3 young Brewers whose hot starts are sustainable past 2024

1 of 3

Baseball is an ever changing game, and absolutely nothing is constant in the game of baseball. Except for maybe William Contreras, but that's not the point. The Brewers are off to a fast start in 2024 and have received contributions from numerous players.

The Brewers continue to win ball games and advanced metrics prove that this is no fluke. They have been raking at the plate and not just hitting for contact, but power too. The 2024 Milwaukee Brewers are 4th in the league in batting average, 3rd in slugging percentage, and 2nd in OPS behind only the Dodgers.

These numbers are substantially improved from 2023, but how was there such a drastic change in just one season?

Well, the answer is the young production that this team has received. The Brewers have the ninth youngest team in baseball this year, with an average age of 28.3 years old. Inside of that youth, there have been a few very bright spots. Here are three young players whose advanced metrics back them to have promising careers.

1. William Contreras

It would be impossible to write this and not bring up the greatness of William Contreras in 2024. This is a guy who the Brewers acquired as the "third team" in a three team trade prior to the 2023 season.

Contreras is now playing at an MVP level, as he's slashing .359/.434/.553 and holds an OPS of .987 through just over a quarter of the season. According to Baseball Savant, Contreras is in the 99th percentile of Batting Run Value.

An added premium for Contreras' value is his ability to play every day. He's been in the lineup every day for through the first 43 games, and he has intentions to play all 162 this season. Contreras is a run producing machine, as he's scored the most runs in the league thus far with 39. He also adds a remarkable WAR (Wins Above Replacement), as he has totaled 2.6 already this season. That puts him on pace to go way over his 5.7 WAR from last season, which was already good.

On top of being good at the plate, Contreras also finds himself in the 86th percentile of Caught Stealing Above Average, which shows ability to throw runners out when he catches. He really is a do-it-all player and the Brewers are lucky that he won't become a free agent until 2028. Contreras is already amongst the best in the league and he is only 26 years young. His success should carry far beyond the 2024 season and we should get used to hearing his name in MVP conversations.

2. Brice Turang

Sometimes the value of giving someone at-bats can get overlooked and causes for unhappiness amongst a fan base. This is kind of how it felt last year with Brice Turang, but it has paid off big time in 2024.

Turang made some key adjustments at the plate over the offseason and they've shown through a quarter of the 2024 season. Turang eliminated his leg kick, along with choking up on the bat. This has helped him become quicker getting to the baseball and shortened his swing to one of the shortest in baseball according to new bat tracking data. Also, he has changed his approach, constantly attacking the opposite field, instead of trying to pull the ball for power.

The results have been mind numbing. Turang now finds himself in the 98th percentile for whiffs, and the 92nd percentile in strikeout percentage. One of Turang's biggest struggles in 2023 was the 4-Seam fastball, where he provided a -17 Run Value on that pitch. With the offseason swing adjustments, he now has a +4 Run Value in 2024 on the 4-Seamer.

These numbers show so much more about Turang, as he showed he's able to make major adjustments at the plate. Turang is batting .300/.361/.414 this season and his bat isn't even the strongest part of his game. Turang has swiped 34 straight bags without being thrown out. He is a perfect 16/16 when stealing bases this season, and his Base-running Value according to Savant is in the 86th percentile.

Not to mention, Turang is stellar defensively. Savant has him in the 88th percentile of Fielding Run Value and the plays he makes every day are a clinic to watch. In all likeliness, Turang could be looking at multiple Gold Gloves in his career.

3. Joey Ortiz

This last one may come as a surprise to some people, but Joey Ortiz has been on fire as of late, and the success doesn't appear to be a fluke.

Ortiz is definitely the least proven of these three, but he adds a ton of value to this lineup. Ortiz has been battling for playing time all season with Oliver Dunn, who was recently sent down, which should open up more of an every-day role for Ortiz at third base.

He got off to a really rough start to 2024 and was having a tough time finding consistent at-bats. But with the increase in playing time and everyday PA's, he has found a rhythm. In his last 15 games, Ortiz is hitting .311/.418/.733 and while that slugging percentage is definitely not sustainable, there is a lot of positives here.

Part of this success has been his excellent vision at the plate. In 2024, Ortiz is in the 95th percentile in BB percentage, and he has been earning his walks. He is a pitcher's nemesis as he sits in the 87th percentile of Chase % and 86th percentile in Whiff %. This has put pressure on pitchers to throw him strikes and he has been taking advantage as of late.

The Brewers acquired this 25 year old top prospect in the Corbin Burnes trade, and metrics suggest he has a ton of potential with a bright future ahead.

The 2024 Brewers are a fun team to watch, in part because of the contributions from everyone. They are a young flashy team, that are going to be super entertaining to follow as the season progresses. These three players all have very promising futures and it will be fun to see how their careers play-out.

manual

Home / Brewers News