Seth Stohs

I remember sitting in a fantasy draft and someone took him and then there was a 3-4 minute discussion about how to properly pronounce his name!

Highly-anticipated, outfielder Sal Frelick made his big-league debut on Saturday night in Milwaukee. It went very well for the Bostonian and his Brewers teammates. Where might his debut rank among other Brewers debuts since the team came to Milwaukee in 1970? Image courtesy of Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports Brewers fans have been waiting all season (and maybe even last season) for Sal Frelick to get called up. On Saturday, he made his debut, and it went quite well. How does his debut compare to other Brewer debuts over the years? You could look for a home run, or at least an extra-base hit, if you want. However, it’s hard to imagine a better debut. Before the game, Frelick told reporters that we wanted to come up and be a spark plug for the team. I would say that, for at least one game, Frelick did about as much as possible to win the game for the Brewers. Today, let's take a look back at Frelick and his incredible debut on Saturday night in Milwaukee. Then let's consider where it might rank among MLB debuts in Brewers history. The Background Let’s start with the basics. Salvatore Michael Frelick was born in Boston. He went to high school in Boston. He went to Boston College. Three years later, the Milwaukee Brewers used their 2021 first-round draft pick, the 15th overall pick, to select Frelick. The Brewers were quite aggressive with the outfielder. After signing, he played four games in the Arizona Complex League just to get back into the proverbial swing of things. He then played 16 games at Low-A Carolina where he hit .437 before ending the season with 15 games with the High-A Timber Rattlers. That’s where he began the 2022 season, but after just 21 games, he was pushed to Double-A Biloxi. In 50 games there, he hit .317/.380/.464. Late in the season, he was promoted to Triple-A Nashville. He hit .365/.435/.508 (.943). He ended the season on a high note and came into the 2023 season with an opportunity to make the big-league club. Ultimately, he began the season with Nashville. He started the season slow, but on April 18th, he went 3-for-5 with two doubles against Jacksonville. That same night, Garrett Mitchell slid into third base and tore the labrum in his right shoulder. Would Frelick get The Call? More news soon came that Mitchell would likely miss the season, but at the same time, we learned that Frelick had torn a ligament in his thumb that required surgery. He missed nearly two months. He played three games in the ACL to get going, and then re-joined the Sounds on June 14th. There was another scare recently when Frelick appeared to hurt his knee. Fortunately, things checked out well, and he only missed one game. The Call He really wasn’t hitting great at Triple-A if you look at his overall numbers. However, over the past week, he went 9-for-24 (.375) with two doubles, a homer, four walks and just one strikeout. It was his time, and Frelick learned on Friday night that he was heading to the big leagues. The Debut Brewers fans have had some of their really exciting prospects make their debuts in 2023. Brice Turang was on the Opening Day roster and after a brief stint in Nashville returned recently. Joey Wiemer’s numbers may not look great, but he’s provided some big hits and terrific defense since his debut. Garrett Mitchell, their top pick in 2020 out of UCLA, debuted late last season and is certainly an exciting player too. However, none of them ranked as highly as Frelick. Clearly Brewers fans have been waiting for this day for quite some time. Frelick was in the starting lineup on Saturday night. He was batting sixth and playing in right field. In the second inning, with an almost inexcusable shift, Frelick took what he was given. He slapped a ball to the left side and used his elite speed to beat it out for his first it. In case you were wondering, his first hit came against Braves starter Allan Winans, a 27-year-old making his major-league debut too. His second at-bat ended with a single to right-field. He came around to score on a Brice Turang sacrifice fly. In his third at-bat, he singled to left to drive in a run and tie the game at 3-3. And two tremendous catches in the sixth inning to keep the Brewers within striking distance. Then in the bottom of the eighth, Frelick came up to the plate again and lined out to right field, just deep enough to score Willy Adames and give the Brewers a 4-3 lead. They held on and beat a very good Atlanta Braves team. So, to summarize, Frelick went 3-for-3 with a run scored. He drove in the game-tying run and later what proved to be the game-winning run. And he made two web gems in one inning. All to help his first-place team win a game against the best team in the National League (if not all of baseball). WPA: 0.334 For much more Brewer Fanatic content on Sal Frelick, the Brewers #4 Prospect, click here. Other Great Brewers Debuts So now turning to the question of where Sal Frelick’s MLB debut ranks compared to other Brewers throughout their team history dating back to 1970. Here are some for you to consider: OF Sixto Lezcano – September 10, 1974, vs Baltimore Orioles Like Frelick, Lezcano batted sixth and played in right field during his MLB debut. Just 20-years-old at the time, the Puerto Rican went 4-for-5 with an RBI in the game. He singled to center leading off the second inning for his first big-league hit. He also led off the fourth and sixth innings (fly out, ground out). He came to the plate with two outs and a tie game. Bobby Mitchell had singled in the tying run, but which Lezcano in the batter’s box, Mitchell was picked off to end the inning. He led off the eighth inning with an infield single. In the bottom of the 10th inning, John Briggs led off with a walk. Then Bob Coluccio bunted him to second base. That brought Lezcano to the plate. He ripped a single to right field, Briggs scored, and the Brewers won 6-5. Lezcano had a nice 12-year big-league career, the first seven of those seasons were with the Brewers. He was traded to the Cardinals after the 1980 season in a deal that brought Rollie Fingers, Ted Simmons, and Pete Vuckovich to Milwaukee. WPA: 0.349. OF Steve Bowling – September 7, 1976, vs Cleveland “Guardians” Like Lezcano, Bowling was a September call up. However, he didn’t even start in his debut game. Von Joshua started the game in center field and went 2-for-3. However, the Brewers already had an 11-2 lead, so Bowling came into pinch hit for Joshua in the fifth inning. He responded with a first pitch double off Don Hood. Robin Yount – who borrowed Bowling some spikes before the game – followed with a single, but Bowling was thrown out at home. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Bowling came to the plate with the bases loaded. He singled to drive in Dan Thomas and Jim Gantner. In the bottom of the eighth inning, Bowling had a single off Dave LaRoche and later scored on a Don Money double. So like Frelick, Bowling went 3-for-3 in his debut, but the game wasn’t quite as competitive. The Brewers won 17-4. Bowling had four more hits over 13 more games with the Brewers that season. He hit .167/.205/.214 (.419) and after the season, he was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the expansion draft. He played in 89 games for the Blue Jays in 1977. He was dealt to the White Sox in 1978 and only played in the minors. The former college running back never returned to the big leagues. WPA: 0.001 OF Doug Loman – September 3, 1984, vs Boston Red Sox Loman was another September call up. He made his debut in left field and batting eighth for the Red Sox against starter Dennis Boyd . In the bottom of the third, Bill Schroeder led off with a home run. Loman followed by grounding out to first baseman Bill Buckner (who fielded it before it went between his legs and flipped to Oil Can Boyd for the out). Loman led off the bottom of the fifth inning with his first career hit, a double off Boyd. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Loman came to the plate with runners on first and third. His single scored Ben Oglivie to cut the Brewers deficit to 8-3. They cut it to 8-5 but Bob Stanley shut the door with a three-inning, scoreless save. Loman grounded back to the mound in the eighth inning. Loman ended the day 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI. He played 23 games for the Brewers that September and another 24 games in 1985. He was released after that season and had a successful season in Japan. He called it a career and became a pastor. WPA: 0.062 OF Geoff Jenkins - April 24, 1998, vs San Francisco Giants Jenkins had a tremendous amateur career, and the Brewers made him the ninth overall pick in the 1995 draft out of USC. He was called up early in the 1998 season and debuted in left field, batting sixth for the Brewers. Jenkins came to the plate in the top of the second inning with one on and one out. He lined a single to center off Orel Hershiser for his first hit. He later scored on a Mike Matheny two-run single. In the fourth inning, Hershiser got Jenkins on a comebacker. However, in the top of the fifth, Jeromy Burnitz hit a three-run homer that turned a 4-2 deficit into a 5-4 lead for Milwaukee. Two batters later, Jenkins launched his first big-league homer off Hershiser to make it 6-4. Jenkins popped out to end the seventh inning. With a three-run lead, the Brewers pitched to Barry Bonds, and he hit his fifth home run of a pretty impressive season. In the eighth inning, Darrin Jackson replaced Jenkins in left field. Burnitz had an 11-season career in the big leagues. He spent the first 10 seasons with the Brewers. WPA: 0.131 Other Notable Brewers Hitter Debuts: 1973 – Gorman Thomas, 1-for-3 with a triple. Error in center field. 