Scooter Gennett getting down and dirty Photo: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

With all of the winter weather tearing through the country right now, it is hard to even fathom the thought of Spring.  But, regardless of how much snow we get tonight in the land of cheese curds and beer, Spring Training is in full swing.  After 4 games, I think that it is pretty clear who will be on the roster in 2013 and who will not (unless you count the bizarre 1B situation we find ourselves in) .  What I am looking out for are the next big pieces of the franchise.  And I think they are already starting to emerge. 

Spring Training is a magical time of the year when you can actually watch and follow the future of the franchise.  These are 5 players who are going to turn heads this Spring and build momentum for the 2014 Brewers roster.  I personally believe these 5 players could all be on the Opening Day Roster in 2014, which is why I have chosen them to watch this Spring Training (or ST, as it will be further known).    

Keep in mind that I do not think any of these 5 players will find themselves on the Opening Day roster this season.  Which makes it all the more imperative you watch them now.  

Hiram Burgos - In the RtB Prospect Rankings, I had Burgos as my 10th rated prospect.  After watching his outing from yesterdays game, there is a lot to like.  Of the outings I have seen so far, he seems to be the only Brewers pitcher who does not need to work on his location as ST progresses.  If anything, location is the biggest strength of Burgos’ game.  None of his pitches (fastball, change-up, curve ball, and a cutter) are electric, but as many Hall of Fame pitchers can tell you “It’s about location, location, location.”  Despite Burgos moving from Single-A ball to Triple-A ball over the course of one season and being named the 2012 Brewers minor league Pitcher of the Year, I still believe he needs a full season in Nashville to really fine tune his arsenal.  At this point though, I am fairly confident that he will be a front runner for a rotation spot in 2014.  So take note and follow the kid on Twitter @Burgos196

Johnny Hellweg -  I really like this guy (Ranked him 12th in my Prospects list).  Hellweg was a piece of the Greinke deal with the Angels last season.  The kid looks like a giraffe on the mound, standing 6’9″ tall and only weighing about 210 pounds, but throws a nasty fastball.  From everything I can gather, the Brewers front office isn’t sure where this kid belongs.  Is he a starter, reliever, set-up, or closer?  No one seems to know.  Prior to coming over to play for the good guys, Hellweg was having success as a starter and had struggled out of the bullpen.  His biggest obstacle in being a starter for the Brewers, is the staggering amount of young starters already in the team pipeline (Thornburg, Fiers, Jungmann, Bradley, Peralta, etc.).  If he wants to be on the big league roster sooner, rather than later, he should focus on coming out of the pen.  If he makes the team in 2014, then he will need to have a solid enough ST to get a Nashville assignment rather than being sent back to Huntsville.

Caleb Gindl - I have liked Gindl for a few years and his time is getting closer(6th in my Prospect list).   Ron Roenicke has pretty much guaranteed that Logan Schafer is going to be the 4th outfielder (ranked him 2nd on my Prospect list) and it is justly deserved.  Gindl could find himself on the big league roster in 2014 because Carlos Gomez only has a contract through this season, and Nori Aoki has an option for 2014.  If the team continues to gear towards youth, they may decide Gindl is ready for the challenge.  So far this ST he is 2 for 3 with 2 RBI’s, not too shabby.  Gindl’s numbers at Nashville last season were underwhelming; .261 batting average, 12 HR’s, and 50 RBI’s, but I still believe that he has big league talent.  This particular ST will be great for him, thanks to all of the Brewers who will soon be departing for the World Cup of Baseball.  Whether or not Caleb can make the Brewers Opening Day roster in 2014, may have very little to do with him.  But should Gomez or Aoki leave the team via Free Agency, then I expect Gindl would be the primary benefactor.

Scooter Gennett - (Ranked 4th in my prospect list) Before you even start, I know Rickie Weeks is our 2nd baseman and he is locked up for a couple of years.  In case you missed it, I have been seeing a therapist about my hang-ups with Rickie.  The reality is that Scooter was the first prospect I fell in love with when I started writing for RtB in the winter of 2010.  Gennett has excelled at every level of the minors.  Last season was his worst statistical season in the minors, but he still hit .293 and had 156 hits.  Not to mention that when the Brewers acquired Jean Segura and he went to play a few games in Huntsville, several scouts acknowledged that the two had almost instant chemistry.  So, should the team decide that Rickie Weeks is not worth the contract, or they can trade him for some quality prospects, I envision Scooter Gennett becoming our everyday 2nd baseman.  However, he might still be on the fence in 2014.  At 22 years old, we still have some time…  The real thing to watch with Scooter is, how much playing time he actually gets this ST.  Catch him on Twitter @Scooterg11

