Joseph Zarr

Simply put: YES LOL. I've been leading the Dorrian hype train since late in the 2022 season. He had a really rough offensive slump/stretch last season late summer (if I recall) where he just wasn't seeing the ball out of the hand very well. Lots of K's. BUT, previous to that slump, he has been as consistent as they come in his opportunities in Nashville. He obviously has pop. I wonder aloud to myself if he doesn't also see a defensive jump alá Monasterio if he were to get a call to the MLB level. He's more than a fine 2B and 3B guy. In Triple-A, he's mostly struggled when given the call at SS. He is prone to rushing his transfer and he has been prone to getting eaten up by some ground balls he surely wants back. BUT, all in all, he is loved in Nashville (he won last year's 'Fan Favorite' award) by the community and the clubhouse. Extremely underrated player who will be featured in my upcoming series end of February 😉

INF/OF Josh Van Meter signed a Minor League deal with the Yankees organization. As alluded to in the article, Van Meter spent the majority of his 2023 time in Nashville on the IL. However, despite that frustration he certainly managed to take free passes at a high clip: He'll look to get things going for the Yankees in 2024 - here's hoping he stays healthy and gets it going. Van Meter will most likely begin his season in Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre of the International League East.

I particularly enjoyed the passage about the land dispute and the COVID delay and ensuing 30-35% price hike in materials. Having dealt with land purchase acquisition in South America previously, I can avow: it is absolutely cumbersome and difficult to acquire and complete purchase South of the border. Nowhere near like it is in the States. AND, then a 30-35% price hike in basic materials. THIS is the type of thing the casual fan just doesn't consider when they bash Brewers ownership. I'm so tired of that tired trope they are a cheap outfit. The Brewers are a fantastic organization finding ways to succeed with keen strategic maneuverings within a significantly smaller market share. They give small markets a very very good name!

Ditto here, Jim. I watch the Brewers when I can. Big series etc. But I spend the significant majority of my time watching the affiliates. Frankly, I didn't feel I qualified to vote on the MLB Brewers awards by season's end. 😅

A really poignant reminder of the depth of investment the Brewers organization has made into the International scene since 2016. The new Brewers Latin American Academy officially opens Thursday!

A few things to add more depth beyond the greater whole of this article - a solid read 🙂: (1) Clarke is very much primarily a DH/1B. He plays a competent back-stop in the lower level but he'll very likely never be more than a 3rd or Emergency option in the MLB. The Brewers hitting coordinator, in this very off-season, has gone on record stating what those of us who watch his games regularly know: he is already a MLB player. This past year's growth (and it was major at the dish) really solidified this. (2) Martinez's first calling card at 1B is really how easy he makes it for the rest of his infield and pitching staff. He shows really nice coordination and he possesses such a distinct frame and wingspan he catches nearly everything. We start there as his foundation - I've seen the young man make so many full stretch splits for improbable outs it still makes my groin hurt. The offensive growth this season was quite nice and it is very likely the reason he was re-signed. I personally feel the Brewers likely want to see him build from there. He still has quite a bit of free wheeling unrefined-ness in his overall swing path I personally still have hesitation or a reluctance to fully buy in to the season he had. It was fantastic, yes, but I'd like to see that as his baseline. The Double-A work was fantastic to this end, however. He wasn't overmatched. A huge first step. 3) I highlighted Monasterio in a four-part series last year - my now annual 'Undervalued, Undersold, et al' piece. It was quite apparent his bat had the potential to make a mark but the real surprise (for me, at least) at the MLB level was his consistent defensive work. He had never showcased any type of consistency at the MiLB level before and, actually, had essentially developed a reputation as a middling infielder. We saw consistent solid work throughout the infield for the Brewers - a truly wonderful surprise! Regardless, I had both Monasterio and Clarke in last year's series. Oh, I also had now MLB pitcher Lucas Erceg in there. This past 2023 Brewers Minor League season, I spent over 1200 hours watching the collective Brewers affiliates (and AFL). I'll be publishing another four-part series at the end of February. Stay tuned. There will be more nuggets in there once again.

Ok. It would appear the 2024 class wraps up at a whopping 35 players (!!). Yowza. According to Curt Hogg HERE (fun read - highly recommend): Brewers 2024 international signing class Here is the entirety of the Brewers' 35-man signing class. Position players Jose Anderson, CF, Dominican Republic Luis Corobo, C, Venezuela Yohandy Cruz, SS, Dominican Republic Carlos Doñe, OF, Dominican Republic Handellfry Encarnacion, OF, Dominican Republic Kevin Garcia, C, Venezuela Jeremy George, OF, Panama Angel Gonzalez, CF, Costa Rica Frandy Lafond, CF, Dominican Republic Yoneiker Lugo, C, Venezuela Juan Martinez, SS, Venezuela Jesus Made, SS, Dominican Republic Frederi Montero, SS, Dominican Republic Juan Ortuno, IF, Venezuela Engel Paulino, OF, Dominican Republic Luis Peña, SS, Dominican Republic Joandrew Peña, 3B, Venezuela Moises Polanco, SS, Venezuela Kobe Rangel, SS, Venezuela Jhoanjel Saez, IF, Dominican Republic Pitchers Dalvin Bodre, RHP, Dominican Republic Ayendy Bravo, RHP, Dominican Republic Daiyiro Candelo, RHP, Venezuela Lonell Downs, RHP, Nicaragua Victor Emiliano Garcia, LHP, Mexico Lukas Gonzalez, RHP, Panama Paul Hoff, RHP, Germany Dariel Jaquez, RHP, Dominican Republic Wenderlyn King, RHP, Dominican Republic Enderson Mercado, LHP, Venezuela Manuel Moreno, RHP, Panama Christopher Peralta, RHP, Dominican Republic Jean Carlos Rodriguez, RHP, Dominican Republic Josue Toledo, RHP, Nicaragua ( @Mass Haas: this also answers our King and Toledo transaction chin scratches)

