Seth Stohs

Really enjoyed the conversation. Seems like a good kid, and like me, we are able to talk plenty to fill a show! Exciting prospect too, I think. Recording another Brewers Spotlight tonight which should be available in a couple of days.

Really enjoyed the conversation. Seems like a good kid, and like me, we are able to talk plenty to fill a show! Exciting prospect too, I think. Recording another Brewers Spotlight tonight which should be available in a couple of days.

The Brewers drafted right-handed pitcher Cameron Wagoner in the 11th round out of Eastern Michigan University. Recently I had the chance to chat with the hard-throwing righty about his background, getting drafted, and much more. Image courtesy of Neal Hock The Brewers drafted right-handed pitcher Cameron Wagoner in the 11th round out of Eastern Michigan University. Recently I had the chance to chat with the hard-throwing righty about his background, getting drafted, and much more. Cameron Wagoner grew up in the town of Tecumseh, Michigan. The town is about 60 miles southwest of Detroit and 25 miles south of Ann Arbor. It's also about 40 miles north of Toledo, Ohio. The town itself of Tecumseh (pronounced Ta-Come-See) has a population just under 8,500, but the Wagoner family lived out in the country where there was plenty of separation between neighbors. He found creative ways to keep himself entertained including finding ways to throw a baseball and work on pitching and control. He went to a couple of events and hit 89 with his fastball. He was then invited to the Super-60, and there he was consistently over 90 mph and touching 94 regularly. That is when the pro scouts showed up (Tecumseh) to come see the talented pitching prospect. He was drafted by the Rangers in the 22nd round of the 2019 draft. He considered signing but ultimately decided to attend Eastern Michigan where he was coached by former Twins and Angels pitcher A.J. Achter. He had some ups and downs. He pitched both out of the bullpen and as a starter. He didn't pitch during the 2022 college season, but he returned to the Cape Cod League. This time when the draft came along, he was drafted very early on Day 3 by the Brewers. He signed quickly and went to Arizona for a few weeks. He made just a couple of appearances with the Arizona Complex League before being bumped up to Carolina. Combined, he made seven appearances, including three starts. In his 19 2/3 innings, he had just two walks and struck out 24 batters. His fastball has continued to improve and now hits 97 with some regularity. He's also got improving but potentially strong secondary pitches. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Because of his lack of innings pitched in 2022, he is heading to Australia to pitch in the Australian Baseball League this winter, something he is certainly looking forward to. Be sure to check out the Cameron Wagoner interview above for much more information on an intriguing pitching prospect from the 2022 draft. Get to know him in his own words and as he tells some interesting stories. You can follow Cameron on Twitter at @cameronwags11. View full article

Seth chats with Cameron Wagoner, the 11th round pick of the Brewers in 2022. He grew up in Michigan and went to Eastern Michigan. He began his pro career with a few outings in Arizona before moving up to Carolina. And, he'll be heading Down Under to pitch this winter. View full video

I would think for Adames to even consider a four-year deal, you'd have to be at least at $65-70 million. And I'm thinking a Woodruff deal looks a lot more like Luis Castillo's deal that a three-year deal around $15 million per year. At 30, he's going to want a 6-year deal if he can get it. Something just below the Luis Castillo range.

I would think for Adames to even consider a four-year deal, you'd have to be at least at $65-70 million. And I'm thinking a Woodruff deal looks a lot more like Luis Castillo's deal that a three-year deal around $15 million per year. At 30, he's going to want a 6-year deal if he can get it. Something just below the Luis Castillo range.

Crazy that Sheffield wasn't a first-ballot hall of famer. But this was in my big card collecting days, so I remember his prospect and early days well.

Good question, but up until like 5 years ago, Gold Gloves were done by Managers' vote, and nothing based on stats. So, offense did matter then, and frankly so did name recognition. It was hard for a new guy to take the spot back then once a guy won a couple. And while I still feel that defensive metrics are imperfect, it's something.

Good question, but up until like 5 years ago, Gold Gloves were done by Managers' vote, and nothing based on stats. So, offense did matter then, and frankly so did name recognition. It was hard for a new guy to take the spot back then once a guy won a couple. And while I still feel that defensive metrics are imperfect, it's something.

