Six Milwaukee Brewers Prospects Named to Arizona Fall League

Earlier this afternoon the rosters were released for the 2016 Arizona Fall League. The AFL is a league that plays annually following the completion of the regular baseball season that is used as a showcase and proving ground for MLB prospects. This season, our Milwaukee Brewers will be sending their minor leaguers to play for the Salt River Rafters, along with players from the Diamondbacks, Braves, Rockies, and Tigers.

Six minor leaguers from Milwaukee’s system have been chosen to represent the Brewers in the AFL this fall. They are:

OF Brett Phillips

Currently rated as the club’s eighth-best prospect according to MLB Pipeline, Phillips has struggled a bit in his first full season at AA while hitting .229/.332/.392 with 15 home runs in 119 games for Biloxi. That’s still an above-average offensive showing for the Southern League, but Brett’s 30.3% strikeout rate is cause for some alarm this season. The 22 year old left-handed hitter played in the AFL last season and hit .346/.452/.538 in 32 plate appearances for the Surprise Saguaros.

SS Isan Diaz

The club’s 10th-best prospect, Diaz may be on his way to winning the organizational MiLB player of the year award after coming over in a trade from Arizona last offseason. The 20 year old infielder has spent the entire season with low-A Wisconsin and his .273/.367/.486 slash line with 20 home runs and 11 steals ranks him as one of the best offensive players in the Midwest League. This will be the left-handed hitter’s first time in the AFL.

C Jacob Nottingham

The centerpiece of the Khris Davis trade and the organization’s 15th-best prospect, Nottingham has also had significant struggles during his first full season in AA. The 21 year old is hitting just .233/.296/.340 with 10 homers and 8 steals through 107 games with Biloxi. Behind the plate, he’s received positive marks in framing from Baseball Prospectus while throwing out 28% of attempted base stealers, though his 20 passed balls this season are concerning.

RHP Josh Uhen

The 24 year old Uhen is a local product out of Oshkosh who the Brewers drafted in the fifth round from UW-Milwaukee back in 2013. The 6’4” right hander threw 49.2 innings of relief with high-A Brevard County this season while posting a 4.35 ERA, 8.52 K/9 and 3.62 BB/9 before getting promoted to AA Biloxi. Since being called up he’s tossed 5.2 scoreless innings with 2 strikeouts and 1 walk. This will be his first appearance in the fall league.

RHP Tyler Spurlin

Spurlin is a 25 year old right hander who came to the Brewers as an undrafted free agent in 2013 out of Rice. He’s prevented runs nicely since beginning his pro career and started this year by allowing just two earned runs in 10.2 innings with Brevard County before getting promoted to AA. Since then he has worked to a 2.95 ERA in 39.2 innings in Biloxi with a 35:21 K/BB ratio. He’s a first time representative to the AFL.

RHP Tayler Scott

The 24 year old Scott began his career with the Cubs after being selected in the fifth round of the 2011 Draft. The native of Johannesburg, South Africa, was released following the 2015 season and began this year in the independent American Association with the Sioux City Explorers. He posted a 1.88 ERA and 32:6 K/BB ratio in 28.2 innings before signing with the Brewers on July 6th. With the club’s AA affiliate this year Scott has posted a 5.01 ERA and 19:13 K/BB ratio in 23.1 innings out of the bullpen.

The six team league begins play on October 11th. The annual Fall Stars game is scheduled for November 5th, and the league’s championship takes place on November 19th.