Arizona Fall League

[Oxy]

In a change from previous years, the 2019 AFL begins soon after the MiLB season ends--running from Sept. 18th to October 26th. The Brewers will send 7 players to play for the Glendale Desert Dogs.

 

Who will they be?

 

Corey Ray participated in the league a couple of years ago, can he go again this fall?

Ethan Small pitched 100 innings for MSU this past Spring, then barely competed in Minor League games until the past couple of weeks...is he a candidate?

[KeithStone53151]

I don't think Ray or Small make sense. Generally we send top hitting prospects, and pitchers that need work. Lutz, Stokes, and Segovia make sense for hitters. Someone like Bickford makes sense for a pitcher. The pitchers the Brewers send are generally somewhat under the radar guys...usually not on the top 30. I also believe we usually send mostly AA-AAA guys with only 1 or 2 lower minors guys.

[Smichaelis9]

If I had to put out a guess, based on the assumption that we would have about 6 players in the AFL...

 

I would guess:

Mario Feliciano- Got hurt before he really got to get any time on the field last year, but they obviously wanted him there, so I think he will return this year and hopefully remain healthy this time around.

Tristen Lutz- I think they'll want him to get more at bats, especially if they're going to keep pushing him each year (meaning they want him to start next season in AA)

Cooper Hummel- I know "And That" has been a big fan of Hummel, and I think he's a guy that is pretty undervalued in our personal prospect discussions (the more I've looked into it, there's no way he shouldn't have made my top 75 prospects). He seems like the prototypical "non-prospect" guy that a team would like to see in that environment.

Johan Bellisario- Belissario is a guy I think could be a late bloomer as a reliever and I think the Brewers will give him the Miguel Sanchez treatment of last year.

Luke Barker- Another potential relief pitcher, I honestly wouldn't be completely shocked if he ended up being in the majors this year, but if they don't plan on that, the AFL seems like a great place for him to go and get some more work.

Phil Bickford- Seems like there's a chance he's turning a corner the last month or so, with 16 1/3 scoreless innings, along with 25 Ks. Working his way into a guy who might need to be protected this offseason (probably not, but it's gone from 0% chance to at least 25% imo)

 

Others I think would be considered: Ryan Aguilar, Nate Griep, Max McDowell, Payton Henry, Zack Brown, Clayton Andrews, Thomas Jankins, Angel Perdomo (perhaps to decide whether to add him to the 40 man or not), and lastly if Nathan Kirby returns from his Thoracic Outlet Surgery I could see him sort of rehabbing it in the AFL.

 

Now that I've typed all this out, they'll likely choose 5 or 6 guys that I didn't even mention here

[DHonks]

Ray would make perfect sense to send. He's had one good minor league season, and this year has been lost due to injury and ineffectiveness.

[CheeseheadInQC]

I question whether they send Bickford just because it would be more likely to force their hand in protecting him.

 

I've got a feeling either Feliciano or Lutz gets one of the spots, with a AA position equivalent getting another (either Feliciano/Hummel or Lutz/McDowell).

 

It could get interesting if the Brewers have to supply a middle infielder, with Hinojosa and Allemand distinct possibilities.

 

As for pitching, I'm guessing at least one of Bettinger/File/Francis/Ashby/Zavalos/Webb gets a spot depending on innings limits and health.

 

As for relievers, Barker seems a decent guess, but the guy I'd say has the best chance of getting picked (although I'm usually awful at predicting these things) is Clayton Andrews.

[JohnBriggs12]

I question whether they send Bickford just because it would be more likely to force their hand in protecting him.

 

I've got a feeling either Feliciano or Lutz gets one of the spots, with a AA position equivalent getting another (either Feliciano/Hummel or Lutz/McDowell).

 

It could get interesting if the Brewers have to supply a middle infielder, with Hinojosa and Allemand distinct possibilities.

 

As for pitching, I'm guessing at least one of Bettinger/File/Francis/Ashby/Zavalos/Webb gets a spot depending on innings limits and health.

 

As for relievers, Barker seems a decent guess, but the guy I'd say has the best chance of getting picked (although I'm usually awful at predicting these things) is Clayton Andrews.

 

Andrews is a good call. Hard to ignore a guy who's in AA barely a year after being drafted, and I'm sure the Brewers will want to see how his short frame plays against more elite hitters.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Can a Fall League player be on the 40-man roster? If so, I imagine Bobby Wahl may be a possibility. I would imagine they'd like to get him some innings if he is completely recovered from his knee injury, so as to hit the ground running a little quicker next year.

[Oxy]

Can a Fall League player be on the 40-man roster? If so, I imagine Bobby Wahl may be a possibility. I would imagine they'd like to get him some innings if he is completely recovered from his knee injury, so as to hit the ground running a little quicker next year.

 

As long as a player has less than one year of MLB service I believe they are eligible.

[folly412]

I question whether they send Bickford just because it would be more likely to force their hand in protecting him.

 

I've got a feeling either Feliciano or Lutz gets one of the spots, with a AA position equivalent getting another (either Feliciano/Hummel or Lutz/McDowell).

 

It could get interesting if the Brewers have to supply a middle infielder, with Hinojosa and Allemand distinct possibilities.

 

As for pitching, I'm guessing at least one of Bettinger/File/Francis/Ashby/Zavalos/Webb gets a spot depending on innings limits and health.

 

As for relievers, Barker seems a decent guess, but the guy I'd say has the best chance of getting picked (although I'm usually awful at predicting these things) is Clayton Andrews.

 

Andrews is a good call. Hard to ignore a guy who's in AA barely a year after being drafted, and I'm sure the Brewers will want to see how his short frame plays against more elite hitters.

