Jake McKibbin

A backup catcher has to be defensively sound. As evidenced by three passed balls on Wednesday (and some other instances), Gary Sánchez doesn't necessarily meet that standard. Will that open the door for Eric Haase to squeeze onto the Milwaukee Brewers' Opening Day roster? Image courtesy of © Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports Eric Haase has come out of the gates hot this spring, but while his bat may improve, there are concerns over his catching ability. Grading out as well below average over the last two seasons in blocking, framing and pop times isn’t particularly appealing, but this Brewers staff turned William Contreras from a liability into a defensive stud only last year. Can they do it again? How Well Does Haase Call Games? Out of 132 catchers in the last three seasons with over 1,000 pitches caught, Haase is 117th for average exit velocity. Simply put, when he’s been behind the plate, balls have been crushed at an average of 89.4 mph. Yet, there are a few caveats to this. The Detroit Tigers staff have been hampered significantly by injuries and, frankly, talent deficiencies, and as such, the quality of pitches he was receiving are far below what William Contreras and Victor Caratini caught last year. Take the above as an example, it’s the location of every pitch Haase has received over the last three years. Inducing weak contact while catching that much of the plate that often just isn't on the cards. It's hard to parse whose fault it is when the ball wanders down the middle, because surely, both the catcher and the pitcher have to take some share of the blame. Ultimately, how a catcher calls a game is often judged more on reputation and rumor than on statistics, but that in and of itself can be handy. Tucker Barnhart is renowned as a solid defensive catcher, and over the course of 2022 and 2023, he received a similar number of pitches and produced an almost identical average exit velocity, hard hit rate and xWOBA as Haase. (For half that time, of course, they were teammates, so do we count that as evidence that the pitchers were to blame, or that Haase and Barnhart are closer in skill at calling games than is generally thought?) To say Haase bears no fault for the high average exit velocities would be wrong, it is a catcher’s role to limit hard contact with their pitch-calling, exploiting weaknesses in the hitter’s swing. Ultimately, it appears as though a considerable portion of blame should be attributed to the lackluster Detroit Tigers staff, but it’s definitely something to keep an eye on if Haase starts the season with the Brewers. Athleticism & Stance One thing that Charlie Greene spoke about with William Contreras is his raw athleticism and how the Brewers tried to find a way to capture that in his catching technique. They used his body strength and hand-eye coordination to develop a technique more suited to picking rather than blocking pitches, and going to one knee in an effort to help him frame below the strike zone. Both endeavors were quantifiable successes that improved his framing, blocking and pop time numbers in 2023. Haase had an average sprint speed of 28 ft/sec last season, demonstrating at least some level of agility and athleticism, so can the Brewers turn this around? They may have already started, with his blocking. Haase was in the 18th percentile for blocks above average last season, using a very low, spread-out body position to maximize his frame on pitches lower down: While he still adopts this position from time to time, he’s started to receive these pitches in a more upright stance, allowing him to use his hands better, as you can see below. William Contreras made a very similar change, and it resulted in him saving nine extra runs from blocking pitches alone in 2023, compared to his 2022 numbers. This ball is virtually in the dirt, yet Haase kept his left knee in a stronger position. On top of whether this can help him with blocking, it should be a big boost to his framing abilities, as Haase in 2022 and 2023 used two differing stances, depending on pitch location; he was very upright for pitches up in the zone, and sprawled out for pitches down in the zone. Maintaining a more consistent stance should add a layer of deception for the umpire to deal with, and allow him to get more calls in the shadow areas outside the strike zone. Haase has had considerably more time with this Brewers pitching staff this spring, looking sharp both with the bat and behind the plate, while Sánchez may be a bit rushed to be ready for Opening Day. He certainly didn’t look sharp on Wednesday, and that hand injury may have played a part in it, although he will likely improve as the spring goes on. It seems more and more likely that Haase will be on the initial roster, at least holding his position for a while as Sánchez alleviates concerns with his injury and his receiving skills. At the very least, Haase should be a serviceable trade chip if another team comes calling for his services. What do you think of Eric Haase? Can Charlie Greene work his magic once again? And will the bat continue to thrive after spring? View full article

