Spencer Michaelis

We continue our Minor League Player of the Month series with our Top 6 Starting Pitchers for the month of May. To begin with a small disclaimer, the Mudcats once again complicated the choices by having a lot of “tandem” starts, which led to a number of pitchers with starter innings, but only one or two starts. Because of this we have made the cutoff 15 IP, and at least one game started, in order to be eligible for the list. Honorable Mention LHP - Adam Seminaris - Biloxi Shuckers - 3 G, 3 GS, 16.0 IP, 1-1, 3.38 ERA, 2.55 FIP, 1.13 WHIP, 12 H , 6 BB, 17 K. One of the three pitchers acquired in the Hunter Renfroe trade, Seminaris had a really forgettable April before turning the page to May. He struck out more than a batter per inning and kept his walks to a minimum. Unfortunately he was injured during his third start of the month and wasn’t able to continue building off his recent success. Hopefully once he returns he will be able to pick up where he left off. TOP 6 PITCHERS OF APRIL #6 RHP - Justin Jarvis - Biloxi Shuckers - 5 G, 5 GS, 26.2 IP, 3-1, 3.37 ERA, 3.55 FIP, 1.42 WHIP, 28 H , 10 BB, 31 K. Brewer Fanatics newly-ranked number 12 prospect, Jarvis didn’t quite match his dominant April, in which he took home the number 1 spot in these rankings. He did, however, still have a very solid showing, and seemed to prove that April was not a fluke. Jarvis’ stuff did not regress in May, still sitting in the mid-90’s with his fastball and showing the same three secondaries that made him successful in April. His command did take a bit of a step back however, and this was where the results likely faltered a bit in comparison to last month. Still striking out over ten batters per nine innings, his walk numbers weren’t all that bad. The command issues showed more in terms of his in-zone command, as Jarvis was leaving pitches over the heart of the plate a bit more often, which led to some harder contact against him. Jarvis’ month was highlighted by his May 18th outing, in which he went six innings, only allowed two earned runs and struck out nine batters. May was another step in the right direction for Jarvis, who is in a very important year of his development. #5 RHP - Carlos F. Rodriguez - Biloxi Shuckers - 5 G, 5 GS, 27.2 IP, 2-1, 3.25 ERA, 3.48 FIP, 0.98 WHIP, 17 H , 10 BB, 37 K. Rodriguez is another pitcher that has made this list for a second time in as many opportunities. The Brewer Fanatic number six prospect, much like Jarvis, had a really solid May even if the surface numbers took a bit of a step back from what he put up in April. Rodriguez was hit a bit harder in May, but was still able to strike out over 12 batters per nine innings. His fastball continued to ride well up in the zone and his changeup was a plus pitch this month against lefties. The slider was his go-to secondary against righties, and he generated plenty of swing and miss with that as well. Rodriguez’s month-long numbers were dragged down by one outing in mid-May where he walked four and gave up six runs (four of which were earned) in three innings. Without that outing, his May would have been just as elite as his April. While he did have one of his worst outings in quite some time in May, Rodriguez’s best start of his career may have been his most recent, as he went a complete seven innings for the first time. In that outing he struck out 11 and walked zero. He allowed a two-run home run to the second batter of the game and then settled in and was dominant for the remainder of his start. Rodriguez has pitched well enough where the Brewers are likely considering a promotion to Triple-A, where he would be one of the youngest players at the level. This is a name that the larger publications likely need to take more note of, as the results just keep rolling in, and his stuff backs up the results. #4 RHP - Jacob Misiorowski - Carolina Mudcats - 6 G, 6 GS, 22.0 IP, 1-1, 3.27 ERA, 2.08 FIP, 0.82 WHIP, 7 H , 11 BB, 38 K. In terms of pure ceiling, the Brewers' second-round selection in last year's draft has one of the highest in all of baseball. Misiorowski is a freak athlete on the mound, with long levers and a fastball that regularly touches triple digits. He also throws a wicked slider in the upper 80’s and a curveball that is more in the mid-80s. His changeup has been used more sparingly, and he struggles to throw it for strikes, but it has shown flashes as well. There is potential for three elite pitches, and a solid fourth pitch. The concern has been, and will continue to be, with his command. Misiorowski’s lankiness, and long levers make it hard to sync up his mechanics repeatedly, and his stuff is so nasty it can also become tough to command pitches that move as much as his do. Despite the command concerns, May wasn’t a bad month in terms of walks for Misiorowski, only walking four batters per nine innings. While not a great number by any means, somebody with his strikeout stuff will be just fine if he holds that number through his career. The concern many will note is that he got a lot of chases from Low-A hitters on pitches that may not have been all that competitive, and upper level hitters would have been able to lay off with ease. It will be something to monitor as he begins his ascension up the minor league ladder. Only allowing six hits in the month, Misiorowski was punching tickets left and right as he struck out over 16 batters per nine innings. While his ERA for the month may not blow you away, his peripherals were that of an absolutely elite pitcher. Misiorowski’s best outing of the month was, without a doubt, his May 25th start. That evening he went five innings for the first time in his pro career, struck out nine batters and did not allow a hit. The lone baserunner he allowed came by way of a hit by pitch. It was a dominant performance that showed just how high the ceiling is for. Misiorowski is dominating the Carolina league, but the Brewers are still likely to keep him there for a bit longer, as he continues to iron out some of the mechanical inconsistencies and build himself up in terms of his pitch count. A promotion to Wisconsin looks very likely within the next month or so though and if you are in the Appleton area, that’s a guy you’re going to want to go take a look at in person. #3 LHP - Nate Peterson - Carolina Mudcats - 4 G, 1 GS, 18.0 IP, 3-0, 1.50 ERA, 2.21 FIP, 0.72 WHIP, 9 H, 4 BB, 23 K. Unranked by all publications The Brewers eighth round pick in last year's draft out of the University of Illinois-Chicago was used in a piggy back role, but was clearly being stretched as a starter, never going fewer than four innings in any of his outings. The report on Peterson coming out of college was that he had a really good looking changeup at times, but it wasn’t consistent and two different breaking balls showed some flashes, but needed to add movement. His fastball had decent carry, but would get flat at times and sitting only around 90-92, touching 94, would get hit around when it did flatten out. So far in Carolina, the fastball has seemed to hold the carry a lot better, and it has been getting on hitters, causing some uncomfortable swings. Velocity readings have been hard to come by during his Carolina outings, but given the uncomfortable swings it’s fair to wonder if he has bumped his fastball up closer to 93-94 more regularly. His changeup has shown more consistency than in college and has been a really good out pitch for him against right handed hitters, though his breaking ball could still use more improvement. He has fared equally well against both righties and lefties so far though, which is always a good sign that the changeup is playing well. Peterson has shown tremendous command, and that shows in his miniscule walk rate for the month, as well as