The Brewers announced Thursday that they’ve added a dozen minor leaguers to their 60-man player pool. In addition to the previously reported addition of righty Dylan File, Milwaukee has added the following players:
- LHP Clayton Andrews
- RHP Phil Bickford
- RHP Antoine Kelly
- LHP Angel Perdomo
- LHP Ethan Small
- RHP Trey Supak
- C/OF Thomas Dillard
- C Mario Feliciano
- OF Tristen Lutz
- OF Corey Ray
- INF Brice Turang
Many of the prospects added today are viewed a key future pieces for the Brewers but shouldn’t be expected to contribute at the MLB level this coming season. Turang, the team’s top pick from 2018, is considered the organization’s best prospect but hasn’t above Class-A Advanced yet. Lutz, Small, Feliciano, Dillard, Bickford and Kelly have all yet to log any notable time even at the Double-A level.
The others in the bunch, though, could potentially reach the Majors for the first time in 2020. File’s quick rise through the system was already touched upon here. Perdomo, who has a strong minor league track record, tested positive for COVID-19 recently but could be a lefty option for the ’pen assuming a full recovery. Andrews, a two-way star in college who also logged some time in center field this past season, reached Double-A in 2019 and fared well (2.59 ERA, 3.97 FIP, 9.5 K/9, 4.3 BB/9 in 31 1 /3 frames).
Supak, 24, breezed through 122 2/3 innings of Double-A ball in 2019, pitching to a 2.20 ERA and 3.14 FIP with 6.7 K/9, 1.7 BB/9, 0.44 HR/9 and a 44.8 percent ground-ball rate before struggling in a much briefer run in Triple-A (30 innings). He could be a multi-inning relief piece or make some starts should the need arise. Supak’s 152 2/3 total innings last year were the 13th-most of any pitcher in minor league baseball.
As for Ray, the Brewers have had high hopes for him since selecting him with the No. 5 pick back in 2016. He’s coming off a brutal 2019 season but posted a 124 wRC+ in Double-A a season prior, hitting .239/.323/.477. Strikeouts are a significant issue for Ray, who has whiffed in 29.7 percent of his professional plate appearances (including an alarming 36.6 percent clip in 2019). But Ray also belted 27 homers in a pitcher-friendly Double-A setting in 2018 — a season that also saw him swipe 37 bases. The contact issues probably aren’t going to improve dramatically, but there’s still some intrigue surrounding someone with that blend of power and speed — particularly when they can play any of the three outfield slots.
With today’s moves now set, the Brewers have filled 58 of the 60 possible slots in their 2020 player pool. Team can still make additions once all 60 spots are filled, but doing so requires removing a current player via a transaction (e.g. trade, release, outright waivers).
I was unaware Phil Bickford was around still, let alone dominating the low minors. Can’t hype up a 23 year old doing well in A ball, but he always had good stuff
Yanks fan here. We’ll give you Stanton for Bickford. Straight up. You’re welcome. Oh, uh, no money coming from us though. K thx bai!
Bickford is not dominating, especially being a 4 year A level player — he had a 4.27 ERA in 2018. Big time prospects to make a jump from A->Majors don’t have this mark where hitters had .276 AVG against him. His 2019 was his fourth year as a relief pitcher…not even a closer he was not even in high pressure modes.
I assume this is the make or break season for him – likely he will be cut
Sometimes players need to advance to get better
I’m sure Perdomo will be fine. If you’re under 30, your chances are statistically (significantly) better of dying from lightning strike or shark attack while on land, than of Covid.
We don’t know the long-term adverse health effects, though.
That’s just a Russian bot, designed to divide and weaken us, so we can get annexed like Crimea
A Russian bot WOULD pose as a Yankees fan….
We need the ability to block accounts.
thank you!!
Hmm. I expected 11 of them to be middle-infielders.
better system then givem credit as. by the way, was Ashby ever added to the pool?
Steve, regarding teams still making additions once all 60 spots are filled, I believe that COVID cases while on the IL do not count towards the 60. This loophole appears to already be taken advantage of by KC, SF and TOR, who are all over the 60 count.
Surprised Ray has busted as hard as he did. Really liked the pick when the brewers made it.
Turang really needed this year to get to AAA ball. While the preseason call up is nice, losing out on 2020 season hurts him a lot. Did well at low A ball, struggled a little at high A. Kinda stinks since we paid him a ton to skip LSU to play for us.
Pitchers, pitchers, and more pitchers.
I thought for a second that said Tim Dillard and got excited
Haha, I did too!