Last year, the Brewers were among the most passive teams in baseball, especially in the second half. They morphed into a group with a hard, grinding approach at the plate. In the offseason they’ve acquired some real firepower, so should they change their offensive approach? Image courtesy of © Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports Only one hitter surpassed the 20-home-run mark for the 2023 Brewers. That tied for the fewest such hitters on a team in all of baseball. Despite several powerful hitters on the roster to start the season, none actually tapped into all that much power, and how they balance the offseason is a big question mark heading into the year. The Best Version of Offense in 2023 Offensively, the Brewers struggled in 2023 with a real lack of consistency at the plate formed from occasional hot streaks and plentiful cold patches--especially among their younger players. For most of the season, William Contreras was the Brewers' only consistent presence, with some hot streaks from Christian Yelich, Rowdy Tellez, Joey Wiemer and Owen Miller to support him until the veteran presences of Mark Canha and Carlos Santana added reliability to the lineup. With their addition, the Brewers offense morphed into a more competent unit, largely because of an infectious change of approach at the plate. The Brewers went from an uncoordinated outfit to a cohesive unit that took pitches and wore down opposing pitchers, the highlight of which was chasing Max Scherzer in the foutth inning after 90-plus pitches late in the season. It didn’t always work, but with Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes and Freddy Peralta in full flow, the Brewers didn’t need high scores; they just needed consistency in producing runs. This season, however, they may need to take bigger offensive steps without Burnes and Woodruff around. The Sources of Power Last season, a lot of the expectations for home runs fell on Willy Adames and Rowdy Tellez, with anything approaching 20 homers a bonus for Contreras and Yelich. Tellez had a scorching start, but only hit one home run after May 23. Adames, meanwhile, was having his own struggles with his timing in the batter's box, and it resulted in a lot of issues driving home Contreras and Yelich even when those two did perform well. This season, the options for power have increased significantly. Contreras has shown he can be a slugger, Yelich recovered some of his thump last season as well, but most important are the additions of Jackson Chourio, Rhys Hoskins and Gary Sánchez to this lineup. The latter two combined for 73 home runs across their last 150 games, a staggering potential to drive in runs and punish mistakes in the strike zone. On top of this, they have Jake Bauers, who made some mid-season changes that produced very promising results in how he barreled the ball. The question is whether he can cut down on the strikeouts at the same time. He’s spoken this offseason about a change in approach to go along with the technical work the Yankees did last season; he could be another big power source waiting to happen. Chourio has electric bat speed. We have to remember to expect some adjustment periods for him, and he might hit seventh in this more robust lineup, but he's another player who might clear the fences frequently in 2024. Showcasing a remarkable depth in the middle of the order that just hasn’t been there in recent seasons, the Brewers may vastly exceed their output in 2022 and 2023. Do They Have Other Ways To Score? Yes. Another facet that makes this offense more appealing is how they can adapt to game situations. With all the power mentioned above, you also have Sal Frelick, Oliver Dunn, Garrett Mitchell, Brice Turang, Blake Perkins, Wiemer and Yelich, who can cause havoc on the base paths, while Joey Ortiz is no slouch either. The freshmen will be looking to kick on this year, and if any of them can, that makes it a truly frightening prospect to see what this offense can do. They’re also a gritty team, able to grind out at-bats and dig their heels in. Frelick and Yelich are phenomenal in this regard, while Hoskins has shown an ability to make pitchers work and take his walks. The Brewers were at the bottom of the league in in-zone swings last season, and likely won’t switch straight to a swing-happy approach, so expect that selectivity in looking for specific pitches to remain in some regards in 2024. The last box to tick is perhaps the biggest question mark, in whether or not they can put the ball in play regularly… The Strikeouts May Be A Concern Not much of spring training is particularly relevant, but the strikeout rates can cross over into the regular season. On that note, it appears the Brewers are being more aggressive in the strike zone, but have also struck out at lofty rates. Only Yelich, Frelick and Turang have strikeout rates under 20% in preseason, while Sánchez (42%), Dunn (38%), Adames (36%), Perkins (35%), Bauers (32%) and Hoskins (32%) are potentially signs of worry. It is a small sample size, and the goal is more to gain comfort and timing than to produce results, but there should be a tinge of worry that an aggressive approach may not pan out quite as nicely as one would hope. Ground Balls Galore The final question mark for this offense is can they elevate. Any ability to do so will create breakout potential among an abundance of hitters: Yelich hits the ball as hard as almost anyone, and showed in larger patches last season what he can do when healthy. If he can maintain those stretches for longer (as he did in May, June and July), then the Brewers have an elite hitter at the top of their order. Ortiz had an average exit velocity of 92 mph last season, but he chased excessively and produced a ton of ground balls as a result. Reining in his aggressiveness and being more selective should allow him to elevate better and access his power more consistently. Chourio is almost identical to Ortiz. He worked on his bat-to-ball skills and dropped his strikeout rate massively last season, but he chased a ton, and it led to more poor contact than you would like. Finding the balance of his approach can see that elite power really plays up. Contreras did a fantastic job of elevating upper-half fastballs and any slider in 2023, but struggled to elevate against any other pitch. Another player who pummels the ball, he could blast his way into the realms of the best catcher in baseball with a few more fly balls. Each of the four listed above have fantastic contact skills and borderline elite exit velocities, if they can get the ball into the air more often, you’ll be looking at 5 WAR players. Add that to the mix of Adames, Hoskins and Sánchez, and this offense can be near-elite in total. To summarize, a different approach is likely to come from the Brewers offense this season, but Connor Dawson likes adaptability, so don’t expect it to be an all-out slugging mentality. They’ll look for ways to defuse a pitcher's arsenal and use the tools available to them. It just so happens that one of those tools is substantially more pop. View full article