the amount of soft contact he has been generating. For a guy who didn’t have scouts very excited in college, Peterson has shown some unexpected flashes so far. The Brewers track record of finding diamonds in the rough makes it hard not to be a bit excited by what Peterson has shown. At his more advanced age of 23, a promotion to Wisconsin is likely in the cards relatively soon. That will be a bit of a better test for him, but these results are exciting nonetheless. #2 RHP - Edwin Jimenez - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers - 6 G, 2 GS, 24.1 IP, 2-1, 1.85 ERA, 3.21 FIP, 0.74 WHIP, 14 H, 4 BB, 28 K. Unranked by all publications Jimenez is the third player to make this list in both April and May. Much like in April, Jimenez technically only started a couple of games, but he is still being stretched out as a starter. The 2018 international signee Jimenez had always had a curveball with good traits; a good shape and sharp break and a changeup that showed flashes. However, the fastball had lagged behind in the past. In April his velocity was up into the low 90’s with more consistency and the fastball was commanded better than in the past, and that carried right on into May. If April was going to be Jimenez’s breakout month, as we speculated, then he was going to need to prove that he could build off of it. So far, so good, as he was actually even better in May. Jimenez made the jump to High-A right as the month began, and hit the ground running. Thanks in part to what has appeared to be a more consistent changeup. His changeup is in the 84-85 MPH range, and has sharp and late break. It has splitter movement, though he doesn’t seem to have a true splitter grip. He only allowed one earned run in his first four outings with the Timber Rattlers, spanning 13 1/3 innings. He struck out 19 in that stretch, and only walked three. His final two outings were five and six innings, respectively. He gave up two earned runs in each of those appearances, all of which came due to the home run ball (two solo, and one two-run home run). His strikeouts were down a bit in those last two outings, punching out nine in 11 innings, but he still did a great job locating his pitches and keeping hitters uncomfortable. As noted in the April edition of this list, Jimenez will be Rule 5 eligible this offseason, which means his organizational timer is ticking and the team will likely continue to be aggressive with his promotions. At the rate he is going, a move to Biloxi later in the season does not appear to be out of the question. #1 RHP - Will Rudy - Carolina Mudcats - 5 G, 5 GS, 24.1 IP, 3-0, 0.74 ERA, FIP, 0.95 WHIP, 17 H, 6 BB, 25 K. Unranked by all publications The Brewers fifth round selection in last year's MLB Draft out of Cal Poly Pomona does not currently appear on any of the major prospect lists. Though if his May is any sign of things to come, that will not hold true for much longer. Rudy is a converted shortstop who is still relatively new to pitching and is likely only scratching the surface of what he is capable of, which makes his first month in pro ball even more exciting. A very good athlete with a clean and smooth delivery and an arm action that appears to be very repeatable; Rudy has shown above average, if not plus, command already in Carolina. His fastball sits 90-92 mph with armside run and he seems to be able to throw it up in the zone, as well as down in the zone. With his frame and his relative inexperience on the mound, he should continue to add velocity and will likely get himself into the mid-90’s in the future. He throws a slider that is above average and flashes plus as times, and he also throws a changeup that is a decent third offering and helps keep hitters off balance. Rudy has the repertoire to stick as a starter and he showed it off in May to the tune of a 0.74 ERA. To highlight the type of month Rudy had, his worst start was a 4 1/3 IP outing where he gave up one earned run. That outing was also his first start of the season and of his professional career. His next time out was a five-inning outing where he allowed one earned run. He then finished his stellar month with three straight outings of five innings and he did not allow a run in any of those final three starts. Not only did Rudy strike out more than a batter an inning and limit walks to 2.22 per nine, he also only allowed two extra base hits in May, both of which were doubles. Hitters were struggling to generate contact in general, but hard contact was almost non-existent against Rudy. Rudy’s professional career could not have gotten off to much of a better start than it did in May. If similar results keep rolling in, the Brewers might need to look into pushing Rudy aggressively to High-A Wisconsin in short order. Please share your opinions! Who should have made it that didn’t? Who made it, but should not have?

May was an exciting month for prospect followers, as some of the higher-ranked prospects had breakout months at the plate. We will look at the top four hitters for the month, as well as a couple of honorable mentions. Honorable Mentions 1B/DH Jon Singleton - Nashville Sounds - 25 H, .287/.392/.598 (.990 OPS), 143 wRC+, with 4 doubles, 1 triple, 7 home runs, 14 R, 18 RBI, 15 BB, 21 K. Singleton was crushing baseballs in May. As a 31-year-old in Triple-A, it didn’t feel quite right to include the former top prospect in this month’s top four, but he does deserve a mention for having a great month. If Rowdy Tellez were to miss significant time, it would not be a shock to see Singleton join the major league club. C Darrien Miller - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers - 19 H, .284/.342/.493 (.835 OPS), 138 wRC+, with 8 doubles, 2 home runs, 7 R, 12 RBI, 3 BB, 11 K, 1 SB The Brewers ninth rounder in 2019 had a really solid May hitting two home runs and sporting strong .835 OPS. Miller has had some issues throwing out runners in the past, but has improved upon that in 2023 with a 29.2% caught stealing rate. If he continues to hit and make strides as a thrower, he will be a name to watch. THE TOP FOUR MAY HITTERS #4 C Matthew Wood - Carolina Mudcats/Wisconsin Timber Rattlers - 27 H, .295/.436/.409 (.845 OPS), 152 wRC+, with 2 doubles, 1 triple, 2 home runs, 9 R, 22 RBI, 21 BB, 18 K, 1 SB. Wood is the only player from the April list to repeat on the May list. The Brewers 2022 fourth-round pick was seen as a high-floor catcher who should be able to stick behind the plate, with a very sound approach at the plate. In his first two months in the system he has been able to show all of those traits, doing a good job at the plate and behind it as well. In May, the majority of Wood’s damage came while he was still with the Mudcats, where he posted a 200 wRC+ through 11 games, prior to his call up to Wisconsin. In Wisconsin his numbers dipped a bit to a 113 wRC+, which is still nothing to scoff at, but not the same level as the start he got off to in Carolina. Wood hit both his home runs and his doubles in May while with the Mudcats. His triple was as a member of the Timber Rattlers. His walk rate and strikeout rate did change in a negative way as well once he was promoted, though neither are in a bad spot at 21% and 10% respectively. The main point of this is not to rip on Wood, not at all. In fact, he still did very well in his first action at High-A. This context is mainly to point out that he is likely now at the correct level for his talent. A level where he will be challenged more, and where we will be able to learn more about him as a player. Wood was moved quickly from Low-A to High-A after his strong start. Wisconsin has proven to be a bit of a tougher challenge for him thus far. It’s likely he will be spending more time there than he did in Carolina. The tools