 

I wonder if they'd ever send him trying to get him some more reps hitting and in the field. Only getting 3-4 PAs per week and has only gotten in the outfield a couple times in AA, but he's done well.

[DHonks]

I question whether they send Bickford just because it would be more likely to force their hand in protecting him.

 

I've got a feeling either Feliciano or Lutz gets one of the spots, with a AA position equivalent getting another (either Feliciano/Hummel or Lutz/McDowell).

 

It could get interesting if the Brewers have to supply a middle infielder, with Hinojosa and Allemand distinct possibilities.

 

As for pitching, I'm guessing at least one of Bettinger/File/Francis/Ashby/Zavalos/Webb gets a spot depending on innings limits and health.

 

As for relievers, Barker seems a decent guess, but the guy I'd say has the best chance of getting picked (although I'm usually awful at predicting these things) is Clayton Andrews.

 

Andrews is a good call. Hard to ignore a guy who's in AA barely a year after being drafted, and I'm sure the Brewers will want to see how his short frame plays against more elite hitters.

 

I wonder if they'd ever send him trying to get him some more reps hitting and in the field. Only getting 3-4 PAs per week and has only gotten in the outfield a couple times in AA, but he's done well.

 

The Brewers could ask the coaching staff to work him in drills, but there would be no guarantee of playing time since most positions are filled with priority players. Still, one year when I worked in the fall league we were joking that with nearly all of our middle infielders injured, when would we have to suit up and play?! So it’s always possible he could DH or play a little

[LouisEly]

My guesses, in priority order, would be:

 

1) Braden Webb - missed time with injury, just starting rehab, needs more work

2) Clayton Andrews - might want to give him some more time in the field, and see if he can get better hitters out

3) Corey Ray - even though they sent him two years ago, after missing so much time they may want to give him some more ABs

4) Mario Feliciano - catchers are always in demand, and they may want to challenge him with tougher pitching

5) Tristen Lutz - like Feliciano, might want to challenge him

6) Cam Roegner - also missed time with injury, not a super high pitching prospect - the Brewers don't send those - but has been interesting

7) Luis Aviles - they'll need to send an infielder, and I don't know if Turang is ready yet

 

Others:

Phil Bickford - if they plan on protecting him, he'll go; if they plan on not protecting him, they won't risk other teams getting a look at him

Justin Topa - same with Bickford, he's been throwing upper-90's and they may not want to let other teams get a look at him

Max McDowell - if Feliciano doesn't go, he'll likely go

Luke Barker - if he's not added to the major league roster in September he may go instead of Roegner

Cooper Hummel - has been interesting this year, but if Lutz goes, he probably won't

[clancyphile]

I'd like to see Feliciano, Roegner, Turang, Stokes, Andrews, and Hummel go.

[KeithStone53151]

Were these announced? Just saw this on my twitter feed.

 

https://twitter.com/MLBazFallLeague/status/1164253287937273856

[Mudville9]

Link didn't work for me. I did see that Lutz will be playing for the Desert Dogs.

[KeithStone53151]

Yeah I see it got pulled down. It said that Turang would be playing as well, which is very surprising to me.

[folly412]

Looks like the Lutz Tweet was re-posted. Nothing on Turang in this one:

 

[Smichaelis9]

Rosters just released

Brewers (Glendale): Tristen Lutz, OF (No. 2); Payton Henry, C (No. 16); Pablo Abreu, OF (No. 18); Clayton Andrews, LHP; Victor Castaneda, RHP; David Fry, 1B/3B; Nathan Kirby, LHP; Quintin Torres-Costa, LHP

[LouisEly]

(Edit - apparently all minor league players are now eligible to play in the AFL. Some web links are now inaccurate.)

 

Good news for Kirby. Strange that they are putting him in there without any rehab games so far this year. He'll have to be the taxi squad so they can limit his usage.

[brewmann04]

Nice Group to be watching.

[jerichoholicninja]

(Edit - apparently all minor league players are now eligible to play in the AFL. Some web links are now inaccurate.)

 

Good news for Kirby. Strange that they are putting him in there without any rehab games so far this year. He'll have to be the taxi squad so they can limit his usage.

 

QTC in the same spot. Looks like he just started pitching in rookie ball. Can't imagine he'll get many innings there before the AFL.

[DHonks]

Abreu has to be the most unaccomplished prospect sent there by the Brewers since Alcides Escobar when he was an 18-year old A-ball kid. The Brewers must like him a lot

[CheeseheadInQC]

Mildly surprised about QCT only because a strong showing could put him at Rule 5 risk. Hopefully Abreu shows enough to earn a promotion to Carolina next season. Just from a logistical standpoint, you've got Rodriguez, Gray and Bello likely ticketed to Wisconsin next year (plus Holt if they move him back to the outfield), and Abreu, Ward and Howell too talented to give up on but fringy as far as promotion goes.

 

It would be interesting to know if Castaneda was one of the few who had enough innings left or if they really are just that high on him.

[KeithStone53151]

Regarding Andrews, does anyone know what kind of speed he has? I know when he plays the field, its CF. I guess I'm just dreaming about him as a LH reliever/elite pinch runner. What a fun combo that could be...

[Oxy]

Regarding Andrews, does anyone know what kind of speed he has? I know when he plays the field, its CF. I guess I'm just dreaming about him as a LH reliever/elite pinch runner. What a fun combo that could be...

 

Totally agree. His potential value could take a hit with the 3 batter rule next year though. It would have been fun to pull the waxahatchie swap a few times with him.

[clancyphile]

David Fry, one of the prospects I rate highly (especially since he can play catcher) is also going. Ticketed for Biloxi next year?