Future of the Franchise

[vegasbrewcrew1993]

How does our farm system rank with the rest of league? I know that the Brewers are kind of thin when it comes to future star prospects. I don't follow the minor leagues much, but I know that some of our top hitting prospects are Hunter Morris, Clint Coulter, Tyrone Taylor, Scooter Gennett, and Clint Coulter. What are those guys projected to be? On the pitching side the Brewers have Ariel Pena, Jimmy Nelson, Jed Bradley, Tyler Thornburg, Jorge Lopez, Taylor Jungmann, and Johnny Hellweg. What are the projections for those guys?

[TheCrew07]

We are solidly in the bottom 3rd, which means we are a bottom 10 organization from a minor league standpoint.

 

Real quick because it's very late.. if you search the minor league forum for the player names you'll find ton's of opinions/commentary on them giving you different points of view on each guy. These are the best case scenarios as I see it for each guy, for a realistic projection jump a step down.. so the pitcher is a #2 best he's likely a 3/4, the Brewers haven't had much success with pitchers reaching their ceilings, though we had a fairly good run with Hart, Braun, Fielder, Hardy, Escobar, and Cain... so the positional side has historically done better.

 

Player - Best Case

Morris - Above average 1B

Coulter - Possible impact bat, not sure he sticks at C

Haniger - Above average OF, like a Hart

Taylor - Above average CF, I don't think he'll develop enough power to be elite, but he has the frame

Roache - Impact bat in LF. Huge power but struggles with breaking pitches right now

Arcia - Above Average SS, not sure he'll develop power

McFarland - Above Average 2B, very toolsy and should be a double digit HR guy if he makes it

Reed - Above Average OF, don't think he'll put up the power numbers either

Gennett - Could be a league average 2B, his best tool is the hit tool which is the most important

Gindl - An average corner OF

 

Pena - looks like a BP arm if anything to me right now, hasn't recovered from a horrible showing in the future's game.

Nelson - #2 best case, depends on if the command of his pitches keeps improving

Bradley - no idea, maybe he could be a #3 best case, was hoping he was a top of the rotation guy on draft day

Thornburg - #2 his control and mechanics worry me

Lopez - He topped out at 96 in his last start and flashes a plus curve, but he gets beat around. His ceiling is a #2 but he's a long ways away right now.

Jungmann - I hoping he was a #3 on draft day, looking more like an innings eater back of the rotation type right now

Hellweg - #2... huge FB, decent breaking stuff, poor command... his command will determine his future as a starter or as a reliever

Gagnon - #3 not flashy, decent arm, decent stuff, a mid rotation guy best case

[vegasbrewcrew1993]

Awesome post TheCrew07. That's what I was looking for. It looks like we might end up seeing more of the same if these guys pan out. A team with hitters and decent pitching. Our best pitching prospects project to be #2's at best. That's not a bad thing but it sucks not having a future ace. Most of them will probably end up being 3's, 4's, and 5's. Lopez is the most intriguing one. He's very young and he's shown potential. Maybe two to three years from now he could improve enough to be considered a possible ace. I think the Crew will be able to count on Gallardo and Estrada for the next 3 years. Lohse migh be good another 2 or three. Burgos might end up being a solid pitcher. That's 4 guys right there. Willy is our big hope. Some people have said he could end up being an ace. What is your opinion on Willy? He's pretty young and has shown good stuff.

[TooLiveBrew]

Wily has the stuff to be an ace, but has struggled with command for basically his whole career... which is why most fix his upside at a #2/#3 guy. If he's able to improve his command to even a Gallardo level, then you could talk about him as a potential #1. But there are some that would say that Yo is more a #2 type, as opposed to a true #1.