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Steven Ohlrogge

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Blog Entries posted by Steven Ohlrogge

  1. Steven Ohlrogge

    Could Jackson Chourio debut in 2023?

    By Steven Ohlrogge,


    With Chourio off to a great start in 2023. Could he see the majors sooner than later?
    With the recent promotion on MLB pipelines top 100, jumping from number 6 to number 2 and being rated the number one overall prospect according to Baseball America.   Jackson Chourio could be on track to see some MLB action in 2023.
    The 19 year old phenom is having an impressive showing in Double-A Biloxi.  Chourio is sporting a .270/.309/.418 line and he has driven in twenty two  runs to go along with five dingers.  Chourio is also a perfect 10 for ten in stolen base attempts.
    If Chourio continues to be successfull in Double-A, a promotion to Nashville may not be to far off. 
    The case for an MLB Promotion
    The Milwaukee Brewers have been hit with the injury bug this season.  Of course, that has plagued mostly the pitching staff, however one injury that has clearly effected the team is star center fielder Garrett Mitchell going down and needing  shoulder surgery that ended his 2023 campaign.
    As soon as that unfortunate injury happened, Sal Frelick who hit the Injured list almost simultaneously all eyes turned two Jackson Chourio. 
    Before we go and say " it's a long shot"  let's look at one player who recently saw big league time and is baseballs current number one prospect.  Jordan Walker, Walker never saw Triple-A, but made St. Louis opening day roster in 2023.  If you want to compare Chourio's and Walkers Double A lines.  Walker's in 2022 .306/.388/.510.  He smashed 19 homeruns and drove in 68 runs.  This all happened in 119 games.
    Through just 34 games Chourio is on pace to match what Walker did in 2022.  The plus side to Chourio is he also plays elite defense.  In 2022 he won the Milb Gold Glove award.  Chourio has alot to learn, but his quick climb throughout the minors is making it seem like anything can happen.  All we fans can do is just root for him and see what September holds.
  2. Steven Ohlrogge
    With 2023 spring training baseball well underway, as we can start to smell the freshly cut grass of American Family Field we are heading towards another phase of Spring cuts. The Milwaukee Brewers just made their first round of assigning some hopeful names back to minor league camp.
    Now that the decision making is starting to come down, one big question on this Brewers squad is who will man the final bullpen spots?
    Currently for Milwaukee the potential locks are Devin Williams, Matt Bush, Justin Wilson, Pete Strzlecki, and possibly Ethan Small. However, we will be focusing on two intriguing arms that have great upside and one is in a unique situation of his own.
    Gus Varland vs Abner Uribe for a bullpen spot.
    Both arms have shown signs of potential thus far in the Cactus league.  Varland, whom Milwaukee selected in the MLB portion of this year's Rule 5 draft previously played in the L.A Dodgers organization and needs to make the 26 man roster in order to remain with the Brewers.
    In 2022, Varland spent the season in Double A and posted an era of 6.11 he struck out 85 batters in 70 innings. Varland had an impressive 10.89 K/9 and averaged 4.71 BB/9. Varland's average velocity on his fastball is around 98 mph, however we all know that velocity doesn't get you as far as it used to against big leaguers. So far in Spring training, Varland has posted an era of 6.00 and struck out 5 batters in 3 innings. 
    Varland seems to have struggled against hitters who are not yet at peak season form this early into camp. Of course, this is a small sample size, but with spring cuts coming these results don't fare to well.  The fact that he needs to be added to the 26 man roster may be his only hope of making the roster if he doesn't turn it around soon.
    This next guy has been lighting up the radar gun quite literally and figuratively and has a great chance at cracking the Opening Day roster. Abner Uribe is known for hitting 103 mph and owns a 99 mph sinker and could potentially become the next Emanuel Clase if he can put it all together. Uribe, who missed almost all of 2022 due to a freak knee injury he sustained from stretching has shown his potential in the 2023 Cactus League. 
