Milwaukee Brewers: Can right-hander Jon Perrin make the team?

Jon Perrin is a non-roster invitee who will attend the Milwaukee Brewers Major League camp this year. What are the odds that he earns a bullpen role for 2018?

The Milwaukee Brewers have a ton of options for their 2018 bullpen, but very few sure things. Corey Knebel will close, and Josh Hader, Matt Albers, Boone Logan, and Jacob Barnes will come in before him. That still leaves two roles up in the air for 2018. Jeremy Jeffress will get one of the spots. That leaves about a dozen guys to battle over the final spot in the Brewers bullpen. Could Jon Perrin beat the competition?

Who is Jon Perrin?

Perrin was selected out of college in the 27th round of the 2015 draft. He’s appeared on the fringes of prospect lists for most of the last year. Perrin has worked his way through the lower levels, and enjoyed a solid season at Double-A in 2017.

How solid was his 2017 campaign?

Very solid. Perrin threw 105 1/3 innings with the Biloxi Shuckers. He managed a 2.91 ERA with 91 strikeouts and 21 walks. He started 12 games, and came in as a reliever in 11 others.

The numbers are nice, but what about the stuff?

Perrin’s fastball was sitting at around 90-94 MPH, and topped out around 95 in the Arizona Fall League. He has a slider, change-up, and curveball in his arsenal, but his secondary pitches aren’t Major League caliber yet. He does throw strikes and keeps hitters off-balance by mixing his pitches. Perrin has found a way to get by without dominant stuff, and that could pave his path to the Milwaukee Brewers.

What are the odds Perrin earns a bullpen job?

Perrin is facing an uphill battle, but its doable. None of the dozen or so guys vying for the final spot really jump off the page. J.J. Hoover and Ernesto Frieri have experience, but that’s about all they bring to the table. It’s hard to handicap, but Perrin probably won’t earn a bullpen job to start the season. However, a solid spring coupled with success in Colorado Springs could have Perrin heading to Milwaukee sooner rather than later.

Next: Can Aaron Wilkerson win a rotation spot?

Perrin will turn 25 in May, and appears ticketed for Colorado Springs. He will get an opportunity to make an impression thanks to his invite to the Milwaukee Brewers Major League camp. A few solid innings against a real team could go a long way in earning Perrin a September call up or a mid-season audition.