Seth Stohs

The Brewers used their sixth-round draft pick in 2023 out of Magnolia Heights High School in Mississippi. He was the Gatorade Player of the Year for Mississippi his senior year and had a commitment to staying close to home and going to Ole Miss. While he posted a 0.14 ERA in 49 innings on the mound as a senior, the Brewers will develop the 6-4 athlete as a shortstop. Get to know Cooper Pratt on and off the field and which restaurant to buy him gift cards too. View full video

When the Brewers selected shortstop Cooper Pratt in the sixth round of the 2023 MLB Draft, Brewers fans were equally excited about the pick and anxious about if he would sign. In Part 1 of our Brewers Spotlight, we will discuss his amateur playing days in Mississippi leading to the draft and find out how difficult his decision was. To say that Cooper Pratt is from a baseball family is an understatement. His father, Russell, played at the University of Utah. His mother, Heidi, played shortstop in college softball. Uncle Trent Pratt played at Auburn before reaching Double-A with the Phillies. Uncle Scott Pratt also went to Auburn. He reached Triple-A with Cleveland and Atlanta. He is now the head coach at BYU. Uncle Paul Pratt played baseball for the Air Force. Uncle Kyle Pratt played at Dixie State. Uncle Mark Pratt played football for Youngstown State and had a tryout with the Arizona Cardinals. Cooper is the second of four baseball-playing sons of Russell and Heidi. Older brother Ozzie Pratt hit .298 in 94 games for BYU over the past two seasons. He has transferred to Southern Mississippi for the current year. His younger brother Quincy has already committed to Ole Miss. Finally, his youngest brother, Jet, is in eighth grade and has as much talent as any. Cooper Pratt was born in Hialeah, Florida, in 2004. A couple of years later, his mother, a doctor, got a new job, and the family moved to Oxford, Mississippi. They have been there since. As Pratt said, “Mississippi is my home, and I’m happy to say that.” Cooper made the 45-mile drive north to Magnolia Heights High School in Senatobia, Mississippi, aka the Five-Star City. “It’s a baseball school. There are no rules on how many games you can play or when you can practice. It’s just a bunch of guys that want to go and compete and win.” Pratt continued, “We have a group of seniors, a great group of guys. Everyone has been playing since they were little. It was basically a travel ball team on a high school team.” He played in national tournaments and for travel ball teams when he was very young. He got his first baseball offer when he was in eighth grade. Then, between his eighth and ninth-grade years, He grew up. Literally. “I had a little growth spurt my ninth-grade year, like 6-7 inches. Something small. I outgrew my body, so I was super tall and skinny. Ninth-grade year, super tall and skinny. Sophomore year, still tall and skinny. I put a little weight on junior year and then a little more and a little more through senior year. I've filled my body out better than it was, but I still have some work to do.” He was a four-year starter in high school. He played second base for the first two years because his brother Ozzie was playing shortstop. He played on some outstanding baseball teams. When the team won the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools Class 5A championship his senior season, it was their fifth straight title. You read that right. Pratt went 10-0 with a 0.14 ERA. So, does Pratt ever wonder if he would be wise to pitch as a pro instead of playing shortstop? “Uhhh… No! I used to pitch a bit in travel ball and had a good slider. I was just able to throw strikes. So I just threw to barrels. My junior and senior year, I jumped velo. I learned how to throw a changeup. Not going to lie; it was pretty disgusting. I joked around all the time. Two-way ballplayer. A two-way player at Ole Miss. Every time I brought it up, it was shut down. I wasn’t even going to pitch my senior year because I didn’t want to hurt my arm, but then I was like, Who Cares?” Pratt continued, “I enjoyed pitching. I was a great high school pitcher. If I pitched right now (in pro ball), I’d probably get shelled. I think I’d do okay, but there’s no shot I’d ever get to the big leagues pitching. I can throw strikes. That’s all you need in high school baseball.” In addition to his on-field prowess, Pratt maintained a 4.0 GPA in the classroom. Had he gone to Ole Miss, he wanted to major in biological science with the goal of being a periodontist. He said, “I wanted to be a periodontist, but I think a baseball player is a little better.” He credits his parents for his successes on and off the field. “I attribute a lot of that to my parents because they were such an amazing influence on me. Playing every day. Practicing every day.” He added, “My dad (has been) probably the most influential in baseball. My mom (she’s) probably the nicer of the two.” Pratt’s Draft Story Cooper Pratt was a known commodity heading into the draft. He had played in many