Milwaukee Brewers Make Latest Round of Roster Cuts

Spring Training isn’t just a place to keep an eye on Major League roster battles, injury reports, and trade rumors. Often lost in the hulabaloo of big league camp is minor league spring training, where hundreds of young ballplayers are preparing for their upcoming season in the minors while veterans are also trying to find their way back into the big leagues. With minor league games set to begin today, the Milwaukee Brewers made another round of roster cuts yesterday, sending three players to minor league camp in order to prepare themselves for the upcoming season. Here is a breakdown of those prospects:

C Adam Weisenburger-age 26 season, 34th round draft pick in 2011. Played 81 games between AA and AAA last season (his first appearance at the minors’ highest level), hitting .255/.364/.351 with three home runs in 293 plate appearances while throwing out 39% of potential base stealers. 11.7% walk rate in 894 career minor league plate appearances.
RHP Corey Knebel-age 23 season, acquired this offseason in Yovani Gallardo trade from Texas. Flamethrower boasts both the best fastball and best curveball in the system, per MLB.com. Has dominated minor leagues, posting a 1.65 ERA and a 104|32 strikeout to walk ratio in 76.1 innings pitched, notching 18 saves. Optioned to AAA (2/3 options used).
RHP Taylor Jungmann-age 25 season, 1st round draft pick in 2011. Posted 3.57 ERA in 153.2 innings between AA and AAA in 2014, accruing 147 strikeouts against 61 walks. Considered Brewers’ most polished minor league pitching prospect.

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Both Knebel and Jungmann are players that I will be watching closely this season, and both are likely to make their way to the big league club at some point. Knebel is ranked as the 10th best prospect in the Brewers’ system by MLB.com, and was impressive in his major league debut with Detroit last season, striking out 11 in 8.2 innings pitched. Knebel was shut down with a UCL injury late last season, but did not require surgery. Knebel hasn’t experienced any major setbacks this spring, and is set to begin the season in the back end of the Sky Sox bullpen, likely setting up for David Goforth. If Knebel can stay healthy, he could be a future closer in Milwaukee.

Taylor Jungmann (ranked number 13 by MLB.com) hasn’t progressed as rapidly as hoped since being drafted in the first round out of Texas in 2011, but after four years he is finally on the cusp of making his major league debut. The Brewers overhauled Jungmann’s mechanics after drafting him, and he appeared to finally turn a corner last season, posting a career high in strikeout percentage and cutting his walks by over a batter per nine innings while topping out at AAA. Projected as a back end of the rotation starter before this spring, Jungmann opened eyes with his improved velocity and could still achieve the ceiling of a strong mid-rotation option. Taylor will undoubtedly be the “ace” of the Sky Sox staff as the 2015 season begins, and has firmly entrenched himself in the Brewers’ future plans. Should Milwaukee’s relatively thin starting rotation suffer an injury, Jungmann will be the first man to get the call from Colorado Springs.

Following the cuts of these three players, the Brewers have 41 players remaining in major league camp. The Brewers (5-10) will face the Diamondbacks (11-6) today at Maryvale Baseball Park at 3:05 CST. Jimmy Nelson will take the mound for Milwaukee, facing off against Trevor Cahill.