Olt designated for assignment

[markedman5]

Fall from top prospect status now complete.....@ESPNChiCubs: MIke Olt designated for assignment to make room for Austin Jackson.

[yoyomayoma]

I'd pick him up. Give him a shot in spring training.

[pogokat]

He's who I'd target of the recently dumped 1b/3b type guys. Of course, I have no idea if he can actually play 3b defensively...

[MNBrew]

I saw this and looked over his baseball-reference.com page again. Other than a single pretty solid year at AA in 2012 -- mainly really good HR power, decent BA/RBI & really good OBP/SLG in the Texas League, which discredits the numbers at least a bit (remember Lavell Freeman and his near-.400 year at El Paso?) -- he's never shown that much promise.

 

In other words, in spite of the injury that I think I recall, basically he did a bigger Hunter Morris than Hunter Morris did, parlaying a single good year into prospect hype, only to tumble in an Emperor's New Clothes kind of way (essentially screaming "serious outlier") as the following seasons unfolded.

[trwi7]

I saw this and looked over his baseball-reference.com page again. Other than a single pretty solid year at AA in 2012 -- mainly really good HR power, decent BA/RBI & really good OBP/SLG in the Texas League, which discredits the numbers at least a bit (remember Lavell Freeman and his near-.400 year at El Paso?) -- he's never shown that much promise.

 

The Texas League is pretty neutral.

[reillymcshane]

I'd go for the guy. It takes a roster spot - which we have open. Get a closer look at him and see what you think. If he stinks, you designate him at that time.

[jwill535]

Who would you rather see get the chance, Olt(if claimed) or Dominguez? Its not like Olt is going to be 1B over Clark, Rodgers or others.

[trwi7]

Who would you rather see get the chance, Olt(if claimed) or Dominguez? Its not like Olt is going to be 1B over Clark, Rodgers or others.

 

Olt for any of those positions over any of the players you listed.

[Outlander]

Dominguez has done nothing in the minors the last couple of years, would prefer Olt over him. Would actually like Olt to start most games at third in September.

[jwill535]

Who would you rather see get the chance, Olt(if claimed) or Dominguez? Its not like Olt is going to be 1B over Clark, Rodgers or others.

 

Olt for any of those positions over any of the players you listed.

 

For the sake of something different or because you think he has more to offer? I could see 3rd, but not First.

[trwi7]

Who would you rather see get the chance, Olt(if claimed) or Dominguez? Its not like Olt is going to be 1B over Clark, Rodgers or others.

 

Olt for any of those positions over any of the players you listed.

 

For the sake of something different or because you think he has more to offer? I could see 3rd, but not First.

 

I think he has the potential to be better than any player you listed. He was once one of the top prospects in the game. Now the chances he fulfills that status are now slim to none, it's not like any of the players you listed are going to be any good.

[LouisEly]

Not sure how they compare defensively - I assume Dominguez is better - but offensively he's shown more than Dominguez so all things being equal I'd probably go with Olt.

 

That being said, I'd be surprised if he made it past MIA or ATL. MIA only has one year left committed to Prado, and no upper level 3B prospects to take over. He can be the backup corner infielder for a year before taking over in 2017. ATL is trotting out 30-year-old Adonis Garcia and his below-average defense and OBP, and Rio Ruiz has struggled making the adjustment to AA so they have no homegrown 3B arriving anytime soon.

[MNBrew]

Look at Olt's minor league numbers. His crazy 2012 came out of nowhere and kinda disappeared to nowhere -- that screams "outlier." And that great year was at AA. Hello Hunter Morris!!! Trwi7, who cares if Olt was considered a big-time prospect if closer inspection suggests strongly that that was mostly unjustified hype? I'll gladly eat crow if I'm wrong and proves that he should be our 3B, but in 3 years he's done precious little to suggest he even deserves much of a chance.

 

Jason Rogers has done far more at AAA than Olt has done in AAA, let alone the majors. If Olt somehow ends up a Brewer and gets major 1B playing time over Rogers . . . I just don't see how that could happen. There's nothing to suggest that's rational at all.

[jerichoholicninja]

Not sure how they compare defensively - I assume Dominguez is better - but offensively he's shown more than Dominguez so all things being equal I'd probably go with Olt.

 

That being said, I'd be surprised if he made it past MIA or ATL. MIA only has one year left committed to Prado, and no upper level 3B prospects to take over. He can be the backup corner infielder for a year before taking over in 2017. ATL is trotting out 30-year-old Adonis Garcia and his below-average defense and OBP, and Rio Ruiz has struggled making the adjustment to AA so they have no homegrown 3B arriving anytime soon.

 

Atlanta just acquired 4 or 5 years of Hector Oliva. I suppose they might be interested in Olt but they went hard after Oliva in the offseason and made that ridiculous trade to get him at the deadline.