    Uribe has hit 101 mph multiple times and has given up zero runs in three innings while striking out four. For comparison, we will look at his 2021 season where Uribe held an era of 4.01 at single A Carolina. In 33.2 innings, Uribe struck out 52 hitters. He held his opponents to a .195 batting average. With a 13.9 K/9 Uribe arrived in the spotlight of many baseball fans. One concerning factor for Uribe is his BB/9, while he did have an impressive 2021 campaign, Uribe also held a 6.68 BB/9 Uribe walked 25 batters in his 33.2 innings. 
    If Uribe can learn to control his pitches he has the potential to one day give the Brewers another dominant back end of the bullpen like they had just a few years ago with Jeremy Jeffress and Josh Hader holding down the later innings.
    Between Varland and Uribe, Milwaukee seems to have a nice problem on their hands.  Both pitchers have high upside, but both also still need to battle some major issues in their arsenals.  Of course, its possible they both miss the cut, but we can be sure that whatever happens this Brewers bullpen seems to be on track to returning to its once elite and relied upon form with all of the potential options Milwaukee has.
  3. Steven Ohlrogge
    Garrett Mitchell showed flashes with the bat and bolts on the basepaths when he got a brief cup of coffee in the majors in 2022.
    In 61 at-bats,  Mitchell accumulated a 0.9 WAR. He showed he knows how to track fly balls down in center, displaying his plus speed. His sprint speed at  30.2 ft per second currently ranks him 6th in MLB, the number one spot going to Diamondbacks young stud Corbin Carroll, who has a 30.7 ft per second ranking.  Mitchell trails by a mere half-point difference.
    He managed a perfect 8 for 8 in stolen base attempts using his demon speed. It only takes Mitchell 4.01 seconds to reach first base from home plate. This will surely cost some unlucky infielders some errors knowing they have almost no time to get a good throw off to first.
    Mitchell managed a respectable line of .312/.373/.459 in 2022. He hit two homers and drove in 9 runs in 28 games.  After seeing a brief glimpse of a young star in the making, what could a full season of production look like for Garrett Mitchell?
    To start, we should dive into his minor league stats before his jump to the MLB. In 2022, across three leagues (Rookie ball, Double-A, and Triple-A. Mitchell produced at a .287/.377/.426 with five homers and 34 RBI.  Mitchell may not become a 30/30 player in the bigs since he never really has shown much pop, but there is something that could make Mitchell an extremely valuable player.
    We discussed earlier in the article about his speed, but knowing what he did in 2022, was his perfect 8 for 8 in bags stolen a fluke, or can Mitchell accomplish something special on the bases? Mitchell showed off his thieving skills during his 2022 season across three leagues, snagging 17 bases and was caught just once. He is a very gifted base runner. Not only could his base-stealing abilities come in handy, but he could also turn most of his base hits into extra ones.  In 2022, Mitchell's batted ball velocity averaged 92.9 mph, with a maximum velocity of 122.4.  If Mitchell focuses on hitting the ball a tad softer, it could allow him to take that extra base on his would-be singles.
    Knowing Mitchell's strengths, we can now have a little fun predicting what his 2023 line could look like. If he stays healthy, hits the field regularly, and gets his 41.2 strikeout percentage down, he could have a decent year.  
    Assuming he is the leadoff hitter, we can safely predict a line of .265/.324/.462, 12 homers, and 65 RBIs. He should, without a doubt, have no trouble swiping 30 bases if he can get on base consistently.
    2023 will be an interesting season for Milwaukee, and here's to Mitchell becoming a star of the future for a hopeful playoff contender.
  4. Steven Ohlrogge
    The news About Aaron Ashby being sidelined due to shoulder fatigue is not a good sign for this Brewers team who will hope to compete for the National League Central this upcoming season.