Tyler Thornburg - (My #1 Rated Prospect) I saved him for last for one particular reason, which is that many of you will disagree.  Tyler Thornburg is very, very good.  The hard truth is, I don’t think he is ready just yet.  While I only have one outing to go off of (2 IP, 2 ER, 0 K’s, and 1 BB), it just seems like he needs another season in Nashville to truly be an option for the starting rotation.  Thornburg is immensely talented and will be in the starting rotation soon, just not quite yet.  Let us not forget his MLB debut, where he surrendered back-to-back-to-back home runs.  Does that mean he is not a big league talent?  Heck no!  Does it mean he needs more time to work on his game?  Yes.  There is no need to rush him into the rotation, there are 6 solid guys who are already vying for those spots.  So, we should enjoy watching him this Spring.  If you care what I think, he will be in the rotation in 2014.  That means we should use this opportunity to watch him grow against big league hitters.  Follow him on Twitter at @TylerThornburg

No one knows more than me how much can change in Spring Training (Erick Almonte anyone?).  These are just guys who are young and on the verge of being Brewers, so it is best to get familiar with them now.  Feel free to disagree, or share some guys you are looking for this ST.

Catch part one here. (more…)

Brewers RHP Wily Peralta is big league ready this season. #FreeWily

Unlike in years past, General Manager Doug Melvin spent 2012 acquiring prospects. After trading away prospects Brett Lawrie, Matt LaPorta, Jake Odorrizi, and Jeremy Jeffress for big league pitching talent within the previous four years, Melvin instead traded Zack Greinke – whom the Brewers received in exchange for Odorrizi and Jeffress, among others – to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for Milwaukee’s now-starting shortstop Jean Segura and starting pitchers Johnny Hellweg (number 7 on our list) and Ariel Peña (number 15).

The Brewers selected catcher Clint Coulter (number 11) and outfielders Victor Roache, Mitch Haniger, and Tyrone Taylor (numbers 10, 16, and 17, respectively) with their first four picks.

Many new faces emerged across the farm system, as well: Shortstop Yadiel Rivera displayed much of his raw talent in low-A ball, outfielder Khris Davis continued to post flashy numbers, and starting pitcher Hiram Burgos vaulted toward the top of the rankings with one of the best seasons in all of minor league baseball.

Milwaukee’s farm system doesn’t yield any Jurickson Profar’s or Gerrit Cole’s, but there is an increasing amount of depth to it, particularly at starting pitcher and in the outfield. I could easily see seven or eight of the names on this list playing for the parent ballclub as soon as this season.

The staff of Reviewing the Brew each ranked their top 15 prospects which combined to form the top 20 prospects according to the site. Following each player’s name in parentheses are how each staff member ranked the player. The order goes: (Ben, Justin, Curt, Lou, Colin)

20. OF Khris Davis (–,12, –, –, –)

Scouting Report: Davis, the 2010 Brewers MiLB Player of the Year, has put up impressive numbers over from

Davis has flashed power and good speed in his minor league time. (Photo courtesy of MiLB.com)

rookie ball to Triple-A, but his ceiling looks to have been reached. His power numbers should decline and strikeout rates pile up with his long swing over a full season with Nashville. Another season with crazy offensive output from Davis could land him a chance in spring or October of 2014.

19. SS Yadiel Rivera (–, 7, –, –, –)

Scouting Report: Rivera, a 20 year-old shortstop from Puerto Rico, is still coming into his own defensively and at the plate. He could become a plus defensive player with sound mechanics at the plate and slightly more power than recent Brewers prospects Alcides Escobar and Jean Segura. Rivera’s skills are raw and he’s very much still coming into his own.

18. RHP Donovan Hand (9, –, –, –, –) 

Scouting Report: Ben was the only one to rank Hand, an experienced reliever in the system, explained his ranking: “He’s someone who could very well be with the Brewers either this year or next. He’s a career 3.60 ERA pitcher, 27 wins, 25 losses, average strikeout rate, but definitely someone to keep in mind. He’s done well in Triple-A the past two season so maybe we’ll see him sooner than later.”

17. OF Tyrone Taylor (–, 15, –, 11, –)

Scouting Report: The Brewers took Taylor as a second rounder in last summer’s draft. A high school running back, his speed and natural athleticism are evident. He’s only 19 years old and will advance through the levels just based on potential. He hit .385 in rookie ball last summer.

Brewers prospect Mitch Haniger displays good pop in his bat.

