BrewersAA

Im sure its likely that several other pieces from both sides were thrown around and nothing could be agreed upon. Like "we'll give you Parra, $2million, and kyle wren for Davies and sisco" im sure 100s of those types of scenarios were thrown around and it ended on "lets just get this done"

I thought i saw that the thinking was that it was Wheeler and Lagarus coming back? there might be some other smaller pieces to it.

I didnt realize that Buck Farmer was considered the Tigers top pitching prospect. Man did I want the brewers to get him signed. Oh well, Imagine how the farm would look if it had Farmer, Rodon, and Smith...

We all have our own way of evaluating these players, have our pet projects, etc. Nothing wrong with that. Allemand, for example, is a guy who could easily be in the Top 25 down the road. Heck, I had the only vote for Carlos Luna. But I looked at his stat line, and even with a small sample I felt I needed to reward him with a vote. The absolutely dominating complete game he threw sealed it. Brandon Diaz is another I put on my list that didn't make the Top 25. His numbers aren't deserving, but I have seen him play enough that I think he's real close to breaking out. Nice, short swing, has some power, has speed...just a lot of tools to work with there. For me its CRAZY that NEITHER of the Diaz's made the list... both should firmly be in the top 25. I had Brandon in my top10 and i truly believe he has top 10 talent. I also like Carlos Luna, but i have a hard time with DSL players until we see them stateside. Now to speak to Cotto, pena, allemand, and suter, it would seem that you are ranking/rating them strictly off numbers. There is nothing wrong with that, but often times it can be a big mistake when it comes to "prospecting". Allemand is a guy that has a small sample, nothing jumps out about him, and he was REALLY old for his level and now that he got bumped hes just pretty old for his level and the production has fallen off a cliff, I hope he turns out to be an allstar because thats amazing for the brewers, but there are alot of players ahead of him in mostly every area. Cotto shares my birthday so he gets points there but you can add everything i said about allemand here and also include that he went undrafted meaning every team in the MLB thought there were rouchly 1000 players better as well as all the players already in their systems, if he keeps producing he might start to move up but it would have to be at a much higher level since his age is the average for double A. Yerison Pena is different again than the above 2 as he is on average 6... SIX years older than the guys hes playing against. If he had any potential he would not still be in the DSL. Again, i hope im wrong, and he turns into an allstar for the brewers but its HIGHLY unlikely. Now Suter might have the best case of the guys you mentioned. He has done nothing but produce! But, there are a TON of red flags. His whip isnt bad, but its not good either, his K-rate is bad... he odesnt quite have a 2 to 1 k to walk rate, the brewers moved him to a relief role to start the year, hes a little old for his level, and by all accounts he doesnt have great stuff (generally a guy need at least 1 plus pitch for people to bet on him). On top of that hes a hard guy for me to rank until there been a full season every year so far hes come out like gangbusters and he falls off a cliff to end the season, im not sure what that means, but i almost looks like once guys have seen him a couple times his lack of Stuff catches up to him. I hope that doesnt sounds like i am being a jerk, because thats not my intention and in the end i hope you are right on all 4 and that i am wrong and you can pull up this post to prove it!!!

Just incredibly, he flirted with disaster tonight and still was stellar. He just keeps showing hes a lot better than anyone thought. How did the brewers player development team not see more in him faster?

