MILWAUKEE – If you’re wondering whether the front office is paying attention to what top Brewers pitching prospect Jacob Misiorowski is doing for Triple-A Nashville this season, the answer, obviously, is yes. GM Matt Arnold watched every pitch of one of Misiorowski’s recent gems on his iPad while the Brewers played the Rays in Tampa. And if you’re wondering when those officials will make a big leaguer of Misiorowski -- MLB Pipeline’s No. 4 Brewers prospect and No. 72 on the overall Top 100 -- join the club. "I certainly think Miz has the type of stuff that you want to take care of,” Arnold said. “He has that kind of upside for us. And so you want to make sure if and when a guy arrives at the big league level that you put them in a position to succeed.” In other words, the Brewers want to be sure that once Misiorowski is promoted, he’s in the Major Leagues to stay. Choosing the right time for that is among the myriad factors that go into promoting a prospect of Misiorowski’s pedigree. The 23-year-old has done his part to push a promotion along. Misiorowski is coming off the longest start of his career, a seven-inning, one-run performance in Nashville’s 3-1 win in Memphis in which the 6-foot-7 righty was efficient (83 pitches) and topped 103 mph with his fastball. And that outing came after he topped 102 mph multiple times and set a season high with 11 strikeouts in a May 9 start -- which Arnold watched on his iPad. |
Most important of all, Misiorowski walked one batter in each of those outings. Command has always been the limiting factor for the 2022 second-round Draft pick. “He should be really confident right now, and then the call is not coming and you have a little chip on your shoulder,” Brewers farm director Tom Flanagan said. “Like Chad Patrick, a different style of pitcher but a really good arm, who kind of went through that last year. Robert Gasser the year before. “More importantly, I think Miz realizes that he’s putting it together from outing to outing right now. It’s getting a little better each time. That’s a win for everybody. It’s just a matter of how long you let that [go], where it’s continuing to build versus wasting bullets. I think he’s still got things to work on in terms of harnessing it.” In the meantime, the Brewers are actually getting healthier in the MLB starting rotation. Aaron Civale has one more rehab start scheduled and Brandon Woodruff has perhaps two. Lefties Aaron Ashby and DL Hall are also nearing returns to MLB as multi-inning relievers. |
Of course, whenever the Brewers decide it’s time for Misiorowski, they’ll make room for him. Arnold and other officials are enjoying the show until then. “I mean, he's definitely gotten our attention with what he's been able to do,” Arnold said. “Not just the stuff, because he's always had the stuff. It's really just the ability to start and to execute through a lineup, command the ball. The way that he's overwhelming for hitters at times is something that's been pretty impressive." |
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The Brewers tentatively plan to promote catcher Jeferson Quero (Brewers No. 2, overall No. 41) and infielder/outfielder Tyler Black (Brewers No. 6) to Triple-A Nashville next week from the rookie-level Arizona Complex League, where they have been rehabbing injuries. Quero is coming back from a strained hamstring and Black from a fractured hamate bone in his right hand. For Quero, the hamstring issue delayed what was supposed to be his on-time comeback from right shoulder surgery, which cost him the entire 2024 season. “It’s not like he’s going to get to Nashville and start catching five days a week,” Flanagan said. “He’s felt good, which is the main thing. He’s also not overdoing it. Guys who can throw, they typically throw a lot. It’s like infielders who like to throw, they like to show it off. You have to rein them in.” Pre-surgery, Quero’s 70-grade throwing arm was one of his best tools as a catcher. The Brewers have their fingers crossed that it will remain a strength, even if he doesn’t throw quite as hard as he did before. “It was a serious hamstring injury; it was borderline whether it was going to be surgical, and it turned out not to be,” Flanagan said. “Maybe it was a little bit of a blessing, because it gives his arm more time.” |
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- Speaking of promotions, outfielder José Anderson (Brewers No. 27) and catcher Marco Dinges -- who is not ranked but trending fast in that direction -- are moving up. Anderson was expected to go from rookie Arizona to Single-A Carolina, and Dinges from Carolina to High-A Wisconsin, in time for Tuesday’s games. - So far, the Brewers believe Double-A Biloxi shortstop Cooper Pratt (Brewers No. 3, overall No. 50) and third baseman Brock Wilken (Brewers No. 17) can benefit from staying at that level. Wilken’s performance (.928 OPS, 10 homers in 39 games) is particularly encouraging after a tough 2024 season in which he underwent surgery for facial fractures after being hit by a pitch. “Almost like what we talked about with Miz from a confidence angle, you like to see that his defense has been really good and the power is back,” Flanagan said. “He’s doing a lot of things we like to see. … There are good arguments to be made on both sides, but I think there’s probably more of an argument right now to letting him continue to build confidence there [in Biloxi].” |
- Flanagan offered good news about Brewers No. 9 prospect Luis Peña, who homered for Carolina for the second straight game on Sunday but then exited after what sounded like a nasty collision at first base. "So far, no concussion. He didn't lose consciousness, nothing like that,” Flanagan said. “It just looked ugly." - No. 10 prospect Braylon Payne -- Milwaukee’s top pick in last year’s Draft -- has missed some time at Carolina recently with a stiff back or hip, but it’s not considered serious. - Switch-hitting and switch-throwing utility man Anthony Seigler has a small fracture on his right hand and will miss some time, Flanagan said, but is not expected to be sidelined nearly as long as was initially feared. Unfortunately, Seigler was hurt during his first game at third base -- a sign that the Brewers were taking a look at him for a potential call-up to get something going at that position in the Majors. - The Brewers fear that Double-A Biloxi catcher Ramón Rodríguez suffered an Achilles injury when he went down last week. He was being examined on Monday, Flanagan said. |
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