Thursday afternoon, Rawlings Baseball announced the 2022 Rawlings Gold Glove Award Finalists. The Brewers have two finalists. What do you think? Did anyone get snubbed? Discuss below. Image courtesy of Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports Thursday afternoon, Rawlings Baseball announced the 2022 Rawlings Gold Glove Award Finalists. The Brewers have two finalists. What do you think? Did anyone get snubbed? Discuss below. Keep up with which Brewers, if any, are named 2022 Rawlings Gold Glove finalists. The finalists are being announced by Rawlings, approximately 5 minutes apart, so this article will be updated over the next hour. So check back often. Here are the finalists: NL Pitchers: Tyler Anderson (Dodgers), Corbin Burnes (Brewers), Max Fried (Braves) AL Pitchers: Jose Berrios (Blue Jays), Shane Bieber (Guardians), Jameson Taillon (Yankees) Corbin Burnes has become one of the game's best pitchers. He's been an All Star the past two seasons. He's won a Cy Young Award. Does he field his position well too? Well... Well enough to be named a finalist today! NL Catchers: Travis d'Arnaud (Braves), Tomas Nido (Mets), JT Realmuto (Phillies) AL Catchers: Sean Murphy (A's), Cal Raleigh (Mariners), Jose Trevino (Yankees) NL First Base: Paul Goldschmidt (Cardinals), Matt Olson (Braves), Christian Walker (Diamondbacks) AL First Base: Luis Arraez (Twins), Vladimir Guerrero Jr.(Blue Jays), Anthony Rizzo (Yankees). Anyone surprised that Rowdy Tellez wasn't a finalist? NL Second Base: Jake Cronenworth (Padres), Tommy Edman (Cardinals), Brendan Rodgers (Rockies) AL Second Base: Andres Gimenez (Guardians), Jonathan Schoop (Tigers), Marcus Semien (Rangers) Nope, Kolten Wong was not named a finalist. Should we be surprised? Jonathan Schoop has always been a solid defensive player, at least when he has played second base. The former Brewers' defense has been acknowledged as a Gold Glove finalist. NL Shortstop: Ha-Seong Kim (Padres), Miguel Rojas (Marlins), Dansby Swanson (Braves) AL Shortstop: Xander Bogaerts (Red Sox), Carlos Correa (Twins), Jeremy Pena (Astros) No Willy Adames either. NL Third Base: Nolan Arenado (Cardinals), Ke'Bryan Hayes (Pirates), Ryan McMahon (Rockies) AL Third Base: Matt Chapman (Blue Jays), Ramon Urias (Orioles), Jose Ramirez (Guardians) NL Left Field: Ian Happ (Cubs), David Peralta (Diamondbacks), Christian Yelich (Brewers). AL Left Field: Andrew Benintendi (Royals/Yankees), Steven Kwan (Guardians), Brandon Marsh (Angels) Yelich has one Gold Glove award to his name. It came in his first full big-league season with the Marlins in 2014. Could number two be coming to him soon? NL Center Field: Trent Grisham (Padres), Victor Robles (Nationals), Alek Thomas (Diamondbacks) AL Center Field: Cedric Mullins (Orioles), Myles Straw (Guardians), Michael A. Taylor (Royals) Did the Brewers really trade Trent Grisham because he made an error? Do we need to revisit that trade and why the Brewers made it? Much ado about nothing? NL Right Field: Mookie Betts (Dodgers), Juan Soto (Nationals/Padres), Daulton Varsho (Diamondbacks) AL Right Field: Jackie Bradley Jr.(Red Sox/Blue Jays), Max Kepler (Twins), Kyle Tucker (Astros). The Brewers got plenty of power from Hunter Renfroe, but probably not as much defense. Wisconsin native, Daulton Varsho also recognized. In addition, the Minnesota Twins named Varsho the Dick Siebert Award winner as Upper Midwest Player of the Year in 2022. Speaking of... NL Utility: Brendan Donovan (Cardinals), Tommy Edman (Cardinals), Daulton Varsho (Diamondbacks) AL Utility: DJ LeMahieu (Yankees), Whit Merrifield (Royals/Blue Jays), Luis Rengifo (Angels) There you have it. The finalists for 2022 Gold Glove Awards. Only Corbin Burnes and Christian Yelich were finalists for the Brewers. How do you feel about that? Should others have been finalists? Should those two have been finalists? Share your thoughts below. View full article

My 'vote' would go to Peter Strzelecki just because he was in the big leagues for more than 5 weeks. Aaron Ashby would have probably been the easy choice if he would have maintained his rookie status into 2022, but since he didn't, there really weren't a lot of obvious choices...

My 'vote' would go to Peter Strzelecki just because he was in the big leagues for more than 5 weeks. Aaron Ashby would have probably been the easy choice if he would have maintained his rookie status into 2022, but since he didn't, there really weren't a lot of obvious choices...

