Brewers: Update On Prospects In The Arizona Fall League

The Arizona Fall League is a finishing school and showcase for top minor league prospects around baseball. The Milwaukee Brewers have a handful of their prospects in the AFL this year. Let’s check in on how they’re doing.

Brewers prospects this year are playing for the Salt River Rafters, who currently have a 6-9 record through their first 15 games. The AFL schedule is 30 games, meaning we’ve reached the halfway point and it’s time for an update.

Here’s an update on the Brewers prospects playing in the 2021 Arizona Fall League at the halfway point in their season.

Joey Wiemer

The headlining Brewers prospect in Arizona this fall has to be Joey Wiemer. He rode an incredible second half all the way up prospect lists and grabbed the attention of many, and he isn’t letting go of that.

So far, Wiemer has played in 9 of the 15 games for Salt River (there are 6 outfielders on the roster who all need to split time) and, unsurprisingly, he’s leading his team in hitting. Wiemer has a .467/.568/.667 slash line with a 1.234 OPS, 3 doubles, 1 homer, and 2 stolen bases.

His exit velocities have routinely been in the triple digits, impressing scouts and spectators alike. It’s a small sample size, just 30 at-bats in Arizona, but it’s an extension of what he did in the second half of the season and with 14 hits in those 30 trips, with four walks and just 5 strikeouts, he’s continued to impress.

Joe Gray Jr.

There wasn’t a prospect in the Brewers system that garnered more hype in the first half of the 2021 season than Joe Gray Jr. He got off to a hot start in Low-A Carolina, impressing enough to earn a promotion to High-A Wisconsin. However, he struggled after the promotion, and the hype has worn off a little.

It doesn’t help that Gray is also having a horrible AFL showing offensively. In his 30 at-bats in 9 games, Gray has just one hit. That’s an .033 batting average. He’s also struck out 14 times.

Gray has shown great speed and instincts in centerfield, showing off his defensive prowess. As great as that is, his lack of offensive production is somewhat concerning.

He’s healthy, and that’s the important thing, but hopefully he can find his offensive fortitude again in the second half of the AFL schedule.