Matt Breen

Congrats to the Royals. I didn't really care who won, but KC seemed like a better team. I'm just happy it's not the Cubs or Cards or Yankees. And I honestly don't care that Yost won.

I would think Burgos could find a better situation than Milwaukee. The club has a ton of back of the rotation types. He seems like he'd be the 9th or 10th starter (Peralta, Garza, Jungmann, Nelson, Davies, Cravy, Wagner, Lopez to start with). Maybe the club feels he can be a long man and can promise him an honest chance. Otherwise, you'd think he could find a team that might offer a little better chance to make the big league club (or maybe not).

They said a lot of the typical stuff, but here's some things that seemed relevant: - Jason Rogers fits best at 1B. Club needs to get him into the lineup more if he keeps hitting. - Khris Davis will be in the line up everyday. - Davis is an OF. He doesn't play 1B. - Improving defense is a priority. - Stearns said pitching is volatile, so you want to get as much of it as possible. - Noted that the world series teams were built from within - orgs created a plan and stuck with it. - Braun is doing well after back surgery. - Brewers won't be chasing Greinke without a major budget increase - Free agency is not a way to build a team - it's a way supplement your roster. Here's a nice collection of Twitter comments from BrewCrewBall about the event: http://www.brewcrewball.com/2015/10/30/9642320/milwaukee-brewers-host-town-hall-meeting

Profar is a really interesting case. I wouldn't say no to him, but I would really do my homework on him, especially with regard to his medicals. Should be noted that Profar has two years of major league service - it's not like we'd get the guy for 6 years. He's actually eligible for Super 2 arby this upcoming season. Still, depending on the cost, he might be a good 'low buy' target (if he doesn't cost that much).

From the Q&A: Counsell was asked about the possibility of playing Jason Rogers at third base and Khris Davis at first base. He said he considered Rogers a first baseman and Davis an outfielder, so don't look for changes there. Counsell added, "Khris Davis is going to be in the lineup every day." Pretty much what has been said before. Rogers will not play 3B, Davis will not play 1B. http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/brewers-david-stearns-craig-counsell-speak-at-open-forum-b99605746z1-338595141.html?ipad=y

I agree with you for the most part. We are several years away from being a contender. So much can happen between now and then, so I don't think getting our undies in a bundle over who the 'future of xyz position' is worth it. Right now, it's finding out who can play, who can't, building up the farm system, adding quality young talent when possible, keeping financial flexibility. When the time comes where we do look like a contender, then you use your financial flexibility and minor league depth to fill slots as needed. No plan is going to work perfect. Prospects fail - more times than not - and you need to adjust on the fly at times. I'm totally happy to add a good 3B prospect, but like what was said, not on an overpay so we can 'fill a slot' for the future. But if the opportunity comes up, all the better.

I agree that you don't need to go outside the organization for pitching - the exception would be if you could acquire a top flight pitching prospect. Otherwise, you have a bunch of candidates of varying quality - time to see what they can do. We aren't going to be good, so we can live with a guy like Davies over the course of the year. Eventually, Garza has to go (hopefully we can trade him), and you open another spot. Plus there are the inevitable injuries that will occur. That will open the for Wagner, Cravy, Lopez, Hader and so forth to get an extended viewing. This will happen in 2016 and 2017. As noted above, if you can acquire a top flight pitching prospect you absolutely do it. This would likely involve dealing established players like Luc or Braun (but not limited to those guys). High upside pitching prospects are something we sorely lack. If we can get more, do it. But I don't want more back-of-the-rotation types. We have lots of those candidates.

The draft pool thing is huge. In the past, Milwaukee rarely ventured out of the slot area and thus generally played it safe with its picks. Other teams would take flyers on guys in the 3rd round, throw a buttload of money at them, and end up with the equivalent of 2 or 3 top picks. Also, guys would essentially hold teams hostage and say, "I won't sign unless I get xyz dollars." Teams like Milwaukee passed on these types - often some of the best players - for fear of the demands. That's no where near the issue anymore with the draft pool.

I think he's a good fit for a team that is trying to contend right now. However, we probably aren't that team. Still, if the club really likes the guy they could put in a bid. If he does well, you could flip him down the road if you don't think he's a longer term fit.

