Mikwaukee Brewers farm system ranks 28th, according to both Baseball America and Keith Law

The Milwaukee Brewers’ farm system is (just barely) moving up in the world, ranked #28 of 30 by both Keith Law and Baseball America.

According to both lists, the Brewers are the lowest-ranked team in the National League Central. The Cardinals, who didn’t have to trade any top 10 prospects to acquire Nolan Arenado, have the top system in the division.

Law critiques the Crew’s near future farm system, noting that “trades, low draft picks and a lot of high-round picks that just haven’t worked out” leave the Brewers depleted in terms of prospects who are both promising and ready to report to the major leagues. He references Corey Ray, Lucas Erceg, and Tristen Lutz, players who have moved to the bottom or fallen off of the team’s Top 30 list.

The Brewers’ 2019 international draft class gets a nod from Law, but those players are also still developing and relatively untested after COVID-19 limited playing time and player development in 2020. Law names recent draft pick and centerfielder Garrett Mitchell and shortstop Brice Turang as #95 and #96 in his Top 100 Prospects. Though Mitchell and Turang are promising up-the-middle prospects for a more distant future, Law confirms what we already know - the Brewers can expect little contribution from their farm system in 2021, at least in terms of position players.

Baseball America also acknowledges that the Brewers have few top prospects ready to move up to the major leagues. BA names Hedbert Perez as the Brewer’s #3 prospect. Perez made it to the 2020 alternate training site at 17, which makes him the youngest player on any 60-man player pool and another promising future centerfielder in the Brewer’s Top 3.

Law, via The Athletic, will release more detailed prospect reports by team, over the coming weeks.