(Image Credit: Brett Davis-US PRESSWIRE)
The Brewers may have possibly the most inexperienced top 10 prospects in all of baseball with most of them projected to reach the majors in 2018. The good news for Milwaukee is that the starters on the current roster are either in their prime or have yet to enter it. With Jean Segura, Khris Davis, and Scooter Gennett each locked in as starters for the foreseeable future, they have the type of foundation that could lead to a bright future. As most young players do, they struggled for stretches of the season, but showed the potential to become the core in Milwaukee.
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In the rotation, Wily Peralta and Jimmy Nelson will look to take the next step and should occupy the final two spots in the rotation. With a veteran-laden roster, Milwaukee should be able to keep the majority of its roster intact over the next two years until their prospects are ready to make an impact. In order for the organization to be competitive before then, however, they’ll need their veterans to play up to their contracts and players like Segura and Nelson to develop into impact players. As those players progress, they’ll hope that these top 10 prospects develop into the next class of starters.
Taylor is among the youngest top prospects in baseball after being drafted in the second round in the 2012 Draft. His athleticism and speed have been on display throughout his minor league career as he stole a combined ___ bases over two seasons. Although he doesn’t have a strong arm in center, his range makes up for it. With a future as a potent lead-off man atop the Milwaukee order, it’s unlikely they will rush him to the majors. He has above average bat speed and hand-eye-coordination as evident by his 88% contact rate. The power should continue to develop and it’s not out of the question that he eventually his 15 home runs while batting .285 with a .350 on-base-percentage. Beginning next season in Double-A, the Brewers will hope his bat continues to develop after hitting .289 so far in his minor league career.
Even as a 16-year-old, Arcia’s instincts and range up the middle on defense was far beyond his elder peers. With a strong arm and soft hands, he’s got the tools to stay at shortstop long-term. Unlike his brother, Oswaldo Arcia, he doesn’t have much power. Instead, his success will depend upon contact and speed which was evident by his 87% contact rate and 31 stolen bases in High-A. His patience at the plate is also commendable, as he walked more than he struck out. If he can develop more pop in his bat, he could become an everyday shortstop. Arcia’s glove will allow him at the very least to have a career as a utility infielder.
Unlike Arcia, Coulter’s offense is his calling card. After the Brewers selected him in the first round in 2012, he led the Rookie-level Arizona League in on-base percentage (.439). With a quick swing, an understanding of how to work the count, and the ability to drive the ball he has all the tools to be an above average hitter in the minors. After a season where he had ___ extra base hits with a .410 on-base percentage, Milwaukee has to be encouraged by his combination of bat control and power. Defensively, he still has a lot of work to do. His mechanics are still raw and he gave up 21 passed balls in his first season. He also only threw out 16% of base-stealers. His development as a catcher will hinge upon whether he can translate his athleticism into improving his defensive skills. At worst, he could play catcher part-time with most of his playing time allocated to left-field.
Harrison is among the most athletic of the Brewers top prospects, declining a football scholarship to Nebraska in favor of a career in baseball. With a strong arm, speed, and power he has the raw tools that player development personnel will look to mold. For a player with such raw tools, he has a solid understanding of the strike zone. His physical tools could help him initially, but his he’s going to need some time to develop as a hitter. His long-strides as a runner make him an excellent candidate to have numerous extra-base hits no matter the level and his arm in the outfield is above average. If he can develop as a hitter, he could be a rare specimen, but the Brewers likely won’t reap those benefits until 2018.
Gilbert Lara
The Brewers broke the bank for Lara after spending $3.1 million this season. A solid hitter with a big body and potential for above average power, he has upper-deck strength despite only being 16. Like most young hitters, however, he struggles with breaking balls and off-speed pitches, swinging at pitches out of the zone. Although he’s currently playing shortstop, his lack of range and large frame may merit a transfer to first base. If he can develop ball recognition at the plate, his future will be bright. If not, he could end up struggling as he faces more advanced pitching.
