TOP PROSPECTS

[KeithStone53151]

Well when we miss a playoff spot this season by one or two games because Stearns refused to trade from our minor league depth, Brewer fans can at least take solace in the fact that the Brewers still have the 8th best farm system in baseball instead of say...the 15th.

 

When the cubs miss the playoffs in 2020-2023 by a dozen games, let's again talk about how short-sighted moves are a good idea...

[FVBrewerFan]

Well when we miss a playoff spot this season by one or two games because Stearns refused to trade from our minor league depth, Brewer fans can at least take solace in the fact that the Brewers still have the 8th best farm system in baseball instead of say...the 15th.

 

They did trade some of their minor league depth. But I think you're saying they should have trade more to avoid losing the playoffs by one or two games?

 

I'm glad they didn't make more trades. They would have missed the playoffs by 3-4 games, since the players they would have traded for wouldn't be as good as the guys they are replacing- thus bumping the Brewers out of the playoffs. And losing minor league depth in the process.

[Boomer5]

This has not been the year many of us had hoped for. Our hitters really hit the skids and no one really emerged as one of our next great players.

 

Depth yes, but I don't see a single 4-5 WAR guy right now, though I'm hopeful with Brinson.

[adambr2]

no one really emerged as one of our next great players.

 

Hader? Woodruff? I'd say those two were way better than anyone could have hoped for.

[paul253]

When the cubs miss the playoffs in 2020-2023 by a dozen games, let's again talk about how short-sighted moves are a good idea...

 

The Cubs have plenty of time and plenty of resources to recover from trading away a couple of A ballers. I'm fine with the Brewers not making any major moves, assuming the prices were too high, but I wish people would stop rationalizing the Cubs making major improvements by saying "well they'll be bad in three seasons". First off you have no idea how good or bad the Cubs will be in 2023. They still have a lot of good young players. And second hanging on to all these prospects is just as risky as trading them. A prospect can lose value awfully fast (Jorge Lopez anyone?) I agree that we need to build from within but generally at some point you need to cash in some of your chips to acquire established talent.

[Boomer5]

no one really emerged as one of our next great players.

 

Hader? Woodruff? I'd say those two were way better than anyone could have hoped for.

 

I guess I have taken Hader off the prospect list but you are right to mention him.

 

I am not seeing great (Fielder, Braun, Sheets) by anyone in our current system. But certainly Hader and Woodruff look like contributing parts going forward.

[FVBrewerFan]

No, there's no Fielder or Braun. And thats ok. With Hader, Woodruff, Burnes and especially Peralta they don't have to spend for any fa starting pitching, and that's huge. Not to mention Ortiz, Yamamoto, and others on the way. Some of these guys will end up in the pen, which helps solve that part of the roster.

 

All that means they'll have plenty to spend on a couple bats. 5 WAR bats? Maybe not, but between what they have and what they buy, should be able build a very good line-up.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

No, there's no Fielder or Braun. And thats ok. With Hader, Woodruff, Burnes and especially Peralta they don't have to spend for any fa starting pitching, and that's huge. Not to mention Ortiz, Yamamoto, and others on the way. Some of these guys will end up in the pen, which helps solve that part of the roster.

 

All that means they'll have plenty to spend on a couple bats. 5 WAR bats? Maybe not, but between what they have and what they buy, should be able build a very good line-up.

 

It also means they'll have excess trade currency to try to find those Travis Shaw types that have ability, but have maybe been a little soured on by their current organization. The team is at the point where they can trade 2-3 high upside pitchers without taking a huge hit to the overall strength of the system.

[CheezWizHed]

I am not seeing great (Fielder, Braun, Sheets) by anyone in our current system. But certainly Hader and Woodruff look like contributing parts going forward.

 

I'd keep my eye on Tristen Lutz. As a 19 year old, he killed Helena: 333/432/559/992. Keston Hiura has a different type of bat than Fielder or Braun, but certainly shows that he knows how to hit at A-ball (just turned 21 in Aug): 333/374/476/850.

 

Probably want to see them promoted and continue before I would say they are the Fielder/Braun level, but they certainly have the potential.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Lutz looks every bit the part of a guy that could explode...will be interesting to see how he handles more advance pitching - if he can avoid tons of K's, he could be a fast mover through the system.

[brewcrewdue80]

Not a top prospect clearly is Corey Ray. May be labeling him worst pick of 2016 draft. Harrison and Gatewood keep chugging along steadily with their big years. Cody Ponce needs more recognition, graduated in to AA, approaching 140 innings. Figure a healthy year next season he's a September call up with AA/AAA experience. I'd put him in the Nelson category of pitcher which has a nice turn out I'd say in a few seasons. We added Hader and Woodruff to the team's rotation, and you are looking at Burnes, Peralta, Ponce, and Ortiz as SPs that could be starting for Milwaukee by September next season or at the least, great bullpen additions. So much real promise in the system, I could care less if an outsider wants to rank Milwaukee outside of 15. Still FAR and AWAY a better system than 2014's with 1st round pick disappointments in the 3 following drafts, tbd on '17s

[wildcat2237]

Lutz looks every bit the part of a guy that could explode...will be interesting to see how he handles more advance pitching - if he can avoid tons of K's, he could be a fast mover through the system.

 

I agree with you 100%.

