Taylor Green

[brewcrewfan08]

In my opinion Mat Gamel is our third basemen of the future and I believe Taylor Green is going to turn out to be a very quality major leaguer. Seeing that he would be blocked at third, does Green have the ability to be able to make the move to second base?

[And That]

Taylor Green was drafted as a second baseman and moved to third base last year. He's a much better second baseman than a third baseman.

[JoeHova]

If that's the case, is there any chance they move him back to 2nd soon? Or is he at 3rd for the foreseeable future?

[And That]

If and when they decide Gamel is the guy at third base, they might move him back. However they might want to keep playing him at third in order to get him better defensively and increase his value as a utility guy (and therefore increase his options in his path to the bigs).

[EbbaStClaire]

I saw Taylor Green play parts of two games last year, a game in Lexington ( Jeffress' last game) and a playoff game against the Catfish. He looked fine to me. I also saw him play an intrasquad exhibition game in Phoenix this past March after the Brewers left for Milwaukee. I thought he showed the ability to move laterally quite well. I don't remember seeing any great plays but also no butchered plays. I believe he is playing 3rd base because the WV Power needed a 3rd basement last year and no one else could do it. It seems to me it had to do with Holmberg coming back from an injury the year before and he could only play 2nd base. ( I could be wrong about that but that is what I remember) As I recall they stuck him at 3rd base with no preparation in spring training. I've said it before but I think he is a 2nd baseman in 3rd baseman's clothes.

[sbrylski]

That seems pretty weird to me that he is not still at 2B then. (I had assumed he moved because he was unlikely to be ML quality in the MIF.) What happened to keeping the player at the toughest spot until they prove they can't handle it? Is it possibly because he was such a low draft pick and they weren't expecting much out of him anyway?

[battlekow]

I think it's because they didn't (and don't) know if they have a real third baseman in Gamel.

[TheCrew07]

This might be my doing, I don't recall ever seeing Taylor Green bounced around as our second baseball of the future before posting it yesterday, and it was more an idea that's been bouncing around in my head as I try to project where players best fit long term. I didn't mean we should replace Weeks with him next week or anything like that. I really see him as a capable solution at 3B, I doubt he'd be elite statistically, but he'd be above average. However with Gamel starting to settle in nicely, I don't see why he couldn't move back to 2B where he has the potential to be a monster statistically...

I don't necessarily think that 3B is easier than 2B, the requirements are different at the hot corner as the ball gets on you faster, fielding bunts, and so on. Would Green have great range at 2B? I doubt it, but he'd be a capable defender. I like the idea of him playing 3B until the players above him in the system shake themselves out. I wouldn't mind him breaking in to the bigs in a utility role for a season or 2 either. It's a good way to get your feet wet, if they can find him enough ABs.

It's all conjecture at this point though, I just hope he continues to play well and progress.

edit. Wasn't he a draft and follow? I think they knew exactly what they had but were trying to find a home for him.

[And That]

The official story is indeed that he was moved to third right at the end of spring training last season because WV needed a third baseman and the Brewers thought Green was enough of a gamer to handle it. If that's the whole story, it's a great story. I have a sneaking suspicion that the Brewers may have intended to get Green some reps there anyway, it just turned out he hit well enough to stay there for the time being.

 

Since Green and Gamel might never be on the same team in the minor leagues, it is to Green's benefit to keep him at third base at least through AA. He'll get to work with Don Money in Huntsville, which should be a good thing for his defense at third. He'll probably get time at both positions in AAA just to make sure he can still play second well also.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

In my opinion Mat Gamel is our third basemen of the future

That all depends on if Gamel can develop defensively. Gamel is Plan A right now and Green is Plan B if Gamel doesn't work out as our future 3B. If Gamel does work out at 3B, teams can always find spots for guys like Taylor Green if he hits his ceiling.