    Milwaukee will need all they can get in available arms if they hope to dethrone the reigning NL Central champion St. Louis Cardinals.
    We have yet to determine how serious this situation could be for Ashby, but this could present an opportunity for a highly regarded prospect to get an extended look in spring training.
    The Brewers recently announced their 2023 spring training non-roster invitees. One name that stood out and should excite Brewer fans is Robert Gasser made the list.
     Gasser has impressed in the minors with his career ERA of 3.67 as opposed to his college level of 4.64; in 2022, between three levels in the minor leagues, Gasser had a negative win-loss of 7-12 but held a respectable era of 3.94.  He doesn't throw hard but managed to strike out 172 batters in 132 innings.
    Now with the unfortunate injury to Aaron Ashby, depending on the severity, of course,  Gasser has a very good chance to make his MLB debut in 2023 and perhaps even grab a spot on the 26-man roster come Opening Day,
  5. Steven Ohlrogge
    The Milwaukee Brewers are in a win-now window. With aces Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff under control through 2024, barring an extension for either, we will examine the potential future rotation.
    The Milwaukee Brewers have some good in-house options locked to be in the post-Burnes/Woodruff starting five. Freddy Peralta and Aaron Ashby have been signed to long-term team-friendly contracts. Peralta inked a five-year 15 million dollar deal, and Ashby signed a five-year 20 million dollar contract last season. Peralta is signed through 2026, while Ashby is signed through 2029. 
    With Peralta already earning an All-Star nod and Ashby, who has an All-Star caliber arsenal, these two will help make the 2025 rotation competitive.
    Peralta has a career era of 3.82 and a win-loss of 30-17. If he can stay healthy, he can be the ace of the 2025 Brewers.
    Meanwhile, Ashby only has one pro season under his belt, and we can only fairly judge his true potential once he puts in at least another full year of service. As of now, though, he owns a career era of 4.47 and a negative win-loss of 5-12. He has 126 punchouts in 107.1 innings pitched, giving him a 10.7 K/9.
    Now that two spots in the hypothetical starting five have been secured. Who will take the other three spots?
    Here's an idea some Brewer fans haven't seen in recent starting rotations.  Brewers fans could see two southpaws in the 2025 rotation if Ethan Small can have a bounce-back year. 
    Small got a brief glimpse of the majors in 2022, a very brief glimpse. In two games, the former top prospect gathered a 7.11 era and allowed eight runs in 6.1 innings. 
    Before his lackluster debut, Small had solid numbers in the minor leagues.  In three levels during the 2021 season, Small owned an era of just 1.98 in 18 games.  He had 98 strikeouts in 71.1 innings.  
    Taking on the fourth spot could be a flame-throwing prospect.  Jacob Misiorowski, the tall and lanky prospect, was just selected 63rd overall by Milwaukee in the 2022 draft and appeared in just two games at Single-A Carolina. Misiorowski stands at 6'7" and 190 lbs today, but seeing as he's only 20, he is expected to fill out and turn into a flamethrowing arm.  However, he will need to progress extensively in 2023 to have a shot at the 2025 rotation.
    Last but not least is Robert Gasser. Gasser remains the only player from the infamous Josh Hader trade with the organization after the trade of Esteury Ruiz to Oakland. Possessing a minor league career ERA of 3.67 as opposed to his college level of 4.64, in 2022 between 3 levels in the minor leagues, Gasser had a negative win-loss of 7-12 but held a respectable era of 3.94.  He doesn't throw hard but managed to strike out 172 batters in 132 innings.  Gasser has a very good chance to make his MLB debut in 2023, especially if the Brewers see an injury during the season.
    The next couple of seasons are quite interesting in Milwaukee regarding their rotation and plans to continue to compete.  We will need to wait and see how the Brewers decide to address the current contract situations of two of the best pitchers in Brewers' history to gauge what the future holds.
  6. Steven Ohlrogge