that a major league catcher need to possess are all there for Wood. Now we wait to see if he can continue to put it together like he has the first two months. #3 IF/OF Patrick Dorrian - Nashville Sounds - 20 H, .299/.365/.627 (.992 OPS), 141 wRC+, with 4 doubles, 6 home runs, 16 R, 17 RBI, 6 BB, 23 K Unranked by all publications. Dorrian was an under-the-radar pickup by the Brewers front office last season. Acquired in a trade with Baltimore for cash in June of last year, Dorrian was off to a really poor start in Triple-A for Baltimore, sitting at a 43 wRC+ through 46 games. In the 48 games he played for the Sounds after the trade, he had a 126 wRC+ and showed some very interesting power flashes. After another slow start to the 2023 season, Dorrian came out swinging in May. His six home runs were third in the organization this month, behind only Jon Singleton and Jeferson Quero (each with seven). Dorrian has a sweet looking, left-handed swing that allows him to generate a good launch angle on the ball and get to his power in games, something he struggled with earlier in his professional career. Sporting a fantastic 27% line drive rate so far and hitting home runs on 32% of his fly balls, Dorrian is elevating the ball at a good clip and he’s doing it at an ideal launch angle for extra base hits. While most of his power does come to his pull side, Dorrian does have six batted balls hit over 100 MPH to the opposite field this year as well, including one of his home runs, showing an ability to get to the power even on pitches away from him. Dorrian’s bat is what placed him on this list, but he has also been able to rotate between second base and third base, as well as a few games at first base, while only committing one error so far this season. He has a strong enough arm for third base, and his hands are pretty good as well. He’s not just a hitter, he has a lot of the tools that a utility player would be asked to possess in the major leagues. Despite such a great month, Dorrian is likely not knocking on the doorstep of the Brewers roster. Unfortunately for him, there is a lot of depth at the positions he plays. However, he is continuing to make himself known and should that depth deteriorate even further than it already has this season and he continues to swing the bat like he did in May, he may force his way into being given a shot. Sometimes a player gets their chance and runs with it. #2 C Jeferson Quero - Biloxi Shuckers - .256/.295/.573 (.868 OPS), 128 wRC+, with 5 doubles, 7 home runs, 16 R, 17 RBI, 5 BB, 18 K, 1 SB Quero is the Brewer Fanatic #4 prospect after the most recent re-rank. From the moment he signed out of Venezuela in 2019, Quero has been heralded for his makeup and ability to handle a pitching staff, both within the organization and externally. His defense and his arm are his calling cards. As a very good athlete for a catcher, Quero does a great job blocking, as well as picking, pitches in the dirt. His arm is consistently posting pop times in the 1.8-1.9 range and with good accuracy. In 2023 so far Quero has retired nine of 26 that have attempted to steal against him, good for a very impressive 34% caught stealing rate, which would rank sixth in MLB. While defense may be his calling card, there was a lot to like with Quero at the plate as well coming into the season. Quero hit ten home runs as a 19 year old catcher in 2022, to go along with a 116 wRC+ between Low-A and High-A. He also showed off a few exit velocities over 105 MPH in the AFL. His bat really exploded onto the scene in May which is what garnered him the number two spot for this month. His batted ball profile is in a good place, as he is only hitting ground balls at a 37% rate and pulls the ball around half the time. Putting himself in a good position to get to his power. Quero ended the month with 12 extra base hits, including seven home runs, many of which left the bat at over 105 MPH. He was able to keep his strikeout rate to a very reasonable 20% which will be very important for him as he continues to move forward. Quero is not one to draw many walks, so continuing to get the bat to the ball with regularity will be critical to his offensive success. Quero’s month was highlighted by a huge week in Chattanooga in which he hit five of his seven home runs, including one game with three home runs and another with two. Quero is putting the Brewers in an interesting position. He will certainly be placed on the 40-Man roster this offseason to avoid Rule 5 eligibility. If he continues to perform, the question will become how quickly Quero makes it to MLB, and what the plan becomes with Williams Contreras and Victor Caratini. That will, however, be a good problem to have if they do run into it, and it will likely sort itself out. Hopefully Quero forces the issue and causes the organization to make that call soon. #1 SS Eric Brown Jr - 28 H, .344/.439/.467 (.908 OPS), 165 wRC+, with 5 doubles, 2 home runs, 19 R, 8 RBI, 14 BB, 15 K, 13 SB, 1 CS The Brewers first round pick in last year’s draft, Brown Jr is a premium athlete at a premium position. He plays a strong shortstop, where his arm plays well enough, especially with the quick release he uses to get his throws off. His quick twitch athleticism, good range and good hands have allowed him to make some very impressive defensive plays. At times he has seemed to lose concentration and make some errors on some of his more routine plays, but that is not uncommon of younger players. In college Brown had a very low strikeout rate and an even lower chase rate to go with some pretty intriguing exit velocity numbers. Brown fell a bit further than his numbers would have indicated because he had a very peculiar looking load and stance in college, as well as some concerns about elevating the ball. He was an analytical darling, but traditional scouts were less excited due to the stance. In 2023 he came in with a load that involves a lot less movement than the one he was sporting last season. The early returns on that change were not great, and it may have actually hurt him to start the year as he got off to a horrific start as he learned to adjust to his new setup. His wRC+ through April was 39. He was hit in the face by a pitch on April 26th, but luckily avoided major injury and after returning on May 3rd, he started hitting much more like one would expect a first rounder to hit. The 39 wRC+ in April quickly turned to a 165 wRC+ in May, which has raised it all the way to 120 for the full season. Brown reached base in all but two games this past month, and was only hitless in five games. After one double in April, Brown had seven extra base hits in May including his first two home runs of the season. He did this while maintaining nearly a 1:1 strikeout to walk ratio, striking out 15 times while walking 14 times. While seven extra base hits is a solid number, it isn’t going to knock anybody’s socks off. However, Brown’s speed and baserunning abilities, helped him turn a number of his singles into extra base hits by successfully stealing 12 of 13 bases in May. This is the offensive package that the Brewers were expecting when they selected Brown last season and he showed all of it off over the last 30 or so days. Brown will be 22 for all of the 2023 season so High-A is about right for him in terms of his age. However, as a first-round pick, it is safe to assume the Brewers will look to promote him aggressively, as they did with Garrett Mitchell and Sal Frelick. Another month or two similar to this one, and he may find himself in Biloxi. Please feel free to agree or disagree with the rankings. Putting them in order was quite difficult. Age and prospect standing were the deciding factors when settling some of the closer calls. Let us know what you think!