Add 17-year-old Nicaraguan RHP Josue Toledo to this anomalous transaction pattern. On the same transactions page...yet mysteriously absent from the International Signing class listings. 🤷‍♂️ *** I will add here, however, in Hogg's article re: the Int'l Class he alludes to a 35-member 2024 Int'l Class (!!). SO, I am going to pre-suppose this is some strange clerical mix up for now. As of this morning, Baseball America still lists 'only' 25 players for the Brewers class.

Not anymore 😉

This. Is. Gold. (And Green, I guess)

Highest QBR rating in a single post-season game in NFL history. Are we paying attention yet? My goodness. Hard to fathom what LaFleur has done with this team within this season. Unreal growth across the board.

My baseball gods Gardner is just FEASTING in Australia. This is exactly what you dream of seeing for a guy his age: dominating and passing Levels of Competition. It's just hard to put into words what we're seeing since he settled down in High-A Wisconsin. He scuffled very early in his tenure as he adjusted to an affiliated environment, but as he got his feet wet he eventually worked his way into the set-up and close-it-out stables with RHP Tanner Shears and RHP Shane Smith. He became even more crucial in that role after Smith's late season call up to Biloxi. I think it is fair to say he is making it near impossible for the organization to not promote him to the Shuckers bullpen before the affiliated season starts. Just incredible stuff.

I saw that earlier and thought: He got 2nd by getting fewer 2nd place votes. 😅 Seems unfair!

It is indeed true. Here's the 'Cream City Pro' Link as well:

RHP Hobie Harris (a key part of that fantastic 2022 Nashville Sounds bullpen) will take his bags North to St. Paul (most likely). Harris signs a Minor League deal with the Minnesota Twins organization where he'll. look to bounce back after a down year with the Nationals in 2023. It should be celebrated, however, Harris played a role in the MLB Nationals bullpen in the first half if their season. Hopefully, he can work his way back to 'The Show'. (Original MLB Transactions Insta Link Here)

Just to update this and add some specificity, it would appear she'll be working with the ACL Crew:

Curt gives us a brief glimpse of Corobo's work behind the plate. Man, he looks big for 16. Certainly knows how to get up as the ball approaches home plate it would appear.

He has been on ONE for at least two years. Let us not forget he also made the highly unpopular choice of drafting Love when he did. Lottttta people need to reckon with their absurd opinions of Gute. How about the Starting RT and LT drafted where they were in 2022? How about Rhyan at RG in the 5th? How about he has 7 draft picks in the first 4 rounds in 2024!?! We are so blessed right now.

There were A LOT of non-believers of J-Love in this Forum. Quite a few. I felt the signs were always there but he needed to put it together and we needed to give him time. Well, let's just be real: What we witnessed in 2023 is historic on every level. J-Love broke records and tied records held by absurdly few NFL QB's historically. He did it as a first year starter with essentially an entire offense of rookies at the skill positions and a very injured or inconsistent running game that was absent near the entire season. He is legend. I hope y'all appreciate what we just witnessed. We haven't seen a GB QB perform on the most important stage in some time. Some time. Incredible. I am grateful.

Just Baseball is always a refreshing and in-depth listen. Very much agreed there! I appreciated the first truly critical discourse on RHP Josh Knoth. I've heard mostly (almost entirely) glowing things about his breaking balls etc. (Discourse starts 13:33). Aram didn't love what he saw. He feels the delivery is too short and compact (at present) and easily read by hitters. Thinks it's a major project. NE exposure so not a lot of high end competition. Felt he was hit fairly easily in the All-Star games. Feels he might just be a 'data darling'. He ranked him just outside the Top 15. Found that very interesting. He ranked INF Oliver Dunn ahead of Knoth based on his: "...Dunn is already a Big Leaguer." In other words, despite Knoth's peripherals he has major question marks. Excited to see these guys play! Woot woot.

He was 'officially' assigned to the Nashville Sounds, regardless. I would opine this is a 'Minor League Transaction' despite the Major League Camp invite. The addendum here is: the MiLB transaction wire (from the get go with this Nola signing) have listed him as a 1B. Could be nothing. Could be a mistake. Could be something.

You have to love the work we're seeing from all three of these young men. Let's hope this is a springboard for breakout seasons across the board! Thanks for the continued updates, gents. Always wonderful to have the leg work done so we can get the click and update at our fingertips.

That's now Garcia, Ramon Rodriguez, and Navarreto. And, of course, Quero as the top prospect right in the mix.