Your 2016 Helena / Maryvale Brewers

[Austin Tatious]

Wait, Gilbert Lara is 6'4"???

Isn't he 6'2 (and solidly built)?

[Jenkins5]

Wait, Gilbert Lara is 6'4"???

Isn't he 6'2 (and solidly built)?

 

At 16 when signed.....He pretty much signed as a high school sophomore so far from tapped out. You look at pictures and he towers over guys.

 

Juan Ortiz is starting to interest me.

[And That]

Looks like the AZL Brewers' roster has been updated in advance of tonight's opener. Lots of 2016 draftees, and lots of guys on the 60-day DL:

 

Maryvale Brewers roster.

 

I thought Missaki was supposed to be ready pretty soon after the beginning of the T-Rats' season this year. Let's see if he gets some work down in Arizona.

 

Carlos Luna also (still?) finds himself on the 60-day DL. Not good.

[Mass Haas]

Weston Wilson excited to begin professional career with Brewers organization

By Dan Hope of the Independent Mail (Anderson, SC)

 

http://media.jrn.com/images/660*519/D0013001821--711265.JPG

 

Former Clemson infielder Weston Wilson has taken his game to the professional level. Independent Mail file photo

 

The first call Weston Wilson received after being drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers came from a member of a different MLB team's organization.

 

When former Clemson teammate and current Cleveland Indians prospect Tyler Krieger called Wilson to tell him "Congratulations" two Saturdays ago, Wilson wasn't sure why at first. Wilson had been listening to an online stream of the MLB draft that afternoon, but got anxious and decided to turn it off. Soon after receiving the news from Krieger, however, Wilson received a call from the Brewers, confirming they had selected him in the 17th round of the draft with the No. 501 overall pick.

 

As a full 500 players went before him, Wilson acknowledges his wait to be drafted took longer than expected. Unease quickly turned to excitement once Wilson found out where he was headed.

 

"As a young kid, I always wanted to get drafted and play professional baseball, but now the goal is to make it up to the big leagues," Wilson said. "This is where it starts."

 

Where it starts for Wilson is Montana, playing for the Helena Brewers, Milwaukee's affiliate in the Pioneer League. Wilson, who grew up in North Carolina, made the trip to Montana last Tuesday to begin his professional baseball career.

 

In his first two games for Helena, Wilson has three hits (two doubles), a stolen base and two runs scored on seven at bats.

 

If Wilson is to eventually make it to the major leagues, he faces a long road ahead. Helena, an advanced rookie league team, is fifth in the Brewers' minor league hierarchy. Before he ever plays in Milwaukee, Wilson will have to prove himself not only in the Pioneer League but at the Single-A, Advanced A, Double-A and Triple-A levels.

 

Wilson believes the keys to working his way up the ladder are staying confident every day and "just becoming consistent."

 

"I just want to stick to having fun playing the game," Wilson said. "You never know when your last game's going to be, when it could be taken away from you."

 

Wilson has a familial understanding of what it is like to have the game taken away. Wilson's brother, Spencer, was an accomplished high school basketball player who received a scholarship to Belmont Abbey College. Spencer was forced to give up basketball because of lymphedema, swelling in his leg that resulted from the removal of malignant lymph nodes during a battle with pediatric cancer.

 

Now that he is a professional, Weston Wilson hopes he can help his family out financially. His primary motivation for playing professional baseball, however, is more simple than that.

 

"Because I love it," Wilson said.

 

Over the course of his career at Clemson, Wilson started 164 games — 99 at third base, 65 at second base — in three years.

 

Wilson started all but one game at second base in 2016, when he hit .279 with 12 doubles, three triples, seven home runs and 45 RBIs while scoring 50 runs and stealing eight bases. He was a regular and integral player in the Tigers' lineup, which led Clemson to an ACC Tournament title and a 44-20 record as the Tigers hosted an NCAA regional for the first time in five years and were a national seed for the first time in 10 years.

 

"I think we just exceeded a lot of expectations from the fans and what people thought we were going to do this year, so that was awesome," Wilson said. "We just jelled from the beginning. I think that's a huge reason why we had a lot of success."

 

Playing under Monte Lee this past season helped prepare Wilson to take his game to the next level, he believes, but he also hasn't forgotten what he learned from former Clemson baseball coach Jack Leggett, who recruited Wilson to be a Tiger and coached him for his first two collegiate seasons.

