Milwaukee Brewers: Looking at the Top-10 Prospects

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The Milwaukee Brewers Minor League system has taken some hits in recent months.

However, the cupboard is far from bare and the Milwaukee Brewers future remains as bright as any team in baseball. MLB Pipelines has recently released an updated Brewers Top-30 and we’ll be looking at the Top-10 today. First, let’s take a look at a couple of players who are not currently ranked in the Top-10.

Jake Gatewood- First Base

Currently just on the outside of the Top-10 at number 11 for the Brewers is Jake Gatewood. The former 2014 supplemental first-rounder has shown his versatility throughout his Minor League career by playing three different positions defensively.

Following two seasons as a shortstop, Gatewood has split time between third and first base. He has played primarily at first this year where his bat will play well as he matures. The 22-year-old has the potential to make an impact in MLB in the near future.

Gatewood has a .244 batting average with a .297 on-base percentage during his Minor League career. Although those numbers are nothing to be excited over, his power numbers are impressive. He has a career .709 on-base plus slugging percentage with 61 home runs in 513 games. Last season alone, the right-handed hitter amassed 58 extra-base hits while playing at the Advanced-A and Double-A levels.

Currently playing with Double-A Biloxi, Gatewood has been up to his normal tricks during this season. He’s hitting .244 with a .302 on-base percentage. Again, his power is his best skill and he has not disappointed. Gatewood has 19 home runs to go along with 19 doubles as well as 59 runs batted in. Unfortunately, his season is over following an ACL tear in late July and he’ll have to start fresh again during the 2019 season.

Marcos Diplan- Pitcher

The Texas Rangers signed Marcos Diplan as the eight ranked international prospect during the 2013 season. Milwaukee acquired Diplan, along with Corey Knebel, in exchange for Yovani Gallardo prior to the 2015 season. He has been inconsistent thus far in the Minors but possesses solid upside and could have a bright future in the Cream City.

Diplan ranked 13 in the system, receives a plus-grade (60) for his fastball and it is electric. The right-hander generally sits in the low-mid 90’s with his heater but can reach back for a little extra at times. His slider also grades out as a plus pitch (60) and he should generate plenty of swings and misses as he matures.

The 21-year-old was inconsistent while pitching for Advanced-A Carolina during the 2017 season. He finished with a 5.68 earned run average with 119 strikeouts across 125 2/3 innings pitched. However, he has shown improvement while pitching at the Advanced-A and Double-A levels during the 2018 season.

Diplan currently has a 3.47 earned run average in 20 starts across two levels of the Minors this year. He has pitched well while facing tougher hitters in Double-A and is gaining momentum toward a possible September call-up. He has a 3.38 earned run average with 36 strikeouts through his first seven starts for Biloxi this season.

Although Diplan seeing MLB action during this season is a stretch, he is progressing to the point of being in the conversation. His future could very well be in the bullpen and his electric stuff will help this team stay relevant in the National League.

Those are only two of what I feel is an underrated Milwaukee Brewers Minor League system. Let’s look at the 10 best prospects starting with a familiar name at catcher and a rising star on the mound.

10- Jacob Nottingham- Catcher/First Base

These next two players have made huge strides during the last couple of seasons. First, we’ll take a look at Jacob Nottingham, whom the Milwaukee Brewers acquired in exchange for Khris Davis.

Davis has gone on to flourish in Oakland and has become one of the best home run hitters in MLB. Nottingham, on the other hand, has struggled to find solid footing during his time in the Brewers Minor League system.

That is until last season when Nottingham really seemed to put things together defensively. Nottingham has put in a lot of hard work and is turning himself into a legitimate option behind the dish. Last season, Nottingham lowered his errors from 21 during 2016 to only nine while throwing out 40% of stolen base attempts against him.

That’s a good thing because Nottingham has not had as much success as expected offensively. He hit .229 during the 2015 season while playing in Double-A and followed that up with a measly .209 batting average last year. However, the 2018 season has been a different story as Nottingham has had an offensive resurgence.

