Ranking the 10 most valuable Brewers who will define club's future

For nearly a decade now, the Milwaukee Brewers have done a masterful job balancing their major league roster while simultaneously maintaining one of the deepest and most productive farm systems in baseball. The result has been a steady pipeline of young talent that not only reaches the big leagues prepared to contribute, but often makes an immediate impact once given the opportunity.

Of course, Brewers fans have become familiar with how the futures of many star players often unfold within the organization, with names like Josh Hader, Corbin Burnes, Devin Williams, and Freddy Peralta all being traded at different points.

Exceptions over the years have included Willy Adames and Brandon Woodruff, but generally, the clearest path toward a longer future in Milwaukee has been a player signing an extension early in their career. That approach has been seen with players like Peralta, Aaron Ashby, Jackson Chourio, and more recently, Cooper Pratt, who is yet to make his MLB debut.

That said, with elite talent spread throughout both the major league roster and the farm system, highlighted by Jesús Made holding the title of baseball’s No. 1 overall prospect, trying to determine which players will ultimately define the future of the Milwaukee Brewers is no easy task. Then again, that is exactly the kind of problem Milwaukee wants to have.

Here, in an exercise inspired by our FanSided partner Redbird Rants, we take a look at the 10 most valuable players currently in the Milwaukee Brewers' organization. We are also following the guidelines they used when forming the rankings:

1. Players must have at least two years of club control remaining
2. Players must be under 30 years old
3. Years of control, positional value, and long-term potential all factor into each player’s ranking

Players who do not not qualify for this list (Fewer than two years of club control remaining and/or over the age of 30)

1. OF Christian Yelich (34 years old)
2. RHP Brandon Woodruff (33 years old and one year left on his contract)
3. C William Contreras (one year of team control remaining after the 2026 season)
4. 1B Andrew Vaughn (one year of team control remaining after the 2026 season)
5. RHP Trevor Megill (32 years old and one year of team control remaining after the 2026 season)

Honorable mentions: LHP Aaron Ashby, LHP Robert Gasser, LHP Shane Drohan, RHP Brandon Sproat, RHP Logan Henderson, RHP Chad Patrick, RHP Coleman Crow, OF Sal Frelick, OF Garrett Mitchell, INF/OF Jett Williams, 3B Andrew Fischer

The Brewers are currently in the middle of ushering a young wave of pitchers to the major leagues, and with the organization overflowing with pitching depth, several talented arms with significant team control remaining were left just outside the top 10. That group notably includes pitchers like Shane Drohan, Chad Patrick, and Robert Gasser, all of whom have already demonstrated an ability to succeed in bullpen roles in addition to starting, whereas Logan Henderson and Coleman Crow have been starters in the big leagues, without any bumps in the road throughout a limited sample size.

As for Aaron Ashby, who has easily been the Brewers’ most valuable reliever through the first quarter of the 2026 season, he narrowly missed the top 10 rankings for two main reasons. First, despite his effectiveness not only this year, but in recent seasons as well, relief pitchers are generally viewed as one of the more volatile assets in baseball, which naturally limits their long-term value. Second, Ashby has just three years of guaranteed control remaining, with club options for 2028 and 2029, giving the Brewers a significantly shorter window of control compared to many of the players who ultimately made the top 10 list.

From a position player perspective, Sal Frelick has established himself as a valuable asset thanks to his elite defense and overall athleticism, but his offensive ceiling remains limited due to a lack of power production. While he fits the mold of the type of hitter the Brewers often value, one built around contact ability and speed, a player like Brice Turang for example, who is in a similar contractual situation, offers significantly more overall value because of his broader offensive impact.

Lastly, a pair of prospects in Jett Williams and Andrew Fischer just miss the list. Williams is currently the organization’s No. 3 prospect, while Fischer ranks No. 6. according to MLB Pipeline. Williams is expected to make an impact in the big leagues this year and got off to a slow start with the Brewers' Triple-A squad before turning things around as of late. Meanwhile, Fischer is still at least a year or two away from the majors, but he’s shown impressive raw power by consistently driving the ball, though his strikeout rate sits at an alarming 36%, raising questions about how his approach will translate as he moves up the system.

With that, let's move into the Top 10 rankings of the most valuable Brewers who will define the club's future!