[trwi7]

Look at Olt's minor league numbers. His crazy 2012 came out of nowhere and kinda disappeared to nowhere -- that screams "outlier." And that great year was at AA. Hello Hunter Morris!!! Trwi7, who cares if Olt was considered a big-time prospect if closer inspection suggests strongly that that was mostly unjustified hype? I'll gladly eat crow if I'm wrong and proves that he should be our 3B, but in 3 years he's done precious little to suggest he even deserves much of a chance.

 

Jason Rogers has done far more at AAA than Olt has done in AAA, let alone the majors. If Olt somehow ends up a Brewer and gets major 1B playing time over Rogers . . . I just don't see how that could happen. There's nothing to suggest that's rational at all.

 

Are you even looking at Olt's numbers?

 

2011 Advanced A ball .267/.387/.504

2012 AA .288/.398/.579

He no doubt struggled in AAA in 2013 but then went to AAA in 2014 and hit .302/.348/.585 and this year he's hitting a not as good but still decent .265/.333/.460.

 

Minors career

 

Rogers .290/.372/.466

Olt .263/.361/.486

 

And while Olt hasn't done much in his time in the majors, neither has Rogers. Unless you consider a .647 OPS doing something.

 

And I really don't care where he plays although it would obviously be 3rd base with us since we have nothing there. He's just as good of an option as Rogers, Herrera, Clark or any other player you could think of throwing out at 1st or 3rd base with the potential to be a possible solution for at least a few years.

[MNBrew]

Yes, I'm looking at his numbers. I don't get that excited about his high-A numbers when he's mostly stalled out above AA. And I call small sample size on his 119 PAs in 2014 based on the 2013 & 2015 on either side of it.

 

Factoring in Olt's MLB ABs tells me he's done very little the past 3 years including about zilch hitting in the majors. Jason Rogers isn't anything great in the bigs but he's shown more in his time in AAA (for sure) plus in the bigs (small sample on either, in all, but I'd take Rogers' OPS at 60-ish points higher than Olt's). Olt's good minor league numbers (distilling it to OPS) are weighted in A, A+, & AA, and they go downhill after AA, whereas Rogers' track record is more consistent and he continued the upward trend in AAA, which Olt sure hasn't done (.749 OPS vs. Rogers' .989). Olt's inability to make contact and get on base in the bigs almost make Logan Schafer look like a better roster alternative in terms of the odds of getting something other than an out out of an AB.

[JohnBriggs12]

Who would you rather see get the chance, Olt(if claimed) or Dominguez? Its not like Olt is going to be 1B over Clark, Rodgers or others.

 

I'd rather see Perez get a shot instead of this ridiculous platoon with Herrera. Olt's 27 and still hasn't learned how to make contact. Olt had a half season of playing every day with the Cubs and hit .160. No thanks.

[JohnBriggs12]

Look at Olt's minor league numbers. His crazy 2012 came out of nowhere and kinda disappeared to nowhere -- that screams "outlier." And that great year was at AA. Hello Hunter Morris!!! Trwi7, who cares if Olt was considered a big-time prospect if closer inspection suggests strongly that that was mostly unjustified hype? I'll gladly eat crow if I'm wrong and proves that he should be our 3B, but in 3 years he's done precious little to suggest he even deserves much of a chance.

 

Jason Rogers has done far more at AAA than Olt has done in AAA, let alone the majors. If Olt somehow ends up a Brewer and gets major 1B playing time over Rogers . . . I just don't see how that could happen. There's nothing to suggest that's rational at all.

 

Are you even looking at Olt's numbers?

 

2011 Advanced A ball .267/.387/.504

2012 AA .288/.398/.579

He no doubt struggled in AAA in 2013 but then went to AAA in 2014 and hit .302/.348/.585 and this year he's hitting a not as good but still decent .265/.333/.460.

 

Minors career

 

Rogers .290/.372/.466

Olt .263/.361/.486

 

And while Olt hasn't done much in his time in the majors, neither has Rogers. Unless you consider a .647 OPS doing something.

 

And I really don't care where he plays although it would obviously be 3rd base with us since we have nothing there. He's just as good of an option as Rogers, Herrera, Clark or any other player you could think of throwing out at 1st or 3rd base with the potential to be a possible solution for at least a few years.

 

Olt hasn't done much in his time in the majors is the understatement of the century. His major league career average is .158. A lot of pitchers are better than that. Olt was given the everyday 3B job for the worst team in baseball starting 2014 and couldn't hold it. Give Rogers 3 months of playing every day and I'm sure he'll put up much better numbers that he has getting 3-4 AB's per week.

 

Why is everyone just writing off Hernan Perez? He's 24. He's showing a lot of gap power in the major leagues and should start hitting more HR over time. He's not a little guy either. He's put together pretty well. He makes decent contact and is more than adequate defensively at 3B. Counsell should be playing him every day. There's nothing in his minor league splits that suggest he should be a platoon player.

