Keston Hiura [Promoted to AA 5/31/18]

[jerichoholicninja]

Hiura's now played 2b in back to back games - getting pulled in the 6th 1st night and after the 7th last night...seems like they've got a plan to progressively keep in the game defensively a bit longer until he's back to playing 9 innings nightly there. That's a really good thing.

 

If his bat is still producing and he's playing everyday at 2nd by the end of the Carolina league's 1st half, I can see him moving up to Biloxi this summer and having a legit shot at Milwaukee in 2019

 

Seems weird to limit a position player's PT because of his arm. Legs or back makes sense because you're constantly using those things on every play. But it is nearly impossible to predict how many throws your 2B will make in a game.

[brwrsfan]

Hiura's now played 2b in back to back games - getting pulled in the 6th 1st night and after the 7th last night...seems like they've got a plan to progressively keep in the game defensively a bit longer until he's back to playing 9 innings nightly there. That's a really good thing.

 

If his bat is still producing and he's playing everyday at 2nd by the end of the Carolina league's 1st half, I can see him moving up to Biloxi this summer and having a legit shot at Milwaukee in 2019

 

Seems weird to limit a position player's PT because of his arm. Legs or back makes sense because you're constantly using those things on every play. But it is nearly impossible to predict how many throws your 2B will make in a game.

 

It's really not that many when you think about it. I'd venture a guess that if you take out warm ups and around the horn type stuff, in an actual game situation, a 2b probably throws the ball less than 10 times fairly easily.

[jerichoholicninja]

Hiura's now played 2b in back to back games - getting pulled in the 6th 1st night and after the 7th last night...seems like they've got a plan to progressively keep in the game defensively a bit longer until he's back to playing 9 innings nightly there. That's a really good thing.

 

If his bat is still producing and he's playing everyday at 2nd by the end of the Carolina league's 1st half, I can see him moving up to Biloxi this summer and having a legit shot at Milwaukee in 2019

 

Seems weird to limit a position player's PT because of his arm. Legs or back makes sense because you're constantly using those things on every play. But it is nearly impossible to predict how many throws your 2B will make in a game.

 

It's really not that many when you think about it. I'd venture a guess that if you take out warm ups and around the horn type stuff, in an actual game situation, a 2b probably throws the ball less than 10 times fairly easily.

 

Kind of my point. Taking him out early because of his arm seems pointless. Mudcats 2B are averaging 2.3 assists per game this year. I would guess 5 throws is a lot for a game.

[MadThinker88]

Unless they are also counting all the throws around the infield after a K, the warming up each inning, relays from the outfield.

The number of throws can increase very fast...

 

Building up his endurance (like during spring training) is not a bad thing.

I would rather bring him along slowly to ensure no setbacks/ injury re-occurrence then toss him into the deep end and discover he can't do it (the hard way) and lose him for most of the season...

[Fear The Chorizo]

Seems weird to limit a position player's PT because of his arm. Legs or back makes sense because you're constantly using those things on every play. But it is nearly impossible to predict how many throws your 2B will make in a game.

 

It's also weird for pitchers to do towel drills or bunt coverage at 25% speed - baseball does weird things. I highly doubt Hiura is just standing at 2nd pregame and between the innings not making throws. He may only get 3-5 chances in game situations over a nine inning game, but he's probably making at least 6 throws every half inning between warm ups and throwing it around the horn after a strikeout with nobody on. It's not like a grounder to 2B requires Hiura to throw a 100% effort seed 200' on a line, either. Seems more like predetermined planning that takes the guesswork out of how long he'd be in the field until they're comfortable taking off the reins.

[Fear The Chorizo]

It's really not that many when you think about it. I'd venture a guess that if you take out warm ups and around the horn type stuff, in an actual game situation, a 2b probably throws the ball less than 10 times fairly easily.

 

why would you take out those throws? they are often very similar to most throws a 2B needs to make to 1B during an active play. More often than not pregame infield is where a fielder makes most of his throws during a given gameday, particularly in the minors.

[OnTheBlack]

3 for 5 Thursday Night, good sign!