Heading into mid-May, the Milwaukee Brewers see significant turnover in their farm system as former top ten prospects Joey Wiemer, Brice Turang, and Garrett Mitchell lose prospect eligibility. In their place comes a new wave of young prospects, including a couple from last year's MLB draft. Let's dive into the new names and what we might expect from them in years to come. To track all 20 top Brewers' prospects, visit our prospect tracker with stats and details updated nightly, along with up-to-date scouting reports on every player and recent news and content regarding each player! #10 - Daniel Guilarte Guilarte was an international signing by the Brewers in 2021 and is somebody the organization appears to be very high on internally. Guilarte can pick it at shortstop and third and second base. He has clean actions, good range, and a strong arm. Offensively, Guilarte has a patient approach that may border on being a bit too passive at times. It shows up in some solid walk totals, though it also shows up in the batted ball profile. A bit of indecisiveness can lead to a profile such as Guilarte’s, in which he rarely pulls the baseball and often hits it on the ground. Despite this, Guilarte has gotten off to a fantastic start to his full-season ball career, and as he matures more, there is likely more extra-base hit power within him. Even if he struggles to develop the power, Guilarte’s above-average to plus speed, defense, and hit tools will keep him on prospect radars. #12 - Justin Jarvis Jarvis was the Brewers' fifth-round selection in 2018 out of Lake Norman High School in North Carolina. His fastball has always played above its velocity due to having elite spin characteristics. Because of that, Jarvis has always been seen as a pitcher who needed a little more velocity to take him to the next step. He found that velocity this past offseason, perhaps partly due to a slight adjustment to his arm slot. Formerly with an extremely over-the-top delivery, Jarvis used to sit in the 90-91 range, touching 93-94 at times. While still using a high slot, he has appeared to drop it slightly; Jarvis is sitting more in the 93-95 range this season and has reached back for 96. Accompanied by three distinct secondaries in his slider, curveball, and changeup, all of which are average or slightly above offerings, Jarvis looks to be a player the Brewers will be keeping a close eye on this entire year, as he will be Rule 5 eligible again this offseason. #15 - Freddy Zamora Zamora was the Brewers' second-round pick in the 2020 COVID draft out of Miami (FL). At one point, a consensus first-round pick, some potential attitude concerns, and a recently torn ACL caused him to slide to the Brewers in the second. Zamora got off to a strong start in the minors before an injury-filled second season in 2022. He is off to a very good start in the 2023 campaign, flashing many of the tools that had garnered him such high draft consideration. Zamora has always had the build of a player that would have power in his bat but has struggled to tap into any of it. This season, however, he has begun to tap into it, and it’s showing in early home run numbers. While the power is just now starting to come around, one thing Zamora has always done well is getting the bat to the ball; he maintains a strikeout rate right around 20%. He has also been willing to take his walks and has done so at a rate of 12-15% on average. Defensively, Zamora has great range, great hands, and good actions, with a strong throwing arm. Despite possessing these attributes, he has had a lot of errors early on in his minor league career. Many errors can likely be attributed to a lack of focus, especially when making throws, which is common for young infielders. He has all of the tools to be a plus defender at shortstop. His speed grades out as above average, and his baserunning abilities as a whole follow suit. The former second-round pick is beginning to re-make a name for himself, perhaps just in time, as his Rule 5 eligibility begins this winter. #16 - Matthew Wood Wood was the Brewers' 2022 fourth-round pick out of Penn State. Wood is a catcher with a relatively high floor. He should be able to stick behind the plate, and he’s a disciplined hitter with good bat control. He appears to recognize pitches well, showing the ability to square up fastballs and breaking balls, and he showed a low whiff rate in college and early on in his pro career. There is also some pop in the bat, where he is a home run threat. Defensively, Wood’s a decent receiver but could use some improvement. He moves around pretty well behind the plate and uses his athleticism to his advantage. On throws, Wood gets rid of the ball quickly, helping his average arm strength play up enough to where his pop times are generally around 2.0 seconds and, at times, are in the low 1.9-second range. Wood is a player that could move pretty quickly through the system due to his advanced approach and ability to stick at catcher. #17 - Luke Adams The Brewers' twelfth-round pick in the 2022 draft. Adams was drafted out of Hinsdale Central High School in Illinois and spent the first few weeks of the current 2023 season at 18 before turning 19 in late April. Standing 6’4, 210 pounds, he comes with a rare blend of patience at the plate to go along with his plus raw power and surprising speed for his size. Adams has played a very solid third base where he has the arm to handle the position and has shown an early ability to make off-platform throws, which is not easily done at 6’4. He also spends time at first base, where he is a definite above-average defender. His plus arm would be a good fit in right field as well, which he has the athleticism to handle. At the plate, Adams has a violent swing, yet he also shows an impressive amount of patience. The key for him will be to find the balance between being passive and patient. Otherwise, that may be something that pitchers will be able to take advantage of as he begins to climb the organizational ladder. Very young for his level, Adams will almost certainly have some ups and downs over the next few seasons, but he has a very high ceiling if he can put everything together.

We continue our MiLB Player of the Month series with our Top 4 Starting Pitchers for the month of April. To begin with a small disclaimer, the Mudcats complicated the choices by having a lot of “tandem” starts, which led to a number of pitchers with starter innings, but only one or two starts. Because of this we made the cutoff 15 IP, and at least one game started, in order to be eligible for the list. Honorable Mentions RHP - Janson Junk - Nashville Sounds - 4 G, 3 GS, 20.2 IP, 2-1, 1.31 ERA, 3.92 FIP, 0.97 WHIP, 12 H , 8 BB, 15 K. One of the three pitchers acquired in the Hunter Renfroe trade, Junk got off to a solid surface level start in AAA, though a bit of a deeper look at his stats, such as a 20% line drive rate, would seem to paint Junk as having a lot of good luck throughout the month. Still, it’s nice to see good results early on in his Brewers tenure. RHP - Joseph Hernandez - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers - 4 G, 4 GS, 20.0 IP, 1-1, 3.15 ERA, 3.86 FIP, 1.15 WHIP, 13 H, 10 BB, 17 K. Acquired from the Mariners in the Justin Topa deal, Hernandez flashed a filthy slider and changeup combination this month. He will need to limit the walks a bit better, but he got off to a good start as a Brewer and showed the qualities that made him an intriguing pickup for the organization. TOP 4 PITCHERS OF APRIL #4 RHP - Tyler Woessner - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers - 4 G, 4 GS, 22.0 IP, 0-1, 2.45 ERA, 2.67 FIP, 1.05 WHIP, 16 H , 7 BB, 19 K. The Brewers sixth round selection in the 2022 draft, Woessner was quite a bit older than the average JUCO arm, but he showed a lot of interesting traits, including the way he can spin his pitches and especially his fastball. Woessner is actually throwing six pitches right now; throwing two different sliders, that high spin fastball, a sinker, a knuckle-curve and a changeup. These pitches were all used regularly and gave him the tools to have a very successful April. Woessner’s strikeout numbers were looking fantastic until he was only able to strikeout one in his final start of the month. He still generated a lot of swing and miss the entire month, and it is safe to assume that the strikeout numbers will end up closer to the 9 per 9 that pitchers are always chasing. He did a good job limiting walks, and avoiding line drives, which is a great way to counter the strikeout numbers being down. Woessner’s best start came on April 14th, when he went 5 IP with 8 punch-outs and only 1 walk and showed off the entire repertoire. #3 RHP - Carlos F. Rodriguez - Biloxi Shuckers - 4 G, 4 GS, 17.0 IP, 0-1, 2.12 ERA, 2.81 FIP, 1.24 WHIP, 11 H , 10 BB, 25 K. Carlos Rodriguez likely put his name on some fans’ radars when he pitched for Nicaragua in the World Baseball Classic and limited a Puerto Rico lineup, containing