 

I got to see Lutz play two games this summer in the Arizona League.

 

I hate comparing players to big leaguers, but his strength, size, and athleticism remind me of Mike Trout.

 

When the Brewers drafted Lutz I didnt like the pick because I thought his swing was long.

 

I spoke to a scout at the Arizona League game that said the Brewers were in the process of rebuilding his swing from scratch.

 

If the Helena results are tied to the swing change, Lutz could be a Top 100 guy by mid-2018.

 

I will be interested to see if someone runs a story on Lutz this off-season.

[reillymcshane]

Lutz looks every bit the part of a guy that could explode...will be interesting to see how he handles more advance pitching - if he can avoid tons of K's, he could be a fast mover through the system.

 

I agree with you 100%.

 

I got to see Lutz play two games this summer in the Arizona League.

 

I hate comparing players to big leaguers, but his strength, size, and athleticism remind me of Mike Trout.

 

When the Brewers drafted Lutz I didnt like the pick because I thought his swing was long.

 

I spoke to a scout at the Arizona League game that said the Brewers were in the process of rebuilding his swing from scratch.

 

If the Helena results are tied to the swing change, Lutz could be a Top 100 guy by mid-2018.

 

I will be interested to see if someone runs a story on Lutz this off-season.

I'm excited about Lutz as well, but we should really take into context the environment in Helena. The average ERA for the Pioneer League was 6.52 the year. The average OPS was .825. This was an extreme hitters league.

 

That said, Lutz did great, especially when you consider how young he is. We have every right to be excited about him. I'm looking forward to seeing him next year - hopefully at Wisconsin.

[DocLuna7]

Well when we miss a playoff spot this season by one or two games because Stearns refused to trade from our minor league depth, Brewer fans can at least take solace in the fact that the Brewers still have the 8th best farm system in baseball instead of say...the 15th.

 

What trades were presenting themselves that you know he turned down? Seems to me like he significantly improved the current club without gutting the minor leagues- Swarzak, Walker, Vogt, Jeffress have all contributed this second half.

[OnTheBlack]

Well when we miss a playoff spot this season by one or two games because Stearns refused to trade from our minor league depth, Brewer fans can at least take solace in the fact that the Brewers still have the 8th best farm system in baseball instead of say...the 15th.

 

The big additions for the Cubs were Quintana and Wilson. Quintana has been exactly who he was for the White Sox, a 4.50 ERA pitcher.

 

Wilson has been terrible. Almost a walk an inning and a 2 WHIP. 5.56 ERA.

 

Curious as to who we missed out on that would have been such a positive impact so far or helped the offense score more runs.

 

 

The argument would be Verlander. But I didn't want to see them make any moves at the deadline. And I think it's ridiculous to write off any of the players listed as busts at this point. Lets give them a couple years before we come to that conclusion. And we have no idea who's gonna break out and be a 5 WAR player.

 

The way the Brewers were headed and the way the NL looked(and still looks) with LAD, Washington and now ARZ moving into that group, I don't think the old "just get in and see how he goes from there" adage would pay off. A healthy Dodgers team would just absolutely overwhelm the Brewers.

[OnTheBlack]

Well when we miss a playoff spot this season by one or two games because Stearns refused to trade from our minor league depth, Brewer fans can at least take solace in the fact that the Brewers still have the 8th best farm system in baseball instead of say...the 15th.

 

Yes, they can. And when Burnes is a #2 pitcher for the big league club and throwing 200 innings, we don't have to live with the regret of trading for a player who made a few starts, went on the DL and who we have no idea how he will perform(Darvish unless you wanted to move mulitple top 100 prospects) and would have had to match up against a guy like Scherzer, Strausburg, Kershaw, Wood or whoever in the post-season in the unlikely even that he was enough to push us into the playoffs....as long as we want to do a hypothetical exercise.

 

Of course this on top of the fact that we have absolutely no idea what teams were asking for from the Brewers for particular pitchers.

[trwi7]

I hate comparing players to big leaguers, but his strength, size, and athleticism remind me of Mike Trout.

 

Trout was two years younger than Lutz when each was drafted and was posting a .960 OPS in AA at the same age Lutz is now (Lutz is old for a first year player out of high school.)

[ClosetBrewerFan]

Hanhold now comes off the list. Great, who am I going to find to fill the #82 slot on my top 100 prospect list.

[CheezWizHed]

Hanhold now comes off the list. Great, who am I going to find to fill the #82 slot on my top 100 prospect list.

 

Next man up!

[OnTheBlack]

I hate comparing players to big leaguers, but his strength, size, and athleticism remind me of Mike Trout.

 

Trout was two years younger than Lutz when each was drafted and was posting a .960 OPS in AA at the same age Lutz is now (Lutz is old for a first year player out of high school.)

 

 

Two years? Thought he was less than one year older at the time each was drafted.

Not that that OR what Trout did in AA really has anything to do with what he said.

 

He was struggling to find a player who physically LOOKED the same and had great athletic ability. He didn't say Lutz was a once in ever 5 generational type talent. He said he "his strength, size and athleticism reminded him of Trout.

[Outlander]

Yes, it was slightly less than a year difference. Trout turned 18 in August of his draft year and Lutz 19 in August of his draft year. However, like you indicated nobody is saying he will end up being like Trout, just looking at the physical look.