He’s hitting .286 with a .352 on-base percentage in Triple-A and has even had a chance with the Milwaukee Brewers. Although he struggled, .200 batting average with a .333 on-base percentage, it’s a tiny sample size. He played in just seven games with only 24 plate appearances but it is a glimpse of what’s to come. We’ll be seeing more of Nottingham by September and he could end up playing a big role during the stretch run.

9- Zack Brown- Right-Handed Pitcher

Zack Brown has emerged as a future Major League weapon during this season and has vaulted up the Milwaukee Brewers prospect rankings. The former third-rounder has excelled while playing for Double-A Biloxi.

The University of Kentucky product is yet to lose a game for Biloxi through his first 18 starts (19 games). Brown has nine wins with a 2.34 earned run average in a career-high 111 2/3 innings pitched. His 1.021 walks plus hit per innings pitched (WHIP) is tremendous and shows that he’s not afraid to attack the hitter.

The 23-year-old also averages a solid 8.7 strikeouts per nine innings per nine innings along with 2.6 walks per nine innings and has the makings of a quality MLB pitcher. The debate remains, will he be in the rotation or in the bullpen? Milwaukee has kept him in the rotation to this point in the Minors and I hope that’s where he stays.

MLB Pipelines gives him a 55 grade for his fastball and 60 for his curveball along with a 50 for his changeup. With three average or better pitches, Brown has a chance to be an impact big leaguer with a little bit more seasoning.

Following the trade of Luis Ortiz, Brown is now the Brewers second-ranked starting pitcher in the Minors. He has an outside chance of earning a September call-up if he continues his dominant performance. However, chances are we won’t see him in the Cream City until 2019, at the earliest.

Next up, we have an outfielder who is new to the organization as well as an infielder Milwaukee Brewers fans need to remember.

8- Mauricio Dubon- Infield

Unfortunately, Mauricio Dubon‘s season was over just as the middle infield prospect was getting going. However, Dubon has shown enough during his time in the Milwaukee Brewers system to solidify his future with the organization.

Dubon was acquired in the lopsided Tyler Thornburg trade that also netted The Crew Travis Shaw from Boston. He can flat out rake and has been impressive throughout his entire Minor League career.

The 23-year-old has a career .300/.349/.412 slash line through 486 games in the Minors. He was hitting a robust .343 through 27 games for Colorado Springs prior to his injury.

Although Dubon doesn’t hit for much power, just 26 homers in over 2000 plate appearances, he is an on-base machine who will only get better as he matures.

Dubon is also a prolific stolen base threat collecting 38 stolen bases across two levels of the Minors for the Brewers during last season. Hopefully, his current ACL injury doesn’t limit him on the bases upon his return next season because Dubon is knocking on the door of MLB.

Assuming he is healthy, Dubon has a legitimate chance to have an impact in the Cream City during the 2019 season. Milwaukee has a couple of infield prospects still to come in these rankings so Dubon will have his work cut out for him.

However, as a former 26th round draft pick, the odds have always been stacked against Dubon and he has answered the call every time. His future is in the big leagues, hopefully, he’s still wearing Brewers blue.

7- Joe Gray- Outfield

The future of the Milwaukee Brewers outfield is very bright and Joe Gray could find himself right in the middle of it all. Gray has exceptional raw abilities with MLB Pipelines giving him a 70 grade for his arm strength and 55 for his power.

The 18-year-old also receives a 55 grade for his speed and fielding ability and should develop into a quality outfielder. There isn’t a lot of statistics to go off of for his professional career but he has played in 19 games with the AZL Brewers in the Arizona League so let’s take a look at what he’s done thus far.

Gray is hitting just .177 with 20 strikeouts during 81 plate appearances. However, Gray has shown the ability to draw walks with 16 and currently has an impressive .358 on-base percentage. He has managed just one home run so far but his power will come as he gets more comfortable.

Although Gray will likely never hit for a high average, he will do enough on the diamond to make an impact. He profiles as a prototypical fit for right field with his power bat and cannon for an arm. On top of that, he has enough speed to impact a game on the bases and brings a ton of upside as a middle of the order hitter.

It will likely be a few seasons before we see Gray in Brew Town but his time will come soon. Now, let’s move on to another outfielder with gobs of potential and an infielder that’s been on these rankings for a while.

