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Patrick to me is a key to the season. If he steps up and remains in the rotation I think the brewers have a great year, and if he’s healthy and productive I think he leads the team in IP, because of his bulldog approach. Woodruff will have his innings ramped up, Miz is prone to struggle innings and will also have innings and pitch count monitored. That leaves Priester and Patrick as the main holdovers from last year, and if they remain healthy and in form good things will happen, if not a lot of young guys can get an opportunity to start but that is more volatile. Floor for Patrick is likely 7th/8th inning guy, but I am hoping for a #3 starter who bulldogs his way through the year.

Well after a little delay I got through finishing the Biloxi and then went straight into the the Nashville review. Wow, just want to once again say how thankful I am that you guys did this. Amazing work @Joseph Zarrand @Spencer Michaelis. How lucky we are to have this site, and the incredible resources and insights. From the two of you diehard minor league analysts, to the dozens of die hard minor league fans who post here on a regular basis, to the whole staff at BF.net Joseph and Spencer - what a tour de force and an amazing labor of love. Thank you both so much!! Thanks for making this offseason so much more fun. So excited for this upcoming season!

Yeah other than that, pretty measured ranking - probably a little more of production and level over prediction and ceiling in some, but good job David - I would call him out with an @, but there are 2 Dave Gasper's listed (??)

I had that as my first weekend leader board in polymarket - lol Nice to see Wilken show some power in his first weekend of big league camp. Team falling far behind in the Cactus League championship race. Gotta get some wins.

😢 Mr Cornielle is not part of the organization anymore.

Wilken - wow that's crazy. The interview he had with Rosiak a few days ago, he made it sound like he's doing well. This kid is snake-bitten. I will root for him, but he is starting to feel like a Garret Mitchell in that he has the abilities, but as they say "A player's best ability is his availability". Garabito - yikes. I would assume that happened after he was signed. Berroa - maybe too many fist pumps on his outfield catches this winter 😉. Seriously hope he gets better.

There is no singular solution to this problem, as all of them have pros and cons to them. Salary cap and players cry foul and dodgers, Yankees etc lose their edge. Plus it would likely come with players wanting pay day much earlier - like what NFL and NHl did - earlier free agency periods. A floor only does so much. A soft cap is in place with the luxury cap. for a fan like me -just allowing your team the chance to lock up a player or two long term is all I can ask for - and designate “franchise player” tags or nba style maximum of “max contracts” could help so one team can’t sign all players to Shohei deals. but a lot comes from forcing owners to pay, and allowing more of the mlb revenue to flow to all teams. Yes the dodgers and Yankees are the draws of the league but those owners have to realize with brewers, twins, rays, Indians you don’t have as much of interest in baseball as a whole. It’s not the New York Baseball League or California Baseball League. Plus if teams bow out, players are hurt with contraction, and they probably want expansion, so that would open the door to more shared revenue from a league side, and then force owners to pay a certain amount and incentive teams to lock of some of their stars. Baseball was the sport in the 1960s- through 1990s and my favorite era was the 1980s. Back then any team realistically could win, and you knew the players and expected them to be there for years. That benefits everyone so a lot of compromises and some incentives to all parties could happen. Sadly a band aid will be agreed on and kick the can down the road again.

not a great signing, but given the circumstances (yes self-inflicted by trading all 3 IF), we had to get someone, and likely need a bridge to mid year at best, or all 2026 at work, and he can do that. Depth is now: 1b - Vaughn/Bauers platoon 2b - Turang 3b - Rengifo/Hamilton platoon (weakest spot by far) ss - Ortiz lf - Chourio Cf - Perkins/Mitchell rf - Frelick c - Contreras DH - Yelich c/1b/DH - Sanchez OF - Lockridge Which will push Jett Williams, Jefferson Quero likely to AAA with Wilken, Pratt, Adams or Burke, Lara; and AA will feature Fischer, Made and Burke (or Adams) along with Dinges. But that depth chart will look very different after the All Star break most likely

OK, somehow I thought this was his last year of arbitration elgibility. So he either plays under that option next year, or goes the arbitration route and FA after 2027 season?

but again, he theoretically *could* come back next year on that option, or at least be tradeable? Or would they likely let him walk, and give him a QO?

Bingo, nice call on the 9.5M. Now - it is reported as a Team option only - and that has a good chance of being picked up assuming he has a good year, correct? And he could still be traded next off season with that option in place, correct?