1974 – Robin Yount, 0-for-1, BB, pinch hit for by Felipe Alou, still notable because he was the Opening Day starter for the Brewers as an 18-year-old, fresh out of high school. Hence, “The Kid.” 1976 - Jim Gantner, 2-for-4, 2 R, BB, K 1978 – Paul Molitor, 1-for-5, RBI 1983 – Bill Schroeder, 1-for-4, 3B, R, RBI 1987 – B.J. Surhoff , 1-for-4 1989 – Greg Vaughn, 0-for-0 (pinch ran for THE Joey Meyer) 1988 – Joey Meyer, 0-for-0 (defensive replacement for Greg Brock at first base) 1988 – Gary Sheffield, 0-for-0 (defensive replacement for Dale Sveum at shortstop, at 19 years old) 1992 – John Jaha, 0-for-3, K 1999 – Kevin Barker, 2-for-5, R, RBI, K 2003 – Rickie Weeks, 0-for-1 (pinch hit for Wes Helms) 2004 – Corey Hart, 0-for-1 (pinch hit for Victor Santos) 2005 – J.J. Hardy , 1-for-4, R, 2 RBI. 2005 – Prince Fielder, 0-for-4 2007 – Ryan Braun, 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI 2010 – Jonathan Lucroy, 1-for-2 (pinch hit for George Kottaras) 2019 – Keston Hiura, 2-for-3, BB 2019 – Tyrone Taylor, 0-for-0 (pinch hit for Freddy Peralta, hit by a Steve Cishek pitch) 2022 – Garrett Mitchell, 0-for-0 (defensive replacement) 2023 – Brice Turang, 1-for-3 2023 – Joey Wiemer, 1-for-2, 2B 2023 – Blake Perkins, 0-for-0 (pinch ran for Rowdy Tellez, defense in CF) 2023 – Andruw Monasterio, 0-for-1, K (defensive replacement) Top MLB Debuts by Brewers Pitchers There have been some really strong MLB debuts by Brewers pitchers over the years, though it probably comes down to your choice between two pitching performances. RHP Steve Woodard – July 28, 1997 vs Toronto Blue Jays A fourth-round pick in 1994 out of high school, the Alabama native was called up just before the trade deadline in 1997. He made the start against the Blue Jays, and frankly, he made it look pretty easy. Otis Nixon led off the game with a double down the left field line. Soon after, he stole third base. However, after getting an infield pop out, he struck out Joe Carter and Carlos Delgado to get out of the inning. He had two more strikeouts in the second inning, and two more strikeouts in the third inning. Oh, and two more strikeouts in the fourth inning. In the bottom of the fourth, Jeff Cirillo lined a double to lead off the inning. After a strikeout, Jeromy Burnitz singled to center to score Cirillo and give the Crew a 1-0 lead. Just one strikeout in a 1-2-3 fifth inning for Woodard. In the sixth inning, he got two ground outs and an infield pop out. In the seventh inning, there were two more strikeouts. In the eighth inning, he got a strikeout, a ground out to first and a pop out to second. The Blue Jays starter, a guy named Clemens (Roger Clemens, maybe you’ve heard of him) was dealing too. He gave up just the one run over eight innings. The intimidating Mike Fetters came in for the ninth inning and got two ground outs before a strikeout ended the game. Clemens gave up just one run on four hits and a walk while striking out 10 Brewers hitters. The loss dropped his record to 16-4 despite a 1.52 ERA. But Steve Woodard gave up just the one hit and one walk over eight scoreless innings. He needed 119 pitches but recorded 12 strikeouts. Woodard made six more starts for the Brewers in 1997. He made a total of 99 appearances for the Brewers over the next three years, including 73 starts. Overall, he went 25-30 with a 4.73 ERA over 481 innings. At the deadline in 2000, he was traded to Cleveland with Jason Bere and Bob Wickman (and later Marco Scutaro) in exchange for Kane Davis, Paul Rigdon, and a slugging first baseman named Richie Sexson. Woodard spent time with Cleveland in 2000 and 2001. After they released him, he signed several minor-league deals with teams (Texas, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Boston, Oakland, St. Louis again, and Florida) but only appeared in 14 games for the Rangers in 2002 and seven games for the Red Sox in 2003. After not pitching from 2015-17, he attempted a comeback with the Marlins. Like Clemens, Woodard’s name was mentioned in the infamous Mitchell Report. WPA: 0.607 If we are going to be honest, this must be #1 on the best debut list, right? RHP Freddy Peralta – May 13, 2018, vs Colorado Rockies Now Peralta didn’t go eight innings like Woodard did. However, in his 5 2/3 innings against the Rockies, notably in Colorado, Peralta had 13 strikeouts. He gave up just one hit and two walks. In the first inning, he struck out DJ LeMahieu and Charlie Blackmon. In the second frame, he struck out Nolan Arenado, Carlos Gonzalez, and Trevor Story. He fought it a bit in the third inning. With one out, Tony Wolters reached on an error before Peralta walked pitcher Jon Gray. He struck out LeMahieu but then walked David Dahl to load the bases. However, he got a groundout to end the inning. The fourth inning was an exact duplication of the second inning, striking out Arenado, Gonzalez, and Story. In the fifth inning, he to a groundout followed by strikeouts of Wolters and Gray. In the bottom of the sixth, he struck out LeMahieu for the third straight time. Dahl followed with a single. Peralta struck out Charlie Blackmon looking. That’s when Craig Counsell came out and replaced Peralta with Matt Albers. He gave up a single to Arenado but got Gonzalez on a comebacker to end it. Peralta left the game with a 7-0 lead, and they held on for a 7-3 win. We don’t even need to mention that Peralta went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in the game. His pitching line, however, was impressive. Peralta tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings. He gave up one hit, walked two and recorded 13 strikeouts. WPA: 0.241 Other Notable Brewers Pitchers Debuts: 1971 – Bill Parsons, 9 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 6 BB, 6 K 1971 – Jim Slaton, 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K. 1972 – Gary Ryerson, 9 IP, 8 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K 1976 – Moose Haas, 3 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K 1980 - Rickey Keeton, 7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 4 BB, 0 K 1985 – Teddy Higuera, 5.2 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 5 K 1989 – Jaime Navarro, 6.2 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K 1991 – Cal Eldred, 5.1 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K 1996 – Jeff D'Amico , 5.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 5 K 2001 – Ben Sheets, 6 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 5 BB, 5 K 2001 – Nick Neugebauer, 5 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 9 K 2004 – Chris Saenz, 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 7 K 2007 – Yovani Gallardo, 6.1 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K 2008 – Tim Dillard, 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K 2015 – Taylor Jungmann, 7 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 5 K 2015 – Tyler Cravy, 7 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K 2017 – Brandon Woodruff, 6.1 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K 2018 – Corbin Burnes, 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K 2021 – Jake Cousins, 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 5 K So where does Sal Frelick's MLB debut rank compared to other Brewers debuts? This author would rank them as below. How about you? #1 - RHP Steve Woodard #2 - OF Sal Frelick (the two defensive plays give him the very slight edge over...) #3 - OF Sixto Lezcano #4 - RHP Freddy Peralta #5 - OF Steve Bowling #6 - OF Geoff Jenkins View full article

Jackson ChourioSal FrelickJacob MisiorowskiTyler BlackJeferson QueroEric Brown JrCooper PrattBrock WilkenRobert GasserRobert MooreJosh KnothLuis LaraEric BitontiAbner UribeMatthew WoodMike BoeveCarlos F RodriguezJustin JarvisLuke AdamsHendry Mendez

I might take a 34% K rate for 31 homers in that many games!! Fun to see guys from the Summit League getting drafted early. I know the Twins have taken a few guys from that league in the 4-7 rounds and at least a couple have touched the big leagues. Impressive to see Oral Roberts get to Omaha!

Good conversation. Just wanted to add my thoughts since I think it's a fun topic. I think Top 50, Top 100 rankings are fun and well done. But it is always a case of understanding what you are looking at. A team's Top 30 ranking is very subjective. Part of the fun is that they aren't mathematical or statistical, although stats play some part of it. But it allows us all to make our own lists and create conversation. But, they are what they are. They're a guess for who has the biggest upside. I think some fans don't realize that. They're projections. But it's why I'm so immersed and insistent on doing daily reports and monthly awards and such. There are 150+ minor leaguers at six or seven levels and players are at different ages and come from different backgrounds. So I think Top 30s for an organization are good, they're fun and they get people excited and talking about the future. I think the dailies are important to realize that they all are talented and have good and bad games, and to understand the full development process, not just see success. I think doing a ranking of the top 30 hitters, and the top 30 pitchers is good to understand where the org has depth or needs. I think it's important to understand that relievers are typically not going to show up on prospect rankings, but that doesn't mean they aren't very important roles on a team. Likewise, it's important to remember that most bullpens are filled with guys who didn't make it as a starter, for whatever reason.

I doubt it, but it's possible that Bradfield falls to #33, and if he's available there, I think they can feel really good about taking him there.

Big fan of Justin Jarvis. He's taken a big step moving forward this year. Good to see that fire.

Needing pitching, the Milwaukee Brewers have signed veteran right-hander Julio Teheran. Image courtesy of Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports Just hours after 32-year-old Julio Teheran opted out of his minor-league contract with the San Diego Padres, it is being reported that he has signed a major-league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. Teheran debuted with the Atlanta Braves way back in 2011 as a 20-year-old. In 2013, he came up and made 30 starts and went 14-8 with a 3.20 ERA. In 2014, he was an All Star and went 14-13 with a 2.89 ERA for the Braves. He made his second All Star team in 2016 when he posted a 3.21 ERA for Atlanta. He remained with Atlanta through the 2019 season and went 77-73 with a 3.80 ERA over nearly 1,400 innings. He pitched in 10 games for the Angels in 2020 and went 0-4 with an ERA over 10 in 31 1/3 innings. In 2021, he made one start for the Tigers and gave up one run over five innings. In 2022, he pitched in the independent Atlantic League before heading to pitch in the Mexican League. This year, the Padres signed him and gave him an opportunity. In eight starts, he went 4-2 with a 5.63 ERA. In 40 innings, he gave up 51 hits, walked 16 and struck out 45 batters. A major-league deal is what makes it a surprising move. The Brewers definitely have a need for starting pitching. Brandon Woodruff was recently moved to the 60-Day IL where he joined lefty Aaron Ashby and Jason Alexander. In addition, lefties Eric Lauer and Wade Miley are on the 15-Day Injured List. Adrian Houser is just coming back from missing the early part of the season with injury. Teheran is out of options, so he will have to join the Brewers immediately. Sending him to the minors would require putting him through waivers. Expectations should not be high for this signing, but the hope is he can eat some innings and try to keep his team in games. His fastball currently sits right around 90 mph on average. He throws a bunch of sliders in the low-80s as well. All that said, they need someone to start. View full article

