2017 Preseason Top 100 Brewers Predictions/Discussion

[reillymcshane]

Regarding Diaz - a baseball writer told me that several scouts he knows (not Brewer scouts) have raved about him. There's something electric in his bat, and you can just see it.

 

I compare it several years ago when the same writer told me about seeing Brett Lawrie at Wisconsin - he said there was just something special about his bat. You might see a guy, and say, "Sure, he's a good looking hitter" or whatever. But then you see someone who really does have a special bat, and it just jumps out at you.

 

I try not to get too excited about him, because he's not perfect. And as noted, he's been streaky. I can't wait to see him in an advanced environment and see how he develops.

[reillymcshane]

Keith Law touched on some Brewer prospects in his chat today:

 

Ben: It seems like the latest prospect fetish out there is Isan Diaz of the Brewers. What’s your take on him?

Klaw: Fetish is an … interesting word for it. He’s a future star, though. Segura trade looked bad the day the Dbacks made it, and it looks bad now even with Segura’s good season.

 

Scarlet: Please rank these young pups: isan diaz- juan soto – ronald acuna…offensive potential only

Klaw: Diaz, Acuna, Soto.

 

Troy: Keith – Still high on Brewers Corey Ray even after kind of a down pro debut?

Klaw: Yes. I thought the assignment to high-A was too aggressive. Granted, I wish he’d performed better, and the swing-and-miss issue was a concern this spring too.

 

Anonymous: What happened to Dillon Tate this year? Looking back, what did you think of trading him for a rental piece this year?

Klaw: Velocity dropped off after the DL stint in April and never really came back. I don’t blame the Rangers for trading him. They nearly took Trent Clark with that pick until Tate agreed to sign, and in hindsight that would have been the better pick.

 

Anonymous: Keith – what are your thoughts on the Brewers Lucas Erceg? I’m excited to see him progress and eventually take over at 3B in their rebuild

Klaw: Big tools with an idea of how to hit, may be more of a RF than a 3B, and of course he needs to stay out of trouble off the field.

Grain of salt. Keith Law is a notorious Brewer lover.

 

[TheCrew07]

Watch Isan Diaz in person. Defensively and offensively he dominated Single-A. He already looks like an MLB player the way he plays. Can't imagine how he is going to look in a few years with more maturing and experience..

 

I have, extensively, and while he definitely stands out, he didn't look like Mike Trout or Byron Buxton who were completely dominant and looked out of place in A ball. He has great potential as a hitter, he had an outstanding season given his age relative to his level, but let's not get carried away with over the top assessments of his play. He's not nearly as refined as the recent super prospects to come through the league, which is essentially the difference between A ball and MLB, and why even the best prospects move at different paces through minors from one another.

 

Mike Trout looked a man playing among boys and simply put he never made a mistake in 2 series against the Rattlers, everything he did was perfect and I was extremely tired of him after 6 games, I felt the same way of Buxton. Diaz was more of a player like Eddie Rosario, though Eddie hit for a higher AVE and was much more reliable as a fielder, but he was more of a thorn in your side type opponent than a "DAMN!" kind of player.

 

As I said Isan's season was one of extremes and we can only hope that he smooths out the ride as he matures, otherwise he'll hit somewhat like a JJ Hardy... great runs of HRs every other game followed by long streaks of blah, and I say that even though Hardy is my namesake for this site.

[MrTPlush]

Watch Isan Diaz in person. Defensively and offensively he dominated Single-A. He already looks like an MLB player the way he plays. Can't imagine how he is going to look in a few years with more maturing and experience..

 

I have, extensively, and while he definitely stands out, he didn't look like Mike Trout or Byron Buxton

 

I mean...obviously he isn't a Trout or a Buxton. Just comparing him to the typical Single-A competition he definitely stands out. I guess I wasn't trying to say he was the next great thing in baseball. I do however think he is an easy Top 100 prospect probably Top 75 guy. Hopefully he can iron out the streaky nature.

[adambr2]

I agree that Phillips should stay on. Anyone who drops him significantly is clearly scouting box scores and is a bad evaluator in my book.

 

Uh...other than professional scouts, are there many fans of the minor league system that aren't primarily scouting box scores to keep up to date on the minor league system?

 

I consider myself a pretty big follower of the Brewers system compared to the average Brewer fan, but I also have a job and family and I don't have nearly enough time to watch games at every level of the Brewers minor league system and dedicate my entire life to baseball. I'm not making fun of people that do; if you can fit it into your life, more power to you, but are there actually such fans?

 

I check box scores, sometimes I follow the First Pitch app, I read the scouting reports, and I go to a couple T-Rats games every year. If I lived in the Appleton area, I'm sure I'd go to more. That's about it.

 

I suppose I could spare a few hours a week to catch one game on the Milb TV app, but I don't know how much a guy would even get out of just that, with there being 5 primary levels in the minors plus fall/winter ball.