numerous MLB players, to two hits over four innings pitched, while also striking out four. Similar to Tyler Woessner, Rodriguez was a JUCO pitcher that the Brewers selected in the sixth round, in his case that was in the 2021 draft. However, despite their similar backgrounds and Rodriguez being drafted a year earlier, Rodriguez is actually over two years younger than Woessner. He is also the sixth youngest pitcher in all of Double-A. The Brewers Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2022 picked up right where he left off with a great start to his 2023 season. Rodriguez is able to keep hitters off balance with two plus secondary pitches, in his slider and his changeup, as well as a “get me over” curveball that really changes the hitting speed, sometimes dropping into the low 70’s or high 60’s. His fastball rides well up in the zone and he gets a lot of swings and misses on the high fastball. His repertoire is that of a fly ball pitcher, so keeping hitters off balance will be key to avoid the home run ball. He did a great job of that in April. When he wasn’t striking hitters out, he was generating a lot of weak fly balls. He did not allow any home runs during the month. While he was racking up strikeouts and generating weakly hit fly balls, Rodriguez was also struggling a bit with his command, walking over five per nine innings, and causing himself to be unable to go very deep into games. This is something he will certainly work to clean up throughout the rest of the season, but for a player who seemed to breakout last season, the hype train will continue to roll after his first month of 2023. #2 RHP - Edwin Jimenez - Carolina Mudcats - 4 G, 1 GS, 18.0 IP, 0-1, 2.12 ERA, 2.16 FIP, 1.00 WHIP, 13 H, 5 BB, 23 K. Jimenez is one of the Mudcats that was referenced in the opening paragraph. Despite only making one true start, Jimenez is definitely being stretched out as a starter. A 2018 international signee, Jimenez is still only 21 years old and beginning to show major progress toward the potential he flashed in the spring of 2022. Jimenez had always had a curveball with good traits; a good shape and sharp break and a changeup that showed flashes. However, the fastball had lagged behind in the past. In April his velocity was up into the low 90’s with more consistency and the fastball was commanded better than in the past. This laid the foundation for what may end up being a breakout month for him. Jimenez struck out over 11 batters per nine innings in April while only walking 2.5 per nine. The strikeout numbers were much more in line with those that he put up in the rookie ball levels back in 2021 when Fangraphs had listed him as a top 30 prospect for the Brewers. Lack of swing and miss last season took him off of that radar, but it’s great to see that return for him. Generating grounders at a 50% clip, Jimenez was able to keep himself out of danger even when he wasn’t missing bats. He did not surrender any long balls in April, which was something he struggled with a bit in 2022. Jimenez, a player who will be Rule 5 eligible this offseason, will look to build upon this strong start to the season. Though he is unlikely to be selected in the Rule 5 draft, being eligible does mean that his organizational timer is ticking and the team will likely be aggressive with his promotions. If he continues to perform as he did this past month, he will handle those promotions just fine. #1 RHP - Justin Jarvis - Biloxi Shuckers - 4 G, 4 GS, 23.0 IP, 2-1, 1.57 ERA, 3.02 FIP, 1.00 WHIP, 17 H, 6 BB, 29 K. Jarvis was the Brewers fifth round selection in 2018 out of Lake Norman High School in North Carolina. His fastball has always played above its velocity due to having elite spin characteristics, and because of that Jarvis has always been seen as a pitcher who just needed a little bit more velocity to take him to the next step. It appears that he found that velocity, perhaps with a slight adjustment to his arm slot. Formerly with a delivery that was extremely over the top, Jarvis used to sit in the 90-91, touching 93 range. While still with a high slot, he has appeared to drop it slightly Jarvis sat 93-95 in April and got up to at least 96 on a few occasions. Accompanied by three distinct secondaries in his slider, curveball and changeup, all of which are average or slightly above offerings, Jarvis looks to be a player the Brewers will be keeping a close eye on, as he will be Rule 5 eligible again this offseason. Jarvis has shown flashes of dominance at times throughout his career, but had struggled to put it together for more than a start or two at a time. That is, until this past month, where he was the epitome of consistency. He threw exactly six innings in three of his four starts, and he threw five innings in the other. He struck out at least a batter per inning in each start, and was able to keep the free passes to a minimum, which is something he has battled at some of the lower levels. Along with walks, the home run ball has also caused some issues for Jarvis in the past, though he only allowed two in April. The previously mentioned increase in fastball velocity should help him as he moves forward, as the margin for error increases a rather significant amount whenever velocity is increased. In some ways, Jarvis is reminiscent of Brandon Woodruff. Not necessarily in the way their pitches move, but more so in the way that they use their pitches. Both go heavy on the high fastball, and use decent offspeed pitches to keep hitters off balance and to prevent them from barreling the fastball if they do make a mistake with it. Jarvis has a ways to go before he will have a Brandon Woodruff type career, but he does look like a pitcher who is ready to make a bigger name for himself this season. So what are your thoughts on the rankings above and what it means, if anything, for the Brewers. Congratulations to Biloxi's Justin Jarvis and each of the pitchers that we highlighted for their week's performance. Please feel free to ask questions and discuss these players in the Comments below.

Similar to the big league team, a number of Brewers minor league hitters got off to a fast start to their seasons during the month of April. We will take a look at the top five position players as well as a few other notable performances. We will begin with the group of honorable mentions. A group of three hitters that had a very solid month, but could not quite crack the top five. Honorable Mentions IF Eddy Alvarez - Nashville Sounds - 27 H, .370/.484/.616 (1.100 OPS), 176 wRC+, with 8 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs, 20 R, 9 RBI, 14 BB, 15 K, 8 SB, 1 CS. Alvarez had a fantastic April. As a 33-year-old in AAA, it didn’t feel quite right to include the former Olympic speed skater in the top 5, but he does deserve a mention for having a fantastic month. He provides interesting depth if the Brewers fall into a bad injury situation in the infield. IF Ben Metzinger - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers - 11 H, .275/.500/.375 (.875 OPS), 173 wRC+, with 1 double, 1 home run, 7 R, 7 RBI, 18 BB, 16 K. The Brewers 7th Rounder in 2022, Metzinger had a very solid month at the plate, walking more than he struck out and reaching base in half of his plate appearances. The combination of a lack of extra base hits and being a bit older for his level kept him off the main list. C/IF Alex Hall - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers - H, .233/.327/.605 (.932 OPS), 158 wRC+, with 1 double, 5 home runs, 7 R, 10 RBI, 6 BB, 11 K. Alex Hall hit as many home runs in April this year as he had in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, combined. Known mainly for being called up to the majors for one game during a COVID outbreak, Hall is not getting regular playing time in Appleton yet, but he followed up a great showing in the Australian Winter League with a really nice April! THE TOP FIVE APRIL HITTERS #5 SS Daniel Guilarte - Carolina Mudcats - 21 H, .309/.427/.382 (.809 OPS), 138 wRC+, with 1 double, 2 triples, 10 R, 11 RBI, 13 BB, 20 K, 12 SB, 3 CS. Guilarte was an international signing by the Brewers in 2021, and is somebody the organization appears to be very high on internally. If you have a chance to watch a Mudcats game, it is very evident why. Guilarte can really pick it at shortstop, as well as third and second base, playing errorless baseball the entire month while spending time at all three spots. He has clean actions, good range and a strong arm. These rankings don’t take defense into account, but if they did he may be a bit higher up. Offensively, Guilarte has a patient approach that may border on being a bit too passive at times. It shows up in the very solid walk totals, though it also shows up a bit in the batted ball profile. A bit of indecisiveness can lead to a profile such as Guilarte’s, in which he is only pulling the ball 15% of the time. Despite that, Guilarte has appeared to make a bit of a jump in terms of elevating the ball