The Brewers kept fighting, clinging on to the smallest glimmer of hope heading into the final series of the season. They mounted a big, ninth-inning comeback. They fell behind in the tenth, but came back and got a big win, keeping their playoff chances alive. Minutes later, they were eliminated from playoff contention. Image courtesy of Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports The Brewers kept fighting, clinging on to the smallest glimmer of hope heading into the final series of the season. They mounted a big, ninth-inning comeback. They fell behind in the tenth, but came back and got a big win, keeping their playoff chances alive. Minutes later, they were eliminated from playoff contention. Box Score SP: Brandon Woodruff: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K (100 pitches, 64 strikes (64.0%) Home Runs: Christian Yelich (14), Hunter Renfroe (29) Top 3 WPA: Victor Caratini (0.334), Willy Adames (0.307), Christian Yelich (0.171) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Another Close-And-Late Game For the second straight game, the Brewers needed extra innings. After using most of their bullpen in Sunday's 12-inning loss to the Marlins, they needed a 10th inning to decide this one. Fortunately, Brandon Woodruff was able to get through six innings on 100 pitches. In the third frame, he gave up a solo homer to Cooper Hummel. In the fifth inning, a Sergio Alcantara sacrifice fly scored Corbin Carroll. Sure, it would have been great to see Woodruff get through another inning or two, but overall, he had a nice start. Unfortunately, when he left, Hoby Milner, who has been a fantastic story in 2022, came on and gave up a two-run homer to Alcantara to give Arizona a 4-1 lead. Christian Yelich came through in the second inning with a leadoff homer. However, fast-forward to the bottom of the ninth inning, and the Brewers haven't scored any more runs. A glance at the scoreboard showed that they were losing and the Phillies were winning and giving up certainly could have been an option. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Renfroe is Clutch Again Hunter Renfroe led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a mammoth home run to center off of All Star Joe Mantiply. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Christian Yelich reached on an infield single. One batter later, Kolten Wong walked. Rowdy Tellez grounded out to first base to push Yelich and Wong to second and third, respectively. Victor Caratini came up and hit a line drive right at first baseman Christian Walker. The ball somehow went right through him, and the ball trickled far enough to allow both runners scored to tie the game and send it to extra innings. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Daulton Varsho Comes Home Cooper Hummel was the Manfred Man, starting the top of the 10th inning at second base. After a sacrifice bunt advanced Hummel to third, Daulton Varsho singled to right-center to push in the go-ahead run for the Diamondbacks. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Varsho is the son of former big leaguer Gary Varsho who was named after former Phillie Darren Daulton. He was born in Marshfield, Wisconsin, as you may have heard a time or 23 during the broadcast. He attended the University of Wisconsin, in Milwaukee, and became the 2nd round pick of the Diamondbacks in 2017. In his third MLB season, Varsho has had a terrific season. On this night, however, that he gave Arizona the lead may have only brought joy to a small section of Marshfield. The Brewers now needed to score on in the bottom of the 10th inning to tie it. Adames, Renfroe Play Hero Jace Peterson was placed on second base to start the inning. Omar Narvaez then walked. With runners on first and second, Willy Adames singled to right to drive in Peterson and tie the game. Almost as important, with nobody out, Narvaez was able to advance to third base. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Hunter Renfroe came up and again came through. He dropped a single into left field, Narvaez scored, and the Brewers kept their playoff hopes alive. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== For about Five Minutes... Down in Houston, the Phillies finished a 3-0 shutout of the Astros to officially clinch a Wild Card spot and eliminate the Brewers. What’s Next? With the final two games now having no playoff implications, it will be interesting to see how the Brewers and the Diamondbacks adjust their lineups and pitching decisions. For instance, does it make sense to have Corbin Burnes make one more start, or just ensure he goes into the offseason healthy? The same can be said about Arizona's Zac Gallen. Do you think the Brewers might announce some roster moves, maybe calling up someone like Brewer Fanatic Minor League Hitter of the Year Sal Frelick, or adding a couple of pitchers from Nashville so as not to burn out a bullpen that has been used a lot in recent games. Here are the remaining pitching matchups: Tuesday at 6:10: Eric Lauer (10-7, 3.83 ERA) vs Zac Gallen (12-3, 2.46 ERA) Wednesday at 3:10: Corbin Burnes (12-8, 2.98 ERA) vs Merrill Kelly (13-8, 3.43 ERA) data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Postgame Interviews data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

