Spencer Michaelis

It's emergency podcast time! The guys host an emergency episode to break down the Devin Williams trade, including why the Brewers made the move and what to make of the return. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2Td iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-brewer-fanatic-podcast-166534588/ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ommzz627 Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brewerfanatic View full article

Get it? Like "peek behind the curtain". This kid has to pan out, for everyone's sake. Image courtesy of © Lauren Roberts/Salisbury Daily Times via Imagn Content Services, LLC While the Brewers did lose one pitcher they would have liked to hold onto in Wednesday's Rule 5 Draft (Shane Smith, taken first overall by the White Sox), they also added two new arms over the course of the day. Connor Thomas joined the fold in the MLB portion of the draft, but there was another selection in the minor-league portion who is worthy of a deeper dive. Zach Peek, selected out of the Orioles system, was a sixth-round selection by the Los Angeles Angels in 2019 out of Winthrop. In December of that year, the right-handed pitcher was dealt to Baltimore as part of a trade that sent Dylan Bundy to the Angels. Due to COVID, he didn’t make his professional debut until 2021. In that first season, Peek posted a 3.80 ERA across Low-A and High-A, striking out 120 batters in 90 innings along the way. He got off to a strong start in Double-A in 2022, as evidenced by his 3.57 ERA and 3.50 FIP through 11 starts. Unfortunately, that season was cut short by an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. Peek returned to the mound in the last few weeks of the 2023 season. He was injured once again in early 2024, though, this time with a shoulder issue. Including eight innings in the Arizona Fall League in 2023, Peek has only pitched a total of 33 ⅔ innings since mid-2022. When he has been healthy, Peek’s numbers have always been above-average, even if they don't jump off of the page. This is a viable mode of acquiring future big-leaguers, too. Oliver Dunn was selected in the minor-league portion of the Rule 5 by the Phillies in December 2022, under similar circumstances, Both Peek and Dunn had battled a number of injuries, but showed signs of big-league ability whenever they were healthy. Despite his advanced age, Peek's development has been limited the last couple of seasons, meaning there might be some room for growth left in the tank—more than you might expect from your average 26-year-old pitcher, at the very least. That, along with his pitch mix, is one of the main reasons this pick might end up being more noteworthy than it would appear at first glance. It’s important to note that the above graphic is gathered from a very small sample, shortly after returning from Tommy John surgery, and includes only 20 total pitches from his lone AFL outing on a Statcast field. However, it does help give us a peek (pun very much intended) at what he brings to the table, in terms of his repertoire. His four-seam fastball has an average shape coming from his release height. It should be able to miss some bats at the top of the zone, but generally appears to be pretty hittable if it is left in the lower two-thirds. Velocity-wise, it has largely been a low-90’s offering, though he has reached back for 95 in the past and it sounds like he may have a bit more in the tank since his full return from Tommy John. Despite the four-seamer's relative normalcy, Peek’s overall fastball profile is one that the Brewers have been able to maximize numerous times in recent years. He throws both a two-seamer and a cutter, to go along with that four-seam. Based on this small sample, the cutter looks like a pitch the Brewers may have him throw more often, as it grades out a bit better than average. The curveball is a high-spin offering, with over four inches more induced drop than the average curveball thrown around 77 MPH, to go along with average sweep. It’s a pitch that he showed good feel for being able to land for strikes early in his career, and he seemed to rediscover that in 2024 in his small sample, it's long been considered his best pitch by scouts. Peek only threw one changeup in his AFL outing. It was (noticeably) around 10 MPH slower than his average fastball, and he did a decent job of killing the spin on it. Velocity differential, along with good command, can make up for some movement shortcomings on a changeup. However, visually, the changeup appears to have a bit more depth than the numbers on that one pitch sample would indicate. While his one-inning sample in the AFL didn’t include any sliders, he appeared to throw one of those, as well. It seems to have the shape of a shorter slider, likely on a similar plane to his cutter, but a bit slower and with more glove-side movement. It has the appearance of a pitch that he could use as a putaway offering against right-handed hitters. One of Peek’s few outings in 2024 was his very last one, which was a rehab assignment against the Brewers' Low-A affiliate, the Carolina Mudcats. He threw two innings in relief in that outing, allowing two hits and one earned run. He also struck out four Mudcats and walked zero. In the video below, you can see his full repertoire on display (admittedly, not from the greatest camera angle), with a number of the pitches being thrown against some of the Brewers top prospects: Braylon Payne, Juan Baez and Eric Bitonti. Peek has a six-pitch mix, all of which at least show signs of being usable MLB offerings. Though he was older, he was still moving relatively quickly through the Orioles system before battling through those two major injuries. Since returning from the second of them, there are some signs of his stuff taking a step forward, too. Every MiLB Rule 5 selection will have holes in their profile, but Peek’s seem to be mainly tied to his age and injury history. There were some walk issues coming off of Tommy John, but that's not uncommon. As mentioned earlier, Oliver Dunn was a MiLB Rule 5 selection in 2022, but so was Isaac Collins, who made his MLB debut with the Brewers last year. With the amount of talent in some organizations, good players can fall through the cracks and wind up available in this portion of the draft. Peek has the type of profile that, with some tinkering from a Brewers development staff that seems to specialize in working with his type of pitch mix and some better fortune on the injury front, could be capable of getting outs at the MLB level. He seems like a candidate to begin the campaign in Double-A with Biloxi, but it would not be too surprising to see him get his first opportunity in Triple-A to start 2025. What are your thoughts on Zach Peek? Do you think the Brewers may have found a diamond in the rough with this selection? View full article

