Baseball Prospectus releases its Milwaukee Brewers’ Top 10 Prospects

List season continues! Baseball Prospectus has released its annual Milwaukee Brewers Top 10 Prospects list for 2018. It has some noticeable differences from the list published by Baseball America earlier this week. Let’s take a look at the top 10!

1. Lewis Brinson, OF, OFP 70/Likely 60

2. Keston Hiura, 2B/DH, OFP 70/Likely 55

3. Monte Harrison, OF, OFP 70/Likely 55

4. Corbin Burnes, RHP, OFP 60/Likely 50

5. Brett Phillips, OF, OFP 60/Likely 50

6. Isan Diaz, SS/2B, OFP 55/Likely 50

7. Brandon Woodruff, RHP, OFP 55/Likely 50

8. Luis Ortiz, RHP, OFP 55/Likely 50

9. Trent Clark, OF, OFP 50/Likely 45

10. Corey Ray, OF, OFP 50/Likely 40

The next ten (in alphabetical order): Marcos Diplan, RHP; Mauricio Dubon, INF; Lucas Erceg, 3B; Mario Feliciano, C; Jake Gatewood, 1B; Tristen Lutz, OF; Jacob Nottingham, C; Freddy Peralta, RHP; Troy Stokes, OF; Trey Supak, RHP; Carlos Herrera, RHP

Brewers’ fans should walk away from this list feeling good. The fact that BP believes the Crew has amassed a contingency of average or better players is something most teams strive to accomplish for years, and Milwaukee basically did it over the last three seasons.

I think Brinson, Hiura and Harrison will continue leading a majority of list throughout the offseason. Brinson had all of his regular notes, ballooned success in Colorado Springs, concerns about health but overall a very promising skillset. Meanwhile, it sounds as though Hiura could have actually surpassed Brinson had he had a track record with an average or better defense. Since Hiura didn’t make it to the field until late in the season, his defense as an unknown is still counted against him.

The player the team as Baseball Prospectus seems highest on is Monte Harrison. They gush over his true 5-tool potential, with a potential 55 or better rating across the board. The only detriment they see is that Harrison is still raw as a baseball player and needs to rein that in. The improvements he made last season seem to be enough that BP is expecting stardom from the young outfielder.

My personal biggest surprise comes in the form of Trent Clark making the list over Lucas Erceg. Clark’s recent performance has been “meh” at best, with a magnificent ability to walk but nothing else really going his way. Meanwhile, Erceg has impressed against better competition, although he is older and has his own issues. It’s obvious BP still regards Clark’s hit tool as a hidden talent that can come out if he starts making better contact. Maybe, like Monte, he will reinvigorate the excitement that was there when he was drafted this season.

The BP staff pointed out on Twitter that they believe anyone from 5-15 is nearly interchangeable on the list, an amazing testament to the depth of the farm. They also take time to point out that some on the staff felt Freddy Peralta deserved to make the top 10.