Spencer Michaelis

Heading into the 2023 MLB season, center field is one of the few positions relatively wide open for the Brewers. Sal Frelick is one of the players in the mix for that role. Image courtesy of © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports 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 View full article

That's a great question. Probably fewer than it feels like, since Arcia was so highly regarded, then Brinson was waiting in the wings as a very highly ranked guy. Followed by Burnes/Hiura. Prior to Arcia though, there was a pretty long stretch where someone like Wiemer would have definitely taken the top spot in the org.

As we round into the top three Brewers prospects, we see a trio of promising outfielders. Let's take a look at the first of those, Joey Wiemer. Image courtesy of © Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports 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 View full article

As we approach the top of the 2023 Milwaukee Brewers prospect list, we see more close-to-MLB position players. At spot #4, today's entry is infielder Brice Turang. Image courtesy of © USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin via Imagn Content Services, LLC 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 View full article

We're into the top five 2023 Milwaukee Brewers prospects. Coming in at #5 is the promising young catching prospect, Jeferson Quero. Image courtesy of © USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin via Imagn Content Services, LLC The format has changed a bit since we're in the top five of our 20 prospect countdown. Instead of five prospects per article, we deep dive into each player, giving them the focus of an entire article. This week, we'll examine the top five Milwaukee Brewers' prospects in ascending order. Starting off the top five is catcher Jeferson Quero, as voted by the Brewer Fanatic community. What To Like Though he hasn’t played above High-A professionally, Quero is no stranger to a bigger stage. He once hit a go-ahead home run in extra innings of a semi-final Little League World Series game against Japan. His ability to balance maturity and passion, as seen in that clip, has also carried over to his professional career. 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 at the moment. A very good athlete for a catcher, Quero moves extremely well behind the plate and showed big improvement in his blocking abilities last season. His arm is rated plus, already posting pop times in the 1.8-1.9 range and with good accuracy. He threw out 30% of attempted base stealers against him between Low-A and High-A last year. 30% doesn’t stand out as being better than average, but it’s important to note that Minor League Baseball was already operating under the new pitch clock rules. This means baserunners were at a huge advantage due to the pickoff rules accompanying the pitch clock. Quero also spent time in the Arizona Fall League in 2022, where he threw out 46% of attempted base stealers, while all other AFL catchers combined for a 17% Caught Stealing rate. While defense may be his calling card, there is much to like with Quero at the plate. Quero hit 10 HR as a 19-year-old catcher, 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. Between High-A and Low-A, he combined to strike out under 20% of the time and showed very good bat-to-ball skills. His bat is something Brewers fans will want to watch closely this season, as his development will be very important to his future. What to Work On While Quero does a great job getting his bat on the ball, he sometimes needs help with pitch selection. He chases quite a bit, and after having nearly a 15% walk rate in the Complex League in 2021, that was cut in half to just over 7% in 2022. Finding the balance between being aggressive but not too aggressive will likely play a major part in determining the level of hitter he can be at the upper levels. Defensively, the only real knock on Quero now is in his receiving. This isn’t uncommon for catchers his age, especially as the pitchers they are catching start throwing harder while they move up the organizational ladder. The good news is that Quero seems to struggle more with low pitches than anywhere else, which is often a matter of strength more than ability. The Brewers are among the best in baseball at developing catchers as receivers, and Quero is already further along than most at his age. What’s Next As far as young catchers go, Quero has a higher floor than most and a pretty fun ceiling to dream of if he can continue to develop offensively. Though he will only be 20 years old for all of the 2023 season, he will be Rule 5 eligible in December. Quero is the type of player teams will often take a chance on in the Rule 5 setting, so the Brewers will most likely protect him, even if he has a bit of a down season. Being a non-roster invitee to MLB spring training is also noteworthy, as he will get the chance to catch some major league arms, even if mainly in a bullpen setting. Quero appears to be ticketed for either a return to Appleton or potentially a more aggressive placement in Double-A Biloxi. What do you think, Brewer Fanatics? What will we see from Quero in 2023 and who do you think slots into the #4 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 View full article