What am I looking for in the second half... Looking for trades, obviously. Ramirez, lohse, lind, parra, Krod, Cotts, broxton (though he and lohse might now be worth anything). Im looking for Matt Domingez, Matt Clark, and Jason Rogers to man the corners in milwaukee for the rest of the season and hopefully 1 maybe 2 of the 3 stands out! A great second half run could make any of the 3 a nice tradable asset for the offseason. I am looking for Perez to get regular ABs, I see a ton of potential there, I think people dont realize he was a top 100 type prospect that never got consistent ABs and thats why the brewers claimed him when they did. I am looking for Segura to find his power stroke again. His numbers in the minors and his first season in milwaukee say that he should be a 15+ homer SS. I think thats that tradable potential that is talked about in a lot of these trade rumors. I am also looking for the brewer to find a way to give Tyler Thornburg the chance to start in the bigs that he has earned. I am looking for Willy Peralta to get healthy, get in the rotation, and take that step foward to a front of the rotation starter that i was hoping for coming into the season. Im not talking ACE, but solid number 2, and he has the stuff, the build, and hes steadily learning to pitch. so, id like to see him take that step forward. I am looking, hoping, praying, for Taylor Jungmann to just keep doing what hes been doing... Amazing... He actually is show ace potential, I know thats crazy, but thats the way his stuff has played so far, totally unexpected based on his minors numbers and scouting report, but hes clearly not the same guy as in those reports. I am looking for Jimmy Nelson to take a step as well. It seems like that step is just consistency and being able to overcome adversity/bad breaks (which is common for young pitchers). As far as stuff? its already elite, the kid has three plus pitches, he could be an ace in this league. Argue this all you want, but this guys 3 pitch mix is absolutely nasty and he could dominate as he increases his pitchability. I am also looking for mike fiers to finish strong and i think hes a candidate to get traded this off-season. If he finishes strong he could bring back some nice pieces. thats all... not asking too much right!

My thoughts exactly, i would have had him just in front of wagner. I also agree on the potential TJ situation.

Where is he on your list if he doesnt get injured? for me he would have been top 5, and I was expecting him to make a jump and be top 3. His stuff is elite.

Like you list! Wanted to caution about putting too much stock into one start by Wagner, also, where's the Taylor williams injury love ;-) . Nice work!!

I would have to imagine AJ Ellis is probably a candidate to be traded

Mark Appel would be the best pitcher in our system the minute this would be announced...

The fickle thing about these lists is that they are so fluid, since i posted mine, until today, its already different... I had Salas 25 and Ortega 26 because i like Salas's Stuff better and feel like the brewers really found something with him a la tyler wagner but it was REALLY close. Since i posted mine 6 days ago, salas has has a fairly rough start and did not exhibit the control that i liked him for and Ortega had one of his best starts of the season and finally show the ability to K a batter, my biggest knock on him... If i did the list today they would be flip flopped at the least. But then as i read these lists and see how far down, or not included at all, Harrison is due to his lack of production to match the tools/potential... Well the guy has been on a tear for a week now and raised his average 150 pts, hes hitting .300, and he has been stroking the XBHs hes slugging over .500 and his OPS is just under .900. On July 2nd, exactly 2 weeks ago, he was hitting .157. When I made my list 6/7 days ago he was hitting .220. and i said this about him: 15. Monte Harrison - this kid is still overflowing with potential, and this is exactly why you draft a guy like him. Even "safe" picks type players have a high probability of busting, but with Harrison, if hes starts to tap into those tools, look out! If he heats up for the stretch run he could be the fastest riser on this list. Its safe to say he should be on the rise right now, not the decline.

Another guy in AZ that I was VERY high one when the brewers drafted him is Dustin Houle. Hes definitely old for the league at this point, but maybe not necessarily in baseball years as hes dealt with injuries the last 2 seasons. He's still young, hes actually starting to hit a bit and he plays catcher. Hes a guy to watch since he might be the brewers best catching prospect in the system as it stands today.

just when i leave him off my top 25 Ortega goes and does something like this... AND TOTALLY REDEEMS HIMSELF! not that he had anything that need redeeming but i put salas at 25 and ortega and 26 or first out. had i submitted the list today they would be flipflopped. amazing the difference one start makes...

He has said in an interview that the "developmental" scrutiny in the minor leagues is one of the reasons he struggled with walks and ERA. Im not sure what it says about his make up, the brewers development, or what but its interesting. He said that they hate walks and you knew if you walked a guy you wouldnt be getting a chance to move up, so it caused him to try to be perfect on the corners or not pitch to the right situations, you couldnt pitch around a good hitter with a guy on second and first base open and one out. Anyway i dont remember the whole transcript but i thought that was really interesting. He basically called out the brewers developmental guys for the high walks and high ERA and said what they are doing to try to keep you from walking guys was causing him to walk more guys. I just kind of go back to remembering that pitching is as much mental as it is physical. Jungmann's success kind of makes a guy wonder about Jed Bradley.

