Here are the Brewers' 2019 Top 30 Prospects
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The Brewers fell one win shy of their first World Series appearance since 1982 last season, ultimately losing to the Dodgers in Game 7 of the National League Championship Series. NL MVP Award winner Christian Yelich and center fielder Lorenzo Cain led Milwaukee's resurgence in their first year with the organization, and together they provided the front office with a elite talent core to build around through trades and prospect promotions.
Much like Josh Hader in 2017, Corbin Burnes (No. 2 on the '18 Top 30) and Brandon Woodruff (No. 3) were developed as starters in the Minors only to be shifted to the bullpen to help the big league club. Both were outstanding down the stretch, especially Burnes. Freddy Peralta (No. 10) and his disappearing fastball struck out 13 batters in his Major League debut at age 21 and averaged 11 strikeouts-per-nine over 78 1/3 frames as a rookie.
Keston Hiura is perhaps the club’s best prospect since the Prince Fielder/Ryan Braun era more than a decade ago. He should rake his way up to the Majors in 2019, perhaps quickly, and it’s easy to picture Corey Ray finding his way into the outfield picture with his plus power and speed. Mauricio Dubon would have reached the Majors early last season had he not suffered a torn ACL in Triple-A.
The system is a bit thinner with regards to big league-ready pitching prospects, though Zack Brown looks ready to make an impact as either a starter or reliever. He and Ray took home the Double-A Southern League’s Most Outstanding Player and Pitchers awards, respectively, in 2018.
And while the Brewers have quickly turned around their fortunes in the Majors, they’ve also been targeting high-ceiling teenage prospects at premium positions in the Draft and via the international market, giving the system a future wave of talent that could help mitigate a possible roster turnover after Yelich and Cain’s contracts expire.
Here's a look at the Brewers' top prospects
1. Keston Hiura, 2B
2. Corey Ray, OF
3. Brice Turang, SS
4. Tristen Lutz, OF
5. Mauricio Dubon, SS/2B
Biggest jump/fall
Here are the players whose ranks changed the most from the 2018 preseason list to the '19 preseason list.
Jump: Zack Brown, RHP (2018: 25 | 2019: 6) -- The Southern League’s Most Outstanding Pitcher breakout performance has him poised to make an impact in ’19
Fall: Trent Grisham, OF (2018: 8 | 2019: 30) -- The 2015 first-rounder regressed in Double-A and continued to struggle in the Arizona Fall League
Best tools
Players are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale for future tools -- 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average. Players in parentheses have the same grade.
Hit: 70 -- Hiura
Power: 60 -- Hiura
Run: 60 -- Ray (Turang, Carlos Rodriguez, Enrique Fernandez, Je’Von Ward)
Arm: 70 -- Lucas Erceg
Defense: 60 -- Carlos Rodriguez
Fastball: 60 -- Braden Webb (Adrian Houser, Bobby Wahl)
Curveball: 65 -- Aaron Ashby
Slider: 55 -- Marcos Diplan (Trey Supak, Adam Hill)
Changeup: 55 -- Supak (Webb, Houser, Diplan)
Control: 55 -- Supak
How they were built
Draft: 18 | International: 6 | Trade: 6 | Free agent: 0 | Rule 5: 0
Breakdown by ETA
2019: 11 | 2020: 5 | 2021: 4 | 2022: 8 | 2023: 2
Breakdown by position
C: 3 | 1B: 1 | 2B: 1 | 3B: 1 | SS: 3 | OF: 12 | RHP: 8 | LHP: 1