Brewers’ Triple-A logjam preventing exciting top prospect from deserved promotion

The Milwaukee Brewers are in the midst of a chase for the top playoff seed in the National League, but that doesn't mean their minor league ranks can be ignored.

What with top prospect Jesús Made dominating High-A and the annual September roster expansion on the horizon, there's plenty to get excited about when it comes to the Brewers' farm system.

Luis Lara is one of the organization's better prospects, as the 20-year-old outfielder is hitting .259/.368/.345 (116 wRC+) with impressive walk (13.9%) and strikeout rates (15.7%) in Double-A Biloxi this season.

However, thanks to the logjam of outfielders soaking up playing time at the highest levels of the organization, it's difficult to imagine Lara getting a well-earned call-up to the Sounds in September.

Brewers' outfield logjam in Triple-A could keep Luis Lara from getting promotion

Lara is an exciting prospect with a bright future, and what he lacks in power (just one home run this season), he more than makes up for with his advanced plate approach and blazing speed (35 steals).

He's also a stellar defender in center field (who has some right field experience from the Arizona Fall League) and can contribute in just about every facet of the game.

If you're looking for an apt comparison to a former Brewer, think Nyjer Morgan circa 2011, though Lara's patience and contact ability best what Morgan provided in his heyday. If you want a modern comp, look no further than Sal Frelick.

Though his lack of power will likely keep him from ever entering MVP conversations, he's the quintessential Brewers player: He plays hard, is fundamentally sound, and can impact the game in a variety of ways.

That all sounds well and good, and his recent performance — .733 OPS in July, .743 OPS in August — suggests he should get a chance in Triple-A Nashville soon enough. Unfortunately, there's too much roster crowding to see him as a fit there before the end of the season.

The Sounds' official depth chart lists six outfielders currently on the roster: Jackson Chourio, Drew Avans, Steward Berroa, Daz Cameron, Jimmy Herron, and Jared Oliva. Though Chourio will obviously return to Milwaukee once he's healthy, that's still five other players to contend with for playing time.

Though Lara is an actual prospect compared to most of those players, he wouldn't necessarily play every day down the stretch for Nashville. His development takes top priority, and right now, that probably means continuing to develop in Double-A as the starting center fielder for the Shuckers.

Still, Lara has provided a lot of reason for enthusiasm this season. With a strong finish to the campaign (and a strong spring training performance next year), he could find himself in the running for the starting center field gig in Nashville in 2026.