Spencer Michaelis

He was definitely grabbing at his leg after reaching on a dropped third strike last week. Looked like it was around the hamstring area but couldn't say for sure.

Think it is probably worth pointing out that this is the smallest pool the Brewers will have had in quite a while, so I could see it being a little more difficult for them to go as heavy on the HS types in 11-20 as they have been of late. It's a bigger pool than they had in 2022, when they only gave one player more than the $150,000 (Luke Adams), but the slot values have also moved up quite a bit in that time. Including the 5% overage (signings over the $150,000 mark post round 10): 2026: $8,445,045 2025: $13,795,005 (CJ Hughes, Luke Roupe, Rylan Mills, Chase Bentley, Ma'Kale Holden -- $1.59 mil of pool) 2024: $12,345,480 (Joey Broughton, Travis Smith, Jayden Dubanewicz, Tyler Renz -- $1.91 mil) 2023: $11,498,130 (Bishop Letson, Bjorn Johnson, Hayden Robinson, Josh Adamczewski, Justin Chambers -- $1.3 mil) 2022: $7,424,865 (Luke Adams -- $132,500 toward pool) 2021: $10,571,925 (Caden Vire, Quinton Low, Jace Avina -- $353,400 toward pool)

Image courtesy of © Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Cooper Pratt signed an eight-year, $50.75-million contract extension in April, and he got the call to the big leagues over the weekend. A lot happened between then and now, with many fans wondering when Pratt would come up—mainly due to the lack of production from the trio who have been patrolling the left side of the infield since Opening Day, in David Hamilton, Joey Ortiz, and Luis Rengifo. All of that is in the past now, though. Pratt is on his way to Milwaukee, and is expected to debut on Tuesday, June 16. As of this writing, a follow-up move on the 26-man roster has not been announced. Now, though, a new question arises. What should fans (realistically) expect from a rookie Cooper Pratt at the big-league level? On the field, one of the more reasonable expectations for any player is that good defense will translate at any level. Pratt was a 2024 Rawlings Gold Glove Award winner at shortstop, awarded to the best defensive player at each position in all of Minor League Baseball. While there is reasonable skepticism about these awards and how they are decided, the prevailing opinion on Pratt is that he is an above-average shortstop, or better. Baseball America gives him a 55 grade on the 20-80 scale, as does FanGraphs, while MLB Pipeline labels him as a 60-grade defender (considered "plus"). At Pratt's height of 6-foot-4, he can appear to be a bit slower going after groundballs than many smaller shortstops do, but his range is strong, due in part to his tremendous ability to read swings and read the ball off the bat. His arm garners 60s from all three sites as well, and he has shown a strong ability to make "off-platform" throws while on the run, or even airborne. Pratt Throw 2.mp4 Another tool that should translate well at the big-league level will be Pratt's baserunning. In terms of straight-line speed, he's an average runner, maybe a bit above average. However, he shows great instincts on the bases, and will pick pitchers apart if they don't pay close enough attention to him. He has successfully stolen nearly 90% of the bases he has attempted in his minor-league career (79/88), including 17 of 18 in Triple-A this season. Pratt 2 SBs - 1 Inning.mp4 At the plate, there will be more questions for Pratt in the immediate future. After a very slow start to the season, with a 41 wRC+ in his first 70 plate appearances, Pratt posted a 125 wRC+ in his next 188 plate appearances. The chart below, courtesy of TJStats, shows the difference in some of the peripherals during those same two time periods. The contact quality still does not indicate much game power, even during the much better stretch, but he does show tremendous bat-to-ball skills, and the angles at which the ball leaves the bat have improved over the course of the season. Pratt will probably not hit for much power in MLB this season, except on the rare occasions when he gets an opportunity to pull his hands in and pull a pitch, but his bat-to-ball skills have the potential to translate pretty well. Pratt HR.mp4 One thing to keep an eye on with Pratt will be how he handles the better breaking balls he will see in MLB. Handling fastball velocity has not been an issue for him this season, despite that being a concern of some evaluators heading into the season. When facing fastballs, in general, he posted a .358 xwOBA and only whiffed on 10.8% of his swings. To further emphasize the lack of struggle with velocity, he has seen 132 fastballs thrown at least 95 MPH, and against those offerings, he has posted an even better .393 xwOBA, while only whiffing on 9.8% of his swings. Breaking balls, on the other hand, have been a different story. When thrown a breaking ball, he's posted a .270 xwOBA, with a whiff rate of 26.3% in 325 pitches seen. Big-league teams will look to expose that more often than Triple-A pitchers did, and teams will have more pitchers equipped to do so. The Brewers believe there is power to come down the line, and Brice Turang could provide a blueprint for eventually realizing it. The Brewers believe Pratt can follow a similar path in that regard, but Turang also provides a crystal ball for how Pratt's inaugural season could go. Turang finished his rookie season with a 61 wRC+, 12 Defensive Runs Saved, and he went 24 of 30 on stolen base attempts. He did that over 137 games, meaning Pratt's first campaign will need to be scaled down for comparison, as the Brewers will only have 93 games remaining when he debuts. The general scope of the production, though, is most likely going to look similar to Turang's rookie year. Pratt's value will be derived from his defense and his baserunning, and the Brewers will hope that they get a bit more out of the bat than Turang gave them. That said, even the Brewers' internal projections probably project Pratt as a below-average hitter in 2026. The good news for Pratt is that he won't have a very high bar to clear at the position. A 59 wRC+ is all the Brewers have received from the shortstop position in 2026. Pratt is capable of clearing that mark, and could still be a relatively significant upgrade, even if he only winds up posting a 75-80 wRC+ line in 2026. That's what the Brewers are hoping for here. Patience could prove to be challenging for fans and the Brewers alike. Struggles at the plate should not come as a surprise when they crop up. As Turang has shown, though, patience can be rewarded in a major way. The former surprise sixth-round pick, Cooper Pratt, is officially a big leaguer. He earned the opportunity. Now, it's all about how he continues to grow while at the highest level, and how quickly he can show that growth. View full article

