Crew's 'pen could get boost from 2 top prospects

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

As we near September and the postseason races heat up, the Brewers (74-54) are in the enviable position of having a comfortable cushion atop their division -- they entered play on Saturday with a 10-game lead over the Cardinals (64-64) in the National League Central.

For Milwaukee, the name of the game now is to maintain that division advantage while preparing for the playoffs. One of the most crucial areas of a postseason roster, particularly for a team like the Brewers, is the bullpen.

Despite being without closer Devin Williams for most of the season, Milwaukee’s relief corps owns the third-best ERA (3.35) and is tied for the second-most saves (42) in MLB. With Williams’ recent return, a solid bullpen got even stronger. But could more reinforcements be on the way?

There are two Minor League right-handers who have ascended rapidly through the farm system and could potentially make a Major League debut for the Brewers soon: Jacob Misiorowski (No. 3 prospect) and Craig Yoho (No. 20).

Between Williams, Trevor Megill, Jared Koenig and the newly acquired Nick Mears, Milwaukee’s ’pen is well-stocked with flamethrowers. A callup of Misiorowski could add another.

The 6-foot-7 right-hander is MLB Pipeline’s No. 66 prospect overall. Some feel Misiorowski has the potential to be a right-handed version of former Brewers closer Josh Hader.

Misiorowski’s fastball, which is considered the best among the top 100 MLB prospects per MLB Pipeline, touches 102 mph. He also features a wipeout slider, as well as a curveball and a changeup.

In 24 appearances (21 starts) between Double-A Biloxi and Triple-A Nashville this season, Misiorowski has a 3.36 ERA with a 30% strikeout rate. His walk rate is high -- nearly 14% -- so he seems to profile better as a reliever. He was recently moved to the Sounds' bullpen, presumably to prepare him for a potential callup.

Yoho, meanwhile, has been a revelation since being selected in the eighth round of the 2023 Draft. His Draft stock might have been higher had he not missed two collegiate seasons at Indiana due to Tommy John surgery and a knee injury. But since becoming a pro, he’s been dominant.

So far in his first professional season, Yoho has jumped from High-A Wisconsin to Nashville. He has a 0.76 ERA over 47 2/3 innings across three levels, with an incredible 47% strikeout rate.

Any pitcher called up for his MLB debut is a wild card of sorts -- no one can say for sure whether his success will translate from the Minors to the Majors. But Misiorowski and Yoho have great stuff, and an arrival in Milwaukee by at least one of them could be imminent.

Could either or both go from wild card to X-factor this postseason? If so, it would be quite an October surprise for a team that has already surprised the baseball world in 2024.