Michael Trzinski

Last year, the Brewer Fanatic Minor League Hitter of the Year awards mentioned 11 players. Of those players, four of them received votes from Brewer Fanatic writers this year. Notables missing from the 2024 awards are Jeferson Quero (injury) and Jackson Chourio (NL Rookie of the Year candidate). Eight players are on this year’s list, plus six that also received votes from the baseball scribes at Brewer Fanatic. Honorable Mentions Cooper Pratt, SS (Carolina/Wisconsin/Biloxi) .277/.362/.406 with 26 extra-base hits and 27 stolen bases. Pratt was called up to Biloxi and went 2-for-8 with his first Double-A home run in the Southern League Division Series in late September. Brewer Hicklen, OF (Nashville) .246/.363/.470 with 22 home runs and 44 stolen bases. Hicklen got a cup of coffee with Milwaukee in September but is still looking for his first big league hit. He also went hitless in four trips with Kansas City in 2022. Tyler Black, 1B-3B-OF (Nashville) .258/.375/.429 with 14 home runs and 20 stolen bases. Black—who was the 2023 award winner for minor league hitter—dropped off in batting average and steals, but still had a decent season in Triple-A. Also Receiving Votes Wes Clarke, Biloxi/Nashville Carlos D. Rodriguez, Biloxi/Nashville Yhoswar Garcia, Carolina Luis Castillo, Carolina Yophery Rodriguez, Carolina Darrien Miller, Wisconsin/Biloxi Top Five 5. Luke Adams, 3B-1B (Wisconsin) .227/.443/.397 Adams was rated the #6 best minor league hitter last year by Brewer Fanatic. He struggles with average but has some pop and a great eye at the plate, drawing 78 free passes. He also has a Craig Biggio-like propensity for ‘taking one for the team,’ by getting plunked 40 times, including six games when he got hit twice! Tack on 28 stolen bases and he is in scoring position quite often. Ranked 14th on Brewer Fanatics Top Prospect list, the big (6’4) right-hander has a good mix of power, patience, and speed. 2025 Projection: Biloxi 4. Jadher Areinamo, 2B-SS-3B (Wisconsin) .301/.349/.442 The compact (5’10, 180) righty can play all the infield spots but first. For a little guy, he showed some pop with 10 home runs and speed with 32 steals. His 30 two-baggers led the Midwest League, and he finished in the top five in hits, RBI, and total bases. Areinamo is a career minor league .297 hitter. He ranks just outside the top 20 on the Top Prospect list and has a bright future. 2025 Projection: Biloxi 2. (tie) Isaac Collins, OF-2B-3B (Nashville) .273/.386/.475 The diminutive (5’8, 185) switch-hitter has a versatility that could make him an asset as the 26th man on the Brewers playoff roster, as posited by Brewer Fanatic’s Matthew Trueblood earlier this month. At age 27, he is a bit ‘long in the tooth’ for a prospect, but had some solid numbers at Triple-A, leading the International League with seven triples and placing in the top five in runs scored, RBI, and bases on balls. He should get a good look next spring as a major league utility man for Milwaukee. 2025 Projection: Milwaukee/Nashville 2. (tie) Ernesto Martinez, 1B-OF-DH (Biloxi) .284/.365/.466 Martinez is in his seventh season with the Brewers and at age 25, has yet to play at Triple-A. The 6’6, 250-pound lefty has pretty good speed for his size, stealing 20 bases this year. He led the Southern League with 30 doubles and placed in the top five in hits and total bases. Martinez hit 13 homers and at this point is likely to have no more than high-teens HR potential in the bigs. Our Jake McKibbin makes a case for Martinez to travel north with the Brewers next year to start the season in the bigs. 2025 Projection: Milwaukee/Nashville Brewers Minor League Hitter of the Year Mike Boeve, 1B-3B-DH (Wisconsin, Biloxi) .338/.415/.471 The lefty-hitting Boeve is a high-average hitter in his minor league career, batting .334 across 395 at-bats in two seasons. Ranked #8 on the Brewer Fanatic Top Prospect list, Boeve ended the 2024 season on the injured list and only had 342 plate appearances. Boeve had a strikeout rate of 15.8% this year, which is significantly lower than the previous year’s 20.8. His walk rate was 11.7%, almost the exact same number as the year before. According to Fan Graphs, both the K rate and BB rate are considered ‘above average.’ Boeve’s pathway to the bigs will be at one of the corner infield spots and although his defense is decent and his arm is about average at third, his bat will be what determines his success. Boeve hit a combined 15 doubles and six home runs at Wisconsin and Biloxi. He should be a 15 HR guy at Miller Park…er, American Family Field. 2025 Projection: Biloxi/Nashville Thanks to the Brewer Fanatic writers that cast their ballots for the Brewers Minor League Hitter of the Year. With all the great names on this list (and others that didn’t quite make it), next spring training will be an exciting time in Arizona. Thanks to all who took a minute to read this. Please leave comments in the comments section. How did we do? View full article

Why not? What is it really gonna cost the Brewers? Oh yeah, $1882.35. Tellez was a fan favorite and what harm does it do? Rowdy...ROW-dy...ROW-DY!!!

