BF.net Fan Community Top 25 Prospects - 2019 Pre-Season Edition

[reillymcshane]

#1 ( - ) Keston Hiura, 2B, age 22 - AAA San Antonio

672 points - 26 1st place votes - 27 of 27 ballots

 

With the great Mike Moustakas at 2B experiment underway, the need to rush Hiura is not necessary. Expect him to get plenty of time at San Antonio. Hiura has the chance to be an impact bat - something Milwaukee hasn’t produced internally in a long time.

 

#2 ( +1 ) Zack Brown, RHSP, age 24 - AAA San Antonio

609 points - 27 of 27 ballots

 

Brown nudged up a spot - beating Corey Ray by a single point. Brown took his game to another level last year, and if he keeps things up in 2019, expect him in Milwaukee at some point. Don’t be surprised if he comes up and fortifies the bullpen during the season - like Hader, Burnes and Woodruff have done the last couple of years.

 

#3 ( -1 ) Corey Ray, OF, age 24 - AAA San Antonio

608 points - 27 of 27 ballots

 

Time for Ray to put it all together. The young man is going to strike out a lot - just have to accept that. But if he can make a little better contact, that would go a long way to making him a legitimate starting OF in the big leagues. Ray is an exciting player with lots of tools and potential - but pitfalls as well.

 

#4 ( - ) Brice Turang, SS, age 19 - A- Wisconsin

555 points - 27 of 27 ballots

 

After a fine debut last season, the club’s top pick of 2018 heads to full season ball at Wisconsin. Turang has a nice set of tools - good glove, strong arm, plus bat, excellent speed. The big question is how much strength he’ll add as he matures.

 

#5 ( - ) Tristen Lutz, OF, age 20 - A+ Carolina

548 points - 27 of 27 ballots

 

Gotta love a bit stick. BF.net fans are hoping Lutz’s raw power continues to emerge in 2019 as he moves up to Carolina, which is not an easy park to hit in. Lutz, who profiles as a right fielder due to his strong arm, is probably the system’s top power bat.

 

#6 ( +4 ) Aaron Ashby, LHSP, age 20 - A- Wisconsin

489 points - 27 of 27 ballots

 

Expectations are high for Ashby after striking out 66 batters in 57.2 innings last year. As a college arm, he should move quickly in the system, but he will need to harness his command if he is going to be successful in the upper levels of the minor leagues. Ashby features one of the best curveballs in the system.

 

#7 ( - ) Mauricio Dubon, 2B/SS, age 24 - AAA San Antonio

463 points - 26 of 27 ballots

 

Dubon will round into form at San Antonio to start the year, but if the young man shows he’s ready, he could end up in Milwaukee at some point during the year. At worst, Dubon looks like he can be a backup middle infielder in the majors.

 

#8 ( +2 ) Lucas Erceg, 3B, age 23 - AAA San Antonio

435 points - 26 of 27 ballots

 

Time to see what Erceg has in his arsenal. The skills and raw power are there - let’s see if they can come together in 2019. The young 3B needs to improve his defense, and take his hitting to the next level if he wants to be a major league regular.

 

#9 ( +4 ) Braden Webb, RHSP, age 23 - AA Biloxi

364 points - 26 of 27 ballots

 

Webb has tantalized by putting up big strikeout numbers since being drafted in 2017. He steadily improved last year - rounding out the season with a nice 20 inning stint at Biloxi. The Brewers will want to see Webb’s command improve after giving up 66 free passes in just 120.2 innings last season.

 

#10 ( -1 ) Trey Supak, RHSP, age 22 - AA Biloxi

354 points - 26 of 27 ballots

 

Supak may not be that exciting of a prospect, but he could provide a live arm in the Brewers bullpen as early as this season, and perhaps serve as a back-of-the-rotation arm in the future.

 

#11 ( -3 ) Jacob Nottingham, C, age 24 - AAA San Antonio

331 points - 23 of 27 ballots

 

It will be a big year for Nottingham in 2019. The defense has improved and the bat has come around - now he needs to stay healthy and show what he can accomplish. With Grandal and Pina set in Milwaukee for this year, that will give Nottingham plenty of opportunity to hone his game at San Antonio.

 

#12 ( -1 ) Troy Stokes, Jr., OF, age 23 - AAA San Antonio

331 points - 24 of 27 ballots

 

A mediocre hit tool and weak arm limit Stokes’ opportunities, but the guy has been underestimated all his career. He has good power, strong on-base skills and is a plus runner. At AAA, it will be interesting to see how Stokes adjusts to better pitching.

 

#13 ( +1 ) Payton Henry, C, age 21 - A+ Carolina

275 points - 25 of 27 ballots

 

Henry offers good power and improving defense - making him an interesting prospect. Currently, he has some big swing and miss problems, and will need to work on making more contact going forward.

 

#14 ( +2 ) Adrian Houser, RHP, age 26 - AAA San Antonio

270 points - 20 of 27 ballots

 

The Brewers were granted another option on Houser for 2019, meaning the big right-hander will likely be part of the shuttle between the majors and San Antonio. For Houser, he needs to demonstrate better and a more consistent control of his offerings. He will get his chances in Milwaukee, but he needs to show he can be a trusted member of the bullpen.

