Brewers' slugging corner infield prospect reminds fans of prolific power in Arizona Fall League

At some point in the near future, the Milwaukee Brewers will need to find a new everyday first baseman. Exactly when that moment occurs hinges on the qualifying offer decision facing NLCS MVP Jake Bauers. Should Bauers return to the Brewers for the 2027 season, Milwaukee's dilemma turns to whether or not to retain Andrew Vaughn, which could lead the roster to need a right-handed complement for the left-handed Bauers. If Bauers declines, Vaughn becomes the everyday first baseman, and the Brewers will need a left-handed complement for the right-handed Vaughn.

Thankfully, intriguing replacements for both Vaughn and Bauers are already waiting in the wings. The Brewers have a number of corner infield prospects in their talented farm system, who are expected to factor into the mix in 2027 before taking on a larger role in 2028. Among these options are left-handed first baseman Blake Burke, who broke the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers' single-season home run record last year, corner infielder Luke Adams, who spent the entire 2026 season in Triple-A, and corner infielder Andrew Fischer, who broke all kinds of records with his 48 homers during the 2026 campaign. However, often lost in this conversation is another prospect with prolific power: 2023 third-round pick Eric Bitonti.

Bitonti, who impressed with the High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers during the 2026 season before earning a late-season promotion to Double-A, competed in the Arizona Fall League this year, where his incredible power was on display both during the league's regular season and in the post-season home run derby.

Corner infield prospect Eric Bitonti remains an intriguing piece of Brewers' talented farm system

Bitonti's power has been apparent throughout his time in the Brewers' farm system. The left-handed hitting corner infielder crushed 16 homers in 79 games during the 2024 season, 19 in 118 games during the 2025 campaign, and 25 in 117 contests this year. His 25 homers, all of which came with the Timber Rattlers, set a new single-season franchise record for the Brewers' High-A affiliate. Bitonti has also collected more than 20 doubles in each of his first three seasons and boasts a career slugging percentage of .482 in the minor leagues.

After his strong showing during the regular season, the Brewers wanted to see what Bitonti could do in the Arizona Fall League (AFL) -- an offseason league comprised of top prospects from around the league. In 18 games in the AFL, Bitonti crushed three homers and posted a solid slash line of .242/.356/.435. Perhaps the most impressive part about Bitonti's AFL performance, however, was the 110.3 mph exit velocity he posted on his first homer of the league back in early October.

Eye-popping exit velocities are nothing new for the left-handed slugger -- Bitonti frequently turns heads with his power. Bitonti, who is still just 20 years old was selected to participate in the AFL's Home Run Derby this year, where this head-turning power continued to impress.

Bitonti crushed eight homers in the 90-second first round of last night's Derby -- the second-most of any of the eight participants. Unfortunately, he didn't put a single ball over the fence in Round 2, when he had nine outs to work with, rather than 90 seconds. Even still, Bitonti's first-round performance was enough to remind Brewers fans of just how much power the organization's No. 26-ranked prospect possesses.

It's unlikely Brewers fans see Bitonti in the big leagues in 2027, but a debut during the 2028 season is more than possible. The 6'5" corner infielder, who has played much more first base than third in the minor leagues, will need to cut down on his strikeout rate before his major league debut arrives. Bitonti struck out at a 33.3% clip this season -- slightly higher than Andrew Fischer's strikeout rate, which was a frequently discussed topic throughout the 2026 season. However, with power potential that rivals Fischer's, Bitonti should be on Brewers fans' radars as well. A powerful performance in the Arizona Fall League only reinforced that reality.

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