16. OF Mitch Haniger (–, –, 12, 13, –) 

Scouting Report: Haniger was taken in the first round, 38th overall, last summer. He finished the season in Low-A ball and held his own, OPSing .808. Plays like a pro with good instincts and a wide stance that produces a lot of pop. Not a ton of speed mixed with a strong arm projects him as a big league corner outfielder.

15. RHP Ariel Peña (11, –, –, –10) 

Scouting Report: Pena, the third return in the Zack Greinke deal, throws a 98-mph fastball and a low-90s sinker. Was tearing it up with double-A Arkansas in the Angels system before struggling down the stretch with Huntsville. Hopefully his big arm can make him a four or five starter down the road.

14. LHP Jed Bradley (–, –, 13, 15, 8) 

Scouting Report: Even after a rough, rough first pro season, I’m still optimistic on Bradley, a first round selection in 2011 out of Georgia Tech. Command and road starts were the issue for him with Brevard County; the word is that it was a learning season for Bradley. Now that he’s adjusted to the pro game, hopefully he can show his major league potential.

13. RHP Michael Olmsted (7, –, –, –, 6) 

Scouting Report: Ben and Colin were both very high on Olmsted, whom the Brewers signed to a minor league deal. He’s a physically imposing (6-6, 245) guy with huge strikeout numbers who posted a sub-2.00 era over the last two seasons. Wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see him trotting out from the Miller Park bullpen in 2013. Related: he has an epic mustache.

Photo courtesy of MiLB.com

12. RHP Jimmy Nelson (–, 9, 10, 9, 12) 

Scouting Report: A guy with a large, Olmsted-like frame, Nelson has the potential to be a workhorse guy. One of lots of minor leaguers the Brewers are hoping pans out (some of them have to, right??). Mid 90′s heater and a sharp slider resulting from his frame. Needs to address command issues, but emerged in 2012. My man Alec Dopp interviewed him recently, definitely go and take a look at that.

11. C Clint Coulter (–, 8, 4, 14, 14) 

Scouting Report: After being taken in the first round last summer, Coulter first impressed me in a mid-game Fox Sports Wisconsin interview in the booth. He’s a talented all-around catcher with above-average pop who already has a season of rookie ball under his belt. Good eye, comes across as a lover of the game, especially for a 19-year-old. Obviously, I was really high on Clint.

10. OF Victor Roache (–, 5, 9, 8, –) 

Scouting Report: Roache is a muscular guy and it shows in his power numbers. Arguably the biggest power hitter in last year’s draft (taken one pick after Coulter), he’s projected to possibly be a 30-homer guy some day. Not a defensive nor a speed guy, he’ll make the bigs as a big hitter. Watch out: he rocks the number 28, just like a previous Brewers slugger.

9. OF Caleb Gindl (6, 14, –, 6, 11) 

Scouting Report: A stocky left-handed power hitter, Gindl has produced well over the last two seasons with Triple-A Nashville. He has 66 homers over the last four minor league seasons. He’s been given plenty of AB’s in spring training with the Brewers and seems to be stuck in that almost-ready fringe. Only issue for me was a low-to-medium ceiling in an already-crowded outfield.

8. RHP Hiram Burgos (8, 7, 8, 10, 15)

 Scouting Report: Hey, look! Someone we all ranked! Burgos was nowhere near these kinds of lists before 2012 but an explosive 2012 – he was named Brewers MiLB Pitcher of the Year – catapulted him from A-ball to Triple-A, where he pitched 46.1 innings. He’s a crafty pitcher with upper 80′s velocity mixed with a good change, cutter, and slide piece. A good start to 2013 mixed with someone’s struggles in Milwaukee, and we could see Burgos in 2013; if not, I still think it’ll be sooner than later.

7. RHP Johnny Hellweg (12, 11, 7, 12, 4) 

Scouting Report: The second piece of the Greinke deal, Hellweg is an intimidating figure on the mound at 6-foot-9. Good delivery mixed with the height makes his mid-90s fastball look even faster. He’s been impressive as a starter, though five of his seven appearances after the trade came from the ‘pen. High K-rates to go with high walk rates. Needs to polish up a bit before being big league ready, though I ranked him one higher than Burgos based on a higher ceiling.

Taylor Jungmann was a power pitcher for the Texas Longhorns.

6. RHP Taylor Jungmann (10, 6, 5, 7, 7) 

Scouting Report: A Longhorn and the Brewers’ first pick in the 2011 draft, Jungmann, 23, had a positive first-year campaign. He’s already polished and has the makeup of a two or three starter in the near future. Some scouts project him to arrive in Milwaukee for a glimpse by the end of 2013. Has a good fastball coming off a 6-6 frame, but his off-speed stuff might be even more effective. Needs to continue to get ground balls to counteract low strikeout figures.

