This forgotten slugging prospect could make serious noise in Brewers' system in 2026

The Milwaukee Brewers' farm system is loaded, replete with Top 100 prospects and sleeper breakout candidates alike. Even in an unprecedented era of winning for the franchise, the Crew remain elite at scouting, drafting, and developing young talent.

One more name to fold into that breakout discussion is first base prospect Eric Bitonti, who finally got some Top 100 love from FanGraphs' Dan Szymborski. The 20-year-old slugger ranked No. 71 overall on ZiPS' top prospect list for the 2026 season.

Now, it's worth noting that Bitonti didn't make FanGraphs' default Top 100 prospect rankings, nor did he get recognition from the various other prospect evaluators and outlets that like to release their updated observations around this time of year. Still, his placement on the ZiPS list is noteworthy and speaks to the monstrous power he packs into his bat.

Eric Bitonti must cut down on strikeouts to emerge as Brewers' next great slugging prospect

It's a tale as old as time: a young slugging prospect with prodigious power simply swings and misses too much to become a useful player. That very narrative haunted would-be MLB stars Joey Gallo and Jack Cust their entire careers, and it threatens to do the same to Bitonti.

Of course, it needs to be mentioned that Bitonti, a third-round pick in 2023, only recently turned 20. He's still so young, and it often takes many years in the pros before a hitter refines their plate approach enough to be effective against major-league pitching. With time, he could still become a force to be reckoned with.

Thus, the 2026 season will prove crucial for Bitonti's development. It's his third full season since being drafted, and he already proved last year that he's capable of going on stat-warping hot streaks. He ended the 2025 campaign (spent entirely in Low-A) with 19 home runs and 17 steals over 505 plate appearances, slashing .238/.341/.421 (117 wRC+). His strikeout rate (33.5%) was untenable and continues to climb as he climbs the minor-league ranks, but he also remains deft at working walks, doing so in 13.1% of his plate appearances.

Now entirely focused on first base after moonlighting at the hot corner for a few years, Bitonti should get ample opportunities in High-A this year to flex his 70-grade raw power. He remains extraordinary at pulling the ball (48.9% rate last season) and hitting it in the air, two crucial skills that will further aid his power development.

His boom-or-bust profile runs somewhat antithetical to the high-floor, speed-and-defense players the Brewers have built their recent run of success around, but Bitonti's upside is undeniable. He's already made a believer out of one evaluator, and with a strong season, he'll become a fixture on Top 100 prospect lists around the league.