The Year We have Been Waiting For

[YoungGeezy]

When I really look through our system this is a really defining year for our system prospect-wise. The last 2 years we have talked about being young and not knowing what type of prospects we have but know that 2009/2010 draft classes will be hitting AA, the defining level for a prospect. This year can change a lot. If thing workout right we will have a much better system overall with reliable prospects along with having some fuel for possible trades if need be.

 

If you look at AA the team should be an exciting one that can define us. If spring goes good it should be headlined by:

Hunter Morris

Scooter Gennet

Khris Davis

Kentrail Davis

D'Vontray Richardson

Josh Prince (I still have faith in while many have written him off almost completely)

Shawn Zarraga (still only 23 when season starts)

Tyler Thornburg

Nicholas Bucci

Kyle Heckathorn

Evan Anundsen

Santo Manzanillo (to start maybe AAA)

 

Then outside chances of

Taylor Jungmann

Jed Bradley

Austin Ross

Chris Dennis

Manny Ruiz (I really like if he finds some control)

plus some guys like Andre Lamontagne, Eric Marzec, Casey Medlin

 

With this group I am excited to finally see what kind of real prospects they are.

 

Then lets not forget some young guys who will finally be out of rookie ball that could start to make more of a name for themselves in Wisconsin

Tyler Roberts

Yadier Rivera

Cam Garfield (think he starts in BC)

Max Walla

Kenny Allison (watched him in rising star game and Lo Cain just could get out of my mind)

Ruben Ozuna (good healthy spring I think he could make it, they were very aggressive with him in 2011 til injuries, Seid has expressed much love for him.)

David Goforth

Drew Gagnon

Tyler Cravy (Outside of ERA, everything is pretty wow about him, kind of frustrating haha)

 

Guys can help themselves in A+ like:

Jimmy Nelson

Nick Ramirez

Eric Arnett (hopefully finally clicks and can move quick)

Cody Hawn

Brooks Hall (hoping he can get some K's and groundballs)

 

however they are older so AA will be their biggest jump but this season is a big stepping stone

 

Then lastly you look at all this young talent who may explode once rookie ball gets going. We finally loaded up on young kids and it will be interesting to see who starts to jump out and seperate, Arizona was rough for must but it is a tough transition from high school to pro ball

Jorge Lopez

Michael Reed

Chris McFarland

Joel Pierce

Dustin Houle

Dustin Keller

Jalen Harris

Hitaniel Arias

Jose Garcia

Orlando Arcia

Malcolm Dowell

Will West

Carlos Sosa

and the list goes on with young talent with a lot of potential

 

While these guys do not have much impact on our overall system (trade, top prospects, etc) because it is just rookie ball but because they are young it will give us a lot of excitement for the overall health of the system.

 

Really I wish it was Spring already because this is going to be a huge season for our system.

 

What are all your thoughts?

[TooLiveBrew]

Nice post. I agree that the young crop is going to be fun to follow. Max Walla's a good example of what those guys look like when they can start to live up to their hype or potential just before heading to full-season ball. Whether they have early success or not, there's still a long way to go to reach even just the upper levels of MiLB. Lots of good candidates to follow through the minors on that last list you made, though.

 

Huntsville should see lots of good talent this season, & I'm excited that guys like Rivera, Roberts, Walla, & Goforth will be with the Timber Rattlers. If Ozuna makes it to Wisconsin, that'd be cool, too.

[DHonks]

I am also really hoping that Prince improves in AA. He had a much better 2nd half. I'd love for him to start walking like he did in Rookie ball, but that may never happen. Still, let's keep moving him forward

[paul253]

I am also excited about certain guys, but much fewer and I'm very cautiously optimistic about them. I think Hunter Morris has a lot of potential, but he needs to start drawing walks. On OBP of ..299 isn't going to cut it, no matter how many home runs you hit. Same goes for a lot of guys (Prince, Gennett, Ramirez). I'm really hoping Khris Davis can bounce back from his disasterous Huntsville debut. If Hunter Morris doesn't pan out, I'd like to see Davis moved to first base. I'm really excited about the potential of Gindl and Schafer. Those two, plus Green and Gamel, are going to have a lot to say about Milwaukee's success the next few years. If they can play well the Brewers will be able to save a lot of money and focus on pitching.

 

Pitching wise, obviously the big 4 (Jungmann, Bradley, Peralta, Thornburg) will be really fun to follow. I see Lopez on a similar path as Odorizzi, which means Arizona and Helena this year. Heckathorn and Scarpetta really need to show something this season. Scarpetta has got to start controlling the walks. Peralta did it last season and took a gigantic step forward. If Scarpetta can do the same it would be a real shot in the arm for the system. His time is running out. But I have to admit, my favorite player to follow this upcoming season is going to be Mark Rogers. No time left for excuses. This is his last year. He'll enter spring training healthy. I hope they let him start games and eventually get him up to Nashville once his suspension is up. Like Scarpetta, a good year by Rogers could be a real shot in the arm for the Brewers.