In the first four months of the minor-league season, 23 different players have been named among the top hitters in the Brewers minor league system on Brewer Fanatic as Minor League Hitters of the Month. That speaks volumes about the depth of the organization, which started the season at #3 according to mlb.com. Due to promotions, trades, and injuries, the system has dropped to #17, as updated in mid-August, but still has a handful of top prospects. The six-player list for August Hitter of the Month includes four players that are making their debut on this prestigious monthly listing this year, while the other two players have been honored before, including our winner, who earned his second Hitter of the Month award for this season. Honorable Mentions Eric Bitonti (Carolina Mudcats) PA 98, .207/.286/.494, H 18, 2B 4, HR 7, R 14, RBI 21, BB 9, K 29, HBP 1 You may find it hard to believe that a player who batted .207 for the month was among the top MILB hitters in the Milwaukee organization, but Bitonti’s counting stats were among the best in the Brewers system. His numbers included 11 extra base hits, seven home runs, and 21 RBIs, which all ranked first in the organization for the month of August. Bitonti, ranked the 13th best prospect in the chain, is a Cal Ripken-type infielder at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds. The lefty swinger, who has played mostly at the corner infield spots this season, could compete for the hot corner position in Milwaukee as early as 2026. Jorge Quintana (DSL 2) PA 60, .327/.450/.490, H 16, 2B 6, 3B 1, R 9, RBI 7, BB 10, K 11, HBP 1, SB 6 Quintana, an international signee by the Brewers in January for $1.7 million, is a lanky (6-foot-2, 183 pound) switch-hitting shortstop with 50 grades across the board. At age 17, he has time to improve, with an ETA in Milwaukee in 2029. Frandy Lafond (DSL 2) PA 51, .317/.451/.537, H 13, 2B 4, 3B 1, HR 1, R 11, RBI 8, BB 5, K 12, HBP 5, SB 5 Outfielder Lafond has played all three garden spots, but mostly center field and right field. The 6-foot-1, 180 pound righty hitter and fielder had a great August for ‘Cerveceros Dos.’ Frandy has three home runs and 15 stolen bases on the year, which both rank third on the team. He is only 17 and hopes to see Brew Town in 2028 or 2029. Watch some video of Lafond here. Moises Polanco (DSL 2) PA 50, .368/.520/.474, H 14, 2B 4, R 11, RBI 6, BB 10, K 6, HBP 2, SB 9 Polanco (5-foot-10, 150-pounds) has split time between 2B and SS this year but has committed 11 errors in 146 chances for a fielding percentage of .925, which needs improvement. The part of the righty-hitting Polanco’s game that does not need improvement is his base stealing ability. So far this season, Polanco has pilfered 23 bases in 28 attempts. Francisco Mejía (Nashville Sounds) PA 68, .365/.412/.619, H 23, 2B 4, HR 4, R 9, RBI 8, BB 5, K 14 Mejia is not a prospect at age 28 but offers the Brewers organizational depth at catcher and would be a top-rate emergency call-up to Milwaukee if needed, as the switch-hitter has over 1,000 major league at-bats with three big league teams. Signed as free agent in January, he does not have a great arm (17% CS this year) but shows some pop with nine homers in 299 at-bats at Nashville. August Player of the Month Mike Boeve (Biloxi Shuckers) PA 53, .400/.491/.667, H 18, 2B 3, HR 3, R 10, RBI 8, BB 7, K 8, HBP 1, SB 1 Boeve (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) is the #11 prospect for the Brewers and is having an outstanding season between Single-A Wisconsin and Double-A Biloxi. The southpaw’s slash line of .338/.415/.471 is one of the best in the Brewers farm system. He is a contact hitter who could hit 15 homers in the bigs. Boeve has played mostly at the infield corners this year. Boeve was placed on the injured list on August 20, so his month was even more impressive since he missed 10 days of action. Let us know how we did on our rankings in the comment section. Thanks for reading! View full article

my bad...good catch.

Probably...my bad.

This article discusses some of the best drafts, 1970-2015 inclusive. How many players in the 2024 draft class might find their names on these lists 20 years from now? Image courtesy of © RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports This weekend, the 2024 MLB Draft will take place July 14-16 in Fort Worth, Texas, in conjunction with the All-Star Game played at Globe Life Field in neighboring Arlington. This is the final of a three-part series discussing past Brewers drafts. Today, we look at the top drafts in Milwaukee Brewers history. I will discuss and list the top individual players, the top drafts by number of players that made it to ‘The Show,’ and the top drafts by ‘Wins Above Replacement (WAR). Note: Only drafts from 1970-2015 are considered. Numbers in parentheses indicate round drafted. TOP DRAFTS BY PLAYER 1973 Robin Yount (1) was the only player drafted to play in the majors, but his career made this an outstanding draft year. 1977 Paul Molitor (1) played 15 years with Milwaukee and three each with Toronto and Minnesota. Other players drafted were outfielder Kevin Bass (2), who only played 18 games for Milwaukee before he was traded in 1982 to Houston in the Don Sutton deal. Left-handed pitcher Dave LaPoint (10) was involved in the huge trade that brought Rollie Fingers, Ted Simmons, and Pete Vuckovich to Milwaukee in 1980. 2005 Ryan Braun (1) had an excellent 14-year career with the Brewers despite a year in which he was found guilty of using PEDs, casting a huge cloud over the Californian’s career, and outfielder Michael Brantley had a solid career after being traded from Milwaukee to Cleveland. 1986 Infielder/outfielder Gary Sheffield (1) spent only four years in Milwaukee but had a remarkable 22-year career with seven other teams, hitting 509 home runs. Outfielder Darryl Hamilton spent seven years in Milwaukee during a 13-year career. 2004 Yovani Gallardo (2) won 89 games for Milwaukee during eight years in Brew City and added another 32 victories for four other teams in a 12-year career. Lorenzo Cain (17) played one year for the Brewers before a trade to the Royals saw him spend seven years in Kansas City. He returned to Milwaukee in 2018 as a free agent and played into 2022 before being released. TOP DRAFTS BY THE NUMBER OF PLAYERS THAT PLAYED IN THE MAJORS 2009 Eight players, including Right-handed pitcher Mike Fiers (22), second baseman Ryan Gennett, aka ‘Scooter,’ outfielder Khris Davis, and left-handed pitcher Caleb Thielbar, who never pitched for Milwaukee but is still working games for Minnesota in 2024. 1993 Eight players, including shortstop Mark Loretta (7), right-handed pitcher Jeff D’Amico (1), and utilityman Brian Banks (2). Left-handed pitcher Kelly Wunsch never played for Milwaukee—he was granted free agency after six minor league seasons—but was fifth in AL ROY voting in 2000 for the White Sox. Outfielder Todd Dunn only played 50 games for Milwaukee. Infielder Danny Klassen was selected in the 1997 expansion draft by Arizona. 2011 Eight players, including right-handed pitchers Jacob Barnes (14), Taylor Jungmann (1), Jorge Lopez (2)—pitching for the Cubs this year, left-handed pitcher Jed Bradley (1), and first baseman Nick Ramirez (4), who switched to the mound and is a pitcher for the Dodgers this year. Five drafts had seven players each reach the big leagues: 1974 Right-handed pitcher Moose Haas (2), second baseman Jimmy Gantner (12), and left-handed pitcher Jerry Augustine (15) highlight that draft year. 1987 Shortstop Bill Spiers (1), right-handed pitchers Jaime Navarro (3), Steve Sparks (5), outfielder Troy O’Leary (13), and Jeromy Burnitz (24) are the top players in this solid draft class. 2005 See previous section. Right-handed pitchers Jake Arrieta (24) and Andrew Bailey (16) were two ‘that got away.' 2001 Shortstop JJ Hardy (2) and right-handed pitcher Tim Dillard (15) were drafted as a catcher, and left-handed pitcher Manny Parra (26) led this class. 2007 Third-round pick catcher Jonathan Lucroy was the only big name, but outfielder Matt LaPorta (1) went to Cleveland in the trade that brought the Brewers CC Sabathia. TOP DRAFTS BY WINS ABOVE REPLACEMENT (WAR) 1973 (77.4) Thank you, Robin Yount, who scored all the WAR. 1977 (58.9) Paul Molitor accumulated 59.9 WAR. 2005 (47.4) Ryan Braun scored 47.1 of the WAR for this draft class. 1974 (42.3) Jim Gantner (22.4) and Moose Haas (15.7) did most of the heavy lifting for this group. 1987 (30.4) Jeromy Burnitz notched 15.7 WAR for this class. Note: the numbers above only include WAR achieved in a Brewer uniform. Thank you for reading this article. It was a good chance for an old guy like me to reminisce and an opportunity for some readers to learn about Brewer's history. PART 1: The Worst Drafts PART 2: The Ones That Got Away View full article