Who is the most likely to be first graduate off the list? Davies is obvious. Cravy as well. But I wouldn't be surprised to see Arcia, Phillips, Reed, Lopez and Hader. That's 6 of the top 10. Wagner is another guy who could go. Rivera is likely as well. I just don't see us being very good next year, so changes will be in the air, and by mid-season we'll start seeing a lot of moves (not to mention injuries). Who will be the biggest climber? Ponce. I just really like the guy and see him moving fast. Another interesting guy is Cooper. He's getting out of the FSL, and if he can keep hitting at AA, he'll get notice. He's a not a great prospect, just a guy who could emerge. Devin Williams has a chance to really shine next year as well. Pitchers going to the FSL can really put up some nice stats, so this is his chance. Who will have the biggest drop? Orimoloye. I think we've just gotten too excited by a small sample (sort of like Harrison last year). His inability to take walks is going to kill him if he doesn't adjust. That will take time. Until then, pitchers will exploit his aggressiveness. Most likely to make a comeback? Tyrone Taylor. Great athlete. He just needs to be a better baseball player. Give him time.

The Brewers farm system was bad because we traded our top prospects AND we drafted badly (I should stress that drafting badly is sometimes not the team's fault - a guy like Mat Gamel getting hurt like he did is really just bad luck). Then we didn't replenish the system in other ways, including not making trades for younger players, and doing poorly in the international market. Escobar and Peralta are the only decent Latin American players (that I can think of) who panned out over the past decade. Ultimately, you need your organization to not only develop a good plan, but execute it properly. Pittsburgh is a good example of team that flailed around for 20 years. Even when they had good ideas (develop through the draft), the team made poor picks. You still have to execute the game plan properly. I think Pittsburgh, about 7-8 years ago, really settled into a philosophy. They look for groundball type pitchers, they value defense, they use analytics (I think they are the most shift-happy team in the league), they value financial flexibility, they build through the draft. They put this in place and have stuck with it. You can debate their success (three playoff appearances - but quick exits each time), but they should be pretty good next year as well. They have five top 100 prospects in the MLB Pipeline, including a top 10 guy, and three others in the top 50. I'm not saying we need to be exactly like the Pirates, but good orgs like them and St. Louis have a definite philosophy. They follow it (but aren't slaves to it), showing flexibility at times.

Umphry, thanks for taking the time to explain things. It helps understand the situation better.

The top link goes to the Steamer 600 section, which (as you would expect) gives everyone 600 plate appearances. Click on the 'steamer' link and it will give you playing time predictions, so the minor league guys have little or no ABs. Here's the direct link: http://www.fangraphs.com/projections.aspx?pos=all&stats=bat&type=steamer&team=23&lg=all&players=0

How are they different? They're not. The Brewers last contending team was built through the draft. Braun, Fielder, Weeks, Hart, Lucroy, Yo, etc. Then they added a couple vets to try to put them over the top. Very similar to what the Astros and Cubs have done this year. But the Brewers are not in the same position they were last time around. You can't just add a Greinke and a bat to this roster and compete next year. There is no reason they shouldn't try hard to move Lucroy and Braun during the hot stove league. One big difference is that Milwaukee unloaded a large portion of young assets in 2008 and then 2011 and didn't have anyone to replace them. Brantly, Escobar, Lawrie, Cain, Odorizzi, Jeffress - it was a weak farm system, and when we dealt these guys it really left little else of quality to develop. What Chicago or Houston or Pittsburgh or St. Louis or KC have done is built a sustainable winning system. It's not like they have a window of one year here, then one year there. They make some moves - such as dealing for Gomez and Fiers - and Houston still has a very good farm system to keep feeding the big league club. Milwaukee never had that. Milwaukee did it right with Weeks, Hardy, Hart, Fielder, Sheets, Braun, etc. They dealt Overbay for young players and opened a hole for Prince. Good move. But then they drafted poorly, and instead of trying to retool by replenishing the system, they continued to borrow from the future to extend the chance of being competitive. Of our 'core' players, only Hardy was ever dealt (and that at his lowest value) for a young player. This lead to a lack of young (and cheap talent) coming up, meaning more and more positions were filled by bad players, or by mediocre players at high costs. We have traditionally let our players get old/bad/injured or leave for free agency before dealing them for young talent. That's a fine line - when to do deal someone and when not to - but we've just rarely done it until this year. Chicago and Houston dealt virtually all their good players once they committed to a rebuild. Milwaukee has never had the stones to do that. Sentimentaility, poor vision, whatever - we've just rarely made deals the past 10 years to bolster the farm system. Chicago and Houston have far better farm systems now than Milwaukee did in 2009 or 2012 (after we made the playoffs). Each of those teams could easily abandon their current plans, but we don't know where they will for sure go. I don't have a problem with a team making a move to improve their club so they make the playoffs. I just don't like how we keep producing teams that, if I squint real hard, can see the playoffs. I want to have a team that's going to be in playoff contention for many years. Sure, rebuilds can go awry. Bad drafts, injuries, etc. That's always the risk - but it shouldn't disuade us from taking that path.