more often. His line drive rate is up from 15% in 2022 to 25% in April of 2023, and that 10% was taken directly from his ground ball rate. This will be an important thing to monitor for Guilarte moving forward. Guilarte showed a very good feel for getting the bat to the ball in April, with a swinging strike rate of only 7.5%. This and the fact that he does a good job of getting the barrel to the ball helped him hit 18 singles despite the somewhat questionable batted ball profile. He was then able to use his athleticism and speed to steal 12 bases in 15 attempts. An increase in the regularity that he lifts the ball is unlikely to suddenly have Guilarte showing much home run power, but it could help him tap into a little more gap to gap power, where he will be able to use his aforementioned above-average speed to turn singles into doubles and doubles into triples (like the video above). A jump in extra base hits could have Guilarte moving up prospect charts very quickly, April was a great start to his first season in full season ball. #4 C Matt Wood - Carolina Mudcats - 14 H, .292/.433/.458 (.891 OPS), 156 wRC+, with 5 doubles, 1 home run, 7 R, 8 RBI, 11 BB, 10 K, 1 SB. Wood was the Brewers 2022 4th round pick and was seen as a high floor catcher who should be able to stick behind the plate, with a very sound approach at the plate. He also has an ability to drive the ball for extra base hits. His defense was very solid in April, as he threw out nine would-be base stealers. There have been 20 successful attempts as well, but with the current base stealing environment, a caught stealing rate over 30% is fantastic. After only logging five professional plate appearances last year, due to injury, Wood got himself off to a nice start in Carolina. Over the first month, Wood showed both of the previously mentioned offensive traits off by having more walks than strikeouts, as well as connecting for six extra base hits, including a home run. Wood had an incredible line drive rate of 38%, which is almost certainly unsustainable but is a great sign that his swing path is in a very good place at the moment. At 22 years old, Wood is a bit older for the Low-A level, so it would not be a huge surprise to see him make his way to Appleton at some point this season. More performances like he put together in April will help push that envelope. #3 IF/DH Keston Hiura - Nashville Sounds - 27 H, .325/.383/.687 (1.070 OPS), 163 wRC+, with 3 doubles, 9 home runs, 16 R, 24 RBI, 7 BB, 25 K, 1 CS. Keston Hiura is a bit of a divisive figure within the Brewers fanbase, but what we all know is that Hiura is capable of being a good major league hitter. What is a little less obvious is whether he can do it consistently and whether he can keep the strikeouts down to a somewhat reasonable level. In April, Keston was able to keep the K% under 30% and showed the big time power that could allow him to still make a really nice impact at the major league level, though likely as a DH only. Hiura hit nine home runs in April to go along with a .325 batting average. He still could probably stand to draw more walks, but if you hit .325, walks definitely become less important. There has been another noticeable change in his stance from last season to this season, continuing to simplify his load and his stride. It has appeared that pitchers have had a slightly tougher time beating him at the top of the zone thus far, but it’s still shown to be a weakness that pitchers know they can exploit. The hope should be that this month was a big confidence builder for Hiura. The bad news is that we did see similar results for Keston in AAA last year, yet the strikeout rate would remain too high once he returned to MLB. A few more months of everyday playing time and consistent work may be needed before giving Hiura another shot at the major league roster, but April was a very good start from him in terms of trying to force his way back up to the big leagues. #2 IF/OF Tyler Black - Biloxi Shuckers - H, .250/.456/.482 (.938 OPS), 165 wRC+, with 1 double, 4 home runs, 15 R, 13 RBI, 17 BB, 14 K, 10 SB, 1 CS The Brewers Competitive Balance Round A selection in 2021, Black hits the ball pretty hard, he doesn’t strike out much and he is willing to take walks. In the infield his defensive actions can get a little rushed and his throwing arm isn’t the strongest or most accurate. Because of this Black’s bat will likely be what carries the profile, along with some pretty good baserunning instincts and hustle. In April, Black’s bat definitely held up its end of the bargain. He started out his season with an OPS of .938 to go along with four home runs. These numbers are due in part to the fact that Black has been able to improve his batted ball profile so far in 2023, only hitting the ball on the ground 33% of the time in April. Getting under the ball more has helped contribute to his four home runs in April, which equaled his total from 2022, in just over 1/4 of the plate appearances. Black had a positive walk to strikeout ratio in April, which is something he has now done since he began playing at High-A. Quite the feat for a player who has some pop in the bat, as well as an ability to spray the ball to all fields. He showed off that ability in April pulling the ball 34% of the time and going to the opposite field 39% of the time. His power will most likely come to the pull side, but he did hit one of his home runs to left field, which would be a welcome addition to his arsenal. To go along with the bat, Black was also 10-for-11 on stolen base attempts in April. While he isn’t the fastest player in baseball, he does have above average speed and he uses good baserunning instincts and his overall intelligence to swipe bases. With the new rules, the Brewers are a more aggressive team and their minor league teams have certainly followed suit. Considering Black will turn 23 during the season, and with his pedigree as a pure hitter, another month or two similar to the one he put up in April and he may find himself in AAA, knocking on the doorstep to the big club. #1 IF/OF Luke Adams - Carolina Mudcats - 10 H, .227/.469/.500 (.969), 176 wRC+, with 3 doubles, 3 home runs, 7 R, 8 RBI, 16 BB, 15 K, 5 SB, 2 CS. The Brewers 12th round pick in the 2022 draft. Adams was drafted out of Hinsdale Central High School in Illinois and spent the first few weeks of the current 2023 season at 18 years old, before turning 19 on April 24th. Standing 6’4, 210 pounds, he comes with a rare blend of patience at the plate to go along with his power and surprising speed for his size. He also plays a very solid third base where he not only has the arm to handle the position, but has shown an early ability to make off-platform throws, which is not easily done at 6’4. That said, it would not be a huge surprise to see Adams mix in some corner outfield appearances as well, just in case he is not able to continue to make third base work. Adams began his career in 2022 with an 11 game stint in the Arizona Complex League. In that small sample, he was able to give a glimpse of what he is able to do with the previously mentioned tools, coming out of those 11 games with an OPS of 1.075 and a wRC+ of 196 to go along with nine steals, only being caught once. Beginning 2023 as one of the younger players in full season ball, he once again got off to a fantastic start. When tuning in to watch him play, it quickly becomes clear that Adams plays with fire and passion on the field. To be clear, he isn’t out there showing up opponents or umpires, nor has he been seen sulking after a poor plate appearance. He just looks energized to be out there playing. Adams' great month was highlighted by a two home run day on his last day as an 18 year old and you can see some of the fire after the first home run. When taking a look at the statistical side of the equation, one thing that stands out besides the slash line, a common theme amongst those on this list, is a positive Walk to Strikeout ratio. Adams has a violent swing, yet he shows an impressive amount of patience at the plate. The key for Adams is going to be continuing to find the balance between passive and patient, otherwise that may be something that pitchers will be able to take advantage of as he begins to climb the organizational ladder. Putting up five stolen bases also stands out for a guy his size, though it should be mentioned that the baserunning doesn’t start and stop with stealing bases. He has shown to be an aggressive base runner in general, that looks to take an extra base if he can, as well as one that will be going hard down the line on even the most routine ground balls. It is still a small sample, but Adams is beginning to look like a player that will make a leap in the prospect rankings, and a big leap at that. Please feel free to agree or disagree with the rankings. Putting them in order was quite difficult. Age and prospect standing were the deciding factors when settling some of the closer calls. Let us know what you think!

