Brewers: Ranking The Crew’s Top 5 Hitting Prospects

The Milwaukee Brewers have what is widely considered a weak farm system around the MLB. However, David Stearns has the system quickly back on the rise thanks to a couple strong drafts and international signing periods.

Stearns and company have put a premium on toolsy athletes with above average plate discipline and good contact skills. The array of tools gives Milwaukee a ball of clay with a higher ceiling if their development goes according to plan, but the plate discipline helps to raise the floor of the prospects as well.

Top to bottom the system may still have a ways to go, but the high end talent on the farm should have fans excited about the future of the Milwaukee Brewers lineup.

Today we take a look at the Brewers top 5 hitting prospects currently in the system, ranked in terms of upside.

1. Hedbert Perez – 18 – ETA 2024

Tools: Hit – 55, Power – 50, Run – 60, Arm/Field 55

Hedbert Perez tops my list due to his immense upside. At just 18 years old, Perez has some big time tools coupled with an advanced approach at the plate. Talent evaluators in the Brewers system definitely feel like he could be their diamond in the rough.

Hedbert Perez is a left handed bat with quick hands, phenomenal bat speed and contact skills. He is very athletic and currently projects as a center fielder at the major league level. However, I believe his frame has some room to fill out and will ultimately lead him to playing a corner outfield spot – which won’t be an issue due to his impressive arm strength.

Perez already has a great deal of physical maturity having already added 20 pounds since signing with Milwaukee, and still has a frame with plenty of room to grow.

Through his first 20 minor league games of rookie ball: .337 average with 6 home runs, 15 RBI and a 1.021 OPS.

No prospect is a sure thing, I want to make that clear, but Hedbert Perez has the greatest raw set of tools in the entire system and has a middle of the order bat type of ceiling. I think Perez will hit for average and projects as a (25+) homerun bat that could still steal 10+ bags.

Hedbert Perez has a chance to be a star in the major leagues, and someone I expect to rise quickly to the top of prospect lists. Perez is someone I believe should be untouchable at this point. The ceiling is sky high.

4. Brice Turang – 21 – ETA 2022

Tools: Hit – 60, Power – 40, Run – 60, Arm/Field – 55

Brice Turang has a major league caliber glove and hit tool, coupled with a fantastic plate approach. The only downside to Turang as a hitter is that the power isn’t likely to develop into anything more than average. He’ll always be a hit-over-power type middle infielder.

In 252 minor league games Turang has 143 walks to 191 strikeouts. That’s a plate approach that’s highly encouraging for a player as young as himself.

Turang has the glove to stick at short but may find himself at 2nd base at the major league level. He has a top of the order hitting profile as a high contact, line drive hitter with good plate discipline.

Best case scenario you have a solid hitting middle infielder with above average defense and speed. This is another high floor type prospect, but one that could be rock solid at the top of the lineup.

Jeferson Quero – 18 –  ETA 2024

Tools: Hit – 50, Power – 45 (I think this tool will end up grading higher), Arm – 60, Field – 55

Jeferson Quero is a highly intriguing Venezuelan catching prospect. Quero is a long way from the majors but already appears to be ahead of the curve on both sides of the ball. As it stands, Quero has a chance to be an above average defensive catcher with a plus arm to back it up.

Offensively Quero has shown the ability to hit for contact with good discipline and already flashed some power. Through his first 19 minor league games he’s drawn more walks (11) than strikeouts (9) – that’s quite impressive for a player as young as Quero.

Finding players with great plate approach and discipline has certainly been an emphasis for David Stearns and company, and they may have just found another that fits the mold.

Although he’s only 165 pounds right now, I think once Quero adds some weight I think we’ll see the power start to catch up. Quero is a long way from the majors, but he has what it takes to move through the system as a upper echelon prospect for the brewers.

I do see Jeferson Quero as a high floor prospect who has a chance to fill out and become a top tier catching prospect if everything breaks right. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him move up the Brewers prospect list rather quickly.

While the Brewers haven’t been able to supplement their big league lineup in recent years with prospects from the farm system, they’re teeming with some great young talent right now.