I really like the Brewers system. While the top of the system did not perform as well as I had hoped (I’m looking at you, Tyler Black), there’s still a ton of talent in Black, Jacob Misiorowski, and Jeferson Quero. The excitement in the system stems from the crop of Latin signees – Yophery Rodriguez, Luis Pena, Jesus Made, and Jose Anderson. Rodriguez is a level ahead of the trio they signed in 2024, but all four have a chance to be Major Leaguers.
There’s a ton of pitching depth after Misiorowski, and the one I like the most is Brett Wichrowski. His stuff is better than the stat line shows, and I think he stays a starter.
Finally, I have to comment on Black being my biggest disappointment. I thought he would stick in the Major Leagues in 2024, but he just didn’t hit enough. I wish he weren’t at first base, but the lack of an adequate arm drives him there. If you roster him, you’ll have to play a juggling act, as I still don’t believe he’ll have considerable power.
Prospect Snapshot
- Top Prospect: Tyler Black
- Biggest Mover: Luis Pena and Jesus Made
- Biggest Disappointment: Tyler Black
- Emerging Prospect: Jose Anderson
1. Tyler Black (1B)
- Highest Level: Majors ETA: 2024 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 1B, but a different profile
- Last Updated: 10/11/2024
- Tools Summary: He can hit with plus speed and average power. He has moved full-time to first base.
Tyler Black played 18 games in the Major Leagues in 2024 but only hit .203, so he was sent back to Triple-A. In Triple-A, he played well, slashing .258/.374/.429 with 14 home runs and 20 stolen bases.
With the emergence of Brice Turang and Joey Ortiz, Tyler Black’s best hope to make it with the Brewers is at first base. His below-average arm has also been a contributing factor to the position change. It’s far from your typical first-base profile, but he can still be a valuable fantasy commodity. He’ll hit .270ish, with 70 points more for his OBP with 12 to 15 home runs and 25+ stolen bases. I’ll take that. I wish it were somewhere other than first.
2. Jacob Misiorowski (RHP)
- Highest Level: Triple-A ETA: 2025 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 40 SP or a High-Leveraged reliever
- Last Updated: 10/11/2024
- Tools Summary: He is tall and thin, with two 70-grade pitches in his fastball and slider. He needs to develop a third pitch and work on repeating his delivery.
Jacob Misiorowski was the Brewers’ second-round pick in 2022. After a slow start, the Brewers removed the training wheels and pushed him to Double-A last season. He’s primarily a two-pitch pitcher, but both grade out as 70 pitches with a fastball that can touch triple-digits and a wipeout slider. He’s 6-foot-7 and rail-thin, with effort in his delivery. This leads to his control issues and concerns that he might work better in the bullpen than in the starting rotation. However, the Brewers are good at developing pitchers, and you don’t get better building blocks than what Misiorowski brings. If you’re looking for a comp, it’s an easy one – Tyler Glasnow. Remember, Glasnow had trouble throwing strikes for years until he got his limbs working in unison.
The Brewers did move Misiorowski to the bullpen to manage his innings at the end of the 2024 season. However, this is not a permanent move.
3. Jeferson Quero (C)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2024-25 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 Catcher
- Last Updated: 10/11/2024
- Tools Summary: A smallish catcher with a feel to hit with pop. He missed the entire season after shoulder surgery.
Jeferson Quero missed the 2024 season after he opted for shoulder surgery in early April. Below is the capsule I wrote last year. I believe it’s still relevant.
Quero’s swing has plenty of leverage. He doesn’t yet have the physicality to be a home run hitter. As he matures, I think more power will develop, and I would not be surprised if he develops 18 to 20 home run pop. At 5-foot-11, he’s on the small side for a catcher but has an above-average arm with solid receiving skills. He is athletic enough to play other positions, with a corner outfield being the most logical. He’s an easy Top 15 catcher if he stays behind the plate.
4. Yophery Rodriguez (OF)
- Highest Level: Low-A ETA: 2026-27 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 30 OF with risk
- Last Updated: 10/11/2024
- Tools Summary: He is a toolsy outfielder with a feel for the strike zone. The Brewers have been aggressive with him, much like they were with Jackson Chourio.
After tearing up the DSL in 2023, the Brewers aggressively skipped Yophery Rodriguez over the Complex League and started him in Low-A to begin the 2024 season. He held his own, slashing .250/.343/.383 with seven home runs and seven stolen bases. He improved his contact skills as the season progressed, posting a 20% strikeout rate in the second half.
Rodriguez has all the tools to develop into an impact player. He has excellent bat speed that should turn into future power as he adds strength. He’s a plus runner who should be able to hold most of his speed throughout the early part of his career. Plus, I think he hits.
5. Robert Gasser (LHP)
- Highest Level: Majors ETA: 2024 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 50/60 SP with upside
- Last Updated: 10/11/2024
- Tools Summary: He doesn’t have big stuff but showed much better control in the Majors than in the Minor Leagues. He hurt his elbow and needed TJS.