One weekend from now the 2024 MLB Draft will take place July 14-16 in Fort Worth, Texas in conjunction with the All-Star game being played at Globe Life Field in neighboring Arlington. This is the second of a three-part series discussing past Brewers drafts. Today, we look at 12 top players who ‘got away’ from the Brewers, who were drafted by Milwaukee but did not sign. They became All-Stars, 20-game winners, MVPs, Rookies of the Year, and Cy Young winners. Unfortunately, none of these accolades happened with these players in Brewer jerseys. 1. Jason Giambi, 1B-DH Giambi was a 3B/SS/P at South Hills HS in West Covina, California, and was drafted in the 43rd round by the Brewers in 1989. Instead, he received a partial scholarship to Cal State-Long Beach and was named to Baseball America’s pre-season All-American team as a junior third baseman. Giambi was a three-time All-West Conference selection and was picked in the second round in 1992 by Oakland. His 20-year career was embroiled in controversy with the early 2000s steroid scandal. Giambi’s career numbers included 440 home runs and a slash line of .277/.399/.516. He was a five-time All-Star and was named the AL MVP in 2000. 2. Nomar Garciaparra, SS A slick shortstop who would later play on the 1992 US Olympic team, Garciaparra graduated from St. John Bosco HS in Bellflower, California, and was selected in the fifth round of the 1991 draft by Milwaukee but elected to attend Georgia Tech instead. He was the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Rookie of the Year and was named to the All-ACC team twice in three years. In 1994, Boston chose the infielder with the 12th pick in the first round. Over 14 years, Garciaparra was the AL Rookie of the Year in 1997, won two batting titles, and was a six-time All-Star. His career slash line was .313/.361/.521. 3. Hunter Pence, OF A third baseman at Arlington (Texas) HS, Pence was a 40th-round Brewers pick. He elected to attend Texarkana College instead. He transferred to the University of Texas-Arlington and was picked by Houston in the second round after his junior year for a reported $575,000. Pence—who switched to the outfield—played 14 years in the bigs for Houston, San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Texas, earning All-Star team honors four times. He hit 244 home runs and slashed .279/.334/.461 over 1700 games. Pence was a key member of the 2012 and 2014 World Champion San Francisco Giants. 4. Kevin McReynolds, OF The Arkansas native was Milwaukee's 19th-round pick in 1978 out of Sylvan Hills HS (Sherwood, Arkansas) but did not sign with the Brewers, electing to attend the University of Arkansas. As a high school senior, McReynolds batted .638 with 16 home runs in 25 games. He also pitched, winning five games. McReynolds was drafted after his junior year from UA, the sixth overall pick by San Diego for $125,000. McReynolds played for San Diego, the New York Mets, and Kansas City during his 12-year big league career. He slashed .265/.328/.447 and slugged 211 home runs in 1500 games. 5. Alex Fernandez, RHP The Brewers took a lot of heat over their failure to sign their first-round pick in 1988. The Monsignor Edward Pace HS (Miami Gardens, Florida) product chose to attend the University of Miami instead. He threw a no-hitter against Maine in 1989 and then strangely transferred to Miami Dade Junior College the following year. Fernandez was the fourth overall pick of the Chicago White Sox in 1990 for $350,000. Fernandez won 107 games in 10 years for Chicago and Florida, winning a career-high 18 games in 1993 for Chicago. He won 17 games in 1997, leading the Marlins to the World Series, but didn’t pitch due to a torn rotator cuff. Fernandez had an ERA+ of 115 in 261 starts. 6. Jake Arrieta, RHP The Plano (TX) East HS product was drafted three times before he signed. In 2004, the Reds picked him in the 31st round. The next year, now attending Weatherford (TX) College, he turned down the Brewers’ 26th-round bid. Finally, in 2007, he signed after being picked by Baltimore in the fifth round out of TCU for $1.1 million. Arrieta struggled with elbow problems in Baltimore and was traded to the Cubs during his fourth season. With the Cubs, he was arguably the best pitcher in baseball in 2015-2016, winning a combined 40 games for Chicago. His 22 wins led all of baseball in 2015, and he won the NL Cy Young. The following year, he was named to the All-Star team for the only time. Arrieta won 115 games over his 12-year career with Baltimore, Chicago, Philadelphia, and San Diego. 7. Matt Morris, RHP The righty pitcher from southern New York was drafted by Milwaukee in the 26th round of the 1992 draft but elected to matriculate to Seton Hall. In 1995, Morris was tabbed as the 12th overall pick by the St. Louis Cardinals in the first round. He made it to the majors in less than two years and had an excellent 11-year career, pitching for the Cards, San Francisco, and Pittsburgh. Morris was a two-time All-Star, leading the NL with 22 victories in 2001. Overall, he won 121 games, fashioned an ERA of 3.98, and had an ERA+ of 107. 8. Don Slaught, C The Brewers drafted Slaught in the 20th round in 1979. Named to the College All-Star team, he did not sign and was picked by the Kansas City Royals in the seventh round in 1980. Slaught ended up being somewhere between a starter and a backup catcher, averaging 83 games and 254 ABs during his 16-year career, playing for Kansas City, Texas, New York (Yankees), Pittsburgh, California, Chicago (White Sox), and San Diego. Slaught's career slash line was .283/.338/.412, including 77 home runs. He hit .300 or better in six seasons and had a minimum of 200 ABs. 9. Carlos Rodon, LHP Named as the Tri-Nine Conference Player of the Year for Holly Springs (NC) HS, Rodon went 23-2 as a three-year starting pitcher. He was chosen by the Brewers in the 16th round of the 2011 draft but elected not to sign because of the low draft slot. Instead, he attended North Carolina State and won 25 games for the Wolfpack in three years. He was picked third overall in the 2014 draft by the Chicago White Sox and was given a signing bonus of $6.5 million. Rodon pitched for Chicago from 2015-2021, signed with San Francisco as a free agent in 2022, signed with the Yankees in 2023, and is still pitching for them in 2024. He was an All-Star in 2021 and 2022 and finished in the top 6 for Cy Young voting. He has 68 wins and an ERA+ of 106 in his ten years. He is only 31 years old and is signed through 2028. 10. Tim Teufel, 2B Teufel was another ‘three-draft’ player. As a student-athlete at St. Petersburg (FL) College, he was tabbed in the 16th round by Milwaukee in 1978, in the third round by the Chicago White Sox the following year out of Clemson, and finally in 1980 by the Minnesota Twins in the second round. He signed with the Twins and was fourth in the AL ROY voting in 1984. He was traded to the New York Mets after three years in Minnesota and spent six years with New York before being traded to San Diego. Teufel played three years in San Diego before retiring. His 11-year career included a slash line of .254/.336/.404 across 3100 ABs. 11. Jonathan India, 2B The Brewers tabbed the shaggy-haired infielder in the 26th round in 2015 out of American Heritage HS (Delray Beach, FL) but did not sign. After playing three years at the University of Florida, he was plucked fifth overall in 2018 by Cincinnati for $5.2 million. India was the NL ROY in 2021, slashing .269/.376/.459 with 21 home runs. He is signed with the Reds through 2025. 12. Garrett Crochet, LHP It is with a bit of irony that a player the Brewers are possibly looking for in a trade in 2024 was drafted by that team in 2017 in the 34th round out of Ocean Springs (MS) HS. Crochet elected not to sign and was taken 11th overall three years later by the White Sox. The southpaw is in his fourth season with Chicago and his first year as a starter. As of late June, he leads the AL in strikeouts. The White Sox are terrible this year and might be willing to deal with Crochet, one of their few trade pieces. The cost will be high, but he could be a pitcher who can help the Brewers deep into the post-season. Baseball teams don’t always get their man in the draft; every team has stories like the ones above. It is fun to say ‘what could have happened,’ but there are always star players that just got away. Part 1: The Worst Drafts Part 3: The Best Drafts (July 13) View full article

