overview Valerio and Raabe are contrasting. Raabe can draw walks, and if he can hit for average more (there is a good chance with the shift ban), he could be valuable. Valerio could be an excellent long-term return from the 2019 Keon Broxton trade. Shortstop Andruw Monasterio, Biloxi (AA)/Nashville (AAA) .271/.364/.406 in 377 AB, 22 2B, 9 HR, 52 BB, 90 K Bats: Right, Throws: Right Age: 25 Monasterio was a minor-league free agent who re-signed in the offseason. He dominated in AA but scuffled a little in AAA. That said, he showed more consistency in Cleveland. His contribution might be smaller, as the 2023 Brewers have Turang, Urias, and Adames to handle shortstop at the major-league level. Still, Monasterio makes for solid depth. Eduardo Garcia, Carolina (A)/Wisconsin(A+) .259/.307/.400 in 452 AB, 16 2B, 15 HR, 19 BB, 162 K Bats: Right, Throws: Right Age: 19 Garcia is very young. As a 16-year-old, he was a highly heralded prospect in the DSL but had his season cut short by injury. The pandemic wiped out 2020, but in 2021 and 2022, he flashed power and speed. That’s the good if we want to talk about a classic Clint Eastwood movie. The bad involves a high strikeout rate. As for his on-base skills, those would be the ugly – only 19 walks in 452 at-bats, including zero in Wisconsin. Overview Given the depth of the major league team, Monasterio may only see a Brewers uniform if things go horribly wrong in 2023. Garcia could be similar to Orlando Arcia, whose web gems didn’t compensate for being an offensive black hole. That said, he is young, and on-base skills can be taught. Garcia is a wild card, and his development this year could decide the future of Adames and Urias. Third Base Zavier Warren, Wisconsin (A+)/Biloxi (AA) .226/.307/.374 in 465 AB, 29 2B, 12 HR, 49 BB, 108 K Bats: Both, Throws: Right Age: 23 Warren has flashed some versatility, covering several positions, but most of his time has been at third base, with some time spent across the diamond at first base and donning the tools of ignorance as a pro. While his OBP skills slipped this year, he rebounded in the Arizona Fall League in a big way, posting an .804 OPS in that notoriously friendly hitting league. Weston Wilson, Nashville (AAA) .228/.297/.358 in 416 AB, 21 2B, 11 HR, 39 Bb, 131 K Bats: Right, Throws: Right Age: 27 Wilson’s biggest calling card is versatility – he has played every position except catcher in his career as a Brewer. He’s also flashed power, speed, and OBP skills over the years. Before the universal DH, he would have been a valuable asset on the bench of the major league team. Wilson earned minor-league free agency after the 2022 season, but the Brewers should bring him back. Overview Warren and Wilson are also contrasting. The former is clearly on the rise, given his performance at the AFL after scuffling in minor league ball. The latter’s versatility would have made him an easy call-up before the universal DH. Even without it, on a 26-man roster, a team only has four bench players. View full article

Exactly. This is set up for a huge return for the Crew in 2025-2026. See what the Crew got for Lucroy.

However this happened, to only give up Ruiz for five years of Contreas is huge. Why it happened? No idea. Maybe Oakland and Milwaukee couldn't work something out, so they brought Atlanta in for a deal everyone could live with. ATL gets an upgrade over Contreras in Murphy. OAK gets a LOT of prospects MIL gets an upgrade at catcher who kills lefties, a couple more arms, and los of time for Quero/Miller to develop. Big loser here is Mario Feliciano, who may never get his shot at the major-league starting job.

I was Bill Schroeder for Halloween back in 1987, just after Team Streak's incredible run. One of my favorite players - never really understood why he wasn't getting the starting job. Of course, we didn't have the ability to follow the team online, and I was in the DC area (military family).

The best option? Try to get Adames for 6/$130. Defer $30 million, payable over 30 years. $10 million signing bonus, $15 million per year up front. By then, the Crew may well have some younger SS in place who could take over, and Adames could always move to third or DH (or follow Yount and go to the OF).

Why not roll with Caratini/Feliciano? Mario's not hit poorly, and if we have young pichers, he's worked with them to some degree in the past, the familiarity could help. I'd be willing to go three eyars for Vasquez as the bridge to Quero and Darrien Miller. One other thought... how about offering Atlanta Hedbert Perez or Joe Gray Jr. for Manny Pina?

