Taylor Jungmann Most Underrated Milwaukee Brewers’ Prospect

MLB.com has just released the top-30 prospect list for the Milwaukee Brewers. While pitcher, Taylor Jungmann has yet to live up to the hype he brought after being a first round draft pick out the University of Texas, he is vastly underrated in the system. As the sixth best starting pitcher on the depth chart, Jungmann has become the most underrated prospect in the entire Brewers’ organization.

In recent years, the Brewers have had other underrated prospects who have gone on to be big time contributors. Players like Scooter Gennett, Khris Davis and Mike Fiers are all a big part of the Brewers future and yet they were not top-10, can’t miss prospects coming up. This season, Jungmann will prove like them that he too is very undervalued.

Although many expected Jungmann to fly through the minor leagues, he had several bumps along the way. After a strong 2012 season at Brevard County, Jungmann took a step backwards in 2013 as he struggled with command. During that season, he went 10-10 with a 4.33 ERA while walking 4.7 batters per nine innings.

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Last season however, he started putting things together again. He not only improved his command, by walking over one batter less per nine innings than 2013, but he also was able to lower his ERA. Splitting the season between AA Huntsville and AAA Nashville, Jungmann finished the year going 12-10 with a 3.57 ERA. He also averaged a career-high 8.6 strikeouts per nine innings.

Though he has yet to pitch in the big leagues, this strong season allowed the Brewers to unload Yovani Gallardo in the final year of his contract. So far, Jungmann has lived up to expecations as the “sixth man” this spring. In two outings, Jungmann has a perfect ERA while surrendering hits, two walks and striking out four.

Though they have not been using a radar gun this spring, MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy, wrote that Jungmann’s fastball has been better than ever. In the article, Jungmann credited his work with his former strength coach Lance Hooten, as the reason for his growth.

When he was drafted, Jungmann looked to be one of the most MLB ready arms in the draft, but things didn’t work out as planned. If he can get back to his previous college form with an increased fastball, he will not only be one of the Brewers most underrated prospects, but also one of the most underrated young pitchers in the game. Though he is 25-years-old and he has yet to pitch in a major league game, I fully believe he can be a star in the middle of a young rotation that already features plenty of potential in pitchers like Wily Peralta, Fiers and Jimmy Nelson.

There as been lots of talk about this being an all-in year for the Brewers, but with another high-upside, controllable arm on the way, the Brewers are going to be players in the Central for a long-time.

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