2019 was a disaster of a draft, although wasn't it bad for all? Either way - the best players are not in the organization (Hamilton and Kelly). D. Miller could become a MLBer maybe. And Jeferson Figueroa, Nick Kahle and Nick Bennet are the only draft picks (4) still in the organization a mere 5 years later. That is very bad as a draft class. Kahle, Bennett, and Miller are still in the organization. What if they become solid players? We just don't know yet.

I only went until 2015 because every draft beyond that has a potential for players to succeed.

I remember JM and Neugy. Was hoping for better, too.

Two weeks from now, the 2024 MLB Draft will take place July 14-16 in Fort Worth, Texas, in conjunction with the All-Star game being played at Globe Life Field in neighboring Arlington. As a lead-up to the big event, we're examining the Crew's draft history. Image courtesy of © Milwaukee Journal Sentinel files / USA TODAY NETWORK The Milwaukee Brewers have the 17th pick in the first round, along with the 34th pick in the competitive balance round ‘A,’ acquired from Baltimore in the Corbin Burnes trade. In the second round, they have the 57th overall pick. The Brewers also have the 67th overall in the Competitive balance round ‘B.’ They have the 93rd overall pick in the third round and the 123rd in the fourth round. In the fifth round, Milwaukee has the 156th overall pick. For the remaining 15 rounds, Milwaukee will have the 17th pick in each round. Some of the top prospects this year are 3B/OF Charlie Condon (Georgia), 2B Travis Bazzana (Oregon State), RHP Chase Burns (Wake Forest), 1B Nick Kurtz (Wake Forest), and 1B/LHP Jac Caglianone (Florida). Brewer Fanatic writer Jamie Cameron has compiled a 2024 MLB Mock Draft Consensus Board, including rankings from MLB Pipeline, ESPN, The Athletic, and others. This is the first of a three-part series discussing past Brewers drafts. Today, we look at five of the ‘worst’ drafts in Milwaukee’s draft history. 1975 The 1975 draft leads the list. The Brewers chose 22 players, 13 high schoolers, and nine college players. This was the only draft from 1970-2010 that did not have a single player who reached the major leagues in a Brewers uniform, although an asterisk comes attached to this draft. The Brewers chose pitcher Bob Stoddard in the 19th round but did not sign with Milwaukee. In 1976, he was picked in the January secondary draft by Atlanta and in the June secondary draft by Oakland, but he did not sign with either club. Finally, he signed with Seattle as a 10th-round pick in the 1978 June draft. He pitched for seven years in the bigs with four different clubs from 1981-87. Here are the Brewers top five picks from 1975: #1 LHP Rick O’Keeffe, Yorktown HS (Yorktown Heights, NY) Scouted by roughly 20 big league teams, the 6-foot-6, 225-pounder was the fifth selection overall in the draft, picked ahead of Rick Cerone, Clint Hurdle, and Dale Berra. In his senior year, he pitched three no-hitters, had an ERA of 0.83, and struck out 114 batters in 59 innings. O’Keeffe also batted .426 with five home runs. He spent two seasons at Single-A and was traded to the Cincinnati organization for Mike Caldwell and another player in June 1977. O’Keeffe spent five years in the Reds chain before being released in early 1982. He missed all of 1983 with a bum elbow, which required surgery. He tried to make a comeback in 1984 in the Mets chain and pitched in seven games before calling it quits. #2 C Chuck Ross, Tates Creek HS (Lexington, KY) The left-handed batting Ross hit .438 in his senior year and turned down a scholarship at the University of Kentucky to sign a five-figure bonus with the Brewers. He played well in his first season at low-A Newark, slashing .271/.416/.338, earning a promotion the next year to Single-A Burlington in the Midwest League. Ross spent the next two years at that level before being promoted to Double-A Holyoke in 1978. After batting only .177/.283/.237 in a backup role at Holyoke, Ross was traded to the Baltimore organization in January 1979. He played the entire season at Single-A Miami and was a teammate of Cal Ripken, Jr. Ross slashed .237/.317/.309 with only two home runs. He was released after the season and called it a career after five pro seasons, never reaching higher than Double-A. #3 RHP Alvin Edge, Crawford HS (San Diego, CA) Not to be confused with Butch Edge, a Brewer pick from the previous year, Alvin Edge threw a no-hitter in his senior year. He spent four seasons at the lower levels of the Brewer organization, spending parts of three years at Single-A Burlington and even advancing as high as Double-A Holyoke in 1978. The Brewers released Edge after 1979 spring training. He