In a Must Win game, the Brewers and Marlins fought hard. In fact, they needed a little overtime to determine the winner. From about the seventh inning forward, every inning was immensely intense. Image courtesy of Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports In a Must Win game, the Brewers and Marlins fought hard. In fact, they needed a little overtime to determine the winner. From about the seventh inning forward, every inning was immensely intense. Box Score SP: Freddy Peralta: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K (55 pitches, 35 strikes (63.6%) Home Runs: None Top 3 WPA: Kolten Wong (0.336), Brent Suter (0.250), Freddy Peralta (0.212) Bottom 3 WPA: Rowdy Tellez (-0.322), Luis Urias (-0.303 , Christian Yelich (-0.268) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Peralta’s Impressive Start When we learned after Saturday night’s loss that Freddy Peralta would be the Brewers starter on Sunday, it was sort of assumed that it might be just as an opener. And, technically, that is what he did. However, instead of opening with an inning or two, he gave the Brewers four scoreless innings. While not terribly efficient, he needed 55 pitches to get through four innings, but he gave up just two hits and didn’t walk a batter. His performance on Sunday was a good reminder of how good he can be, and how good he has been the past couple of seasons. It is also creates the question of what could have been. He missed about two months earlier in the season with some shoulder issues. Then in early September, he was placed back on the IL with ‘shoulder fatigue.’ He has returned but in a very limited capacity. If healthy - something that should never be fully counted on for any pitcher - he likely would have made 14-15 more starts this year, and how many more wins might that win for the Brewers? And what might the Brewers playoff situation be right now? Seventh Not Heaven After Peralta left the ballgame, he was replaced by Hoby Milner. The southpaw got four outs, three of them on strikeouts. He gave up just one hit. Justin Topa came on and recorded the final two outs of the sixth inning. Then came the seventh inning. Topa returned to the mound. Avisail Garcia doubled to left and Saturday’s Marlin hero Bryan De La Cruz had an infield single. Craig Counsell turned to lefty Taylor Rogers. Peyton Burdick (another Saturday star) singled to right field to score Garcia as the first run of the game. De La Cruz ran the bases well and advanced to third base. Jacob Stallings came to the plate and hit a fly ball to left field, easily deep enough to score De La Cruz and give the Marlins a 2-0 lead. Rogers gave up a single to Jordan Groshans to put runners on first and second. Rogers got Lewin Diaz to pop out for the second out but then walked lefty Joey Wendle to load the bases. At that point, Matt Bush was brought in and got a huge strikeout to end the inning and keep the deficit at just two runs. Lopez Locks Up Brewers Hitters Marlins starter Pablo Lopez made his 32nd start of the season, one more than the two previous two seasons. Coming into the game, he was 0-0 with a 3.90ERA. After shutting down the Brewer for seven innings, his day was done with 96 pitches. He gave up just two hits. He walked three batters but he struck out seven. But then… Missed Opportunity In the eighth inning, Lopez was taken out and lefty Richard Bleier was brought in. The inning started with a single by a pinch-hitting Luis Urias. That was followed by a pinch-hit double by Tyrone Taylor. It was a ground-rule double, so the Brewers were left with runners on second and third base and nobody out. Mike Brosseau then pinch hit for Garrett Mitchell and after a long battle, he struck out for the inning’s first out. A ground ball or fly ball would have scored one run. Christian Yelich came up and grounded out to second base for the second out, but it did drive in Urias with the Brewers’ first run. With Willy Adames coming to the plate, Don Mattingly turned to his closer, Dylan Floro, for the final out of the inning. He came through with a strikeout of Adames, and what started as a huge opportunity ended with the Brewers still down by a run in the ninth inning. The Ninth Inning Brad Boxberger came on for the ninth inning and had a very quick inning which brought the Brewers to bat needing a run to keep their playoff chances at least reasonable. Rowdy Tellez led off with a fly out to left field. On an 0-2 count, Hunter Renfroe took a fastball away and drove it down the right field line for a double. Game-tying runner at second base with one out. On the first pitch, Kolten Wong got jammed but flared a liner down the left field line. Renfroe rounded third and headed home with the game-tying run. On the throw, Wong advanced to second base. As was noted on the telecast, it marked the first Brewers hit with a runner in scoring position since Friday. Andrew McCutchen’s plate appearance started with a 3-0 count before he was intentionally walked. With runners on first and second, Luis Urias was jammed and hit into a double play. But, the game continued and went to extra innings. The Tenth Inning Brent Suter came in and got a little help from his defense. However, with one out (thanks to a great diving catch by Adames) Joey Wendle slapped a single to left that scored The Manfred Man from second base with the go-ahead run. Another lineout to shortstop and a Suter strikeout, and the Brewers came to bat in the bottom of the inning down by a run. The Marlins turned to Tommy Nance. Luis Urias started the inning on second base. Tyrone Taylor came to bat and worked a walk to fill first base. Victor Caratini, who came in behind the plate in the ninth inning, laid down a good sacrifice bunt to advance runners to second and third with one out. Christian Yelich came to the plate against his former team with the infield in. He hit a hard ground ball right at the second baseman who threw home. The ball was well ahead of Urias, but a creative slide made it closer than it maybe should have been. Wisely, Craig Counsell came out and challenged both the out call and blocking of the plate. The out call was confirmed and there was clearly no blocking of the plate. With two outs and runners on first and third, Willy Adames came to the plate, hoping to extend the game. Adames has been struggling, but on a 1-0 count, he hit a soft single to left field to drive in the Manfred Man and keep the game going. Rowdy Tellez popped out and the game moved on to the… 11th Inning Brent Suter returned to the mound to start the 11th inning with a runner on second base. He walked the leadoff man. However, Bryan De La Cruz grounded to short and Adames started a double play. With a runner still on third, left JJ Bleday popped out to end the inning. Will Rowdy Tellez be The Manfred Man? Ummm… No. Keston Hiura came in to pinch run. Huascar Brazoban came in to pitch for the Marlins. Hunter Renfroe surprised probably everyone by placing a terrific sacrifice bunt down the first base line to advance Hiura to third base. Kolten Wong was intentionally walked to set up an inning-ending double play. Andrew McCutchen worked the count full before walking to load the bases. Luis Urias came to the plate for the third time, and he only entered the game in the eighth inning as a pinch hitter. He had a seven-pitch at-bat, but it ended in a strikeout. With two outs and the bases loaded, Tyrone Taylor came to the plate trying to end the game. Instead, he grounded to third base to end the inning on a force out. I find myself asking if things might have been different if Hunter Renfroe would have just hit away, especially considering how well he has been hitting of late. It's a question that will never have a certain answer. 12th Inning Trevor Gott replaced Suter and got the first two batters out. However, veteran Miguel Rojas slapped a two-strike single to right to drive in the go-ahead run. Jordan Groshans followed with another single before striking out Jon Berti to end the inning. But the Brewers were again in a must-score situation in the bottom of the 12th. Tyrone Taylor was the Manfred Man for Milwaukee. Lefty Tanner Scott took over for the Marlins. Victor Caratini led off and struck out. Yelich came to the plate again and after falling behind 1-2, he worked a walk to put runners and second and third with one out. Willy Adames got the crowd excited with a fly ball to left field and ended in the left fielder's glove for the second out. Keston Hiura came to the plate for the first time in the game. He struck out to end the game. What’s Next? The final regular-season series of the season begins on Monday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Here are the pitching matchups: Monday at 6:10: Brandon Woodruff (13-4, 3.05 ERA) vs Tommy Henry (3-4, 5.98 ERA) Tuesday at 6:10: Eric Lauer (10-7, 3.83 ERA) vs Zac Gallen (12-3, 2.46 ERA) Wednesday at 3:10: Corbin Burnes (12-8, 2.98 ERA) vs Merrill Kelly (13-8, 3.43 ERA) Let’s throw the Phillies pitching matchups in Houston: Monday at 7:10: Aaron Nola (10-13, 3.36 ERA) vs Lance McCullers, Jr. (4-1, 2.38 ERA) Tuesday at 7:10: Ranger Suarez (10-6, 3.47 ERA) vs Justin Verlander (17-4, 1.80 ERA) Wednesday at 3:10: Bailey Falter (6-4, 3.90 ERA) vs Framber Valdez (16-6, 2.89 ERA) Wild Card Scenarios The Phillies were in Washington DC where Hurricane Ian’s remnants were passing through on Sunday. They led 8-1 after six innings, and after a long rain delay, it was called. Remaining Games Brewers: 3 at home vs Arizona Phillies: 3 at Houston So the Brewers are now one game out of a playoff spot. Because of the tiebreakers, the Phillies will have to finish a game ahead of the Phillies to take the final Wild Card spot. If the Brewers go 3-0, they need the Phillies to go 0-3. If the Brewers go 2-1, 1-2 or 0-3, the Phillies go to the playoffs. Postgame Interviews (coming soon) Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