 

"Every year that I've been here I've been taught some good things, and this year was just a little bit different," Wilson said. "I'm just glad that I had the opportunity to play for Coach Leggett and Coach Lee."

 

Wilson said he expects to maintain the relationships he built with coaches and teammates at Clemson for the rest of his life.

 

"I'm happy for all the guys who got drafted this year and all the guys that are going to get an opportunity in the next few years," Wilson said. "They'll always be my teammates."

[Mass Haas]

From PDX to Pioneer

College teammates, friends reunite in Brewers organization

Story and photo by Ryan Collingwood, Helena Independent Record

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/71/171f5404-e39b-5b74-8414-4b7f28c4dc86/5768b9e84a873.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C900

 

During a West Coast Conference road trip this past spring, catcher Cooper Hummel and outfielder Caleb Whalen -- then mainstays and travel roommates at the University of Portland -- tossed around hypotheticals.

 

Being selected in the forthcoming MLB Draft was a foregone conclusion for the two seniors, but they couldn't gauge in which of the 40 rounds they'd be taken.

 

Hummel had no inclination of where he'd end up, as a grip of organizations exhibited interest. Whalen, however, had already been picked once in the late rounds of the 2011 draft out of nearby Union High School in Vancouver, but opted for a collegiate career.

 

It was the Milwaukee Brewers, where his father, Shawn, is a junior scout, who took him in the 42nd round, the final year of the 50-round draft.

 

"Hey, what if somehow we were taken by the same organization?," Hummel asked Whalen, rhetorically.

 

On June 11, the third day of the 2016 draft, the Brewers selected Hummel in 18th round, making a next-level reunion a distinct possibility.

 

Hours after Whalen sent his friend a congratulatory text -- the two were in contact the duration of the draft -- he heard his own name called. This time, he was plucked in the 38th round, and it was surprisingly his father announcing the draft pick -- the Brewers had selected him again.

 

"As soon as I heard (the pick), I knew it was his voice and knew where I was going," said Whalen, whose younger brother, Brady, was selected in 12th round by the Cardinals in the same draft out of Union High. "A good memory I can look back on, for sure."

 

Hummel and Whalen are the only two draft picks out the University of Portland since 2014.

 

"I was beyond stoked we were both picked by the Brewers," said Hummel, who prepped in the Portland suburb of Lake Oswego. "On Day 2 of the draft, we were both talking to similar teams, so it was great it worked out this way."

 

The onset of their professional careers beginning in the Northwest also suited their pair.

 

Since being assigned to the Pioneer League's Helena Brewers, a club based a 10-hour drive from Portland, they've able to take in scenery and temperatures akin to home.

 

"This is similar to home," Whalen said. "There's trees and the weather is similar. I'm definitely happy to be here. "

 

In the third game of the Brewers' four-game series with the Great Falls Voyagers on Sunday, Hummel and Whalen made the most of their first professional starts.

 

Hummel went 1 for 3, roping a double in the second inning, had a run and gunned down a would-be base stealer and a potential tying run in a 5-4 win. Whalen knocked in a pair of RBIs.

 

The two batted back-to-back at the 3 and 4 spots in college. They batted in succession on Sunday, too, at 7 and 8.

 

"It was good to have each other's back, back each other up and hold each other accountable," Whalen said. "That was a good thing about keeping us both going."

[Mass Haas]

Former Pacer Cooper Hummel drafted by Brewers

Matt Sherman, Lake Oswego Review (Portland, OR)

 

To say it’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks for Cooper Hummel would be an understatement. The Lakeridge graduate recently finished his junior year at the University of Portland where he put up very strong numbers as the team’s starting catcher.

 

Hummel batted .321 with five home runs and drove in 29 runs which was good enough to put him on the radar of major league scouts.

 

It has been a lifelong dream of Hummel’s to play professional baseball and he anxiously awaited the major league draft, hoping to hear his name and start the next phase of his career.

 

The first two days came and went and Hummel tried not to get down when he wasn’t selected.

 

“It was kind of frustrating because I saw a lot of catchers go off the board but I got a lot of calls that night from teams that were asking if I was still interested in signing,” Hummel said.