national and regional events. He played in the East Coast Pro Showcase. He’d played in the Perfect Game All-American game. He had played in the Jupiter showcase. “The draft was a stressful time. I was talking to all these scouts before, and then all of a sudden, the draft happens, and nothing. Teams would call and say when and where they wanted to take him, and then they didn’t.” While certainly disappointed not to be selected on Day 1, Pratt was trying to put that disappointment into perspective. “I wasn’t too worried about it because I had two really good options, Ole Miss and the draft. If I got drafted, great. If I didn’t, great. I still have Ole Miss.” Rounds three through 10 are made on Day 2 of the MLB Draft. “I thought, maybe third round, fourth round. And then once those passed, I thought, ‘Well, I’m going to college.” His dad took his brothers to the batting cage to get some swings. His mom went out to run some errands. Cooper drove over to Ole Miss to get his parking pass. “I was in line, and I got a call from my agent who said, “Will you go for this?” And I was like, ‘Yeah. Yeah.’ That’s how I got drafted. I got out of line, went back to my car, called my mom, and then we all met back at the house.” It wasn’t an easy decision by any means. “You don’t want to think and then regret it. I thought, will I regret this one day? This is every kid’s dream. If I had asked my seven-year-old self, ‘Hey, do you want to play professional baseball? And 10 out of 10 times, he’d have said Yes.” A Scout’s Tale Many times, when a team drafts a player, the player will say that they were surprised the drafting team took him because they didn’t talk to him much leading up to the draft. For Pratt, it was the opposite. He said, “There were a couple of scouts that I really liked. I didn’t have a problem with any of the scouts. They were all super nice.” The Brewers area scout for Mississippi (and Alabama and Louisiana) is Scott Nichols, and the two have a great relationship. Pratt said, “Scott Nichols is The Man! I love him. He’s the best. He was at a lot of my games.” Scott Nichols signed as a non-drafted free agent with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1985 out of Pennsylvania Western University in California (PA). He was a catcher and slowly progressed to Triple-A in 1990 and 1991. The Cardinals farm director at that time was Hall of Famer (and former Brewer) Ted Simmons. Simmons called Nichols one day. When you’re 27 years old, in Triple-A during your seventh professional season, a call from the farm director is incredibly exciting. Was he about to be called up to the big leagues? Instead, Simmons offered Nichols a job as a scout. It hurt initially, but he said he’d think about it. He made phone calls to seek advice and ultimately joined the scouting world. He spent 16 years as a scout with the Cardinals. He then joined the Royals organization before joining the Brewers. He has signed the likes of Brandon Woodruff and Ethan Small. Regarding Pratt, it’s clear that admiration goes both ways. When he first saw him play, he thought, “This kid is different. Loved him from the get-go. He’s a humble man, and he works really hard.” Nichols said, “He just kept doing things that…” He paused. “I put him in a category. Three people, including him.” “In my three decades of scouting, I put Cooper Pratt into the same category as Austin Riley and Gunnar Henderson.” While Pratt was at home, feeling a little sad and disappointed about falling in the draft, Nichols was upset and disappointed each time the Brewers made a pick that wasn’t Pratt. However, the Brewers took him in the sixth round, had the money to get the deal done, and Nichols was thrilled. He acknowledged recently that the selection of Pratt has rejuvenated his love of his job. He enjoyed attending various events and having rival scouts congratulate him on the Pratt pick and signing. He got notes from Brewers player development personnel who worked with Pratt after he signed. Pratt was drafted in July and went to Arizona to sign. He played in 12 games for the Arizona Complex League Brewers and hit .356/.426/.444 (.870) with two doubles and a triple. He also had four stolen bases in four attempts. He helped the team to the ACL Championship. Since the end of the season, he’s participated in Instructional League and some mini-camps. Only recently has he left Arizona. His past year has been very exciting. “It has been a rollercoaster, for sure, and I am excited for the road ahead.” Follow Cooper Pratt on Twitter at @CooperPratt4. View full article

The Brewers used their sixth-round draft pick in 2023 out of Magnolia Heights High School in Mississippi. He was the Gatorade Player of the Year for Mississippi his senior year and had a commitment to staying close to home and going to Ole Miss. While he posted a 0.14 ERA in 49 innings on the mound as a senior, the Brewers will develop the 6-4 athlete as a shortstop. Get to know Cooper Pratt on and off the field and which restaurant to buy him gift cards too. View full video