We're into the top half of the 2023 Milwaukee Brewers' top 20 prospects. The system's depth is impressive, and there are many reasons to be optimistic about this franchise going forward. Image courtesy of © Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports After seeing the back end of the top 20 prospects list swing pitcher-heavy, we're starting to see hitters represented more in the top ten. This trend only strengthens the closer we get to the 2023 Brewers' number one prospect (it doesn't require you to be Nostradamus to figure out who that will be). As we work through this list, it becomes evident that this system has much more depth than it has for several years. During their 2022 mid-season update, MLB.com ranked the Brewers system 19th in baseball, a stark improvement from where they were two years prior, ranked down at 29th. Seeing the Stearns/Arnold regimes accomplish this feat while posting five winning seasons in six years (falling just a little short of the mark in the weird 2020 shortened season). There's a lot to be excited about as Brewers fans. Let's dive into the 2023 Brewers' top 6-10 prospects, as voted on by the Brewer Fanatic community. 10. Jacob Misiorowski Age: 20 2022 Stats (A): 1.2 IP, 5.40 ERA In terms of pure ceiling, the Brewers' second-round selection in last year's draft has been one of the highest of any Brewers pitcher in recent memory. Misiorowski is a freak athlete on the mound, with long levers and a fastball that regularly touched triple digits in his short Low-A stint and instructs. The fastball also has good movement characteristics, making it a potential 70 or 80-grade pitch that would play best when elevated. The slider is a wipeout pitch with high spin; some have said it could be another 80-grade pitch. When Misiorowski was pitching against JUCO hitters, he only needed those two pitches to get by, so there were some questions about his other secondary offerings. However, he flashed some good-looking curveballs in instructs, and the changeup looked serviceable, with flashes of being above average. For Misiorowski, it will all boil down to what level he can get his command to, which is currently well below average. It may take a year or two to start seeing some of the bigger improvements. Thus, his overall development will likely be a waiting game but a game worth playing from the Brewers' perspective. If he can make the jump with his command, he will likely be one of the best pitching prospects in baseball. In terms of pure “stuff,” very few pitchers in all of baseball can match Misiorowski. He would probably begin in 2023 in Low-A Carolina to get his feet under him, but High-A can’t be ruled out. 9. Eric Brown Jr Age: 22 2022 Stats (Rook/A): 117 PAs, .268/.385/.454, 3 HR, 8 RBI The Brewers' first-round pick in last year’s draft, Brown Jr, is a premium athlete at a premium position. He had a meager strikeout rate and an even lower chase rate in college, along with big-time exit velocity readings. The question then would be, “why was he available at the Brewers' pick?” The main reason is that Brown had a very peculiar-looking load and stance in college. He was an analytical darling, but traditional scouts were less excited due to his stance. It appeared at the end of the season that the Brewers were trying to normalize the load to something much more “traditional.” It will be interesting to see how he adjusts to it to start this next season. Defensively Brown has a really good glove with smooth defensive actions that will allow him to stick at shortstop. Despite a throwing arm that is probably closer to average than it is to plus, he has a quick release on his throws which helps make up for that lack of big-time arm strength. Brown's athleticism, as mentioned above, doesn’t just show up in a showcase type of setting. He uses it to his advantage regularly in games, combining it with a high motor and a lot of hustle. Perhaps not as crucial to his baseball development, but important nonetheless, Brown also receives high grades for his makeup and is said to be a great teammate. 