Why not roll with Caratini/Feliciano? Mario's not hit poorly, and if we have young pichers, he's worked with them to some degree in the past, the familiarity could help. I'd be willing to go three eyars for Vasquez as the bridge to Quero and Darrien Miller. One other thought... how about offering Atlanta Hedbert Perez or Joe Gray Jr. for Manny Pina?

Bobby Bonilla Day is often considered a time to mock the New York Mets for the $1.19 million they pay the former switch-hitting slugger every July 1. That being said, the Brewers, who face the impending free agency of Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Willy Adames, might want to look to Bonilla for inspiration, not mockery. This is nothing new, as CBS Sports notes. But it may be the answer the Brewers are looking for to keep Corbin Burnes in Milwaukee for an extended period. There is no doubt that Burnes is the best starting pitcher the Brewers have seen since Ben Sheets in his prime. Baseball-Reference lays the numbers out clearly: 11.7 strikeouts per nine innings, a 4.79 K/BB ratio, career ERA+ of 129. In terms of single-season performance, he has two places in the top five for strikeouts (243 and 234, good for second and fourth), K/BB ratio (6.882 and 4.765, also suitable for second and fourth), and WHIP (0.940 and 0.965, holding the top two slots). Regarding career marks, he is at or near the top in several categories, beating well-known Brewer aces like Teddy Higuera, Mike Caldwell, Yovanni Gallardo, and Ben Sheets. He is climbing the ranks in others. Burnes, a top-10 Cy Young candidate for the last three years, clearly deserves to get paid, and the best-case scenario for the Brewers is that he stays as the ace of the rotation for a long time. According to MLB Trade Rumors, he is projected to receive an arbitration-based salary of $11.4 million in 2023. But suppose the Brewers offer an eight-year, $260 million deal, with a $10 million signing bonus and $90 million deferred to be paid out over 30 years? The contract could be structured like this: 2023: $20 million, plus a $5 million bonus, $10 million deferred 2024: $20 million, plus a $5 million bonus, $10 million deferred 2025: $20 million, $10 million deferred 2026: $20 million, $10 million deferred 2027: $20 million, $10 million deferred 2028: $20 million, $10 million deferred 2029: $20 million, $15 million deferred 2030: $20 million, $15 million deferred Expensive? Yes. But a deal like this might give the Brewers enough room to keep Burnes on board for the rest of the 2020s. It would mean that the Brewers would have $46 million a year committed between Burnes and Christian Yelich from 2023-2028 and $40 million committed in 2029 if the Brewers and Yelich exercise their mutual option. It should be noted that Brandon Woodruff has been a shade behind Corbin Burnes in some of these metrics and would be worth extending on his own merits. If Woodruff and Adames were to sign for 6-year, $120 million deals with $30 million deferred over 30 years in an arrangement similar to the Burnes deal, it would mean the Brewers have $76 million committed through 2028 for those four players. However, in this case, the Brewers might be able to afford to do just that. The team has a lot of young talent coming up through the minors. In the outfield, Garrett Michell and Sal Frelick will almost certainly be in Milwaukee for most of 2023, and it’s an open question of just how long Joey Weimer and Esteury Ruiz can stay in the minors. Brice Turang seems to be the front-runner for second base, Cam Devanny could force his way to the majors at third base, and Mario Feliciano is an option to split time with Victor Caratini at catcher. This doesn’t include other potential prospect help from Jace Avina, Jackson Chourio, Jeferson Quero, Darrien Miller, Thomas Dillard, Ernesto Martinez, and Xavier Warren – among many other prospects. While some of these prospects could be traded, many players could be super options for bench or expanded roles at the major league minimum. In addition, the Brewers could trade Eric Lauer or Adrian Houser to land more prospects. The Brewers could then take the approach used with Freddy Peralta and Aaron Ashby to lock down the most promising in for an extended time at a relatively bargain price. Furthermore, the deferred money – a mere $3 million a year for 30 years for Burnes and $5 million a year for 30 years if Woodruff and Adames also get extended – would not be a backbreaker, especially as the league minimum creeps up and salaries continue to rise overall. In other words, while it might seem crazy to go full Bobby Bonilla, the present situation might be crazy enough to work out very well for the Brewers. What do they have to lose? View full article