With a plethora of pitchers vying for roles in the Brewers rotation, who can feel assured of a spot going into 2024? Image courtesy of © Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports Pat Murphy commented that Wade Miley is 50/50 to be ready for April 1st. He will likely have several spells on the injured list throughout the year, meaning pitching depth will be vital. The Brewers have invested heavily in it, with much competition for places throughout spring training. That being said, a few could reasonably expect a berth on Opening Day, injury permitting. Freddy Peralta The verifiable, undisputed ace of the staff with Corbin Burnes’ departure and Brandon Woodruff’s injury, Peralta showed significant promise in the second half of 2023 that should leave no one in doubt of his abilities with a 2.35 FIP and 2.85 ERA from July 14 onwards where he also struck out almost 14 batters per nine innings. Amongst a variety of things, including an admission of tipping pitches, the strikeout rate was the biggest reason for his extraordinary rise, resulting from his changeup. Peralta’s changeup in April and May had swing and miss rates of just 15% and 8.7%, respectively, far below his career norms. In a season where he threw the changeup more than ever before, it greatly affected his results, and this may be what he tipped. As a result, it put more pressure on his fastball, and again, by his admission, he struggled to be himself on the mound and started to force things, which caused a reduction in his spin rates for the four-seamer and reduced his chase rates at the top of the strike zone. You can see below how he threw a similar number of fastballs with 2350 - 2450 RPMs but over 50% more pitches with above 2450 RPMs: Chris Hook noticed this personality issue and challenged him to bring that happy-go-lucky attitude we fans love so much, and it was from here that the season turned around with an NL pitcher of the month in August and perhaps the most dominant pitcher in the second half of the season. Spencer Strider could also claim the title, but Peralta’s swing-and-miss ability lends hope that the Brewers may have another Cy Young-ready pitcher. That ability to stay relaxed on the mound will always be key to him moving forward. As always with Freddy Peralta, the major question is if he can pitch enough innings. Could the Brewers find a way to get him into the sixth and seventh innings more often? The increased use of his changeup could help with this, as it had a 67.2% ground ball rate in 2023 that should allow him to get quicker outs and be less reliant on the strikeout, even recording a 56% rate against right-handed hitters. It's still a question mark, but there’s no doubt that Peralta, at his best, is an ace in every sense of the word. Colin Rea Colin Rea’s 1.19 WHIP and 126 innings of work were a vital cog in the Brewer’s success last season, earning him a $4.5 million deal with the Brewers for this season. His four-seam fastball was sneaky good, with opponents hitting just .135, which led to starting pitchers in major league baseball; along with an effective sweeper, he debuted in 2023 with a 36% whiff rate. He had the tools to be perhaps more successful than one would think, but home run balls let him down in pressure situations, and he struggled against lefties where he didn’t have an out pitch. Against southpaws, Rea’s WHIP was a far less robust 1.32 with 15 home runs in 57 innings pitched. One way to address this would be to use his sweeper more against left-handers despite conventional wisdom after producing an xBA/xSlg of .195/.253 against them last season despite being his least frequent pitch against opposite-sided hitters. No other pitch had a swing-and-miss rate over 23%, which will cause problems at this level. The other pitch he’s been working on is his split changeup. Colin Rea will do several things very well for this Brewers team in 2024. He’s going to eat innings and keep them in the game, he’ll get the ball on the ground at an above-average rate, and he’s going to make hitters earn their way on base without too many free passes. He’s not a number two starter by any means, but he will provide good value for a Brewers rotation in dire need of consistency week in and week out. Wade Miley Miley has brought value with the Brewers in several ways, but his in-game nous and pinpoint command have allowed him to succeed year after year in the major leagues. In 2023, he had a hard hit rate of just 31%, a 47% ground ball rate, and, most importantly, an ERA of 3.14. He doesn’t walk hitters; he gets the ball on the ground and keeps it in the ballpark, which allows the Brewers' elite defense to continue playing up. Wade Miley’s biggest strength is his situational pitching, with a knack for achieving precisely his needs. His ground ball rate jumps with men in scoring position, which is a large result of that elite changeup of his, perhaps his only above-average pitch in terms of movement profiles. He can eat innings well when healthy, with his outings usually featuring a lot of cheap and quick outs, but some concerns are leading into 2024. With Miley, there will always be a question of whether he can stay fit, but there are other warning signs in his underlying metrics. His barrel rate in 2023 was higher than ever, and his ground ball rate dropped from the truly elite 49%-53% range he was in since 2017 down to 46%. The ground balls are a key part of what Miley does, and he’ll need them to resemble his 2023 performance. Miley, like Colin Rea, isn’t going to be a strong number two pitcher. Still, the combination of them towards the tail end of the rotation gives the Brewers some performance history and experience that can hopefully benefit the young and talented arms trying to push their way into the Brewers rotation. The remaining rotation spots are all up for grabs in spring training, but these three seem locked in… stay tuned for the breakdown of the contenders! View full article

DL Hall's velocity did drop off from 96+ mph quite consistently in the first inning to 93-95 mph in the second, just something to keep an eye on. Good to see Freddy getting through three innings at this stage as well, very positive with four further outings before opening day

Adames has always hit a lot of fly balls, but it did seem to escalate last year. When he did connect it had a good chance to do damage, but on the other hand there were some easy outs. I think the key for him is the exit velocity, if he can make better contact with the ball, especially down and inside like managed in prior seasons, he could be in for a big one. I know first hand how difficult concussions can be, and especially with pitches inside, it's a very plausible reason

How close is the Brewers star shortstop to dominating with the bat in 2024? Image courtesy of © Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK Willy Adames quickly became a fan favorite in Milwaukee, riding the hot winds of form to carry a stagnant Brewers offense to a franchise-record number of regular-season Wins. Since then, he has retained the power he showed despite going through various approaches. Unfortunately, he hasn’t found the same offensive surge he achieved in 2021. In 2024, that could all change. Approach and Plate Discipline One criticism of Adames in his first two seasons in Milwaukee was his impatience at the plate. The result was a high chase rate, which hurt his on-base percentage. He went into the 2023 season with the objective of walking 70 times. He achieved that goal with an 11.1% walk rate, placing him in the top 20% in the league. Improved strike zone discipline typically helps a hitter’s batting average, but that wasn’t the case for Adames, who hit a career-low .217 in 2023. However, the positive developments in his plate discipline should increase his floor as a hitter significantly. What went wrong with the bat? The Brewers' shortstop continued to loft the ball consistently, but he stopped hitting the ball hard with any regularity. He posted career lows in average, exit velocity, and hard-hit rate, meaning fewer of those fly balls and line drives found the grass. In addition, Statcast suggests he was quite an unfortunate hitter. His 2023 slash line was .217/.310/.407, but he had an xBA (Expected Batting Average) of .240 and xSlg (Expected Slugging Percentage) of .436, which could have taken him to a .779 OPS and a much more palatable performance from one of the Brewers' key offensive contributors. Still, even that would have fallen well short of his offensive impact in 2021. So, how can he reach those lofty heights once again? Adames Hit Tool Was Somehow Better in 2023 One measure of a good hitter is someone who regularly puts the ball in play from various locations within the strike zone. As such, one could argue, per the graphic below, that Adames was better in 2023 than he was in 2021: The scarcity of blue on the left graphic (2023) is perhaps an indicator of the work Adames has put in without getting the reward, performing significantly better in his expected batting average in a far greater area of the strike zone while simultaneously cutting down on his chase rate. Perhaps a breakout isn’t as far off as we think. He has passable quality of contact in the strike zone, above-average plate discipline, and elevates the ball better than 91 percent of the league, which leaves just one final hurdle; The Exit Velocity Adames’ average exit velocity dipped significantly from 89.5 mph in 2021 to 87.4 mph in 2023, which may not sound like much, but throughout a season can produce dramatically different results. Here are Adames’ exit velocities by zone year on year: He has remained relatively consistent in several areas, with pitches up and away being a considerable strength, while struggling with pitches in on his hands for the most part. He has improved at dealing with his more troubled locations, but the biggest differences are in his damage zones. In 2021 and 2022, pitches on the middle stripe got hammered, meaning you couldn’t get away with mistake pitches too often. The other area is down and inside. When pitchers tried to get in on the handle but didn’t elevate enough, he punished them. In 2023, he dipped notably in these areas, with the 84 mph down and inside a real drop off and a slight drop in those mistake zones over the heart of the plate. He changed a lot in 2023, but there’s no reason why he can’t find that ability to punish pitchers again, and in fact, he did manage to reclaim it over short spurts in 2023. We could delve into technical adjustments and the effects of a more patient approach. However, there’s another reason why Adames may have struggled to find those long surges of form he produced in both 2021 and 2022: the concussion. Willy Adames was leaning over the guard rail in the dugout when a cannon of a line drive hit him squarely in the head. He required a hospital visit and was put on the concussion IL before returning to play 11 days later, which meant all should be fine, right? Unfortunately, this isn’t the case; as the recipient of several concussions myself, they can be incredibly difficult to diagnose or even recognize until you come out on the other side of it. It affects your mood, concentration, and even occasionally your body movements. Still, in baseball, where failure is so common and your mental strength is vital, the effects it could have are not to be underestimated. Adames found his swing for brief periods, as mentioned earlier, such as before the all-star break, and it’s not a stretch of the imagination to see the benefits of his hitting developments in the last two seasons illustrated by the power he possesses alongside a healthy mind and body for the season ahead. Adames’ performance metrics suggest that 2023 was more of an outlier in terms of his hitting and power numbers, but what do you think? Can Willy achieve a send-off in style? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! View full article

