3 Brewers storylines to watch this spring

This story was excerpted from Adam McCalvy’s Brewers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

As the Brewers open Spring Training camp next week, here are three of the top storylines we expect to follow:

1. Figure out the bullpen

Seven pitchers logged more than 30 relief innings for the Brewers last season. Four of those relievers (innings leader Brent Suter, appearance leader Brad Boxberger, Trevor Gott and Josh Hader) are gone, indicating a significant turnover.

Closer Devin Williams is locked in, and returnees Hoby Milner and Peter Strzelecki are coming off what can be characterized as breakthrough years. Matt Bush is back after a shaky final two months with the Brewers and is out of Minor League options. After that, there are new arms like Bryse Wilson, Javy Guerra and Joel Payamps -- all out of options.

The Brewers will also have to evaluate right-handers Janson Junk and Elvis Peguero (acquired from the Angels in the Hunter Renfroe trade) and prospects Abner Uribe and Cam Robinson, all of whom could pick up bullpen innings sometime in 2023. There’s also Rule 5 Draft pick Gus Varland and a group of non-roster invitees.

“It’s definitely the area in [spring] games where we have the most to learn -- and even for the pitching coaches in bullpens, definitely the area with the most to learn,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “The starters are a familiar group, especially with Wade [Miley] being familiar. We have to make some decisions on the bullpen group.”

• Projecting the Brewers' Opening Day roster

One name is not expected in either group at the very start. Left-hander Aaron Ashby is behind the rest of the pitchers because of left shoulder fatigue after spending about three weeks on the injured list last August and September with a similar issue.

“I think he’s out for Opening Day,” Counsell said. “It’s a remnant from last year that kind of manifested itself as he ramped up throwing again. We had to take a pretty big step back as far as rest.”

2. Assess the positional prospects

In the early years of Counsell’s tenure as skipper, young pitching prospects were the story. Now, for the first time under Counsell, it’s tilted toward hitters such as outfielders Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick and Joey Wiemer, as well as infielder Brice Turang, all of whom will be in camp with a real shot to impact the big league club this year, even if some of them start off with Triple-A Nashville.

Generally, when a team brings high-ceiling prospects to the Majors like the Brewers did with Mitchell late last year, it’s with the intent to have them play every day or close to it. Mitchell has a clear lane to do that from the start of 2023, probably followed by Turang, Frelick and Wiemer in order of likelihood. But all have a chance to play for the Brewers by year’s end.

3. New rules and the World Baseball Classic

The two fit together because they are the unique aspects of what otherwise is the first “normal” Spring Training in years.

Counsell had a call with coaches this week to finalize their plans to introduce the new rules for 2023, most notably the pitch timer and limits to infield shifts. The Brewers have been readying for months and have a progression in mind to get everyone comfortable by Opening Day.

The WBC is another wrinkle that will impact players like Williams (Team USA), Rowdy Tellez and Luis Urías (Mexico) and Frelick (Italy). Those players will join their countries’ training camps during the first week of March. Notably, all of the Brewers’ starting pitchers, who by the nature of their jobs are always on the tightest Spring Training schedule, are staying put.

“In Devin’s case, I’ll say I’m really encouraged,” Counsell said. “I think Devin has had a great offseason. The World Baseball Classic, I think, really pushed his prep to a new level and I’m excited for him because of it, really.”

Coming off last year’s lockout and all of the pandemic adjustments before that, it’s comforting for everyone to head into a regularly scheduled spring.

“There’s plenty of time,” Counsell said. “You have to use that for everybody -- from when we start guys playing to some of the teaching things we want to do. There’s more time this year, absolutely.”