Robert Gasser was called to the Majors in May and pitched exceptionally well over five starts. In 28 innings, he pitched to a 2.57 ERA, striking out 16 and walking only one batter. He’d never shown that level of control in his minor league career, making you wonder whether it’s repeatable. Unfortunately, his last game was June 1 as he hurt his elbow and, after multiple doctor consultations, had TJS. He’ll likely miss most, if not the entire 2025 season.
It’s not big stuff with a fastball that averaged 93.3 MPH with an average spin (2183 RPM). He uses his sinker to induce weak contact. His sweeper is his best pitch and should induce even more strikeouts than his poor 5.1 K/9 he posted. His change-up looks solid, and in 2024, he started using it more against glove-side batters with some success. Assuming he returns healthy from TJS, it feels like a floor of a number four starter with a ceiling of a number three.
6. Brett Wichrowski (RHP)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2025-26 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 45 SP with upside
- Last Updated: 10/11/2024
- Tools Summary: One of the breakout pitchers 2024 with improved fastball velocity and a vicious slider. His control needs to improve, but the delivery looks simple and repeatable.
Brett Wichrowski was drafted in the 13th round in 2023 and was one of the breakout pitchers of the 2024 season. The Brewers started him in high-A, where he pitched to a 2.45 ERA, and after four starts, moved him to Double-A, where he finished the season.
The stuff has noticeably improved since his college days at Bryant University, with his fastball sitting 94 to 97 MPH (T 100). However, his slider has turned heads and even caught the curiosity of the Pitching Ninja on Twitter. It has sweeper characteristics with a significant frisbee-like break. He needs a better change-up to neutralize LHB, but the arsenal looks excellent overall.
The stat line in Double-A doesn’t match the potential, as he only struck out 7.4 per nine while walking 4.4 per nine. He will lose his release point and walk too many, but it’s a simple delivery, and over time, I believe his control will improve. I think there’s a number three starter lurking, maybe more.
7. Jesus Made (2B/SS/3B)
- Highest Level: DSL ETA: 2027+ Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 3B extreme risk
- Last Updated: 10/11/2024
- Tools Summary: He has plenty of athleticism, combined with potential top-shelf power. There are some contact concerns as he will expand the strike zone.
Jesus Made signed for just under a million dollars ($950K) in January 2024. His carrying tool is potential plus power, born out of excellent bat speed. There are some concerns about how much contact he will make, as he’s prone to expanding the strike zone and trying to hit everything 500 feet. That was not the case in his first taste of the DSL. He walked more than he struck out – striking out 13% of the time.
Made and Pena were two of the stars in the DSL this summer, but if Made can hit enough, there is star potential here. Invest!
8. Luis Pena (SS/2B/3B)
- Highest Level: DSL ETA: 2027 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 2B with extreme risk
- Last Updated: 10/11/2024
- Tools Summary: He has plus bat speed and is a 70-runner, showing a feel to hit as a 17-year-old in the DSL.
The Brewers paid Luis Pena an $850,000 signing bonus in January 2024. He validated that signing by having an impressive debut season in the DSL. He led the league in batting average (.393) while stealing 39 bases (sixth). While he’s not a power hitter, he also posted a .583 SLG, primarily driven by his 16 doubles and six triples. He was also among the hardest hitters to strike out, posting an 8.2% strikeout rate. He also walked as much as he struck out.
The Brewers have played him all over the infield, so his defensive home is still in flux.
9. Braylon Payne (OF, #17)
- Highest Level: Low-A ETA: 2028 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 40 OF with both upside and risk
- Last Updated: 10/11/2024
- Tools Summary: He’s athletic with plus speed but needs to get stronger.
The Brewers drafted Braylon Payne at pick #17 in the 2024 Draft. He’s a 70-runner with a feel to hit but needs to get stronger. The good news is that he was one of the youngest players in the draft and is 6-foot-2, so there is every reason to believe he’ll fill out and get stronger. I’ve put an ETA of 2028 on Payne, but the wait might be worth it. I love the setup here and where Payne landed.
The Brewers did sneak him into some action in the last week of the season, where he didn’t disappoint. In four games, he hit .438 with four stolen bases, three strikeouts, and three walks.
10. Mike Boeve (2B)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2025-26 Fantasy Ceiling: Middle Infielder
- Last Updated: 10/11/2024
- Tools Summary: He’s a light-hitting middle infielder.
Mike Boeve’s carrying tool is elite contact. In his draft year in college, he struck out nine times in 47 games. He also only hit four home runs. That seems to be what he is developing into as a professional. He has improved his line drive rate this season, as last year, 60% of the balls he hit were ground balls. The next step is to add some loft. He’s not void of bat speed and might be able to hit 10 to 12 home runs in the future. That might make him a full-time regular, given his hitting ability. As far as a fantasy asset, it’s not the most exciting profile. However, he can hit, which gives him a high floor.
You must be logged in to post a comment.