As a new week of minor-league games begins, take one more look back at who played well throughout the Brewers organization last week. Combined, the four full-season affiliates went 10-14 last week, though you'll see that one affiliate went 0-6. There were again some really terrific performers on the mound and at the plate. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints (photo of Andruw Monasterio), Josh Sumrall (photo of RHP Carlos Rodriguez), Mike Krebs (photo of Wes Clarke) Before we take a look back, here is a quick look at the top performers from the past week as well as the transactions from Monday. Lefty Darrell Thompson has been promoted from Biloxi to Nashville. It's great to see Logan Henderson get assigned to the Carolina Mudcats. Hopefully he can remain healthy so we can see just how good he can be. Pitchers Jakob Brustoski and Fernando Olguin were both released by the organization. Triple-A Nashville Sounds Last Week: 3-3 at St. Paul Overall: 17-15 Standings: 5th place in the International League West Division (7 GB) What’s Next: Hosting Gwinnett (12-20) for six games Top Hitter: SS Andruw Monasterio Monasterio has spent time in Triple-A each of the past three seasons as he awaits his first opportunity in the big leagues. Last week, he made a strong case. In five games in St. Paul, he hit .333/.478/.667 with two homers and seven RBI. He also walked five times. In 111 plate appearances this season, has 21 walks and just 19 strikeouts. In 28 games, he has hit .247/.387/.360 (.747) with four doubles and two home runs. This season, he has spent most of his time at shortstop, but in his career, he has played all over the infield. As a utility infielder, he plays good defense and while he won’t have a lot of power, he takes quality at-bats and gets on base. Originally signed with the Cubs in March of 2014 from Caracas, he spent that summer in the Venezuelan Summer League. In 2015, he came to the States. In August of 2018, he was traded to the Nationals in exchange for Daniel Murphy. He became a free agent after the season and signed with the Cleveland organization. He spent that season in Double-A, then when minor-league ball returned in 2021, he played at Double-A and Triple-A. Following that season, he signed with the Brewers. He split time between Biloxi and Nashville and hit .271/.364/.406 (.770) with 22 doubles, nine homers, and 15 stolen bases. He will turn 26 later this month. Obviously, Willy Adames is the Brewers shortstop. Right now, Brice Turang is the second baseman. If at some point, the team believes Turang is sent down for more seasoning, it’s possible Monasterio could get The Call. Injury is the other potential way for him to debut this season. Honorable Mentions IF Patrick Dorrian (27): 3 G, 4-for-14, .333/.429/.833 (1.262), 2-HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K. IF Alexander Toro (26): 6 G, 7-for-20, .350/.519/.500 (1.019), 3-2B, 7 BB, 3 K. C Brian Navarreto (28): 4 G, 6-for-15, .400/.500/.467 (.967), 1-2B, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K. ·IF Keston Hiura (26): 5 G, 5-for-23, .263/.391/.526 (.917), 2-2B, 1-HR, 2 RBI, 4 BB, 6 K. Top 20 Prospects #2 prospect OF Sal Frelick (23): Out 6-8 weeks after labrum surgery in his thumb. Top Pitcher: LHP Ethan Small (26) - #18 Prospect Small, who remained a Top 20 Brewers prospect entering the season, had a strong week. He pitched twice out of the bullpen and threw four scoreless innings. He gave up three hits, walked two and struck out seven batters. On the season, he has pitched in 10 games for the Sounds, all out of the bullpen. In 14 1/3 innings pitched, he has given up seven hits, walked eight and struck out 22 batters. His ERA stands at 2.51, and his WHIP is 1.05. In 2018, Small was the 26th round pick of the Diamondbacks out of Mississippi State. He decided to go back to school, and a year later, he was the Brewers’ first round pick, 28th overall. That summer, he pitched twice in Arizona, before ending the season with five starts at Low-A Wisconsin. Of course, he did not pitch during the 2020 season. He began the 2021 season with eight starts for Biloxi before ending that season with nine starts in Nashville. Combined, he went 4-2 with a 1.98 ERA. In 77 1/3 innings, he walked 42 and struck out 92 batters. He pitched in the Dominican Winter League that offseason. Last year, he made 27 appearances (21 starts) for the Sounds and went 7-6 with a 4.46 ERA. In 103 innings, he had 114 strikeouts, but also walked 58 batters. He made his major-league debut. In two starts, he worked a total of 6 1/3 innings. He had a 7.11 ERA and a 2.53 WHIP. He gave up five runs on eight hits and eight walks. He had seven strikeouts, but it does appear that the Brewers have decided that Small’s future is likely to be in the bullpen. Honorable Mentions RHP Caleb Boushley (29): 2 GS, 3.60 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 10.0 IP, 4 ER, 8 H, 2 BB, 12 K. MLB Rehab RHP Gus Varland (26): 3 G, 9.82 ERA, 1.91 WHIP, 3.2 IP, 4 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 3 K. Other Top 20 Prospects #7 Prospect, LHP Robert Gasser (24): 1 G, 10.80 ERA, 2.40 WHIP, 3.1 IP, 4 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 8 K. Double-A Biloxi Shuckers Last Week: 3-3, at Montgomery Overall: 15-12 Standings: 2nd place in the Southern League (1 GB) What’s Next: Hosting Rocket City (14-13) for six games Top Hitter: #5 prospect, C/1B Wes Clarke (23) While Jeferson Quero receives the attention and the prospect notoriety (and understandably so), Wes Clarke is a name to remember and get to know because he has potential to be a solid backup backstop in the big leagues one day. Last week, he played in four games and went 7-for-16. He hit .438/.500/.875 (1.375) with four doubles, a homer, and eight RBI. He also walked three times and had four strikeouts. In 20 games this season, he is hitting .200/.369/.339 (.708) with six doubles and a home run. A season ago, he had a .356 on-base percentage, 21 doubles, and 14 home runs in 99 games (83 in Wisconsin, 16 with Biloxi). The Brewers selected Clarke in the 40th round of the 2018 draft out of his high school in Virginia. He went to college, and in 2021, he was the Brewers’ 10th round pick out of the University of South Carolina. In 2020 and 2021, he posted an OPS just shy of 1.100 and had 31 homers and 77 RBI in 73 games. He also had 58 walks and an on-base percentage of .423. That appears to be his professional hitting profile as well. He won’t hit for a high batting average, but he will get on base and hit for some power. Honorable Mention IF Noah Campbell (24): 5 G, 7-for-25, .280/.419/.560 (.979), 1-2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 6 BB, 6 K. IF Ethan Murray (23): 6 G, 8-for-24, .333/.385/.500 (.885), 2-2B, 3B, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 9 K. Top 20 Prospects #1 prospect OF Jackson Chourio (19): 5 G, 5-for-23, .217/.280/.217 (.497), 2 BB, 6 K, 3/3 SB. #5 prospect C Jeferson Quero (20): 5 G, 5-for-21, .238/.333/.476 (.809), 2-2B, HR, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 5 K. #8 prospect IF Tyler Black (22): 5 G, 7-for-20, .350/.500/.600 (1.100), 2-2B, HR, 3 RBI, 6 BB, 4 K, 7/7 SB. Top Pitcher: RHP Carlos Rodriguez (21) - #11 Prospect Carlos Rodriguez the Hitter has been mentioned in a past Minor League Week in Review. Carlos Rodriguez the pitcher, the Brewer Fanatic Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year in 2022, makes his first appearances as a Top Pitcher this season… although he has been really good to start the season. Last week, his start lasted 5 2/3 innings. He gave up two runs (1 earned) on three hits, one walk, and 10 strikeouts. He has made five starts for Biloxi this season and is 0-1 with a 1.99 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. In 22 2/3 innings, he has walked 11 batters, but he has struck out 35 batters (13.9 K/9). Rodriguez made the start for Team Nicaragua in their first-ever WBC game this spring in Miami. He went to high school at Miami Christian and then went to Florida SouthWestern State College in Fort Myers. In 2021, he was the Brewers’ sixth-round draft pick. He made his professional debut in 2022 with the Carolina Mudcats where he went 3-4 with a 3.53 ERA in 19 games (13 starts). In 71 1/3 innings, he walked 27 and struck out 84 batters. He moved up to Wisconsin and ended the season with seven starts. He was 3-1 with a 1.98 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. He had 13 walks and 45 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings. Could he be the back-to-back pitcher of the year? Honorable Mention RHP Cam Robinson (23): 3 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 3.1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 3 BB, 7 K. RHP Zach Vennaro (27): 2 G, 0-1, 0.00 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 2.1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 1 IBB, 6 K. RHP TJ Shook (25): 1 G, 0-0, 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 7 K. Top 20 Prospects #13 prospect RHP Abner Uribe (23): 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 1.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 1 K. High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Last Week: At Peoria, 0-6 Overall: 8-18 Standings: 6th place in the Midwest League West Division (8 GB) What’s Next: Hosting South Bend (15-12) for six games. Top Hitter: Darrien Miller (22) Miller returned to Appleton to start this season. Last week, he played in five games and went 8-for-20. He hit .400/.455/.650 (1.105) with two doubles, a homer, and five RBI. He also walked once and struck out three times. In 19 games this season, he’s hitting .214/.317/.314 (.631) with four doubles and a home run. Last year, as a 21-year-old in Wisconsin, he hit .224/.372/.388 (.760) with 12 doubles and 12 home runs. This past offseason, he went Down Under and played in 35 more games for the Brisbane Bandits in the Australian Baseball League. While there, he hit .266/.381/.431 (.812) with 12 doubles and two homers. Miller was the Brewers ninth-round draft pick in 2019 out of high school in California. He played in 23 games in Arizona that season, and of course, he did not play in 2020. He spent 2021 in Carolina and played in 52 games. He hit .263/.419/.419 (.838) with four doubles and seven home runs. In his four seasons in pro ball, he has thrown out 16% of would-be base stealers. Honorable Mentions IF Ben Metzinger (24): 3 G, 3-for-10, .300/.300/.600 (.900), HR, 4 RBI, 0 BB, 3 K. Jesus Chirinos (21): 4 G, 4-for-13, .231/.333/.538 (.871), 2B, HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K. Top 20 Prospects #9 prospect SS Eric Brown Jr (22): 5 G, 6-for-20, .300/.364/.350 (.714), 2B, 2 BB, 2 K, 1/2 SB. #12 prospect OF Hendry Mendez (19): 2 G, 1-for-6, .167/.286/.167 (.453), BB, 2 K. #14 prospect OF Robert Moore (21): 6 G, 6-for-23, .261/.370/.478 (.848), 3-2B, 3B, 4 BB, 2 K. Top Pitcher: #15 prospect RHP Edwin Jimenez (21) Jimenez had a strong case for Brewer Fanatic Pitcher of the Month for April, and when the calendar turned to May, he made the move to High-A Wisconsin. If his first week is any indication, his stay may not be terribly long. The 21-year-old worked in six innings out of the bullpen over two appearances. He gave up one run on three hits. He struck out eight batters without issuing a walk. Overall, a terrific first week. Back to his first month, in April in Carolina, he went 2-0 with a 2.00 ERA in four games. In 18 innings, he gave up four runs on 13 hits and five walks, and he struck out 23 batters. The 21-year-old signed with the Brewers in October of 2018 from Venezuela. He debuted in the Dominican Summer League in 2019. After the lost 2020 season, he began the 2021 season in the DSL before ending the season in Arizona. 