 

#15 ( +2 ) Joe Gray, OF, age 19

243 points - 22 of 27 ballots

 

The Brewers 2nd round pick in 2018, Gray is a good athlete who had a ton of raw power and cannon for an arm. Expect some growing pains as he moves forward.

 

#16 ( +6 ) Tyrone Taylor, OF, age 25 - AAA San Antonio

239 points - 21 of 27 ballots

 

Taylor’s return from the Abyss continues as he rises to the #16 spot in our poll. While some of Taylor’s numbers in 2018 were due to the thin Colorado air, he has shown enough that he could work his way to the majors in the near future. Taylor may not do anything great - but he has a nice set of skills that could make him - at least - a valuable 4th outfielder.

 

#17 ( -2 ) Carlos Rodriguez, OF, age 18

182 points - 20 of 27 ballots

 

A nice performance in the DSL and AZL in 2018 (.325 BA) has gotten the attention of baseball scouts and analysts. Rodriguez is not a big guy - only 150 pounds - but has speed and is a polished hitter and plus defender.

 

#18 ( +1 ) Trent Grisham, OF, age 22 - AA Biloxi

153 points - 25 of 27 ballots

 

Is make-or-break overly dramatic to describe Grisham’s upcoming campaign? The former #1 pick simply has not hit the last few seasons. His ultra patient approach at the plate has yielded plenty of walks, but Grisham needs to show progress actually hitting the ball this year if he wants to maintain his prospect status.

 

#19 ( -7 ) Marcos Diplan, RHP, age 22 - AA Biloxi

152 points - 18 of 27 ballots

 

Not a lot of love for Diplan. He got rocked in spring training and has simply not shown much improvement over the past few years. A poor start to 2019 could knock him off our Top 25 this summer. A move to the bullpen may be coming if Diplan doesn’t improve his consistency and command.

 

#20 ( -2 ) Jake Gatewood, 1B, age 23 - AA Biloxi

146 points - 17 of 27 ballots

 

Sadly, a torn ACL prematurely ended Gatewood’s 2018 campaign. At the time of the injury, he was starting to show off the immense raw power he possesses - hitting 19 HR in 94 games. He will be brought along slowly by the organization in 2019. Let’s hope he can round quickly into form once he gets back onto the playing field.

 

#21 ( +2 ) Je’Von Ward, OF, age 19 - A- Wisconsin

139 points - 16 of 27 ballots

 

Toolsy outfielder that has a lot of work to do, but has intriguing potential. Ward is tall and rangy, and in time, should develop more power. If he can keep hitting like he did in 2018, he should start climbing our prospect list.

 

#22 ( -1 ) Mario Feliciano, C, age 20 - A+ Carolina

111 points - 13 of 27 ballots

 

After a - mostly - lost 2018 (only 42 games played), Feliciano looks to rebound this season. He is an interesting prospect - drawing raves from some - shrugs from others. Feliciano’s fans feel that he can stay behind the plate - and develop into a plus hitter. Others are skeptical of his catching abilities - and thus downplay the bat as it won’t play as well at a different position - such as 1B.

 

#23 ( NEW ) Drew Rasmussen, RHP, age 23

101 points - 7 of 27 ballots

 

Former Oregon State hurler was a 1st round pick in the 2017 draft, but did not sign when concerns were raised during his physical. He eventually underwent a second Tommy John surgery, and the Brewers grabbed him in the 6th round of the 2018 draft. It is a low-risk - but potentially high reward - move by the Brewers. Rasmussen has yet to appear in any games, but is progressing - and should make his professional debut sometime in 2019.

 

#24 ( -4 ) Micah Bello, OF, age 18

99 points - 17 of 27 ballots

 

Selected 73rd overall in the 2018 draft, Bello is a young outfielder with plus speed and a good glove and strong arm. Like a lot of players his age, he will need to add strength to his frame in order to raise his ceiling.

 

#25 ( New ) Eduardo Garcia, SS, age 16

83 points - 8 of 27 ballots

 

The Brewers signed Garcia in 2018 for $1M out of Venezuela. Although very young, he was considered one of the premium defenders on the international market. And while his glove is his ticket to the Big Leagues, scouts like his bat and approach at the plate - and believe he will grow as a hitter as he matures physically.