I don't know specifically how these things work, but I believe Steamer is 100% statistical-based. Usually you have all the standard elements - past statistics, age, park adjusted factors, etc. If we look at our pitchers with a track record (Nelson, Garza, Peralta) you can make a shot at how results are reached. I'd guess that they take a certain time frame - perhaps three years - weighing more recent years more heavily. They then bring certain numbers to the mean (BABIP for instance) to help determine the predicted results. Here's a look at the three players: Jimmy Nelson Predicted ERA: 4.26 Last season's ERA: 4.11 ERA the last three years: 4.21 Predicted WHIP: 1.34 Last season's WHIP: 1.29 WHIP the last three years: 1.31 BABIP last year: .285 BABIP career: .296 Predicted BABIP for 2016: .297 So for Nelson (as with the other guys), there may be a look at the last three years (there may be some minor league stats in the equation as well). But if you look at the predictions, and the results, it's sort of in that area of what he's actually done. The regression may be a result of Steamer predicting his BABIP will be a bit worse (.297 instead of .285 - I believe around .300 is average in the league). How they incorporate aging in is a mystery. Maybe not at all. Wily Peralta Predicted ERA: 4.47 Last season's ERA: 4.72 ERA the last three years: 4.11 Predicted WHIP: 1.41 WHIP WHIP last year: 1.54 WHIP the last three years: 1.40 Why he is predicted to be worse than has three year run is a good question. My guess would be that more recent years are weighted more heavily. Last season he had a 4.72 ERA, so the predicted ERA of 4.47 sort of rests between his three year average and last season's results. In the end, the 4.47 ERA is better than last year's performance. Steamer predicts better strikeout and walk rates, plus a lower BABIP - leading to the better (but still not very good) performance. Just a guess. Matt Garza Predicted ERA: 4.45 Last season's ERA: 5.63 ERA the last three years: 4.33 Predicted WHIP: 1.38 Last season's WHIP: 1.57 WHIP the last three years: 1.32 Like with Peralta, numbers are skewing toward a 'three year average', but with some extra weight given to 2016. Using these three guys as case studies, you can perhaps make some educated guesses on how their system works. But it is only three guys, so maybe I'm off base.

Murphy seems like a solid veteran voice that can help out Counsell. I sometimes forget Counsell hadn't managed prior to last year - I think he handled the in game situations pretty well. Murphy gives him a guy that he trusts, and a guy that has been through the grinder over many seasons as a coach and manager.

I think the willingness to say to other teams, "Everyone is available," is a big step in getting other clubs to seriously consider all of Milwaukee's assets. There's a difference in saying, "I would have to be blown away to deal Lucroy" and "We'll listen to deals regarding Lucroy, just like everyone else." The former has a 'I'm not trading (insert player) unless you insanely overpay' connotation. The latter is, sort of, just saying that the player is available at what would be considered more of a 'market' rate - as opposed to some outrageous price. It's not that a guy is suddenly cheap, or you have to move the player, just that the club is open to making the right deal(s).

The hitters aren't much better. But think about it, many of our 'established' players are either aging, had a mediocre year(s) or are not that good. Systems like this usually project minor leaguers pretty harshly.

For those who like the predictions models, the 2016 Steamer results are in (and a lot of it ain't pretty): http://www.fangraphs.com/projections.aspx?pos=all&stats=pit&type=steamer600&team=23&lg=all&players=0&sort=9,d Interesting look at the starting rotation: Jimmy Nelson - 7.87 K/9, 3.16 BB/9, 1.34 WHIP, 4.04 FIP, 4.26 ERA Zach Davies - 7.07 K/9, 3.35 BB/9, 1.40 WHIP, 4.22 FIP, 4.28 ERA Wily Peralta - 6.38 K/9, 2.94 BB/9, 1.41 WHIP, 4.35 FIP, 4.47 ERA Matt Garza - 6.94 K/9, 2.91 BB/9, 1.38 WHIP, 4.44 FIP, 4.45 ERA Taylor Jungmann - 7.69 K/9, 3.90 BB/9, 1.44 WHIP, 4.50 FIP, 4.66 ERA I honestly don't know how accurate Steamer has been in the past, but it's fun to see some of these things.

