Milwaukee Brewers: How Good Will Corbin Burnes Be?

The Milwaukee Brewers are full of young talent. That is not a surprise. But finding the ceiling of these players is not always the easiest thing to do.

Corbin Burnes is the reigning MiLB Pitcher of the Year for the Milwaukee Brewers. A title he shares with the hitter, Lewis Brinson. Good company to be associated with. But the question remains, how good can Burnes be?

It looks like pretty good. After being a 4th rounder in 2016, Burnes has cemented himself as an excellent prospect. He cracks the top 100 overall prospects in the league at 97. Which puts him seventh on the Brewers list.

The Numbers

So far, in two years, Burnes is dominant. In total, he has logged 181 innings in the MiLB, making it as high as Double A so far. The results are simply astounding. His cumulative ERA sits at 1.74, and his average runs given up per game is just under two. If you could believe this, he has given up four total homers.

It is hard to sell that everything is positive with him. But it is harder to find something wrong. Burnes averages nine strikeouts per nine innings with only two walks. Just over six hits per nine is good too.

According to his profile on MLB Pipeline, his best attribute for delivery is his quick arm. It allows for him to throw a low to mid 90’s fastball. He couples that with a slider for his out pitch, while adding in a changeup and curveball.

The Outlook

His MLB Pipeline profile labels him a “Quality big league starter.” While that is true, it is a massive underestimation. The write up was from the beginning of the 2017 season, so it is forgivable. But after 2017, Burnes looks like a potential ace.

It might be a stretch to assume an ace position, after all, he has not surpassed Biloxi. But, to be fair, in six MiLB seasons, Clayton Kershaw posted a 2.42 ERA. Obviously it is in more seasons and they aren’t the same pitcher, but it is intriguing to think about.

Burnes has a very high ceiling, it all just depends on his next seasons. He could be pitching in Miller Park as early as next season if he continues to dominate. However, a more realistic timetable would put him in a Milwaukee Brewers uniform in 2019.

Next: Potential Outfield Starters in 2018

For a team who is deep into rumors about improving the starting rotation, it looks to be on the way. Burnes will be an excellent addition to the Milwaukee Brewers starters. It is something that is said all the time, the Crew have a bright future.