Another was Craig Counsel

I think you are missing a big part of his game, he does have 3 pitches, because has is using 2 distinct fastballs, the 2 seamer that is diving down and away to lefties and then hes using another fastball, I dont know what it is and i dont claim to, i dont want to call it a four seamer, but its different than his 2 seam and its a little straighter and also sinks but it sink in on lefties. So he has a very effective 3 pitch mix right now because he in controlling both fastballs and commanding both sides of the plate. So far in the games i have watched, except for the start in colorado where both pitches straighten out, they are both plus (cant argue that, thats why there is so much weak contact against him). The fact that his curve is solid average pitch is really setting it off, it doesnt need to be a hammer when he has 2 plus hard pitches, just need to be average and break, keep hitters off balance and that is exactly what he has done. Now, imo the reason hes been so successful is because those fastballs have been plus. They are both moving and hes controlling both of them. If for some reason his control regresses, there will be more pressure for him to spot the curve and flash the change, that might be where we see him come down to earth a bit. But, its also possible that hes just taken a step forward and if thats the case we can get excited because hes a stud! Pair that with Jimmy Nelson and Willy Peralta and it look like the brewers have developed 3 front end starters, or have them in the making.

I love what Jungmann is doing in MLB so far! He is really proving a longtime argument for me and that is how promotions and lack of promotions can really affect performance. Minor league ball is as mental as it is talent. Anyway, based on my thoughts Jungmann is super hard to rank, just based on the pure stuff that i have seen over a few starts now the guy should be a top 100 prospect, but based on the minor league box scores hes not even top 500. Based on the scouting reports that were ALL OVER THE PLACE (and not one accurate....) on him he was somewhere in the middle. Then when you factor in that he has moved slowly through the system and is proving that hes a guy that needs to be challenged he has clearly been mishandled. Where do you rank a guy like that? Jungmann is a great example of how these "experts" dont watch these guys that they are ranking.