 

The rest

 

Pablo Abreu - 77

Miguel Sanchez - 68

Caden Lemons - 52

Jon Olczak - 51

Clayton Andrews - 45

Andres Melendez - 39

Cam Roegner - 38

Joey Matulovich - 33

Angel Perdomo - 31

Bubba Derby - 31

Adam Hill - 30

Weston Wilson - 28

Eduarqui Fernandez - 22

Chad McClanahan - 21

Larry Ernesto - 20

Cody Ponce - 18

Bobby Wahl - 18

Nate Griep - 16

Eddie Silva - 16

Lun Zhao - 16

David Fry - 14

Scott Sunitsch - 13

Reese Olson - 13

Noah Zavalos - 12

Cooper Hummel - 11

CJ Hinojosa - 11

Max Lazar - 9

Jesus Chirinos - 9

Nathan Kirby - 9

Ryan Aguilar - 8

Felix Valerio - 7

Jake Hager - 6

LG Castillo - 6

Aaron Wilkerson - 6

Victor Vargas - 5

Joantel Segovia - 5

Devin Williams - 5

Quintin Torres-Costa - 5

Daniel Brown - 4

Korrey Howell - 4

Michele Vassalotti - 3

Henry Medina - 3

Phil Bickford - 2

Yeison Coca - 2

Dallas Carroll - 1

Bowden Francis - 1

 

All ages are as of April 10, 2019.

 

If a player isn't listed as being on any team, that means he is either rehabbing or destined for short season ball, such as the DSL.

 

Original voting thread: viewtopic.php?f=64&t=38203

[reillymcshane]

Thanks to everyone who participated in this version of our Top 25 poll.

 

Here are some numbers:

 

Gone from the Top 25: Ponce (dropped to 41), Lemons (dropped to 28)

Newcomers to Top 25: Drew Rasmussen, Eduardo Garcia

Number of ballots: 27

Number of players on ballots: 71

Mr. Irrelevant (1 point): Bowden Francis (2nd time in a row!), Dallas Carroll

Risers: Webb, Ashby, Garcia, Rasmussen, Taylor

Fallers: Lemons, Ponce, Diplan

 

Please know that all write ups are my own observations and opinions.

 

If you see any mistakes, please let me know. Sometimes autocorrect will trick me. Or I’ll cut and paste something incorrectly. Other times I just mess something up. I will update as needed.

[reillymcshane]

Observations about this poll

 

Keston Hiura - again - got all the #1 votes except for one (Cam Roegner).

 

We only had 27 ballots, so each ballot held more weight than in the past. This allowed some dramatic shifts in a few cases - example, Drew Rasmussen, who was only on 7 ballots. He had several people really give him a high ranking, thus really helping inflate his totals. Nothing wrong with that - just with fewer ballots, these sorts of things are more common.

 

Not a ton of movement as there were no players traded or released since the last poll. The players we added were not big time prospects - and the best (Wahl) had surgery - meaning they did not affect voting much.

 

Some longtime Top 25 prospects who have stagnated of late ended up tumbling a lot. That included Diplan and Ponce.

 

Some new names on the cusp of the Top 25 who we will want to watch in 2019 include Pablo Abreu, Miguel Sanchez and Lun Zhao.

[sveumrules]

Thanks as always for putting the time into compiling this all, reilly.

 

Will be interesting to see how the list looks after a couple two tree months of performance from the incumbents, an infusion of new talent after the June draft & then any potential losses or additions around the trade deadline.

[CheeseheadInQC]

I'm not saying he will, because who knows how well he'll perform, but I think the one best situated to make a giant leap by midseason is Olson. He's the one who a half season of good results probably benefits most given his age and current placement in the also ran section of the list.

[clancyphile]

I'm not saying he will, because who knows how well he'll perform, but I think the one best situated to make a giant leap by midseason is Olson. He's the one who a half season of good results probably benefits most given his age and current placement in the also ran section of the list.

 

I think Scott Sunitsch is going to be a fast riser. His Wisconsin numbers last year were impressive, and if he continues that pace this year... he could be good.

[Manty Brewer Fan]

I must be high on guy on Joey Matulovich and Max Lazar I provided half of each of their points and predict by midseason they both fly up the ranks. Have to admit that I was bummed Joey M didn't crack Wisconsin at season start.

[reillymcshane]

Here's a quick update of our 2019 pre-season Top 25.

 

All info is as of May 11, 2019.

 

#1 Keston Hiura, 2B, age 22 - AAA San Antonio

27% strikeout rate isn’t great, but the kid has a 1.000+ OPS. The power is starting to emerge, which if he can sustain, makes Hiura a scary good prospect.

 

#2 Zack Brown, RHSP, age 24 - AAA San Antonio

Solid, but unspectacular thus far. Want to see a lower walk rate.

 

#3 Corey Ray, OF, age 24 - AAA San Antonio

Awful start - 40% strikeout rate - and then a finger injury. Has come off the IL and hit HRs in his first two games. Let’s hope that’s a sign of things to come.

 

#4 Brice Turang, SS, age 19 - A- Wisconsin

Nice start (.283 BA), showing off his advanced bat and plate discipline. If he can develop a little pop, Turang will really be intriguing.

 

#5 Tristen Lutz, OF, age 20 - A+ Carolina

Struggled out of the gate, but has come on in May. Still waiting for him to breakout.

 

#6 Aaron Ashby, LHSP, age 20 - A- Wisconsin

Inconsistent performances featuring lots of strikeouts and lots of walks. However, lots to be excited about.

 

#7 Mauricio Dubon, 2B/SS, age 24 - AAA San Antonio

Come back from injury and done fine, but nothing remarkable. Has the looks of a utility infielder.

