Brewers Announce Several Minor League Prospect Promotions

The Milwaukee Brewers have made some adjustments to their minor league rosters, promoting several prospects up a level.

We have the minor leagues back this year, and that means more minor league promotions are back. It’s good to be able to regularly see the progress of all these young players day in and day out, and because of that, several are able to move their way up the system.

The Brewers have announced several prospect promotions on Monday, moving some recent top draft picks up the system.

Brewers prospects promoted from Rookie ball to Low-A

OF Sal Frelick

C/INF Wes Clarke

Sal Frelick was the Brewers first round draft pick in 2021. He started off in the Arizona Complex League, mostly as a way to shake off some rust since his college season ended and get him ramped back up. He now heads to Low-A Carolina after raking in Rookie ball.

Also moving up with fellow advanced college bat Wes Clarke, the Crew’s 10th round pick this year. Clarke was the Division 1 leader in home runs this season and the big, burly corner infielder is ready to mash some Low-A pitching.

These two prospects moving up to Low-A is not much of a surprise as they are such advanced hitters and Rookie ball was more of a warm up for them rather than the level they should be competing at.

Brewers prospects promoted from Low-A to High-A

OF Joey Wiemer

C/INF Zavier Warren

Both a catcher/infielder and an outfielder were moving up to Low-A, and that means a catcher/infielder and an outfielder would need to be promoted to balance the roster.

2020 draft picks Joey Wiemer (4th round) and Zavier Warren (3rd round) have gotten the call to pack their bags and head to Appleton.

Perhaps Wiemer knew a round of promotions was coming soon and he wanted to be a part of it.

He’d been having a somewhat solid season this year, but it wasn’t anything eye-popping until this last week or so. Wiemer is as hot as can be right now. Just look at those stats. He’d had walk-off home runs, plural, and a grand slam this week. He now heads to the Timber Rattlers.

Joining him is Zavier Warren, another highly thought of 2020 Draft pick with a strong hit tool. Warren slugged 10 home runs and had a .845 OPS with the Mudcats. While the Brewers drafted him as a catcher, Warren has been playing a lot at the corner infield spots, which is similar to what another promotee did for the Timber Rattlers.

Brewers prospects promoted from High-A to Double-A

C/INF Thomas Dillard

INF/OF Korry Howell

OF Jesus Lujano

Thomas Dillard was drafted in the 5th round by the Brewers in 2019 as a catcher, but has been playing a lot of first base this year. The big, burly Dillard fits the Brewers mold of first baseman, with a body type similar to Rowdy Tellez and Daniel Vogelbach, officially standing a sturdy 6’0″ and 230 pounds.

Dillard has been solid, hitting .246/.360/.473 with 16 homers and 49 walks. The power has been there, and he’s been hitting for a decent average, as he’s not the type to be a .300 hitter. However, his 112 strikeouts in 281 ABs is cause for some concern going forward.

Korry Howell is another high-rising prospect this year. A 12th round pick out of high school in 2018. After struggling to put things together in 2019, he’s been a much improved player this year, hitting .249/.362/.467 with 12 home runs and 20 stolen bases for the Timber Rattlers.

He’ll join that Biloxi outfield that already has Garrett Mitchell entrenched in it.

Also joining will be Jesus Lujano, who isn’t a highly regarded prospect, but he’s hit .252/.357/.374 in 36 games with the Rattlers. Lujano started the year with Biloxi, then went down to Wisconsin, then up to Triple-A Nashville before going back down to Biloxi and then again to Wisconsin, and now he’s headed back to Biloxi.

The Brewers have been moving up some outfield prospects and catcher/infielder prospects. Perhaps there will be some more promotions to come later this season.