5 prospect trade chips the Brewers could sell for pitching help at MLB Trade Deadline

2. SS Eric Brown Jr

The Brewers drafted Eric Brown Jr out of Coastal Carolina in the first round of the 2022 Draft. A talented, speedy shortstop with a solid glove, Brown could be a sparkplug at the big league level. He's currently ranked as the Brewers 10th best prospect.

What's hampered Brown since being drafted has largely been injuries. Last year, in his first full season in the minors, Brown played well for High-A Wisconsin, hitting .265/.362/.347 with eight doubles, four homers, and a whopping 37 stolen bases. But his season was cut short by several weeks due to an injury.

This year, Brown has also missed some time on the IL, but not as much. The larger concern is the lack of production. For Double-A Biloxi, Brown is hitting just .173/.266/.234 with two homers, 14 stolen bases, and just a .500 OPS.

Still, the first round pedigree carries weight and perhaps injuries are still hampering him even though he's active. Another team could view this as an opportunity to bring in a former first round talent to their organization. The Brewers generally aren't willing to part with their first round picks as most of them have become big contributors for them in recent years (after a long stretch without that). Brown may be the rare case where he could be available for some sorely needed pitching help.

Brice Turang and Joey Ortiz are expected to be battling for that starting shortstop of the future job, which will likely leave Brown on the outside looking in and a logical trade candidate.