Down on the Farm: Under-the-Radar Names To Know
While the Brewers are rolling along in first place at the big-league level, there are plenty of things to be excited about in their Minor League pipeline as well.
Names like Joe Gray Jr., Felix Valerio and Justin Bullock may not show up on the Brewers Top 30 list on MLB Pipeline, but they’re still worthy of some serious attention.
Here’s a look at three under-the-radar prospects in the Brewers system.
Joe Gray Gets Promoted
Joe Gray Jr., a 2018 2nd round draft pick, has exploded this season at the plate. The toolsy 21-year-old has already earned a promotion to High-A Wisconsin after dominating his Low-A assignment to start the year.
In 51 games at Low A Carolina, Gray hit .289 with 12 home runs and 53 RBIs. His production has slowed since being promoted to the Timber Rattlers in early July – he’s hitting .209 in a small 13-game sample size.
Gray is one of the better athletes in the Brewers organization and has a very high ceiling. He’s someone to keep an eye on over the next few years.
Know the Name: Felix Valerio
Valerio was part of the return in the Keon Broxton trade following the 2018 season. The infielder is still just 20 years old and has put together a very solid season with Low-A Carolina.
In early June, Valerio went on a 12-game hitting streak that saw him collect 22 hits. Eight of those 12 games resulted in multi-hit efforts. While his streak was snapped at 12, he still managed to record hits in 21 of 22 games over that stretch.
On the season, Valerio is hitting a red-hot .309 with an OPS of .896.
Justin Bullock: Under the Radar Pitcher
At just 22-years old, Justin Bullock already has a no-hitter to his name…sort of.
In his first start with High-A Wisconsin on June 10, the righty worked five no-hit innings to combine with Carlos Luna for a no-hitter.
After dominating his first assignment with Low-A Carolina this year (1.42 ERA in four starts), he got promoted to High-A in early June with promising early results: he’s gone 5-2 with the Timber Rattlers and has posted a 2.90 ERA.
Look for Bullock to try to keep the momentum going as he continues to face tougher competition.