I've got to say again that I have really enjoyed getting to follow a second minor-league system. After seeing how the Twins do things over the past 20 years, it's been interesting to see how the Brewers do things. For the most part, there are a lot of similarities, but there are exceptions. For instance, it's hard to imagine the Twins being as aggressive with Jackson Chourio as Milwaukee has been. Frelick has moved quickly. But with pitchers, they're not quite as quick to promote, especially young guys, which makes a ton of sense and I would guess that's true of most organizations, especially still just two seasons after the lost Covid season.

I've got to say again that I have really enjoyed getting to follow a second minor-league system. After seeing how the Twins do things over the past 20 years, it's been interesting to see how the Brewers do things. For the most part, there are a lot of similarities, but there are exceptions. For instance, it's hard to imagine the Twins being as aggressive with Jackson Chourio as Milwaukee has been. Frelick has moved quickly. But with pitchers, they're not quite as quick to promote, especially young guys, which makes a ton of sense and I would guess that's true of most organizations, especially still just two seasons after the lost Covid season.

This week, we have been presenting the 2022 Brewer Fanatic Minor League Awards. Today, we complete our minor league awards with the announcement of our choice for Brewers Minor league Hitter of the Year. Image courtesy of Mike Krebs (graphics by Thieres Rabelo) This week, we have been presenting the 2022 Brewer Fanatic Minor League Awards. Today, we complete our minor league awards with the announcement of our choice for Brewers Minor league Hitter of the Year. Sal Frelick was the Brewers first-round pick just over one year ago. After putting up impressive numbers at the three highest levels of minor-league baseball this year, he finds himself on the precipice of a big-league promotion. Brewer Fanatic Minor League Hitter of the Year: Sal Frelick, OF High-A/Double-A/Triple-A Stats (119 G): .331/.403/.480 (.883), 28-2B, 6-3B, 11-HR, 59-RBI Frelick was the Brewers' first-round draft pick, 21st overall, in the 2021 draft after three strong seasons at Boston College. He posted a .367 batting average as a freshman in 2019. 2020 was cut short. Then during his junior season, he hit .359/.414/.466 (.880) with 17 doubles, two triples, and six home runs. After the draft, he played four games in Arizona (and went 7-for-15) before moving up to Low-A Carolina. In 16 games there, he hit .437/.529/.667 (1.196). He ended the year with 15 games in Wisconsin. He began the 2022 season back in the Midwest League. He spent April there and hit .291 (.847) with five doubles, a triple, and two homers in 21 games. He then spent three months in Double-A Biloxi where he .317/.380/.464 (.844) with 12 doubles, three triples, and five home runs. When August began, Frelick was moved up to Nashville along with Garrett Mitchell and Joey Wiemer. Over the final two months, Frelick hit .365/.435/.508 (.943) with 11 doubles, and four homers in 46 games. Overall in 2022, he stole 24 bases in 32 attempts. In Wisconsin and Biloxi, he played primarily center field, and in Nashville, he spent most of his time in left field. With his speed and strong arm, he is a very good outfielder defensively. Offensively, he has primarily shown doubles power, but it is clear that over time and with more experience, he should add home run power as well. That’s especially exciting when you consider his eye at the plate and his tremendous bat-to-ball skills. Overall, he walked 52 times this season and struck out just 63 times. I feel the need to type that again. Sal Frelick struck out 63 times in 562 plate appearances. And then just look at this swing. And for all those reasons, and especially his numbers (which improved as he moved up levels), Sal Frelick is the Brewer Fanatic choice for Minor League Hitter of the Year. (and he's the Brewer Fanatic #2 prospect) For more Brewer Fanatic content on Sal Frelick, click here. However, there were a few other really strong candidates. Let’s take a look at other hitters who had strong 2022 seasons with the bat. Runner-Up: Jackson Chourio, OF Low-A/High-A/Double-A Stats (99 G): .288/.342/.538 (.879), 30-2B, 5-3B, 20-HR, 75-RBI According to MLB Pipeline, Jackson Chourio was the #18-ranked international player available in 2021. He signed with the Brewers, as a shortstop, for a $1.9 million signing bonus. He hit .296/.386/447 (.833) with seven doubles and five homers in the DSL. He spent a little time playing in the Venezuelan Winter League this past offseason. Chourio turned 18 in March and started his season at the Arizona Complex and spent a month there. On May 3, he moved up to Carolina and was one of the youngest players in the Carolina League and immediately made his proverbial presence known. He had two hits, including a home run, in his first game. Over his first seven games, he hit .467/.500/.767 (1.267) with six doubles and a homer. In 62 total games in