10. C Jeferson Quero

Catcher Jeferson Quero entered last season as the Brewers’ No. 1 prospect, despite missing essentially the entire 2024 campaign after injuring his shoulder on Opening Day with Triple-A Nashville. A hamstring issue further delayed his return in 2025, but once healthy, he delivered a strong season, continuing to shine defensively behind the plate while also showing no loss in power and production at the plate despite a year-long gap from live competition.

Earlier this year, Quero earned his long-awaited MLB debut, checking an important milestone off his career. However, he will be called upon in an even larger role for the Brewers moving forward, as longtime starter William Contreras is set to hit free agency after the 2027 season and could potentially be traded beforehand. Regardless of how the roster ultimately shakes out, Quero profiles as the eventual answer at catcher, and his well-rounded skill set, particularly his offensive upside, is what places him among our top 10 rankings.

9. SS Cooper Pratt

For at least the next eight years, Cooper Pratt will be a major part of the Brewers' organization after signing a contract extension worth $50.75 million. His defense and overall glove-work already look more than capable of handling the major league level, though the biggest remaining question surrounding his long-term outlook is how much offensive impact his bat will provide. Still, with extended team control and elite defensive ability at a premium position, Pratt earns a spot in these rankings despite the uncertainty surrounding his offensive ceiling.

Notably, despite posting a modest .234/.358/.387 slash line in Triple-A this season, Pratt continues to excel at making consistent contact, as shown by his impressive 13% strikeout rate. He has also maintained a strong on-base percentage thanks to a 15% walk rate this year. Those plate discipline traits, combined with his above-average speed, highlighted by seasons of 27 and 25 stolen bases, help illustrate how he can still become a productive major league player even without significant power production.

8. RHP Quinn Priester

A little over a year ago, the Brewers paid a significant price to acquire Quinn Priester from the Boston Red Sox, but the move quickly proved worthwhile. In his first season with Milwaukee, Priester posted a 3.32 ERA across 157.1 innings, while the Brewers went an incredible 19-0 in games between May 30 and September 18 in which he appeared. It is fair to say the former first-round pick found his footing in Milwaukee, where his sinker-heavy approach fit in seamlessly.

Even though Priester has barely pitched anywhere this season due to thoracic outlet syndrome affecting both his availability and effectiveness on the mound, he still projects as an important long-term piece for the Brewers. The former first-round pick remains in his pre-arbitration years and is under team control through 2031, giving Milwaukee plenty of time to benefit from his upside once he is healthy again.

7. INF Luis Peña

Another Brewers prospect who has yet to make his MLB debut cracks the top 10, as 19-year-old Luis Peña claims the No. 7 spot on our list. Peña has showcased legitimate five-tool potential at every stop in the minor leagues so far, while also demonstrating defensive versatility by playing third base, shortstop, and second base. That positional flexibility only enhances his long-term profile, giving Milwaukee multiple paths to eventually fit him into the major league roster.

This season, Peña got off to a blazing start in High-A, recording 16 hits over his first 12 games, including three extra-base hits. His speed and aggressiveness on the bases were also on full display, as he swiped six bags during that stretch. Unfortunately, a dehydration-related medical scare that required a neurological consultation afterwards has sidelined him for the past several weeks. The good news for Milwaukee, however, is that Peña has since been cleared to resume baseball activities and should return to action in the near future.

6. LHP Kyle Harrison

In what already looks like another Matt Arnold masterclass in acquiring a high-upside starting pitcher with years of team control remaining (also from the Red Sox), Kyle Harrison has followed a similar path in that regard to the one Priester took the year before. What gives Harrison even more value, however, is that he is left-handed and possesses the swing-and-miss ability that Priester lacks, as evidenced by his impressive 11.7 strikeouts per nine innings so far this season.

With more overpowering stuff on the mound, Harrison’s ability to completely take over a game feels very different from Priester, who primarily succeeds by inducing weak contact and generating ground balls. Harrison’s electric arm gives the Brewers another potential frontline ace to pair alongside Jacob Misiorowski at the top of the rotation, exactly the kind of high-end pitching Milwaukee may need to finally take the next step in the postseason.

5. CL Abner Uribe

Speaking of high-end pitching, after struggling a bit with command and harnessing his emotions, Abner Uribe fully showcased his potential last season by putting together a dominant campaign that featured a 1.67 ERA across 75 appearances. That breakout year also included seven saves and an impressive postseason showing in which he handled a heavy workload and thrived in high-leverage situations.

