Milwaukee Brewers: Future Present Lucas Erceg

Many players in the Milwaukee Brewers organization are very talented. The ones who can be considered future presents span across all levels and likelihoods of making the majors.

In the prior installments, I covered Rookie Leagues with Gabe Friese, Single A with Ronnie Gideon, and Double/Triple A with Bubba Derby. That leaves one level in the Milwaukee Brewers farm uncovered. In this final Milwaukee Brewers future present spotlight, Lucas Erceg of the Carolina Mudcats is the subject.

The first few players were all surprises, however Erceg is very much a known commodity. He sits tenth on the Brewers top prospect list. That means he is expected to be a big part in the organizations future.

The Numbers

Since being drafted in the second round in 2016, Erceg has hit the cover off of the baseball. His debut year showed a .327 batting average over two levels. The highest being Full Season A ball with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

In 2017, Erceg played for Carolina, Advanced A ball. He had nearly 500 at bats here, and he hit 15 homers. Though his batting average sat in the mid .200s, it was not for the reason that plagues most minor leaguers.

Erceg’s strikeout numbers are low. In 127 games, he shows only 95 strikeouts. That means he gets the bat on the ball. So, with his hitting talent, things will even out and the average will rise. It is only a matter of time.

In fact, Erceg even found his way to Colorado Springs for a brief 10 at bats. He hit .400. After that, he participated in the playoffs going one for four in total. He is a very talented hitter. And at 22, the Triple A experience will help.

The Outlook

Well, MLB Pipelines ETA for Erceg is 2018. So this present is on its way. He will more than likely start with Colorado Springs, as opposed to Biloxi. It will all depend on his Spring Training. But it stands to reason that the odds favor a Triple A assignment.

That being said, there is not really a spot for him. Travis Shaw is the best hitter in the lineup, not leaving a spot for Erceg. With his 6’3″ frame, he might play first if Eric Thames is underachieving as he did in the second half.

Next: When Will We See Keston Hiura

If he can hit as well as he is capable of, the Milwaukee Brewers will find a spot for him. It is tough to think that Travis Shaw will move. That is why finding a spot for Erceg will be so difficult. That is the downside of young talent.