It's the first thing I'm looking for in clips of him throwing... They're teasing us

Spring training form isn’t a surefire arbiter of regular-season success, but there are a few signposts that may point to a good 2024 for the Brewers. Here are the key things to watch as Cactus League play begins. Image courtesy of © Tom Tingle/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK Spring training is a farrago of veteran hitters easing their way in, pitchers narrowing their arsenals to focus on specific pitches (or expanding them to find outs in new places), and young bucks attempting to earn an Opening Day roster spot. It creates an environment wherein results don’t usually tell us a whole lot about the coming season, but there are a few things that make this Brewers squad a little bit different. With a lot of open questions surrounding starting spots, prospect development and return from injury, there are several things we can look out for. Who is in Pole Position for Opening Day? As a general rule of thumb, major leaguers will start spring training games while the fringier players and prospects get a chance later on. This doesn’t always hold true for the first week, but usually by the second week, every member of the 40-man roster will be given some game time, with this ramping up the closer we get to Opening Day. It can be fascinating to see not just if players play, but in what positions. For example, if we see Jackson Chourio getting more reps in center field than Garrett Mitchell or Sal Frelick, he’s more likely to get the nod as the Brewers' starter there come Mar. 28. Perhaps more obvious are the pitchers. Specifically, who is seriously being tried for the rotation and who is left for the bullpen? It’s likely that each of Joe Ross, Aaron Ashby, DL Hall, Robert Gasser, Janson Junk and Colin Rea will build up to multiple innings, but the question of who gets stretched to four or five frames will be telling in whom the Brewers prefer in their Opening Day rotation. There aren’t enough spots for each of them among the 13 pitchers allowed on the active roster, so expect to see some serious competition. Jackson Chourio’s Strikeout/Walk rate The one set of statistics that seems to translate from spring training into the regular season is that centered on hitters' plate discipline. Chourio’s historic pre-debut deal opens a path for him to become the Brewers' Opening Day center fielder, but one issue he had in the minor leagues was his prolific chase rate. His bat-to-ball skills improved immensely over the course of the season, which allowed him to put the ball in play at remarkable rates despite the flaw, while also causing him to hit into cheap outs and generate a poor walk rate. Against big-league pitchers, you simply cannot afford to chase as much as he does, but if he can take that final step and remain inside his strike zone, we should see the hit tool, the power and a strong walk rate all coalesce this season. Chourio has shown a coachability that has developed his talent impressively. As such, it would be no surprise to see him jump straight into action with a refined patience at the plate. It’s also important to remember that, as Christian Yelich said, he’s just a kid, and if he takes time to learn at the big-league level, that’s just fine as well. Let’s enjoy every second of the five-tool talent being on the field. Joey Wiemer’s Swing Oh baby, is this exciting. Spencer Michaelis shared a clip of Joey Wiemer’s new and improved swing, something our own Matt Trueblood dissected here. It has a lot of fans excited, after a season in which Wiemer flashed his immense power and stunning defensive capabilities, but he couldn’t make contact with regularity. He’s also drawn comparisons to some big stars, if you’d like to play spot the difference below: In all seriousness, one swing by Wiemer doesn’t quite tell us all we need to know about the coming season, but it’s going to be exciting and intriguing to follow these two things: Can he make more contact? Has he lost any of his power? If the new, more compact swing can improve his contact rates without sacrificing much of that pop, Wiemer will be a stud who takes the league by storm this season. If not, he may have improved his floor but lost out on some of that which made him such a special talent. Strikeout rates will be key to his spring, and if he can keep that down while posting some gaudy exit velocities, the hype train will have well and truly left the station. Aaron Ashby’s Velocity Ashby had some incredible life on his fastball and slider in 2022, with a wicked sinker that induced a ton of ground balls and a lot of promise. Then his 2023 got wiped out by a shoulder surgery, and his late-season return showed some worrying signs. Pitching at 87 mph in his minor-league rehab (a far cry from the 99 mph he topped out at in 2022), Ashby was a shadow of his former self. In the above clip, he already looks more fluid and comfortable in his throwing motion, which is a great sign heading into 2024. A fit and firing Ashby can be a strong number-three starter for this team, if he can stay healthy and regain anything close to his former stuff. That may be a big ask, but it should also be immediately evident just where he’s at from his first appearance on the mound. DL Hall’s Walk Rate DL Hall showed some notable improvements last season, completely stripping back his delivery, and it resulted in a big step forward in his command. In a small sample with the Baltimore Orioles that included a playoff run, he finished with six strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings and just one walk. That was added to a 6.2% walk rate in the regular season. The raw stuff is still there, and the small sample shows he may have turned the corner in terms of his control. That being said, the plan for 2024 is to start games, which brings its own set of challenges and a renewed focus on his ability to keep the ball in the strike zone. Hall possesses one of the best fastballs among prospects, and two wipeout secondaries in his curveball and slider that will allow him to get results if he can throw them for strikes. If he can’t, there is reliever risk here, and spring training may be a big turning point in Hall’s career. Along with all this are some other fascinating story lines. How does Tyler Black look defensively? Can Jacob Misiorowski enhance his hype alongside his command (early reports suggest that he looks much more balanced on the mound)? Can Brock Wilken light up the spring? Will Garrett Mitchell stay healthy and show his athletic promise? The squad of high-ceiling talent the Brewers possess in the upper minors makes for a riveting side piece, and paves the way for reinforcements later in the season. Then you have Sal Frelick with reps in the infield; everyday regulars like William Contreras and Christian Yelich looking to elevate more; and Freddy Peralta primed to pick up where he left off after his dominant second half of 2023. Baseball season begins again this Saturday. Feb. 24. It’s a hugely exciting time to be a Brewers fan, with a multitude of questions to be answered and positions to be fought over. What are you paying attention to this spring? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! View full article