[tmwiese55]

If I remember correctly we tried to trade TX Greinke straight up for Olt and the turned it down. Does anyone else remember this?

[reillymcshane]

If I remember correctly we tried to trade TX Greinke straight up for Olt and the turned it down. Does anyone else remember this?

I believe that's true. At least, that were the rumors. Maybe there was never really any truth to them.

[brewcrewdue80]

No It wasn't just Olt. But the team asking for his inclusion...I think prior to his Eye problems...is what caused Texas to say no. Melvin smugly made a comment one time about them not trading a certain 3b while he trotted out a Jean Segura who was on fire to start 2013. Olt was struggling bad due to his eye problems and mixed with his talent which was already a strikeout concern.

 

With having Santana I'd prefer not to get another 200+k batter to fill in the lineup. There's still Perez, Segura, Arcia, Sardinas, and even Rivera. One of those slide over to 3b.

 

There's this big rush in here to find are 3b easily forgetting this team has 2 if not 3 seasons to figure this out which will include more trades of ML pieces before that time passes as well as more graduation of Minor League prospects. Gilbert Lara I think if he's living up to his suggested talent will explode up to ML ready. Leave 3b open for him. Go with Perez/Segura/Sardinas as your rebuild guys. Olt just doesn't make one believe he'll get it in time and if you keep Olt you likely lose 1 of Perez/Segura/Sardinas/Rivera to roster him in 2016.

[Bombers]

So just to be clear; we would dismiss a former top prospect, first round pick (49th), 27 year old, who plays a position we have no pipeline with all because of a bad slash line in 273 major league ABs? And 225 of those came in one season so is really the only season to "count" ... Man you guys are tough. This is the exact guy I would claim. But I have zero intention on "going for it" in 2016.

 

Food for thought Anthony Rizzo slashed 141/281/242 in his first season with 128 AB

 

Not all guys toss up a .900 OPS in their first 273 ABs

[brewcrewdue80]

Bombers Olt just hasn't been the same hitter since his eye issue. He whiffs too much to count on him batting above .225 I'd figure. 100Ks/250PAs in 2014 at the ML level.

 

This year at the MiLb level 75/243PAs 9Hrs. Finished the last 10 games of the season at 14-36 to boost his numbers from a .724OPS to .793. Just prior to that he had 3K games in 3 of his prior 5 starts. Lucky timing for him when the season ended. I don't see him becoming a difference maker. His contact/age/power just don't add up anymore. His Defensive WAR was slightly below 0 in 2014. So much for trying to gain positives on that respect.

[monty57]

This year at the MiLb level 75/243PAs 9Hrs. Finished the last 10 games of the season at 14-36 to boost his numbers from a .724OPS to .793. Just prior to that he had 3K games in 3 of his prior 5 starts. Lucky timing for him when the season ended.

 

I don't disagree with your premise, but power hitters are going to get most of their OPS from hitting HR's, and hitting HR's generally come in bunches. Khris Davis is another guy like this, where one minute you'll look and his OPS is in the mid-.700s and the next time you look, he's hovering around .800. Not saying Davis and Olt are the same player, but that guys whose primary skill is hitting HRs have been and always will be streaky. You dislike them when they're cold, and love them when they're hot.

 

As things currently stand, 30 year old Herrera (.251 avg/.307 OBP/.351 SLG/.658 OPS in 521 career ABs) looks to be our starting 3B next year. Hopefully the Brewers have something else in their plans, but if they don't, there probably isn't a lot of harm doen if the pick up 27 year old Olt (.158 avg/.245 OBP/.334 SLG/.579 OPS in 273 ABs) to try him out during the rest of this year. He seems to have more upside than Herrera, so if he shows that he could provide any value, give him a shot in 2016, which should be something of a throw away season anyhow.

 

Of course, I won't lose any sleep if they pass on him either. If the choices are between "bad player with some potential" vs "bad player with no potential" I guess I'd choose "some potential," but I'd rather search around for another option.

[MrTPlush]

So just to be clear; we would dismiss a former top prospect, first round pick (49th), 27 year old, who plays a position we have no pipeline with all because of a bad slash line in 273 major league ABs? And 225 of those came in one season so is really the only season to "count" ... Man you guys are tough. This is the exact guy I would claim. But I have zero intention on "going for it" in 2016.

 

Food for thought Anthony Rizzo slashed 141/281/242 in his first season with 128 AB

 

Not all guys toss up a .900 OPS in their first 273 ABs

 

Food for thought Anthony Rizzo had 650 or so at-bats in AAA and was slashing .340/.405./1.100. I would expect a person with that kind of production to turn it around. Mike Olt has much more pedestrian numbers in his time at AAA and has always been a huge bust risk.

 

Honestly all I need to do is watch Mike Olt and know he would need an absolute miracle turn around to be anything...he is that bad and lost at the plate.