 

#8 Lucas Erceg, 3B, age 24 - AAA San Antonio

Looked great early, then struggled the last couple of weeks. Has improved his walk and HR rates this season, which is a good sign.

 

#9 Braden Webb, RHSP, age 24 - A+ Carolina

Tough campaign so far - more walks than strikeouts. Demoted to Carolina.

 

#10 Trey Supak, RHSP, age 22 - AA Biloxi

Not a sexy performer, but Supak keeps producing. Has a 2.27 ERA thus far.

 

#11 Jacob Nottingham, C, age 24 - AAA San Antonio

Poor start, but has improved the last couple of weeks.

 

#12 Troy Stokes, Jr., OF, age 23 - AAA San Antonio

Has battled injuries, and only appareled in eight games (although he’s looked good in those games).

 

#13 Payton Henry, C, age 21 - A+ Carolina

Same stuff as last year. Shows some power, huge strikeout numbers, inconsistent hit tool.

 

#14 Adrian Houser, RHP, age 26 - Milwaukee

Houser is on the San Antonio to Milwaukee express this year. He’s look great at AAA, but be inconsistent in Milwaukee. Currently the most likely player to graduate from our prospect list.

 

#15 Joe Gray, OF, age 19

Has not played yet in 2019.

 

#16 Tyrone Taylor, OF, age 25 - AAA San Antonio

Taylor has done just fine in 2019, producing an OPS right around .800. He’s got a little pop in his bat, some speed, and plays all three OF positions. That may get him to Milwaukee in 2019.

 

#17 Carlos Rodriguez, OF, age 18

Has not played yet in 2019.

 

#18 Trent Grisham, OF, age 22 - AA Biloxi

Trent Grisham 2019 is looking a lot like Trent Grisham 2016-18. That’s not very exciting.

 

#19 Marcos Diplan, RHP, age 22 - AA Biloxi

8.20 ERA in 2019. Strikes out a lot of guys, but walks a ton of them as well. Not good thus far. Moved the bullpen recently - so that might be his position going forward. Is a potential guy to drop out of our Top 25.

 

#20 Jake Gatewood, 1B, age 23 - AA Biloxi

Has not played yet in 2019 as he gets back into playing shape.

 

#21 Je’Von Ward, OF, age 19 - A- Wisconsin

Has struggled in 2019 in his first pass at full-season ball. Young for his league, so some patience is likely required.

 

#22 Mario Feliciano, C, age 20 - A+ Carolina

One of the system’s breakout kids thus far of 2019 with 6 HR and an .813 OPS. Nice to see Feliciano rebound after an injury-plagued 2018.

 

#23 Drew Rasmussen, RHP, age 23

Breakout kid #2 for the Brewers. Rasmussen is being brought along slowly as he is coming off Tommy John surgery. He has already been moved from Wisconsin to Carolina to Biloxi is less than a month.

 

#24 Micah Bello, OF, age 18

Has not played yet in 2019.

 

#25 Eduardo Garcia, SS, age 16

Has not played yet in 2019.

 

Here's a few non-top 25 players that have been intriguing thus far (for differing reasons):

 

Max Lazar - 1.61 ERA, 43K in 28 IP (and only 8 BB) at Wisconsin.

 

Joantgel Segovia - Hitting .309 at Carolina, including 4 HR (which doubles his career HR numbers).

 

Devon Williams - Shows smoke (35K in 24 innings) but still walking too many guys (19) at AA.

 

Clayton Andrews - After a nice debut in 2018, Andrews is still impressing with 14K in just 8.1 IP as the closer in Carolina.

[Boomer5]

Thanks for the updates. Great work!

[reillymcshane]

Thanks for the updates. Great work!

You're welcome.

 

I like how I say Dubon looks like a utility guy - and then he goes and pops 2 HR and raises his OPS by 40-50 points.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Thanks for the updates. Great work!

You're welcome.

 

I like how I say Dubon looks like a utility guy - and then he goes and pops 2 HR and raises his OPS by 40-50 points.

 

Does that mean if you say Grisham profiles as a AAAA guy, he'll turn into Hank Aaron?

[HiAndTight]

Observations about this poll

 

Keston Hiura - again - got all the #1 votes except for one (Cam Roegner).

 

We only had 27 ballots, so each ballot held more weight than in the past. This allowed some dramatic shifts in a few cases - example, Drew Rasmussen, who was only on 7 ballots. He had several people really give him a high ranking, thus really helping inflate his totals. Nothing wrong with that - just with fewer ballots, these sorts of things are more common.

 

Not a ton of movement as there were no players traded or released since the last poll. The players we added were not big time prospects - and the best (Wahl) had surgery - meaning they did not affect voting much.

 

Some longtime Top 25 prospects who have stagnated of late ended up tumbling a lot. That included Diplan and Ponce.

 

Some new names on the cusp of the Top 25 who we will want to watch in 2019 include Pablo Abreu, Miguel Sanchez and Lun Zhao.

 

 

C'mon....Roegner got a vote over Keston Hiura? I could see Turang given what his draft status was, or even if you like upside, but a low upside, soft tossing lefty?