For the ETAs, @jay87shot I am sure those are reasonable ETAs based upon prospect status, BUT 1. development is not linear, so some like Made, Pena could take longer, and Pratt could stall out or have another breakout year, Then the injury issue which is so infuriating also is still there 2. The Brewers have also been very cognizant of service time and 40 man spots - like when Miz was pushing for a bullpen role in 2024 - which may still have happened if they didn't get forced to add Carlos Rodriguez and have him struggle earlier in the year. Similar to Chourio in 2023. So I do think a lot of the younger guys AA or lower will not see MLB action this year barring something crazy happening. But those expected to be in AAA to start have a good chance of a June (or later) call up and that seems to be more the front office MO of post Memorial Day and then July promotions. But I would say Jett and Quero are most likely to see MLB time this year, with Quero timeline having been altered now with McGuire and Sanchez signings, and Jett's now more open. Wilken, Pratt and one of Adams/Burke will join Lara in AAA to start so expect 1-2 of these guys to hopefully force the hand and get a June-August call up. Made/Pena/Fischer/Dinges are all likely 2027 or later. Even if Made follows Chourio path that would be a 2027 debut, and that is still a rarity for a 19/20 year old to debut in the MLB. But in 2027-2029 there will be a lot of prospects to fill these roles with most of the core still here (sans Contreras and Megill who are FAs after the next 2 seasons), and Woodruff and Vaughn are gone after this season and not part of the future "core".

the old adage is you can never have too many pitchers or catchers. The new adage is you can have too few third basemen 😉

Black has been very poor defensively at 3B, and even at 1B. His hitting took a big step back last year, but he is probably LF/DH occasional 1B type of player. If he could find that swing again, we can find room for him as DH/LF but that is already taken by Yelich, so I still think he only path to Big Leagues is show he can hit and he can go to another organization who needs a DH/LF. \ sorry didn't mean to hijack this trade thread \ I am still flabbergasted. They either see something in Harrison or expect to trade some pitching for more bats. Or maybe this is the "punt" year that most were expecting last year. Just go and do what you can and really try to get prepared for 2027-2029 when a lot of core players are under control (basically all but Contreras and Megill) to go with all the A+/AA/AAA prospects we have. I guess Pat Murphy wanted another starting pitcher and whether he knew it would be more a prospect than MLB talent maybe he didn't know that was coming

My final question is an off topic for prospects- Spencer and Joseph - what is your baseball background and how did you get into this prospect/minor league evaluation part of your life. I know Spencer you are a baseball coach- did you play etc? Joseph as a humble farmer - did you play and how did you learn how to analyze these young kids?

Of all the great trades the Brewers have executed the Haniger + Banda for Gerardo Parra was one of he worst in the recent past, and it is the starting point of a not so great trade tree that involves Mr. Herrera: Haniger/Banda for Parra; Parra for Z. Davies. Then Z. Davies + Grisham for Lauer/Urias. Urias into Blalock, and Blalock + Herrera into Mears; finally Mears plus Collins for Zerpa. So Haniger, Banda, Grisham, Herrera, Collins have netted a couple of good years of Davies, Lauer, Urias, and Mears, and Zerpa is left standing for now. Not awful as the downside of that trade tree was in the first trade, but the end of it so far will be Zerpa v Herrera now that most other parties have moved on.

@edfunderburk I’d say Contreras and (TBD) in MLB AAA: Quero, Wood , ? miller AA: Dinges maybe, Miller if not in AAA, and R. Rodriguez or Nava High A: D. Garcia, Diaz and maybe Walther. Nava if not in AAA Low A: Corobo and K. Garcia So really need a MLB back up or AAAA catcher. Domino effect will fill lower levels assuming good health all around.

Interesting discussion. So is it fair to say that the lab itself is not unique albeit more developed, but the organizational philosophy and teaching is more unified and/or ingrained. Even the idea of prioritizing defense and it’s a combination of these factors that has generated results? And that is a long process that requires patience, and organizational systems like this are not always easy to copy with a technology, a person, or a trait alone. I mean the Yankees or Cubs could easily try to replicate it but it takes years to develop, and buy in, and many teams like that are more likely to go with a quicker fix like sign or trade for a good pitcher than wait a years to a decade to see the results.

Wow. I don’t think I realized the WAR for these 3 pitchers. Two SPs with one year in the staff, and a RP with 2-3 years, that is a lot of added value

Yes it was. And I was among that crowd pretty loudly. Not excited by this return, would have preferred Ewing or Clifford with Sproat; or Jett/Tong. But I obviously know nothing. Although I still have irrational love for our prospects (like Areinamo, Collins, Myers, Jorge Quintana who I still view as overpays like I felt Yophery was). Hope I’m wrong again. so other than Woodruff, the SPs are pretty much are now 8 deep with current pitchers and upper level prospects who are all under control through around 2030 (or later).

Unless his defense has picked up I don’t see him as a viable MLB catcher. He was bad in 2024, and was better last year, but his receiving did not look good (some WPs may really have been on him), and I can’t recall but I didn’t recall his arm being great either. Maybe someone who knows this more than me can answer but he didn’t look the part on my eye test. Wood seemed like a better catcher. Both are still a year away from MLB action barring injuries I think. Not sure how but I would still imagine a AAA or MLB catcher is yet to be acquired - either FA or maybe trade some infield or SP depth for a catcher?