    How does the Brian Anderson signing effect the roster?

    By Steven Ohlrogge,


    What does the Brian Anderson signing mean for the Brewers?
    The Milwaukee Brewers have inked a contract with 3rd basemen and corner outfielder Brian Anderson.
    What does this acquisition mean for Milwaukee? Let's deep dive.  Anderson, not to be confused with long time Brewers color commentator Brian Anderson, has been a main stay in the Miami Marlins organization since he debuted in September of 2017.  
    In 2019 Anderson slashed .261/.342/.468.
    He hit 20 home runs a career high and drove in 66 runs. This was a career year for Anderson. Fast forward to 2022 and you can see that the injury bug has plagued him a bit. Last year he slashed only .222/.311/.346.
    He hit eight home runs and drove in 28 runs, the exact same amount he drove in in 2021. In those season Anderson played in 67 games in 2021 and 98 games in 2022. The limited playing time obviously deflated his numbers 
    Now that the deal is official we can ask ourselves what are the Milwaukee Brewers thinking?  Apparently, the signing was impacted by the fact that Anderson can play the corner outfield, which means Garrett Mitchell looks like a shoe in for center field.
    Now where do guys like Sal Frelick and Joey Wiemer fit in this equation? With Yelich locking down left field, that leaves one spot in right field for three guys, if you count 19 year old phenom prospect Jackson Chourio.
    Personally, I believe that there is a deal in the works that will involve the Milwaukee Brewers shipping out one of there highly rated outfield prospects with one of our big three stars who haven't signed deals as of yet to maximize the returns (Adames) (Woodruff) and of course, our Cy Young winner (Corbin Burnes).
    With Anderson being a regular third basemen the Crew could slot Urias over to second, but what does that mean for Brice Turang, who is slated to be given most of the playing time there? We also have Abraham Toro, Mike Brosseau and Owen Miller in the fold.  There needs to be playing time for them as well. 
    This signing seems like a head scratcher at the moment, but I'm sure we will soon see what Matt Arnold and Co have in their plans.
  7. Steven Ohlrogge
    This off-season has been one of the mixed opinions for Brewers fans.  The team has made some trades to acquire bullpen depth and one blockbuster to acquire the catcher of the future, William Contreras.
    Recently though, the team has signed Brian Anderson, and they made a trade for Wisconsin native Owen Miller not that long ago.
    With the team already having shortstop locked down by Willy Adames and second base supposedly going to Brice Turang, where does that leave many of the recent acquisitions?
    Luis Urias, Owen Miller, Mike Brosseau, Keston Hiura and Abraham Toro.  All five of these players will need consistent playing time in 2023, but there is zero chance the Brewers will keep five bench spots open for these guys alone so one or two may not make the Opening Day roster.
    Who is most likely to stay?
    Most likely:
    Luis Urias
    Luis Urias is the player that has his feet dug in the most when it comes to claiming a starting job in 2023.  A fan favorite and great friend of Willy Adames, Urias has shown flashes that he can be an above-average hitter if given the opportunity. He broke out in 2021 when he hit .249/.345/.445. He had a career-high 23 home runs and drew 63 walks. He didn't exactly fall off a cliff in 2022, either his .239/.335/.404 line with 16 homers was still a respectable showing. He has a flashy glove to go along with his bat. 
    Sometimes he will get in his head and go on a fielding error streak, but that should improve with time. Milwaukee could consider using Urias as a utility infielder and primary third baseman.  He will get substantial playing time this way, and it will help him work on his defense. He is a pretty good lock to make the 26-man roster.
    Abraham Toro
    Toro is an intriguing candidate acquired in the Kolten Wong deal with Jesse Winker. Toro could either get placed in a utility position right away, or he could be insurance at Second if Brice Turang has trouble getting comfortable. That is a major possibility, but Toro, a switch hitter who hit .185/.239/.324 in 2022 in 109 games played, has the potential to be a big impact player on both sides of the ball for the 2023 Milwaukee Brewers. We should expect the 26-year-old former top prospect to have more than enough playing time during the season.
    Possibly left off the 26-man roster:
    Mike Brosseau and Owen Miller 
    Brosseau is going into his second season with the Brewers. He appeared in 70 games in 2022 and hit .255/.344/.418. He was mostly appearing as a backup option and lefty killer. Brosseau showed he could be a starting contributor at the major league level, but perhaps not for a competing team like Milwaukee.  
    Owen Miller, who is loved just because he's a homegrown talent, had similar stats. He hit six home runs and batted .243/.301/.351. He played in 130 games and had 424 at-bats. With a much greater window of opportunity, it seems that Brosseau would be the better of the two just because he owns an identical line with nowhere close to the number of chances. Miller, however, is versatile and can play all over the diamond, which could help him earn a spot over Brosseau.
    Least likely:
    Now we get to the most apparent part of this article. Of all five players, who have yet to show that they are deserving or ready for a starting or bench role on this 2023 team? 
    As much as it pains me to say it, Keston Hiura may start this season in Triple-A along with the next candidate. Hiura, a once heralded top prospect, has fallen off dramatically since his breakout 2019 rookie season. Hiura hit .226/.316/.449 in 2022 and while he did show some pop with 14 homers, his inability to play multiple positions or provide defensive value has potentially knocked him out of the plans for Milwaukee.
    Finally, Brice Turang. The rookie second baseman isn't last on this list because he hasn't earned his shot. In 2022, Turang slashed an impressive .286/.360/.412 in Nashville. He had a career-high 13 homers and 152 hits in 131 games. He will most likely get the Sal Frelick treatment and start the year in Nashville. Once some things get moved around, we will likely see him get the call in mid-May.
    With all these infield options, the Milwaukee Brewers have an excellent problem. Waiting to see how they decide to shake the roster before the opening day is one of the most fun aspects of a long Wisconsin winter.
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