Buster Olney is saying that the Brewers are open to dealing anyone on the roster. It's an ESPN Insider article, so there aren't many details other than what other places have posted, such as here: http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/10/nl-central-notes-brewers-cherington-schwarber.html This essentially puts Lucroy into play, but as noted, “only in the right deal.” I think that, if true, it shows the new front office is going to be more aggressive about retooling. Not a full rebuild - Stearns has said the club doesn't need that. But guys like Lucroy, Braun, Peralta, Segura, Lind, K-Rod and whomever are chips that could be sent elsewhere - if the exchange is worth it. I think one thing we have going for us is that we don't have to make moves. We can hang onto guys like Lucroy if it isn't worth it and deal him this summer or even next off season. Personally, I'm happy with the (hopefully) new approach. We need to think of 2018 as an opportunity - not 2016. Ultimate caveat is that this is from a writer - Olney may have bad information or just making stuff up. Olney's original article: http://insider.espn.go.com/blog/buster-olney/insider/post?id=11458

Johnson is pretty awful. Sub-par defense, horrible walk rate (sub-5.0 for his career), mediocre power, and he doesn't even hit for average anymore (.250-.260ish the last couple of years). He had a nice year in 2013, but the last couple of years he's been bad. At 31, he's not going to get better. I don't know much about Johnson's salary, so maybe there's a good savings from this, but I would much rather find someone else to take a shot at the position than a guy like Johnson.

[sarcasm]At what point do we start to question if clancyphile is Suter's parent or coach?[/sarcasm] This is starting to give me flashbacks of Ben Hendrickson's dad or Angel Salome's coach... I get it, I get it. Seriously, though - it seems that Suter's prospect status is polarizing. Those who put him on the Top 25 list (myself included) think he is a VERY good one - he was on three ballots, but he got the 25th highest point total. Have there been other prospects this polarizing? I don't think so. We had 3 people give him quite high rankings, 28 people leave him off. Usually in the case of a player only getting three people voting for him, the votes would be low. And usually if one person really likes someone and gives them a high rating, there's not enough other people to boost the points high enough to get into the top 25. It should be noted that we do only have 25-35 voters, so a you're going to run into some anomolies like this from time to time. It's just not enough voters to avoid such quirks. But that's okay, it's part of the fun of these things.

Some notes on our new Top 25. - The infusion of talent into our system is pretty obvious. 8 of the top 25 are new additions in 2015. - We had 48 players on the ballot - usually it's around 60. I think this shows players are easier to identify as quality prospects - a good sign. - The top 17-18 players were on almost every ballot. In the past, after the top 10, you usually had more of a mish mash of players on peoples' lists. I think it's a good sign that we can all agree on these players. - With all the new talent, it was hard for players to move up too much on the list. Three of the top 10 guys were acquired in July, bumping down players who might have otherwise slide up a few extra notches. - Tyler Cravy's fall was pretty brutal. His poor showing in the majors obviously has affected our perception of him. I think it's probably affected Tyler Wagner as well - the realization that guys without special skills are going to have a bit more of a challenge surviving in the majors. - I combined a lot of stats (such as if a player was at AA and AAA). I broke out some numbers if I felt it was relevant, such as Harrison's or Gatewood's numbers between Helena and Wisconsin. - Overall, I think the talent level in the organization has risen dramatically. It's a welcome change from when we had guys like Nick Delmonico as our #13 overall prospect. Please note that all the write ups are my own opinion, as are my predictions on the 2016 destinations.