The balance needed on this is so tough to navigate. If we say that they work a 10-year, $90 million deal: - For the team, the risk is him just being a guy, or getting hurt and never becoming more than a decent regular. In that case, he would get nearly league-minimum for 3 years, then maybe $10-20 million total in three arbitration years. And there would be four free agent years (and probably 85% of the dollars) remaining. - For Chourio, who signed for a $1.8 million bonus with the Brewers just a couple of years ago. At 19, with all the risks involved, it would sure be hard to turn down $90 million guaranteed. The risk is that he becomes Ronald Acuna and could get $400-600 million (as a 26-year-old free agent). That's a lot of money left on the table. That said, at 10 years, he'd be a 29-30 year old free agent (still young for free agency) and could still get another monster contract. Good stuff from Eduardo Perez here:

Isaac Collins came to the Brewers a year ago in the Rule 5 draft. A strong season with Biloxi has put his name back on the prospect map. In a new Brewers Spotlight, we caught up with the 26-year-old from Maple Grove, Minnesota, and talked about his season, career, goals, and so much more. Image courtesy of Mike Krebs, Biloxi Shuckers Isaac Collins grew up just miles from the Metrodome and from Target Field. He lists the likes of Justin Morneau, Denard Span, Jason Kubel, Nick Punto, and Joe Mauer among his favorite players to watch as he was growing up. If you’re looking for a fun piece of trivia to impress your friends about your knowledge of Minnesota High School sports trivia, here’s a good one. In 2015-16, Isaac Collins joined Joe Mauer as the only two players named a finalist for Mr. Football and Mr. Baseball in Minnesota. Collins had five letters in baseball, three in football, and one in basketball. At Maple Grove High School, Collins was a tremendous running back and defensive back. J.D. Spielman (who spent his first few college seasons at Nebraska) won the award. Several current and already former NFL players were among the other finalists. That includes Amani Hooker, Carter Coughlin, Dillon Radunz, and Tyler Johnson. Collins' father played college football at West Virginia, which remains the younger Collins’ favorite college team to watch. That said, he is most likely to be found in front of his television watching college football on Saturdays throughout the fall, from Gameday in the early morning until those late-night West Coast games are complete. However, as you might expect, since he spent most of the 2023 season with the Biloxi Shuckers, he was also an outstanding high school baseball player for the Crimson. As an eighth grader, Collins joined his brother Roman Collins on the Maple Grove High School team. He had spent previous years being the batboy on his big brother’s teams. “With our relationship, it was more of a lead-by-example thing. I just saw what he did, all the good things he did, and some of the mistakes along the way. He’s paving the way for me. This is how I have to do it. His biggest advice was to be yourself, stick to it, and work hard, and it will all work itself out in the end.” Roman Collins was the fifth-round pick of the Royals in 2015 out of Florida Atlantic. He spent the 2017 season at High-A, but that was his final year in affiliated ball. As a senior, he hit .480. Other 2016 Minnesota Mr. Baseball finalists included infielder Michael Busch, pitcher Nick Hanson, and the eventual winner, outfielder and pitcher Matt Wallner. Upon graduation, Collins had several options for playing football at some smaller schools. He had several mid-major Division I offers. He acknowledged that his final two schools were Notre Dame and Creighton, but ultimately, Collins found his home after a visit to Omaha. Creighton has had a solid baseball history over the years. They are now in the Big East conference, where they have been quite dominant most years. They have had many players drafted, and Collins believed and set his goal of being drafted after three years at the school. He played in 46 of the team’s 49 games as a freshman. When he played for Duluth in the Northwoods League, he hit .287 against some strong college competition, which improved his confidence heading into his second season at Creighton. He played in all 50 games. That summer, he had the opportunity to play in the Cape Cod League. In 38 games that summer, he hit .308 and left feeling good about proving himself against that caliber of player. “That was definitely the best summer of my life.” Collins added, “Looking back, I had fun with it, and that’s why I did so well. I didn’t let it get too big and overwhelming. I have teammates from that summer that are in the major leagues right now.” Future big leaguers like Cade Cavalli, Ryan Kreidler, Drew Millas, Andrew Vaughn, Bryson Stott, Easton Lucas, McKinley Moore, Ken Waldichuk, and Brendan White were on his Wareham team. In addition, one of the newest Brewers, Oliver Dunn, was on the