He only threw one inning on Statcast in 2023, pitching in the AFL, but he averaged 3,345 on the five he threw, so I'd say 3,540 is within his range. Also found out that he throws all three forms of fastballs, and the changeup looks pretty good to me. I have to say, I'm pretty intrigued.

Episode 2 is out 🙂

Spencer Michaelis continue their in-depth examination of the Brewers' farm system in yet another special episode of the podcast. Spencer and Joseph recap the Carolina Mudcats' season, tier the Mudcats position players and pitchers and answer your listener questions! Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2Td iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-brewer-fanatic-podcast-166534588/ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ommzz627 Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brewerfanatic View full article

I simply wasn’t reading it at the time, was trying to remember off the top of my head for some reason, instead of sticking with Finn lol. I think I may have said Bruins Colorado or something. Now realizing it was standing for Brunswick County which makes way more sense.

Of course! Should be out Monday or Tuesday I’d imagine! Btw, now that I’m looking at it again, I am pretty sure I completely butchered your username when I said it, but we also gave you the actual shoutout of your first name so that ought to help 😂

It has been a quiet offseason so far but the Brewers are going to start making moves, possibly soon. With the Winter Meetings a few days away, Jack and Spencer attempt to plan their own versions of the Brewers offseason and make new observations based on the experience. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2Td iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-brewer-fanatic-podcast-166534588/ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ommzz627 Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brewerfanatic View full article

We will be recording Episode 2 tomorrow night, focused on the Mudcats. If you have Mudcats questions for us, make sure to get them in ASAP! (FYI, because Jack and I will be recording a normal episode tonight, this minor league episode will likely be uploaded early next week to spread them out a bit more)

Curt Hogg just posted an article with 20 names that the Brewers are expected to sign on the Journal Sentinel. A few names I had not found, and/or was not sure if they were 2025's: - Leander Matos, infielder, Dominican Republic - Enrique Velasquez, pitcher, Venezuela (Here's his TikTok) - Jefer Lista, outfielder, Venezuela - Cristian Montilla, infielder, Venezuela - Erkys Rivero, outfielder, Venezuela Some names not listed that I found (not sure if they were simply not listed by Curt because he lacked info on them, if they are not 2025 signees, or some other reason): I am nearly certain both of the first two are 2025's. - Raymon Sarmiento, RH Pitcher - Sebastian Franeites, Catcher Not as sure on these three... - Alejandro Guerrero, Infielder - Salomón Millán, Catcher - Manny De Los Santos, LH Hitter (unsure on position, would guess outfield)

A couple more interesting MiLB Signings per Curt Hogg

It appears Arias is signing as part of the 2024 International Class, from what I can tell. They must have a bit of money left over. Found his TikTok and his Instagram. Not much video, but you can see some of the mechanics.

Back-to-back podcasts; today Jack and Spencer look at the lead-up to the Rule 5 Draft. Jack and Spencer break down the potential impact of losing Walker McKinven to the White Sox, the upcoming Rule 5 draft, how the Brewers can fix Deivi García, and more. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2Td iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-brewer-fanatic-podcast-166534588/ Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/ommzz627 Watch On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@brewerfanatic View full article

You won't need X to listen! It's available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and almost anywhere you can get a pod! It's also available on the site 🙂 and you can listen directly through there. Hoping it'll be on YouTube soon as well, as we used a lot of graphics and video on this episode. https://brewerfanatic.com/news-rumors/milwaukee-brewers-podcasts/special-episode-1-2024-minor-league-recap-r2819/?do=getNewComment&d=1&id=2819

In the first part of five, Brewer Fanatic's Joseph Zarr joins Spencer to talk about the Brewers minor league system. In an extended episode and the first of a five part series, Joseph Zarr joins Spencer to discuss the Brewers 2024 MiLB season, some of the departures and additions, updates on how players from the organization have fared in the AFL and winter leagues, and also placed DSL and ACL prospects into tiers based on their future potential. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-brewer-fanatic-podcast/id1740648724 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5CY8mWsQayqjDXqw9OT2Td\ iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-the-brewer-fanatic-podcast-166534588/ View full article

I think that's a fair POV for sure. It's the main reason he isn't my number one. But the pure upside of being a legit ace is also a solid reason to vote him so highly I think. So I get how he ended up here.