2022 was his first season with a full-season affiliate, and he spent the full season in Carolina. He pitched in 25 games and made 17 starts. He went 4-7 with a 4.75 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. In 113 2/3 innings, he walked 41 and struck out 104 batters. So it made sense for him to start this season in the Carolina League. Honorable Mention RHP Brannon Jordan (24): 2 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.60 WHIP, 3.1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K. RHP Max Lazar (24): 1 G, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 1 BB, 4 K. LHP Karlos Morales (23): 2 G, 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K. Top 20 Prospects #15 prospect RHP Stiven Cruz (21): 1 GS, 0-1, 47.25 ERA, 6.00 WHIP, 1.1 IP, 7 R, 5 H, 3 BB, 1 K. #20 prospect RHP Alexander Cornielle (21): 1 GS, 0-1, 12.27 ERA, 2.73 WHIP, 3.2 IP, 5 R, 9 H, 1 BB, 4 K. Low-A Carolina Mudcats Last Week: At Delmarva, 4-2. Overall: 15-10 Standings: Tied 1st place in the Carolina League North Division What’s Next: Hosting Fredericksburg (8-17) for six games Top Hitter: C Matt Wood (22) Wood was in this spot just a couple of weeks ago, and the 22-year-old had another fantastic week last week. He played in all six games and went 7-for-19. He hit .368/.571/.737 (1.308) with a double, two homers, and nine RBI. He even had nine walks to just four walks. On the season, he has now played 20 games and is hitting .313/.477/.537 (1.015) with six doubles and three homers. He also has 20 walks and 14 strikeouts in 88 plate appearances. As we mentioned last time, Wood went to Pine-Richland High School in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, the same school that Pirates legend Neil Walker attended. And so did the great Vinny Nittoli and former Brewers legend Blake Lalli. He went to Penn State for three years. In those years, he posted a .989 OPS with 26 doubles and 15 home runs. In his junior season of 2022, he posted a slash line of .379/.480/.667 (1.146) with 15 doubles, three triples, and 12 home runs. The Brewers made him their fourth round pick last summer. He played two games in Arizona before the end of the season. Honorable Mentions OF Luis Lara (18): 6 G, 6-for-21, .286/.448/.333 (.781), 2B, 2 RBI, 6 BB, 4 K. 1/2 SB. Top 20 Prospects #17 prospect OF Jace Avina (20): 4 G, 0-for-10, .000/.286/.000 (.286), RBI, 2 BB, 7 K. Top Pitcher: LHP Nate Peterson (23) This is also the second time that lefty Nate Peterson has been the Mudcats’ top pitcher choice for a week. He pitched four innings in one game. He gave up zero runs, zero hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts. This season, he has pitched in 18 2/3 innings over five games (2 starts). He is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA. He’s allowed 14 hits, walked nine, and struck out 28 batters (13.5 K/9). A 2018 graduate of Lakeville (MN) North high school, he went to Oklahoma State for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. During the Covid season, he played in 11 games for the St. Cloud Rox in the Northwoods League. He pitched there again in 2021. In 2022, he made 14 starts at the University of Illinois-Chicago where he went 4-4 with a 1.21 WHIP. In 88 innings, he had 21 walks and 102 strikeouts. The lefty became the Brewers eighth-round pick and did not pitch in a game last year. Honorable Mention RHP Patricio Aquino (20): 1 GS, 1-0, 1.80 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 1 BB, 7 K. RHP Jeferson Figueroa (22): 2 G, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 2.2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 BB, 4 K. RHP Will Rudy (22): 1 GS, 0-0, 2.08 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 4.1 IP, 1 ER, 3 H, 1 BB, 7 K. Top 20 Prospects #10 prospect RHP Jacob Misiorowski (21): 2 GS, 0-0, 3.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 6.0 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 3 BB, 11 K. YOUR TURN… Now is your opportunity to vote on the weekly Brewers minor league awards: Hitter of the Week Pitcher of the Week Feel free to ask questions and discuss the Brewers’ minor league affiliates and prospects in the COMMENTS below. 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In the final of our three-part April awards series, we hang out the Brewers Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Month. There were a lot of strong candidates, so let's jump to it. Image courtesy of Joshua Sumrall, Biloxi Shuckers We close out our MiLB Player of the Month series with our top six Relief Pitchers for the month of April. To reiterate the disclaimer, from the starting pitcher article, the Mudcats complicated the choices by having a lot of “tandem” starts, which led to a number of pitchers with starter innings, but only one or two starts. Because of this we made the cutoff 15 innings pitched, and at least one game started, in order to be eligible for the starter list. This list was the most difficult of the group. The relievers showed out in April at every level of the system. HONORABLE MENTIONS RHP - James Meeker - Biloxi Shuckers - 4 G, 8.1 IP, 0-1, 1.08 ERA, 2.55 FIP, 1.32 WHIP, 10 H , 1 BB, 14 K, 1 HLD. RHP - Aidan Maldonado - Carolina Mudcats - 4 G, 2 GS, 12.0 IP, 0-0, 1.50 ERA, 3.31 FIP, 1.08 WHIP, 8 H , 5 BB, 14 K. RHP - Luis Contreras - Biloxi Shuckers - 6 G, 10.0 IP, 0-1, 0.90 ERA, 2.54 FIP, 1.00 WHIP, 4 H , 6 BB, 15 K, 1 HLD. TOP SIX RELIEF PITCHERS FOR APRIL #6 RHP - Ryan Brady - Wisconsin Timber Rattlers - 5 G, 12.2 IP, 1-1, 1.42 ERA, 1.80 FIP, 0.71 WHIP, 7 H , 2 BB, 15 K, 1 HLD. Brady was an undrafted free agent pickup by the Brewers, following the 2022 draft. Though he’s already 24 years old, and thus a bit of an older High-A player, the early results have been great and his repertoire has the looks of a legitimate reliever. A fastball that sits in the 93-96 range, with great life at the top of the zone, pairs extremely well with his sharp slider and his slower, yet powerful curve. Brady has lightning fast arm speed, but a very relaxed delivery where he is not leaking any of his power. It should allow him to maintain very good command, which showed up in April with him only walking two batters (both of which came in his first appearance of the season), though he did have a HBP as well. Brady’s month was highlighted by two different outings where he went three innings and struck out five batters. It does not appear that the Brewers are trying to stretch him out for starter innings, but it does seem that the organization is interested in him being a multi-inning relief pitcher. That’s something the team values very highly, and should bode well for Brady’s future. #5 RHP - Alexander Vallecillo - Carolina Mudcats - 4 G, 2 GS, 14.0 IP, 0-0, 1.29 ERA, 2.76 FIP, 0.64 WHIP, 6 H , 3 BB, 19 K, 1 HLD. Vallecillo falls into the group of Mudcats that were most likely being stretched out as starters. However, he narrowly missed the (very scientific, I promise) cutoff of 15 innings for the starter list. His month deserved recognition, and thus here he is on the relief pitcher list. Vallecillo has been a fast mover in the Brewers system, having signed in 2021 out of Nicaragua, he will not turn 21 until July. He made his full season debut last August with Carolina. While he struggled in his first stint, he seems to have made an adjustment to begin the 2023 season, as he was dominant in April. Vallecillo struggled to miss bats and he struggled with free passes in August of last season. This time around, he struck out 19 batters to only three walks. After some small tweaks from 2022 to this season, he is now sporting a delivery that looks quite a bit like Freddy Peralta’s. In fact, Vallecillo looks a lot like the younger version of Freddy in terms of his pitch mix as well. A fastball in the low 90’s that he can get past hitters up in the zone, with a slider that shows some nice flashes and a curve that does the same. A fly ball pitcher due to his fastball movement, Vallecillo will need to continue to keep hitters off balance in order to keep the ball in the ballpark as often as possible. He did a great job of that in April, only allowing one home run. If he can continue that moving forward, he will be a name that Brewers fans will be hearing a lot more of. #4 RHP - Abner (Brismauris) Uribe - Biloxi Shuckers - 8 G, 8.0 IP, 1-0, 1.13 ERA, 1.51 FIP, 1.00 WHIP, 3 H , 5 BB, 16 K, 2 SV. Uribe is another former international signee, though he was signed out of the Dominican Republic. Featuring a fastball that has reached 103 MPH, it would seem safe to assume that the fastball is his best pitch. In reality, his slider is the pitch that has helped him have the most success before this season. So far in 2023, Uribe has gotten good results out of both his pitches, which is most likely attributed to him leaning more into a sinker as his primary fastball. His normal four-seam fastball does not have the best characteristics and is best described as “flat”. At the upper levels, he was always going to need more than just pure velocity to get outs, and the sinker appears to be the solution to that issue. Uribe has everything you are looking for in a high leverage reliever. Namely, he has two pitches that grade out as plus, or even elite. He has made big strides with his command, where it now grades out closer to below average, rather than being poor. To go along with the great stuff, and the improved command, Uribe also has an intimidating presence on the mound. He pitches with fire and emotion, and he is unafraid of challenging hitters. Striking out two batters per inning is always going to get attention, but doing it when you have barely pitched in the last calendar year due to an ACL injury is even more impressive. Already holding a 40-Man spot, Uribe seems like a pitcher that could potentially skip AAA and head straight to the Milwaukee bullpen at some point this season. #3 LHP - Clayton Andrews - Nashville Sounds - 8 G, 8.1 IP, 1-0, 1.08 ERA, 1.16 FIP, 0.84 WHIP, 4 H, 3 BB, 14 K, 1 SV. Andrews is one of the more fascinating stories in baseball right now. Drafted in the 17th round in 2018, Andrews stands in at only 5’6, and if we’re being honest, that might be a bit generous. Despite his stature, his ride through the minor leagues has been an exhilarating one. In 2019, he was not only pitching, but also playing center field and racking up a batting average hovering around .300. After COVID he did get a few more plate appearances in 2021, but would undergo Tommy John surgery shortly thereafter. He returned from TJS last season to mixed results. He was striking out nearly two batters per inning. Unfortunately he was also walking close to a batter an inning and had an ERA over nine. He came into a spring training game this year and immediately caught a lot of people’s attention when he touched 96 MPH and sat in the 94-95 range. For a left handed pitcher, that type of velocity will always create some intrigue. When that left handed pitcher is 5’6? It creates a lot of intrigue. His April in AAA did nothing to slow down the excitement. Again striking out close to two batters an inning, Andrews did a much better job of limiting his walks, and baserunners in general, this time around. Using his new fastball around 50% of the time, Andrews mixed in a lot of changeups and sliders as well. Both of those pitches were already borderline plus pitches going back to pre-Tommy John, but with added velocity they played up even more. Andrews’ slider had a whiff rate of 66.7% in April. While it’s a much smaller sample for Andrews, just for reference, Devin Williams’ “airbender” had a whiff rate of 61% during his insane 2020 season and has hovered more in the mid-40’s the last two seasons. Andrews may continue to mix in his offspeed pitches even more as the season continues. His