same team. As a junior, he hit .293/.366/.479 (.846) with 13 doubles, seven triples, and six home runs in 54 games. Creighton’s season ended against Michigan in the regional. The next day was Day 2 of the draft. The team's flight back to Omaha took off as the draft began that day. When they landed, his teammate and roommate, Will Robertson, found out that the Blue Jays had selected him in the fourth round. When the team got back to their facilities, Collins and many of his teammates stayed around, watching the draft online. A couple of picks before it was announced, his advisor sent him a message to congratulate him. He knew he was about to be drafted but didn’t tell his teammates in the room. They were all thrilled for him when his name popped up, drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the ninth round. He accomplished a huge goal that he set when he went to Creighton. That summer, he signed quickly and played in 37 games for Boise. Like others, Collins did not play during the 2020 season. After 17 games in Low-A in 2021, he was promoted to High-A Spokane. In 78 games, he hit .312/.399/.495 (.895) with 22 doubles, four triples, and nine home runs. He also stole 20 bases. In 2022, he spent the summer with the Rockies Double-A affiliate, the Hartford Yard Goats. He loved playing in Hartford and the team’s name. “We loved it. The stadium in Hartford is arguably the nicest minor-league stadium. Being able to play our home games there every night, you felt like a big leaguer, really. The clubhouse was awesome. The staff there was great. The on-field promotions they did were amazing. Those Friday, Saturday, and Sunday games were always packed. It was about as close to a major-league atmosphere as you get in the minor leagues. That was fun.” However, he added, “It was a tough summer for me. I didn’t put up the numbers I wanted to, but it’s all a learning process. I was able to learn from it, and I kinda bounced back and put up better numbers this year. That jump from A-ball to Double-A is real. There is a very big difference.” Unfortunately, last year at this time, the Rockies had left him off the Triple-A roster. One door closes, another door opens. The Milwaukee Brewers selected him with a minor-league Rule 5 pick. Unlike the major-league Rule 5 draft, players selected as minor-league Rule 5 picks go to the new organization. There is no worry about potentially needing to send them back. Isaac Collins was instantly a Brewer. “Once I got over there, they made it clear that they were very excited to select me in that draft and happy to have me within their organization. It all ended up working out.” He returned to Double-A, this time in a new league. The numbers showed up again. In 93 games, he hit .269/.424/.431 (.855) with 13 doubles, two triples, and 10 homers. He also had 29 stolen bases. The most impressive part of his game was that he had 75 walks to go with 55 strikeouts. “Having gone through (the 2022 struggles), the results are just a byproduct of your dedication to the process. Going into this year, I knew that I wasn’t going to fight the game. I was going to let the game come to me. I’m going to take it one pitch at a time. If you can really hone that in and take it one pitch at a time, and understand that each pitch and each at bat is totally separate from the previous at bat or previous pitch or future at-bats. Then, you can really fulfill your potential. That’s obviously the main difference between the minor league and major league players.” In early May, he received a brief call-up to Triple-A Nashville. Instead of heading to Tennessee, he went home. Well, close to home. Nashville had a six-game series in St. Paul, Minnesota, very close to home. Friends and family would be able to see him play. He played in three games and had a couple of walks, but the experience was meaningful. “That was awesome. It was a full-circle moment for me. My last high school game was at CHS Field. We lost in the state championship game to Lakeville North. Fast-forward, seven years later, I’m playing against the St. Paul Saints. My high school coaches came. Friends came. My family came. I ended up proposing to my fiancé. That was a crazy week. It was kind of a dream come true for me. Obviously, now the next step would be to play at Target Field. That would be the ultimate dream. That was a really fun week!” Collins has played all over the field as a pro. However, primarily, he has played either second base (his college position) or left field. Collins feels most comfortable at second base but would be ready to play anywhere if given a chance to move up. He would like to play a little bit more at third base as that’s where he has played the least, but he wants to put himself in a good position to be an option when needed. Collins was left available after a difficult 2022 season at Double-A, and the Brewers took advantage. He responded with a terrific year. Now, he wants to be able to stay on the field more in 2024. View full article