It's so exciting to see someone make such drastic changes and put in so much work to create this. It's one swing but that extra time can hopefully play to his advantage, and be more selective where and how he does damage

How did I forget Ashby, that a great shout! Love the look of that so much. If both fully healthy and guaranteed a healthy season, I wonder how many would choose Woodruff over Burnes... He's so much more beloved in Wisconsin! Thanks Rick, appreciate that a lot! And couldn't agree more

Completely. It's just the type of wholesome content we needed

Brandon Woodruff brings enormous potential to dream on in his two-year deal with the Brewers. Here are a few of the things you should be stupendously excited about. Image courtesy of © Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports Brandon Woodruff is a fan favorite in Milwaukee whom many will be ecstatic to see back in a Brewers uniform. A nuggety ace with incredible raw stuff, Woodruff's humble attitude endears him to fans and teammates alike. His ability as a pitcher, though, will define this deal, and it could be one of the best deals Milwaukee has struck for various reasons. He’s Already Shown He Can Bounce Back Woodruff is coming off a serious shoulder injury, with the shoulder joint potentially career-ending for someone like Woodruff, who relies heavily on his velocity and high spin rate on his fastball to attack opposing hitters. That being said, Woodruff returned with aplomb this past season to a 2.59 ERA over 55 ⅔ innings. He showed he could come back from a shoulder injury and pitch like an elite starter, with his September form pre-injury on track to bring him a pitcher of the month award, while his WAR, if extrapolated across a full body of work (180 innings,) would have been far and away the best pitcher in either league at 7.2 WAR. A pitcher returning from serious injury to produce those numbers may be able to do so again. His Evolving Arsenal Woodruff’s breakthrough with the Brewers came from one of the best fastballs in the major leagues, with a low VAA, high spin, and high velocity that he carried deep into his starts. In 2023, he used his changeup more than ever before to quite devastating results. Batters hit just .098/.118 against it, completely neutralizing left-handers and causing a swing and miss 38% of the time. He didn't apply it much against right-handers, but the fastball and sinker did more than enough damage, either causing swing and miss or eliciting weak ground balls. As a result, Woodruff isn’t merely a strikeout pitcher but has the tools to generate weak contact and double play ground balls when men find a way on base. He’s a complete pitcher who can get outs in various ways, allowing him to go deeper into games than most recent Brewers starters. He’s a workhorse, and if the Brewers can return him to anything close to his former glory, they’ll be smiling from ear to ear. He May Yet Return For the 2024 Playoffs The Brewers have many questions this season, but they have a chance to take significant offensive strides with their recent signings that could leave them as a better all-round team than 2023, despite losing Corbin Burnes. The upgrades at first base, middle infield, and the outfield mean they’ll be confident of retaking their places in the playoff race amongst the lackadaisical NL Central. The Cubs lost their second-best pitcher and best hitter from last year, the Cardinals have replaced Montgomery with Sonny Gray and some low-quality innings eaters, while the Reds have taken promising steps but haven’t gone all in by any means. Thus, there is a notable chance that Brandon Woodruff could be healthy in time for a late-season run in 2024 and potentially a playoff charge. Many other Brewers may be pressing claims for a starting rotation spot by that point, but if the Brewers can ramp Woodruff up in time to go hard in August and September, the rotation will take a massive leap forward. July will mark nine months since his surgery and may mark the point at which he can step up his preparation for the season. The Brewers 2025 Rotation May Have the Best Raw Stuff In Baseball Even if Woodruff doesn’t return to full force in 2024, the Brewers can dream of a rotation to be genuinely feared again in 2025, combined with a significantly more productive offense. DL Hall and Jacob Misiorowski are the only prospects with 80-grade fastballs, and their stuff doesn’t end there with at least two other plus or plus-plus pitches each. Early clips of Misiorowski seem to show more body control, while Hall made technical adjustments last season to improve his command, which showed up far better in the majors in a small sample. A quartet of Freddy Peralta, Brandon Woodruff, DL Hall, and Jacob Misiorowski could be the most nasty combination in baseball, which could wreak havoc anywhere they land. Alongside an offense featuring young talents such as Tyler Black, Brock Wilken, Joey Ortiz, Sal Frelick, Joey Wiemer, William Contreras, and more, they make a team that looks not just playoff-ready but World Series-ready. In short, Brandon Woodruff presents a real opportunity, at least in 2025, if the chips fall correctly, and perhaps in 2024, to take this Brewers team to a new level. He adds a strong clubhouse presence and an experienced hand for the young Brewers pitchers to learn from. He brings so many qualities to the table that you can easily dream of, and you can’t help but root for him. There is a large enough possibility that he never finds his form of yesteryear, but baseball is a sport to dream on. As a human being, Brandon Woodruff deserves every ounce of fortune and goodwill that comes his way. If he doesn't reach his potential, we should still celebrate having this man in Milwaukee every second he is here. As an aside, this may also be the reason for the delay in signing Gary Sanchez, needing the 40-man space to sign Woodruff before assigning him to the 60-day IL. What do you think of the Brewers signing of Brandon Woodruff? And what do you think his potential with the Brewers over the next two years? Let us know in the comments below! View full article