The 2015 Post-Season BF.net Community Top 25 is complete. We had excellent participation - 31 ballots. Thanks! Orlando Arcia captured 34 of the 35 1st place votes as he nabbed the top spot again (Brent Suter got the other top vote). Newcomers: Phillips, Hader, Davies, Houser, Wang (re-entered) Exited the Top 25: Cravy, Taylor Williams, Leal Number of ballots: 31 Number of players on ballots: 48 Mr. Irrelevant (1 point): No one! The lowest vote total was Collymore with 2 points. Risers: Wang (6 spots), Orimoloye (5 spots), Ponce (4 spots) Fallers: Cravy (12 spots), Leal (10 spots), Kirby (8 spots), Coulter (8 spots), T. Williams (7 spots), Wagner (6 spots), If you see any mistakes, please let me know. I will update as needed. We'll plan on doing a new top 25 right before the beginning of next season.

#1 - Orlando Arcia, SS, Age 21. .307 BA, .343 OBP, .800 OPS, 25 SB (AA) 774 points (30 1st place votes) - 31 of 31 ballots So much to like. BrewerFan.net’s top minor leaguer (again) stepped up his game in 2015 and is now recognized as one of the best prospects in baseball. Already known for his outstanding glove work, last year Arcia hit a robust .307 while hammering out 52 extra base hits for AA Biloxi while earning the organization's Minor League Player of the Year award. The young Venezuelan’s exceptional all around game makes him the organization’s most anticipated prospect in years. Don’t be surprised to see him in Milwaukee by mid-season. Likely 2016 destination: Colorado Springs (AAA) #2 - Brett Phillips, CF, Age 22. .309 BA, .374 OBP, .901 OPS, 17 SB (between A+ and AA) 734 points - 31 of 31 ballots Phillips was the key part of the deal that sent Mike Fiers and Carlos Gomez to Houston this past July. He emerged as a top prospect in 2014 after hitting .310 with 17 HR in A ball. He continued to produce in 2015, hitting .309 between A and AA with 16 HR. One question with Phillips is how much power he develops. He gets extra base hits by the bucket load (64 in 2015 and 60 in 2014), but many of his home runs came in hitter friendly environments (15 of his 16 HR last season came in A ball on 291 ABs, then he hit only 1 more HR in AA on 224 ABs). As with Arcia, don’t be surprised if Phillips is in Milwaukee by mid-season. Likely 2016 destination: Colorado Springs (AAA) #3 - Jorge Lopez, RP, Biloxi (AA), age 23. 143.1 IP, 52BB, 137K, 2.26 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 12 wins (AA) 691 points - 31 of 31 ballots The Brewers organization, in desperate need of potential impact pitchers, is no doubt thrilled with the development of Lopez. In 2015, he put it all together. He improved in just about every phase of the game - but more than anything - seemed to come into his own as a pitcher. Sporting a plus fastball and improving secondary pitches, Lopez needs to continue to refine his command. He was the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2015. As with many of the quality AA players from this past year, don’t be surprised if Lopez ends up in the rotation sometime in 2016. Likely 2016 destination: Colorado Springs (AAA) #4 - Trent Clark, OF, age 19. .309 BA, .424 OBP, .854 OPS, 25 SB (between Maryvale and Helena) 683 points - 31 of 31 ballots The Brewers snapped up Clark with the 15th pick in the draft last June, and the prep star has quickly emerged as the best pure hitter in the organization. He has a mature approach at the plate, sports plus speed, and should move quickly up the minor league ladder. Likely 2016 destination: Wisconsin (A-) #5 - Gilbert Lara, SS, age 18. .240 BA, .285 OBP, .606 OPS (Between Maryvale and Helena) 606 points - 31 of 31 ballots Milwaukee's prize 2014 international signing was moved aggressively by the organization, skipping the DSL and going straight to Maryvale. Lara started well, but faded as the season went along - not a shocking experience for a 17-year old. As expected, Lara was very raw and often overmatched, especially against more experienced players (and most players were more experienced than him). It will be interesting to see where the Brewers place Lara next season, but a year of pro ball under his belt should help the youngster's immense talent emerge. Likely 2016 Destination: Helena (Rookie) or Wisconsin (A-) #6 - Josh Hader, LHP, age 21. 