The Brewers are calling up pitching prospect Jacob Misiorowski, reviews Jeff Passan of ESPN. The righty will begin Thursday’s sport towards the Cardinals.
Milwaukee might want to make room for him on the energetic and 40-man rosters. The latter ought to be as simple as Brandon Woodruff being transferred to the 60-day injured checklist since he’s already been out longer than that.
Misiorowski, 23, is likely one of the prime prospects in baseball. The Brewers chosen him with a second-round decide within the 2022 draft and signed him with a $2.35M bonus, greater than double the $1.1M slot worth for that decide.
Since then, he has been climbing the ladder with very thrilling outcomes. His fastball sits within the high-90s and might get into triple digits. He additionally has a curveball, slider and a lesser-used changeup. These pitches have helped him strike out lots of opponents, although management is clearly nonetheless a piece in progress.
He bought a quick skilled debut in 2022, making simply two Single-A appearances. In 2023, he logged 71 1/3 innings whereas climbing as excessive as Double-A. He posted a 3.41 earned run common whereas punching out 35 p.c of hitters, however he additionally gave out free passes at a excessive fee of 13.4 p.c. Final yr, he cut up his time between Double-A and Triple-A, logging 97 1/3 innings. The Brewers moved him to a reduction position late within the yr as a method of monitoring his workload. He had a 3.33 ERA, 30.5 p.c strikeout fee and 14.4 p.c stroll fee.
The numbers have been comparable this yr. He has logged 63 1/3 Triple-A innings to date with a 2.13 ERA and 31.6 p.c strikeout fee. His 12.3 p.c stroll fee is an enchancment for him however nonetheless about 4 ticks above typical main league common.
Misiorowski nonetheless has some issues to work on, significantly the management and the workload, however the arsenal is clearly thrilling. Baseball America at present lists him because the No. 21 prospect within the league. FanGraphs has him at No. 27. ESPN’s most up-to-date replace put him at No. 30. Baseball Prospectus had him at No. 65 within the offseason. MLB Pipeline at present has him additional down at No. 68, with a bit extra concern that the management points will ultimately push him to the bullpen. Keith of Regulation of The Athletic had comparable considerations when giving Misiorowski the No. 87 slot coming into the yr.
Time will inform if Misiorowski is destined for the bullpen or can stick within the rotation nevertheless it’s comprehensible that the Brewers will hold making an attempt the beginning path till they get some readability. There’s merely much more worth in a wonderful beginning pitcher in comparison with a wonderful reliever. Even when it doesn’t work out, the bullpen path will nonetheless be out there as a fallback. Even Regulation, essentially the most bearish of these prospect evaluators, believes Misiorowski has a future as an elite nearer.
For now, the Brewers will see if Misiorowski can evolve into an enormous league starter. The rotation has been continuously shifting for Milwaukee this yr, principally on account of accidents. Woodruff was anticipated to start out the season on the injured checklist recovering from final yr’s shoulder surgical procedure, however his rehab has additionally hit a number of snags. He battled some ankle tendinitis and likewise suffered an elbow contusion from a comebacker and remains to be doubtless a number of weeks away. Robert Gasser had Tommy John surgical procedure final summer time and is one other man the membership knew could be on the IL to start out this yr.
Along with Woodruff and Gasser, a number of different pitchers have missed a while. Nestor Cortes remains to be on the shelf, having suffered a flexor pressure again in April. Tobias Myers missed time on account of an indirect pressure. Aaron Civale had a hamstring pressure, Jose Quintana a shoulder impingement and DL Corridor a lat pressure.
Round all these transactions, the membership has been looking for numerous options. Quintana was a spring signing. The Brewers traded for Quinn Priester per week into April. A number of minor leaguers have been referred to as up. Because the membership has been spinning these plates, 12 totally different pitchers have began for the crew already this yr. A few of these have been openers, nevertheless it’s clearly been a little bit of a whirlwind.
As of this second, the rotation consists of Freddy Peralta, Civale, Priester, Quintana and Chad Patrick, with Corridor performing some beginning but additionally some lengthy reduction work. It’s not completely clear what the membership plans to shift with Misiorowski’s promotion. It might merely be a spot begin. Maybe they’ll go along with a six-man rotation for some time. Priester and Patrick each have choices and could possibly be despatched down, although Patrick’s numbers this yr have been much better than Priester’s.
The Brewers are nonetheless within the playoff race. Their 35-32 document at present has them simply three video games again of the ultimate Nationwide League Wild Card spot. No matter how they carry out over the following few weeks, it’s potential to think about them buying and selling some beginning pitching this summer time. Woodruff, Quintana, Civale and Cortes are all impending free brokers, which might make them logical commerce chips. A bolder transfer could be Peralta, who could be managed by 2026 through an $8MM membership choice.
Sending a number of of them out of city would theoretically downgrade this yr’s rotation however the Brewers might maybe present replacements from inside the system whereas bolstering one other a part of the roster or just including some prospect expertise. Corridor could possibly be given a extra correct rotation gig. Gasser might get again within the combine later within the yr. Myers, Logan Henderson and different arms are in Triple-A and could possibly be recalled.
The Brewers don’t have lots of spending capability, so this type of robust balancing act is regular for them. Current years have seen them commerce away guys like Josh Hader and Corbin Burnes whereas nonetheless making an attempt to subject a aggressive crew. These trades often see them focusing on a mixture of MLB-ready expertise and prospects or draft picks. Given the variety of rotation choices they’ve within the combine now, one other transfer of that nature could also be within the playing cards this summer time.
That will likely be a scenario for the following few weeks. For now, some of the electrical arms within the minor leagues is coming as much as the present. As a consensus prime prospect, Misiorowski is eligible for the prospect promotion incentives. The Brewers can’t earn an additional draft decide based mostly on his efficiency in awards voting this yr as a result of they didn’t name him up early sufficient. Misiorowski can earn himself a full yr of service time if he finishes within the prime two in Rookie of the 12 months voting, although that will likely be a protracted shot. The race remains to be pretty large open however Misiorowski is getting referred to as up late and is already close to his private excessive in innings pitched in a season, so it’s potential the membership eases off his workload in some unspecified time in the future later within the yr.