 

I'm hoping good starts by at least 4 of Rogers, Peralta, Jungmann, Bradley, Thornburg, Heckathorn, and Scarpetta will allow the Brewers to start using more higher round draft picks on some desperately needed impact bats this year. Hopefully the Brewers can get at least 1 extra first rounder from the free agency of Fielder and K-Rod. I know I'm pushing my luck by asking for 2 first-rounders (I don't consider sandwich picks to be first rounders). I think next June's draft is going to be just as important as last June's draft in terms of the Brewers hitting on their picks.

[YoungGeezy]

I think the two players have the most to gain this season may be Bucci and Gennett. Both will start in AA at the age of 21 (Gennett 22 in May Bucci 22 in July) which is really young for the League. If they come out and and really perform well, people nationally will start to take note. It is easy to forget just how young Bucci is and has much more potential he has.

By age (birthday prior to Sept. 1, season ends) (If there is no (month) that means they turned prior to season start)
27 Fiers (June)
26 Merklinger, Rivas, Rogers
25 Bowman (May), Burgos (August)
24 Seidel, Howell, Arnett, Anundsen (May), Heckathorn (June), Ross (August), Scarpetta (August)
23 Thornburg, Goforth, Ruiz, Toledo, Miller, Peralta (May), Nelson (June), Cravy (July)
22 Neives, Jungmann, Lasker, Bradley (June), Hall (June), Gagnon (June), Bucci (July) Stosh Wawrzasek (August)

Next real prospects after Bucci's age show just how advanced he is for his age
21 Lorenzo (July) Dicent (August)
20 Sosa, Saba, Montano, Schaub (May), Keller (July), West (July),
19 Pierce, Lopez, Ortaga (June), Perez (July) Peguero (August)
18 Rizzo, Gomez (April)

Bucci as of right now is on the similar path as Pealta where he can hit AAA by the age of 22/23. Most the guys his own age are recent draft picks, or guys who are still in rookie to A ball. Every year his overall stuff has gotten better. More velocity, more command, the abilty to throw more pitches in more counts, and his movement has gotten better. How he does this season in AA at the age of 21 could really boost his stock.

[TheCrew07]

Of course Arcia could jump to Helena at 17, which would be awfully impressive. A latin SS who walked 30 times as a 16 year old, my goodness... the 2nd highest total on the team. He walked more than he struck out, stole 13 bases, hit 6 HRs, and had the highest OPS on the team... I just love this kid and I've obviously never seen him play, and historically I haven't cared about the DSL team at all. The 15 errors in 64 games wasn't great, but wasn't horrible either.

[YoungGeezy]

Ha much as I'd like to see Arcia in Helena I have a feeling they will send him to Arizona to get use to the states and continue to work on him physically. He is very young and physical from the pictures I have seen he needs to develop a little. I have a feeling McFarland could start in Helena. Physically he is ready, he is already a strong 6'0 200. He had top 3-5 round talent and to steal him away from a very strong commitment from a powerhouse like Rice makes me believe he will be placed there (plus with Arcia and Ra Ra Jenkins playing SS at Arizona don't see room.) If it was not for Yadier Rivera I could actually have seen him make the Scooter jump but no need. I have a lot of hope for McFarland even though in the end I see him at 3B as his power continues to grow. Plus he will already be 19 by start of the season.

 

Early SS projection

AAA Maysonet/Statia

AA Prince

A+ George/Shaw

A Rivera

R+ Chris McFarland/Draft pick

R Arcia/Jenkins

[bamberger]

My reason for optimism is that some very good pitching is percolating to the top of the minors. Pitching depth is something the Brewers have never had. Many of these guys have good arms and are projectable, though none appear to be Hall of Fame guys.

In contrast, the handful of position players are more the complementary types. Their best promise appears to be the guys 20 and under.
They need to draft more toolsy guys to man the field.

But it should be a lot of fun.

[paul253]

Every year there are a few prospects I really root for because it would be huge for the Brewers if they have a good year. This year I am especially rooting for a couple of pitchers. Everyone knows all about the big 4 in Jungmann Bradley Peralta and Thornburg, with Lopez not far behind them. But if Scarpetta and Rogers can take that next step forward it would be huge for us. It would also allow the Brewers to use some of their multiple draft picks on desperately needed hitting prospects and it would make it easier to select a HS pitcher if that's what they feel is best. It seems like the Brewers have been a little college pitching heavy lately, especially early on. I really like Rogers and still think he has ace potential if he can just get over those stupid injuries and show decent control.

[narwhalattack]

I also hope that the Brewers spend some of their multiple draft picks on HS pitchers, but what I'm afraid of is that due to the new CBA, the Brewers may focus more on safe college players (as there may be a greater chance that HS players may refuse to sign and go to college instead).