fastball velocity has helped a lot, but it’s still the pitch hitters have been able to make the most consistent contact against. With results like the ones he got in April, Andrews will likely be a very real candidate to join the MLB bullpen at some point this season, but a little tweaking of the pitch mix may accelerate that process even more. #2 LHP - Darrell Thompson - Biloxi Shuckers - 7 G, 11.2 IP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.41 FIP, 0.26 WHIP, 1 H , 2 BB, 16 K, 1 SV. Signed this past offseason, it’s hard to imagine a pitcher getting off to a better start to his Brewers tenure than the start Thompson got off to. Having been signed away from the Schaumburg Boomers, out of Independent ball, Thompson’s Twitter account was filled with analytical data on his pitches. He clearly had a grasp on what he was doing, and how he was doing it. This probably helped him a lot when he showed up to Arizona, as he has already adjusted his repertoire since joining the organization. Thompson came to the Brewers throwing a four-seam fastball at 92-94, a changeup and a slurve. He is now mixing in a cut fastball in the upper 80’s and a “sweeper” and the slurve is a bit more of a true curve. Thompson gave up one hit in April over his 11 2/3 IP. That, along with only two walks, gave him a WHIP of 0.26 for the month. Among pitchers with at least five innings pitched, that ranks third in all of minor league baseball. If you increase that innings minimum to 9 innings, his WHIP would rank number one. Thompson not only limited baserunners, he did it with really good looking strikeout numbers as well, using his entire 4-5 pitch repertoire to have hitters looking dazed and confused the entire month. Thompson is another guy that pitches with passion on the mound and isn’t afraid to show emotion after a big strikeout. It does need to be acknowledged that Thompson turned 29 this past week, so he’s definitely not a spring chicken. However, the Brewers have shown time and time again that they do not discriminate when it comes to pitching. If you can get outs, they will give you a fair shot, and Thompson has done a fantastic job taking advantage of his chances so far. At his age, an MLB opportunity may not be too far off into the future. #1 RHP - Harold Chirino - Biloxi Shuckers - 8 G, 10.0 IP, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.53 FIP, 0.60 WHIP, 5 H , 1 BB, 17 K, Chirino beat out a number of very qualified candidates for the number one spot this month. Originally signed way back in 2015, Chirino has been steadily rising through the Brewers organization. He reached his current level of AA last season where he put up solid numbers, but was striking out fewer than nine batters per nine innings and walked over four per nine. The first month of this season went a very different direction. Originally sitting in the 91-93 MPH range, Chirino is now sitting more in the 94-97 range with his sharp sinker. He also mixes in a curveball that he can tinker with the shape of. He throws it with two different shapes depending on the handedness of the batter and what the situation calls for. He also throws a changeup which lags a bit behind the other pitches, but can be used to surprise a hitter from time to time. In April, Chirino combined with Uribe and Thompson to form a combination at the back end of the bullpen that was unrivaled at the AA level and likely at any level of baseball. Even within that group, Chirino stood out on his own, mainly due to his K/BB ratio which came in at 17, tied for ninth in all of minor league baseball (minimum of 5 IP). He only allowed six baserunners in total and only once did he allow more than one in a single appearance. Chirino is going to be eligible for MiLB free agency this offseason, so the remainder of this season is going to be very important for him. If he is able to hold his velocity gains and continue to put up good results, the Brewers may have to consider adding him to the 40-Man this winter, in order to keep him in the organization. Thanks for following along with this three part series on the Brewers minor league system. The plan is to run these every month. Repeat winners may not have as much detail each month, but we hope you learn something new each time around! View full article

Brewer Fanatic is your one-stop shop for all things Brewers minor leagues. Right now, we have daily and weekly reports, and we are working through our choices for Brewers Minor League Awards as well. But it's always good to talk about prospects who have earned recognition. Image courtesy of Curt Hogg / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK (photo of Stiven Cruz), Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin (photo of Jose Acosta) It was another busy week in the Brewers organization. Weather remained a big factor in the schedules. There were doubleheaders and games even cancelled. But most important, did the players develop? And, if nothing else, if they played they got opportunities to learn. So which prospects are we seeing in these weekly reports? Any surprises? Any disappointments? Be sure to discuss and ask each other questions in the Comments below. Triple-A Nashville Sounds Last Week: 4-2 hosting Omaha Overall: 14-12 Standings: 5th place in the International League West Division (5 GB) What’s Next: At St. Paul (15-10) for six games Top Hitter: IF Keston Hiura For the second time in three weeks of Week in Reviews, the former first-round pick had a monster week to take the top spot for the Sounds. Last week, Hiura played in six games. He went 9-for-18 and hit .500/.500/.944 (1.444) with two doubles, two home runs, and nine RBI. In 22 plate appearances, he had two walks and just three strikeouts. In 23 games this season for Nashville, he is hitting .325/.383/.687 (1.070) with three homers and nine home runs. So one question that has to be asked is how Hiura can resurface with the Brewers, or if ultimately he should be traded. In Nashville, he has started at first base and second base five times each. He has made nine starts in left field. Of course, he can also DH. Honorable Mention OF Skye Bolt (29): 5 G, 8-for-18, 8-for-18, .444/.524/.889 (1.413), 2-2B, 2-HR, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K. IF Andruw Monasterio (26): 4 G, 4-for-9, .444/.667/.556 (1.223), 1-2B, 6 BB, 0 K. IF Eddy Alvarez (33): 5 G, 9-for-22, .409/.480/.545 (1.025), 3-2B, 2 BB, 3 K. 3 SB. Rehabbing OF Tyrone Taylor (29): 5 G, 5-for-21, .238/.304/.524 (.828), 1-2B, 1-3B, 1-HR, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 7 K. Top 20 Prospects #2 prospect, OF Sal Frelick (23): Out 6-8 weeks after labrum surgery in his thumb. Top Pitcher: RHP Caleb Boushley For the second time this season, Caleb Boushley is the choice for Pitcher of the Week at Nashville. He went 1-0 and tossed five shutout innings. He gave up just two hits and didn’t walk a batter. Yes, he struck out just one batter, but the innings were quick. The 29-year-old from Hortonville and the University of Wisconsin at LaCrosse continues to keep himself in the conversation. He has now made six starts for the Sounds. He is 1-1 with a 5.57 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. In 21 innings, he has walked eight and struck out 14 batters. Honorable Mention LHP Clayton Andrews (26): 2 G, 0.00 ERA, 0.60 WHIP, 1.2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 K. RHP Pedro Fernandez (29): 2 G, 0.00 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, 5.2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 5 K. LHP Thomas Pannone (29): 1 G, 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K. RHP Luis Contreras (27): 2 G, 0.00 ERA, 0.50 WHIP, 2.1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K. MLB Rehab RHP Adrian Houser (30): 1 GS, 5.40 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 5.0 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K. Other Top 20 Prospects #7 Prospect, LHP Robert Gasser (24): 2 GS, 7.20 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 10.0 IP, 9 R, 8 ER, 4 BB, 2 HBP, 12 K. #18 prospect, LHP Ethan Small (26): 2 G, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 4 K. Double-A Biloxi Shuckers Last Week: 3-3, hosting Mississippi Overall: 12-9 Standings: 1st place in the Southern League (1 GA) What’s Next: At Montgomery (11-10) for six games Top Hitter: #5 prospect, C Jeferson Quero (20) Last week for Biloxi, Brewers catching prospect Jeferson Quero played in five games. He had six hits in 19 at-bats and hit .316/.350/.632 (.982) with two homers and five RBI. Quero has played in 12 total games this season, and he is hitting .279/.311/.419 (.730) with two homers and five RBI. In other words, his offense for the year is pretty much just what he did last week. More important than the actual stats, which are right around league average, if not slightly above average, he is still just 20 years old, about four years younger than league average. And that is something that Quero has had to overcome throughout his career. The Brewers signed the Backstop from Barquisimeto (VZ) on July 2nd, 2019, for $200,000. Like many, he couldn’t make his professional debut until 2021 when the Brewers had him play in the Arizona Complex League. He began the 2022 season in Carolina where he hit .278/.345/.412 (.757) with 18 doubles and six homers in 75 games. He was about two years younger than league average. He then played 20 games at High-A Wisconsin and hit .313/.329/.530 (.860) with four doubles, a triple, and four home runs. And he was 3 1/2 years younger than the average player. His 2022 season ended with 15 more games in the Arizona Fall League. By the way, he has also thrown out 31% of would-be base stealers in his pro career, including 43% so far this season. Honorable Mention IF Noah Campbell (24): 5 G, 6-for-18, .333/.429/.444 (.873), 1-3B, 3 BB, 5 K. IF Isaac Collins (25): 6 G, 4-for-11, .364/.462/.455 (.917), 1-2B, RBI, 2 BB, K, 6/6 SB. Top 20 Prospects #1 prospect OF Jackson Chourio (19): 6 G, 7-for-23, 304/.308/.348 (.656), 2B, 4-RBI, BB, 3-K, 3/3 SB. #8 prospect IF Tyler Black (22): 5 G, 4-for-16, .250/.455/.250 (.705), 2 RBI, 5 BB, 4 K, 4/4 SB. Top Pitcher: RHP Justin Jarvis Justin Jarvis is another repeat choice here. Jarvis had another terrific start and arguably has had the best month of his pro career. In his start last week, he gave up one run on six hits over six innings. He struck out six batters without issuing a walk. In four April starts, he is 2-1 with a 1.57 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. Over 23 innings, he has 29 strikeouts and just six walks. Really, all the numbers that you would look at to evaluate a pitcher are there, and more importantly, have improved from last year. As a high school draft pick in 2018, you expect that it isn’t going to happen overnight, and Jarvis has continued to work hard over the years, so it’s nice to see the success. Now the challenge is to sustain said success next month, and throughout the season, and even after he becomes the first Lake Norman High School (North Carolina) grad to pitch in the big leagues. Fair to say that picking baseball over basketball was the right decision. Honorable Mention RHP Harold Chirino (25): 3 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 4 K. LHP Nick Bennett (25): 2 G, 0.00 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 