6- Tristen Lutz- Outfield

The emergence of Jesus Aguilar for the Milwaukee Brewers this season makes the path to MLB a little more difficult for prospect Tristen Lutz. However, he is playing in just his second season in the Brewers system and possesses sky-high potential.

Lutz showed the organization what he is capable of during his stint in the Minors last season. He hit .311 with nine home runs and 27 runs batted in across two levels of the Minors. He collected 16bwalks while striking out 42 times and finished the year with an impressive .398 on-base percentage.

The 19-year-old does a solid job in the outfield and has shown the ability to play center field. However, with his cannon for an arm, he may be best suited for right field. Heading into this season, I thought his fastest route to MLB would be by transitioning to first base. However, Aguilar looks like a star and Lutz might be too good defensively to stash him at first.

The Crew traded fellow outfield prospect Brett Phillips recently and that’s one less name for an otherwise overcrowded position group. With Lorenzo Cain, Christian Yelich, and Domingo Santana still in the fold, there is no need to rush Lutz ahead too fast.

Milwaukee will have a bevy of options to fill the outfield positions as the future approaches. Lutz, and prospects similar, could also be used to acquire the next great starting pitcher via trade. One way or another, Lutz’s impact will be strong.

5- Lucas Erceg- Third Base

Lucas Erceg made his MLB Pipelines rankings debut at number 17 shortly after being drafted during the 2016 MLB draft. He has worked his way up the rankings and currently finds himself ranked fifth in the Milwaukee Brewers organization.

Erceg has the potential to be an impact bat down the line for The Crew. However, there’s still work to be done to ensure he reaches his potential. His bat will carry Erceg through his Minor League career but he will need to be more consistent defensively to reach The Show.

The 23-year-old has been impressive offensively hitting .275 with 35 home runs and 184 runs batted in during 309 career Minor League games. Erceg is hitting .262 with 13 home runs and 50 runs batted in during this season with Biloxi.

His defense at the hot corner has been questionable, however, and that is what will hold him back. He currently has 22 errors this season with a .921 fielding percentage. Fortunately, the Milwaukee Brewers have Travis Shaw at third base looking toward the future so there is no rush to get Erceg to the Majors.

Erceg continually finds himself ranked among the best Brewers prospects for good reason. He could be an impact bat in the middle of the batting order within a few years. Hopefully, he figures things out defensively by then and becomes a fixture in the lineup for The Crew.

As we start reaching the cream of the crop, we have another organizational newcomer and name that has been near the top of these rankings for the past couple of seasons.

4- Brice Turang- Shortstop

Brice Turang is another in what has become a long line of quality shortstops for the Milwaukee Brewers. Alcides Escobar and Orlando Arcia are two of the recent success stories and Turang has a chance to be even better than those two.

Turang was thought to be among the top prospects at various points during the lead up to the 2018 MLB draft. However, he was such a known commodity come draft day that his game was scrutinized to the point that he fell to Milwaukee with the 24th pick of the draft.

The 18-year-old spurned a scholarship offer in order to sign with The Crew for a $3,411,100 signing bonus. Although it’s a tiny sample size, Turang has been impressive early during his debut in the Minors.

The left-handed swinging shortstop is hitting .346 with 28 hits in 97 plate appearances across the two lowest levels of the Minors. Turang has just 11 strikeouts while already working 15 walks to give him an impressive .443 on-base percentage.

He has a chance to develop respectable power down the line but most likely won’t be a big power threat. However, he has a prototypical top of the batting order skill set and will be a difference maker in MLB.

The upside with Turang is through the roof and he should continue to rise through the system quickly. If Arcia continues to struggle with the bat, Turang could be the long-term answer at shortstop for the Brewers.

3- Corey Ray- Outfield

The Milwaukee Brewers used the fifth overall pick during the 2016 MLB draft to select Corey Ray. The outfield prospect has been near or at the top of the Brewers prospect rankings since.

However, he hasn’t quite fit the bill to this point of his Minor League career. Ray played in just 60 games during his first year with the organization. It wasn’t anything to get excited over either as he hit just .239 with five home runs and 17 runs batted in while playing in Single and Advanced-A.