Entering spring training, there is an intense battle for the remaining two spots on the 2024 Milwaukee Brewers' Opening Day 26-man roster. Who is most likely to win themselves a space? Image courtesy of © Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports The Brewers have a lot of talent vying for the final spot or two on their Opening Day roster, both in the upper levels of the minor-league system and already on their 40 man roster. Most positions are hotly contested, and it may leave some unhappy campers. Working on the rough assumption that all of the below are likely to be on the squad, here are the arguments for and against each player’s involvement: Outfielders: Jackson Chourio, Christian Yelich, Sal Frelick, Garrett Mitchell/Joey Wiemer Infielders: Rhys Hoskins, Joey Ortiz, Brice Turang, Willy Adames, Tyler Black Catchers: William Contreras, Gary Sánchez The Candidates Jake Bauers Acquired from the New York Yankees for two top-30 system prospects, Bauers's arrival left many Brewers fans scratching their heads. A powerful left-handed bat with poor surface-level stats for the Yankees, Bauers's underlying metrics put him in the 90th percentile for barrel rate and hard-hit rate, combined with 80th percentile in chase rates and expected slugging percentage. In short, he demonstrated that he could be an extremely potent left-handed bat and add power to an offense sorely lacking home run production last season. He has no issue getting the ball in the air with regularity, and should provide some lower-in-the-order pop. Bauers is out of options, so it’s highly likely that the Brewers will keep him on their 26-man roster to start the season (having invested the prospect capital to do so), barring a calamitous spring training performance. A triumvirate of Hoskins, Contreras and Sánchez against left handers, with Bauers tagging in against righthanders ,adds a lot of pop to this Brewers lineup. On the other hand, Bauers doesn't have a credible track record of success on which to fall back, which means he’ll need to hit the ground running. That kind of power coming off the bench in favorable situations is a weapon, though, and it’s tough to see him not making the Opening Day roster. Likelihood of Making It: 90% Andruw Monasterio Monasterio was a bit of a cult hero last year, with an ability to put the ball in play backed up by a really good sweet spot rate that let him drop in plenty of singles. He’s versatile enough to cover second base admirably, but there remain question marks over his ceiling. His slugging rate was below the expected marks from Baseball Savant, but even then, it would be a surprise to see him hit more than about eight home runs over a full season of plate appearances. In January, it would have seemed highly likely for Monasterio to be on the Opening Day roster, but the addition of Joey Ortiz throws a wrench in the works. Ortiz and Turang would both have better defensive chops, including an ability to play above an above-average shortstop, which could leave Monasterio in a battle with Tyler Black. Black’s offensive capabilities and ceiling surpass what Monasterio can provide, and as a result, the Crew's top infield prospect may push last year's valued super sub down to the minor leagues, there to await dips in form or injury to reach the majors again. Likelihood of Making It: 20% Joey Wiemer/Garrett Mitchell Sal Frelick’s potential availability in the infield adds some flexibility to the outfield corps, which could provide more reps for the fifth outfielder. The expectation is that Wiemer and Mitchell will be fighting it out for the fourth outfielder role, something that should produce considerable playing time, and the other will be sent to work on their offensive game at Triple-A Nashville. Both have issues with the bat surrounding contact rates, but both have strong defensive floors, so it could be a toss-up, depending on their performance in spring training and improvements they’ve worked on throughout the offseason. There remains a discussion on Mitchell’s ability to stay healthy, while I recently wrote about Wiemer being a breakout star in 2024, but whoever scuffles this spring is likely to be kept in the minor leagues to develop their offensive potential and (hopefully) be a more well-rounded threat later in the season with regular at-bats in the minors. Likelihood of Making It: 20%, for the one who has the tougher camp Blake Perkins Perkins’s silky coverage in the outfield last season slightly covered up just how effective he was defensively, with 8 Outs Above Average (OAA) in limited appearances for the Brewers across all three outfield spots. His plate coverage had some upside as well, in that (although he didn’t do any damage with the bat) he was extremely patient at the plate, which led to a 13.7% walk rate and a chase rate of just 16.8%. The downside of this discipline was that he actually struck out over 27% of the time as well, with an xBA of just .194, so to expect much offensive production from Perkins would be unfair. A lot of teams would be extremely happy to have Perkins's defensive chops as a fourth outfielder, so pushing him to a fifth option shows the strength in depth the Brewers have. In rostering him, they could allow one of their higher-ceiling freshmen more regular reps in the minors, and as such, he may find himself there come Opening Day. He presents good value as a late-inning defensive replacement, and could give the Brewers the best defensive outfield in baseball between himself, Jackson Chourio and Sal Frelick. Likelihood of Making It: 60% Eric Haase When he signed in December, it appeared as though Haase was set to be the Brewers' backup catcher in 2024, but the acquisition (still pending) of Gary Sánchez changed all of that. While Sánchez is a significantly better catcher than the New York media would tell you, he may DH with regularity, creating an opportunity for Haase to be the bench catcher and avoid having to forfeit the DH spot. This sounds good, but Haase’s performance last year wasn’t up to scratch, and unless the Brewers' revered coaching staff can turn around his defensive struggles of recent seasons, it'll become a tough sell. His work behind the plate has never been a strong suit, and his offensive metrics have dipped noticeably and alarmingly since his career year in 2021, when Haase hit 22 home runs. In 2023, he didn’t hit the ball hard at all and finished with -1.4 WAR between Detroit and Cleveland. The Brewers will hope to fix that, too, but it's no sure thing. It seems like carrying a third catcher just on the off chance an early injury throws off a game may be a waste, especially considering how the Brewers prize versatility. Should the signing of Sánchez go through, it’s likely that Haase gets DFAed or relegated to the minors before the start of the season, and it’s tough to envision him making the cut here, barring injury to one of the more prestigious names ahead of him, or somehow finding the form that made him so useful with the bat in 2022. Likelihood of Making It: 15% Out of these options, who could you see as most likely to join the Brewers' 26-man roster on Opening Day? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below. View full article