5. 1B Hunter Morris (4, 3, 6, 5, 9) 

Scouting Report: Morris tore it up in Double-A Huntsville last season and will be big league ready soon. His power bat has developed and he turned into a doubles machine while with the Stars. Named Brewers MiLB Player of the Year. A solid bet for first baseman of the future and, with the injury to Corey Hart, it’s tempting to see what he could do in limited time right now. Non roster invitee for big league camp this year.

4. CF Logan Schafer (3, 13, 11, 2, 2)

Scouting Report: As I wrote, I’m very high on Schafer this year and hope for him to replace the void left by Nyjer Morgan in this year’s Brewers outfield (in production, that is, and not in noise level). He’s a speedy guy with great range fit for a center fielder and defensive instincts. Can be a left handed pinch hitter who handles the bat well and doesn’t strike out often. MLB-ready. Produced in limited action during a late season playoff push for Milwaukee. In retrospect, he was probably too low on my list.

Gennett played second base for the USA in the Futures Game this past summer. (Image: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports)

3. 2B Scooter Gennett (5, 4, 3, 4, 5) 

Scouting Report: The 5-9, wiry middle infielder plays like a spark plug. He can be a plus hitter in the majors but needs to sharpen up his defense. Is crowded out and being kept in Triple-A by Rickie Weeks. When Weeks’ contract expires, it will be interesting to see if the Brewers go with Gennett. Looks like a left-handed slap hitter, but shows surprising gap power.

2. RHP Tyler Thornburg (2, 2, 2, 1, 3) 

Scouting Report: After what we saw in 22 innings with the Brewers in 2012, there’s no doubt that Thornburg can be a big league starter. He’ll be vying for a spot in the starting rotation this spring. Generates good velocity on his fastball for his Tim Lincecum-like size and possesses a mean power curve. Gave up eight homers in his time in the majors, which should be fixed with time. Not an incredibly high ceiling, but, in a farm system full of questions, Thornburg seems to be a viable number four starter down the road.

1. RHP Wily Peralta (1, 1, 1, 3, 1) 

Scouting Report: Peralta can embarrass hitters at the highest level with a mid-90′s fastball, arm-action change, and a lethal slider. No doubt in my mind that the nearly-unanimous number one on the list is big league ready. Can’t see him not making the Opening Day roster; there’s not much left to develop in the minors with Peralta. Projects to be a workhorse middle of the rotation starter down the line.

Also receiving votes: Fautino De Los Santos, Kyle Heckathorn, Jesus Sanchez, Hector Gomez, Nick Bucci.

 Comments? Questions? Concerns? Queries? Posers? Leave them below! Who did we miss? Follow @ReviewngTheBrew on Twitter and/or the author (and most active Twitterist of the staff), Curt Hogg. Be sure to like us on Facebook, too, for constant updates.

Tyler Thornburg has been a- or the- top pitching prospect for the Brewers ever since he was drafted in 2010. The Brewers knew what they were getting when they took him out of college as a third round pick: a flamethrowing right-hander with a plus-breaking ball and a change-up that’s probably still improving.

Thornburg, along with a few others, has been talked about as the future ace of the Brewers. Everyone is high on him. He’s even drawn comparisons to Giants (used to be) ace Tim Lincecum, which I don’t quite I agree with since he doesn’t come nearly as over the top. Still, considering Lincecum has two Cy Young Awards on his shelf, that’s a pretty good pitcher to be compared to.

Thornburg lived up to that hype for pretty much all of his Minor League career. He dealt with injuries for awhile to begin his professional career, but proved to the Brewers that hitters at the rookie level and Single-A couldn’t hit him- he held hitters to a sub-.200 batting average while pitching for those affiliates. Fast forward to 2012, and that dominance continued at Double-A. He got off to a fast start this year for the Stars, starting the season 8-0 with a 2.54 ERA.

But this is where things probably got a bit crazy for him. All of a sudden, the Brewers started losing starting pitchers at the Major League level. When Marco Estrada was almost back, Shaun Marcum went promptly went down, leaving the Brewers with another rotation spot to fill. They had a couple of options of what to do at this point. The only Major League possibility was Manny Parra, but he hadn’t- and still hasn’t- started a game since late 2010. There were multiple Triple-A options who were Major League ready, such as Wily Peralta, Amaury Rivas, and so on, but none of them were pitching well enough at the time to be considered. So that made the Brewers go down one more level to Double-A, and who was the one pitcher that caught their eye immediately? It had to be Thornburg.

