MLB insider reveals why Jacob Misiorowski is destined for successful sophomore season

Jacob Misiorowski may be a little ahead of schedule right now, receiving the Milwaukee Brewers' Opening Day starter title by default after Brandon Woodruff proved he wasn't quite ready to take the mound this coming Thursday.

But don't get it twisted: Misiorowski has all the makings of a true No. 1, with the triple-digit fastball and put-out slider to dominate even the best hitters in the world. Still, it was clear during his rookie campaign that his arsenal is still a little raw, lacking the refinement you'd find in a seasoned veteran.

As luck would have it, Eno Sarris of The Athletic spoke with The Miz, who divulged that he's working with a brand-new changeup grip that's designed to get more drop and tail than his previous iteration of the offering. There's not enough of a sample to really dive into the data yet, but it's an exciting prospect for one of baseball's most exciting pitchers.

In fact, that new "double-circle changeup" was enough to convince Sarris to predict that Misiorowski, even among elite competition, would win the NL Cy Young Award in 2026. Be sure to check out Sarris' full article of bold predictions, available with a subscription over at theathletic.com and linked below for your convenience.

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It should be noted that Sarris' prediction is explicitly labeled as "bold" in the piece, which the writer himself admits means that the rate of success won't be very high.

Nonetheless, getting put in the company of Paul Skenes and Yoshinobu Yamamoto this early on in his career is nothing short of incredible for Misiorowski, who is the Crew's best chance of replacing the production lost when Freddy Peralta was traded to the New York Mets.

We know that his stuff-over-command profile is rife for ups and downs, but this new changeup really could be the key to unlocking his next level. Besides a fluctuating walk rate, left-handed hitters posed the biggest troubles to Misiorowski last season; their OPS (.731) was above league average and more than 100 points higher than what righties did (.609 OPS) at the plate against The Miz.

His slider is such a weapon because it's a firm offering that works away right-handed hitters, which will hopefully be the case for this new double-circle change in regard to lefties. Having such an elite fastball in terms of both shape and velocity gives him so much margin for error with his secondaries, so it's not like Misiorowski needs to be perfect to be elite.

For what it's worth, he cut down on the free passes in spring training, so there's hope on that front as well. Already with a reputation for rising to the occasion, a more consistent Misiorowski will have no trouble settling into the role of staff ace in Milwaukee — and may compete for some prestigious awards along the way.