8. Tyler Black Age: 22 2022 Stats (A+): 283 PAs, .281/.406/.424, 4 HR, 35 RBI The Brewers Competitive Balance Round A selection in 2021, Black has a similar profile to many recent early picks of the Brewers. He hits the ball pretty hard, doesn’t strike out much, and is willing to take walks. He also hits the ball on the ground quite a bit. Black had a solid stint in the Arizona Fall League. His OPS of .790 was impressive, especially given it was his first action since his regular season ended early due to a broken arm he suffered on a diving play out in center field. He was facing many more high-level arms than he had seen in High-A. Black’s bat will likely carry the profile, along with some good baserunning instincts and hustle. There have been concerns over whether Black can stick on the infield since the draft in 2021, and he did spend about 80% of his time in the outfield in the AFL. He has been solid defensively in the outfield and would probably even be considered a good defender. Whereas in the infield, his actions can get a little rushed, and his throwing arm isn’t the strongest or most accurate, which is likely why the Brewers have been exploring the possibilities in the outfield. The bat becomes much more critical if he can’t stick at second base. An aggressive placement in Double-A would not be a massive surprise for Black to start 2023, given he did show an ability to hit higher-level pitching in the AFL, and he will be turning 23 during the season. 7. Robert Gasser Age: 23 2022 Stats (A+/AA/AAA): 137.0 IP, 3.94 ERA, 11.30 K/9, 3.32 BB/9 Gasser was one of the prospects in the infamous Josh Hader trade. A second-round pick by San Diego in 2021, Gasser throws four above-average pitches in his fastball, slider, changeup, and cutter. The regular fastball probably being the worst of the four, closest to average. His slider is best described as a sweeper, a pitch he can throw in any count or situation. His changeup is a bit firmer than you would want, but it has good action and is a good counter to right-handed hitters. He likely has a goal to get more separation between his fastball velocity and his changeup. He mixed his cutter in more with the Brewers than he had with the Padres, and while it wasn’t always perfect, it showed some flashes of being a really good pitch for missing barrels and as another counter to right-handed hitters. He did not throw many curves for the Brewers, and that will likely continue as it lags behind his other offerings. After dominating Double-A for a month, Gasser received a quick promotion to Triple-A Nashville. The command took a step back in Nashville, but it would feel fair to assume some fatigue was in play. The velocity on his fastball was bouncing around more than it did in Biloxi, which is another sign of fatigue. He will likely begin in Triple-A again this season, with a chance to perform well and eventually make his MLB debut. Despite the negatives that come with the Hader trade, Esteury Ruiz helped net the Brewers a long-term catcher in William Contreras. Gasser appears to be well on his way to being a productive Major League pitcher. 6. Garrett Mitchell Age: 24 2022 Stats (AA/AAA): 289 PAs, .287/.377/.426, 5 HR, 34 RBI Mitchell was the Brewers' first-round pick in the COVID-shortened five-round draft of 2020; he is about as athletic as anybody you will find at his size. There have long been concerns about his ability to elevate baseball as a hitter, and his professional career hasn’t done much to eliminate those concerns. The issue appears to be derived from some inconsistency in his timing more than needing a major swing overhaul to get to his huge raw power, though his swing could probably use some tinkering too. The 41% strikeout rate in the majors is a concern, as he does have some holes in his swing. While the surface stats were very exciting for Mitchell in his month-long stint in MLB, there are reasons to question his hitting ability at this point in his development. On the other hand, his speed is game-changing and his defense isn’t far behind. He will beat out ground balls to the left, and even right, side as if it’s nothing to him. He would always be a base-stealing threat, but the new rules MLB has put in place will only make that even more likely. Defensively he can run down just about anything in center field and has the arm to handle right field as well. Mitchell will most likely get the first crack at the starting center field spot for the big league club this season. Defensively he will be able to hold his own. His offensive performance will be the thing that Brewers fans will need to keep a close eye on. We're now 75% of the way through the top 20 prospect list. How do you order your top five Brewer Fanatics? Leave a comment below and let us know! Previous Installments Brewers Top 16-20 Prospects Brewers Top 11-15 Prospects View full article

