Milwaukee Brewers Top 20 Prospects

by John Sickels on Feb 16, 2006 12:05 PM EST in News

Ryan Braun

MILWAUKEE BREWERS TOP 20 PROSPECTS

Prince Fielder, 1B, Grade A-
Ryan Braun, 3B, Grade B+
Jose Capellan, RHP, Grade B+
Corey Hart, OF, B
Zach Jackson, LHP, B
Yovani Gallardo, RHP, B
Dana Eveland, LHP, B
Mark Rogers, RHP, B-
Nelson Cruz, OF, B-
Will Inman, RHP, B-
Tim Dillard, RHP, B-
Ben Hendrickson, RHP, C+
Dennis Sarfate, RHP, C+
Manny Parra, LHP, C+
Alcides Escobar, SS, C+
Hernan Iribarren, 2B, C+
Angel Salome, C, C+
Michael Brantley, OF, C+
Lorenzo Cain, OF, C+
Kevin Roberts, RHP, C+

A very impressive farm system. Guys not in the top 20 include some legitimate prospects like Charlie Fermaint, Matt Gamel, Steve Hammond, Adam Heether, Dave Krynzel, Vinny Rottino, and Josh Wahpepah.

Corey Hart is one of my favorite Grade B guys. . .you don't see many 6-6, 200 pounds players who can swipe 30 bases a year. I also like Yovani Gallardo quite a bit. Mark Rogers has a very high ceiling but significant command problems that inhibit his grade. Watch out for Will Inman, a breakthrough pitching candidate.

Things should get exciting in Milwaukee soon.

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Comments

Going out on a limb

Corey Hart will be more valuable over the course of his career than Fielder, especially when you consider defense, baserunning, and length of career. I see him getting a lot of time in the OF this year. I just hope he doesn't get put back at third base again, if Hall doesn't maintain his gains.

by irwin @ Minor League Ball on Feb 16, 2006 12:38 PM EST reply actions

koskie

remember they got koskie, so they'd probably have to run through both koskie and hall before they put hart at 3rd.

by wily mo on Feb 16, 2006 2:11 PM EST up reply actions

Forgot about him

But I doubt Koskie make Milwaukee want to put his name in the lineup. Also, I could see Weeks in the OF, Hall at 2B, and Hart at third. Or Hall at SS if Hardy stinks.

by irwin @ Minor League Ball on Feb 16, 2006 2:36 PM EST up reply actions

Sixto, Gorman, and Oglivie

I could see Sixto in left, Gorman in center, and Oglivie in right with Brouhard and Householder coming off the bench...

by gashousegang on Feb 16, 2006 2:58 PM EST up reply actions

Braun

I keep hearing about his unorthodox swing mechanics. Can anyone explain what the problem with his swing is? Does anyone know of a link somewhere on the net that shows him batting?

by RayRay on Feb 16, 2006 12:43 PM EST reply actions

Braun

Video of Braun.

by Sulla on Feb 16, 2006 1:04 PM EST up reply actions

Didn't work

Try this:

mms://a1503.v108692.c10869.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1503/10869/v0001/mlb.download.akamai.com/10869/20 05/open/draft/prospects/braun_ryan_j_350.wmv?ct1=mlb

by Sulla on Feb 16, 2006 1:06 PM EST up reply actions

Braun

Braun is a guy I have followed for some time...he is the type of guy that will put butts in the seats...what do i mean? there are some stars fans like but don't love, for whatever reason, then there are those that everyone loves, kids, women etc...think Joey D. on the high end of this and...I am not saying you have to be media savvy, Reggie Jackson would be an example here, but fans loved his charisma, other fans hated him of course...but I think of guys like Braun and Francouer who if i was the marketing director for either of their teams, i would be very happy.

by gashousegang on Feb 16, 2006 1:12 PM EST reply actions

Capellan

Seems like B+ might be a little high. His star seems to have faded a little. Strikes me as maybe another Edwin Jackson, great fastball, not much else, won't really ever put it together. Though I could be completely wrong.

by RayRay on Feb 16, 2006 2:04 PM EST reply actions

His stats were weak last year

b/c he wasn't all that psyched about starting. Once he switched back to relieving, he got hot again. If the Crew keeps him in the pen, he could be a solid setup guy starting this year.

At least that's the optimistic in me talking. Good to see it supported by John.

by jeffbcb @ Minor League Ball on Feb 16, 2006 6:50 PM EST up reply actions

Hart

Another poster mentioned him before, but how much playing time do you Brewers fans think he'll get this season?

Who's a comparable player to him? He seems like kind of an atypical guy, big with high SB numbers.

by cinquad on Feb 16, 2006 2:06 PM EST reply actions

Hart

Probably around 200-250 AB. If the Brewers trade C. Lee at deadline, he'll start in left and get more. If Feilder should happen to struggle against leftys he could see some time at 1st in a platoon, But Brewers would probably prefer not to platoon Prince. He's 4th on the depth chart at 3rd and barring a significant amount of injuries, doughtful he'll play much there. Hart's a good bet to be the Brewers starting leftfeilder in 2007.

by undertow on Feb 16, 2006 2:51 PM EST up reply actions

Platoon

I can't remember where I saw it, but there was a story a day or two ago in which Melvins intimated that Hart would probably platoon with Fielder.