I do believe Trey Ebel is flying up boards FWIW. I wouldn't be shocked if he doesn't make it to the 66th pick. Not sure I'd go round 1 on him personally though.

This week's Mock Draft Monday is free on my Patreon if people would like to read the write-ups for the players below. The tool makes it a little difficult for me to draft as many prep players as I'd like to. Nobody signs for the money that guys like Dorchies, Tobias, Vucinovich have signed for, but I think the Brewers will at least take a couple more prep guys in lieu of all the college players I have in there from rounds 6-10. I really like Schaffner the more I have looked into him. He has a ton of Brewers traits too.

I think the range is solid, but it’d just be hard to make that arm work. Agreed that it’s tough if he’s in left only.

He’s played center before and looked solid out there. He’s a good defender at second but the arm probably limits him to that spot if he’s on the infield.

Mission accomplished on the title then 😉 Thanks! I'm looking forward to seeing what he does too. It's just a really talented arm.

Image courtesy of © Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK Cameron Wagoner was an 11th-round selection by the Brewers in 2022, out of Eastern Michigan. He had not actually pitched for Eastern Michigan that season, due to academic ineligibility, but still caught the attention of area scout Ginger Poulson as a talented arm. He jumped into pro ball and quickly made a name for himself. For the rest of the season, he led all 2022 draftees in wins (3), innings (19 2/3), and K/BB ratio (24/2) while posting a 1.83 ERA between the complex and Low-A. Wagoner moved to High-A for the 2023 season and had an up-and-down season. His ERA (5.67) paints an uglier picture than the 4.20 FIP. Still, he struggled to generate strikeouts (19.2%), and his velocity was mainly in the 92-94 MPH range, rather than touching 97 MPH as he had shown in his brief professional debut the year before. Wagoner finished the season strong, including a tremendous August, even winning Midwest League pitcher of the month after going 4-0 with a 1.37 ERA in five games. However, he underwent Tommy John surgery after noticing problems in his elbow as he prepared for the 2024 season. As he was rehabbing from the surgery, fluid in his elbow required another six months of rehab, and then an elbow fracture set him back even further. When Wagoner returned to the game mound on May 2, it had been 972 days since he had last taken the ball in an official game. The return was not initially met by much attention, but that changed when he touched 99 MPH in a dominant three-up, three-down inning that included three strikeouts. That moment already made for a cool story, but Wagoner appears to be aiming for something more. Including that first outing, Wagoner is currently posting an ERA of 1.46 through 12 1/3 innings, with 19 strikeouts and only three walks. (He has hit five batters, as well.) His 40.2% whiff rate puts him in the 97th percentile for Double-A pitchers. The only two runs Wagoner has allowed have come via two solo home runs. Not only has Wagoner performed well, but the velocity continues to sit at the same level as he showed in his first outing. In fact, he even touched 100 MPH in the outing in which he recorded the first save of his career. While he has dropped down to 95 MPH on a couple of fastballs, the vast majority have been in the 97+ range. It's not just the fastball that deserves attention, though. His "cutter" (more of a short slider shape) has been elite, as well. Going into his most recent outing, he had generated whiffs on 64% of swings against that pitch. An overlay of the two pitches helps illustrate how well the two offerings can play off each other. Wagoner.mp4 This isn't just a good pitch mix for a Double-A reliever. Wagoner is showing a level of stuff capable of playing in a big-league bullpen. Given that he is Rule 5-eligible this winter, the Brewers may consider moving him up to Nashville soon, and once you're in Triple-A, a big-league debut is only one call away. Can he limit the free passes enough to let his stuff play? Will the velocity hold up as he continues to throw more innings? These are questions Wagoner will need to answer if he is going to push himself to that highest level. For now, though, his return is a tremendous story, and every inning he pitches in Double-A is must-see (MiLB) TV. View full article

We did talk about O’Rae! 1:32:35 mark 😉 (Fully understand how it could be missed during a 2 1/2 hour pod)

This is definitely an overreaction considering I've just been watching him for a few innings, but at the same time I can't believe how impressive Moises Salazar looks behind the plate. He has defensive tools that will give you a big-league career even if you can't hit much, and he's a 16-year-old switch-hitting catcher with legitimate offensive tools too.

Orioles Orange vs Brewers Gold stream for those interested :)

