Milwaukee Brewers Top 50 Prospects (2023)

January 26, 2023 David Gasper Brewers, General, MiLB, NL Central, Top 50 Lists 0

Milwaukee Brewers Top 50 graphic design by Michael Packard, @CollectingPack on Twitter
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The Milwaukee Brewers have been continuing to stash talent in their farm system while trying to keep their big league team competitive. The system hasn’t brought too much talent to the big leagues recently since the big wave a couple of years ago, but it is once again ready to churn out some big time talent.

Previously, it was a wave of pitchers with Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, Freddy Peralta, and Josh Hader all graduating at around the same time. There were some hitting prospects, but they mostly didn’t pan out. There have been a few pieces since then, including Keston Hiura, Devin Williams, and Aaron Ashby but the bulk of what the farm system has produced the past few years has been middle relievers.

Now, this Brewers farm system is led by a group of very talented hitters that will likely be contributing quite a bit at the big league level in 2023. The Brewers are in a spot where they’re trying to remain competitive for the postseason while they transition to young prospects at several key positions. Hunter Renfroe has been traded to clear some room for the young outfielders, while Kolten Wong was traded to clear room at second base. By the time we get to our mid-season update, there should be plenty of graduations from this list.


Prospects1500 Tiers:
Tier 1: Players with high expectations of both making the majors and playing at an All-Star level for a number of years
Tier 2: Players with an above-average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 3: Players with an average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 4: Players who have the potential of making the majors, or have a high likelihood of making the majors but providing minimal impact (e.g. middle reliever, low-ceiling UT guys)
Tier 5: Players of interest, worth keeping an eye on, who have an outside chance of making their team’s 40-man roster

*=signifies member of 40 man roster

Levels listed for each player are the highest levels player reached in 2022

Tier 1

1. Jackson Chourio, OF, 18, Double-A

A true 5-tool centerfielder, Chourio burst onto the scene in 2022, dominating his way through the Carolina League, through the Midwest League, and all the way up to Double-A by the end of the year as an 18 year old. His combination of contact, power, speed, and athleticism at a premium position gives him a great chance of reaching franchise cornerstone status. The Brewers have been aggressive with his promotions and there may be a slight concern with his strikeout totals, but reaching the levels that he did as an 18 year old is special. There’s a slim chance he could reach MLB in 2023, but is more likely looking at a 2024 debut. He’s the clear #1 in the system and could arguably be the #1 prospect in all of baseball.

2. Sal Frelick, OF, 22, Triple-A
Frelick has done nothing but hit since arriving in the Brewers organization as a first round pick in 2021. He has an advanced approach at the plate that is built for making contact and getting on base, and his .331/.403/.480 slash line in 2022 further proved that. Frelick also brings plenty of speed, racking up stolen bases and making him an ideal leadoff hitter of the future for Milwaukee. He doesn’t have much home run power, but he can turn singles into doubles with his wheels. He may start the season in Triple-A but it likely won’t be long until he’s called up to make his MLB debut.

Tier 2

3. Garrett Mitchell*, OF, 24, MLB
A first round pick in 2020, Mitchell made his MLB debut late in the 2022 season, impressing with his speed, defense, and on-base ability. There are still some concerns about the strikeout rate and whether he’ll be able to make enough contact to have long-term success as a hitter. Mitchell has plenty of raw power but his swing isn’t geared to tap into it and it doesn’t look like the Brewers have him working on a swing change to address that. That keeps him from being in Tier 1, but Mitchell can rack up the stolen bases and is in line to be Milwaukee’s Opening Day centerfielder in 2023.

4. Brice Turang*, SS/2B, 23, Triple-A
Turang had his best season yet in 2022 and he’s on the doorstep of the big leagues. In Triple-A Nashville all year, Turang posted career-highs in doubles (24), homers (13), stolen bases (34), batting average (.286), and OPS (.772). Defensively, Turang can be an excellent shortstop, but the presence of Willy Adames will push Turang to second base in Milwaukee. He’s a solid hitter that’s gained some strength and is tapping into some more power, but it won’t be a calling card for him. His speed will help him beat out infield hits, turn singles into doubles, and steal plenty of bases. We will see Turang make his MLB debut in 2023, potentially on Opening Day.