I definitely agree on Miller. I have him ranked 27th in my own rankings. He'd probably be up in the teens if I held out any hope of him sticking behind the plate. I just can't see his arm being strong enough to do it. The bat is extremely interesting, though it does lose some of its muster if he isn't a catcher. He has gone deep to some of the biggest parts of the ballpark which shows he does have the raw power in him, and as you mentioned he has a lot of leadoff hitter qualities already. If he is forced to move to first base though, for example, he would definitely need a power uptick to give him a good shot at an MLB role.

Continuing our 2023 top prospect rankings, we examine prospects 11-15 in the Milwaukee Brewers system, which again displays the pitching depth within the farm. Image courtesy of © Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports While the top of the Brewers prospect list heavily features upper minors hitting, the back half of the top 20 shows that the Brewers pitching machine is still something to reckon with. While none of the following prospects are blue chippers, Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff weren't elite prospects for most of their run through the minors, either, especially the lower minors. It was only as they approached the Major Leagues did they emerge as the promising arms they are today. Let's take a look at prospects 11-15, as compiled by the Brewer Fanatic community. 15. Stiven Cruz Age: 21 2022 Stats (A/A+): 91.1 IP, 3.74 ERA, 10.75 K/9, 2.36 BB/9 A 2021 IFA signing, Cruz began his 2022 season in Low-A Carolina. He was bitten by the home run ball but still showed a ton of good qualities during his time there, striking out over 11 per 9 and walking only 2.27 per nine innings. He received a late-season promotion to High-A Wisconsin, which couldn’t have gone much better than it did. He struck out over a batter an inning, still limited walks, and also limited the homers (although only in a 19-inning sample). Cruz has a very slight frame that makes him very projectable and should allow him to add some velocity to what is currently a low-90s fastball. He throws a big, slow curve similar to a Zach Greinke type of curveball, which has yielded promising results. Cruz also throws an above-average changeup to go along with a decent slider as well. Cruz will likely begin 2023 back in High-A, where he could move relatively quickly to Double-A Biloxi if he starts 2023 the way he finished 2022. 14. Robert Moore Age: 20 2022 Stats (Rook/A): 143 PAs, .248/.343/.392, 3 HR, 16 RBI Moore was the Brewers' third selection in the 2022 draft. A very young, draft-eligible college player with a lot of big game experience and being the son of long-time MLB executive Dayton Moore, Moore is known to have great makeup. After a very productive sophomore season, Moore was viewed as a likely first-round pick, having shown plenty of power in the bat and an ability to limit strikeouts and draw walks. He took a step back in all three of those departments in his 2022 season. And he ended up having a more mediocre junior season. Despite that, the 2021 campaign shows the ability he has. Moore is a very sound defender that will likely be good enough to handle short and be very good at second base, as his arm is good enough to handle shortstop and is above average at second base. Moore showed a very aggressive baserunning mindset in his pro debut, often attempting to stretch singles into doubles and going first to third on singles. He’s not the fastest guy on the field, but he has above-average speed. He cuts the bases well and shows good instincts, making him an above-average baserunner overall. After a strong offensive showing for the Brisbane Bandits this offseason, Moore has a good chance to begin in High-A with the Timber Rattlers this season, where he could seemingly move quickly if he succeeds. 