Brewers' Double-A squad turns to top pitching prospect in 2026 postseason opener

The postseason has arrived...in Double-A. While Milwaukee Brewers fans will have to wait a few more weeks to see the major league club compete in the playoffs for the eighth time in the last nine years, the organization's Double-A squad, the Biloxi Shuckers, will begin their postseason run tonight.

The Shuckers punched their ticket to the Southern League playoffs back in late June by winning the South Division's First Half title. In the minor leagues, the season is broken up into two halves, and the winner of each division in each half earns a spot in the playoffs. Therefore, even though the Shuckers had a tough second half of the season, during which they posted a 31-38 record and ended up in last place in the Southern League's South Division, they will still compete in the postseason.

It's the Shuckers' third consecutive appearance in the Southern League playoffs, and in each of the last two years, they've lost to the Montgomery Biscuits, the Tampa Bay Rays' Double-A affiliate. This year, however, the Shuckers have a date with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos, the Miami Marlins' Double-A club, in the first round, which is also the semifinals, of the Southern League playoffs. The winner of the Shuckers and Blue Wahoos' best-of-three series will play the winner of the Knoxville Smokies, the Chicago Cubs' Double-A affiliate, and the Rocket City Trash Pandas, the Los Angeles Angels' Double-A affiliate, in a best-of-three series for the Southern League championship.

The Shuckers and Blue Wahoos begin their best-of-three series tonight at 6:05 p.m. CT at Pensacola's home ballpark. Brewers' No. 8-ranked prospect, and No. 2-ranked pitching prospect, Bishop Letson gets the start for the Shuckers.

Brewers' No. 8-ranked prospect Bishop Letson set to pitch Double-A Biloxi Shuckers' postseason opener tonight

It's been an up-and-down season for Letson, who was limited to just 41.1 innings in 2025 due to injuries. The right-hander made 22 starts for the Shuckers this year and posted a 4.85 ERA. Letson has a slightly below-league average 23.5% strikeout rate and a far-below-league average 24.7% whiff rate this season, but there's still plenty to be excited about in the former 11th-round pick's profile. His main strength is elite extension on the mound, which is comparable to the extension that Jacob Misiorowski generates. Landing nearly 7.5 feet down the mound allows Letson's mid-90s fastball to play up quite a bit, and gives the pitch a good shape. Letson, who turns 22 years old today, certainly remains an intriguing profile in the Brewers' farm system even after his inconsistent 2026 campaign.

Meanwhile, the Shuckers' offense heads into the 2026 postseason with Andrew Fischer leading the charge. Fischer, who the Brewers drafted in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft, posted an unbelievable 48 homers this season, 28 of which have come in his 72 games since being promoted to Double-A. Those 48 home runs were the most by a minor leaguer in a single season during the 21st century.

In addition to Fischer, the Shuckers head into the postseason with a number of top prospects in their starting lineup, including the best prospect in baseball: 19-year-old shortstop Jesús Made. Alongside Made and Fischer, other exciting talents like Braylon Payne, who's in the midst of a breakout season, Josh Adamczewski, and Eric Bitonti will help the Shuckers try to secure their first Southern League championship in franchise history.

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