Recently, Seth caught up with Brewers minor leaguer Isaac Collins. The former Blue Jay from Creighton was the Rockies' ninth-round pick in 2019. He progressed through their system, reaching Double-A and even getting to spend one spring training at big-league camp. Last year, the Brewers selected him in the Triple-A portion of the Rule 5 draft. He played 93 games with Biloxi in 2023 and hit .269/.424/.431 (.855) with 13 doubles and 10 homers. He also stole 29 bases. Get to know all about an interesting prospect in the Brewers organization. Find out about his passion for football and how he can be connected to Joe Mauer. View full video

If nothing else, the Brewers have found a way to keep their name in the news throughout the offseason. On Friday, just a couple of hours before teams need to tender 2024 contracts to their pre-arbitration and arbitration-eligible players, the Brewers and Yankees made a trade. The Brewers receive 1B/OF Jake Bauers for outfielders Brian Sanchez and Jace Avina. Image courtesy of Wendell Cruz, USA Today The Brewers have been looking for help at first base, depth around the diamond, and left-handed power, and those are things that Jake Bauers can do, at least to some degree. The 28-year-old debuted with the Rays back in 2018. He played for Cleveland in 2019 and 2021. He spent a little time with the Mariners in 2021. After spending 2022 in the minor leagues, Bauers played in 84 games for the Yankees. He hit .202/.279/.413 (.693) with 16 doubles and 12 home runs. He made at least 20 starts in both corner outfield positions and at first base. In his career, Bauers has approximately three-and-a-half years of service time, making him arbitration-eligible. MLB Trade Rumors projects him to make about $1.7 million. To acquire the journeyman, the Brewers traded outfielders Jace Avina and Brian Sanchez. Avina is 20 years old and was the team's 14th round pick in 2021 out of high school in Nevada. In 2022, he was Brewer Fanatics' short-season minor league hitter of the year. In 36 Arizona Complex League games, he hit .294.436/.630 (1.067) with eight doubles and 10 homers. He finished that season hitting .245/.336/.471 (.807) with four doubles, two triples and five homers. He spent the full 2023 season with the Mudcats. In 99 games, he hit .233/.373/.442 (.815) with 22 doubles, two triples, and 14 homers. he also had 10 stolen bases. Brian Sanchez is 19 years old and signed a year ago out of as a free agent from Venezuela. In 33 games in the Dominican Summer League this year, he hit .297/.414/.446 (.860) with seven doubles and four triples. The Brewers gave up two very young but very intriguing prospects for the opportunity to offer Bauers' arbitration in an hour. The Yankees weren't willing to keep him at $1.7 million or so, but can Bauers fill a role with the Brewers? Or, could he be non-tendered if they can't reach an agreement before 6:00? We are just over two hours from the deadline. What will the Brewers do with Brandon Woodruff? Is anyone buying that he could pitch in 2024 or that the Brewers are taking calls on him? Could their be more trades? Discuss below. View full article

Yeah, wayyyyy below Livvy!!

Hours before Game 1, the Brewers announced their playoff roster. See who is on the 26-man roster for Round 1. Image courtesy of Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports The Milwaukee Brewers had to submit their Wild Card Round roster by 10:00 this morning, hours before Game 1. There were certainly a lot of questions, but now we have answers. Pitchers (11) Starters: Corbin Burnes, Freddy Peralta, Wade Miley. Bullpen: Trevor Megill, Hoby Milner, Joel Payamps, Elvis Peguero, Colin Rea, Abner Uribe, Devin Williams, Bryse Wilson. Position Players (15) Infielders: Willy Adames, Josh Donaldson, Owen Miller, Andruw Monasterio, Carlos Santana, Brice Turang Outfielders: Mark Canha, Sal Frelick, Blake Perkins, Tyrone Taylor, Joey Wiemer, Jesse Winker, Christian Yelich. Catchers: Victor Caratini, William Contreras. Obviously the news that came out on Monday, that Brandon Woodruff would not be available for the Wild Card round is disappointing, but the Brewers do have some pitching depth. Owen Miller is back after spending much of the second half in Nashville. Joey Wiemer is also on the roster for this round. Garrett Mitchell was not added this round, but should the team continue beyond the Wild Card, he certainly could be in play. Maybe a surprise to some, but Jesse Winker made the roster while Rowdy Tellez did not for this round. Is that the right call? What are your thoughts on the Brewers roster? Here is the Arizona Diamondbacks Wild Card roster: View full article

While this is very true, its' also important to note that it is possible that the Brewers minor leagues won't rank real high against the other 29 MLB orgs. Consider that in the last year, Frelick, Turang, Wiemer, Uribe, and a couple of others have (or will soon) looks "prospect" status. Garrett Mitchell may be close. Perkins, etc. But, between Chourio, Black and Misiorowski, they should remain in the upper half, for sure.