5. Joey Wiemer, OF, 23, Triple-A
Wiemer was the Brewers breakout prospect of 2021. He followed up that campaign with a slightly less dominant but still impressive season in 2022 across Double-A and Triple-A. He suffered through a slump for a bit in Double-A Biloxi, but was able to work out of it and handled the promotion to Triple-A very well. Power, speed, and a howitzer of an arm are the loudest tools Wiemer has. Back-to-back seasons of 20+ HRs and 30+ SBs are a sight rarely seen in the minors. His swing is very loud and there are concerns about strikeouts and making enough contact but when he does make contact, it is loud and hard. He’s the right-fielder of the future in Milwaukee and we could see him debut in 2023.

6. Robert Gasser, LHP, 23, Triple-A
The only remaining original piece of the return for Josh Hader, Gasser has quickly become the Brewers top pitching prospect. He has a full arsenal of above-average pitches, and although he doesn’t overpower with velocity, he commands them all well and has racked up the strikeouts while keeping walks low. The Brewers have shown a knack for developing pitching in recent years and Gasser has a clear future in the rotation and could be a solid mid-rotation arm.

7. Jeferson Quero, C, 20, High-A
Jackson Chourio wasn’t the only teenage Brewers prospect from Venezuela to impress in 2022. Quero had an excellent full season debut last year as well. Quero has a chance to be a star behind the plate with above-average skills on offense and defense. He posts sub-1.9 second pop times, handles a staff well, and is an explosive bat at the plate. His numbers even ticked up after a promotion to High-A Wisconsin. Quero has a good chance of becoming a great all-around starting catcher in the future and potentially could jump into Tier 1 soon.

8. Tyler Black, 2B, 22, High-A
An unfortunate scapula fracture cut short Black’s excellent 2022 campaign. Black had more walks (45) than strikeouts (44), an OBP over .400, and stole 13 bases to go with 13 doubles, four triples, and four homers. The hit tool is Black’s calling card and so far it’s been as advertised. He won’t hit for a lot of power and doesn’t have a great throwing arm, which may limit him to second base as a starter but he can play a number of different positions. His approach at the plate and bat to ball skills will ensure that he gets into the lineup everyday.

9. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, 20, Single-A
The Brewers love them some Junior College pitchers. Aaron Ashby, Antoine Kelly, and Logan Henderson are some of the more recent examples of Milwaukee’s high draft picks from the JuCo ranks and Misiorowski is the latest. He’s raw as a prospect but all the ingredients for a high-level arm are there. Misiorowski is 6’7″ tall, just 190 pounds, and reaches triple-digits with his fastball regularly. He also has a nasty slider but is primarily operating with a two pitch arsenal. He needs to add a third offering and needs to work on his command. Naturally, as a long, lanky young pitcher, he struggles with staying in sync and consistently hitting the zone. There’s significant reliever risk, but even as a reliever, he could be a stud closer. If he remains a starter, he could potentially be an ace-type arm.

Tier 3

10. Eric Brown, SS, 22, Single-A
With an odd pre-swing setup that has earned him comparisons to Brewers manager Craig Counsell, Brown somehow makes it work and was a productive hitter at Coastal Carolina, becoming the Crew’s first round pick in 2022. Brown has solid power and makes regular contact. He also has a knack for stealing bases, swiping 19 bags in just 27 games in Rookie ball and Single-A after being drafted. Defensively, he can stick at shortstop and could be a solid big-league regular at a premium position.

11. Hendry Mendez, OF, 19, Single-A
As an 18-year-old in Single-A, Mendez put up a pretty solid 2022 season. He showed a patient approach at the plate, drawing walks and not striking out much. Mendez didn’t rack up a ton of extra-base hits, but there’s more power potential in there that may simply come with time. He has a great foundation with his approach and as he gets stronger, singles will turn into doubles and doubles into homers. He’s likely to start 2023 in High-A Wisconsin.

