Pitching prospect Davies among seven Brewers sent to minor-league camp
The Milwaukee Brewers sent seven players to minor-league camp Saturday, lowering the number of player in major-league spring training camp to 41.
Pitchers Zach Davies and Junior Guerra, third baseman Garin Cecchini and first baseman Andy Wilkins were optioned to minor-league camp while pitchers Hiram Burgos and Daniel Tillman and catcher Adam Weisenburger were reassigned,
The 22-year-old Davies was acquired from Baltimore last year and pitched for Milwaukee late in the year. He pitched in six innings in spring training and allowed just one unearned run on four hits with no walks and six strikeouts. He is a likely call-up candidate in 2016.
Guerra, 30, allowed five runs in 5 2/3 innings this spring. Wilkins mashed the ball this spring, batting .389 with two home runs, but he isn't on the 40-man roster and has Chris Carter in front of him on the depth chart.
The left-handed hitting Cecchini was purchased by the Brewers in December from Boston to battle for the third-base spot, but Aaron Hill, later acquired from Arizona in the Jean Segura deal, has a foothold at that position. Cecchini was 3 for 13 with a double and triple in spring training.
Burgos pitched for the Brewers in 2013 and was trying to find a spot on the pitching staff as a non-roster invitee, but allowed three runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings. Tillman, also a non-roster invitee, pitched three scoreless innings. Weisenburger was 1 for 7 in his brief playing time.
Milwaukee still has several players battling for backup infielder positions, including Rule 5 pick Colin Walsh, Yadiel Rivera and non-roster invitee Will Middlebrooks.
The bullpen issue is still being sorted out and Friday manager Craig Counsell indicated it was a close battle, with no one pitching themselves out of the race. Milwaukee opens the season at Miller Park on April 4.