13. Abner Uribe Age: 22 2022 Stats (AA): 3.0 IP, 0.00 ERA, 12.00 K/9, 12.00 BB/9 (lol) Uribe is another former international signee out of the Dominican Republic. Featuring a fastball that has reached 103 MPH, many would assume that the fastball is his best pitch. In reality, his slider is the pitch that has helped him have the most success. Having had some injury issues throughout his career, Uribe’s Arizona Fall League stint was highly encouraging. He limited walks better than before and still showed enormous velocity, often reaching triple digits. As mentioned, the slider was a great pitch for him and was highly effective in the AFL. The fastball doesn’t have the best movement characteristics, which could cause him some issues at the major league level despite the huge velocity. It will be interesting to see if Uribe perhaps goes the Edwin Diaz route and uses his slider as his primary offering. It allows him to use the huge velocity as his “off-speed" offering. It seems likely that a healthy Uribe will see some innings with the big league club this season. 12. Hendry Mendez Age: 19 2022 Stats (A): 446 PAs, .244/.357/.318, 5 HR, 39 RBI Mendez was signed out of Venezuela as part of the Brewers 2021 IFA class. Playing his entire 2022 season in Low-A, Mendez’s surface numbers don’t necessarily jump off the page. However, he played the entire season in full-season ball at 18 and was still essentially a league-average bat, with a nearly even strikeout-to-walk ratio. Mendez rarely appears overmatched and has a very mature approach at the plate. He has decent raw power, but to get to some of it in-game, he will likely require a swing change as his current swing path is considered “choppy.” Mendez was not great as a baserunner last year, having been caught more times than he was successful. He is a good athlete for his 6’2” frame, but base stealing doesn’t appear part of his package moving forward. Mendez is also a solid defender with an above-average arm and will likely remain in the right field. The profile will be carried by the bat, though. If he can tap into his raw strength with a swing adjustment while still maintaining his borderline elite bat-to-ball skills, he could be top of the order type of offensive player. There is a good chance Mendez will be pushed again this year and begin in High-A Wisconsin. 11. Carlos F. Rodriguez Age: 21 2022 Stats (A/A+): 107.2 IP, 3.01 ERA, 10.78 K/9, 3.34 BB/9 Rodriguez was the Brewers' sixth-round selection in the 2021 draft. After a slow start in Low-A, Rodriguez got himself going and earned a mid-season promotion to High-A. What he did at Wisconsin was extremely impressive, posting an ERA of 1.98 and a K/9 of 11.1 to only 3.2 BB/9, including his penultimate start of the season, where he threw six perfect innings with nine strikeouts. Rodriguez features three above-average or better pitches in his fastball, which sits in the 92-94 range but has touched 96, his sharp slider, and much slower changeup. He also throws a curve, which is more of a “get me over” offering when he tosses that in, but it is a fringe-average offering as well, with time to develop. He commands all of the off-speed pitches pretty well, able to land all of them for strikes and generate chases when the opportunity is right. Brewers fans hoping to get a look at Rodriguez will be happy to hear that he will be taking part in the World Baseball Classic this spring (playing for team Nicaragua). Assuming he does get an opportunity to see some innings, it will be great for a young pitcher to face experienced offensive players. A Double-A assignment to start the 2023 season doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibilities for Rodriguez. What do you think, Brewer Fanatics? Who are your 11-15 prospects? Leave a comment below and let us know! Previous Installments Brewers Top 16-20 Prospects View full article