4.1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 4 K. LHP Darrell Thompson (29): 2 G, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, 3.1 IP, 0 R, 0 H0 BB, 3 K. Top 20 Prospects #11 prospect RHP Carlos Rodriguez (21): 1 GS, 0-0, 1.80 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 5.0 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 3 BB, 9 K. #13 prospect RHP Abner Uribe (23): 3 G, 1-0, 3.00 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 7 K. High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Last Week: Hosted Beloit, 1-4 (Sunday game cancelled due to rain) Overall: 8-12 Standings: 6th place in the Midwest League West Division What’s Next: At Peoria (10-5) for six games. Top Hitter: 2B Jose Acosta Last week, second baseman Jose Acosta played in four of the five games for the Timber Rattlers. He had five hits in 12 at-bats and hit .417/.500/.667 (1.167) with a walk, a double and a triple. Of Wisconsin hitters that played more than twice, only Acosta and Ernesto Martinez had an OPS over .581. On the season, the 23-year-old is hitting .333/.379/.519 (.898) with three doubles and a triple in ten games. The Brewers are the third MLB organization for Acosta already. He signed in July of 2017 with the Cincinnati Reds. In 2019, between the DSL Reds and AZL Reds, he hit .395/.481/.579 (1.060) with 17 doubles, five triples and three home runs. He also had 26 steals in 27 attempts. Unfortunately, the 2020 season was lost. In December of 2020, the Reds sent Acosta to the Texas Rangers in exchange for outfielder Scott Heineman. At the end of May last year, the Brewers sent some cash to the Rangers to acquire Acosta. In 67 games with Wisconsin last year, he hit .216/.294/.372 with six doubles and eight home runs. Honorable Mentions IF Ben Metzinger (24): 2 G, 3-for-6, .500/.667/.500 (1.167), 3 BB. Top 20 Prospects #9 prospect SS Eric Brown Jr (22): 2 G, 2-for-2, 1.000/1.000/1.500 (2.500), 2B, 2 BB, 2/2 SB. 2 HBP. He was hit by a pitch in the face and has not played since then. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Top Pitcher: #15 prospect RHP Stiven Cruz (21) In his start last week, Stiven Cruz gave up one run on four hits and two walks over five innings. He had four strikeouts. He has made four starts this season for Wisconsin. He is 1-0 with a 3.50 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. In 18 innings, he has given up 13 hits, walked nine and struck out 16 batters. Cruz signed with the Brewers in July of 2019 from Managua, Nicaragua. Of course, that meant that his professional debut didn’t come until 2021. That season, he posted a 1.37 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in the DSL. In 52 2/3 innings, he walked 23 and struck out 73 batters. He came to the States last year and skipped the Arizona Complex League. He began with 15 starts in Carolina where he went 3-5 with a 4.60 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. He finished the season by posting a 0.47 ERA in four starts with the Timber Rattlers. In 91 1/3 combined innings, he walked 24 and struck out 109 batters (10.7 K/9). Honorable Mention RHP Max Lazar (24): 1 G, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, 3.1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 4 K. RHP Joseph Hernandez (23): 1 GS, 3.00 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 6.0 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 4 K. Top 20 Prospects #20 prospect RHP Alexander Cornielle (21): 1 GS, 0-0, 3.38 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 5.1 IP, 2 R, 6 H, 1 BB, 7 K. Low-A Carolina Mudcats Last Week: Hosting Kannapolis, 3-2 (Sunday’s game postponed due to weather). Overall: 11-8 Standings: 2nd place in the Carolina League (1 GB) What’s Next: At Delmarva (12-7) for six games Top Hitter: OF Kaylan Nicasia (21) In four games for the Mudcats last week, outfielder Kaylan Nicasia went 6-for-12 and hit .500/.625/.750 (1.375) with a double, a triple, and four walks. He was 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts. In 11 games this season, he is hitting .259/.444/.370 (.815) with four steals. Before last week against Kannapolis, he had just one hit in 15 at-bats, but he was getting on base with walks. Nicasia was born in Oss, Netherlands, a small town about halfway between Amsterdam and Dusseldorf. The family went to Curacao and then to Miami. The Brewers drafted the switch-hitter in the 16th round in 2021 out of Champagnat Catholic High School in south Florida. After playing just 16 games in the ACL in 2021, he played in 43 games in Arizona last summer. He hit .232/.342/.435 (.776) with seven doubles, three triples, and five home runs. Honorable Mention IF Daniel Guilarte (19): 5 G, 8-for-19, .421/.522/.526 (1.048), 3B, 5 RBI, 3 BB, 6 K, 5/6 SB. 3B Luke Adams (19): 5 G, 4-for-15, .267/.500/.333 (.833), 2B, 2 RBI, 5 BB, 3 K, 2/3 SB. Top 20 Prospects #17 prospect OF Jace Avina (20): 4 G, 2-for-13, .154/.353/.462 (.815), 2B, HR, RBI, 3 BB, 6 K. Top Pitcher: RHP Alexander Vallecillo (20) Last week, Vallecillo made a start and was phenomenal. He tossed five scoreless innings and gave up just one hit. He struck out six batters and didn’t walk any hitters. He has made two starts and two relief appearances this season. Combined, he is 0-0 with a 1.29 ERA and a 0.64 WHIP. In 14 innings, he has given up just six hits and three walks, and he has 19 strikeouts. In his four outings this season, he has worked two innings, three innings, four innings, and now five innings. Maybe this week, he’ll complete six innings… Vallecillo signed in January of 2021 out of Managua, Nicaragua. He went to the Dominican Summer League and went 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA over 40 innings. Last year, he pitched 37 2/3 innings in the Arizona Complex League and ended the season with 20 innings with the Mudcats. Combined, he struggled to a 5.62 ERA, but he had 62 innings over 57 2/3 innings. Honorable Mention RHP Edwin Jimenez (21): 1 G, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.50 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 8 K. LHP Nate Peterson (23): 1 GS, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 4.2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 4 BB, 5 K. RHP Shane Smith (23): 2 G, 1-0, 1 S, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 4 K. Top 20 Prospects #10 prospect RHP Jacob Misiorowski (21): 1 G, 0-0, 4.50 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 2.0 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 4 K. YOUR TURN… Now is your opportunity to vote on the weekly Brewers minor league awards: Hitter of the Week Nashville – Keston Hiura, 6 G, 22 PA, 9 H, 2-2B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, .500 (1.444) Biloxi – Jeferson Quero, 5 G, 20 PA, 6 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .316 (.982) Wisconsin – Jose Acosta, 4 G, 14 PA, 5 H, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI, .417 (1.167) Carolina – Kaylan Nicasio, 5 G, 16 PA, 6 H, 2B, 3B, 0 RBI, .500 (1.375) data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Pitcher of the Week Nashville – Caleb Boushley, 1 GS, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.40 WHIP, 5 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 1 K Biloxi – Justin Jarvis, 1 GS, 1-0, 1.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 6 IP, 1 R, 6 H, 0 BB, 6 K Wisconsin – Stiven Cruz, 1 GS, 0-0, 1.80 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 5 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 4 K Carolina – Alexander Vallecillo, 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.20 WHIP, 5 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 6 K data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Feel free to ask questions and discuss the Brewers’ minor league affiliates and prospects in the COMMENTS below. 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The Brewers continue to play quite well, and there are several prospects throughout the minor-league system that are playing well early in the season. There are certainly a few injuries that Brewers prospect followers will want to keep an eye on, but there are some intriguing hitter and pitcher prospects off to a strong start too. Here is a look at the week that was in the Brewers organization. Image courtesy of Nate Peterson (photo by Neal Hock - Carolina Mudcats), Justin Jarvis (photo by Joshua Sumrall), Caleb Boushley (photo courtesy of Nashville Sounds) Before we look back at the past week in the Brewers organization, the team did make a couple of transactions on Monday. Matt Bush was placed on the Injured List. Javy Guerra was Designated for Assignment. Jake Cousins and Alex Claudio have been recalled from Nashville. Triple-A Nashville Sounds Last Week: 2-3 at Jacksonville Overall: 10-10 Standings: 9th place in the International League What’s Next: Hosting Omaha (8-11) for six games Top Hitter: IF Eddy Alvarez Three Americans have won a medal in both the summer and the Winter Olympics. Nashville infielder Eddy Alvarez is one of them. And now he’s a Brewer Fanatic Hitter of the Week winner too. I’m sure both are similar in his mind. In the 2014 Sochi games, Alvarez was part of the USA’s 5,000-meter speed skating relay team. Baseball went a long time without being an Olympic sport, but in 2021, Alvarez was a leader on Team USA’s silver medal-winning team. The son of Cuban immigrants, Alvarez grew up in Miami but then went to Utah for college. After the 2014 Winter Olympics, he hung up his skates and started a career with spikes. He signed with the White Sox and spent five seasons in that organization, reaching Triple-A. The Marlins acquired him before the 2019 season. In 2020, he made his MLB debut for his hometown team and played a dozen games with the Marlins. He played in 24 more games for Miami in 2021. The Dodgers signed him for the 2022 season and he played 14 games with them last year. This offseason, the Brewers signed him quickly. The 33-year-old infielder is off to a fast start with the Sounds. In 17 games, he is hitting .353/.485/.647 (1.132) with five doubles, two triples and two home runs. He already has five stolen bases. For the week, Alvarez played in five games. He went 8-for-15 and hit .533/.579/.867 (1.446) with three doubles and a triple. Honorable Mentions C Payton Henry (26): 3 G, 5-for-11, .455/.538/.545 (1.083), 1-2B, 2 BB Top 20 Prospects OF Sal Frelick (23)(#2 prospect): 1 G, 3-for-5, .600/.600/1.000 (1.600), 2-2B, RBI. Injured thumb. Getting a second opinion. Top Pitcher: RHP Caleb Boushley Starts like this may help the 29-year-old from Hortonville the next Wisconsinite to play for the Brewers. In his start last week, he gave up one run on three hits over 5 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out five batters. It was easily his best start of the 2023 season. Overall, in five starts, he is 0-1 with a 7.75 ERA. Hortonville is a small town with fewer than 3,000 as its population, just northwest of Appleton. At Hortonville High, he earned three letters in baseball. He went to UW-Fox Valley, a junior college in Menasha. In 2015, he went to UW-LaCrosse and helped the team to the Division III College World Series. The San Diego Padres drafted him in the 33rd round of the 2017 draft. In December 2021, he was selected by the Brewers