Carolina, he hit .324/.373/.600 (.973) with 23 doubles, five triples, and 12 home runs. He moved up to High-A Wisconsin where he played in 31 games and hit .252/.317/.488 (.805) with six doubles and eight home runs. He even ended the season, at 18(!), at Double-A Biloxi where he went 2-for-23 in six games. Chourio quickly moved up prospect rankings everywhere. He wasn’t in Baseball America’s Top 100 before the season. At midseason, he ranked around 30th overall, and after the draft, he is now the #2 prospect in all of baseball. (and the Brewer Fanatic #1 prospect) And for good reason. First, he’s young and dominated at the Low-A level. He moved up to High-A and more than held his own playing against some players 5-7 years older than him. But that’s just part of it. Chourio has incredible tools. The Brewers immediately moved him to center field to take advantage of his great speed and very strong arm. He hits for power to all fields. He went 16-for-20 in stolen base attempts. How aggressive will the Brewers be with him? How aggressive should they be with him? Could he be the next 19-year-old big leaguer? The answer is, or should be, he’ll show when he’s ready, and yes, that could happen as soon as 2023. For more Brewer Fanatic content on Jackson Chourio, click here. Second Runner-Up: Jakson Reetz, C Double-A/Triple-A Stats (83 G): .266/.363/.589 (.953), 19-2B, 1-3B, 25-HR, 67-RBI Reetz made his MLB debut for the Washington Nationals on July 10, 2021. He played in two games and went 1-for-2 with a double. Following that 2021 season, Reetz was removed from the 40-man roster and signed as a minor-league free agent with the Brewers. He had been the Nationals’ third-round pick in 2014 out of Firth High School in eastern Nebraska. He moved up the ladder slowly spending two years in the short-season leagues and one-and-a-half seasons in Low-A. He then spent 2018 and 2019 at High-A Potomac before playing in the AFL. After the lost season, he spent 2021 at Double-A before getting some time in Triple-A Rochester. He began the 2022 season in Biloxi where he crushed the ball in the first half. In 64 games, he hit .281/.392/.636 (1.028) with 16 doubles and 22 homers. He played 19 more games in Nashville. He was added to the Brewers 40-man roster in early August and two weeks later, he was DFAd. He went unclaimed and chose free agency. The Royals signed him to a minor-league deal, and he hit .257 with five homers in 21 games for their Triple-A team in Omaha. For more Jakson Reetz content at Brewer Fanatic, click here. Third Runner-Up: Joey Wiemer, OF Double-A/Triple-A Stats (127 G): .256/.336/.465 (.801), 34-2B, 2-3B, 21-HR, 77-RBI Joey Wiemer grew up in Ohio and attended the University of Cincinnati for three seasons. His junior season, 2020, was cut short. Knowing he was going to go pro, he spent some time in an independent league before the Brewers used their fourth-round draft pick to select the athletic outfielder. In 2021, he split the season between Carolina and Wisconsin and combined to his .296/.403/.556 (.958) with 18 doubles and 27 home runs. He also stole 30 bases in 36 attempts. He started the 2022 season with 84 games in Biloxi where he hit .243 (.761) with 19 doubles and 15 home runs. He was promoted to Nashville and finished the season with 43 games there. He hit .287(.888) with 15 doubles and six homers. Overall, he stole 31 bases and got caught just three times. He has been a Top 5 prospect at Brewer Fanatic throughout the season and ended the year as the #4 prospect. For more Brewer Fanatic content on Joey Wiemer, click here. Fourth Runner-Up: Cam Devanney, SS/3B Double-A/Triple-A Stats (128 G): .264/.342/.492 (.834), 32-2B, 1-3B, 23-HR, 68-RBI Cam Devanney was the Brewers 15th-round pick in 2019 out of Elon University in North Carolina. He played all over the infield in his first two college seasons before taking over the team’s shortstop role as a junior. He spent the remainder of the 2019 season playing in Arizona and then the short-season Pioneer League. After the lost 2020 season, the Brewers had Devanney skip Low-A and High-A and start at Double-A Biloxi. In 87 games, he hit just .175/.270/.261 (.531) with 10 doubles and five home runs. As you would suspect, the 25-year-old started the 2022 season with the Shuckers again. This time, he was much more prepared. In 115 games, he hit .259/.340/.483 (.823) with 28 doubles, 20 homers, and 57 RBI. Adjustments were made by a very smart hitter. He ended the season with 13 games in Nashville where he hit .306/.357/.571 (.929) with four doubles and three home runs. He played primarily shortstop a Biloxi and again in Nashville, though he played all over the infield. As you can tell by his 56 extra-base hits, Devanney has gap-to-gap power. To put a strong bat with his defensive skills makes for an intriguing prospect in 2023. For more Cam Devanney content from Brewer Fanatic, click here. Fifth Runner-Up: Brice Turang, SS Triple-A Stats (131 G): .286/.360/.412 (.772), 24-2B, 2-3B, 13-HR, 78-RBI Turang entered the season a top 100 prospect by both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline. He