4 Milwaukee Brewers prospects who could have breakout seasons in 2026

Multiple respected prospect evaluators have deemed the Milwaukee Brewers' farm system the "best in baseball" this offseason. Though top-tier talents like Jesús Made and Luis Peña earn most of the headlines, and rightfully so, the Brewers' set themselves apart from other farm systems because of the depth of talent they possess throughout the minor leagues.

It's a testament to the excellence that exists throughout the Brewers' organization. Not only do they acquire the right prospects in major league blockbusters, not only have they drafted exceptionally well in recent years, not only are they one of, if not the best at navigating the international free agent market, but on top of all of that, they have one of the best player development departments in MLB. This synergy is what is required to field the best farm system in baseball, while also being a perennial playoff contender at the big-league level, and do so in the smallest TV market in baseball.

That said, despite the talent that exists throughout the Brewers' farm system, many prospects farther down on the rankings don't often get the recognition they deserve. Given the Brewers' excellent player development system, it's not out of the question that some of less-popular names break out into top prospects in the near future. As such, here are four names that Brewers fans should keep an eye out for this season, as they might just break out and become household names by the end of the 2026 campaign.

Milwaukee Brewers 2026 breakout prospect candidates

1. RHP Bryce Meccage

2024 2nd-round pick Bryce Meccage is certainly the most recognizable name on this list. Not only does Meccage hold the draft pedigree that several other lesser-known Brewers prospects don't, but he also comes from a baseball family. His uncle Justin Meccage was recently named the San Francisco Giants' new pitching coach after spending the 2025 season as the pitching coach for the Nashville Sounds -- Milwaukee's Triple-A affiliate. On top of that, Bryce is currently the Brewers' No. 17-ranked prospect, so he certainly already holds some name recognition among close observers of the Brewers' farm system.

However, after making his professional debut in 2025 with the Carolina Mudcats and posting a pedestrian 4.35 ERA in 19 starts, a true breakout season is still in Meccage's future. A late-season injury was the reason the 19-year-old Meccage was limited to just 19 starts, but given the fact that he tossed just 70.1 innings in those 19 starts -- roughly 3 2/3 innings per start -- it's clear the Brewers were also being careful with their former 2nd-round selection, who signed a contract well above slot value.

With another offseason under the guidance of a professional coaching staff, serving as both an opportunity to refine his arsenal and develop physically, Meccage appears destined for a breakout campaign in 2026. Already with an above-average fastball that can touch 98 mph, a strong slider, and a curveball that improved considerably throughout the 2025 campaign, Meccage has the tools to not only continue starting games as he rises through the Brewers' minor league system but do so with success. After spending the entire 2025 season in Low-A, Meccage could start the 2026 campaign with the High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, giving Wisconsin-based Brewers fans a great opportunity to see one of the organization's talented young arms. If Meccage isn't in Appleton to start the year, expect him to arrive there in the early days of the 2026 season.

2. OF José Anderson

A member of the Brewers' 2024 international free agent signing class, 19-year-old José Anderson spent his first season stateside in 2025. The year prior, he was a standout in the Dominican Summer League (2024), slashing .283/.403/.512 with eight homers and 15 stolen bases in just 46 games. At the time, he showed excellent plate discipline, striking out just 38 times while walking 29 times during the 2024 season.

Anderson began the 2025 season in the Arizona Complex League (ACL), where he absolutely dominated the competition for 10 games in early May before he was promoted to Low-A, joining Meccage on the Carolina Mudcats. Anderson's OPS of 1.217 in the ACL was head-turning to say the least, but skeptics can rightfully chalk that up to a small sample size. When the young outfielder was promoted to Low-A, things changed considerably; most concerningly, Anderson's strikeout numbers ballooned. The decent plate discipline that he showed in the DSL in 2024 turned into 101 strikeouts in just 84 games at the Low-A level. Additionally, he walked less in those 84 games than he did in the 46 games he played in the DSL back in 2024.

However, despite the concerning strikeout numbers, there's a lot to like about Anderson, and reason to believe that he can break out in a major way if he changes some of his swing decisions. He has lightning-quick hands which has already translated to in-game power in the early goings of his professional career. Paired with a decent baserunning ability that has led to 25 total stolen bases in his first two professional seasons, Anderson possesses a skill set that is coveted in today's game. Questions absolutely remain regarding his hit tool and his concerning strikeout rate, but with a few tweaks to his approach, Anderson could shortly become one of the more exciting prospects in Milwaukee's farm system, especially considering he is still just 19 years old.

3. OF Kenny Fenelon

At this time last year, outfield prospect Kenny Fenelon was one of the more popular names among Brewers' prospect evaluators. The then-17-year-old out of Santo Domingo was the highest-ranked international free agent signing that the Brewers made last year and earned a sizable $1.3 million signing bonus. However, in Fenelon's first professional season, which consisted of 50 games in the DSL, his numbers left much to be desired, and as a result, he slipped out of MLB Pipeline's Top 30 Brewers prospects list.

One slightly underwhelming season means that Fenelon could surprise a few people with a breakout season in 2026. Despite posting a slashline of .206/.356/.347, which amounted to a .703 OPS, there's plenty to be encouraged by on Fenelon's 2025 stat sheet. For example, despite posting a slugging percentage of just .347, Fenelon did crush five homers in 50 games. In that same vein, despite being caught stealing 10 times, he did post 18 stolen bases in the small sample size. Power and speed are what make Fenelon exciting; as previously mentioned, it's a rare skillset that is coveted in today's game.

While he finds his footing at the plate, Fenelon continues to play a strong center field where his speed and impressive arm strength make him an above-average defender. Additionally, according to MLB Pipeline, Fenelon's off-the-field traits are just as impressive as his projectable tools, which is the type of thing that increases the likelihood of a player improving throughout his minor league career. It remains to be seen whether Fenelon will spend another year in the DSL or jump stateside in 2026, but regardless of where he starts, expect a significant improvement from the former highly ranked international free agent.

4. RHP Diustin Mayorquin

Another player who doesn't show up on the Brewers' top prospect rankings lists, but certainly could before the end of the 2026 season, is right-hander Diustin Mayorquin. The 18-year-old Mayorquin wasn't a noteworthy part of the Brewers' 2025 international free agent class, but his play in the DSL last summer put his name on plenty of evaluators' radars.

In 11 appearances, five of which came as a starting pitcher, Mayorquin posted a stellar 2.45 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP. He had more strikeouts (49) than innings pitched (47.2) and walked just seven batters during that span. Additionally, despite the DSL being a hitter's paradise, Mayorquin didn't surrender a single home run in 2025.

Mayorquin, who stands at 5'11" tall, is a native of Nicaragua, a country where the Brewers have found success recruiting pitchers in recent history. Fellow Nicaraguan Carlos Rodriguez was twice named the Brewers' minor league pitcher of the year, and Stiven Cruz, who hails from the same city as Mayorquin, Managua, has pitched in Milwaukee's farm system for the last five years and will join Rodriguez in representing Team Nicaragua in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

Like Fenelon, it's not yet decided where Mayorquin will start the 2026 season, but whether it's in the ACL, back in the DSL, or perhaps even with the Low-A Wilson Warbirds, expect another strong season from the young right-hander. With a high floor brought on by his ability to limit free passes and home runs, and a relatively high ceiling as evidenced by his solid strikeout numbers, the future appears bright for Mayorquin.