The Brewers selected Wang, from the Pirates in the Rule 5 Draft and have benefitted from their scouting. Despite only throwing 47 1/3 innings for Pittsburgh’s Gulf Coast League team, he caught Milwaukee’s eye after sporting a 3.23 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and yielding only 4 walks in comparison with 42 strikeouts. Wang has an array of pitches including a 95 mph fastball, a plus change-up and a curveball that causes hitters to freeze. Only 22, he’s shown the composure and command you’d like to see from high-caliber starting pitchers and his upside is a mid-rotation starter possibly as soon as 2016.
Williams’s future as a starter is still in question considering his diminutive stature. At only 5-foot-11, he may be better suited for the bullpen. With a 90-92 mph fastball and plus slider his pitching repertoire may be in line with that school of thought. The development of his change-up will be integral to his success as a starter in the minors. The good thing for Williams is that he aggressively attacks the strike zone and hitters have been unable to adjust for the majority of the last two years. After posting a 2.36 ERA and .944 WHIP in Class A Wisconsin, he hit a wall when he was promoted to Class A-Advanced, where his ERA almost doubled and WHIP ballooned to 1.34. With a plus slider and fastball with movement, he has the potential that the Brewers could develop over the next few years.
Williams has the height and frame at 6-foot-3 to add a substantial amount of muscle, which will make him a daunting presence on the mound. With a fastball, slider, and changeup, he knows how to mix his pitches well. The issue with Williams is his control. As someone who uses the entire plate, he is dependent on ball movement and attacking all areas of the strike zone. Sometimes that becomes an impediment to his natural ability and leads to hitters teeing off on pitches he leaves up in the zone. After 15 games in the Pioneer League allowing a .282 average to opposing hitters and over 1.4 hits per inning pitched, he still has a lot of work to do before receiving a projected major league arrival date. With his fastball reaching 94 mph with late action and his slider generating a lot of ground balls, he has a solid two-pitch combo that could eventually lead him to becoming an above average setup man in the majors.
Wagner’s future with the Brewers is bright, but the question will be where he fits best. Despite being a closer in college, the Brewers converted him to starter after selection him in the fourth round of the 2012 draft. He has the potential to be an innings-eater at the back of the rotation, especially with a clean motion throughout his delivery. With a sinker, change-up, and slider, he has a repertoire that of three pitches that are at least average. His fastball generates a high amount of ground balls and he knows how to mix it in with his breaking pitches. His slider, however, is what could quickly get him to the majors. With a high-three quarters arm slot, his slider has the type of movement hitters are unable to recognize. He does, however, sometimes struggle with control. After posting a 1.86 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 25 starts in the Pioneer League, it’s going to be difficult for him to replicate that high level of success. If he can do so while improving his command, he could make an impact in the Brewers bullpen by 2016.
Jungmann has the potential to be much higher on this list of rankings based on his pure stuff on the mound. With an overpowering fastball coming out of the University of Texas, he looked like he could eventually develop into the Brewers number one prospect. His velocity has declined since, but his slider has progressed to the point where he could use it at any point during an at-bat. With a 6-foot-6 fame and an aggressive nature, he does a good job of keeping the ball down and inside. His main issue may be over-pitching and trying to paint the strike zone, instead of relying on his stuff to get hitters out. After posting a 1.32 WHIP in AAA and giving up an overwhelming 4.1 walks per 9 innings, he’s going to need to temper his control if he wants to have a shot at making the majors in 2015. If he can let it loose and stop trying to be perfect with his pitch location, he could end up in Milwaukee bullpen by mid-2015 with the potential to eventually be a mid-rotation starter.
If the Brewers can stay competitive until their top prospects are prepared to join the majors, the transition should be seamless. With an excellent balance of minor league talent split between hitting and pitching, the organization has set themselves up well for the future.