spent the entire season as a 22-year-old in Triple-A. He started over 100 games at shortstop, but he also played at least seven games at second base, third base and center field. His range is average or slightly better than average, and he is pretty sure-handed and has a strong arm. Offensively, he has a good knowledge of the strike zone. Once at a level, he could be a guy to walk almost as much as he strikes out. He has some gap-to-gap doubles power but could hit 15-20 homers in a season. And, he has good speed and instincts. He stole 34 bases this season and was caught just twice. He ended the season as Brewer Fanatics' #3 prospect. Brice Turang’s father, Brian Turang, played in 78 games for the Seattle Mariners in 1993 and 1994. His mom played softball at Long Beach State. His four older sisters all played college sports. He was the Brewers first-round draft pick in 2018, 21st overall, out of Santiago High School in Corona, California. He had participated for Team USA in several international competitions. Despite his youth, and with the missed 2020 season, the Brewers pushed him to Double-A to start the 2021 season. He finished the year with 44 games in Nashville, and that’s where he spent the entire 2022 season. For more Brewer Fanatic content on Brice Turang, click here. Honorable Mention Tristan Peters, OF High-A Stats (90 G): .306/.386/.485 (.871), 22 2B, 8 3B, 7 HR, 51 RBI The outfielder from Canada was the Brewers seventh-round pick out of Southern Illinois in 2021. He was pushed to High-A Wisconsin and hit for average, got on base, and showed power speed. And then they inexplicably traded him to the Giants for Trevor Rosenthal who has not, and presumably will not, pitch for the Brewers. (More Tristan Peters content) Jon Singleton, 1B Triple-A Stats (134 G): .219/.375/.434 (.809), 22-2B, 2-3B, 24-HR, 87 RBI Singleton signed a $10 million, long-term deal with the Astros, and soon after he made his MLB debut. And then he hit .171 over 114 games between 2014 and 2015. He stayed in the minor leagues with Houston through 2017. And that was the last time he played in affiliated ball. Still just 31, and maybe not wanting to be left in the weeds, Singleton signed with the Brewers in December. To be blunt, he struggled a bit early. In fact, he hit under .200 in April, May and June. Then in July, he really lit up the joint, hitting .281/.400/.671 (1.071) with nine of his 24 homers. He hit just .181 in August before ending the season strong, hitting .296 (.878) in September. Will he return to the Brewers again in 2022, or will he find a place where the grass is greener, and he’d have a better shot at a return to the big leagues? (More Jon Singleton content) Jeferson Quero, C/OF Low-A/High-A Stats (95 G): .286/.342/.439 (.780), 22-2B, 2-3B, 10-HR, 57-RBI Signed for $200,000 in July 2019, he did not make his pro debut until 2021 in the Arizona Complex League. He spent most of the 2022 season in Carolina (75 games). He moved up to Wisconsin for 20 games and hit .313 with four of his 10 homers and an .860 OPS). Quero is currently the #9 ranked prospect at Brewer Fanatic. (More Jeferson Quero content) Abraham Almonte, OF Triple-A Stats (48 G): .294/.380/.533 (.913), 11-2B, 0-3B, 11-HR, 42-RBI Almonte, 33, has spent at least some time in the big leagues every season since 2013. He’s played for the Mariners, Padres, Cleveland, the Royals, Diamondbacks, the Padres again, and Atlanta. He signed with the Brewers before the season, a minor-league contract, and played well in 48 games for Nashville. He was traded to Boston in July, spent time in Worcester, and has hit .333 in 12 games for the Red Sox. Pablo Reyes, UT Triple-A Stats (99 G): .273/.348/.439 (.787), 27-2B, 2-3B, 11-HR, 59-RBI Another veteran, Reyes spent most of the season with Nashville, but he did get into five games for the Brewers and had four hits over 15 at-bats. The 29-year-old had played in 53 games for the Brewers in 2021. He played in 89 games for the Pirates between the 2018 and 2019 seasons. (More Pablo Reyes content) Tyler Black, SS/CF High-A Stats (64 G): .281/.406/.424 (.831), 13-2B, 4-3B, 4-HR, 35 RBI The Ontario native was the 33rd overall pick in the 2021 draft out of Wright State. He began his first full season in Wisconsin. In 64 games, he hit for average, showed a great ability to get on base, and showed some power. He played shortstop and some center field. His season ended in July when he had a broken scapula. He remains the Brewer Fanatic #7 prospect. On Monday, he will begin his season in the AFL. (More Tyler Black content) What impressed you the most about the names mentioned above? Should a different player have made the list? Leave a COMMENT and start the discussion. The 2022 Minor League Award Winners Short Season Hitter of the Year: Jace Avina Short Season Pitcher of the Year: Kevin Briceno Relief Pitcher of the Year: Cam Robinson Starting Pitcher of the Year: Carlos Rodriguez Hitter of the Year: Sal Frelick For current Brewer Fanatic Top 20 Prospect Scouting Reports, articles, videos and more, click here. View full article