 

Well the hitting has never been a concern. I can't believe his elbow is that big of a deal for as well as he's hitting. Being that it's his top hand, if he was in major pain or had significant damage I would think that would zap all the power out of his swing.

 

 

If his elbow is as bad as some in this thread have suggested...and he's doing what he's doing, I expect a Chase Utley type 2nd basemen.

 

People also seem to be conflating a position player having TJ with a pitcher. There was also talk of him missing a year because they're waiting. That doesn't make much sense. People are strongly advocating while very mildly qualifying their desire to see TJ based on a sore elbow. It was spring. You'd expect a guy like him to have to work through some soreness.

 

If it was a pitcher, I'd prefer to see him shut down immediately and see Dr. Andrews. A 2nd basemen? There's no reason to not try to let it heal up and let him progress. Either way, this guy has the potential to be a middle of the order bat as a 2nd basemen. If he has to miss 8-9 months....I don't see it being a big deal vs trying to get his elbow stronger.

[OnTheBlack]

Has there been any news as to when hiura is supposed to resume playing 2b or any other position on the field where the brewers' major league team can eventually use him? Has he been throwing at all over this past month?

 

If not, then it appears more and more likely that regardless of his hitting hiura's development towards being a major league player has basically been put on hold since he started dh-ing his final year in college. Sure he can light up low level minor league pitching, but he is getting zero time becoming a viable defensive 2nd baseman. Something has to give - no question he can hit but if he can't play the field due to nagging arm issues this has been a wasted year or so since hiura was drafted.

 

 

I've seen this a few times. Can someone explain how a guy who's playing and hitting is having a "wasted" year? He's gotten a lot of AB's vs professional pitchers and performed extremely well. That's hardly a "waste."

 

Edit-I'd also like to add, people suggest surgery for other people like it's nothing. As someone who's on his 16th surgery and has medal or cadaver parts in every joint on my right side(sans most fingers) and a couple on the other side, there's a major risk from surgery. People DO die. They get infections and suddenly it's possible he's got permanent damage in that arm.

 

Sure, these things are rare, but aside from all the 1 in 1000 type scenario's, it just sucks...I know that's not very articulate, but it's just a miserable experience, but it's as if people think surgery should be the go-to option rather than exhausting every other option, I don't think they're thinking of the player 1st

[Fear The Chorizo]

I've seen this a few times. Can someone explain how a guy who's playing and hitting is having a "wasted" year? He's gotten a lot of AB's vs professional pitchers and performed extremely well. That's hardly a "waste."

 

The professional pitchers he's faced thus far haven't been over A+, and I'd argue that Hiura's bat was advanced beyond that level from the day he was drafted as a collegiate junior. Sure, stud prospects, particularly advanced college bats, get some time in the low minors to rake offensively until being called up quickly to AA / AAA on their way to the majors - but to me the only question on Hiura being an everyday MLB player as early as next year is whether he's developed enough defensively. To me that's the biggest plus for Hiura at the lower minor league levels - giving him consistent playing time in the field to develop as a second basemen, something he barely did in college due to the arm issues.

 

IMO, if he goes through this entire season primarily DH-ing and enters the offseason with the very same question marks about his defense/arm issues as the day he was drafted last June, it's a wasted year. He has started playing a bit defensively over the last few games, and I do hope the solution isn't surgery for Hiura...however, the solution needs to be something better than hoping his arm feels better after awhile. Hindsight is always 20/20, but if he does wind up requiring the TJ surgery many baseball people expected him to need, it'll be a shame it wasn't done the day after he signed last summer instead of 1+ years into his career as a Brewer. Hiura would've likely been rehabbed from surgery and ready to hit the ground running at the start of this season, with the distinct possibility finishing 2018 at the same milb level as he will now without yet having the surgery - biggest difference is should he go under the knife now, he'll open 2019 back at square one rehabbing instead of having a legit shot at the majors in May/June 2019.

[LouisEly]

Hiura's now played 2b in back to back games - getting pulled in the 6th 1st night and after the 7th last night...seems like they've got a plan to progressively keep in the game defensively a bit longer until he's back to playing 9 innings nightly there. That's a really good thing.