While Uribe has had a few inconsistent outings this season, which have pushed his ERA up to 4.67, his stuff remains electric and among the most overpowering in the bullpen. If Milwaukee is going to make a deep postseason run, he’ll need to be at his best in high-leverage situations, especially given past instances where untimely home runs, such as those allowed during the Josh Hader and Devin Williams eras, have derailed playoff pushes for the Brewers. Even so, Uribe remains a key long-term piece, still in pre-arbitration through 2027 and not slated to reach free agency until 2031.

4. SS Jesús Made

Much like when Jackson Chourio was a top-ranked prospect in baseball, there is little doubt that Jesús Made will eventually become a major piece of the Brewers’ long-term core once he reaches the big leagues, and perhaps even a face of the franchise. However, right now, Made brings an added layer of value by playing a more premium defensive position and switching hitting -- traits that ultimately raise both his ceiling and his overall long-term impact.

Even though Made is still progressing toward the big leagues, his development path has closely mirrored Chourio’s, including being one of the very few teenagers competing at the Double-A level. So far, he has more than held his own, posting a .265/.343/.445 slash line with 17 stolen bases in just 37 games. He is also only one home run shy of matching his previous career high -- evidence that a power breakout could be underway this season.

All this makes Made one of the organization’s most valuable long-term assets. If he debuts as expected in 2027, he could quickly rise up these rankings in future iterations, especially if he finds early success at the major league level, but for now he comes in behind three others that are starring in the big leagues.

3. RHP Jacob Misiorowski

To begin his sophomore campaign, Jacob Misiorowski has been everything Brewers fans could have hoped for and more. The 6'7" right-hander currently leads the league in strikeouts, owns the second-lowest batting average against, and ranks tied for fourth in WHIP.

Regardless of where those numbers ultimately settle, this stretch of dominance across his first nine starts has showcased the type of overpowering upside he can tap into at any moment. This includes multiple double-digit strikeout performances and even flirting with no-hitters, with the talented young right-hander coming out of a no-hit bid on May 1 due to cramps.

All of this highlights just how capable Misiorowski is of taking over a game and single-handedly carrying Milwaukee whenever he takes the mound. However, because he pitches only once every fifth day, two position players ranked ahead of him ultimately provide a greater overall impact through their everyday presence in the lineup.

2. 2B Brice Turang

Brice Turang’s year-to-year progression has been remarkable to watch. Once viewed primarily as a glove-first player, albeit one talented enough to win a Platinum Glove, Turang has now developed into a legitimate power threat and middle-of-the-order run producer.

With the all-around impact he is making this season, Turang has firmly re-entered the conversation to receive MVP votes once again. After finishing 14th in voting last year, he appears well positioned to at the minimum crack the top 10 this season. How high he ultimately climbs may depend on just how much offensive production he maintains, but it is no longer unrealistic to envision a season in which he finishes with 20 home runs, 100 RBI, and 20 stolen bases.

Over the remainder of this season and the next three years, Milwaukee has plenty of reason to be excited about Turang. Having what projects to be one of the best offensive second basemen in baseball, who pairs that production with elite defense, is both a luxury and a major advantage moving forward.

1. OF Jackson Chourio

At just 22 years old, Chourio is already in the third season of his eight-year contract extension, a deal that could ultimately stretch to 10 years if Milwaukee exercises a pair of $25 million club options. Even at its peak, the contract otherwise maxes out at an average annual value of only $17.25 million, making it look rather team-friendly.

Chourio has already shown that the extension was a smart investment by Milwaukee. Defensively, he has proven capable of handling all three outfield spots, with left field serving as his primary position while also stepping in admirably in center field out of necessity for much of last season. Offensively, he still has not fully posted the type of numbers many expect him to eventually reach, but there have been understandable circumstances behind that. He bounced back from a slow start to his rookie campaign in 2024, a hamstring injury slowed him during 2025, and this year a hand fracture sidelined him for roughly one month.

Because of that, it may not be until 2027 that fans truly see the MVP-level numbers many believe he is capable of delivering. Even so, his bat already changes games on a nightly basis, and the reality is that Milwaukee’s lineup looks completely different when he is not in it. As long as Chourio is healthy and available when the stakes are highest, the Brewers will always have a dynamic offensive centerpiece capable of carrying the team.