Brewers' 'Failed First-Round Draft Pick' Delivers Masterclass Outing

The Milwaukee Brewers received an ace-level performance on Saturday from a 24-year-old rising star pitcher.

In seven innings of shutout work at American Family Field, the former Boston Red Sox right-hander struck out 11 Colorado Rockies batters and allowed just one hit.

It was nothing short of a masterclass outing from the young Quinn Priester.

Priester’s sparkling win pushed the Brewers to 47-36 on the season. Milwaukee has won eight of nine and 22 of its past 30.

Per MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy, “Priester set career highs for innings (seven) and strikeouts (11) while delivering the Brewers’ first double-digit strikeout performance since Frankie Montas last September, and combining with Aaron Ashby and DL Hall on a one-hit shutout. The lone Rockies hit was Michael Toglia’s single grounded through the right side of the infield with one out in the fifth.”

“It didn’t escape Priester that he’s allowed the lone base hit in both of Milwaukee’s one-hitters this season,” McCalvy continued.

“The other was on April 15 against the Tigers in his second Brewers start, which was also the first time it looked like they had something in a pitcher who owned a 6.23 ERA in 99 2/3 Major League innings for the Pirates and Red Sox, and was pitching for Boston’s Triple-A team when starting pitching-starved Milwaukee acquired him in an April 7 trade.”

“Priester became the first Brewers pitcher to log double-digit strikeouts this season by generating 20 whiffs on 44 Rockies swings, including 16 whiffs on 23 swings against his slider and curveball.”

“In 15 games with the Brewers, he has a 3.35 ERA and the team has won seven of his past eight outings.”

Priester’s glorious day will surely elicit some groans from Red Sox fans. While Boston did receive a fringe top-100 prospect (Yophery Rodriguez) as well as a valuable No. 33 overall pick in the upcoming draft for Priester, his surge to immediate success in Milwaukee is yet another odd sign connected to a Red Sox franchise culture that has suffered somewhat of an undressing in 2025.

Is Priester’s recent success simply a function of his own developmental timeline lining up perfectly with his arrival in Milwaukee, or was Boston doing something to delay his breakout?

It doesn’t matter much — Priester has arrived is the point. Still, McCalvy couldn’t help but point out what Priester’s turnaround means for the teams that gave up on him (namely, Boston and the Pittsburgh Pirates).

“Other teams (moved) on from right-hander Quinn Priester, who is just 24 years old but arrived in Milwaukee labeled a failed first-round Draft pick,” McCalvy wrote.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy has been known to call Milwaukee’s franchise the ‘land of opportunity’.

That’s certainly been the case for Priester, who's not looking like a "failed" anything at this point.