Image courtesy of © Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Bishop Letson (11th round), Tyson Hardin (12th), Luke Adams (12th), and Josh Adamczewski (15th) are the most highly-touted post-10th round picks in the Milwaukee Brewers' vaunted farm system right now. However, as the club's 16th-round selection in 2024, Jayden Dubanewicz is looking to put himself in their company with his strong start to 2026. Dubanewicz's signing came as a bit of a surprise, as he'd already moved into his dorm at the University of Florida by the time the Brewers picked him. The $665,000 signing bonus likely played a big role in convincing him, and it's looking like a smart investment for the Brewers. At 6-foot-3, Dubanewicz still has significant physical projection left, with plenty of room to continue adding strength to his frame. However, he already looks to be bigger than his listed 160 pounds this season. He got off to a late start this season, after leaving a minor-league spring training game with a minor injury. He didn't ramp back up until mid-April, but made his first start for the newly minted Wilson Warbirds (Low-A) on May 13. After sitting 92-94 mph last season, Dubanewicz has operated more consistently around 95 mph early this year and has touched 97.8. The velocity jump has also come with improved fastball characteristics, as he has reached up to 20 inches of induced vertical break on some of his four-seamers. With nearly seven feet of extension, the pitch has the potential to become a legitimate weapon for him if he can get the movement a bit more consistently in that 18-20 IVB range. Because Dubanewicz made a couple of appearances in the Arizona Complex League as part of his rehab, we can compare his 2025 velocity, spin, and movement to where they are early in 2026, courtesy of Pitch Profiler. A few things pop out immediately on that chart. First of all, Dubanewicz's arm angle has gone from 34° overall (39° on his four-seam) to 49° overall and 53° on his four-seam. It's easy to see the difference in the pictures below (2026 on the left; 2025 on the right). A higher arm angle does usually coincide with more IVB, and Dubanewicz has gone from an average of 15.2" to 17.8". Neither of those are out of the ordinary for their arm slot, though, so the bigger jumps to pay attention to are in his extension and velocity. He has made some other changes to his delivery as well, including making his glove tap at the top of his leg lift much smaller, and also sitting back into his back leg a bit better. He stays a bit taller up top as well, helping him rotate more efficiently. iq0ml8.mp4 In the 67 pitches that were tracked in 2025, Dubanewicz's max velocity was 94.7 MPH, and he averaged 93 MPH. In his 2026 appearance, he threw six pitches harder than that, including the aforementioned 97.8 MPH pitch, averaging 95. With the MLB average for release extension being 6.3 feet, Dubanewicz already generated slightly above-average extension last season at 6.65 feet, but it has jumped to 7.01 feet this year. The thought is that one foot of extension above average adds about 1.7 MPH to the perceived velocity of a pitch. This means that Dubanewicz's 2-MPH jump in velocity is a bit closer to a 3 MPH jump in perceived velocity. Typically, guys also achieve less extension when they work from a higher arm angle, so his extension increasing this way despite raising his slot bespeaks a player getting down the mound much, much better than in the past. Something else that appears to have improved from 2025 to 2026 is the spin rate. The RPMs are up on all of the pitches you would want them to be up on, and he's actually killing spin on the changeup a bit better, as well. He also appears to be separating the slider and curveball shapes a bit better. There's not a cluster on the 2026 side