 

But, on the third day of the draft, the Milwaukie Brewers plucked him in the 18th round. While being selected wasn’t a huge surprise, going to the Brewers was.

 

“I had a lot of attention from Seattle, the Dodgers and the Rays but (Milwaukie) was one of about 20 teams that had contacted me,” Hummel said.

 

The call set off a flurry of activity for Hummel. After celebrating with his friends and family in Lake Oswego, he was suddenly negotiating a contract with the club and scrambling to pack as the team wanted him to start with its short season summer affiliate as soon as possible.

 

Within 12 hours, Hummel was on a plane bound for Montana to join up with the Helena Brewers and was quickly thrust into action at the professional level.

 

“It was crazy. I’m just excited for the opportunity. Playing pro ball is a dream,” Hummel said.

 

Hummel has been a baseball junkie since he was a kid. He was a part of Lake Oswego’s team that advanced to the Little League World Series, playing in front of thousands of fans in Williamsport for a squad that advanced out of pool play into the semifinals of the United States bracket.

 

In high school, Hummel blossomed into a collegiate prospect, displaying an impressive mix of power and keen batting eye with terrific defensive skills behind the plate.

 

Hummel became an important player in an emerging Lakeridge program and eventually went on to play for the Pilots, putting up strong numbers in his sophomore and junior seasons.

 

He finished the year as one of the top professional prospects in the state and was rewarded for his hard work by the Brewers.

 

Currently, Hummel is just a handful of games into his first minor league season and he is thoroughly enjoying the experience.

 

“You hear a lot of horror stories about the minor leagues but it’s been great. They treat us like big-leaguers and the travel isn’t too bad,” Hummel said.

 

The season will wrap up in early September depending on the playoffs and Hummel then expects to return home to work out and potentially take some classes.

 

But he is ready for the potential long haul of a minor-league career. Hummel is excited to be a part of the organization and to see how far his skills can take him.

 

“The Brewers have a history of developing strong catchers so I’m just excited to see what happens,” Hummel said.

[Mass Haas]

PHOTO at link

 

Erceg thankful after college career derailed

Second-round draft pick already shining for Brewers

Ryan Collingwood, Helena Independent Record

 

Just hours after putting pen to paper on a $1.15 million dollar signing bonus, Lucas Erceg, the 46th overall pick in this month's MLB Draft, was on a plane to Helena, his first assignment in the Milwaukee Brewers organization.

 

He expected his career to start in the lower rungs of MLB-affiliated baseball. He didn't know what to expect when he got there, though.

 

Once he landed in Montana's capital city, he got his first glance of Kindrick Legion Field, the rookie league Helena Brewers' old, diminutive facility that seats all of 2,100 spectators and is shared with local legion teams.

 

Having played his final year collegiately at little Menlo College, however, the stadium was somewhat similar to the ones he frequented in the NAIA's Golden State Athletic Conference.

 

"Bad fields make you a better player. I really believe that," Erceg said. "When I was playing as a kid, it was every weekend, and they were definitely a lot worse than this."

 

The 21 year old can make the distinction between high-end and run-of-the-mill ballparks. Two years of starring at the Pac-12's University of California gives him as good a frame of reference as any.

 

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound third baseman had a sophomore season at Cal that included a .303 average, 11 homers and 42 RBIs. He was an All Pac-12 first-teamer, to boot.

 

Academia was another story.

 

Erceg's GPA fell below a 2.0 average and he didn't generate enough credits to be eligible for the 2016 season, his junior year. He made a last-ditch effort shore up his grades in summer school, but fell just short of the requirement.

 

He'd just signed an apartment lease in Berkeley for the upcoming school year, too.

 

"It was heartbreaking news. I felt like I let a lot of people down," he said. "Just moving forward, I knew I had to do something that was going to change the way I acted as a student and as an athlete."

 

He immediately phoned his agent, who began weighing his options. The 2015 MLB Draft was three months before the news his of ineligibility at Cal, and another year of college grooming would do him good, they figured.

 

Fortunately for Erceg, the NAIA has less stringent eligibility requirements than the NCAA. Five minutes after he made the call, his agent told him he was going to nearby Menlo College, located just 20 minutes from Erceg's hometown of Campbell, California.