in the Minor League portion of the Rule 5 draft. As a 28-year-old last year, he went 12-2 with a 3.25 ERA over 26 starts for Nashville. In 127 1/3 innings, he walked 43 and struck out 91 batters. Honorable Mention RHP Janson Junk (27): 1 GS, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 5.2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 4 BB, 5 K. RHP Jake Cousins (28): 2 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.50 WHIP, 2.0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 K. RHP Luis Contreras (27) struck out three batters in his lone inning this week. RHP Pedro Fernandez struck out three of the four batters he faced this week. Other Top 20 Prospects LHP Robert Gasser (24)(#7 prospect): 1 G, 0-0, 4.91 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, 3.2 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 3 BB, 4 K. LHP Ethan Small (26)(#18 prospect): 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.50 WHIP, 2.0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 2 K. Double-A Biloxi Shuckers Last Week: 4-2 at Rocket City Overall: 9-6 Standings: 2nd place in the Southern League (1 GB) What’s Next: Hosting Mississippi (5-10) for six games Top Hitter: OF Carlos Rodriguez In five games with the Shuckers last week, Carlos Rodriguez went 8-for-19 and hit .421/.450/.421 (.871). In 12 games this season with Biloxi, he is hitting .302/.348/.326 (.673) with a double and three RBI. The Brewers signed Rodriguez in 2017 from Venezuela. He remained in rookie ball through the 2019 season. He hit .318 or higher at every single stop. After the missed 2020 season, the Brewers aggressively pushed him to High-A Wisconsin where, in 94 games, he hit .267/.336/.348 (.684) with 17 doubles, four triples and a home run. He also stole 15 bases. He returned to the Timber Rattlers to start the 2022 season. However, by the end of May (42 games), his season was over. And yes, there are two Carlos Rodriguez’s on the Biloxi roster. Honorable Mention Noah Campbell (24): 3 G, 2-for-7, .286/.615/.857 (1.472) with a double and a home run. He also walked four times and was hit by pitch twice. Freddy Zamora (24): 5 G, 4-for-14, .286/.444/.500 (.944) with a homer and seven RBI. He walked four times. Top 20 Prospects Jackson Chourio (19)(#1 prospect): 6 G, 9-for-27, .333/.379/.407 (.786) with two doubles and five RBI. He also stole two bases. C Jeferson Quero (20)(#5 prospect): 1 G, 1-for-4, .250/.250/.250 (.500). IF Tyler Black (22)(#8 prospect): 6 G, 4-for-19, .211/.429/.526 (.955) with two home runs. He also walked six times. Top Pitcher: RHP Justin Jarvis Justin Jarvis wasn’t added to the 40-man roster last offseason, but fortunately, he went unselected in the Rule 5 draft. Based on how he’s started the 2023 season, they may not be able to risk it again at the end of this season. Or… it’s possible he will already be on the 40-man roster. In his start last week, Jarvis tossed six shutout innings for the Shuckers. He gave up just four hits, walked one, and struck out 10 batters. In his first three starts of the season, he is 1-1 with a 1.59 ERA. In 17 innings, he has six walks and 23 strikeouts. Jarvis was the Brewers fifth round draft pick in 2018 out of Lake Norman High School in Mooresville, North Carolina. The Brewers have been quite patient with him throughout his career, and it is starting to pay off. The 23-year-old struck out 150 batters last year in 141 innings between Wisconsin and Biloxi. He ended the 2022 season with four starts for the Shuckers and went 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 20 innings. Honorable Mention RHP Harold Chirino (25): 2 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 0 BB, 6 K. RHP Ryan Middendorf (25): 2 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.30 WHIP, 3.1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 6 K. RHP Robbie Baker (28): 1 G, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 2.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 5 K. LHP Darrell Thompson (29): 2 G, 0-0, 1 S, 0.00 ERA, 0.33 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 5 K. RHP Tobias Myers (24): 1 G, 1-0, 1.59 ERA, 0.53 WHIP, 5.2 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 1 BB, 8 K. Top 20 Prospects RHP Carlos Rodriguez (21)(#11 prospect): 1 G, 0-0, 6.00 ERA, 2.33 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 4 R, 2 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 5 K. RHP Abner Uribe (23)(#13 prospect): 2 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.50 WHIP, 2.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 4 K. Uribe has faced 18 batters this season and struck out nine of them. High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Last Week: at Quad Cities, 2-4 Overall: 7-8 Standings: Tied for 7th place in the Midwest League What’s Next: Hosting Beloit (10-5) for six games. Top Hitter: C/OF Alex Hall In December of 2017, the Brewers signed Alex Hall from Perth, Australia. He has been playing for the Perth Heat in the Australian Baseball League since 2017 as well. He remained in the Brewers various rookie leagues through the 2019 season. In 2021, he moved up to Carolina before ending the season with eight games in Wisconsin. He played 45 games combined between those same two teams in 2022. However, when the Brewers had a short-term need for a backup catcher on short notice, the added Hall to their roster since Appleton is just 100 miles from American Family Field. The Timber Rattler bats were as cold as the weather last week except for Hall. He played in five games and went 7-for-21. He hit .333/.333/.810 (1.143) with a double, three homers, and seven RBI. Honorable Mentions No other Wisconsin batter posted an OPS over .715. Top 20 Prospects SS Eric Brown Jr (22)(#9 prospect): 6 G, 2-for-23, .087/.192/.087 (.279) with three walks and five stolen bases. OF Hendry Mendez (19)(#12 prospect): Did Not Play. He was injured on April 13th on an awkward slide on a steal attempt. OF Robert Moore (21)(#14 prospect): 5 G, 2-for-18, .111/.200/.167 (.367) with a double, two walks and a stolen base. Top Pitcher: RHP Tyler Woessner Our first two-time Pitcher of the Week performer is Timber Rattlers’ righty Tyler Woessner. So we probably don’t need to remind you that he is from Phoenix and played college ball at Central Arizona where he helped his team to a national title. He was the Brewers’ sixth round pick last year. He was good in his previous start, but in his start last week, he was even better. In six innings, the 23-year-old have up just one run. He gave up just one hit, walked two and struck out five batters on his way to his third Win of the season. Over his three starts, he’s 3-0 with a 1.69 ERA. In 16 innings, he has given up eight hits, walked five, and struck out 18 batters. Honorable Mention RHP Joseph Hernandez (23): 1 GS, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 6.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 3 K. RHP Michel Vassalotti (22): 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 0.00 ERA, 2.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 6 K. RHP Brannon Jordan (24): 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.50 WHIP. 2.0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 K. Top 20 Prospects RHP Stiven Cruz (21)(#15 prospect): 1 GS, 0-0, 9.00 ERA, 1.75 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 4 ER, 3 H, 4 BB, 5 K. RHP Alexander Cornielle (21)(#20 prospect): 1 G, 0-0, 2.25 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 6 K. (Activated from IL on Sunday) Low-A Carolina Mudcats Last Week: 5-1 at Down East Overall: 8-6 Standings: Tied for 2nd place in the Carolina League (2 GB) What’s Next: Hosting Kannapolis (10-4) for six games Top Hitter: C Matt Wood In four games this past week, Matt Wood went 7-for-13 and hit .538/.625/1.000 (1.625) with three doubles, a homer and five RBI. He also walked three times to go with just three strikeouts. On the season, he has played in 10 games and is hitting .324/.465/.500 (.965). He has caught nine of those 10 games. Wood was a four-year letter winner at Pine-Richland High School in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, the same high school that Pirates legend Neil Walker and Brewers legend Blake Lalli attended. He went to Penn State and was in the starting lineup from Day 1. He was all Big-Ten in 2022, as well as an All American. When the Twins selected him in the fourth round, he became the highest-drafted position from in Nittany Lion history. Honorable Mentio Eduarqui Fernandez (21): 6 G, 6-for-19, .316/.409/.579 (.988) with two doubles, and a home run. He also walked three times. Luke Adams (19): 5 G, 2-for-15, .133/.381/.533 (.914) with two homers and four RBI. He also walked four times. Top 20 Prospects OF Jace Avina (20)(#17 prospect): 5 G, 3-for-18, .167/.250/.389 (.639). He had a double, a homer, and three RBI. He walked twice, but he struck out 11 times. Top Pitcher: LHP Nate Peterson For the second straight week, the Carolina pitcher of the week comes from the great state of Minnesota. Last week, it was Aidan Maldonado from Rosemount. This week, Nate Peterson from Lakeville, Minnesota, is our choice for the pitcher of the week. Peterson went to Oklahoma State after high school, but in 2022, he pitched at Illinois-Chicago. The southpaw was the Brewers eighth-round pick last summer and did not make his pro debut until this season. In his start this past week, the 23-year-old went four shutout innings. He gave up just two hits, walked none, and struck out seven batters. It was easily the best (of three) game of his career. It was also his first start. On the season, he is 0-1 with a 7.20 ERA. In 10 innings, he has walked four and struck out 16 batters. Honorable Mention RHP Quinton Low (20): 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 6 K. (He is currently 0-for-9 with the bat so far this season. It is fair to wonder how long he’ll remain a two-way player.) RHP Alexander Vallecillo (20): 1 G, 0-0, 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 2 BB, 7 K. RHP Edwin Jimenez (21): 1 G, 1-0, 1.80 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 5.0 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 5 K. Top 20 Prospects RHP Jacob Misiorowski (21)(#10 prospect): 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.60 WHIP, 1.2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 3 K. YOUR TURN… Now is your opportunity to vote on the weekly Brewers minor league awards: Hitter of the Week IF Eddy Alvarez: 5 G, 8-for-15, .533/.579/.867 (1.466) with three doubles and a triple OF Carlos Rodriguez: 5 G, 8-for-19, .421/.450/.421 (.871). C/OF Alex Hall: 5 G, 7-for-21, .333/.333/.810 (1.143) with a double and three homers. C Matt Wood: 4 G, 7-for-13, .538/.625/1.000 (1.625) with three doubles and a homer. Pitcher of the Week RHP Caleb Boushley: 1 GS, 5 1/3 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 5 K. RHP Justin Jarvis: 1 GS, 6 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 10 K. RHP Tyler Woessner: 1 GS, 6 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 2 HH, 5 K. LHP Nate Peterson: 1 GS, 4 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 7 K. View full article

Thank you! I updated the link. The automatic link went with the guy who played in the big leagues for one season in the '80s.