Over the last nine months, Brewers fans have likely heard as much about Jackson Chourio as any prospect this decade, and rightfully so. Chourio received the Brewers' largest bonus in the 2020-21 International class, signing for $1.8 million. He put up good numbers in the Dominican Summer League as a 17-year-old, posting a 131 wRC+ with five home runs in 189 PAs. Despite the excellent output, he played with peers his age in the DSL. This past season was set up to be his first action stateside and his first time playing against full-blown adults. This would be his first real test, and Chourio went out and aced it, including the extra credit points. Chourio appeared to be headed for the Arizona Complex League after spring training, remaining in “Extended Spring Training” out of camp. At least, that’s where he remained for one month. On May 3rd, Chourio was summoned to Low-A Carolina, immediately becoming the youngest baseball player in full-season ball. Chourio was considered a fringe top-10 prospect in the Brewers system at the call-up. By June, he was already being talked about as a potential top-10 prospect in baseball. Nobody in baseball had the helium that Chourio had in 2022. What To Like Chourio doesn’t get cheated on his swings at the plate but still looks to be in total control of his bat. Many have described him as having a “toe tap,” but in reality, it’s more of a “heel tap” as he doesn’t lift his foot off the ground. He does a great job of being direct to the ball with his swing while still getting the loft needed to elevate the ball and get to his raw power in games. Twenty home runs in 439 plate appearances, as the youngest player at each of the three levels he played at, is very rare. He can drive pitches in every area of the strike zone. While in Appleton, Chourio turned around a 100 MPH fastball at the top of the zone for a home run. He also drove sliders on the outer half out to right for home runs and extra-base hits throughout the year. His hit tool has the potential to be above average, with plus power and good bat-to-ball skills. Defensively, Chourio is still new to the outfield after being signed as a shortstop. He uses his plus speed to cover a lot of ground but has some room for refinement in his routes and jumps. This is not unexpected from a player of Chourio’s age, especially one that hasn’t spent much time out there. He projects to be an above-average center fielder once he has gained more experience, though as a teenager, his size could impact defense as he ages into his twenties. His plus speed also factors in on the basepaths, stolen bases, and batted balls. With the attention Chourio was receiving last season, it would have been understandable for him to have some lazy moments on the field. He never did. Chourio was not taking plays off, whether it was a routine ground ball to an infielder or an opportunity to go first to third on a single; his motor was extremely high all season. In fact, it’s fair to wonder if the Brewers won’t ask him to rein it in a bit to maintain his health. What to Work On No, Chourio is not perfect. No matter how exciting he is, there are some reasons to hold off on the MVP trophy engravings. For one, Chourio is still 18 years old. He will be 19 at the start of the season. Young players come with some inherent risks due to a lack of experience. He hasn’t faced much adversity in his career yet. How players respond to a prolonged slump can tell us a lot about their future. Another thing you might find with a young player is an inability to adjust once the “book is out on them,” which Brewers fans have seen with a Keston Hiura, for example. Hiura was never at a level long enough to have pitchers find the holes in his swing, but that showed up eventually. Chourio hasn’t given reason to worry about either of those situations, but they are a few things to watch. In terms of non-hypothetical concerns for Chourio, only one stands out. Chourio did strike out quite a bit in Low-A, and scouts did note that he does have some swing-and-miss in his profile. The good news is that in his promotion to High-A, Chourio cut the strikeout rate from 28% to 21% and cut the chase rate and whiff rate a bit simultaneously. Pitch selection/ recognition is the biggest contributor to these issues, more than his ability to get the bat on the ball. However, if Chourio can’t limit the strikeouts, his hit tool will likely be more average than above average. As mentioned earlier, he should be able to handle center field defensively; the one knock on him will likely be his arm, which is fringe-average. It will hold up well enough in center field; it’s the only tool without the potential to be above average or plus. What’s Next With the way, Chourio burst onto the scene last year as an 18-year-old, it would be fair to assume that his body has matured faster than most his age. It doesn’t appear that this is the case. He still has a pretty thin frame that should allow him to add quite a bit of good weight to his body over the next couple of years. In other words, he’s already showing his abilities in games, but he still has the projectability to dream of too. Chourio will likely start in 2023 in Double-A in Biloxi. A 2023 MLB debut isn’t something Brewers fans should expect, but it would seem somewhat foolish to rule it out entirely. Thank you for reading Brewer Fanatic's 2023 top Brewers prospects ranking! Use the links below to navigate to any previous write-ups and leave a comment below! Previous Installments Brewers Top 16-20 Prospects Brewers Top 11-15 Prospects Brewers Top 6-10 Prospects Brewers #5 Prospect: Jeferson Quero Brewers #4 Prospect: Brice Turang Brewers #3 Prospect: Joey Wiemer Brewers #2 Prospect: Sal Frelick Brewers #1 Prospect: Jackson Chourio

Unlike many other prospects on this list, Sal Frelick may have a direct route to a daily role in American Family Field early in the 2023 season. With no clear starting center field option and his only other prospect competition coming from #6 prospect Garrett Mitchell, Frelick may be the first of the Brewers' top five prospects to see action in a Brewers uniform. On to Frelick's history and scouting report, the #2 Brewers prospect as ranked by our community. What To Like The Brewers' first-round pick in 2021, Frelick was an enigma in the draft world coming out of Boston College. Due to some unfortunate injury luck and COVID, Frelick needed more data to work with. He had shown good bat-to-ball and on-base skills and a lot of athleticism. He had shown an ability to hit the ball with some authority but had struggled to elevate. There were a lot of signs that gave scouts hope that Frelick would eventually become a solid hitter, but without the sample size in college, there was still reason for skepticism. Less than two years post-draft, Frelick is universally viewed as having a plus hit tool, if not an elite one. MLB Pipeline gave him a 70 grade in that regard, which was the highest they gave to any prospect in baseball. Impressively, Frelick’s strikeout rate has continued to decrease as he has risen through the minors, bottoming out at under 9% in Triple-A last season. His swing decisions are elite, he has very good bat-to-ball skills, and he uses his athleticism to turn some groundouts into singles and stretch singles to doubles. Frelick has been a pretty successful base stealer in the minor leagues, but at times it does appear he’s more reliant on his athleticism and speed than his jumps. As with many players around the game, the new pitch clock and pickoff rules should only help his success on the bases. What to Work On Offensively, there’s only one downfall to Frelick’s profile: a lack of home run power. He has a very short and fast swing that should allow him to hit plenty of line drives into gaps for doubles and triples, but it will likely make it hard to generate the elevation required to tap into more home run power. 10-15 home runs in a season still feel possible, though, and would at least help keep pitchers on their toes if he can punish their mistakes. Despite what FanGraphs has said about his defense, Frelick appears to be an average defender in center field presently. He primarily relies on his athleticism, as his routes and jumps are fringe-average at best. Having been recruited to Boston College as a utility guy many thought would eventually play second base, Frelick is still relatively new to the outfield. This makes him more likely to see progression as he gains more experience. Brewers fans will not have to worry about Frelick playing with any fear in the outfield. He plays with his hair on fire and is unafraid to smash into a wall or three. What’s Next Frelick has a lot of similarities to Steven Kwan, who posted a WAR over five as a rookie. Kwan had a better batted ball profile in the minors (fewer grounders, more line drives), so Frelick may not have quite as good a debut season as Kwan did, but he does have a profile that should lend him to early MLB success. Frelick is in major league camp and will likely remain there until he heads off to play in the World Baseball Classic for Team Italy, where he should get a lot of high-level experience facing MLB-level talent. The Brewers' signing of Tyler Naquin may have shut the door further on his already slim chances of making the team out of spring. Barring a major regression in Triple-A this season, Frelick has all of the ingredients to be a fantastic table setter for the Brewers for a long time. He’s already waiting at the doorstep of the majors, and fans should expect to see him entrenched in the everyday lineup sometime in 2023. What do you think, Brewer Fanatics? When will we see Frelick in the Milwaukee lineup and should he be a consideration out of Spring Training? Comment and let us know! Previous Installments Brewers Top 16-20 Prospects Brewers Top 11-15 Prospects Brewers Top 6-10 Prospects Brewers #5 Prospect: Jeferson Quero Brewers #4 Prospect: Brice Turang Brewers #3 Prospect: Joey Wiemer Brewers #2 Prospect: Sal Frelick