104 IP, 35BB, 119K, 3.03 ERA, 1.17 WHIP (AA) 582 points - 31 of 31 ballots Hader was another piece of the haul from the Gomez/Fiers trade with Houston. The lanky lefty has done nothing but produce as a pitcher. Last season his game improved even more once he arrived in Milwaukee, with 50 strike outs in only 38.2 innings, plus a reduced walk rate. Many scouts compare his delivery to Chris Sale. The velocity is impressive, but Hader has struggled with control at times. Likely 2016 destination: Colorado Springs (AAA) #7 - Kodi Medeiros, LHP, age 19. 93.1 IP, 40BB, 94K, 4.44 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 0 HR allowed (A-) 518 points - 30 of 31 ballots There’s a lot to like about Medeiros. A strikeout per inning. No home runs allowed last year. The most wicked slider in the organization. On the downside, his control has been spotty, and righties have been a challenge. There’s enormous upside if Kodi can learn to spot his pitches more effectively. Likely 2016 destination: Brevard County (A+) #8 - Zach Davies, RHP, age 23. 128.1 IP, 45BB, 102K, 3.30 ERA, 1.36 ERA (AAA) 34 IP, 15BB, 24K, 3.71 ERA, 1.30 WHIP (Milwaukee) 515 points - 30 of 31 ballots Acquired from the local high school team...no wait. Acquired from Baltimore for Gerado Parra at the trade deadline, the stick thin and youthful looking Davies impressed fans and the organization in six late season starts. Davies isn't going to blow anyone away - his tools are average across the board - but he sports a wicked change up and a decent curve that induce a ton of ground balls. Davies' control can desert him at times, but he has poise beyond his high school appearance. Watch for the kid to slot in the back of the rotation in 2016. Likely 2016 destination: Milwaukee #9 - Tyrone Taylor, OF, age 22. .260 BA, .312 OBP, .649 OPS (AA) 469 points - 31 of 31 ballots The golden boy of the Milwaukee farm system has fallen after a lackluster 2015. Many felt Taylor was poised for a breakout this past year, but instead he regressed in every phase of his hitting game. The raw tools are there, but Taylor - who in the past ranked as high as #2 on the BF.net prospect listing - needs to become a better baseball player - not just a great athlete. In Taylor’s defense, he’s young and has been moved aggressively through the system. Likely 2016 destination: Colorado Springs (AAA) or a return to Biloxi (AA) #10 - Michael Reed, OF, age 23. .269 BA, .371 OBP, .781 OPS, 25 SB (between AA and AAA) 444 points - 31 of 31 ballots Reed capped a solid 2015 campaign with a late season call up to Milwaukee. Reed's calling card is his on base skills - .375 OBP for his career. Thus far, he has not hit for a lot of power, but his 45 extra base hits last year hint there's room for growth. Scouts generally feel that Reed fits best in RF (strong arm, good speed and instincts), so his future really seems to rest in his ability to improve his slugging. His ability to play any of the OF positions should at least make him a solid 4th outfielder. While CF is not considered his long term future, some have speculated that a good offseason and spring training, coupled with a move of some kind (such as Lind getting dealt and Braun moving to 1B), could land Reed as Milwaukee's CF for 2016 (until Phillips is ready). Likely 2016 destination: Colorado Springs (AAA) #11 - Devin Williams, RHP, age 21. 89 IP, 36BB, 89K, 3.44 ERA, 1.25 WHIP (A-) 434 points - 30 of 31 ballots Everyone loves to see progress, and Devin did exactly that in 2015. Williams appeared to better harness his obvious talent and blossom as a pitcher, improving in every just about phase of the game. He lowered his ERA and WHIP, while striking out a batter per inning. Williams still needs to work on his control, but it's encouraging to see his overall improvement. Don't be surprised if Williams shines in the pitching friendly FSL in 2016. Likely 2016 destination: Brevard County (A+) #12 - Clint Coulter, OF, age 22. .246 BA, .329 OBP, .725 OPS. (A+) 426 points - 31 of 31 ballots Coulter followed up his breakout 2014 with a mediocre year at Brevard County. But one has needs to take into context of playing in the FSL. Coulter’s 13 HR were tied for 2nd in the league. Still, Coulter’s season can’t really be seen as anything but a bit of a disappointment (his drop from #4 to #12 reflects that sentiment amongst BF.net voters). A move to Biloxi