It is easy for Milwaukee Brewers fans to be scared of the unknowns staring them in the face. David Stearns and Craig Counsell both went to bigger markets and Cy Young Corbin Burnes was just traded to the Baltimore Orioles. The National League Central has a mixture of up-and-coming teams and more financially-secure clubs who are investing in being competitive right away. It feels like the Brew Crew could be stuck in no man’s land.
Their plethora of promising prospects suggest otherwise, however, as does their placement in Keith Law’s latest farm sytem rankings. Milwaukee comes in at No. 2, only behind the organization whose cupboard it recently raided in the Burnes deal. In fact, the haul the Brewers received from the Orioles, highlighted by shortstop Joey Ortiz, is a big reason why they jumped up the list (No. 8 before last season).
“Their system has a little of everything right now — a couple of potential superstars, some high-end pitching, some teenagers in the low minors who look like upside plays — and could look very different in either direction based on how their 2023 draft class, which looked outstanding on paper, shows up in its first full season,” Law wrote in The Athletic.
Brewers could be dangerous in a few years
Jackson Chourio headlines the group, but he is surely heading for a big league promotion after signing a historic contract extension during the offseason. The 19-year-old Venezuelan outfielder has the perfect speed to utilize modern base-running rules and develop into a high-end leadoff hitter. He continues this trend of Orioles-Brewers youthful star power, sitting behind Jackson Holliday as the No. 2 ranked prospect on MLB’s Top 100 list.
Jeferson Quero could be the club’s long-term catcher, potentially allowing All-Star William Contreras to move to designated hitter down the line. Corner infielder Tyler Black can also be an intriguing addition to the lineup when he becomes a bit more polished.
21-year-old right-handed starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski could be asked to anchor Milwaukee’s rotation in the next couple years, with Corbin Burnes’ departure necessitating the emergence of another hurler. He might still be at least a year away from his debut, though.
Joey Ortiz could be the most-ready MLB talent of the bunch, despite struggling in a minuscule sample size with Baltimore in 2023. Law believes he can be the franchise’s everyday shortstop for the next half-decade. The Brewers’ present remains murky, but it can clear up rather quickly. And stay that way for a long while.
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