Welcome back to the final edition of Brewer Fanatic's 2024 top 20 prospect breakdown! In this edition, we will take a deep dive look at Jacob Misiorowski. Misiorowski is the new number one prospect in the system, as voted on and compiled by the Brewer Fanatic community. Image courtesy of © Curt Hogg / USA TODAY NETWORK #1 Jacob Misiorowski (Biloxi Shuckers, Nashville Sounds) In terms of pure ceiling, the Brewers' second-round selection in the 2022 draft has one of the highest in baseball. A junior college standout from Crowder College in Missouri, Misiorowski is a freak athlete on the mound, with long levers and a blazing fastball. Since selecting Misiorowski, the Brewers have been extremely cautious in managing his workload. He only appeared in two games in 2022 and was built up very slowly in 2023. In 2024, they managed the workload differently, as he began the season making starts but finished in the bullpen. During that time, he moved from Double-A, where he had started the season, to Triple-A, where he would ultimately finish it. He continued to show his immense potential along the way, but also the qualities that have evaluators hesitant to label him a starting pitcher in the long term. What to Like: Misiorowski has, arguably, the most electric fastball in the minor leagues. Sitting in the 96-99 range most of the time, he has proven capable of running it up all the way to 102 in shorter stints. Not only does his fastball have 80-grade velocity, but it also has really good characteristics. Despite being 6’7", he releases the ball at just over five feet off the ground, which helps him generate a Vertical Approach Angle of -4.1, an elite number. Misiorowski also gets an insane 7.4 feet of extension, which would have finished in the 99th percentile in MLB this past season. His fastball compares extremely well to Zach Wheeler’s regarding release height, movement, and extension. However, Misiorowski’s fastball is thrown a couple of miles per hour harder than Wheeler’s. The consensus is that somebody with around 6.5 feet of extension will have essentially the same perceived velocity as their actual velocity. Each foot of extension beyond that adds about two MPH from the hitter's point of view. That means that a 98 MPH fastball from Misiorowski looks like 100, and if he runs it up to 102, it looks like 104. His fastball is his best pitch, but his secondaries don’t lag far behind. His slider has long been considered his best secondary offering, and it is a very good pitch, sitting in the low 90s with more of a cutter shape than a true slider. It missed a lot of bats at the lower levels but was more of a barrel-missing pitch for him in Triple-A, as he only generated whiffs at a 16.7% rate. His mid-80s curveball made a huge leap in 2023 and got even better in 2024. The curve shows a big, late drop with an above-average sweep, and hitters take it for many strikes because of how tough it is to pick up. It also became his primary “out pitch” in 2024, as he used it far more often than the slider. At the Triple-A level, the curveball generated an elite chase rate of 39.6% and a similarly elite whiff rate of 41%. It has surpassed the slider as his best secondary and is a borderline 70-grade pitch. What to Work On: It’s not a secret that Misiorowski has command concerns. It was the main knock on him during the draft, and it has followed him early in his career. A walk rate of 14.39% and over five walks per nine innings is not something he will be able to get away with in MLB, especially if he wants to continue down the path of being a starting pitcher. Along those lines, there is still concern over whether Misiorowski will end up being forced into a full time relief role at some point. His delivery does involve a lot of effort, and has a lot of moving parts. From the time he was drafted to the present, there has been quite a bit of improvement in terms of repeating his mechanics and staying within himself more often, so he will look to continue to build upon that. Adding some bulk to his frame could help keep the body in sync more consistently. While his fastball, slider and curveball combination have done the majority of the work for Misiorowski, he does also throw a changeup. The changeup is a distant fourth offering at the moment, and one he never actually broke out in Triple-A. He has very little command over it and is almost completely unable to throw it for strikes. The pitch shows signs of having good, late depth on it, but if he can’t learn to command it better he will likely need to scrap it, which he may have already done. What’s next: Misiorowski has moved very quickly through the Brewers system. He will almost certainly begin 2025 back in Triple-A Nashville. The bigger question is whether they will have him starting games, or if he will be preparing for a bullpen role in MLB. His stuff is good enough to pitch in the majors right now, especially in that aforementioned bullpen role. He showed a better ability to hold his velocity deeper into games in 2024, which means if he can make strides with his command (a big if), then starting games should still be on the table. Either way, assuming full health, it feels like a safe assumption that Misiorowski will make his MLB debut in 2025. The role in which that will happen is all that’s left to find out. What are your thoughts on Misiorowski? What are you hoping to see from him in 2025? Do you think he can stick as a starter? Let us know in the comments! View full article

Ironically, Jimmy Nelson's was very similar. He didn't actually lose much velo on his fastball after returning (it was more of a command issue for him post-surgery), which makes me hopeful that Quero's arm won't suffer the consequences. I can't find position players with the same injury, suffered the same exact way, at least to the point where we have data to see how it affected throwing post-surgery. It might be out there, I just haven't been able to find a good example. From what I can tell, it's not expected to affect him swinging, which is good news. The fact it's on his back shoulder for that and not the arm he finishes his swing with makes it less of an issue at the plate. The throws are the one question, from what I can tell.