next year should give us a better measure of his progress - both as a hitter and an outfielder. Likely 2016 destination: Biloxi (AA) #13 - Monte Harrison, OF, age 20. .299 BA, .410 OBP, .884 OPS, 14 SB (Helena) .148 BA, .246 OBP, .493 OPS - (A-) 422 points - 31 of 31 ballots 2015 was a tale of two seasons for Harrison. He struggled badly at Wisconsin (an aggressive move), but flourished after moving down to Helena. He still strikeouts too often, but the walks and speed returned (14 SBs). Unfortunately, just as Harrison looked to be back on track, he suffered a broken ankle, ending his season prematurely. Harrison is probably the best athlete in the Brewers’ system, but fans will need to be patient as he learns the nuances of the game - and translates that talent into baseball skills. Likely 2016 destination: Wisconsin (A-) #14 (Tie) - Demi Orimoloye, OF, age 19. .292 BA, .319 OBP, .838 OPS, 19 SB (Maryvale) 340 points - 31 of 31 ballots Milwaukee's 4th round pick in the 2015 draft is about as raw as they come. But that didn't stop the Canadian from putting up big numbers in the Arizona League this past summer. Orimoloye, who looks like he should be a linebacker instead of a baseball player, displayed a nice combination of power and speed in his rookie campaign. While he has enormous potential, he did strike out a lot, and his low walk rate (only 3 walks in 137 ABs) indicates his aggressiveness can (and will) be exploited. Likely 2016 destination: Helena (Rookie) #14 (Tie) - Cody Ponce, RHP, age 21. 51 IP, 9BB, 36K, 2.15 ERA, 1.13 WHIP (Helena and A-) 340 points - 30 of 31 ballots Milwaukee's 2nd round pick last year flashed a mid-90s fastball and exceptional control in his pro debut. Ponce played at a small college (Cal Poly Pomona), and thus didn't have rely on much more than his fastball. Watch for him to work on his secondary offerings - and don't be surprised if he moves quickly through the Brewers system. In our mid-season poll, I predicted that Ponce would be our top pitching prospect by July 2016. With the host of trade acquisitions last season, that's probably a bit aggressive, but barring injury, I think Brewer fans will be thrilled by the big man's production. Likely 2016 destination: Brevard County (A+) #16 - Jake Gatewood, SS, age 20. .209 BA, .275 OBP, .591 OPS (A-) .274 BA, .331 OBP, .807 OPS (Helena) 312 points - 30 of 31 ballots Like fellow classmate Monte Harrison, Gatewood began last year at Wisconsin and struggled badly. A move to Helana resurrected his season, where Jake had 30 extra base hits. He still strikes out too much and needs to improve his walk rate, but Gatewood finally is starting to show hints of being a middle of the lineup bat. Likely 2016 destination: Wisconsin (A-) #17 - Adrian Houser, RHP, age 23. 120 IP, 41BB, 110K, 4.43 ERA, 1.34 WHIP (A+ and AA) 278 points - 29 of 31 ballots Acquired from Houston this past July, Houser impressed the Brewers in his 37 inning stint at Biloxi (even earning a cup of coffee with the big league club). The tall right hander has always sported a good fastball and curveball, but has been inconsistent with his other offerings as well has his control. There's a lot of talent - it's up to Houser to put it all together over an extended time frame. Likely 2016 destination: Biloxi (AA) or Colorado Springs (AAA) #18 - Marcos Diplan, RHP, age 19. 50.1 IP, 21BB, 54K, 3.75 ERA, 1.35 WHIP (Helena) 211 points - 26 of 31 ballots Diplan showed progress in 2016, jumping from the DSL to Helena. He struck out more than a batter an inning, with his mid-90s fastball being is his best weapon. His secondary pitches need work, but there's a ton of potential in the young man's arm. Likely 2016 destination: Wisconsin (A-) #19 - Tyler Wagner, RHP, age 25. 152.1 IP, 45BB, 120K, 2.25 ERA, 1.15 WHIP (AA) 205 points - 24 of 31 ballots The fantastic numbers are hard to ignore, but the concern from BF.net fans (and scouts) is that Wagner's tool set won't translate at the big league level. Wagner has a solid fastball that he keeps low in the zone, producing a lot of grounders, but at this time, his secondary pitchers are only average. A brief 13.2 inning stint in Milwaukee wasn't pretty (22 hits allowed, 7 walks, only 5 strike outs). Wagner needs to refine his command and just keep getting outs. A closer in college, Wagner may eventually end up in the bullpen, especially with all the young arms the organization has accumulated. Likely 2016 destination: Colorado Springs (AAA) #20 - Wei-Chung Wang, LHP, age 23. 