12. Robert Moore, SS/2B, 20, Single-A
A tough season at Arkansas pushed Moore down draft boards but the Brewers were happy to snap up the switch-hitting infielder with the 72nd overall pick. The son of former Royals GM Dayton Moore, Robert has a high baseball IQ and incredible makeup that only improve his profile. He’s put up some solid numbers since joining the Brewers organization and has played well in winter ball in Australia. He won’t wow you with power or speed, but he will likely hit enough to be a big leaguer and has the instincts and IQ to play anywhere, giving him a high floor and he’ll likely be the first to the big leagues from Milwaukee’s 2022 Draft class.

13. Hedbert Perez, OF, 19, Single-A
No one needs a bounce-back season in 2023 more than Perez. After coming in with a lot of hype as an international signing, Perez struggled in his first full season as an 18 year old in 2022. Strikeouts were a major concern and he put up just a .216/.272/.393 slash line. He did slug 23 doubles and 15 homers, so when he did make contact, he hit the ball hard. But Perez needs to adjust his approach at the plate and make better swing decisions in 2023. He has a picture-perfect swing, but that doesn’t matter if he’s not swinging at strikes. This is a crucial year for Perez.

14. Luis Lara, OF, 18, Rookie (DSL)
A highly touted international signee in 2022, Lara is a switch hitting outfielder that performed well in the DSL last season. He’s extremely athletic with a quick bat that makes a lot of contact. Lara doesn’t strike out much and he has some burgeoning power, but he won’t be a power hitter. The hit tool and speed will be his calling cards while providing solid defense in centerfield. We’ll see him make his stateside debut in 2023.

15. Freddy Zamora, SS, 24, Double-A
Surgery on Zamora’s non-throwing shoulder ended his 2022 season after just 24 games. He made the jump to Double-A after a 2021 season where he hit .300 with a .404 OBP. Defensively, Zamora is excellent at shortstop and can stick there long-term. He doesn’t have a ton of power but makes a lot of contact and has plenty of speed. Zamora is likely to return to Double-A in 2023 but could reach Triple-A quickly if he stays healthy and performs like he has in the past.

16. Felix Valerio, SS/2B, 22, Double-A
Valerio had been trending up as a really good prospect since arriving in the Brewers organization as a lottery ticket in the Keon Broxton trade with the Mets. The Brewers challenged him with an assignment to Double-A in 2022 and Valerio hit a wall. He struggled mightily in the second half and ended the season with just a .670 OPS. Valerio had just four extra-base hits from July-September combined. He still swiped 30 bags and slugged 12 homers, but it remains to be seen if Valerio can keep up his hitting ways in the upper levels of the minors.

17. Ethan Small*, LHP, 25, MLB
Small was supposed to graduate from this list, establish himself as the next Brewers starting pitcher, and be a key piece of rotation depth last year, but that didn’t happen. A loss of command was the major contributor to the problem with 58 walks allowed in 103 IP for Triple-A Nashville. He has a quality fastball-changeup combo but hasn’t seen a third pitch step up to be a reliable offering. Soon to be 26, there are serious concerns about Small’s ability to stick in the rotation and his future may very well be in the bullpen. In either role, he needs to keep those walks down.

18. Eduardo Garcia, SS, 20, High-A
Garcia is an excellent defender at shortstop and he showed some offensive tools in his first year in full season ball in 2022. He hit .259 with 15 homers and 15 stolen bases, but there are concerns with his approach. Garcia strikes out way too much and walks way too little, drawing just 19 free passes all season and punching out 162 times. He’ll need to learn patience at the plate if he’s going to be productive as he reaches the higher levels of the minor leagues.

19. Abner Uribe*, RHP, 22, Double-A
The Brewers really like what they have in Uribe and it’s not hard to see why. It’s an 80 grade fastball that sits in the triple-digits, topping out at around 103 MPH. He also has a wicked slider that generates a lot of whiffs. The issue is command. He’s made strides in this area and showed out well at the Arizona Fall League after his regular season was cut short with a meniscus injury. It’s purely a relief profile with Uribe, but one that could rack up a lot of saves in the future.

20. Cam Robinson*, RHP, 23, Triple-A
The Brewers added two young relievers to their 40 man roster this winter to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft, Uribe and Robinson. Robinson was promoted up three levels in 2022, going from High-A all the way to Triple-A by the end of the year. He has a fastball-curveball combo that works well and he’s improved his command of both pitches recently, but he still has a ways to go on that front. He converted 25 of 28 save opportunities and keeps runs off the board.