There are strong reasons why both Sal Frelick and Joey Wiemer may be poised for big breakouts in 2024. Here's why you need to keep a close eye on these two young freshmen: Image courtesy of © Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports The "Freshmen" were a much-vaunted portion of the Brewers system early last season, with video on Brice Turang, Sal Frelick, Garrett Mitchell, and Joey Wiemer catching fire and providing a buzz around the club that we hadn’t seen for a while. Despite some hot moments in the season, such as Turang’s grand slam against the Mets, Sal Frelick’s 3-4 debut, and Joey Wiemer’s red-hot June, the freshmen never quite took off. The experience of their first year does leave shoots of hope that we may see some more consistent performances this season from Joey Wiemer and Sal Frelick in particular. Joey Wiemer Brenton del Chiaro talked this offseason about the Brewers farm system, specifically mentioning Joey Wiemer, lauding him for using his athleticism during at-bats to access extreme power and adjust his bat path mid-swing depending on pitches. His swing was long and overly complicated, especially in the load phase. He had extreme issues with breaking pitches, and no one in the big leagues faced a higher percentage of breaking pitches. He also demonstrated roughly average plate discipline, which ties in with del Chiaro’s assessment of his use of athleticism, but his in-zone swing and miss was troubling. By September, he knew he had to change, but he didn’t want to lose his natural power, and he had only a few weeks in Nashville to get game time on the alterations. That being said, you can already see a difference in his setup pre-release: h Although the second image is a home run, you can see his hands moving far more pre-release, resulting in a less repeatable swing compared with the sac fly above. Previously, with all the movement in his wrists, he wasn’t starting his swing from the same position, which meant he couldn’t regularly square up the baseball. A more straightforward setup should allow him to create a more consistent bat path without losing any of the raw power he possesses in his gigantic frame. Wiemer had a serious problem swinging and missing inside the strike zone in the big leagues, with anything 25% or above a poor return in the zone. The above graphic should be taken with a pinch of salt due to the sample size and the pitching differential. However, you can see a big improvement in his ability to make contact all within the strike zone, which should help him skyrocket in 2024. Also, considering the small sample size, he started to time up hanging, breaking pitches. Avg exit velocities of 110.8 mph and 105.4 mph over the heart of the plate are no joke against breaking pitches, with continued development here likely forcing more fastballs his way. For reference, he slugged .487 against the fastball last season, so there should be no qualms about seeing more of those babies in a season’s span. The Brewers' organizational philosophy is to allow hitters to be themselves and approach the coaches when they want to fix elements of their swing, something Wiemer appeared to do upon his demotion to Triple A at the end of last season. Del Chiaro said that Wiemer specifically is someone they’re incredibly excited about this season, referencing Wiemer’s work on his own this offseason and how he has peppered coaching staff with videos for feedback on various alterations to simplify his swing while retaining the power that gives him such a tremendous ceiling. Joey Wiemer may have the lowest stock value right now, but expect a big jump in his performance in 2024. Sal Frelick Ken Rosenthal just broke the news about Sal Frelick’s versatility extending to the infield, covering his work with Dustin Pedroia and adding another string to the talented youngsters' bow. With this likely more of an emergency, the most significant impact in 2024 will be with the bat after a thumb injury sapped his power in 2023. Frelick has always been known as a contact first hitter with exceptional bat-to-ball skills and a good eye at the plate, but Keith Law wrote last year about how he’s a step above the Steven Kwan hitter mold with minimal power. It’s clear that the thumb injury he sustained on the basepaths had a significant effect on his power output, as you can see even just in his minor league production last year: In 2022 in the minors, he was able to square up the baseball more effectively, specifically turning on pitches on the inner third. He tried to do this repeatedly with the big league club but couldn’t generate the quality of contact, forcing him to fall back on his gritty mentality and scramble his way on base. Sal Frelick may never be a 20+ home run player, but he should be able to hit for a higher average and turn on pitches for more damage. As you can see from 2022, he can hit the ball hard, really hard if it’s in his zone, and tapping into that at the major league level will go a long way to cementing a position at the top of the Brewers order. Both these data samples are from the minor leagues and the significant dropoff in exit velocities after his thumb troubles are a very clear reason for his lower power output. The other big thing for Frelick is his ground ball rate, which skyrocketed in the major leagues last season. A consistent line drive hitter throughout the minor leagues, he struggled to elevate both in the minors and the majors last season after his thumb injury. Manipulating the bat's barrel is challenging; however, with a thumb issue, that becomes exponentially harder. Frelick’s power and batting average should take significant steps forward from a clean bill of health as a result. That clean stroke can be added to his naturally gritty batting capabilities to create a pretty fearsome hitter in this lineup. The long and short of it is that both these freshmen have shown the capability for more than last year's performance, and there are reasons to be excited for their second year in the big leagues. While Garrett Mitchell has both injury issues and strikeout problems and Brice Turang had perhaps the worst struggles of the lot with the bat, both Sal Frelick and Joey Wiemer could be the kind of impact players for the Brewers that take them to a whole new level offensively. Spring Training will be a fascinating watch, and we at Brewer Fanatic can’t wait to see what each can bring to the table this season. Also Frelick looks kind of smooth here doesn't he? What do you think of the potential breakouts above? Can you see either Wiemer or Frelick taking the next step? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! View full article

Reasonable arguments but the general consensus is he's not a catcher at the big league level. His throws are too often wayward hence the low caught stealing rates and his receiving skills are subpar despite improvements in 2023. The brewers are great with developing catcher's but can only do so much, and evidently value defensive prowss at the position immensely. Clarke should easily be able to learn first base when necessary, and may play catcher this year but he won't in the bigs barring emergency. Could be wrong but think my view is very much the majority viewpoint amongst boths scouts and prospect followers. Possibly time to let this one go, unless you have some footage of his defensive abilities shining? I will say there's not a ton of it around

I get that, I think all three may be struggling nail the starting berth out of Spring training barring injury, but should've mentioned them as an addendum. Completely agree, and it'd be great to see a more offense friendly product on the field. Dunn really intrigues me especially as he doesn't actually swing and miss so much as just being a passive hitter. He's a solid lottery ticket really

Ive heard the same, but no way Adames can be moved from a team standpoint in his contract year, that wouldn't go down well. He's also a plus shortstop, so having those two up the middle is pure gas. Big difference between him and Turang is the above average arm. And he hits the ball hard. Both suggest more promise, however there's still that underlying hit that Brice's sweet sweet swing can do damage. It looks so pretty when he moonshots one, but that's definitely my eye test over backing numbers.