Last week, the Arizona Fall League rosters were named. The Brewers are sending eight players, five pitchers and three hitters, to be a part of the Surprise Saguaros. Learn a little more about each. Image courtesy of Steve Buhr, Twins Daily (photo of Eric Brown, Jr.) On Monday, the Arizona Fall League will begin their 2023 season. Prospects from around Major League Baseball will play games about six days a week over the next six weeks with the league’s championship game on November 11th. The Brewers prospects will be playing for the Surprise Saguaros this season. Eight Brewers players will team with minor leaguers from the Toronto Blue Jays, Texas Rangers, Cincinnati Reds, and Kansas City Royals. While the Arizona Fall League is often touted as a high-level of competition, teams don’t always send their top prospects. In fact, this year, just 10 players on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 prospect rankings will participate. Of the eight players that the Brewers are sending, only shortstop Eric Brown, Jr. ranks in their Top 20 Twins prospects (#10 by MLB Pipeline, #13 by Brewer Fanatic). Often, the players who participate in the Fall League are players who missed time during the regular season due to injury. Teams don’t often want to send their starting pitchers because they have already thrown a lot of innings. So you’ll see relievers sent. Those players typically don’t rank high on prospect lists, but several of them will make it to the big leagues. Let’s take a look at the eight players that will be representing the Brewers organization in Arizona starting this week. In addition to discussing the player’s background, I had the opportunity to chat with a couple of the players on what they are looking forward to during their time in Arizona and what they hope to work on and improve while they are there. We will start with the pitchers. 25-year-old southpaw Justin King grew up in Okotoks, Alberta, in Canada. He played baseball, hockey and basketball. After high school, he spent two years at Indian Hills CC in Iowa. At the time, he was a hitter, one of the best community college hitters in the country. He went to Alabama and played in 24 games in 2019 before the lost 2020 season. In 2021, he went to Louisiana-Monroe where he played in eight games as a hitter and nine games out of the bullpen. Undrafted, King went to Florence in the independent Frontier League. After just a handful of games, he was signed by the Brewers. He pitched in five Arizona Complex League games before ending his 2022 season in Wisconsin. Last offseason, he pitched in the Australian Baseball League. King spent the 2023 season at High-A Wisconsin. He worked in 30 2/3 innings over 28 games. He posted a 2.93 ERA despite a 1.57 WHIP. He had an incredible 54 strikeouts (15.8 K/9), but he also walked 25 batters (7.3 BB/9). So no surprise that King told Brewer Fanatic recently that he will “be working on my offspeed execution and command.” King also said, “I’m looking forward to seeing some guys that I used to play with back in high school and playing against some talented players.” King played for the Okotoks Dawgs, a renowned baseball academy in his hometown. “I played with some guys all over Canada, and a good friend I played against a lot was Erik Sabrowski with the Guardians who is also in the Fall League.” Shane Smith was one of the best relief pitchers in the Brewers organization in 2023. He began the 2023 season at Low-A Carolina where he had 50 strikeouts and 10 walks in 31 1/3 innings. He moved up to High-A Wisconsin where he had 34 strikeouts and 10 walks in 26 1/3 innings. He ended his season with two games and two scoreless innings at Double-A Biloxi. All told, he went 7-4 with 10 saves. He had a 2.26 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. In 59 2/3 innings, he had 86 strikeouts (13.0 K/9) and 21 walks (3.2 BB/9). Smith is a very intriguing prospect. After high school, he went to Wake Forest. However, he got a medical redshirt in 2019. In 2020, he was the team’s closer and was 2-0 with a save in five appearances before the season ended. Then in 2021, he became a weekend starter, but after two starts, his season ended prematurely and needed Tommy John surgery. However, just days after the draft, the Brewers offered him a deal and Smith gave up three remaining years of college eligibility. For Smith, the AFL represents an opportunity to learn. He said, “I think the biggest thing is throwing against such good players who have proven themselves over the course of the year. The talent is second-to-none and playing with them will help me learn more about myself as a pitcher and player.” He has also been working on a pitch and looking forward to using it in the Fall League. “I’ve been trying to develop a slider over the course of the year which is a brand new pitch to me. I think bullpens only help so much and throwing in game with in-game speed will