 

He must have a brother on this side. Not that he hasn't pitched well....

 

 

Anyway, appreciate you compiling all this. I haven't participated in a while because I just don't follow everyone outside of the top 10-15 close enough.

 

But I see a system that has a couple of potential stars, quite a few potential role players and a potentially loaded BP for years to come. Not all that sexy of a list(though Turang is making it more of one and I think could be a mid-season top 50 type prospect).

 

But again, thanks for all the time and effort!

[HiAndTight]

Thanks for the updates. Great work!

You're welcome.

 

I like how I say Dubon looks like a utility guy - and then he goes and pops 2 HR and raises his OPS by 40-50 points.

 

 

I don't see "utility guy" as an insult. First, you have to be good enough defensively to play up the middle, which he is. Then it's a matter of playing some 3rd(I don't know exactly how good his arm is, but even if it's average to below average, that's fine) and then some OF.

 

These are the types of players that can help keep our payroll down, allow us some flexibility and have the potential to develop into something more.

[MrTPlush]

Observations about this poll

 

Keston Hiura - again - got all the #1 votes except for one (Cam Roegner).

 

We only had 27 ballots, so each ballot held more weight than in the past. This allowed some dramatic shifts in a few cases - example, Drew Rasmussen, who was only on 7 ballots. He had several people really give him a high ranking, thus really helping inflate his totals. Nothing wrong with that - just with fewer ballots, these sorts of things are more common.

 

Not a ton of movement as there were no players traded or released since the last poll. The players we added were not big time prospects - and the best (Wahl) had surgery - meaning they did not affect voting much.

 

Some longtime Top 25 prospects who have stagnated of late ended up tumbling a lot. That included Diplan and Ponce.

 

Some new names on the cusp of the Top 25 who we will want to watch in 2019 include Pablo Abreu, Miguel Sanchez and Lun Zhao.

 

 

C'mon....Roegner got a vote over Keston Hiura? I could see Turang given what his draft status was, or even if you like upside, but a low upside, soft tossing lefty?

 

Yah, that is Clancy for you. His ballot usually just ends up pretty irrelevant though (when it comes to effecting rankings). It was kind of annoying when the system wasn't very good and he could pull some random guy into the Top 25 with his #1 vote that is almost never anyone of relevance. Or spike them up 5 spots from like #25 to #20. Because we have had years when those guys in the 20s had real low point totals and injecting 30+ points into them created big shifts.

 

He likes guys who produce, most of the time. Which often times includes low level guys who are college pitchers...who predictably dominate 18 year olds. Roegner fits that bill...had a stellar ERA as a 25 year old at A+.

 

Which I don't really have a problem with. He can make his list the way he wants it. At least he provides an explanation for why he picks who he does. I would say at least half the people doing ballots typically take a quick peek at various internet rankings and then stats. Not like we are a super serious bunch scouting video for days before putting a list together.

[clancyphile]

Observations about this poll

 

Keston Hiura - again - got all the #1 votes except for one (Cam Roegner).

 

We only had 27 ballots, so each ballot held more weight than in the past. This allowed some dramatic shifts in a few cases - example, Drew Rasmussen, who was only on 7 ballots. He had several people really give him a high ranking, thus really helping inflate his totals. Nothing wrong with that - just with fewer ballots, these sorts of things are more common.

 

Not a ton of movement as there were no players traded or released since the last poll. The players we added were not big time prospects - and the best (Wahl) had surgery - meaning they did not affect voting much.

 

Some longtime Top 25 prospects who have stagnated of late ended up tumbling a lot. That included Diplan and Ponce.

 

Some new names on the cusp of the Top 25 who we will want to watch in 2019 include Pablo Abreu, Miguel Sanchez and Lun Zhao.

 

 

C'mon....Roegner got a vote over Keston Hiura? I could see Turang given what his draft status was, or even if you like upside, but a low upside, soft tossing lefty?

 

Yah, that is Clancy for you. His ballot usually just ends up pretty irrelevant though (when it comes to effecting rankings). It was kind of annoying when the system wasn't very good and he could pull some random guy into the Top 25 with his #1 vote that is almost never anyone of relevance. Or spike them up 5 spots from like #25 to #20. Because we have had years when those guys in the 20s had real low point totals and injecting 30+ points into them created big shifts.

 

He likes guys who produce, most of the time. Which often times includes low level guys who are college pitchers...who predictably dominate 18 year olds. Roegner fits that bill...had a stellar ERA as a 25 year old at A+.

 

Which I don't really have a problem with. He can make his list the way he wants it. At least he provides an explanation for why he picks who he does. I would say at least half the people doing ballots typically take a quick peek at various internet rankings and then stats. Not like we are a super serious bunch scouting video for days before putting a list together.

 

Well, I do look at how they produce... because how many of the "toolsy" prospects flame out? Clint Coulter, Victor Roache, Jed Bradley, Frederickson... some of the teams' first-round picks were wins not because of what they did for Milwaukee but for who they brought to Milwaukee.