was picked up by the Seattle organization and pitched six games at Single-A San Jose in the California League before being released. #4 OF Gregory Anderson, John W. North HS (Riverside, CA) Anderson was a 5-foot-10, 185-pound fly chaser who had a nice first pro season in 1975, slashing .293/.368/.462 at Low-A Newark. He hit nine homers and stole 26 bases in 50 games. That earned him a promotion to Single-A Burlington the following season. Anderson slashed .249/.333/.365 and stole 26 bases again. That wasn’t enough to earn a promotion, as he played at Burlington once again in 1977. Anderson played in only nine games, slashing .189/.318/.243 before getting released. #5 SS-2B Robert Hely, Fort Lauderdale HS (Fort Lauderdale, FL) Bob Hely did not sign with the Brewers, instead electing to attend Wake Forest University. He played mostly at second base from 1976-1979 and was named to the All-ACC first team in 1978 and the second team in 1979. Hely hit a home run in the Demon Deacons’ 16-2 win over Virginia in the first game of the 1978 ACC tournament. He did not play professional ball. Dishonorable Mentions 1978 The Brewers made 32 picks in this draft, and only one of them (Rickey Keeton) played for Milwaukee. Picked in the third round, ‘Buster’ played parts of two years in the majors, pitching in 22 games in 1980-81. First-round pick catcher Nick Hernandez signed for $50,000, spent four years in the minors, and never made it out of ‘A’ ball. Three players who did not sign and were drafted in future years made it to the majors with other clubs. Infielder Tim Teufel, OF Kevin McReynolds, and LHP Rob Murphy played a combined 34 years in the majors. 1996 Of the 57 picks made by the Brewers, only a pair of them performed for the Brewers in the bigs. Third-round pick 1B Kevin Barker played in 78 games over the 1999-2000 seasons, and RHP Allen Levrault (13th round) appeared in 37 contests in 2000-01. Barker played parts of three seasons for other teams (2002, 2006, 2009), while Levrault pitched for Miami in 2003. First-round pick OF Chad Green was the Brewers' first million-dollar signee but sadly never made it past Triple-A and was traded to San Diego after the 2000 season. RHP Josh Hancock and Brandon Backe did not sign with Milwaukee but were drafted in 1998 and played in the majors for other teams. Hancock died in a car crash in 2007 at the age of 29. 1990 Only OF Duane Singleton (5th round) and RHP Marshall Boze (12th round) made it to the bigs of the 43 Milwaukee draftees. Singleton played in 15 games for Milwaukee in 1994-95 and then appeared in 18 contests for Detroit in 1996. Boze had one save in his 25 relief appearances in 1996 for the Brewers. Top pick OF Larue Baber never made it past Single-A in his three years in the Brewers organization. He was released by Milwaukee before the 1993 season and picked up by San Diego. Baber topped out at High-A and was released by the Padres after the 1994 season. 1997 The Brewers made 53 picks and once again had limited success. Only first-rounder RHP Kyle Peterson—who signed for $1.4 million—and RHPs Matt Childers (9th round) and Brian Mallette (27th round) appeared in a Milwaukee Brewers uniform. Peterson pitched in 1999 and 2001, appearing in 20 games. Childers threw in eight contests for Milwaukee in 2002 and three times for Atlanta in 2005. Mallette made five appearances for Milwaukee in 2002. Bucky Jacobsen played six years in the minors for Milwaukee, making it as high as Triple-A before getting released in mid-2002. He signed with the Cardinals and a year later with the Mariners before reaching the bigs. He played in 42 games for Seattle in 2004, hitting nine HRs. After calling it quits in 2007 in the Mexican League, Jacobsen had launched 186 homers in 11 minor league seasons. RHP Geoff Geary did not sign, instead signing with Philadelphia in 1998. Geary pitched for the Phillies and Astros between 2003 and 2009, appearing in 287 games. It just goes to show that the MLB Draft is often a crapshoot. How does the 1974 draft happen? Number one pick Robin Yount becomes a Hall of Famer, while none of the other 20 players selected even get a ‘Cup of Coffee.’ What about 1984 when only #14 pick John Jaha plays in the majors, hitting 141 career homers? Part two will discuss a few players who got away when they did not sign after being drafted by Milwaukee but were drafted in the following years by other teams and went on to have big careers. It is a case of ‘what could have been.’ View full article

Not expecting a miracle here, but 'five or six passable' starts would help out a lot.

Nice piece, Spencer! We will see Heaney and Eovaldi this week against Texas and maybe get a better look at them.