Appreciate it! Peguero is definitely an interesting arm. He looks somewhat similar to Jandel Gustave to me, at least in terms of his profile and being sinker/slider guys. He's probably a fringe big leaguer, but it wouldn't surprise me to see him help the team the next few years.

Welcome to Brewer Fanatic's 2023 top 20 prospect rundown! Starting with prospects 16-20, we'll see a lot of new names and a lot of promising young arms. Image courtesy of © Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports With new players populating the list from the low minors and offseason acquisitions, one can walk away from this list hopeful of where the Brewers organization is today and where it is going shortly. With several players preparing to leave via free agency in the next two years, help will need to come from the farm. Here are some of the most promising names you might still need to become more familiar with. Let's take a look at the first installment of 16-20 prospects, as voted on and compiled by the Brewer Fanatic community. 20. Alexander Cornielle Age: 21 2022 Stats (A/A+): 119.0 IP, 3.03 ERA, 10.97 K/9, 4.46 BB/9 Initially signed in 2019, Cornielle received a bump in 2021 to Low-A Carolina to close the season. He began the 2022 season back in Carolina before a mid-season promotion to High-A Wisconsin. Though he’s a bit taller than Freddy Peralta, Cornielle’s profile resembles that of Peralta’s. Cornielle doesn’t throw the hardest or have the “nastiest” secondaries, but he still shows an ability to get a lot of swing and miss, particularly with elevated fastballs. While the fastball shape differs from Peralta’s, Cornielle gets a good amount of run on his fastball. In contrast, Freddy’s primary fastball is a bit straighter; Cornielle appears to get a good extension which helps him replicate the “disappearing fastball” that Freddy is known for. An intriguing arm to follow next year, Cornielle could be a breakout candidate within the organization. 19. Janson Junk Age: 27 2022 Stats (AAA): 73.2 IP, 4.64 ERA, 8.43 K/9, 2.20 BB/9 A former 22nd-round pick, it’s funny to think that Junk would likely not have been drafted under the current 20-round setup. Despite facing long odds, Junk has worked his way up the ladder to make his Major League debut, with a few different organizational stops along the way. After being traded from the Yankees to the Angels in 2021, Junk was moved for a second time this offseason. Considered the prize of the Hunter Renfroe trade, Junk was a more valuable piece than his last name may imply. His best pitch is his slider, which has shown flashes of being an above-average to plus pitch at the major league level. The Angels seemed to tinker with the pitch a bit last year and didn’t show the same movement level as in the past. The Brewers likely have had him in the lab this offseason and will work to get that pitch to live up to its potential. Junk rounds out his repertoire with a high spin, low-velocity fastball, an average curveball, and a changeup that lags behind his other pitches. Junk will likely see a few starts at the major league level this season, and if not, he will almost certainly be seeing time in the major league bullpen. 18. Ethan Small Age: 26 2022 Stats (AAA): 103.0 IP, 4.46 ERA, 9.96 K/9, 5.07 BB/9 The Brewers' 2019 first-round pick, Small, is best described as having decent stuff and a profile that has always been driven by pitchability and command. He still shows plenty of flashes of the pitchability, though his command has regressed dramatically as he climbed the organizational ladder. He’s a data-driven pitcher with a fastball that plays well up in the zone and knows how to use it. His changeup is his best pitch, and it could still be a big weapon for him. He has been working to find a breaking ball for years and can’t seem to find the right one yet. Small made his MLB debut during the 2022 season. As far as debuts go, it could’ve been worse, as he went 2.2 IP with 2 ER (though he did walk four as well). That outing was always expected to be a “one and done” situation, and he would return to AAA after the game. Once Small did return to AAA, the results were not very good. The command issues reared their ugly head in a major way, and he was never able to get back on track. From the start of June through the end of the season, Small posted a 5.89 ERA and walked 5.15 per 9 innings in AAA. Many viewed Small as having reliever risk, even going back to that 2019 draft, due to a lower velocity fastball and concern over hitters seeing him multiple times. Barring the command he showed at the lower levels making a sudden reappearance, the multi-inning reliever route does feel like his best chance at a prolonged MLB career. 17. Jace Avina Age: 19 2022 Stats (Rook/A): 268 PAs, .271/.392/.557, 15 HR, 54 RBI The Brewers 14th round selection in 2021 out of Spanish Springs High School in Nevada, Avina burst onto the scene early in the 2022 Arizona Complex League season, hitting ten home runs in 36 games. He finished that stretch with an absurd 183 wRC+ and earned a promotion to Low-A Carolina, where the offense didn’t slow down, at least initially. In his first game in Carolina, he hit two home runs. He followed that game up with another home run and a triple. He finally ran into a rough stretch after that, which can be attributed to the one primary concern he has. Avina strikes out at a very high rate. Despite that, Avina features a very clean-looking swing that appears adjustable. He hit balls hard in every quadrant of the zone throughout the year. So it seems to be the swing decisions that are the driving factor behind the high strikeout rates, more than his bat-to-ball skills overall. Avina is a good defender who can handle center field, with a strong throwing arm and above-average speed. The entire profile is very exciting. If Avina can improve his strikeout rates and swing decisions, this could be a rising star in prospect circles. 16. Luis Lara Age: 18 2022 Stats (Rook): 229 PAs, .260/.341/.385, 2 HR, 21 RBI Lara was one of the bigger signings for the Brewers in last year’s international free-agent class. After getting off to a scalding hot start in the DSL, he slowed down dramatically for a few weeks before a strong finish. Lara’s 2022 stats aren’t super exciting, but a 12% K-Rate and 9% BB-Rate are great signs for a player his age. Despite his diminutive stature, Lara has a chance for above-average power from both sides of the plate. Combine that with his bat-to-ball skills; there’s a good chance that Lara also ends up with an above-average hit tool. Scouts have said he should be able to stay in center field defensively, and FanGraphs gave him a 60-grade arm. Expecting a Jackson Chourio-esque breakout from any player is probably not a good idea, but Lara is someone whom it would not be a surprise to see make the biggest jump in the rankings by this time next year. Brewer Fanatics, what do you think of prospects 16-20? Leave a comment below and give us your opinion! View full article

At one point I saw it said that it's seen as comparable to A ball or A+ ball. I watched a lot of T-Rats and Mudcats games last year and was able to watch one full game of the Bandits. Personally, I'd probably place it around that range as well.