 

Erceg, already a known commodity by dozens of pro scouts, felt fortunate to get another year of college ball, albeit with an obscure, marginally successful program.

 

Conversely, he felt like he permanently damaged his professional stock, once expected to be high as mid first-round. Erceg would have been a sure-fire Pac-12 MVP candidate had he been eligible in 2016, some analysts say, but was instead relegated to a season of weaker pitching.

 

"Personally, ever since I had to transfer, I thought I was going to drop into the fifth or sixth round," Erceg said. "I thought it was going to be a way worse situation than what I ended up getting. I could have signed for a Snickers bar and a ticket to get out here."

 

He immediately proved there was a chasm between him and other players in the GSAC, setting the Menlo College record in single-season home runs (20) to go with 56 RBIs and a .308 average.

 

The Brewers had been eyeing the hard-swinging Erceg since his best days at Cal. He was still on their early rounds radar, despite the transfer.

 

On the first day of this year's draft, Milwaukee used its first pick on electric Louisville outfielder Corey Ray, the draft's fifth overall pick. When the club came to it its second pick at No. 46, it pulled the trigger on Erceg.

 

So far, he's living up to the lofty expectations. In five games, Erceg is hitting .417 with two doubles, a home run, a triple and six RBIs.

 

"I'm loving life. I couldn't be happier," Erceg said. "Just the whole experience of coming out here and playing in the Brewers organization. It's something beyond me."

 

Having some extra coin doesn't hurt, either.

 

"Very humbling. I still can't believe it right now," Erceg said of signing a seven-figure contract. "But I feel just like another ballplayer. I try not to think about it. It's very easy to get a lot of money and become self-absorbed."

[QuevedosTongue]

[sarcasm]Waitaminnit, Erceg had an agent while he was playing in college? That's not allowed![/sarcasm]

[EdgarDiazRocks]

Franly!!

[Mass Haas]

Two photos at the link

 

Former Aggie Gideon taking advantage of professional opportunity

Ryan Collingwood, Helena Independent Record

 

Ronnie Gideon occupies the right side of the Helena Brewers' infield, his 6-foot-3, 240-pound frame taking up a sizable chunk of it.

 

The first baseman's hands are big. His Texas accent is thick.

 

Since being drafted last month, the imposing Gideon has exhibited power with Milwaukee's rookie affiliate, tallying three home runs -- a solo shot in just his second professional at-bat -- and four doubles in 14 games.

 

Gideon carries one of the bigger sticks in Milwaukee's farm system -- and his playing time was relatively limited in his three years at Texas A&M.

 

Not that he wasn't a valued commodity in College Station. He just happened to share the same positions as third baseman Boomer White, the SEC Player of the Year, and first baseman Hunter Melton, the SEC's RBI leader.

 

Defensive starts were rare this past spring for Gideon, a junior who saw the bulk of his time come at designated hitter, registering at-bats in 36 of the Aggies' 65 games.

 

He was still drafted in the 23rd round of June's MLB Draft, 12 rounds better than when he was picked in 35th round out of East Texas' Hallsville High School.

 

"It shows what we had coming off the bench at A&M," said Gideon, whose Aggies were nipped by TCU in the NCAA Super Regional. "We were so close to getting to (the College World Series) and I believe if we got there, we would have won it. We were that good. We lost, but fortunately I got the opportunity to come and pursue baseball."

 

Seven former Aggies currently litter the various rungs of the Brewers organization. When Gideon learned he would be starting his career 1,700 miles from home in the Pioneer League, he phoned former A&M teammate Blake Allemand, an erstwhile Helena shortstop in 2015.

 

"He said it was pretty fun," Gideon said. "But he was only there for 11 days (before being promoted to the Single A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers).

 

Gideon is all too familiar with the process. He's been around MLB-affiliated baseball his entire life.

 

Gideon's father, Ron Gideon, has spent the last 21 years in the Colorado Rockies organization, working in a variety of capacities. The elder Gideon has been a bench coach with the big-league club, managed the Double-A Tulsa Drillers and is currently the developmental supervisor of the Single A Tri-City Dust Devils.

 

"I never missed a spring training a year in my life," Gideon said. "That was our family's thing. We'd go up on school's spring vacation and go up to where Dad was coaching."

 

Ron also boasted power in his heyday, belting 25 homers with the Single A Lynchburg Metz in 1987, the best summer of his seven-year career in the minors.