only benefit me in finding ways to use it and the feel needed to throw it.” Right-hander Joseph Hernandez came to the Brewers from the Mariners organization last offseason in return for reliever Justin Topa. He threw 116 2/3 innings in 2022. This season, he missed nearly 10 weeks on the Injured List before returning in mid-August. In Low A in 2022, he struck out 143 batters (11.0 K/9). This season, he had just 34 strikeouts in his 47 High-A innings (6.5%). Adam Seminaris had a similar 2023 story. The lefty came to the Brewers in the trade that sent Hunter Renfroe to the Angels. After throwing 101 2/3 innings last season, he threw just 62 innings this year. He spent nearly three months on the Injured List. He ended the 2022 season with nine Triple-A starts, but because of the injuries, he made just one start with Nashville this season. This will be a good opportunity for Seminaris to make up for some of those lost innings. He was the Angels fifth-round pick in 2020 out of Long Beach State, so the Brewers will have to decide whether to add him to their 40-man roster or not. Justin Yeager is a 25-year-old right-hander. He was the 33rd round pick of the Atlanta Braves in 2019 out of Southern Illinois. He came to the Brewers organization with William Contreras in the big three-team deal between the Braves, Brewers and A’s that sent Sean Murphy to Atlanta. Yeager pitched in three games for Double-A Biloxi before being put on the Injured List in early May. He didn’t pitch again in the regular season. However, he must be good-to-go or else he couldn't be on the AFL roster. As you can see with the pitchers, in most cases, they are guys who missed significant innings with injury who are getting an opportunity to grab extra innings. The same can be said for a couple of the hitters heading to Arizona. Eric Brown was the Brewers top pick in the 2022 draft, 27th overall out of Coastal Carolina. After signing, he ended up playing 23 games in Carolina. So the 22-year-old began the 2023 season in Wisconsin where he hit .265/.362/.347 (.709) with eight doubles and four home runs in just 63 games. Unfortunately, he missed time twice throughout the season with injuries. One thing that Brown does at an elite level is run. On the season, he had a total of 39 stolen bases and was caught just five times. Hendry Mendez will remain a teenager until the final week of the AFL. However, in 62 games for High-A Wisconsin, he hit .236/.307/.326 (.634) with eight doubles, two triples, and three home runs. However, he missed three weeks in late April and then returned for four games before going on the Injured List for nearly two months. That is some pretty inconsistent playing time from April through June. Again, this is a great opportunity for Mendez to make up for some lost time. The Brewers liked Wes Clarke so much, they drafted him twice. Alright, the first time was in the 40th round out of high school in 2018. Instead of signing, he went to South Carolina and three years later, they selected him again, this time in the 10th round. Clarke was able to stay healthy and in the Biloxi lineup most every day and earned that time. He hit .241/.392/.498 (.889) with 24 doubles and 26 home runs. The AFL may provide Clarke with time to work on the defensive side of his game. This season, he made 43 starts at first base and 33 starts behind the plate. It may be a chance for him to work on some things behind the plate. So there you have it, a quick look at the Brewers contingent which will start play in the Arizona Fall League this week. Who are you most looking forward to watching? View full article

Jackson ChourioSal FrelickJacob MisiorowskiTyler BlackJeferson QueroRobert GasserBrock WilkenCarlos F RodriguezEric Brown JrAbner UribeYophery RodriguezLuis LaraCooper PrattEric BitontiRobert MooreJosh KnothMike BoeveMatthew WoodLuke AdamsDaniel Guilarte

And now Jarvis has been traded to the Mets in the Mark Canha trade.

Chatted with Jarvis this morning... He's fine, just a skipped start, as they normally do to help guys pitch through the full season. Nothito see here. At least not at this time.

What does it mean? Justin Jarvis has had a nice season between AA and AAA and is in the category of "nearly MLB ready" starting pitcher. So, is it possible that the Brewers are including him in a deal we will hear about soon, or in the coming days? Maybe he's sick, but at this time of the year (and with so many trades happening already), stuff like this gets noticed... H/T to @Smichaelis9: View full rumor

It would have been fun to have taken the time to research all of these and try to understand them in the big picture. Several were "just" September call-ups. But I think Frelick's timing was great. Brewers are playing really well and he can be a key spark. The Saenz story is amazing. To get called up from AA for a spot start, to pitch that well. Sent down after the game and never got back to the bigs.