Milwaukee Brewers: 3 Most Tradeable prospects right now

3. Trent Grisham

Did you know that not only is Trent Grisham still with the Milwaukee Brewers organization, but he’s only 22 years old? It’s true! Grisham was drafted out of high school in 2015. He’s been with the Brewers for four years, and he only just turned 22 years old.

Grisham spent the 2018 season in Double-A with the Biloxi Shuckers. He slashed .233/.356/.337 in 107 games. He hit seven homers, and stole 11 bases, while scoring 45 runs, and driving in 31.

It’s getting harder and harder to remember that Grisham was selected 15th overall in the 2015 amateur draft, but he was. He’s also still a toolsy athlete that has impressive raw power, tremendous speed, and great athleticism. However, the clock is ticking on his career. If his tools don’t start to show up in his statline soon, he may never make it to the Majors.

Also, the Milwaukee Brewers have a ton of outfield depth in the upper Minors, and at the Major League level. Grisham doesn’t have a spot on the 40-man roster, and a lot would have to occur for him to reach the Majors any time soon.

Grisham is likely to start 2019 by repeating Double-A, if he stays with the Brewers. A change of scenery may make sense for Grisham at this point in his career. New voices in a new organization may help Grisham unlock his tools, and he could make sense in a trade package to a rebuilding team that needs to improve organizational athleticism.

Grisham won’t provide much value in a one-for-one deal, unless the Brewers are taking on a massive salary. Adding him to a package in a deal for the positions that the Brewers are known to be shopping for will get the most in terms of a return.

2. Lucas Erceg

Lucas Erceg is a solid prospect who happens to be completely blocked by a franchise cornerstone.

As long as Travis Shaw is on the Milwaukee Brewers Major League roster, Erceg will be stuck in Triple-A. If the Brewers reconnect with Mike Moustakas or add another third baseman and move Shaw to second, Erceg’s path to the Majors is even more difficult.

Erceg spent the entire 2018 season in Double-A. He played 123 games, and managed a .248/.306/.382 slash line. He bashed 13 homers, stole three bases, drove in 51 runs, and scored 52 times.

His 2018 season was down from a solid effort in 2017 at High-A. In 2017, Erceg slashed .256/.307/.417 with 15 homers.

Erceg won’t turn 24 until after the start of the 2019 season, and he should start the year in Double-A with an eye towards an early call-up to Triple-A. He could also start 2019 in Triple-A if he shows progress during the Spring.

However, he may be better off moving on to another organization to get a chance at an everyday role. Brett Phillips needed to move on to Kansas City in order to get a chance at a starting job, and the same may end up being true for Erceg.

Less than three years removed from getting selected in the top-50 picks of the 2016 amateur draft, Erceg is an above average season in the upper Minors away from being ready. However, he won’t get a chance at a starting job with the Milwaukee Brewers because Shaw isn’t going anywhere for a few years.

Adding Erceg to a trade package for an upgrade at catcher or second base makes sense for the Brewers in 2019, and could benefit Erceg’s career in the long term.

1. Marcos Diplan & Trey Supak

As we’ve noted before, the Milwaukee Brewers are exceptionally right-handed throughout their organization. They only have two real left-handed prospects in their Minor League system, and neither will arrive in Milwaukee before 2021 at the earliest.

The Brewers have a ton a of right-handed pitchers in their system, and they can’t keep all of them. A glut of young, controllable arms at the Major League level is a great problem to have, but it’s going to be a challenge for pitchers not named Zack Brown to crack the 25-man roster. Marcos Diplan and Trey Supak are essentially blocked at the Major League level for the foreseeable future, and trade involving one or both could make sense for the Brewers and their young righties.

Supak posted a 2.91 ERA in 16 starts with the Biloxi Shuckers. He struck out 75 and walked 28 in 86 2/3 innings in half a season in Double-A. He boasts four solid offerings, and has above average command for a 22-year old starter.

Diplan managed a 4.58 ERA in 11 starts and one relief appearance in half a season with Biloxi. He struck out 57, and walked 36 in 57 innings in Double-A last year. He has a solid fastball/change-up combo with a useful breaking ball, but it’s clear that he still needs to work on his control.

Both Diplan and Supak ended 2018 in Double-A, and should start the 2019 season with the San Antonio Missions in Triple-A. Even if they both dominate next year, the chances of a call up before September are slim, and it’s hard to see rotation spots opening up in 2020. Unless they both transition into high-leverage relief roles, they might be stuck in San Antonio.

They could serve the Milwaukee Brewers better in a trade package for catcher J.T. Realmuto, starter Madison Bumgarner, or second baseman Whit Merrifield.