The next Brewers prospect who should advance to High-A following Made and Peña's promotions

On Sunday evening, the Milwaukee Brewers announced that their top two prospects, Jesús Made and Luis Peña, were being promoted from Low-A to High-A, putting them one step closer to the big leagues. Given the fact that both Made and Peña are still just 18 years old, that they both have already progressed to High-A is a rather impressive feat. They are set to make their debuts for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers tonight, when the Brewers' High-A affiliate takes on the Peoria Chiefs of the St. Louis Cardinals' organization.

Made and Peña's promotions break up what was one of the most exciting Low-A Carolina Mudcats teams in franchise history. Not only was the team chock-full of exciting prospect talent (nine of the Brewers' Top 30 prospects were on the Mudcats before Made and Peña's promotions), but everything also clicked for manager Nick Stanley's squad, and they have won more games than anyone else in the Carolina League. But decisions in minor league baseball aren't made in regards to the success of the team; they are made in regards to the success of the players, and, as a result, it was time to break up the band in Zebulon.

However, while Made and Peña are certainly worthy of the next challenge in their professional baseball careers, there is one more Carolina Mudcats player that should also soon be earning the promotion from Low-A to High-A: slugging first baseman Eric Bitonti.

Eric Bitonti's promotion to High-A should come soon following the Jesús Made and Luis Peña news

Bitonti, who is the Brewers No. 11-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline, has little left to prove at the Low-A level. Not only does he hold the league lead in HR by a fair margin — with 16 long balls, Bitonti has six more than any other player in the Carolina League this season — but he is also two off the league lead in RBI, and he has shown an improved ability to get on base, with his Low-A OBP rising from .318 a season ago to .333 this year.

Some concerns do still exist with Bitonti's hitting profile; he leads the Carolina League in strikeouts, and his .236 batting average suggests that scouts were accurate when they gave him a below-average hit tool. However, the power that Bitonti has displayed at just 19 years old while playing in Low-A suggests that he's ready for the next level. Additionally, because Bitonti played 28 games with the Carolina Mudcats in 2024, he's approaching a full year of experience in Low-A, offering further evidence that he could be ready for the next level.

Luckily for Bitonti, who has played all but five of his defensive innings at the cold corner, the Timber Rattlers' every day first baseman, Blake Burke, was recently promoted to Double-A where he now plays for the Biloxi Shuckers. That move has opened up a spot at first base on the T-Rats' roster, perfect for Bitonti to fill in the coming weeks.

Nothing is set in stone, but with plenty of experience at the Low-A level, league-leading power, and a need for a new challenge, expect Bitonti to soon join his former teammates, Jesús Made and Luis Peña, in Appleton, where the three teenagers will make up a majority of the Timber Rattlers' infield.