[Noche]

I agree that Phillips should stay on. Anyone who drops him significantly is clearly scouting box scores and is a bad evaluator in my book.

 

Uh...other than professional scouts, are there many fans of the minor league system that aren't primarily scouting box scores to keep up to date on the minor league system?

 

I consider myself a pretty big follower of the Brewers system compared to the average Brewer fan, but I also have a job and family and I don't have nearly enough time to watch games at every level of the Brewers minor league system and dedicate my entire life to baseball. I'm not making fun of people that do; if you can fit it into your life, more power to you, but are there actually such fans?

 

I check box scores, sometimes I follow the First Pitch app, I read the scouting reports, and I go to a couple T-Rats games every year. If I lived in the Appleton area, I'm sure I'd go to more. That's about it.

 

I suppose I could spare a few hours a week to catch one game on the Milb TV app, but I don't know how much a guy would even get out of just that, with there being 5 primary levels in the minors plus fall/winter ball.

 

Couch potato fans have various levels of access to first hand scouting reports through many different websites and publications. Advanced prospects like Phillips often get written up. Many of those writeups get linked here.

 

Besides that, there are plenty of folks (BP Milwaukee comes to mind) who try to put the box score stats into the correct context. By just about any advanced measure, Phillips actually had a very solid offensive season in respect to his age and competition level. People should be excited or at worst in wait-and-see mode. Phillips is not losing stock in my opinion.

[adambr2]

I agree that Phillips should stay on. Anyone who drops him significantly is clearly scouting box scores and is a bad evaluator in my book.

 

Uh...other than professional scouts, are there many fans of the minor league system that aren't primarily scouting box scores to keep up to date on the minor league system?

 

I consider myself a pretty big follower of the Brewers system compared to the average Brewer fan, but I also have a job and family and I don't have nearly enough time to watch games at every level of the Brewers minor league system and dedicate my entire life to baseball. I'm not making fun of people that do; if you can fit it into your life, more power to you, but are there actually such fans?

 

I check box scores, sometimes I follow the First Pitch app, I read the scouting reports, and I go to a couple T-Rats games every year. If I lived in the Appleton area, I'm sure I'd go to more. That's about it.

 

I suppose I could spare a few hours a week to catch one game on the Milb TV app, but I don't know how much a guy would even get out of just that, with there being 5 primary levels in the minors plus fall/winter ball.

 

Couch potato fans have various levels of access to first hand scouting reports through many different websites and publications. Advanced prospects like Phillips often get written up. Many of those writeups get linked here.

 

Besides that, there are plenty of folks (BP Milwaukee comes to mind) who try to put the box score stats into the correct context. By just about any advanced measure, Phillips actually had a very solid offensive season in respect to his age and competition level. People should be excited or at worst in wait-and-see mode. Phillips is not losing stock in my opinion.

 

I read those as well. I read brewcrewball.com and the various articles, good and bad. I'm not even saying anything bad necessarily about Phillips here. Just wondering how many fans actually see firsthand more than a tiny handful of ABs from prospects every year.

[Mass Haas]

John Sickels revealed his list today.

 

Top 100 Prospects: End of 2016

 

Lewis Brinson #27

Phil Bickford #34

Josh Hader #36

Corey Ray #61

Isan Diaz #69

Luis Ortiz #100

 

Brett Phillips (considered)

[MadThinker88]

Same source listed 5 Tribe prospects in top 100 & another in the receiving consideration group.

#23 Francisco Mejia - C

#24 Bradley Zimmer - OF

#37 Tristin McKensie - RHP

#41 Bobby Bradley - 1B

#76. Rob Kaminsky - LHP

Consideration: Brady Aiken - LHP

 

On top of that, it listed 2 of the Tribe prospects dealt for Andrew Miller at the deadline: #26 Clint Frazier & #62 Justus Sheffield.

[adambr2]

http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2017?list=mil

 

Thoughts on early movement within our top 30:

 

1-10; Brinson holds steady. I don't see much movement in 1-7, even with somewhat slow starts from Ray and Hader. Woodruff is probably a top 5 prospect at this point IMO. Dubon and Phillips should be higher, Clark probably should drop a couple spots, as well as Erceg, whose hype train has slowed.

 

11-20: Hard to know where to rank Bickford at this point, and Nottingham seems way overrated at 14. Though Lara is obviously very young, I have a hard time taking him very seriously anymore, the production is just non-existent. I don't think he's even a top 25 guy at this point. Cordell is probably a borderline top 10-12 prospect in our system IMO. Kodi has shown enough promise lately to justify where he's at. Burnes should jump a few spots.

 

21-30: Gatewood would have to be the biggest riser in the system, and Feliciano and Supak should also be big jumpers. Harrison had a great start and has really cooled off and probably holds steady where he's at.