On June 19^th, nearly two years to the day that Thornburg was drafted by the Brewers, he found himself already making his big league debut. And it was coming against one of the better offenses in baseball, the Blue Jays. He fared well for the first five innings, but the wheels came off with one out in the sixth inning, when he gave up three consecutive home runs to Colby Rasmus, Jose Bautista, and Edwin Encarnacion. That spelled the end of his debut, which lasted 5 1/3 innings. He gave up five runs on seven hits while walking none and striking out two. It’s encouraging that he didn’t walk a batter, but the one glaring stat was the four home runs Thornburg gave up. He gave up six all year at Double-A, so that was already two-thirds of that total.

After that start, Thornburg was optioned down to Triple-A (which, oddly, was the one level he had yet to pitch at since he skipped it). He made one start down there (five innings, two runs, six strikeouts), but also spent a stint on the disabled list due to a very Brewer-like injury: falling into a coffee table.

Thornburg was recalled after the All-Star break and made one appearance prior to today, which came against the Pirates. He went two innings while giving up one earned run (of course that run had to be a home run).

Then, today, he had to make a spot start during the Zack Greinke hiatus. I don’t want to say it went well, but he at least managed to limit the damage. He went 4 2/3 innings while giving up two runs on five hits against the Cardinals. He walked four and struck out five. But, Thornburg needed 103 pitches to get through just 4 2/3 innings. Also, the two runs he gave up were solo home runs, which brings his season total to seven home runs given up. That’s already one more than he gave up in 75 innings at Double-A, and he’s thrown just 12 innings in the Majors.

These things bring me to my conclusion: he may have been rushed to the Majors. It feels like he’s trying to pitch like he’s still in the Minors, which calls for trouble in the Majors. He said himself after his start against the Jays that he felt he needed to work against every hitter, rather than just having to focus on the 3-4 hitters of a lineup in the Minors. That definitely showed today, because 103 pitches in 4 2/3 innings are far too many. He also needs to understand that leaving up low-90’s fastballs (that haven’t been set up the right way) in the Majors will usually result in home runs.

I’m not saying that Thornburg is a bad pitcher, or that he won’t have a successful career in the Majors. But I feel he was rushed, and there are still things he could work on in Triple-A. I would love to see him in the rotation next year (and I have a feeling we will), but first he needs to fix the little things.

Fiers has the third-lowest ERA in the league among pitchers with at least 50 IP (Image: Benny Sieu-US PRESSWIRE)

When the Brewers called up Mike Fiers from AAA Nashville on May 28, most assumed it was with the sole intention of holding the starting rotation over until the return of Marco Estrada from the disabled list.

Now, nine starts and a 2.01 ERA later, the 27-year-old right hander is making his case for the best pitcher on the team in that time frame; since his debut on May 29 in Los Angeles, only Ryan Braun has a higher WAR than Fiers (1.8). The rookie has surrendered only two runs in his last 32 2/3 innings of work, spanning five starts plus one relief appearance.

Monday night’s start versus St. Louis ranks among not only Fiers’ most impressive outing this season, but among all Brewers starters. He held the top offense in the National League scoreless over seven innings without his “best stuff”. Normally showing great command, he walked four but stranded all eight base runners. He was sneaky with his upper-80s fastball and put batters away with a curve on a night with a questionable strike zone.

With the almost-certain departure of Shaun Marcum and Randy Wolf and the possible movement of Zack Greinke, two or three rotation spots will be open to begin next season. Fiers, despite the unheralded call-up, has more than proven himself to be a capable big league starter.

Yovani Gallardo appears to be the only lock to return to the rotation next season. The future of the rotation looks promising with Fiers, Tyler Thornburg, Wily Peralta, and 2011 first rounders Taylor Jungmann and Jed Bradley on the horizon. With all that talent, odds are more than two of them will make a splash in the MLB soon.

Fiers’ 2.01 ERA ranks third in the NL among pitchers with at leats 50 innings pitched. He should have a 6-2 record instead of his current 3-3 mark, but the team has been shut out twice, scored only two runs three times, and had a 2-0 victory spoiled last night by John Axford.

In his eight starts, Fiers has had a Game Score of over 60 six times, including two scores of over 70. By comparison, Randy Wolf has three scores of higher than 56 all season.

Brewers management and the fans are realizing that this Fiers kid can pitch. We look forward to seeing number 64 and his deceptive delivery, stellar fastball command (9.4 wFB in 2012), and curveball near the top of the rotation in 2013 and beyond.

After Monday’s scoreless outing against, Fiers told reporters, “I’m just enjoying it right now.”

Well, kid, you better get used to this feeling.