145.2 IP, 39BB, 96K, 3.40 ERA, 1.30 WHIP (A+) 154 points - 24 of 31 ballots Welcome back to the Top 25, Mr. Wang! The former Rule 5 pick scuffled early in 2015, but settled in and had a solid year in the FSL. It's hard to imagine, but Wang had less than 100 IP in his career coming into 2015, so his production was a good step in his development. Likely 2016 destination: Biloxi (AA) #21 - Victor Roache, OF, age 24. .253 BA, .324 OBP, .763 OPS, 18 HR (A+ and AA) 153 points - 23 of 31 ballots Roache rebounded from a poor 2014 to put up solid, if uninspiring, numbers last year. He strikes out a lot, doesn't walk enough, and plays below average defense. But he did hit 18 HR last season - and power is hard to let go of. The Brewers have wisely let Roache move along slowly in hope that he can take further steps to improve his game, and develop into the power hitter they envisioned when they drafted him in the 1st round several years ago. Depending on the OF situation at Colorado Springs, Roache may end up there, or repeat AA. Likely 2016 destination: Colorado Springs (AAA) or Biloxi (AA) #22 - Nathan Kirby, LHP, age 22. 12.2 IP, 7BB, 7K, 5.68 ERA, 1.74 WHIP (A-) 135 points - 19 of 31 ballots Milwaukee's supplemental pick in 2015, Kirby's rookie campaign was ended prematurely by elbow issues. A fastball/slider pitcher in college, Kirby will miss all of 2016 while he rehabilitates from Tommy John surgery. Despite the injury, BF.net voters recognize the talent - we'll all just have to wait another year to see it in action. #23 - Jorge Ortega, RHP, age 22. 147.2 IP, 12BB, 75K, 2.38 ERA, 1.06 WHIP (A+ - except for 6.0 IP at AAA) 96 points - 17 of 31 ballots Let's start with 12 walks in 147.2 IP. That's a pretty insane number - enough to get some love from BF.net readers in our latest poll. Ortega's game is control. He limits walks, pitches to contact (only 75 strikeouts) and keeps the ball in the park. It worked great in the hitting-friendly FSL, but pitchers like this often get pounded as they move up the food chain. Still, it's hard to ignore a guy that only walks 12 batters. Likely 2016 destination: Biloxi (AA) #24 - Cy Sneed, RHP, age 23. 139.1 IP, 28BB, 122K, 2.58 ERA, 1.13 WHIP (Between A- and A+) 70 points - 16 of 31 ballots Sneed quietly had a nice season in 2016, flying under the radar with many fans as well as scouts. His tools aren't great, but he displayed outstanding command pitching in Wisconsin and then Brevard County. A move to AA should give us a better feel for Sneed's upside, but if he can maintain his command and continue to be a smart pitcher, he may very well have a future in Milwaukee. Also, special points for the best moustache in the system. Likely 2016 destination: Biloxi (AA) #25 - Yadier Rivera, INF, age 23. .253 BA, .298 OBP, .629 OPS (Between AA and AAA) 60 points - 14 of 31 ballots The slick-fielding Rivera started off well in 2015, but faded after a call up to Colorado Springs. Little has changed about Rivera, he hits for a modest average, little power and doesn't walk much. His glove is his calling card, and it will get him to the major leagues. But he's going to have to hit more if he's going to be a regular. Right now, he's a utility guy at best. Likely 2016 destination: Colorado Springs (AAA) or Milwaukee #26 - Brent Suter - LHP, age 26. 118.1 IP, 39BB, 83K, 2.36 ERA, 1.23 WHIP (Between AA and AAA) 57 points (1 1st place vote) - 3 of 31 ballots In a shoutout to Clancy, we add a 26th man, lefty Brent Suter. Suter doesn't sport any standout tools, but has been successful as he has steadily moved through the system. He will need to use his smarts to succeed going forward, but the 'crafty lefty' moniker is not out of the question for the Harvard educated Suter. Likely 2016 destination: Colorado Springs (AAA) The Rest Cravy - 55 T. Williams - 41 Barrios - 37 Segovia - 35 Cooper - 26 M. Diaz - 23 Magnifico - 20 Leal - 17 Pena - 15 Denson - 15 Stokes - 13 Iskenderian - 11 Orf - 10 Johnson - 9 Angel Ventura - 6 Goforth - 6 McFarland - 6 Woodruff - 6 B. Diaz - 5 Mallen - 4 Perry - 3 Collymore - 2 All ages noted are for April 1, 2016, the approximate start of next season.