A new week of minor-league games will begin on Tuesday. Let's take a look back at the top performers in the Milwaukee Brewers minor leagues last week. There are several names that you will know, but if there are others you aren't aware of, ask some questions in the COMMENTS and we'll learn together. You can also vote for the Brewers Minor League Hitter and Pitcher of the Week. Image courtesy of Jeff Hanisch, USA Today (Hiura), Dan Powers, USA Today (Woessner), Mark J. Rebilas, USA Today (Black) There are essentially two purposes of an organization's minor-league system. The first is to develop players that will help at the big-league level. The second would be to trade prospects to gain players to help the big-league club during a winning cycle. Where are the Milwaukee Brewers in that circle of baseball life now? Opinions may vary. They didn't sign many free agents. They didn't make a lot of trades. They also weren't able to sign Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, or Willy Adames to long-term deals. Where will they be in June, and what will they do at the deadline? Well, that's for another day. The minor-leaguers deserve our attention. They earned the right to be called professional ballplayers. They put in a tremendous amount of work, and while improvements are being made to minor-league pay, there is still a long way to go. So, it is important to recognize those efforts and the successes in the minor leagues. Each week, we will take a look at how the Brewers' affiliates are performing as a team and their upcoming schedule. But our focus will be on the players. For each of the four full-season affiliates whose seasons are just getting started, we will name a Hitter and Pitcher of the Week. At the end, we will let you decide who the Brewers Minor League Hitter and Pitcher of the Month are, so please take some time to read about the prospects and discuss them in the Comments. Let's get started in Nashville. Triple-A Nashville Sounds Last Week: Home vs Norfolk, 3-3 Overall: 8-7 Standings: Tied for 7th place in the International League What’s Next: Six games at Jacksonville (7-7) Top Hitter: Keston Hiura In five games last week, Hiura went 5-for-20 with four home runs and seven RBI. He had a slash line of .250/.318/.850 (1.168) and walked twice. The 26-year-old former ninth-overall pick could have sulked when the Brewers DFAd him at the end of spring training, and he cleared waivers. Instead, he’s provided power in the middle of the Sounds offense. Through the season’s first 12 games, Hiura has hit .279/.367/.698 (1.065) with six home runs and 12 RBI. He’s still looking for his first double. Hiura will play in the big leagues again. Will it be with the Brewers? Honorable Mention IF Eddy Alvarez (33): 4 G, 3-for-11, .273/.500/.545 (1.045), HR, 4 BB, 2 SB 3B Abraham Toro (26): 5 G, 8-for-20, .400/.455/.550 (1.005), 3-2B, 2 BB C Brian Navarreto (28) had a game-winning grand slam this week. Top 20 Prospects OF Sal Frelick (23)(#2 prospect): 6 G, 3-for-20, .150/.261/.150 (.411), 3 BB Top Pitcher: LHP Clayton Andrews 26-year-old Clayton Andrews had a really nice week. The lefty reliever pitched in three games. He earned a win and a save. He pitched a total of three innings and gave up no runs and no hits. He walked one and struck out five batters. Andrews is a little lefty that the Brewers drafted in the 17th round of the 2018 draft. He was working his way up the organizational ladder, reaching Double-A in the 2nd half of 2019. He went to the Arizona Fall League. Unfortunately, he didn’t pitch in 2020. Then after seven appearances for Nashville in 2021, he underwent Tommy John surgery. He spent most of 2022 rehabbing and got into some games at Double-A at the end of the season. He returned to Nashville to start this season where he has nine strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. He’s given up just one run on two hits and one walk. He was a two-way player really until he starting having arm issues in 2021. Honorable Mention LHP Alex Claudio (31): 3 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.33 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 BB, 1 K. RHP Lucas Erceg (28): 3 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 4.2 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 5 K. RHP Tyson Miller (27): 2 G, 0-0, 1.50 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 6.0 IP, 1 R, 5 H, 0 BB, 4 K. Other Top 20 Prospects LHP Robert Gasser (24)(#7 prospect): 1 G, 0-0, 3.38 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 5.1 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 7 K. LHP Ethan Small (26)(#18 prospect): 2 G, 0-0, 6.75 ERA, 1.88 WHIP, 2.2 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 3 BB, 3 K. Double-A Biloxi Shuckers Last Week: Home vs. Pensacola, 3-3 Overall: 5-4 Standings: 4th place in the Southern League (1 GB) What’s Next: Six games at Rocket City (6-3) Top Hitter: IF Tyler Black (#8 prospect) Tyler Black was the 33rd overall pick in the 2021 draft out of Wright State. He played five games last week and went 6-for-16. He hit .375/.500/.813 (1.313) with a double, two home runs, and four RBI. He walked twice, and he stole three bases. The 22-year-old Canadian hit .281 with an .831 OPS a season ago in Wisconsin. However, because of injury, he played just 64 games. He finished the year by playing in 17 games in the Arizona Fall League. Drafted as a shortstop, he spent quite a bit of time in center field last year. So far this year, he has played third base in all seven games that he has played. Honorable Mention 1B Zavier Warren (24): 6 G, 5-for-17, .294/.455/.471 (.926), with a home run. He also walked five times and stole three bases. Top 20 Prospects OF Jackson Chourio (19)(#1 prospect): 6 G, 4-for-24, .167/.200/.583 (.783) with a double, three homers, and seven RBI. One walk, nine strikeouts in 25 plate appearances. C Jeferson Quero (20)(#5 prospect): 4 G, 3-for-12, .250/.308/.250 (.558) with one stolen base. Top Pitcher: RHP Christian Mejias Mejias made one start for the Shuckers last week. He tossed five shutout innings. He gave up just one hit, walked one, and struck out eight batters. It was his first start of the season, but he had a two-inning relief appearance the previous week. Mejias signed with the Houston Astros back in June of 2016. He pitched parts of three seasons in the DSL. He came to the States midway through the 2018 season and didn’t make his full-season debut until He reached A-Ball with the Astros organization in 2021, but at season’s end of 2022, he became a free agent. The Brewers signed him quickly and assigned him to Double-A to start this season. Honorable Mention RHP Justin Jarvis (23): 2 G, 0-1, 2.45 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 11.0 IP 3 R, 7 H, 5 BB, 13 K. RHP Harold Chirino (25): 2 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.50 WHIP, 2.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 BB, 3 K. LHP Darrell Thompson (29): 2 G, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.30 WHIP, 3.1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 K. Top 20 Prospects RHP Carlos Rodriguez (21)(#11 prospect): 1 G, 0-1, 1.80 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 5.0 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 3 K. RHP Abner Uribe (23)(#13 prospect): 2 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 2.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 3 BB, 3 K. High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers Last Week: Home vs Peoria, 4-2 Overall: 6-3 Standings: Tied for 5th place in the Midwest League What’s Next: Six games at Quad Cities (3-5) Top Hitter: 3B Ben Metzinger Metzinger had just three hits over 11 at-bats last week. However, he had a double, a homer, and an incredible nine walks. He hit .273/.600/.636 (1.236). The Brewers selected Metzinger in the seventh round of the 2022 draft after four years at Louisville. The 23-year-old played four games in Arizona after signing before finishing the year with 25 games in Wisconsin. Honorable Mention C Alex Hall (24): 3 G, 3-for-10, .300/.417/.900 (1.317) with two home runs and two walks. OF Joe Gray (23): 5 G, 7-for-20, .350/.435/.550 (.985) with a double, a homer, and three walks. 1B Jesus Chirinos (21): 3 G, 3-for-11, .273/.333/.636 (.969) with a double, a homer and a walk. IF Eduardo Garcia (20): 5 G, 6-for-20, .300/.364/.550 (.914) with a triple and a home run. Top 20 Prospects SS Eric Brown Jr (22)(#9 prospect): 6 G, 3-for-26, .115/.179/.115 (.294) with one walk, one steal. OF Hendry Mendez (19)(#12 prospect): 1 G, 1-for-1, 1.000/1.000/1.000 (2.000). Injured on an awkward slide on a caught stealing at second base. Listed as day-to-day. OF Robert Moore (21)(#14 prospect): 5 G, 6-for-20, .300/.364/.600 (.964) with three doubles and a home run. Top Pitcher: RHP Tyler Woessner It was a two-start week for the 23-year-old Woessner, the first two starts of his season. He went 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP. He worked a combined 10 innings and gave up four runs (2 earned) on seven hits. He walked three and struck out 13 batters. A native of Phoenix, Woessner spent his college years at Central Arizona College where he helped the team to a national championship. The Brewers selected him in the sixth round of the 2022 draft. He pitched six innings in Arizona before ending the season with a game for Carolina. Honorable Mention RHP Kaleb Bowman (26): 2 G, 0-0, 2 Saves, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, 2.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K. LHP Russell Smith (24): 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 2.2 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 0 BB, 5 K. RHP Max Lazar (24): 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 3 K. RHP Ryan Brady (24): 2 G, 0-0, 1.80 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 5.0 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 0 BB, 3 K. Top 20 Prospects RHP Stiven Cruz (21)(#15 prospect): 1 G, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 5.0 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 4 K. RHP Alexander Cornielle (21)(#20 prospect): 1 G, 0-0, 4.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 4 K. Low-A Carolina Mudcats Last Week: 2-4 hosting Salem Overall: 3-5 Standings: 11th place in the Carolina League What’s Next: Six games at Down East (5-3) Top Hitter: 3B Luke Adams Over five games last week, Luke Adams went 4-for-14 and hit .286/.524/.643 (1.167) with two doubles and a home run. He also walked seven times and then stole three bases. His 1.167 OPS was just over .500 points higher than the next high on the Mudcats team The 19-year-old Adams was the Brewers 12th round pick in 200 out of Hinsdale Central High School in Illinois. He had been committed to play at Michigan State. He was ranked the seventh-best prospect last year in Illinois, and the eighth-best third base prospect in the country a year ago. The Brewers gave him sixth-round money, more than double the $125,000 value for players taken after the tenth round. He’s a big kid, 6-4, but he’s a very good athlete. He also has a huge arm. Because it was such a big decision, Adams didn’t sign right away, but he hit .375 in 11 games in Arizona. Honorable Mention None. Top 20 Prospects OF Jace Avina (20)(#17 prospect): 4 G, 1-for-11, .091/.375/.091 (.466). He had three walks and eight strikeouts. Top Pitcher: RHP Aidan Maldonado Maldonado pitched twice last week, one start and once out of the bullpen. Over a combined seven shutout innings, he gave up just one hit, two walks, and struck out eight batters. He had a 0.00 ERA, a 0.43 WHIP, and opponents hit just .045 against him. The Brewers liked Maldonado enough that they drafted him twice. In 2018, they selected him, one pick before the Rockies selected Kumar Rocker, out of Rosemount (MN) High School. He went to the University of Illinois for three years before coming home to the University of Minnesota for his senior season. He posted a 3.91 ERA over 73 2/3 innings and struck out 90 batters. He did not pitch after the Brewers selected him in the 14th round of last year’s draft. Honorable Mention RHP Tyler Wehrle (23): 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 3 BB, 3 K. RHP Alexander Vallecillo (20): 2 G, 0-0, 1.80 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 5.0 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 6 K. Top 20 Prospects RHP Jacob Misiorowski (21)(#10 prospect): 1 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.00 WHIP, 1.0 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, 1 K. YOUR TURN… Now is your opportunity to vote on the weekly Brewers minor league awards: Hitter of the Week Keston Hiura (Nashville): 5 G, 5-for-20, .250/.318/.850 (1.168), 4-HR, 7 RBI, 2 BB, 6 K Tyler Black (Biloxi): 5 G, 6-for-16, .375/.500/.813 (1.313), 1-2B, 2-HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 3 K, 3 SB Ben Metzinger (Wisconsin): 5 G, 3-for-11, .273/.600/.636 (1.236), 1-2B, 1-HR, 4 RBI, 9 BB, 6 K Luke Adams (Carolina): 5 G, 4-for-14, .286/.524/.643 (1.167), 2-2B, 1-HR, 2 RBI, 7 BB, 5 K, 3 SB Pitcher of the Week Clayton Andrews (Nashville): 3 G, 1-0, 1 Save, 0.00 ERA, 0.33 WHIP, 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K Christian Mejias (Biloxi): 1 G, 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.40 WHIP, 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K Tyler Woessner (Wisconsin): 2 G, 2-0, 1.80 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 10.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 13 K Aidan Maldonado (Carolina): 2 G, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.43 WHIP, 7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 8 K Feel free to ask questions and discuss the Brewers’ minor league affiliates and prospects in the COMMENTS below. View full article

Another very fair question! Ha!

All good, fair comments. Obviously we want to make sure that it isn't just what you can read in the newspapers. We want to complement that with additional, unique information that you won't find elsewhere without looking. For instance, some of the Win Probability stuff, and I think the Bullpen Chart is nice just to understand who might be available from game to game. I don't know if we will do them every game. In fact, we probably won't, but if people are interested in participating in writing them, let us know. If you have ideas for what can make them better, great.