Joseph Zarr

What's even more mildly hilarious is I went back through this thread looking for the comment! 😳

There was talk about JD Thompson via Instructs or the Complex competitive (non-recorded) games after the ACL season a bit ago - ie late summer/early Fall. I can't quite remember who was discussing Him - someone from BA (?) or MLB (?) - either way what stood out is they didn't tout his 93-95 low slot good riding heater or the change-up but they touted his breaker/curve ball. I found this fascinating - unfortunately, I can't find the commentary as of now (maybe @Spencer Michaelis can dig that up for us?) but I was always enamored with his change-up (57% whiff rate in college, after all) and thought that was the pitch thay would play right away off his heater as the others were worked in via a professional development program. You can see here the curveball definitely has life:

C/UTL Brett Sullivan has signed a new Minor League deal with the Colorado Rockies. He also receives a non-roster invite to Big League ST. The man who helped bring us Brewers fans C Victor Caratini several years ago gets another chance.

2024 Sound and Brewer, RHP Kevin Herget (really had a quality season overall that year, imho), re-ups on a Minor League deal with an invite to Big League ST with the New York Mets.

Apparently (embedded as a reply in the McCalvy Garabito news), the Brew Crew are taking a flyer (in the form of a fresh Minor League contract with Big League ST invite) on another talented pitcher who has struggled with injuries of late in one LHP Drew Rom The Rom name might be familiar to many here - a former Orioles 4th Rd pick who was dealt to the Cards in 2023 in the Jack Flaherty deadline deal. He has suffered through many shoulder-related injuries since that late 2023 trial by fire. Missed all of 2024. Came back briefly for the Memphis Redbirds, as McCalvy touches on, for a brief four game stint. Then was shelved the remainder of the season. I can't help but think the Brewers may feel they have a leg up on the shoulder recoveries with their recent Ashby and Woodruff successes? At this stage of his comeback road, and given his low velo lefty arsenal, I'd think the Brewers are looking at him as AAAA bullpen depth. Maybe they hammer home that splitter of his and work at more deception - previously he adjusted four-seam and sinker arm slots between heater profiles and then another to cater to his off-speed. None the less, it will be interesting to see what they try to tease out here.

As Spencer alluded to above. Glad he could answer your question @MattK. Keep in mind, as well, Meccage was a 2nd Rd premium pick. The Brewers absolutely see tools worth developing in Bentley - ie the way over-slot Bonus but for a 19th Rd pick. Clearly they saw something they didn't want to lose out on (also likely dictated by other draft pick slot refusals in their class). I would also casually remind you: by and large, the recent highly thought of Int'l and HS drafted lower velo guys - think RHP Manuel Rodriguez, RHP Melvin Hernandez, RHP Daniel Corniel, RHP Jayden Dubanewicz, RHP Ethan Dorchies, and the mentioned RHP Tyler Renz (among others) - have almost all to a man fared quite well because they control their arsenals a bit better than the higher velo young guys. A calling card of Bentley is a high level of controlling his stuff - it's also why his already plus change up plays so well and it certainly played a key part in dominating high school hitters. He will almost certainly start in the ACL (tho he isn't presently officially rostered there) and, should he fare well there, likely have the chance to make his way to the Carolina League by Wilson's season end. I think Meccage certainly wowed at times in his debut season - it's always fun to see a just out of young high school arm know how to elevate 97-98 mph four-seam heaters up and above the zone for swings and misses while dropping in a fairly pronounced hook over the plate as well - but he also showed rough edges controlling his arsenal for prolonged stretches (and, obviously injury reared its head). What will be quite interesting for all of us to monitor out of the gates in 2026 is RHP Manuel Rodriguez's early velo readings. Purportedly, on record at the end of the 2025 season, this is the first off-season the Brewers pitching development plan for his off-season will include velo enhancing work. He'll be 20 going on 21 (early August). Is this a blueprint? This would mean RHP Melvin Hernandez would also start working velo next off-season. In terms of raw stuff 'Wow' outings, I would struggle to pinpoint another Brewers Minor League starter who impressed me more than Rodriguez did in his second half outing on the road August 20th at Beloit. That outing was absolutely dreamy.

