17-year-old Brewers prospect Fernandez mashes way to milestone
The Milwaukee Brewers have positioned themselves as a World Series contender, but the team still has a number of promising prospects.
Every Thursday for the rest of the season, FOX Sports Wisconsin will take a closer look at some specific young players in Milwaukee's farm system -- as well as noting others who might be stepping up -- measuring, highlighting and evaluating their progress.
This is the 12th edition of the 2019 Young Brewers Tracker.
Mauricio Dubon, 2B/SS (Age 24/Triple-A)
Last week: 6 games, 25 AB, 5 H, 2 2B, 1 HR, 4 R, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 0 BB, 3 K, .200 BA
Season: 93 games, 386 AB, .298 BA, .333 OBP, .474 SLG, .807 OPS, 21 2B, 1 3B, 15 HR, 56 R, 45 RBI, 9 SB, 16 BB, 56 K.
Notable: Dubon finished off the week with two hits vs. Iowa on July 24, including his first home run since July 5.
Trent Grisham, OF (age 22/Triple-A)
Last week: 6 games, 24 AB, 8 H, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 5 R, 5 RBI, 1 SB, 4 BB, 5 K, .333 BA
Season (Triple-A): 29 games, 114 AB, .333 BA, .415 OBP, .675 SLG, 1.091 OPS, 7 2B, 1 3B, 10 HR, 26 R, 23 RBI, 6 SB, 16 BB, 20 K.
Season (Double-A): 63 games, 236 AB, .254 BA, .371 OBP, .504 SLG, .875 OPS, 14 2B, 3 3B, 13 HR, 34 R, 41 RBI, 6 SB, 44 BB, 50 K.
Notable: Grisham continues to put up big numbers since being recalled to San Antonio. His week was punctuated by a four-hit game, including three doubles, on July 18 vs. Nashville. He hit his 10th homer the next day and recorded his first Triple-A triple on July 24.
Tristan Lutz, OF (age 20/High-A)
Last week: 5 games, 16 AB, 3 H, 3 R, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 3 BB, 6 K, .188 BA
Season: 91 games, 339 AB, .248 BA, .337 OBP, .404 SLG, .741 OPS, 20 2B, 3 3B, 9 HR, 53 R, 44 RBI, 2 SB, 41 BB, 114 K.
Notable: Lutz hasn’t had a multi-hit game since July 12 but did finish the week with a hit in three straight contests.
Corey Ray, OF (age 24/Double-A)
Last week: 2 games, 7 AB, 1 H, 1 2B, 2 R, 0 RBI, 1 SB, 4 BB, 4 K, .143 BA
Season (Double-A): 6 games, 22 AB, .273 BA, .407 OBP, .318 SLG, .726 OPS, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 4 R, 0 RBI, 2 SB, 5 BB, 9 K.
Season (Triple-A): 34 games, 101 AB, .178 BA, .259 OBP, .287 SLG, .546 OPS, 2 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 12 R, 8 RBI, 3 SB, 10 BB, 49 K.
Notable: Ray had a good game on July 19 – 1-for-3, a double, with three walks and a stolen base, but has not played since.
Trey Supak, SP (age 23/Double-A)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 1-0, 5 2/3 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K
Season: 20 games (20 starts), 11-4, 2.20 ERA, 122.2 IP, 84 H, 6 HR, 23 BB, 91 K, .192 OBA, 0.87 WHIP.
Notable: After tossing at least six innings in each of his previous six starts, Supak fell just short of that mark on July 22 at Jacksonville. He did throw 90 pitches, his third straight start with 90+. Also for third consecutive start he fanned equal to or more than his innings pitched.
Brice Turang, SS (age 19/High-A)
Last week (High-A): 6 games, 24 AB, 9 H, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 1 BB, 5 K, .375 BA
Season (High-A): 14 games, 53 AB, .208 BA, .323 OBP, .321 SLG, .643 OPS, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 8 R, 2 RBI, 1 SB, 9 BB, 11 K.
Season (Low-A): 82 games, 303 AB, .287 BA, .384 OBP, .376 SLG, .760 OPS, 13 2B, 4 3B, 2 HR, 57 R, 31 RBI, 21 SB, 49 BB, 54 K.
Notable: Turang picked up his first extra-base hit with Carolina, a double, on July 18 then hit his first home run the next day. After a slow start following his promotion to the Mudcats, Turang is riding a seven-game hitting streak.
Other notes: San Antonio RHP Luke Barker allowed one hit in 4 1/3 scoreless innings in two appearances. He walked none and struck out seven. An undrafted free agent in 2017, the 27-year-old has allowed just four runs and seven hits in 15 2/3 innings (.130 OBA, 0.77 WHIP) for San Antonio, with 22 whiffs. In 23 games for Biloxi he had a 1.48 ERA, .113 OBA and 0.63 WHIP. … Missions OF Tyrone Taylor (2nd round, 2015) returned from the injured list and in his first start in three weeks went 2-for-5 with a homer. … Former Brewers in San Antonio: Hernan Perez 9-for-23 (.391) with three doubles and two homers; Travis Shaw 5-for-17 with three homers and seven walks. … Tracker favorite LHP Clayton Andrews (17th round, 2018) pitched two scoreless relief outings on July 19 & 22, and went 2-for-5 with a triple as Biloxi’s starting center fielder on July 20. … Wisconsin RHP Max Lazar (11th round, 2017) allowed just one run in 5 2/3 innings on four hits, striking out six. Lazar has a 1.71 ERA and 1.06 WHIP over 47 1/3 innings for the Timber Rattlers. ... 2019 first-round pick LHP Ethan Small made his pro debut for the AZL Brewers Gold on July 19. He pitched one perfect inning, fanning two. … AZ Brewers Blue SS Cam Devanney (15th round, 2019) went 8-for-22 (.364) with two doubles, a homer and four walks (.500 OBP). … Eduarqui Fernandez was considered one of the top Latin American prospects when the Brewers signed him for $1.1 million last summer. Just 17, he’s playing for the team’s Dominican Summer League entry in his first year of pro ball. On July 23, he hit three home runs in a game – become the first 17-year-old to do that in any minor-league game since 2016. Fernandez homered again the next day, which was also his third straight game with three hits. He’s batting .247/.330/.432 on the season but does have a six-game hit streak. Fernandez also has 10 stolen bases.
Statistics courtesy milb.com and baseball-reference.com
Dave Heller is the author of Ken Williams: A Slugger in Ruth's Shadow (a Larry Ritter Book Award nominee), Facing Ted Williams - Players From the Golden Age of Baseball Recall the Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived and As Good As It Got: The 1944 St. Louis Browns