There are a lot of LHP in the central, so Hart might get a decent number of AB.

by sweatersaurus on Feb 16, 2006 3:52 PM EST up reply actions

It was in the J-S, I think

Melvin said something about Hart getting time at first base...I'm pretty sure he didn't come out and say it would be a platoon--that would be a ton of ABs in the central w/ Rusch, Duke, Perez, Pettitte, etc. all in the division.

by jeffbcb @ Minor League Ball on Feb 16, 2006 6:51 PM EST up reply actions

Sollman

Anything on Steve Sollmann out of Notre Dame?

www.royalsreview.com

by Freneau on Feb 16, 2006 2:23 PM EST reply actions

Inman

What kind of velocity does he have?

by tonyd on Feb 16, 2006 2:51 PM EST reply actions

velocity

89-92 right now, more possible as he matures

by John Sickels on Feb 16, 2006 3:06 PM EST up reply actions

Escobar

John,

The guys at BA are very high on Alcides Escobar. I see that you have him further down on the list with a C+ rating. There isn't a lot of information out there about him and the info there is seems to be very conflicting (especially about his defense). He certainly has some (big) holes in his game but performed pretty well in the AFL against much older competition. What kind of a ceiling does he have and do you see him as someone who could breakout in the next couple of years?

Thanks,

by dixieflatline @ Minor League Ball on Feb 16, 2006 3:24 PM EST reply actions

breakout

It's possible, given his excellent athleticism and youth. But until it actually happens I have doubts about his bat.

by John Sickels on Feb 16, 2006 3:28 PM EST up reply actions

A- for Prince

Wow - pretty tough to get an A.
Is this girth discrimnation?

Matthew Cohen If you can't measure it, it doesn't matter.

by matcohen on Feb 16, 2006 3:34 PM EST reply actions

Might be a stupid question,

but would Weeks rank above Prince, if he were still a prospect? Would he be an A?

by RayRay on Feb 16, 2006 3:49 PM EST reply actions

weeks

Yeah, Weeks would rank ahead of Fielder. He has a broader range of skills and more defensive value.

by John Sickels on Feb 16, 2006 3:56 PM EST reply actions

manny parra

he was ranked as a B last year, and he was solid at AA posting a 3.96 era with an 86/21 k/bb ratio in 91 innings. where would he rank if there were no injury concerns?

by overlord on Feb 16, 2006 5:04 PM EST reply actions

B+

He's a B+ without injury problems.

by John Sickels on Feb 16, 2006 5:06 PM EST up reply actions

Dual grades for pitchers?

Maybe pitchers should get dual grades for potential/injury risk?

For example Phillip Hughes might be an A-/D, Lester a B+/B+...just giving examples off the top of my head.

by BaseballBrain on Feb 16, 2006 5:12 PM EST up reply actions

Hart comp

One of Hart's PECOTA comps is Andre Dawson. Of course, there's little chance that he will be that good, but when you combine size, baserunning, low end OBP and good slugging, I can see how they compare.

by doubledribble @ Minor League Ball on Feb 16, 2006 6:03 PM EST reply actions

Corey Hart

I'm shocked he's not more respected in these circles. There are a couple of "prospect principles" that apply here. Number one, he hasn't been forced to repeat any levels because of poor performance. Number two, isn't one of the biggest signs of a prospect's future success his ability to improve his numbers/skills as he advances?

In every season since A ball in 2002 he's lowered his strikeouts, upped his walks, upped his power, and improved his basestealing skills. In addition he'll only be 24 in March so he's still got a little room to grow. Even if he can play a passable centerfield (it's not like Clark is a premium defender) wouldn't you WANT him to take that job this spring? Is it too much to project a minimum 20/20 season with good OBP and AVG?

The only OFs with more value (IMO) that still have less than 130 AB and should be fixture on their team's 25-man coming into this season are Hermida and maybe Quentin. I'm not counting either Young as they're not expected to break camp with their clubs. Am I missing anyone else?

"When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen." (Hemingway)

by jmoultz on Feb 16, 2006 9:15 PM EST reply actions

Hart's one of my favorites

I'd still have to think that Jason Kubel would rank ahead of him though. 60 AB.

by limozeen on Feb 17, 2006 12:08 AM EST up reply actions

Hart

Love the guy, drafted him and all, but I worry that he might be a tweener -- not quite enough power, not quite enough speed, does everything a little bit but nothing especially well. His size is also going to give him some problems with his swing at times. Anyway, I'm pulling for him but I just wonder sometimes.

by Flynn Blake on Feb 17, 2006 2:15 AM EST up reply actions

D Sarfate

How is he only a C+. The guy throws in the mid to upper 90's. He dominated AAA for the time he was there. He has an outside chance of making the team this spring and he has electric stuff. What did guy's hit off of him last year in AA and AAA.

by azbaseballfan on Feb 16, 2006 10:51 PM EST reply actions

Gwynn

Never see Gwynn mentioned in the Brewer's lists. He's been at least decent so far and with those bloodlines and great defence ....

by lambtwo on Feb 16, 2006 11:23 PM EST reply actions

YOVANI GALLARDO

i don't think gallardo gets enough hype, so i'm hyping him right now.

* GALLARDO HYPE *

by wily mo on Feb 17, 2006 12:07 AM EST reply actions

Rolando Pascual ?

I realize he has not been around long and still may only be 17? But BA had him tabbed as "the most coveted amatuer pitcher in the Domican Republic" when he signed with Milwaukee. Does anyone know much about this kid? What are his chances of making this list next year?

by acr on Feb 17, 2006 1:36 AM EST reply actions