 

If his bat is still producing and he's playing everyday at 2nd by the end of the Carolina league's 1st half, I can see him moving up to Biloxi this summer and having a legit shot at Milwaukee in 2019

 

Seems weird to limit a position player's PT because of his arm. Legs or back makes sense because you're constantly using those things on every play. But it is nearly impossible to predict how many throws your 2B will make in a game.

Not really - there is a lot of variance in the type of throws they might have to make. Will it be a grounder right to him where he can make an easy throw over to 1B or 2B? Or will he have to make a strong cross-body throw going to his right to get the runner, and how much stress will that put on the arm? Will he have to take a cutoff throw in the OF and then make a strong throw to home to save the game? Not all throws that a 2B will have to make involve the same stress on the arm.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Full game for Hiura at 2b last night...hopefully a few weeks from now that isn't even news

[Fear The Chorizo]

Another quick update - Hiura has regularly been playing 2nd over the last few games...barring any setbacks it wouldn't surprise me if he's doing the same thing for Biloxi later this season in AA.

 

color me cautiously optimistic!

[pacopete4]

I'm optimistic that he will be a good player for us down the road but he needs to start hitting RHP better in order to move up. It is still very early and small samples but so far the return on that has not been great.

[MillerParkSouth]

Oh wow, did not realize his splits were so drastic.

[Brew Crew Buster]

I wonder what else is wrong? Is there a mental block to being an adequate fielder? Is it just hands of stone? Second base may sound easy; but you still have to have the ability to pick it when you get an in between hop and pivot on the base and make a leaping throw to first for a double play.

 

If his arm is fixed does he move to left field?

 

Does he have significant ADD issues where any position on the field will be a big challenge as far as focus?

 

My biggest question is, "If this is just a TJ surgery thing than why haven't they fixed it yet? It makes it seem like there is something more.

[jerichoholicninja]

I wonder what else is wrong? Is there a mental block to being an adequate fielder? Is it just hands of stone? Second base may sound easy; but you still have to have the ability to pick it when you get an in between hop and pivot on the base and make a leaping throw to first for a double play.

 

If his arm is fixed does he move to left field?

 

Does he have significant ADD issues where any position on the field will be a big challenge as far as focus?

 

My biggest question is, "If this is just a TJ surgery thing than why haven't they fixed it yet? It makes it seem like there is something more.

 

Where is all this mental stuff coming from? He hasn't been playing the field because of his arm. Same as his last couple years in college.

[MillerParkSouth]

you say "just a TJ surgery thing" like it's a sprained ankle or something.

[TigerUppercut]

I'm optimistic that he will be a good player for us down the road but he needs to start hitting RHP better in order to move up. It is still very early and small samples but so far the return on that has not been great.

 

Exactly. Some people here have already anointed him a 2019 September call up and the 2020 starter. Not saying that won't be the case, but let's let him hit high A pitching consistently, first.

[homer]

Be cool if you could find splits for college baseball. I don't think that exists.

[jerichoholicninja]

I'm optimistic that he will be a good player for us down the road but he needs to start hitting RHP better in order to move up. It is still very early and small samples but so far the return on that has not been great.

 

Exactly. Some people here have already anointed him a 2019 September call up and the 2020 starter. Not saying that won't be the case, but let's let him hit high A pitching consistently, first.

 

2019 September callup? There are plenty here that want him starting at 2B next week.

[DHonks]

you say "just a TJ surgery thing" like it's a sprained ankle or something.

 

One thing I’ve learned from talking with pro athletes and trainers is that surgery is never a guaranteed fix and other options should be exhausted first. It’s very easy for us fans to say, “just have surgery already and get it fixed. Then in 9 months he’lol be full strength again”

[reillymcshane]

After a rough start, Hiura is hitting .340 over the last four weeks. He was at .180 on April 22, and is up to .289.

 

He is murdering lefties - .405 batting average. Against right handers it's a much more modest .254.

[CheeseheadInQC]

If you want to feel better about Hiura's hitting thus far, look at the other college bats from last year's first round who are in A+. Relative to league only Brian Miller is even close. The Virginia duo are both struggling to sub-.700 OPSs.

[cmow]

Up over .300 for the season as of today

[wallus]

He plays in a pitcher friendly league correct?