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

[PlayerHader]

You seem surprised that there are contradictory opinions on a board filled with hundreds of different Brewers fans.

[Brewer Fever]

I'm surprised people still treat this place like it's overreaction Monday when they always come away with egg on their faces. Holding on to this foolish hope for a more advanced discussion.

[Brewer Fever]

Who said he was tradeable?

 

These are your own words from another topic...

 

I foresee great things for this thread.

 

You know exactly what I'm talking about when it comes to the high level of irrationality that exists on this forum.

[wallus]

I'm surprised people still treat this place like it's overreaction Monday when they always come away with egg on their faces. Holding on to this foolish hope for a more advanced discussion.

 

Your last few posts have been complaining about this forum, why?

[Fear The Chorizo]

So today he's untradeable and the arm is a non-issue. I believe less than a week ago, perhaps even yesterday, he was a solid trade piece and surgery was inevitable, so they should just get it out of the way now.

 

Just trying to keep up.

 

You're mixing opinions of different posters - and I really don't get where people are still assuming he needs TJ when he's been playing in the field for a full month, even getting work in on the side on days he's DH-ing because they need to get Newhaus time at 2nd as well. When Hiura opened the Mudcat season primarily as a DH because he was resting his arm after a heavy workload during MLB Spring Training, there was plenty of concern that he may have had a setback with the arm. As it turns out, it looks like it was more of a fatigue issue.

 

I posted this back on April 4 in this thread soon after it was announced Hiura would primarily DH for about the first month this year:

 

I posted something similar in the 2B transactions thread, but let's back off the ledge a bit - at least for a little while. This could be normal fatigue and discomfort while Hiura is building armstrength after taking 1+ years off from throwing a baseball and going through an entire MLB Spring training without needing to back off any fielding/throwing drills. If this is a precautionary thing where he's back on the field a few weeks from now, it's a minor blip. If by Memorial Day Hiura is still DHing 90% of the time and unable to play in the field everyday due to the arm issues, by all means get the procedure done ASAP and get him started on rehabbing before you wind up wasting a full year of development defensively

 

As it turns out, by Memorial Day Hiura basically was playing in the field at least 50% of the time, sharing the position with another 2B prospect (Newhaus). I'm guessing he'll still DH at times in Biloxi, but it probably won't be as frequently since the other 2B currently at that level aren't near the prospects Newhaus is.

[homer]

Who said he was tradeable?

 

These are your own words from another topic...

 

I foresee great things for this thread.

 

You know exactly what I'm talking about when it comes to the high level of irrationality that exists on this forum.

 

 

Yes, so maybe have a bit of fun with it?

[Brewer Fever]

I'm surprised people still treat this place like it's overreaction Monday when they always come away with egg on their faces. Holding on to this foolish hope for a more advanced discussion.

 

Your last few posts have been complaining about this forum, why?

 

It's right there in the second sentence of the post you quoted. That TJSeven7 (or whatever his name is) sure quieted down after his foolish rant on Stearns for not signing Cobb. These wild swings of emotion and snap judgments really bring down the intelligence level of the forum. This place has been around a really long time. The level of discussion should be much higher by now. There are a few very intelligent and informed people here whose contributions keep bringing me back. But it's being diluted more and more by over the top criticism and statements made as fact from people missing way too much information.

 

Here's the deal with Hiura. He could just as easily be Stearns chiseled in answer at 2B as he could be Stearns biggest trade piece. A 5-5 day at the plate, and a promotion to AA wouldn't change those plans. It would be crazy to think the organization changes its mind like that. No one here knows. His bat is clearly amazing but Stearns has been shown a propensity to gradually replace players of suspect glove. So maybe no matter what numbers he puts up on offense, he might very well be looked at as a trade chip. Or they may look at his bat as elite and worth enough to more than offset his defensive liabilities.

 

The key words there being "maybe", "might" and "may".

[homer]

No one said that because he went 5 for 5 and was promoted that he is now untradeable. That is a strawman.

[pacopete4]

Never understand coming on here to tear this forum down. If you don’t like the posters and content, go away or keep your trap shut. Or even better yet, contribute and help change the culture. The rest of this stuff is petty BS.

 

 

Back onto the topic, I don’t want to see Hiura traded at all. I really think he’s the bat our organization has been desperately needing. He should stack right in there with Cain and Yelich and eventually will hit right behind them in the lineup. At least that’s my prediction.

[PeaveyFury]

Let's stay on topic from here, please.

[OnaBadger58]

I have no questions at all about his bat. Will he be able to play an average 2B and be healthy enough to play it every day?

 

And that Biloxi team is going to be ridiculous.

 

Except Hiura will likely be in Colorado Springs by early August. He's tracking for a MLB debut a year from now after the expected Super 2 cutoff.

 

I doubt he spends much time at AAA at all on his way up - they already have a pile of middle infielders older than Hiura fighting over playing time, including the rotating utility guys in Milwaukee. I'd rather Hiura just play everyday in AA the rest of this season, then perhaps open next year at AAA until Super 2 passes - or if he proves he belongs he might be one of those guys who goes straight from AA to the Show.

