Brewers: 3 Bold Predictions For 2021 Spring Training

Brewers Spring Training Bold Prediction #1:

Justin Topa or Drew Rasmussen Will Be The Best Pitcher

I expect these two guys to get a good amount of work in the spring. Both are coming off of impressive stints with the Crew towards the end of last season even appearing in at least one inning of postseason baseball. Neither gave up a run against the big bats of the Dodgers in the Wild Card matchup and there’s reason to believe their success will continue.

Through his first 10 appearances last season, Rasmussen had just a 1.98 ERA. He allowed seven runs in his final two outings, which skyrocketed his season ERA up to 5.87. Rasmussen is going to be a key pitcher for the Crew for years to come. Topa, meanwhile, gave up two earned runs in his first outing, and then nothing over his final five appearances, dropping to a 2.35 ERA in 7.2 IP.

Neither of these guys need a stellar Spring Training to make the roster, but their role and how much they’re trusted in high-pressure situations might be a question mark as of now. Both have live arms and will provide some continuity with the likes of soft-tossers Brent Suter and Eric Yardley.

Developing young pitchers has been a strong suit for the Milwaukee Brewers as of late. Whether it’s top notch coaching throughout the farm system, an eye for quality talent in the draft process or a mixture of both, the Brewers may once again have an embarrassment of riches.

Don’t be surprised if Justin Topa and Drew Rasmussen post really impressive stat lines solidifying themselves as two of the best up-and-coming relievers that the Brewers have and maybe even becoming dark horses for Reliever/Rookie of the Year like another guy in that bullpen.

Brewers Spring Training Bold Prediction #2:

Keston Hiura Will Hit Double Digit Home Runs

Milwaukee has 10 more games scheduled this spring than they played last year thanks to a combination of a few cancellations due to weather and then COVID-19 hitting in mid-March. Keston Hiura played in 11 games last spring and was on fire at the plate. He had a home run every seven at bats (4 HR in 28 AB) and hovered around a .400 average for much of his time in Arizona.

This year, he will be learning a new position so I expect he’ll be getting more than enough playing time to get as comfortable as possible. Hiura’s Cactus League success didn’t translate to the regular season last year as he hit .181 points lower during the 2020 regular season campaign and led the National League in strikeouts with 85.

If Hiura plays in nearly every single game as expected to get as many reps at first base as possible, that means he’s going to be getting a lot of at-bats. With his power potential, Hiura could easily hit 10 home runs in a month of spring training games.

There was plenty of speculation circulating around the Hiura over the offseason. Some fans were ready to write off the soon-to-be third year big leaguer. I would imagine that IF he heard any of that noise, it only adds fuel to the fire.

People are soon to forget his first year in Milwaukee where he slashed .303/.368/.570 and was one of the key reasons the Brewers won 89 games. I expect a big month of March in the desert for Keston Hiura, and this year it will translate to the regular season.

Brewers Spring Training Bold Prediction #3:

This Brewers Prospect Will Look The Best

A 22 year old outfielder that was drafted in the 1st Round will have the best spring out of the non-roster invitees…..and no I’m not talking about Garrett Mitchell. Tristen Lutz will make his mark in however much time he sees in the crowded outfield. There are currently seven outfielders on the 40-man roster and four more on the NRI list, so it will take a lot to stand out in front of Craig Counsell.

Lutz is the Crew’s fifth-best prospect according to the MLB.com rankings and I would expect to see him in action in around 10-15 games. Avisaíl García is coming off a pretty poor 2020 season, but has dropped 30 pounds and feels like he’s in the best shape of his life in preparation for another Opening Day start in right field.

Meanwhile, there are a plethora of other guys competing for a job as the fourth outfielder, but Lutz could still shine.

Lutz has big raw power, but has struggled to completely tap into it so far in his career. He made some progressions at the Alternate Training Site and Instructional League last year, which could have him primed for a breakout 2021 season, which will start in spring training.

This will be his fourth season in the minors and he’s had a solid last couple of years, so I expect him to encounter success with the Cactus League team. Scouts say he has the talent to be an everyday right-fielder for a big league squad with some minor tweaks and he’s had time to work on his game with the cancellation in Minor League baseball last summer.

Although Lutz is highly unlikely to break camp with the big league team even if he has a strong spring, it could move up his promotion timeline and he could be seen in Milwaukee later in the year.

If he can sneak in enough at-bats, Tristen Lutz will prove his worth in Spring Training.