Ex-Brewers Underrated Flamethrower 'Pitching Like An Ace' In 2025

A former Milwaukee Brewers sixth-round draft pick is pitching like an ace … for another club.

On May 21, 2021, Milwaukee sent right-hander Drew Rasmussen packing to the Tampa Bay Rays in a deal that brought Willy Adames over to the Brewers. Rasmussen was immediately impactful for the Rays, accruing a 2.44 ERA and 4-0 record in 10 starts for Tampa Bay that season.

Originally selected by the Brew Crew with the No. 185 overall pick in the 2018 Major League Baseball draft, Rasmussen has leveled up in 2025 for the Rays, as noted by X account @OPS_BASEBALL, which published a highlight video of Rasmussen on Wednesday captioned with the following:

“Drew Rasmussen might be one of the most underrated SP in Major League Baseball! He now owns a 2.33 ERA after throwing 6 scoreless innings while allowing 1 hit and 1 walk while striking out 5 batters. He is pitching like an ace!”

Rasmussen, 29, was 3-4 on the season entering Wednesday with the aforementioned 2.33 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 58 innings pitched for Tampa Bay.

Although acquiring Adames was undeniably fruitful for the Brewers, with Adames now gone and Rasmussen thriving, some Brew Crew fans are wondering what could have been.

Rasmussen was selected to the Majors in 2020 while in the Brewers organization. He appeared in 12 games during the 2020 season and tallied a 5.87 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings. He began the 2021 season in Milwaukee’s bullpen, where he accrued a 4.24 ERA, 25 strikeouts, and one save in 15 games for the Crew before being traded in the Adames deal.