Yup. And Frontado/Rodriguez/Moneys - one of whom could realistically be the guy in DSL.

So without signing any other FAs other than a MLB back up catcher (vs AAAA catcher), I see every level as full with 12-14 hitters at each level (batting injuries or trades). MLB - Vaughn, Turang, Ortiz, Durbin, Chourio, Perkins, Frelick. Contreras, Yelich; Mona, Bauer, Mitchell, Lockridge (or Baddoo or Seigler or Black), and catcher (Quero or signing). For depth below I will assume Lockridge for now- not that I expect him but just that spot as placeholder. AAA - Adams, Jett Williams, Wilken, Pratt (that would be such a cool prospect laden IF), Baddoo, Lara, Jones, Wood, Black; Seigler, Leonard, Murray, Zamora, Bertha; and either Quero or a milb FA catcher. AA - Burke, EBJ, Fischer, Made (again a cool prospect laden IF), Vargas, Dasan Brown, Garcia, Dinges/Miller, Boeve (DH);Ramon Rodriguez (if healthy) and Dylan O’Rae. Maybe a prospect from AAA bumps down, or a milb FA signing here. High A - Bitonti, Adamczewski (give him 2B reps for now), Baez, Pena, Nicasia, Ragsdale, Castillo, and Alastre . David Garcia, Tyler Rodriguez, Blayberg Diaz, Andrick Nava, Guilarte, Hall as bench roles and one could bump up as AA depth/bench. Low A - Ordonez, Dickinson, Ebel, DiTuri, Handelfry Encarnacion, Payne, Anderson, K. Garcia, Lameda, Ortuno, Walther. Q. Low if healthy. And a ACL player could bump up like Nadal or Ibarguen or Fielder ACL -E. Martinez, Ereu, Montero,Hughes, Nadal/Ibarguen, Paulino, Haltermann, Rojas, Corobo, Mills, Flores, Mobile, Fielder. And possibly a DSL promotion like Frias, Juan Martinez, Antunez, or a catcher (Chavez/Rangel) So no holes, but likely 2 spots to fill for now barring injuries. IF depth is now great and at a the upper minors.

for pitching here is a stab at the starters at least, as bullpens can be in flux and usually reliever prospects, some starters in piggyback or can be NDFA / indy signings. But not really any "openings" that need to be filled. Here are my views as the potential starting rotations (6-8 in upper levels; then 10-12 in lower levels with a lot of uncertainty): MIL Freddy Peralta RHP - if not traded Brandon Woodruff RHP Jacob Misiorowski RHP Quinn Priester RHP Chad Patrick RHP Robert Gasser LHP - him or Henderson giving Gasser the go given age and he is LHP Aaron Ashby LHP- likely reliever but could spot start D.L. Hall LHP - last chance to claim starter pedigree AAA Tobias Myers RHP Carlos Rodriguez RHP Logan Henderson RHP Coleman Crow RHP Tate Kuehner LHP K.C. Hunt RHP Brett Wichrowski RHP- crowded field and could wind up in bullpen AA Tyson Hardin RHP Bishop Letson RHP Jaron DeBerry RHP Manuel Rodriguez RHP Ryan Birchard RHP Tanner Gillis RHP - could be starter vs reliever Anthony Flores LHP - could be starter vs reliever High-A Travis Smith RHP J.D. Thompson LHP Melvin Hernandez LHP Bryce Meccage RHP Wande Torres LHP Josh Knoth RHP - returning from injury Yorman Galindez RHP - returning from injury Will Rudy RHP - returning from injury Sam Garcia LHP - could be starter vs reliever Chandler Welch RHP - could be starter vs reliever Low-A Jacob Morrison RHP Ethan Dorchies RHP Jayden Dubanewicz RHP Tyler Renz RHP Jack Hostetler RHP - returning from injury Griffin Tobias RHP - returning from injury Enderson Mercado LHP Carlos Carra RHP Enniel Cortez RHP - returning from injury Daniel Corniel RHP - returning from injury Jason Woodward RHP - returning from injury Miqueas Mercedes RHP ACL Joey Broughton LHP 20 Joshua Flores RHP 19 Hayden Vucinovich RHP 19 Ma'Kale Holden RHP Luke Roupe RHP Chase Bentley RHP Diustin Mayorquin RHP 18 Hayden Robinson RHP 20 Joan Pena LHP 18 Gustavo Garcia RHP 18 Raymond Sarmiento RHP 18 Gabriel Colmenarez RHP 20

I see Moneys in the 22-26 range like Antunez last year based on potential. Frontado could be fringe top 30 and hold a spot based upon potential and reputation like DiTuri did But yes seeing who will likely be in the 21-30 slots and how they could be 11-20 on most lists including Brewers from 2-3 years ago.