 

Agreed. I think he will be in AA for the rest of the year. At the very least, he needs the reps at 2b. Next year AAA until the Super 2 status passes, and then he's up in the show. Very similar to the path that Braunie took. I'm just happy the gave Hiura enough time to adjust to AA (if he even needs time to get acclimated). Most excited I've been for a prospect since Braun.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Since his promotion to Biloxi, Hiura has started all but one game and played 2B every time he was in the lineup - AA will be a great place for him to stick the rest of this season to get the innings he needs defensively.

[mattyo]

How's his fielding percentage? Has he been adequate at 2b?

[KeithStone53151]

How's his fielding percentage? Has he been adequate at 2b?

 

I thought I saw he made 2 errors a couple days ago. I also am on board with him sticking at AA, though I could easily be talked into a September callup exclusively for PH appearances and a taste of(hopefully) a playoff run.

[CheezWizHed]

I'm guessing Hiura's defense is better judged by scouting at this point than numbers. A very small sample size at a position he has barely played and having some errors right now is going to mask any real potential that he may/may not hold.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Hiura is not Rickie Weeks defensively, and that's a good thing - all reports indicate his footwork, range, and arm (when healthy) are adequate to keep him at 2nd and maximize his offensive value there.

 

I doubt he'd win any gold gloves, but he's not going to hurt you there, either.

[And That]

I didn't see the game where he had two errors, but he's looked fine when I've seen him. He's made a few strong throws that show, to me, at least a fringe-average arm for the position. He's certainly athletic enough to handle the position, it's just a matter of getting Keston more reps.

[TooLiveBrew]

Since promotion to AA: .378/.440/.578/1.018

 

Since he started playing 2B (May 8th): .368/.444/.594/1.038

 

I do hope they continue to sprinkle in days off for him to keep his arm & body fresh, but man how do you keep that bat out of the lineup?!

 

#Hitura

[KeithStone53151]

I'm wondering how high Hiura will soar up prospect rankings at mid season. I'm wondering if he has a shot to crack the top 20. He was at #48 before the season.

[JohnBriggs12]

How's his fielding percentage? Has he been adequate at 2b?

 

I thought I saw he made 2 errors a couple days ago. I also am on board with him sticking at AA, though I could easily be talked into a September callup exclusively for PH appearances and a taste of(hopefully) a playoff run.

 

I wouldn't bring him up in September just to pinch hit. If he's ready, stick him in the lineup and have him help this team get to the postseason. We're talking about an advanced bat the likes of which we haven't seen in this organization in s long time playing a position where production has been an issue. Now if Villar is producing at a level that's determined to be an asset rather than a liability, fine, wait until they are a couple months into the 2019 season and then bring him up ala Braun in 2007.

 

I still think he gets advanced to AAA for at least 2-3 weeks this season though.

[TooLiveBrew]

How's his fielding percentage? Has he been adequate at 2b?

 

I thought I saw he made 2 errors a couple days ago. I also am on board with him sticking at AA, though I could easily be talked into a September callup exclusively for PH appearances and a taste of(hopefully) a playoff run.

 

I wouldn't bring him up in September just to pinch hit. If he's ready, stick him in the lineup and have him help this team get to the postseason. We're talking about an advanced bat the likes of which we haven't seen in this organization in s long time playing a position where production has been an issue. Now if Villar is producing at a level that's determined to be an asset rather than a liability, fine, wait until they are a couple months into the 2019 season and then bring him up ala Braun in 2007.

 

I still think he gets advanced to AAA for at least 2-3 weeks this season though.

I agree that Hiura looks like a special talent. But 2B production has not been an issue at all.

 

Villar since May 1: .282/.336/.485/.822

 

Villare since June 1: .294/.333/.559/.892

 

Hiura might come up as a luxury PH option, but I agree it'd be better to keep him off the 40-man this season.

[MkeSouthSide]

I'm wondering how high Hiura will soar up prospect rankings at mid season. I'm wondering if he has a shot to crack the top 20. He was at #48 before the season.

 

Fangraphs has him at #21 in their midseason update. But then again, they were high on him pre-season at #24.

[JDBrewCrew]

Jarrett Seidler

@jaseidler

Keston Hiura got off to a 12-65 start in April while DHing only and continuing to rehab his arm. Since then he’s hit .382/.441/.623 in 211 PA as a 21-year-old split between High-A and Double-A while ramping up to a regular load at second. Dude is an absolute monster prospect.

[KeithStone53151]

Jarrett Seidler

@jaseidler

Keston Hiura got off to a 12-65 start in April while DHing only and continuing to rehab his arm. Since then he’s hit .382/.441/.623 in 211 PA as a 21-year-old split between High-A and Double-A while ramping up to a regular load at second. Dude is an absolute monster prospect.

 

I think you could easily argue him at or near the top 10 prospects in baseball, though I think a number of factors will keep him around 18-20 in most updated lists.

[Tbadder]

I think he has a chance to be quite a good hitter, but until the Brewers get him the surgery they’ll never truly know what they have. Plus his defensive development will continue to lag behind. Let’s put KH under the knife and give him a real chance! I was listening to a podcast the other day and the pundit, who was being serious, said that TJ surgery is basically a rite of passage. It’s just something that needs to be done and then the progress an begin.