The Brewers return home after what felt like a big win to salvage a rough West Coast trip last week. They now have to tangle with the defending champions, but they have home-field advantage and the younger manager. Image courtesy of © Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports Returning to American Family Field, the Brewers can take advantage of some home cooking, at the place where they have played .647 ball, winning 22 of 34 games. The Texas Rangers come into town, riding a miniature hot streak of four straight wins. The Rangers have a record of 37-40, six and a half games behind Seattle and in third place in the AL West. The Brewers have cooled off of late, going 5-5 in their last 10 games. Their 45-33 mark still ranks first in the NL Central, five games ahead of St. Louis. The standings are less comfortable than they were a week or two ago, but the Crew is still sitting pretty. Monday, June 24 Michael Lorenzen (4-3, 3.00 ERA) vs. Freddy Peralta (5-4, 4.06 ERA) Hard to believe Lorenzen is in his 10th year in the bigs. After playing for the Reds for seven years, he has moved around the last three years, going from Los Angeles (the Angels) to Detroit to Philadelphia, and now to Texas. He pitched a no-no for Philadelphia last year and has been a solid workhorse this year, averaging six innings per start. In his last seven starts—of which six were ‘quality starts’—he has pitched to an ERA of 1.88 and 1.02 WHIP, over 43 innings. He has changed his pitching pattern, as he throws his four-seamer only 25% of the time, compared to 35% last year. He is throwing his cutter and sinker much more, instead. Peralta is coming off one of his best starts of the year, allowing only three hits in six innings against the Angels last Wednesday. One key for Peralta will be staying away from the long ball (duh), as he allowed four dingers in his last three games at AFF. ‘Fastball Freddy’ is at 54% heaters this year, while mixing in sliders, changes, and the occasional curveball. Tuesday, June 25 Andrew Heaney (2-8, 4.21 ERA) vs. Bryse Wilson (4-3, 4.24 ERA) Heaney is the proverbial ‘tough-luck’ pitcher, as the Rangers scored two runs or fewer in five of the southpaw’s losses. Although he got a no-decision in his last start against the Mets, he struck out a season-high nine batters, helped out by 15 swinging strikes. The 11-year vet throws four-seamers as often as Peralta does, and backs it up with a slider and change. One guy Heaney won’t be happy to see is Willy Adames, who has hammered him for an impressive slash line of .467/.471/.867 in 15 career at-bats. Wilson gave up three home runs in 4 2/3 innings last Thursday, in a 7-6 loss to San Diego. He’s given up five or more runs in two of his last three starts, so that must be worrisome for manager Pat Murphy. Wilson has started nine times and has come in from the bullpen an equal number, but for now, it looks like he will stay in the rotation. Even that distribution is a bit misleading; it counts a few programmed bulk appearances behind an opener as relief outings. Hopefully, he can show us the ‘good’ Bryse Wilson against the Rangers, be it as an official starter or not. Since two of the top three and three of the top five in the Texas lineup are usually left-handed batters, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Murphy turn to Jared Koenig again this week. Wednesday, June 26 Nathan Eovaldi (4-3, 3.14 ERA) vs. Colin Rea (6-2, 3.62 ERA) Eovaldi is a 13-year vet, now pitching for his sixth team. He missed a couple weeks in May with a groin injury, but appears to healthy, and he has had a couple solid outings in June. Eovaldi’s repertoire is led by his 95-mph four-seamer, and his splitter, which comes in at about 89 mph. He throws those two pitches about 1/3 of time apiece, and brings the hook about 15% of the time. Eovaldi is a strikeout artist with decent control. He owns Adames, limiting the shortstop to a .125/.125/.125 slash line in eight career ABs. Rea is tied for the Brewers lead in wins (6) and IP (82) and tied for second in WAR (1.2). He failed to record a strikeout in his last start against San Diego for the first time all year, though, and he allowed five runs for the third time. Other than that, he has done well as the team’s second starter. Hopefully he can get back on track. Players to Watch (Who’s Hot/Who’s Not) Josh Smith (INF) The third-year man is having a nice season, slashing .304/.393/.469 across 224 ABs this year. He mostly plays at third base, but has filled in at shortstop when Corey Seager missed some games earlier in June. In his last four games, he is 6-for-13 with two homers and five RBIs. Brice Turang (2B) Turang is having a great year, and is on pace for a 50-steal season, which would be the first for Milwaukee since 2016 (when Jonathan Villar swiped 62 bags). In the last week, Turang has slashed .367/.406/.600. He's making a credible All-Star case. Marcus Semien (2B) The two-time All-Star and former Gold Glove winner has struggled recently, going just 2-for-22 in his last six games. Overall, he is slashing .252/.318/.416, but he did have a bases-clearing double in a 6-2 win over Kansas City Friday night. His 43 RBIs lead the team. Jackson Chourio (OF) The young phenom is having a Jekyll-and-Hyde season, but the promise is definitely there. He was 3-for-19 in his last seven games prior to Sunday, but he chipped in with four RBIs and a stolen base in that otherwise tough span. Murphy kept him out of the starting lineup on Sunday, but he pinch-hit for Tyler Black and went 2-for-2 with a double. He should be ready to rock and roll on Monday against Texas--though we might still be learning what the new roster and lineup will look like, with Black in the mix and Garrett Mitchell returning to the fold. Prediction Texas is hot lately and the Brewers are lukewarm at best, but we are talking about American Family Field, where the Brewers have won two out of every three games this year. So, let’s go with that. The teams will split the first two games and then Milwaukee will take the final game of the set. View full article