Alright guys. I'm excited about this, but i think we need to do a 30 or even 50 because the crew actually has some prospects again! I know some of you will think im crazy but just know i have always been REALLY high on Brandon Diaz so his ranking will not be a reaction to a hot month, but rather a reaction to him finally realizing some of his potential and that I expect it to continue going forward. I will also be including Nathan Kirby (hopefully it sends out some good signing juice) who I am also very excited about. So, here we go!! 1. Orlando Arcia -I dont think much needs to be said, what excites me most here is that the perceived gap between him and the rest just might not be as big as you all think, this system is making quite a turnaround. 2. Kodi Medieros - Nathan Kirby almost took this spot but Kodi gets it because of his age/level combo. If you lined them next to eachother and had them throw Kirby is the better pitcher. Love that the brewers finally have some left-handedness! 3. Trent Clark - Wow was a wrong for not liking the pick initially. Everything about this kid screams star! 4. Gilbert Lara - The brewers international investment is already paying dividends, he has a long way to go, but he looks like the real deal. The thing that has him this high more than anything (because he was going to hit) is the reports on his much better than advertized defense. If he stays at short the brewers have a real asset and future top 100 prospect. 5. Nathan Kirby - One of my biggest pet peeves is when the newest guys drafted get some much love from prospect rankers with no sample size and here I have done it twice. But, I watched a lot of Kirby and he is NASTY, if he signs he might be the steal of the draft. Before his injury he was in consideration to be a top 5 pick, and the brewers could be inline to have top 5 talent injected into their system. 6. Clint Coulter - Yes hes cooled off, but hes not your typical prolific Ker with right-handed power. His OBP + Power combo make him special and CC is finally a legit top prospect. I fully expect him to hit for better average once he escapes the FSL and space coast stadium. 7. Dev Williams - Is Dev the best right hander in the system? today probably not yet, but hes close and still has a LOT of room to get better, which is scary! 8. Tyrone Taylor - I almost feel bad having him this low, his tough start to the season should have been expected making the hardest jump in the minors. For me there are 2 distinct reasons he is 8th and not higher; 1. The brewers look like they have hit some home runs around him in their recent drafts and international signings 2. His lack of power so far, it would be easier to write off some of his struggles if when he was hitting it resembled his career power arc. 9. Jorge Lopez - The young man has truely taken a step, and maybe two or three, forward. Everything looks good, if he keeps it up the rest of the season people might start talking about his top of the rotation potential again! 10. Brandon Diaz - This guy is a player! Call me crazy be he has the tools to be a legit 20/40 center fielder (maybe 30/50!! no, im not that crazy). I thought he was an absolute steal in the 8th round and hes finally putting it together. His bat has thunder and his legs have lightening! Hes also able to put that speed to good use with an excellent OBP/walk rate, the only hole he has now is that he needs to cut down on the Ks. 11. Jake Gatewood - All the potential is still there. He was really turning a corner at wisconsin before the demotion (which was preplanned i know), so i wish they hadnt done that because it seems to have slowed the momentum he was building. Early reports look like he wont stick at short but that the brewers will keep him there as long as possible. 12. Taylor Williams - I know he hasnt thrown, but just the other day i came across a piece that said they were prepared to rank him the brewers top prospect going into the season and that despite his height the brewers finally found an ace... ouch... lets hope he still throws some innings this year. 13. Tyler Wagner - cant believe hes not in my top ten... speaks to the system more than his talent level. Dont let ONE poor major league start skew your opinion. This kid has a lot of talent and should be a nice mid rotation arm for the crew for a long time. 14. Cody Ponce - I have read a lot that he has top of the rotation potential and that he could be a quick mover. Normally a guy like him it looks like the brewers took the high floor low ceiling type, but thats not him. Had he been at a D1 school and had he not gotten hurt he, like kirby, could have been a top 5 pick. 15. Monte Harrison - this kid is still overflowing with potential, and this is exactly why you draft a guy like him. Even "safe" picks type players have a high probability of busting, but with Harrison, if hes starts to tap into those tools, look out! If he heats up for the stretch run he could be the fastest riser on this list. 16. Victor Roach - Hes finally been freed from Space Coast! Give him some time to adjust to the level. He needs to still cut down the Ks but the young man has taken a big step this season and the brewers might have made a nice gamble on the wrist injury. 17. Marcos Diplan - It looks like the brewers found something here! low level and small sample, but he could end up making that Gallardo trade look good down the road. 18. Michael Reed - Man hes a nice looking player and i never know where to rank him. Michael Brantley is my favorite comparison if that give you an idea of his skill set. 19. Demi Orimoloye - Could be the steal of the 2015 draft. There's a LOT to like here. I could have put him in the top ten, but I was able to make a better case for everyone i have ahead of him. If he keeps up his current pace he will be one of the fastest risers on my list. 20. Chris Mcfarland - Ive always like him and hes putting up the numbers. if he played literally any other position he would likely be 5 spots or so higher. 21. Brooks Hall - Hes had a tough stretch lately, but hes still a guy with mid to back end rotation potential at double A. 22. Wei-Chung Wang Wednesday - Okay, we all know he has the stuff. This season was miserable and then the brewers outrighted him and since then the results are living up to the stuff. Huge potential still, great stuff, could be a fast riser. 23. Miguel Diaz - I wasnt sure where to put him because he hasnt throw yet, MLB Pipeline has him 14th with an upper 90s fastball that sits in the mid 90s with a slider thats an outpitch and a developing change up. thats a great recipe and he deserves top 25! 24. Javi Salas - This guy has produced! He seems to fit what the brewers did with wagner. I think they have something here. 25. Cy Sneed - Hes already gotten a bump this season. His last outting was excellent. He might be a little better than everyone thought. Were not on the list due to being/playing in the majors: Cravy, Sardinas, Jungmann, knebel, Perez, Goforth, Rogers, thornburg. I think its worth noting that Sardinas, jungmann, knebel, and thornburg have all been top 100 prospects and Perez was a fringe top 100 guy (like Tyrone Taylor). The brewers do have some nice depth. Just missed the Cut - J. Ortega, N. Walters, Y. Rivera, J. Helweg, K. Wren, H. Johnson, D. Goforth, O. Garcia, T. Stokes, D. Denson Still Prospects - A. Ventura, D Burkhalter, T. Neuhaus, C. Leal, J. Pena, A Pena, B. Suter, N. Rameriz, D. Demuth, L. Aviles, J. Yamamoto, K. Lindell, T. Perry, N. Pierre, J. Segovia, J. Oquendo, D. Houle, G. Fortuno, F. Mallen. Seriously, we could to a 50!!