 

At some point, you have to see whether they do the job, whether it's getting people out, or getting on base, or knocking runs in.

 

A dominating performance here... maybe a super-good walk rate there. Maybe this pitcher doesn't walk many batters. That one keeps the ball in the park. Sometimes, you find a Brent Suter. There's a Weston Wilson who can supplement Hernan Perez.

 

Then again, I have my misses... Ronnie Gideon is/was a big one, I thought he'd be a big bopper like Prince after his first pro season. So were Dallas Carroll and Taylor Green, who I thought were a couple of Cirillos in the making.

 

But when I look at the numbers, and make my picks... these are the guys who have shown enough results that maybe others will take a closer look.

[reillymcshane]

 

how many of the "toolsy" prospects flame out? Clint Coulter, Victor Roache

I don't think I ever heard Roache referred to as 'toolsy'. Dude had power - nothing more. Coulter wasn't much different - although he did have a strong arm.

[nate82]

 

how many of the "toolsy" prospects flame out? Clint Coulter, Victor Roache

I don't think I ever heard Roache referred to as 'toolsy'. Dude had power - nothing more. Coulter wasn't much different - although he did have a strong arm.

 

I was just going to post this.

 

Clancy I don't think you understand what "toolsy" prospect means with your examples.

 

The more "toolsy" prospects would be Arcia, Cain, Weeks, Braun, Hart, Ray, Lutz, Gray, Grisham, Ward, Lara and others. I would assume that the "toolsy" prospects flame out at about the same rate as everyone else does. You get a bigger boom out of a "toolsy" prospect than the one dimensional ones even if you don't hit on a "toolsy" prospect you still have someone who can be a utility player or a decent regular (Arcia).

 

I prefer the "toolsy" athletic players over the "traditional baseball" player. The game is becoming more about athleticism (OF's are being graded like WR & DB in football now) than it is about the traditional baseball attributes. I don't see this changing any time soon so we should start seeing more of these athletic type of players over your traditional baseball player as they fit in better with analytics.

[CheeseheadInQC]

Pitching is a bit of a different beast, but as far as hitters go, give me toolsy guys, especially if a player is selected after the first few rounds of the draft.

 

If look back through the Brewers' recent history, there are far more examples of the raw toolsy guys developing than of the mid- and late-round college hitters who perform well in the low minors making a significant impact in the big leagues. Unless I missed someone, since 1993, so the entirety of Corbin Burnes' life, Baseball Reference lists exactly one college hitter picked by the Brewers after round three who accumulated even 1.0 WAR (Khris Davis). After that the next best is Eric Fryer. Past him, you get into Jason Rogers, Sean Halton, Eric Farris territory.

 

Could Wilson or Fry break this trend? Sure. But historically for the Brewers they aren't really a better bet than someone like Je'Von Ward.

[reillymcshane]

Adrian Houser, our #14 prospect in our latest poll, appears to have enough service time that he is no longer eligible for 'prospect' status.

 

Houser had 31 days of service coming into 2019, and at 45 days of service, you are no longer eligible for prospect status.

 

He will, therefore, graduate from our list and be ineligible for our polls going forward.

 

Congrats to Houser.

[reillymcshane]

Here’s my June Top 25 update

 

All info is as of June 4, 2019.

 

#1 Keston Hiura, 2B, age 22 - AAA San Antonio

.865 OPS in 17 games in Milwaukee - but back to AAA with Shaw’s return. Not much left for Hiura except to try and cut down on the strikeouts.

 

#2 Zack Brown, RHSP, age 24 - AAA San Antonio

Erratic performance in 2019, with his control going AWOL. Has just given up way too many baserunners this year.

 

#3 Corey Ray, OF, age 24 - AAA San Antonio

Came back from IL and popped a few HRs - then got hurt again. Frustrating year for Ray. Poor numbers and injuries will likely cause him to drop in our rankings this summer.

 

#4 Brice Turang, SS, age 19 - A- Wisconsin

Keeps getting his hits and taking his walks. .318 BA and .414 OBP is nice to look at.

 

#5 Tristen Lutz, OF, age 20 - A+ Carolina

.549 OPS in April. .865 OPS in May. Let’s hope the improved numbers keep coming.

 

#6 Aaron Ashby, LHSP, age 21 - A- Wisconsin

Walked a few too many batters, but Ashby has produced to the tune of a 3.40 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 53 innings. A promotion to Carolina may not be far off.

 

#7 Mauricio Dubon, 2B/SS, age 24 - AAA San Antonio

Doesn't walk much. Power is meh. But with a solid BA (.286), good defense and some speed, Dubon is just waiting for his chance in Milwaukee (which likely means an injury to Arcia or Perez).

 

#8 Lucas Erceg, 3B, age 24 - AAA San Antonio

Good April, awful May. Just can’t put it all together.

 

#9 Braden Webb, RHSP, age 24 - A+ Carolina

Disappointing year. 33 walks in 39.2 IP. Has been better since his demotion to Carolina, but is still struggling.

