Milwaukee Brewers: Will Keston Hiura Debut in 2018?

The Milwaukee Brewers may have one of the next big name prospects in baseball, and he just got promoted to Double-A, making Keston Hiura one phone call away from a potential MLB debut in 2018.

Currently, the Brewers number one overall prospect Hiura has taken the minor leagues by storm since being drafted ninth overall in the 2017 MLB Draft out of the University of California-Irvine.  Hiura was regarded as the best hitter in the draft and he has put up the numbers to prove that.

So far in his impressive minor league career, he has accumulated a career slash line of .344/.402/.563 to go along with 11 HRs, 56 RBIs, and 132 hits in just 95 games.   If he is able to continue his hitting ways in Biloxi.  We could see yet another quick jump from the young stud.

How much of an impact could he have in 2018?

If he made the major jump to the MLB and skipped Triple-A, he could be an immediate long-term answer at second base.  However, the Milwaukee Brewers currently employ four infielders on the 25 man roster who all have dabbled at second base.  If you add the acquisition of the versatile Brad Miller, his chances of making the team are very slim.

Is his arm improving?

In a small sample size throughout his short career, his throwing arm is making progress.  Hiura had a partial tear of his UCL before his Junior year in college in 2017.  Since that injury, Hiura’s defense has been a huge question mark when determining the kind of ballplayer he will become in the future.

In the minor leagues, Hiura has accumulated 218 innings at second base. He has a fielding percentage of .977, and he has only committed 2 errors.  Of course, it’s still a small sample size of 26 games actually playing the field.  Whether the Brewers give him a chance to show off his glove in the majors is a different story.

One major question

The Milwaukee Brewers seem to have found a winning formula in 2018.  Their only weakness is the play from the middle infield.  If called up, how much playing time would Hiura gather?  Being a 21-year-old rookie on a potential playoff team can either build up or tear down his confidence. But if the Crew feels confident enough in him to start his service clock this early, they’re going to put him out there every day.

Next: Chase Anderson finally turning the corner?

We will just have to wait and see, but bringing up Hiura could be a very exciting opportunity not only for him but for us fans as well.