Each season, there are a handful of prospects who take an enormous step ahead, going from a reputation that few have heard of to an thrilling piece of the group’s future. These enhancements can come for a variety of causes. Some gamers enhance simply by taking part in extra baseball and towards higher competitors, maturation by way of expertise if you’ll. Others recuperate from lingering accidents or add power within the offseason to hasten their improvement. Positional adjustments and focused enhancements of sure expertise also can have ripple results on a participant’s improvement. For instance, shifting a beginning pitcher to a reduction position may enable them to deal with their two finest pitches, and the decreased workload can result in velocity enhancements. Or maybe a deal with pulling the ball extra results in improved energy numbers. Whatever the purpose, there are indicators we will analyze to find out the probability {that a} prospect could have a breakout season.
Let’s check out 4 under-the-radar Brewers prospects, two pitchers and two place gamers, who may take an enormous (possibly not fairly quantum) leap ahead in 2025.
LHP Tate Kuehner
After spending 4 seasons on the College of Louisville, Kuehner was drafted by the Brewers within the seventh spherical of the 2023 MLB Draft. Whereas in school, Kuehner began simply 14 of the 70 video games he appeared in, functioning primarily as a left-handed reduction choice, and incomes 4 and 5 saves in his junior and senior years respectively.
Nonetheless, since becoming a member of the Brewers group, Kuehner has remodeled right into a starter, making 13 begins in Excessive-A and 6 begins in Double-A final season. General, Kuehner posted a 3.19 ERA and struck out 115 batters throughout 104 innings between the 2 ranges. Regardless of being stretched out and constantly beginning video games for the primary time in a number of years, Kuehner elevated his velocity this previous yr, now sitting within the mid 90s along with his rising fastball. A cool, three-quarters arm slot permits Kuehner to generate good run on his fastball, which he usually throws on the high of the zone. Nonetheless, his arm slot does result in some considerations with command, main Kuehner to put up a subpar 4.66 BB/9 in 2024. That being mentioned, Kuehner’s struggles with command are paired with a low HR/9 charge and low HR to fly ball ratio, suggesting that he favors leaving the ball a couple of inches off the plate or above the zone fairly than lacking down the center.
Kuehner’s numbers slipped somewhat bit in the course of the finish of the season, probably triggered extra by fatigue than the transition to Double-A. He ought to profit from a full offseason of preparation for his new position as a starter. Kuehner will nearly definitely begin the season in Double-A Biloxi, however sturdy early season numbers within the pitcher-friendly Southern League may result in a fast promotion to Triple-A.
LHP Mark Manfredi
The Brewers took Manfredi in the identical class as Kuehner with their ninth-round choice. With mid-90s velocity, a four-pitch combine, and a excessive strikeout charge from the left-side, it’s not arduous to see why the group is happy in regards to the former Dayton Flyer.
One more reason to be enthusiastic about Manfredi is the resemblance that his supply bears to former Brewers nearer Josh Hader. Like Hader, Manfredi turns his again to the batter earlier than delivering his pitch from an identical aspect arm launch level. However the similarities don’t cease there. Manfredi simply accomplished a full season of Excessive-A ball, the place he began 12 of the 28 video games he appeared in and posted a 4.23 FIP. In 2014, Hader pitched a full season of Excessive-A ball within the Astros group, beginning 15 of the 22 video games he appeared in and posted a 4.10 FIP. Though Hader remained a starter for the whole lot of his minor league profession, his eventual transition to the bullpen resulted in a slight improve in velocity, and a pointy improve in his strikeout numbers.
Manfredi may gain advantage from an identical change.
Whereas he posted a formidable 11.25 Ok/9 charge and generated a ton of swing-and-miss, Manfredi struggles considerably with command, posting a dreadful 5.09 BB/9 charge. A swap to the bullpen may enable Manfredi to focus extra on commanding his fastball and slider, the very best of his breaking pitches, turning into a nasty two-pitch reliever. This swap may additionally result in a rise in velocity, bringing Manfredi as much as 96-97 on the radar gun. The group demonstrated its curiosity in Manfredi’s arsenal by sending him to the Arizona Fall League this offseason, however Manfredi gave the impression to be experimenting along with his pitches and posted very tough numbers in his restricted variety of appearances for the Peoria Javelinas.
If Manfredi can rein in his command points and present success as a high-leverage reliever, his funky supply and talent to overlook bats may result in an enormous yr in 2025. Manfredi will probably begin the yr in Double-A however demonstrating that he can constantly discover the zone may lead to his promotion to Triple-A Nashville earlier than the top of the season.
2B Josh Adamczewski
The Brewers drafted Adamczewski out of highschool within the Fifteenth spherical of the 2023 MLB draft, prying him away from a dedication to Ball State College. Adamczewski, a clean swinging lefty, acquired off to a blistering begin in Rookie ball this previous season slashing .336/.472/.478 in 32 video games. This earned him a promotion to Low-A Carolina, the place he continued to rake, posting a .273/.415./.515 slash line throughout simply 9 video games. Sadly, his season was reduce brief by damage after these first 41 video games, in the end leading to a small pattern dimension of fantastic numbers.
Regardless of the pattern dimension, there may be a lot to love about Adamczewski’s transient 2024 season. Maybe most encouraging was his superior plate self-discipline, leading to above-average strikeout (19.7%) and stroll (18.0%) charges. He additionally posted a formidable contact charge (72.4%) displaying good bat management to go together with his glorious consciousness of the strike zone.
Restricted vary and a beneath common arm imply he’ll probably keep at 2B all through his baseball profession, however he does present some promise on the bottom paths, swiping eight luggage in his 41 video games in 2024. Proper now, Adamczewski seems to be just like the steal of the 2023 draft, however a full season within the minors ought to give the group a greater concept of simply how good their Fifteenth-rounder actually is.
He’ll probably begin the yr again in Single-A Carolina, but when he picks up the place he left off earlier than his damage final yr, he ought to rapidly earn a promotion to Excessive-A and will even finish the season in Double-A.
C/OF Marco Dinges
Instruments solely get you up to now in baseball. With no sturdy work ethic, resilience, and psychological toughness, even essentially the most proficient gamers wouldn’t succeed within the large leagues. If there’s one factor that Brewers 2024 fourth-round decide Marco Dinges has, its toughness.
Dinges overcame a uncommon immune deficiency dysfunction two years in the past that left him hospitalized for greater than six weeks. The next yr, Dinges transferred from JUCO Tallahassee State School to Florida State. He slashed .323/.415/.583 with 15 HR in 64 video games whereas serving as the first DH for the Seminoles in 2024 earlier than being drafted by the Brewers.
He completed the summer season with 13 video games at Low-A Carolina and hit a good .271/.364/.354 within the small pattern dimension. Whereas Dinges has principally served as a DH previously two seasons, he does have a robust arm behind the dish and the Brewers will seemingly give him the chance to catch on the minor league degree. Dinges did play outfield with Tallahassee State in order that may very well be his long-term defensive residence. No matter the place he performs within the subject, his energy is thrilling and he pairs it with good plate self-discipline, strolling greater than he struck out at Florida State.
Dinges will probably begin the yr again in Low-A the place he completed final season however may advance so far as Double-A this yr if he can replicate his collegiate success on the skilled degree.