 

Ron plateaued in Double A. Ronnie wants to get there.

 

"Baseball is all I've ever known and all I've ever been around. I came out here and took advantage of the opportunity to get to play, and I started off swinging well."

[Mass Haas]

PHOTOS at the link

 

Orimoloye trying to make some MLB history

Ryan Collingwood, Helena Independent Record

 

Just two continents are devoid of a major leaguer born on their soil.

 

Frigid and essentially uninhabited Antarctica is an obvious choice. Vast and populous Africa is the other.

 

Nigerian-born outfielder Oluwademilade Oluwadamilola Orimoloye -- the 14th-ranked prospect in the Milwaukee Brewers' farm system -- wants to change the former.

 

"Hopefully, I'm the first one to pave the path for (Nigerian baseball players)," said Orimoloye, whose family relocated to Canada when he was 18 months old.

 

Better known by his abbreviated first name, Demi, the 20 year old's developing three-pronged skill set has his foot in the door.

 

His upside has the organization's developmental coaches giddy, reminiscent to that of sizable 2014 second-round pick Monte Harrison, the former Helena Brewer and Nebraska football signee

 

Orimoloye's 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame is akin to a big-college tight end's. He has swift feet to match. Helena Brewers manager Nestor Corridor dubbed him the fastest player in the Pioneer League, having registered a team-high nine steals.

 

Orimoloye's power is evident, having belted three triples, a pair of doubles and a home run in 16 games. Defensively, he has one of the surest arms from his post, typically in left field.

 

"Demi is a very special kid with a power and speed combination that not many people have in this game," Corredor said. "He can change the game with one swing, or by running the bases. He's a really good tools guy. He just needs to learn how to put it all together."

 

Corredor would know, having also managed Orimoloye for the Brewers' Arizona League last summer, just after he was taken in the fourth round of the MLB Draft out of high school in Ottawa, Canada.

 

Orimoloye stole 19 bases in just 33 games in the AZL, adding six home runs, nine doubles and two triples.

 

"He's still pretty raw. He needs to play more games," Corredor said. "Sometimes, we forget these guys are just babies learning how to play this game."

 

He'd have exhausted just two years of collegiate eligibility if he enrolled at the University of Oregon, a program to which he committed in 2014 before opting to take the professional route, netting a $450,000 signing bonus.

 

Orimoloye didn't start playing baseball until he was 10. By 15, though, he already was one of the most decorated prep standouts in Canada and was a member of the country's junior national team.

 

He was a member of his high school's football, basketball and track teams, too, but made it clear in the recruiting process that baseball was his primary sport.

 

When the time came to choose between time in Eugene, Oregon, or take the direct path to MLB-affiliated baseball, he consulted his parents, former Nigerian government employees, and his Canadian national coach.

 

"I just knew I was ready for pro ball," said Orimoloye, the second-ever Nigerian to play MLB-affiliated baseball. "I've been playing against professionals since I was 15."

 

Wande Olabisi was the first Nigerian-born talent to play affiliated ball, selected by the Padres in the 2009 draft before ending his career at the Single A level. A slew of prospects from other African countries played in the minors, but never made it to the bigs.

 

And Orimoloye knows what he has to do if he wants to make history.

 

"I always want to get better, obviously, but I've developed a lot since I was 16 and raw," he said. Now I'm just trying to work on my tools and be consistent every day."

[Mass Haas]

VIDEO via KFBB in Helena: Contract Signing a Family Affair for Brewers' Whalen

[CheezWizHed]

Nigerian-born outfielder Oluwademilade Oluwadamilola Orimoloye -- the 14th-ranked prospect in the Milwaukee Brewers' farm system -- wants to change the former.

 

I'd pay big money to hear Bob Uecker announce his first MLB AB and hear him try to say that...

