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Grading the System 3

The splash happened: For two-and-a-half years, Brewers fans and analysts wondered aloud what it might take for GM David Stearns to trade an impact prospect at the trade deadline. The debate softened somewhat during the 2017-2018 offseason, as Stearns certainly proved himself capable of parting with (several) impact prospects. This transaction was always explained away, […]

Brewers Farm Update

Carbon Copies in the Outfield

Coming into the 2018 minor league season, expectations were down for former first-round pick Corey Ray. Ray had just wrapped up his first full season in the minors, spending the year at Class-A Advanced Carolina and scuffling to a .238/.311/.367 batting average (AVG) / on base percentage (OBP) / slugging percentage (SLG) line despite a […]

Brewers Farm Update

Corey Ray: Pedigree and Performance

In 2017, Corey Ray was named a mid-season All-Star for the Carolina Mudcats. He was selected to participate in the 2017 SiriusXM All-Star Futures game alongside fellow baby Brewers Lewis Brinson and Mauricio Dubon. During batting practice, Ray turned heads by walloping eight balls over the outfield fence, which was the highest total among the […]

Brewers Farm Update

Looking Back at Top 10

Now that the World Series has ended, the baseball offseason can officially begin. This time of year brings with it not only speculation about trades, free agents, and what a team might look like next year, but also plenty of talk about prospects. Indeed, Baseball Prospectus will begin to roll out their updated top prospects […]

Brewers Farm Update

2017 Brewers Minors: Bats

The Milwaukee Brewers minor league affiliates completed their 2017 campaigns on Sunday, in the form of a gutwrenching Game Five Colorado Springs loss in the Class-AAA Pacific Coast League playoffs. Now that the minor league season is over, fans and analysts can begin to process information about the season, including scouting reports and statistical analysis […]

Brewers Farm Update

Midseason 2017 #2: 3 Up 3 Down

One of the toughest aspects of following a rebuilding team like the Brewers, which exaggerates problems with following minor league baseball in general, is the sheer lack of information and nearly complete uncertainty involved with prospects. Fans can watch the box scores, and in some cases even the games, without gaining any particular idea of […]

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Minor League Context: Bats

It’s been nearly three weeks since the first installment of “Minor League Context,” which is an attempt to understand the factors and environments in the minor leagues so as to not misjudge minor league performances. This is an essential antidote to “scouting the stat line:” given the minor league development assignments, different developmental standpoints, and […]

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How Close is A?

Yesterday, former Brewers prospect Miguel Diaz made his MLB debut for the San Diego Padres, pitching a fine scoreless outing in the midst of a lopsided defeat. In one-and-a-third innings, the young righty threw 15 pitches (10 strikes), and inherited a runner to close the bottom of the fifth inning. After the Rule 5 draft […]

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Age in the Minors: A Levels

It’s easy to focus on the success stories of the 2016 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and ignore the rough season endured by the 2016 Brevard County Manatees. The Milwaukee Brewers system really was split into two different prognoses this season, which provided an excellent reminder that work throughout a minor league system, even during a thus-successful […]