Tier 4

21. Logan Henderson, RHP, 20, Single-A
22. Carlos Rodriguez, RHP, 21, High-A
23. Zavier Warren, 3B, 24, Double-A
24. Johan Barrios, SS, 18, Rookie (DSL)
25. Matt Wood, C, 21, Rookie (ACL)
26. Janson Junk*, RHP, 27, MLB
27. Stiven Cruz, RHP, 21, High-A
28. Dylan O’Rae, SS, 18, Rookie (ACL)
29. Jhonny Severino, SS, 18, Rookie (DSL)
30. Jace Avina, OF, 19, Single-A
31. Daniel Guilarte, SS, 19, Rookie (ACL)
32. Yeison Perez, OF, 19, Rookie (DSL)
33. Luis Castillo, OF, 19, Single-A
34. Wes Clarke, C/1B, 23, Double-A
35. Jadher Areinamo, SS, 19, High-A
36. Adam Seminaris, LHP, 24, Triple-A

The Brewers see a couple of potential future starters in Henderson and Carlos Rodriguez after Rodriguez won Milwaukee’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year award in 2022 while Henderson has great stuff and should have a healthy season in 2023. Warren is no longer behind the plate, which diminishes some value, and is coming off a down year. Barrios performed well in the DSL and has above-average raw power and speed as a shortstop. Wood is a lefty-hitting catcher with pop and great on-base ability. Junk came over in the Renfroe trade and will compete for a rotation spot but will likely spend some time in the bullpen in Milwaukee in 2023. Cruz has some of the best raw stuff in the Brewers system and he could potentially stick as a starter.

The whole group from O’Rae at 28 down to Areinamo at 36 are very close together and could go in any order. They’re all teenagers, with the exception of Clarke, and have had some success in the early parts of their career. There’s a lot of risk with all of them, but a lot of potential. Avina, Perez, Castillo, and Clarke are power hitter, corner types while O’Rae, Severino, Guilarte, and Areinamo are contact hitter, speedy, up the middle types.

Tier 5

37. Yophery Rodriguez, OF, 17, International signee
38. Brandon Knarr, LHP, 24, Double-A
39. Joseph Hernandez, RHP, 22, Single-A
40. Russell Smith, LHP, 24, High-A
41. Cam Devanney, SS, 25, Triple-A
42. Victor Castaneda, RHP, 24, Triple-A
43. Lucas Erceg, RHP, 27, Triple-A
44. Carlos Rodriguez, OF, 22, High-A
45. Justin Jarvis, RHP, 22, Double-A
46. Ben Metzinger, 3B, 23, High-A
47. Luke Adams, 3B/OF, 18, Rookie (ACL)
48. Alexander Cornielle, RHP, 21, High-A
49. Tayden Hall, C/1B, 20, High-A
50. Ernesto Martinez, 1B, 23, High-A

Rodriguez is a sweet swinging left-handed hitting outfielder that led Milwaukee’s international signing class this January and is one of the best pure hitters from this signing period. Knarr had an excellent season in 2022 that firmly put him on the big league radar. He’s likely a back-end starter at best but could continue to rise in 2023. Hernandez won California League pitcher of the year last season but is likely suited for a relief role. Devanney had a breakout 2022 season that saw him slug 23 homers and could carve out a MLB career as a utility player and maybe a fringe starter. Castaneda has been a starter but is likely a reliever if he gets the call in 2023, while Erceg is a third baseman-turned-reliever with an upper-90s fastball and he could be a legit relief option for Milwaukee.

Metzinger could move quickly through the system and may be a bit underrated currently. The Brewers signed Adams away from college in the 12th round of the 2022 Draft. He stole nine bases in just a handful of games in the ACL while showing some power and contact ability. Hall is an excellent hitter and could play any of catcher, first base, or outfield. If he’s able to stick behind the plate, his value will go up. Martinez missed a good chunk of the year with injury, but he’s athletic, tall, and has a lot of power although he’ll need a swing change to make the most of his potential.

David Gasper

Graduate of UW-La Crosse. Current editor-in-chief at Reviewing the Brew. Big believer of Corbin Burnes and driver of the Corbin Burnes Hype Train.

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