He followed that up with another disappointing .238 with seven home runs and 48 runs batted in while playing in Advanced-A during last season. However, something has clicked for Ray and he has been driving the ball with force during this season.

The University of Louisville product has already had an impressive 25 home runs through 114 games this season. Ray has also upped his batting average to .257 with a solid .345 on-base percentage. The 23-year-old has shown his speed with 32 stolen bases in 37 attempts and has helped him be able to cover a lot of ground in center field.

Ray has a legitimate chance of being among the September call-ups for the Brewers. He could provide a spark on the bases with his speed and even help this win a game or two down the stretch.

The next name on the rankings is a pitcher that fans in Milwaukee are already familiar with and his prospect status won’t be lasting for too much longer.

2- Corbin Burnes- Right-Handed Pitcher

Corbin Burnes IS the future of the Milwaukee Brewers starting rotation. As he has shown during his brief time in the Majors this season he has some of the nastiest stuff on the pitching staff.

Burnes burst onto the scene for The Crew with a strong performance during last season. He finished 8-3 with a 1.67 earned run average in 26 starts across two levels of the Minors. Another product of a strong 2016 MLB draft, Burnes has been impressive at every stop of his Minor League career.

However, that all changed this year when he struggled mightily with Triple-A Colorado Springs. The former fourth-rounder has a 5.15 earned run average in 13 starts, 19 games total, during this season. He is a much better pitcher than those numbers would suggest. On top of that, pitchers far better than Burnes have struggled in the high altitude of Colorado.

MLB Pipelines gives Burnes high grades across the board. He receives 55 grades for his fastball, slider, and curveball as well as a 50 grade for his solid changeup. On top of that, his control grades out at 60 and he all of the makings of a top of the rotation type of pitcher in the near future.

Milwaukee was hesitant to part with Burnes in any blockbuster deals around the July 31st trade deadline and for good reason. He is showing enough during his current stint in the Majors to cement his place within this organization.

Burnes made his MLB debut on July 10th with two perfect frames against the Miami Marlins. Although he has pitched just 13 innings thus far this season, Burnes has been impressive. The 23-year-old has a 2.77 earned run average with 14 strikeouts and only four walks.

His off-speed pitches have all been impressive and Burnes looks capable of working deep into games. The future of the pitching staff currently rests on this young man’s right shoulder. The Brew Crew doesn’t often have pitchers of this caliber pass through their system, hopefully, Burnes can blaze a new path.

Now, let’s take a look at a future superstar who will be in the middle of the batting order in the very near future.

1- Keston Hiura- Second Base

Keston Hiura is by far the top prospect in the Milwaukee Brewers Minor League system. His bat will carry him a long way during his career and his future is as bright as any player in baseball.

Hiura spent the 2017 season proving to people, including this writer, that he could handle the keystones defensively. On top of that, Hiura opted for rehab instead of Tommy John surgery so he spent a portion on the season unable to throw.

However, his bat did all of the talking he needed. Hiura advanced quickly through the low-Minors during last season and opened plenty of eyes along the way. He hit .371 with 25 extra-base hits in 187 plate appearances. Although the 22-year-old walked only 13 times with 37 strikeouts, he finished the season with a .422 on-base percentage.

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Hiura has continued to ascend for the Brewers during this season. He’s currently hitting .300 with 46 extra-base hits through 103 games this season. He has played more than half of his games (53) with Double-A Biloxi and continues to thrive.

Although his batting average is down to .279, he currently has a .339 on-base percentage and has worked 14 walks in 227 plate appearances. Hiura has even added the threat of a stolen base to his repertoire swiping nine bases with Biloxi.

Hiura isn’t quite ready to fill a Major League role at this point of his career. However, he isn’t far from being that player for The Brew Crew. By the time Jonathan Schoop is a free agent, Hiura should be ready to take over.

Next. Brewers fans should give Schoop a chance. dark

The Brewers system is admittedly a little bit top-heavy. However, the talent throughout the organization cannot be denied. The future of this team is brighter than most organizational Minor League rankings project. Hiura, Burnes, and others ranked that we haven’t covered will soon be household names in the Cream City.

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