[Mass Haas]

NCCU pitcher forges path into pro baseball

Pitcher Andrew Vernon selected in 28th round in 2016 MLB draft

First N.C. Central player and Knightdale High alumnus ever drafted

Now settling into Arizona League with Milwaukee Brewers’ affiliate

Ben Pope, NewsObserver.com (NC)

 

Hat tip to Kyle Lobner for pointing out this feature on RHP Andrew Vernon

[Mass Haas]

Ex-Murphy star Trever Morrison signs first pro baseball contract

Rich Myhre, HeraldNet.com (WA)

 

Includes --

 

Already Morrison has seen one difference between college and pro baseball. Pro ball “is a little more laid back than collegiate baseball,” he explained. “The practices are kind of like you’re on your own time, and if you want to get better, you go ahead and put in the work. In collegiate baseball, it’s like you have to do this, this and this, and you also have to do it 100 percent or you’re going to run (disciplinary sprints). But that’s not how it is here.”

 

***

 

Whoa, really Nestor Corredor? (Helena manager)

[Mass Haas]

QUITE THE CHANGEUP

Brewers ace Desguin started career as shortstop

Ryan Collingwood, Helena Independent Record

 

http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/helenair.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/5d/95db4112-df25-55e9-bc6c-ca96bbccc04e/579837dcadaba.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C811

 

James Ridle photo, BMGphotos.com

 

A junior college coach posed a question to Jordan Desguin, a query that would have never hit the bearded Californian's ears if he opted to stay at Florida State University.

 

Desguin, then a sophomore at Feather River Community College, had recently been plucked from his lifetime position of shortstop to help fill an injury-riddled pitching staff.

 

He was adequate defensively at FSU, but struggled against ACC-level pitching. At FRCC, though, he exhibited the sort of raw, strong and crafty right arm that had a higher ceiling than his efforts in the infield.

 

This wasn't going to be a temporary change.

 

"How long do you want to play this game?" Desguin recalled the coach asking. "You can stick to shortstop and end your career in college, or you can pitch and have a shot at professional baseball."

 

After earning Golden Valley Conference Pitcher of the Year, signing with NCAA Division I Florida Gulf Coast University -- he went 6-1 with a 3.63 ERA -- and being drafted in the 36th round of the 2015 MLB Draft, he's happy he chose the latter.

 

Desguin gave up shortstop for pitching in 2014 and is admittedly still scratching his potential's surface.

 

Just over two years later, his numbers would suggest he'd been on the bump the duration of his prep and college careers.

 

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound right-hander leads the Helena Brewers, Milwaukee's rookie affiliate, in ERA (2.75), strikeouts (37), WHIP (1.03) and wins (2) in seven appearances. He posted a 2.86 ERA for the Brewers' Arizona League club in 2015, striking out 28 in 28 innings.

 

"I'm learning every day. I'm trying to get better with what I have," Desguin said. "I've been surrounded by great coaches who've taught me a lot."

 

And it all started with a playful knuckle ball.

 

In the summer between transferring from Florida State to Feather River in Quincy, California, Desguin, then expected to be a key cog at shortstop, developed a knuckle ball that was revered by his teammates, but nothing anyone thought would ever be utilized.

 

During the forthcoming season, however, three pitchers went down with injuries. Coaches, cognizant of Desguin's pure arm strength and tricky pitch, gave him a de facto tryout. He impressed.

 

Now, the budding Desguin uses four pitches -- a fastball, slider, curve and change-up -- none of which are of the knuckle ilk.

 

His fastball is consistently in the low 90s, but he was clocked as high as 97 while at FGCU, where he left after his junior season.

 

In his first start at FGCU, he went a full nine innings, striking out five and walking one while allowing just four hits in a 8-1 win against the University of Miami, which later advanced to the College World Series.

 

In his first start in Helena last month, Desguin gave up no runs and just three hits in five innings of work, striking out five.

 

"I've mainly just been focusing on my four pitches," Desguin said. "And the way our defense has been playing has given me a lot of confidence."

[dacbrewers]

Just saw the Allstars from the pioneer league...What did Nash Walters do to deserve an all-star selection? Several other pitchers clearly deserved it before him.