Part of my 'Geekdom' is that our DSL team has some REALLY good hitters compared to years past and they are all realllllllly young, so when the 22 year old retreads we signed are playing ahead of them it ruins my night.... ruins my night

Im ready to do a list! BA just came out with their midseason top 50 and Orlando Arcia was the number 8 prospect in all of baseball!!! thinking its a safe bet he'll be number 1 on this list. "Arcia has hit and everyone loves the glove. He’s the best player in the Southern League as a 20-year-old"

I think many people will over value our own guys much like the Brewers do, so I try to keep in mind that the top 100 is basically the top 3 prospects from each organization. Of course organizations in the top 10 will have more top 100 prospects than organizations in the bottom 10, and I think the Brewers are moving towards the middle, which is why I settled on the top 3 in my first post. I find Coulter to be the most frustrating prospect in the system but I try not to hold that against him, so maybe I over compensate the other way when I make lists, but like I said after Arcia it's pretty much up in the air who people are going to like and why. I watched 2 series of the sounds Vs. the redhawks in Oklahoma City in 2011 and there was one guy i went to see and one guy who jumped off the page as BY FAR the best player on the field on either team. The guy i mostly went to see was taylor green, who was having a moster year and on the verge of a call up (Super nice guy BTW), i was also excited to see gamel and gindle (both dicks). The guy who was the best player on the field was logan schafer, both offensively and defensively, and it wasnt just me there were people around me at every game ewww and ahhhh-ing. His contact just sound different, better, than anyone elses. He made at least 2 incredible catches a night. He stole bases. He wore out the big 30 ft wall in left center (which is a great power indicator for a left-hander). Both guys ended up not being anything, sadly. but any scout that watched the 6 games I did in 2011 would not have, could not have had Brett wallace (top 30), Max rameriz (top 100), and J.R. Towels (top 50) ranked ahead of Logan Schafer (top 500 maybe...). My point being that prospect ranking are a great starting point for sifting minor league talent, but is no way something you should hold your hat on or be concerned about. I still cannot believe Schafer has forgotten how to hit, his swing was so pretty and his contact sounded sooooo good... Also none of the astros player really did anything thing, you could argue that schafer has had as good a MLB career as any of them (JB Schuck was on that team also).

I have noticed that its been a bit more aggressive for the brewers all season in the promotion department. I think that's a Ray Montgomery thing, and i like it.

Gallardo pitched 8.1 shutout innings in his last start for texas, now has a 2.72 ERA that makes him the 6th best starter in the AL.... the return on him is looking worse by the start.

tough to gauge right after the draft, because cody ponce has all the Stuff and tools to become a major league ace, but he could be a dud you know, we dont have a pro ball sample size yet. Then theres nathan kirby who can be absolutely nasty and could have been a top 5 pick had he not gotten injured (and still isnt signed). excluding those two, IMO its Medieros 1A williams 1B Tyler Wagner 2 (dont let one MLB start skew your view). then from there I would put taylor williams next, also cant ignore what Taylor Jungmann has been able to do. Also, i know hes not a prospect anymore be tyler thornburg is in AAA and was a top 100 prospect with excellent major league results (I seriously cant figure out what the brewers are trying to accomplish with him right now. Lopez heads up the next tier IMO.