As mentioned in yesterday's write-up for the #4 top prospect Brice Turang, the top of the Brewers prospect list features several players that may see time in Milwaukee in 2023. Joey Wiemer is one of those possibilities, having spent substantial time at AAA Nashville in 2022. Let's look at his scouting report and what to expect from him this season. We continue the 2023 Brewer Fanatic top prospects list, as ranked by our community. What To Like The Brewers' fourth-round pick in the COVID-shortened five-round draft of 2020, Wiemer is already on the verge of cracking the MLB roster after an incredible debut season in 2021 and a solid, if slightly less spectacular, 2022. If you were to see Wiemer out in the wild, you might think he was a tight end or a small forward. In reality, he’s a 6'5", 215 lbs outfielder with so much athleticism that he can hold his own in center field and excel out there. The Brewers' surplus of center field prospects will likely relegate Wiemer to right field, making him one of the better defensive right fielders in baseball. Wiemer’s arm will also fit in just fine in right field, as it is universally regarded as one of the best arms in all of baseball. Wiemer gets great carry on his throws, can throw on the move and from uncomfortable angles, and has an impressive amount of accuracy to go with it. It’s hard to grade the arm as anything other than a 70 or possibly even an 80. On the offensive side of the ball, Wiemer shows raw power that very few have, and he can also get to it in games. To illustrate the type of power he has, FanGraphs lists him as having hit a ball with a 122 MPH exit velocity last season, which has only happened three times in the Statcast era. The validity of that number is a little up in the air, but it wasn’t high enough that FanGraphs considered it a complete outlier that Wiemer could not reach. Along with his power, Wiemer shows an ability and a willingness to take walks, with a career walk rate of over 11% thus far. Wiemer’s athleticism has been mentioned several times already, but another place it shines is on the basepaths. Wiemer is a combined 61/70 on stolen base attempts in his two minor league seasons. With the new pitch clock rules, this should continue to be a weapon for Wiemer at the MLB level. What to Work On The main focus for Wiemer moving forward will likely be on his bat-to-ball skills. Wiemer takes explosive, exciting swings every time the bat leaves his shoulder. When he’s making contact, it’s very fun to watch. However, that swing has also left him susceptible to swing and miss. In his time at Double-A this past season, Wiemer struck out at a 30.2% rate which normally would not bode well, as those rates tend to go up as players continue up the organizational ladder. The good news is that Wiemer slashed that rate down to 19.5% at Triple-A, though in a smaller sample size. He also lowered his swinging strike rate while walking more, making that lower percentage more believable. If he can settle into a 25-28% K rate at the major league level, he will likely be a good major leaguer. What’s Next Wiemer is a non-roster invitee for Spring Training this year. It would seem a long shot for him to make the Opening Day roster, meaning he will likely begin the season in Nashville, where he will look to prove the lower strikeout rate wasn’t a fluke. If he can show that he can make consistent contact, he will find himself in the Brewers lineup sooner rather than later. What do you think, Brewer Fanatics? What will we see from Wiemer in 2023? Leave a comment and let us know! Previous Installments Brewers Top 16-20 Prospects Brewers Top 11-15 Prospects Brewers Top 6-10 Prospects Brewers #5 Prospect: Jeferson Quero Brewers #4 Prospect: Brice Turang Brewers #3 Prospect: Joey Wiemer

While the Brewers farm system has been noted for its ability to churn out big league starters for the past half-decade, the organization's depth has transitioned more toward position players in the past two years. While their outfield depth is impressive - as we'll see near the top of the prospect rankings - infielders like Brice Turang also give Milwaukee hope that they'll be able to cover the potential loss of star shortstop Willy Adames sometime in the next 20 months. Let's talk about Turang, Brewer Fanatic's #4 prospect as ranked by our community. What To Like Turang has major league bloodlines with his father; Brian spent time in MLB for two years in the 1990s and has received good grades for his makeup. Turang was once considered the likely number-one selection in his draft, but after a somewhat disappointing senior season of high school and travel ball, he fell to the Brewers at 21. One thing nobody will have to worry about with Turang will be his defense. He’s a very good defensive shortstop who has shown an ability to move around to second and third, as well as some center field. His instincts, glovework, and arm strength allowed him to play each of them seamlessly. A plus defender at shortstop specifically gives Turang a lot of value. As a baserunner, he was successful on 34 of 36 stolen base attempts in 2023 and showed an impressive ability to pick up on pitcher timing to get great jumps. Combining those baserunning instincts with his above-average speed should make him a threat on the bases at the major league level. Offensively, Turang has shown a very good feel for the strike zone, rarely expanding outside of it, which makes him an on-base threat even if he isn’t driving the ball. He has decent bat-to-ball skills to go along with that feel for the zone, giving him an average to slightly above-average hit tool overall. Turang doesn’t need to be a world-beater offensively to have a lot of value, but being better than league average would raise that value rather significantly. What to Work On The main reason Turang being a patient hitter is so important is because his offensive game does leave a bit to be desired at times, especially in the extra base hit department. Since being drafted, Turang has adjusted his stance at the plate. His front foot is now slightly more open than when he was drafted, sinking a bit further into the back leg. This was done with power output on the mind, as it keeps him from closing himself off with his front foot. With that adjustment, he began to tap into his in-game power more this past season, especially in the second half. Through June of last season, Turang had 308 plate appearances with only 13 extra-base hits, three of which were home runs. He had a .348 SLG at that point. From July through the end of the season, he had 295 plate appearances. In that span, he hit ten home runs and had 26 extra-base hits, which amounted to a .484 SLG. That type of output over the course of a full season would be above average at the major league level. Proving that the second half of the season is more indicative of his future offensive output than the first was would go a long way toward making Turang a very productive MLB bat. What’s Next Turang has a chance to be a long-time regular in MLB. Some improvements at the plate would go a long way toward making that reality. He had an up-and-down 2022 season, and some off-season additions may have lessened the chances of Turang making the Opening Day roster. As long as he remains healthy, though, we will see him in Milwaukee sometime this season. What do you think, Brewer Fanatics? What will we see from Turang in 2023, and who do you think slots into the #3 top prospect slot? Leave a comment and let us know! Previous Installments Brewers Top 16-20 Prospects Brewers Top 11-15 Prospects Brewers Top 6-10 Prospects Brewers #5 Prospect: Jeferson Quero Brewers #4 Prospect: Brice Turang