Over the past seven to ten games, every Brewers win has been big. Every Brewers loss has been excruciating. Saturday night's 4-3 loss to the Marlins was especially rough. Image courtesy of Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports Over the past seven to ten games, every Brewers win has been big. Every Brewers loss has been excruciating. Saturday night's 4-3 loss to the Marlins was especially rough. Box Score SP: Aaron Ashby: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 K (65 pitches, 37 strikes (56.9%) Home Runs: None Top 3 WPA: Luis Urias (0.247), Matt Bush (0.120), Trevor Gott (0.109) Bottom 3 WPA: Devin Williams (-0.694), Willy Adames (-0.234), Tyrone Taylor (-0.147) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) 9th Inning Blown Save We have to start here. It was obviously the key inning of this game, and potentially for the Brewers season. With a 3-2 lead, Craig Counsell turned again to Devin Williams, hoping for another Save. A night earlier, he finished out a save despite struggling with his control. On this night, it just didn’t happen for him. After walking three in Friday night, he allowed a leadoff walk to Jon Berti. It’s never a good thing, but Berti is leading MLB in stolen bases this season. Joey Wendle pinch hit, and he struck out. But then Berti stole second, his 39th steal of the year. Williams followed it by walking Brian Anderson and then yanking a fastball straight to the backstop to put runners on second and third with one out. Bryan De La Cruz came through with a solid single to left field. Both runs would have scored anyway, but when Christian Yelich bobbled the ball, the Marlins DH on this night took second. Peter Strzelecki came in and got the next two batters out. That sent the game to the bottom of the ninth. The Brewers had the top of their lineup coming to bat, but Don Mattingly turned to lefty Richard Bleier who got Yelich, Willy Adames, and Rowdy Tellez out on three quick ground out. Ashby OK in Short Start While Aaron Ashby is just 2-10 on the season, he has had some solid starts, and that was the hope in this game. In actuality, he pitched fairly well in this game. That said, in the third inning, with Jordan Groshans on base, Peyton Burdick hit his third career home run to give the Marlins a 2-0 lead. A huge point of emphasis for Ashby has to be eliminating or at least minimizing his walk totals. While he only threw strikes on 57% of his pitches, he did not walk anyone. Ashby was solid, but he also got some help from his defense. And 4 1/3 innings may not be exciting, but he did keep the team in the game and Counsell turned to a bullpen he has relied upon a lot this season including lately. And that bullpen did the job (until the 9th, as you already read). Trevor Gott got out all five batters he faced. Brad Boxberger and Matt Bush each tossed a three-batter inning. Offense Struggles In the first three innings, the Brewers lineup went one-two-three each inning. Of the nine batters, five of them struck out. Edward Cabrera, however, left the game with some arm discomfort at that point. Andrew Nardi came on and Christian Yelich led off the fourth inning with a home run to the opposite field. The team struck out three more times that inning. The Brewers had a big opportunity in the fifth inning. Andrew McCutchen and Luis Urias started the inning with walks. Mattingly turned to Jeff Brigham who struck out a pinch-hitting Victor Caratini and got a fly out by Tyrone Taylor. With two outs, Yelich walked to load the bases. Unfortunately, Willy Adames was unable to provide a two-out hit and the team went scoreless again. In the sixth inning, the Brewers broke through and probably could have scored more. Jake Fishman came on to pitch and Rowdy Tellez and Hunter Renfroe started the inning with back-to-back singles. Mike Brosseau came on to pinch hit and struck out. Huascar Brazoban came in and threw a wild pitch. With runners on second and third bases, McCutchen walked. Luis Urias got a pain RBI by letting a pitch hit him (We’ve got ice!). Caratini then grounded out to second base for the inning’s second out, but Renfroe came in to score and give The Crew the lead at 3-2. There were still runners on second and third, but again, they could not get some insurance with a big, two-out hit. In the seventh inning, they had two more singles, but Tanner Scott recorded three more strikeouts. In the eighth inning, Milwaukee got one single, and Tommy Nance got three more strikeouts. In the ninth inning, there were no strikeouts, but three routine groundouts. On the night, the Brewers struck out 16 times! What Do You Do? If you look at the WPA, it shows that Devin Williams didn't get the job done on this night. But what would you do? Williams is the closer and one of the best relief pitchers in baseball. But if you look at the Bullpen Usage chart below, he has thrown a lot of pitches this week. Matt Bush didn't throw a lot of pitches in the eighth. Would you have let him pitch the ninth inning? Brad Boxberger only threw 12 pitches in the seventh inning. Maybe he could have pitched the eighth too? But then the question remains, would you pitch Bush in the ninth? Would you have considered using Taylor Rogers in the ninth? The answer to all those questions is... Maybe. And maybe they would have worked on this particular night because that's how baseball works. But if any of those scenarios would have been used, and that situation would have ended in a Brewers loss, the one question that would have been asked is... Why did they not go to Devin Williams in the ninth? What’s Next? The Brewers will finish out this series with the Marlins before welcoming Arizona for the final three games. The Brewers will send Freddy Peralta to the mound at the start of Sunday afternoon’s game, in an “Opener” role. Pablo Lopez will start for the Marlins. Wild Card Scenarios The Phillies played two games against the Nationals on Saturday. They lost the afternoon game but responded with a win in the nightcap. However, the loss meant that a Brewers win would have had the two teams tied heading into the final four games. NOTE: The Padres currently lead the Chicago White Sox 5-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning. Three more outs and their record will improve to 87-71. That is the record in the scenarios below. This chart will be updated when the game in San Diego goes final. Remaining Games Brewers: 1 at home vs Marlins, 3 at home vs Arizona Phillies: 1 at home vs Nationals, 3 at Houston Padres: 1 at home vs White Sox, 3 at home vs Giants So the Brewers are now one game out of a playoff spot. Because of the tiebreakers, the Brewers will have to finish a game ahead of the Phillies or Padres to take a Wild Card spot. Philadelphia Phillies If the Brewers go 4-0, they need the Phillies to go 2-2 (or 1-3, or 0-4). If the Brewers go 3-1, they need the Phillies to go 1-3 (or 0-4). If the Brewers go 2-2, they need the Phillies to go 0-4. If the Brewers go 1-3 or 0-4, the Phillies go to the playoffs. San Diego Padres If the Brewers go 4-0, they need the Padres to go 0-4. If the Brewers go 3-1, 2-2, 1-3, or 0-4, the Padres clinch a playoff spot. While the Padres are all but assured of a playoff spot, there still is hope in surpassing the Phillies. Why? They have three games in Houston. Normally, one might assume that the Astros would be resting its key players, but because the top two seeds in each league get a first-round bye, they will want to set up their pitching rotation and try to give those key players reps knowing that they will be getting at least five days off before Round 2 of the playoffs would begin. The Brewers would be greatly helped by the Astros dominating the Phillies. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article