of the above graphic, like there was in 2025. It should be noted that while the velocity was in the 94-97 range early in his start on Wednesday, it had dropped down to 92-95 in the third inning. As he continues to build up, showing that he can hold that velocity later in starts will be important for Dubanewicz. All three secondaries show flashes of being average or better offerings, with the breaking balls being used mainly against righties and the changeup being used mainly against lefties. The shapes of all three pitches should allow them all to be used in a platoon-neutral manner, though, which gives him a particularly deep mix. He's still using his "sinker" in Low-A games, but it was not used during his time in the ACL, so there's no data to look at there. It plays more like a two-seamer than a true sinker, as it's used more for its run than its sink. That's truer than ever from the higher slot. These changes and improvements have led to a very strong start to his season, including his two ACL appearances and three starts with Wilson. His 42% whiff rate would be in the 98th percentile for qualified pitchers at the Low-A level—though he is, of course, not currently close to qualified, due to his late start. ERA FIP IP G GS HR/9 K% BB% K-BB% Whiff% WHIP BABIP LD% GB% FB% IFFB% 1.98 3.24 13.2 5 4 0.0 30.91% 12.73% 18.18% 42.0% 1.39 0.400 20.7% 41.4% 37.9% 36.4% If there is one thing to keep an eye on, it's the walks. He only walked 5.6% of batters faced last season, but he is currently at 12.7% early this year. It's too small a sample to draw any real conclusions from right now, especially because four of his seven walks came on Wednesday, in a game that began in a weather delay and was dealing with intermittent rain throughout the early innings. Still, it's something to track moving forward. Dubanewicz turned 20 in early March and has a long developmental road ahead of him. If he can continue to add strength and see the velocity bump up even further, this is the type of arm that could start to push its way toward top-10 prospect consideration in the system. It's too early in the season to project that, but he has that type of talent and (given the strides he's already made) seems to have the work ethic to get there. View full article

Milwaukee Brewers signed free agent RHP Manuel Davila to a minor league contract.

Not sure where else to put this, but it seems like Peña is on his way back to Appleton from this person who is currently at the ACL Brewers game tonight

This seems like good news on Luis Peña from a source who is at the ACL Brewers game tonight

If anyone’s interested in watching the ACL game tonight

Not on the main (Statcast) field against the Cubs today (apparently there’s a HS game on it lol) but a little birdie told me there were EV’s of 109 on the double and 112 on the single for Antunez’s two hits so far tonight.

I suppose that could be tied to the slugging, but I'm not sure I get how that would be connected to walks going up significantly as well? If you're encouraging more in-zone attacking vs trying to get chase, I'd think walks would be going down or at least holding pretty steady. My educated guess is that we're going to find out the baseballs are slicker, with less drag this year.

I've heard Baseball America is working on an article of some sort on this that should be out soon. It definitely feels like something has changed with walks and homers both up quite a bit across the board for non-AAA levels (the one level that they use MLB baseballs)

I am coming away from this extremely impressed with Frontado. This was an awesome AB from him. Covered all different areas of the zone, laid off of some well-placed breaking balls, hit a foul ball at 101 MPH, and then was able to reach out and poke one 93 MPH for an RBI single. hw52ne.mp4