Brewers prospect Brinson making 'major' case with another big week
The Milwaukee Brewers are reshaping their franchise with an injection of youth and 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 6th edition of the 2017 Young Brewers Tracker.
Lewis Brinson (age 23/Triple-A)
Last week: 7 games, 29 AB, 11 H, 2 2B, 2 HR, 7 R, 7 RBI, 2 SB, 2 BB, 8 K, .379 BA.
Season: 43 games, 164 AB, .317 BA, .402 OBP, .512 SLG, .914 OPS, 12 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 38 R, 23 RBI, 7 SB, 21 BB, 43 K.
Notable: Brinson had three three-hit games last week, including June 1 when he hit a pair of home runs. He entered the week with just two games of three or more hits (Brinson had a four-hit game April 18) and hadn't done so since April 21.
Ryan Cordell (Age 25/Triple-A)
Last week: 7 games, 25 AB, 4 H, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, 1 SB, 3 BB, 8 K, .160 BA.
Season: 52 games, 201 AB, .279 BA, .350 OBP, .478 SLG, .827 OPS, 15 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 37 R, 32 RBI, 6 SB, 20 BB, 44 K.
Notable: Cordell snapped a 12-game streak without an extra-base hit with a double and home run on June 6.
Isan Diaz (age 21/Single-A)
Last week: 6 games, 18 AB, 2 H, 2 R, 4 RBI, 1 SB, 6 BB, 5 K, .111 BA.
Season: 57 games, 206 AB, .233 BA, .331 OBP, .417 SLG, .748 OPS, 11 2B, 0 3B, 9 HR, 34 R, 37 RBI, 6 SB, 29 BB, 59 K.
Notable: Diaz continues to slump. On May 18 he was batting .281/.357/.493.
Mauricio Dubon (Age 22/Double-A)
Last week: 8 games, 29 AB, 6 H, 3 2B, 8 R, 4 RBI, 3 SB, 4 BB, 4 K, .207 BA.
Season: 59 games, 227 AB, .286 BA, .341 OBP, .370 SLG, .711 OPS, 13 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 30 R, 23 RBI, 27 SB, 19 BB, 32 K.
Notable: Dubon had a big day on June 3, going 3 for 6 with two doubles, three runs and a steal. Dubon now leads the Midwest League in steals by a large margin, having 11 more than teammate Johnny Davis. No one else in the other Double-A leagues has more than 21 steals.
Jake Gatewood (Age 21/Single-A)
Last week: 6 games, 23 AB, 5 H, 1 2B, 4 R, 2 RBI, 1 SB, 2 BB, 8 K, .217 BA.
Season: 58 games, 216 AB, .296 BA, .372 OBP, .491 SLG, .863 OPS, 21 2B, 0 3B, 7 HR, 39 R, 30 RBI, 5 SB, 25 BB, 65 K.
Notable: On June 4, Gatewood went 3 for 4 with a double, two runs and two RBI. It was 15th multi-hit game (fifth with three or more hits) and eighth game with two or more RBI.
Josh Hader (age 23/Triple-A)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 0-0, 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K
Season: 12 games (12 starts), 3-4, 5.37 ERA, 52 IP, 49 H, 14 HR, 31 BB, 51 K, .253 OBA, 1.54 WHIP.
Notable: For the second straight start Hader pitched only two innings as the Brewers organization looks to limit his innings in 2017. Hader threw 43 pitches in last week's start at Oklahoma City.
Jacob Nottingham (age 22/Double-A)
Last week: 5 games, 17 AB, 5 H, 3 2B, 1 R, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 1 BB, 3 K, .294 BA.
Season: 44 games, 142 AB, .225 BA, .325 OBP, .352 SLG, .677 OPS, 13 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 14 R, 14 RBI, 3 SB, 12 BB, 32 K.
Notable: Nottingham has a hit in six of his last seven games. On June 6, he had his fifth multiple-hit game this season, going 2 for 5 with a double at Mississippi.
Luis Ortiz (age 21/Double-A)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 1-0, 6 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K
Season: 10 games (10 starts), 3-3, 3.26 ERA, 49.2 IP, 34 H, 7 HR, 22 BB, 46 K, .198 OBA, 1.13 WHIP.
Notable: Ortiz allowed no runs in a start for the third time this season -- in the other two, he allowed no hits in five innings. Six innings was Ortiz's longest outing of the year, although his 74 pitches was his third-lowest pitch count.
Brett Phillips (Age 23/Triple-A)
Last week: 3 games, 10 AB, 3 H, 1 HR, 1 R, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 1 BB, 2 K, .300 BA.
Season: 49 games, 175 AB, .297 BA, .369 OBP, .589 SLG, .957 OPS, 10 2B, 4 3B, 11 HR, 35 R, 41 RBI, 2 SB, 21 BB, 60 K.
Notable: Phillips, who spent part of the week in Milwaukee and made his major-league debut before being sent back down Thursday, is fourth in the Pacific Coast League in slugging percentage.
Corey Ray (age 21/Single-A)
Last week: 5 games, 21 AB, 5 H, 1 2B, 1 HR, 5 R, 2 RBI, 3 SB, 4 BB, 10 K, .238 BA.
Season: 43 games, 177 AB, .266 BA, .337 OBP, .412 SLG, .749 OPS, 13 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 25 R, 24 RBI, 13 SB, 20 BB, 60 K.
Notable: Ray had a pair of two-hit games this past week and now has 12 multi-hit games in 2017.
Others: Five Biloxi players were named Southern League All-Stars: Dubon, 1B Dustin DeMuth (5th round, 2014), RHP Matt Ramsey, RHP Angel Ventura and RHP Aaron Wilkerson. The All-Star Game will be played June 20. … Three Wisconsin players were named Midwest League All-Stars: C Mario Feliciano (2nd round, 2016), OF Monte Harrison (2nd round, 2014) and RHP Braden Webb (3rd round, 2016). The All-Star Game also will take place June 20. … Colorado Springs OF Nate Orf was 12 for 24 with 2 doubles, 2 triples and 7 RBI. … Biloxi 2B Blake Allemand (5th round, 2015) batted .478 with 4 doubles, 5 runs and 7 RBI. … Yeison Coca, acquired from Boston to complete an offseason trade, reported to extended spring training.
Statistics courtesy milb.com
Dave Heller is the author of the book Ken Williams: A Slugger in Ruth's Shadow as well as 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