 

#10 Trey Supak, RHSP, age 22 - AA Biloxi

Just keeps getting the job done. 1.85 ERA in 68 innings this year. Recently, came within one out of throwing a no-hitter. Probably needs to be pushed to AAA in the near future.

 

#11 Jacob Nottingham, C, age 24 - AAA San Antonio

Hit is first ML HR in brief call up last month. Back to AAA where regular playing time will do him some good.

 

#12 Troy Stokes, Jr., OF, age 23 - AAA San Antonio

Struggling to hit AAA pitching (.179 BA) - although he has missed time with injuries. Power and patience is there.

 

#13 Payton Henry, C, age 21 - A+ Carolina

Showing himself to be a streaky hitter with some power - but a big hole in his bat (37.4% strikeout rate).

 

#14 Adrian Houser, RHP, age 26 - Milwaukee

Houser has graduated off of our Top 25 due to his extended time in Milwaukee this year. He dominated at AAA, and has been solid for the Brewers (19.1 IP, 19K, 8BB, 3.26 ERA). Needs to keep refining his command.

 

#15 Joe Gray, OF, age 19

Has not played yet in 2019.

 

#16 Tyrone Taylor, OF, age 25 - AAA San Antonio

Hot April (.309 BA) followed by cold May (.171 BA) leads to a lot of ‘meh’ for Taylor. Nice to see he is retaining some of the power (6 HR, .439 SLG%) he showed last year.

 

#17 Carlos Rodriguez, OF, age 18

Has not played yet in 2019.

 

#18 Trent Grisham, OF, age 22 - AA Biloxi

A recent surge has lifted Grisham’s numbers tremendously. His 10 HR are a career high. And his .260 BA is the best since 2015. Let’s hope something ‘clicked’ for Grisham - and he can regain the lofty prospect status we had for him a few years ago.

 

#19 Marcos Diplan, RHP, age 22 - AA Biloxi

Same results. Decent strikeout rate, but too many walks and too many hits allowed. Has been moved to the bullpen, where his numbers are a bit better than as a starter.

 

#20 Jake Gatewood, 1B, age 23 - AA Biloxi

Has struggled mightily since returning in May - hitting .110 on 73 ABs. Still early, but would like to see things start clicking for Jake.

 

#21 Je’Von Ward, OF, age 19 - A- Wisconsin

Mediocre performance so far in 2019 (.234 BA). Must keep preaching patience with Ward, who took up baseball later than most prospects.

 

#22 Mario Feliciano, C, age 20 - A+ Carolina

Numbers looking good this year. 11 HR, .275 BA, .818 OPS. Leads the Carolina League in HRs.

 

#23 Drew Rasmussen, RHP, age 23

Dominated two levels of A ball - and done really well at AA. Looking like a steal of a pick for the Crew.

 

#24 Micah Bello, OF, age 18

Has not played yet in 2019.

 

#25 Eduardo Garcia, SS, age 16

Just this week, he hit an HR in only his 2nd pro game. Still only 16 years old.

 

Here's a few non-top 25 players that have been intriguing thus far (for differing reasons):

 

David Fry - Hitting .292 with 6 HR at Wisconsin.

 

Nate Orf - .302 BA for San Antonio.

 

Aaron Wilkerson - 0.46 ERA in 39 innings of work at San Antonio.

 

Miguel Sanchez - 2.28 ERA with 28 strikeouts in 27.2 IP for San Antonio.

 

Joantgel Segovia - Hit .302 at Carolina, earning him a promotion to Biloxi (where he’s got 7 hits in his first 18 ABs).

 

Nate Griep - 1.07 ERA and 12 saves for Biloxi.

 

Clayton Andrews - 2.50 ERA, 28K, 5 BB and 7 saves in 18 innings for Carolina.

[OnTheBlack]

Thanks for the updates. Great work!

You're welcome.

 

I like how I say Dubon looks like a utility guy - and then he goes and pops 2 HR and raises his OPS by 40-50 points.

 

Does that mean if you say Grisham profiles as a AAAA guy, he'll turn into Hank Aaron?

 

 

 

Uhh....wow. I guess it actually does!

[OnTheBlack]

 

how many of the "toolsy" prospects flame out? Clint Coulter, Victor Roache

I don't think I ever heard Roache referred to as 'toolsy'. Dude had power - nothing more. Coulter wasn't much different - although he did have a strong arm.

 

 

Well....let me say it then. Coulter was very toolsy. I don't think Roache was, but Coulter was a very-very good athlete. I was a big fan and very disappointed that he couldn't stick behind the plate. I think he could have stuck behind the plate and then his bat would have looked much better. But, that horse has been put down and I kicked it several times now. Coulter was a decent hitter last year, but NOT as someone who played any of the corner positions.

[reillymcshane]

Here's a July review of our Top 25 list:

 

#1 Keston Hiura, 2B, age 22 - Milwaukee Brewers

Back to the Big Leagues for Keston - hopefully for good. He’s going to have his growing pains, but he has the chance to be the best hitter the system has produced in more than a decade.

 

#2 Zack Brown, RHSP, age 24 - AAA San Antonio

His season has gone from mediocre to bad. 6.01 ERA, 49 BB in just 82 IP. Hard to watch this happen after making such progress in 2018.