[Mass Haas]

Who knew? Quite the life-long bond between these two Helena Brewers --

 

Scott Serigstad and Nathan Rodriguez savored the moment

Mirin Fader, Ocean County Register

 

http://images.onset.freedom.com/ocregister/oc2nlm-b88763047z.120160817135627000g72hsjcl.10.jpg

[Mass Haas]

BrewCrewBall's Q&A with Helena RHP Gentry Fortuno

[Mass Haas]

Five Brewers find love from Baseball America at the Rookie Ball level

[Noche]

I don't subscribe so cannot see write ups but the view from 30k feet is:

-Gabe Garcia probably belongs in the Brewers top 25-30 prospects

-Mario Feliciano is still ascending as he was leading up to the draft

-Lucas Erceg continues to generate positive reports for his baseball skills

-Scouts still see plenty of promise in Gilbert Lara and Demi Orimoloye but to expect success in the MWL in April/May is foolhardy. Strong case to simply send both back to the Pioneer League

[Austin Tatious]

Good post, Noche. I agree on all the guys you mentioned. I don't know about top 25 yet, because we have tremendous depth, but I agree that Garcia is under the radar and was a very good draft investment. He looks talented. I thought he was a catcher in the draft. Has he been switched away from catcher?

 

Feliciano shows promise. He seems athletic to me.

 

Erceg has all the tools. I used to really be excited about Mat Gamel as a pure hitter from the left side at 3rd when he was coming up. In the end, even before his injuries, we didn't see it. But, I get that same positive feel for Erceg that I had for Gamel, but in a more athletic form. It may be a funny comparison because Gamel didn't work out, but Erceg can flat out hit and has an athletic gear that Gamel couldn't get to. High hopes here.

 

I followed Lara's box scores. Very slow start but he quietly came on strong. The kid has tools. Plenty of time for him to come on. Demi was somewhat down but he's raw and there is tremendous potential if he figures it out.

 

I liked the upside of a number of guys in the draft, when you look at young guys like McClanahan, Francisco Thomas, Peyton Henry, Garcia, Zach Clark. Not all of them will work out obviously, but I like what we are aspiring to, here. Upside.

 

That's on top of some of our high picks who look good at a more predictable level, including Ray, Erceg, and Corbin Burnes.

 

Overall, that is probably the most I've been excited about the depth of a Brewer draft in a long time. We do need the elite arm talent investments, still.

[Mass Haas]

From Bill Mitchell's Baseball America Rookie League Chat --

Dan (Baltimore): Somewhat surprised to see Gilbert Lara so high on the Pioneer league list. I've read reports that his approach backed up, and it looks like he is still striking out a lot without much power. Is this placement based more on projection? Or do scouts see some present skills?

 

Bill Mitchell: I’ll start the chat with a question about one of my favorite, albeit frustrating, prospects to watch — Brewers shortstop prospect Gilbert Lara. I keep waiting for him to settle on an approach at the plate that will have him shortening his stroke and not trying to hit every pitch 500 feet. I’ve seen glimpses of it over the past two years. Coming into my Pioneer League research I really didn’t know what kind of opinions I was going to get from scouts and league managers, but everyone still loves the tools and enormous potential. Assuming he doesn’t grow out of the position, he should be able to stay at shortstop in the short term. Lara is still only 18 so there’s still plenty of time for the offense production to catch up to the tools.

 

Dave (Brooklyn): Braden Webb, drafted in the 4th round by the Brewers as a draft eliglble Freshman out of South Carolina, did not pitch in the AZL or anywhere as a pro. Are the Brewers just being careful, given his TJS history, or has a new injury been detected?

 

Bill Mitchell: You are correct about Webb, Milwaukee’s 3rd round pick as a draft-eligible freshman. He had a pretty heavy workload at South Carolina after TJ surgery, and spent the whole summer with the AZL team but did not suit up. I don’t believe he’s slated to pitch in instructional league either, so we will need to wait until spring training to get a look at the native Oklahoman.

 

Zach (Wisc.): Is Erceg a candidate to be a top 100 guy before next season?

 

Bill Mitchell: I’m not involved in the top 100 process, but the Brewers got a first round talent in the second round. I would guess that he’ll get some top 100 consideration. He is one of the guys I really want to see in instructional league and was disappointed that it wasn’t his day to play when I went to the Brewers opening game yesterday.

[Mass Haas]

Lefty Cameron Roegner recharges after his first season in minor league ball

Beloiter returns from playing in Arizona

By Josh Flickinger, Beloit Daily News Staff Writer

 

Nice feature, with insights into the rookie ball process...

[Mass Haas]

Via his #BlessedAndGrateful tweet --

 

One of our first looks at 5'3", 184 lb. OF Jose Gomez (.720 OPS in 45 Maryvale games, turns 23 next week).