Brewers get some Love for 19th Rd RHP Chase Bentley:

When you are trying your best to work your way back to fringe MLB 40-Man staying power, it is often a an arduous road filled with speed bumps - DFA's; new orgs; trades; new Minor League contracts etc. Once coveted Brewers OF Joey Wiemer is now entrenched in this reality:

Careful. His family may enter this forum and lambast you real quick. They have spiders all over the virtual world.

It was their 'One Breakout Hitting Prospects for Every Team Hiding Behind Ordinary Stat Lines'. Probably important to clarify that given Handelfry's brief exposure and struggles at Carolina. Spencer touched on this in our first episode but always nice to find meaningful support:

My guy C Brian Navarreto resigns with the Marlins on a Minor League deal.

More former Brewers Rays news. OF Tristan Peters has been DFA'd after the Rays signed LHP Steven Matz to a two year deal. Fans may remember, Peters was originally traded to the San Francisco Giants for the failed RHP Trevor Rosenthal shot in the dark back in August of 2022. He was later traded to the Rays in November of that same year for INF Brett Wisely. Interestingly, perhaps, Wisely himself was DFA'd by the Giants back in mid-September of this year. He has since been scooped up by the Braves where he is rostered on their Tripe-A Gwinnett roster.

This. Zerpa has real goods. Was touching 98 last year after a velo tick in 2024 as well. He is a guy that has underperformed his goods. I personally really like this trade. Plus we add team control and the ability to Option. This is a sneaky good trade. Also, I should add, as the OG Collins Hype Man on this board (dating back to his days as a Shucker) I don't think it is in any way reasonable to expect the player we saw in the first half of last year. Could it happen? Of course. He is a major regression candidate and we started seeing that quite clearly by season's end.

INF Oliver Dunn heads to the White Sox organization

RHP Elvin Rodriguez heads to the KBO

As @markedman5 shared previously, another New York team targets another quality former Brewer signing talented RHP Zach Peek to a Minor League deal:

Any and all transactions that aren't players signing with the Brewers org but feature players previously in the Brewers org go in our 'Misc. Minor League Alumni News & Notes - 2025 Version' (Soon to be 2026 Version) HERE Thanks Everyone!

That is an amazing promotional step ladder. More like a trampoline. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall in his interview and the decision-makers meeting. I can't but imagine the overwhelmingly positive pitching performances this past summer played at least a small part?

Yankees getting some good Ones! Go crush it, men! We believe in you!

Update: We have our debut Pod, folks! We really cut it short this year at just under 3 hours for the Opener. 😅 Enjoy!

It appears along with the Baddoo signing, we have a new Minor League signing with a Big League Camp invite: Jones was claimed by the White Sox and spent the majority of his 2025 at Triple-A Charlotte. Verifiable speed merchant: (Full Claim write-up via MLB Trade Rumors HERE)

I guess the only question I have is: But how Baddoo is his MLB output, reallllly?

Really great lil convo. Go straight to the 28:35 minute mark for Minor League Rule 5 discussion. After Rule 5 Master, JJ Cooper (this was his 18th Rule 5 Draft in attendance!) shouts out Hedbert and Zavi he goes straight into his favorite ML Rule 5 pick in one (now) Brewers prospect RHP Cole Phillips. Awesome stuff overall! *HINT: Phillips is rumored to be in line to miss all of 2026!

Now that this is over we can anticipate a bevy of ML FA signings forthcoming. Our inning depth got absolutely pillaged. Spain, Warren, Peterson, and Hedbert played a lot of depth innings last year. Losing the upside of Vire stings.

BTW, I absolutely love the thinking behind taking RHP Cole Phillips. Premium HS draft pick. Elite stuff. Hasn't pitched an inning due to consecutive TJ's. I am sensing a Woodward/Phillips renaissance in 2026.