 

#3 Corey Ray, OF, age 24 - AAA San Antonio

Injuries have clouded an already bad season (.546 OPS, 44%K rate) for Ray. He has just begun his rehab assignment, so let’s hope he rebounds in the second half.

 

#4 Brice Turang, SS, age 19 - A- Wisconsin

Has cooled off a bit, but still hitting .284. Assuming Hiura graduates from the prospect list, Turang is likely the system’s top player in our next poll.

 

#5 Tristen Lutz, OF, age 20 - A+ Carolina

After a poor April, Lutz has been solid, yet unspectacular. Still a very interesting prospect, but can’t wait to see him breakout.

 

#6 Aaron Ashby, LHSP, age 21 - A- Wisconsin

Has improved all season, even after his promotion to Wisconsin. He could be our top pitching prospect very soon.

 

#7 Mauricio Dubon, 2B/SS, age 24 - Milwaukee Brewers

A good batting average (.307) and a power surge (career high 14 HR) has allowed Dubon to reach the majors (due to Arcia’s injury). Time for the young man to shine.

 

#8 Lucas Erceg, 3B, age 24 - AAA San Antonio

After a strong start, Erceg has struggled badly - his BA falling all the way to .200. He’s striking out a lot more than in past years, but is on pace for more HRs than any season as a professional. However, the crashing batting average is troubling.

 

#9 Braden Webb, RHSP, age 24 - A+ Carolina

After a disastrous start, Webb was demoted to Carolina, where he rebounded (3.44 ERA in 36 IP). Unfortunately, he landed on the DL last month and has not come off.

 

#10 Trey Supak, RHSP, age 22 - AA Biloxi

2.36 ERA in 103 IP for 2019. You would have to think that a promotion to AAA should be coming sooner than later. Likely will vie with Aaron Ashby as the system's top pitching prospect.

 

#11 Jacob Nottingham, C, age 24 - AAA San Antonio

Solid production (.769 OPS) combined with improving defense is encouraging.

 

#12 Troy Stokes, Jr., OF, age 23 - AAA San Antonio

Stokes never had a great hit tool, and that deficiency is showing itself off at AAA as he is only hitting .213. He does other things well, but his inability to hit for a good average will limit his upside.

 

#13 Payton Henry, C, age 21 - A+ Carolina

In addition to a 30% strikeout rate, Henry’s walk rate is a career low 5.5%. Still showing some nice pop with 26 extra base hits this year (one shy of his career high).

 

#14 Adrian Houser, RHP, age 26 - Milwaukee

Houser has graduated from our list. Congrats to Adrian, and let’s hope he continues to have great success for the Brewers.

 

#15 Joe Gray, OF, age 19 - Rookie Rocky Mountain Vibes

Has only appeared in 10 games this year.

 

#16 Tyrone Taylor, OF, age 25 - AAA San Antonio

After a nice start, Taylor has floundered (.218 BA), then got hurt and missed most of June. He’s on rehab assignment and should be back shortly.

 

#17 Carlos Rodriguez, OF, age 18 - Rookie AZL

Has only played one game in 2019.

 

#18 Trent Grisham, OF, age 22 - AAA San Antonio

Grisham’s improved play (18 HR, .368 OBP) has led to a promotion to AAA. If he keeps performing well, he may get a September call up.

 

#19 Marcos Diplan, RHP, age 22 - AA Biloxi

Has moved to the bullpen, and done better (6.86 ERA as a starter vs 4.11 ERA as a reliever). Still walks way too many batters (31 in 51 innings).

 

#20 Jake Gatewood, 1B, age 23 - AA Biloxi

Difficult year for Gatewood. HIs numbers are not good (.174 BA, .540 OPS). He started the year late, so let’s hope he can get things going in the second half.

 

#21 Je’Von Ward, OF, age 19 - A- Wisconsin

Tough year for Je’Von. .228 BA, .641 OPS. The 12% walk rate is nice, but nothing much else to get excited about for 2019.

 

#22 Mario Feliciano, C, age 20 - A+ Carolina

Feliciano’s rebound campaign continues. His hitting has cooled off a little, but he’s still leading the Carolina League in HRs with 14.

 

#23 Drew Rasmussen, RHP, age 23 - AA Biloxi

Rasmussen’s stellar 2019 his a bump at Biloxi, where his has been solid rather than spectacular. Has 19 walks and 41 strikeouts in 34 innings at AA .

 

#24 Micah Bello, OF, age 18 - Rookie Rookie Mountain Vibes

Has looked good this year (although in only 18 games) with a .895 OPS.

 

#25 Eduardo Garcia, SS, age 16, DSL Brewers

Garcia has been great in limited work this year, producing a .919 OPS in his first 10 games. Still only 16 years old.

[clancyphile]

Gatewood, Ray, and Stokes warrant mulligans due to injury.

[sveumrules]

I've got the rough draft of my Mid Season Top 25 all slotted out, be interesting to see how many spots will have to be refilled after the deadline.