Should Milwaukee make a move now and not wait until the trade deadline? They could really use the help right now... Image courtesy of © Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports When the 2024 season started, Milwaukee expected to have Freddy Peralta, Colin Rea, Jakob Junis, DL Hall, and possibly Joe Ross as members of the starting rotation. Although Wade Miley was injured, he was mentioned as a starter, as was minor-league phenom Robert Gasser. Sixty-four games into the season, only Peralta and Rea have started at least a dozen games. Ross (9) and Gasser (5) have chipped in, but both currently are on the 15-day injured list. Thus far, seven other pitchers have made starts for Milwaukee: Tobias Myers (7), Bryce Wilson (7), Hall (4), Jared Koenig (4), Aaron Ashby (2), Miley (2), and Junis (1). Miley, Junis, and Hall are all on the 60-day IL. Peralta is the no-doubt ace of the staff, but as of late is pitching more like a middle-of-the-rotation guy. Nobody else has stepped up to take the #2 and #3 spots in the rotation. That said, what can the Brewers do to strengthen the starting staff to make it the equal of the batting lineup? Gasser, along with minor league aces like Jacob Misiorowski and Carlos F. Rodriguez, who are close to cracking the Milwaukee roster, should give the Brewers hope for future rotational stars. But for today, the Brewers hope their pitching staff can keep up with their hitters. Offensively, the team is third in the NL with 321 runs scored, third with 565 hits, fourth with 68 home runs, third with 86 steals, fourth with 226 walks, second with a .257 batting average, second with an on-base percentage of .332, third with a slugging percentage of .409, and fourth with an OPS+ of 109. In other words, the team can hit. William Contreras (.309/.376/.475) is arguably the best-hitting catcher in baseball; second baseman Brice Turang is on pace for 50 steals while slashing .307/.371/.415, Christian Yelich looks like the ‘Yeli’ of old with an OPS+ of 163 and infielder Joey Ortiz surpasses expectations at the plate with a slash line of .291/.387/.479. The pitching staff is lagging and needs an infusion of solid starts to help the Brewers cross the finish line into September and hopefully beyond. If Peralta can learn to pitch deeper into games and establishes himself as a staff ace, and one of the young pitchers can consistently step up and be a force, the Brewers would only need another pitcher or two to give them what they need to become a solid contender for the NL title. Injuries or Decimation of a Staff? When a team has six starting pitchers on various injury lists, management needs to put together a patchwork staff or make a deal to acquire another pitcher or two. Here is a list of the six pitchers that are on injured lists: Robert Gasser (15-day) left flexor strain in elbow, return TBD. DL Hall (60-day) left knee sprain, return mid-to-late June. Jakob Junis (60-day) right shoulder, return mid-June. Wade Miley (60-day) torn UCL, return 2025. Joe Ross (15-day) lower back strain, return TBD. Brandon Woodruff (60-day) right shoulder, return late 2024/early 2025. Hall and Junis will likely return to action before Independence Day, while the outlooks for Gasser and Ross are a bit cloudier. Miley, of course, is out for the rest of the season, but an early return by Woodruff in September or October could help strengthen the Brewers staff if he is the same pitcher who made a pair of All-Star appearances in the past and was a Cy Young finalist in 2021. Out of the Comfort Zone? During every season, players are thrust into roles they might not be acclimated to, which can affect their performance. Take Bryse Wilson, for example. He was pretty much a starter before he came to Milwaukee in 2023, taking the ball in 43 starts while making just 13 relief appearances for Atlanta and Pittsburgh from 2018-2022. Craig Counsell used Wilson exclusively out of the bullpen last year, where he was very effective. This year, manager Pat Murphy has started Wilson seven times and called for him in relief eight times. Wilson averages 4.2 innings/start but has a walk rate of 12.2%. Out of the ‘pen, that rate is only 3.5%. But his OPS against is .657 as a starter and .768 as a reliever. Wilson made five consecutive starts in late April/early May but has only started one of his last three appearances. Murphy is playing ‘mix-or-match’ here, depending on who can start. Where will Wilson end up? It seems he will remain as a spot starter for now. To me, Aaron Ashby is an enigma. He has a career strikeout rate of 26.1% but allows hits and walks to the tune of a 1.388 WHIP. He didn’t pitch badly in his June 5 outing against Philadelphia, but he didn’t throw nearly enough strikes (49 in 91 pitches) and had eight three-ball counts on the 21 batters he faced. That is simply too many. He was optioned to Nashville on Friday and will get a chance to stretch out in the Sounds rotation until further notice. Carlos F. Rodriguez (CFR) is expected to be called up from Nashville and handed the ball for a start against Toronto on Tuesday at American Family Field. A great piece by Spencer Michaelis on this website details CFR’s struggles and successes this season. Rodriguez will take Ashby’s place in the rotation, at least for one start. Is he out of his depth? History shows he had great numbers at Single-A and Double-A, but thus far, Triple-A stats are a little less impressive. Brewers fans are eagerly awaiting the arrival in Brew City of one of the top Brewer prospects. Are the Trade Winds Blowing? If push comes to shove, the Brewers might need to make a trade or two. Here are two possible options and one very long shot. Trevor Rogers, LHP (Marlins) The 26-year-old Rogers was an All-Star and runner-up in the ROY voting in 2021. He has struggled to find his way since then, but his last two starts weren’t too terrible. He is expected to take the mound against Cleveland today. Rogers is signed through this season and can’t become a free agent until after the 2026 season. ‘T-Raw’ could be more than just a rental for Milwaukee. Erick Fedde, RHP (White Sox) After a good season in Korea in 2023, the White Sox signed Fedde to a two-year, $15 million contract. He could also become a free agent after the 2026 season. Fedde has pitched well in the Windy City, posting an ERA+ of 124 and a WHIP of 1.184 in 13 starts. Given his age (31) and the fact that the White Sox are pretty bad—no, they suck—this season, the Brewers might not have to give away too much in a trade. Justin Verlander, RHP (Astros) Like I said, it's a long shot. But something to think about, maybe. What Will the Brewers Do? Milwaukee has a few options, but they better not wait too long. They can hope their starters get healthy, their young players live up to expectations, and the injury bug attacks some other team. Or they can be like Monty Hall and ‘make a deal’ sooner rather than later. Faithful readers, what do you think the Brewers should do? Please comment below, and thanks for taking the time to read this piece! View full article

(Pats himself on back) after saying that Ortiz would be the starter at 3B in a pre-season piece :)