With spring training underway for the 2024 Milwaukee Brewers, today begins a series of pieces in which we'll cover some of the position battles that will unfold during camp. Today, we'll focus on the keystone position. Image courtesy of © Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK Second base was a troubled position for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2023, due to the struggles of rookie Brice Turang, but a lack of successful alternatives meant he got regular reps at the spot. He's still in the driver's seat, but there's some stiff competition coming his way. The Incumbent: Brice Turang 2023 Stats: 137 G, 448 PA, 62 OPS+, 26 SB, 6 HR, 8.5% BB, 21.5% K, 1.6 bWAR, 12 DRS 2024 ZIPS Projections: 483 PA, .243/.312/.355, 21 SB, 1.5 fWAR Scouting Report: Turang was drafted out of high school, with excellent athleticism and defensive actions to go along with a smooth swing, none of which he has lost in his progression through the minors. At each stage, Turang took some time to adapt to the new levels with the bat, and that perhaps happened again in 2023 with the Brewers. His journey began with this: It went swiftly downhill from there, however, and he was briefly demoted to Triple A before coming back a slightly more patient version of himself at the plate. That improved plate discipline helped, but his struggles to impact the baseball or create consistent, quality contact left him a black hole in the Brewers lineup. He has the potential to be a high-batting average, contact-oriented hitter if everything clicks, and has shown an adaptability throughout his career so far that suggests he can tweak his game to find more success. Turang’s approach before and after the All-Star break resulted in similar OPS numbers, but there was a crucial difference. Earlier in the season, he showed an ability to hit the ball hard occasionally, but struggled to get on base with a .265 clip before the break. After it, he attempted to work better counts, getting his OBP up to .305. However, it came at the cost of any power. He hit just five extra base hits in 229 plate appearances down the stretch. He has the speed to trouble teams on the basepaths, and his truly elite defense played a large part in his 1.6 bWAR last season, despite his horrible numbers at the plate. He is a valuable asset but the bat needs to take a step forward in 2024 or he could find himself pushed to a utility infielder’s role. It’s fair to say Turang hasn’t stamped his name into the Opening Day lineup by any means, and there’s plenty of competition in the background. The Biggest Contender: Joey Ortiz 2023 Season (AAA): .321/.378/.507, 9 HR, 30 2B, 121 WRC+, 17.7% K ZIPS Projection: .241/297/.371, 9 HR, 1.6 fWAR Many assume that Joey Ortiz was acquired to play third base, or to supplant Willy Adames at shortstop. However, he provides a possibility of the best defensive middle infield in baseball alongside Adames, while also having a significantly higher ceiling with the bat than Turang. Ortiz has hit a lot of ground balls, but as I recently noted, he chases excessively above, below, and inside the strike zone, which is limiting his in-game power. And make no mistake about it, he has power. Ortiz hit 19 home runs in 2022, but profiles currently to hit more doubles as he struggles to get the ball in the air. He needs to elevate with more regularity, but his 90% in-zone contact rate and an overall swing-and-miss rate of just 17% are impressive with his aggressive approach. They provide a strong floor, to go along with him having the highest average exit velocity of any Orioles prospect--higher than Heston Kjerstad. Higher than Coby Mayo. Higher than Jackson Holliday. Ortiz's defense was among the best in the minor leagues, grading out at 65 with Baseball America. He has a plus arm and exceptional range, which gives him a floor similar to (if not better than) Turang's. The Brewers prized their defense last season, and Ortiz fits that mold beautifully. In terms of pure wheels, Turang would have the edge, with Ortiz relying more on instincts and his reactions to cover the ground at short. He's not the base-stealing threat Turang is. If they can find away to gets him elevating more consistently, Ortiz will be a starting middle infielder with a hit tool, raw power and defensive wizardry over which to salivate. Whether he will start this season at second base will be decided by both his and Turang's performance in spring training. The Other Options, and How They Can Force Their Way In The Brewers have spent the offseason stockpiling their infield resources, and as a result, they now have some intriguing options that could have a big impact if all goes well. Oliver Dunn ZIPS Projection: .213/.321/.368, 11 HR, 1.4 WAR Acquired from the Phillies in November, Dunn endured an injury-riddled time in the minor leagues until the last couple of seasons. In 2023, he slashed .271/.396/.506 at Double A, showing off both a patient approach and impressive power. His defense is average at best, but he does also have speed, something he flaunted with regularity in the Arizona Fall League. He went 12-for-12 in stolen bases, along with 4 triples in 19 games. Dunn's calling card will be his offense, and the question is whether he can maintain that level of performance through Triple A and into the major leagues. He's a late bloomer, but certainly one to keep an eye on, and if that bat gets hot to start the season, it may not be too long before he gets a chance to prove himself on the biggest stage. Eric Brown Jr. Like Dunn, Brown has struggled to get consistent playing time due to injuries, but has shown strong defensive capabilities to go with excellent strike-zone discipline and contact skills. He was working on getting into his legs more in the AFL, and got back to some of the power he teased in 2022, which leads to some hope for the coming season. However, Brown isn't likely to get much of a chance to impact the big-league team until later in the season, if at all. His journey this season will likely begin at Double A, and be centered around consistent at-bats. That being said, he has all the defensive tools to be solid if the Brewers lose faith in Turang, and his contact profile should adapt well to the big leagues if the moment is thrust upon him. Who can you see starting the season at second base? Do you have faith in Turang's bat? Will Ortiz steal the limelight on Opening Day? Or could there be a surprise from the farm system or a trade? Let us know your thoughts below. 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