It's one of the most impressive arms I've ever seen on a minor league outfielder. Pretty accurate too, which is even more impressive.

Along with the Brewers trading for Matt Bush (converted SS) last year and Javy Guerra (converted SS/2B) this offseason, I honestly think it's something the Brewers see as a market inefficiency. My guess is they even drafted someone like Wiemer knowing that if they couldn't figure out the swing, they could move him to the mound where he'd be near triple digits with the fastball.

I edited the whole thing some, as I hit enter before I meant to lol. I think this offer at least keeps them on the phone but they do likely want more. It likely depends on how they view Avina honestly. Some organizations are likely salivating over his hard hit data. But others are likely pretty weary of his K rate. Some probably are in both camps lol. Tyler Black could be subbed in for Garcia too. If it came down to it though, I would probably include one of the three you mentioned.

Non Tendered: Brent Suter, Luis Perdomo, Trevor Gott, Jandel Gustave, Adrian Houser Trades Trade #1: Milwaukee Trades: Ethan Small, Eduardo Garcia, Jace Avina, Israel Puello Toronto Trades: Danny Jansen Brewers receive their starting catcher the next two years and the Jays get a mix of solid prospects. They may ask for a Tyler Black instead of a Garcia or something like that. I'm not sure this gets it done. But I think it keeps the Jays interested. Trade #2 Milwaukee Trades: Keston Hiura, Zavier Warren Kansas City Trades: Dylan Coleman Brewers receive a cost controlled reliever who has done quite well in the majors, and has good underlying data on Statcast. Royals receive a couple first base or DH only players with pretty interesting bats. Trade #3 Milwaukee Trades: Rowdy Tellez Minnesota Trades: Caleb Thielbar Brewers acquire a lefty reliever that's gotten very good results and the Twins get a bat that can sort of take over the Miguel Sano spot that will likely be opening up. Partially just making this trade to get to the budget... I don't think I'd make this if I wasn't trying to get closer to the budget. Free Agent Signings Signing #1 Jose Abreu (2 Years, $28 million total) Brewers get their 4 hitter and starting first baseman, where he's a big upgrade defensively over Rowdy. Going with $12 mil the first year and $16 mil the second, because Wong will be off the books after 2023 (also to cheat and help me get closer to meeting the budget ?) Final Roster: Catcher: Danny Jansen ($3.7M) 1B: Jose Abreu ($12.00M) 2B: Kolten Wong ($10.00M) 3B: Luis Urias ($4.30M) SS: Willy Adames ($9.20M) LF: Sal Frelick (0.70M) CF: Garrett Mitchell ($0.70M) RF: Hunter Renfroe ($11.20M) DH: Christian Yelich ($26.00M) 4th OF: Tyrone Taylor ($0.71M) Utility: Mike Brosseau ($1.20M) Utility: Esteury Ruiz ($0.7M) Backup Catcher: Victor Caratini ($2.80M) SP1: Corbin Burnes ($11.40M) SP2: Brandon Woodruff ($11.00M) SP3: Freddy Peralta ($3.74M) SP4: Eric Lauer ($5.20M) SP5: Aaron Ashby ($1.20M) RP: Dylan Coleman ($0.7M) RP: Peter Strzelecki ($0.7M) RP: Matt Bush ($2.00M) RP: Hoby Milner ($1.00M) RP: Devin Williams ($3.2M) RP: Jake Cousins ($0.7M) RP: Justin Topa ($0.7M) RP: Caleb Thielbar ($2.40M) Payroll is 1.85% over budget but feels reasonable, So I will not be making more moves to get below ?

It's pretty funny looking back at the replies throughout the season now haha. Obviously nobody could've expected anywhere near the second half he had, so not ripping anyone it's just funny to look back with hindsight in my favor! When we made the trade I told people I thought he could finish somewhere in the top 10 in MVP with 25ish homers... Still, never would've imagined a year like this...