The first few weeks of the 2024 season have been completed, and it is time for this Brewer Fanatic staff writer to unveil his Minor League Hitter of the Month for April! Several of the top prospects missed the top eight, such as Yophery Rodriguez, Cooper Pratt, and Luis Lara, et al. Fear not, for you will most assuredly see these names and more in the coming months. But for April, here are the top Brewers Minor League Hitters. Image courtesy of Joshua Sumrall, Biloxi Shuckers HONORABLE MENTION C Matt Wood – Wisconsin Timber Rattlers – 13 H, .283/.404/.457 (.861), 138 wRC+, with 2 doubles, 2 home runs, 8 R, 8 RBI, 10 BB, 7 K. The left-handed hitter was grabbed by the Brewers in the fourth round of the 2022 draft from Penn State. Wood is no stranger to hitting .300, as he led the Big Ten conference in 2022 with a .379 average. And last year, the catcher was rated as the fourth-best hitter in April in the 2023 version of this article. Wood is not on the Brewers Top 30 prospect list, but he is opening some eyes, especially with the injury suffered by Jeferson Quero. He appears to be a .250-.260 hitter, but his 16% walk rate, coupled with his 14% K rate, make him appear as a solid prospect. Wood did hit 16 homers in 388 at-bats in college, so it is possible, with experience, that the power will come. IF-DH Tyler Black – Nashville Sounds – 30 H, .303/.393/.525 (.919), 136 wRC+, with 1 double, 3 triples, 5 home runs, 20 R, 18 RBI, 13 BB, 16 K, 3 SB, 1 CS. Black is the #4 prospect in the Brewers organization, and much is expected of him. His hit and run tools both grade out at 60, but the Brewers need to find a spot for him, as the infield/designated hitter slots have lots of candidates. Black got called up to Milwaukee on April 30 and made his major league debut, doubling and singling in his first two at-bats against Tampa Bay. He finished 2-for-4 in the game, hopefully a positive portent of things to come this summer. If you listen closely, you can probably hear cheering from the Milwaukee fans no matter where you live. OF Noah Campbell – Biloxi/Nashville – 17 H, .309/.472/.436 (.909), with 3 doubles, 2 triples, 7 R, 6 RBI, 16 BB, 22 K, 2 SB. Campbell strikes out a lot, but he walks a lot too. He started the year in Biloxi but moved up to Nashville after two weeks. Similar to last year’s journey, but if he can perform well in Nashville, he might get a look as a ‘super utility’ guy in Milwaukee, as he has literally played every position while in the minors. Campbell could be the 2024 version of Cesar Tovar. THE TOP FIVE BREWER HITTERS FOR APRIL #5 SS Gregory Barrios – Wisconsin Timber Rattlers – 27 H, .365/.412/.541 (.952), 156 wRC+, with 10 doubles, 1 home run, 12 R, 21 RBI, 5 BB, 12 K, 4 SB, 3 CS. Barrios was signed during the 2020-21 signing class, receiving a $1 million bonus. He was one of the top shortstop prospects in Venezuela. Barrios is known for having a good glove and in April stepped it up at the plate and was one of the top hitters at A+ Wisconsin. Barrios stole 32 bases last year for Carolina, so look for his SB number to climb as he acclimates to the league. He earned a recent Player of the Week honor in the Midwest League. #4 OF Brewer Hicklen – Nashville – 29 H, .330/.450/.545 (.996), 159 wRC+, with 8 doubles, 1 triple, 3 home runs, 20 R, 12 RBI, 17 BB, 29 K, 13 SB, 2 CS. The 28-year-old Hicklen was signed by a free agent by Milwaukee last November as ‘organizational depth.’ He is great at drawing walks (15%) and awful at striking out (27%). Hicklen has some pop and could probably hit 15 homers in the big leagues if he could make contact well enough to stay in the line-up. One thing for sure, the dude has some wheels for a big guy (6-foot-1, 220 pounds). He stole at least 35 bases from 2018-2022 (except the Covid year) and has a lifetime minor league success rate of 85%. A seventh round pick in 2017 out of Alabama-Birmingham by Kansas City, the righty swinging Hicklen had a cup of coffee in 2022 for the Royals, but when his four at-bats all ended in strikeouts, they apparently gave up on him. He was sold to the Phillies in August 2023 and lasted all of 36 ABs for Triple-A Lehigh Valley before getting released. Will we see Brewer playing for the Brewers this summer? Time will tell. #3 OF-2B Isaac Collins – Nashville – 23 H, .311/.429/.662 (1.091), 170 wRC+, with 10 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs, 18 R, 16 RBI, 16 BB, 16 K, 2 SB, 1 CS. The diminutive (5-foot-8, 185 pounds) Collins was selected by Colorado in the ninth round of the 2019 draft. After three seasons, whether the Rockies weren’t happy with Collins’ .221 batting average in 2022, or if it was a roster numbers game, he was made available in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft and the Brewers snagged him in the first round. Collins stole 29 bases last year for Biloxi and earned a brief appearance in Nashville last year, and that’s where he began this year. After a cool start in April, Collins got hot and over the last week raised his batting average from .265 to .311. He can play any outfield spot and has played as many games at second base as he has in the outfield. Collins may not be a Gold Glove infielder, but he is adequate there and his IF/OF versatility should make him attractive to the Brewers, as well as his ability to hit from both sides of the plate. #2 1B-DH Tayden Hall – Carolina Mudcats – 27 H, .397/.500/.544, (1.044), 200 wRC+, with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 14 R, 9 RBI, 15 BB, 13 K. Hall was selected in the ninth round of the 2022 draft by the Brewers from the State College of Florida. He was drafted as a catcher but was switched to first base and has shown he is a capable defender with a good arm. Hall could probably play a corner outfield spot in a pinch. He performed well early last year, as he earned honorable mention in the BF April 2023 Minor League Hitters of the Month ratings. Hall is expert at drawing walks, as his 18% BB rate will attest. Conversely, his 16% K rate shows he has good contact skills. That brings us to his power, or lack of it. In 330 minor league at-bats, Hall has yet to hit a home run. The fact that he is 6-foot-2, 215 pounds makes one believe that he will develop some in-game power before too long. Hall did hit five round-trippers in the Australian Baseball League last winter, so the potential is there. #1 IF-DH Mike Boeve – Wisconsin/Biloxi – 31 H, .449/.556/.623 (1.179), with 6 doubles, 3 triples, 12 R, 9 RBI, 18 BB, 12 K, 1 SB, 1 CS. The Brewers second round pick in 2023 is moving nicely up the organizational ladder. Ranked #14 on the Brewers Top 30 Prospects list, he is at his third stop in the farm system. Despite having only 137 plates appearances at Advanced-A Wisconsin, he has not at all been overmatched at Double-A Biloxi. The lefty swinger has a great K-rate of 13% and has drawn walks at a rate of 20% this year, both the great numbers of a superior contact hitter. Other than his hit tool (60) and arm tool (50), all his other grades are in the 40-45 range. Although Boeve (pronounced Bo-vee) is not known as a fast runner, he has three triples and a steal this year. Boeve can play third base, second base, or first base, but might not have enough arm for the hot corner. But if he keeps putting up big numbers at the dish and keeps moving up, the Brewers will find a spot for him, whether it is in left field, first base, or DH. Please feel free to agree or disagree with the rankings. Putting them in order was quite difficult. Let us know what you think! View full article