With just over a month left in the regular season, Milwaukee Brewers In an interesting place. They are the only National League team currently outside of the playoff picture with a real chance of slipping into the arc.
The Brewers entered Thursday 2 1/2 backgammon matches San Diego Padres, but they have some things working in their favour. Above all, the beer agenda is easier. Milwaukee’s average win rate the rest of the way has a 48.8 win percentage this season. Conversely, San Diego has a win percentage of 55.4. The strength of the schedule doesn’t always matter - they play games for a reason - but brewers should be happy to have what seems to be a huge advantage in that regard.
The Brewers should also be delighted with the arrival of rookie footballer Garrett Mitchell, who will be the focus of Prospect Watch this week. Who Exactly Is It - And How Much Can An Interlude Boost For Brewers Help? Allow us to respond.
Mitchell, now far from celebrating his 24th birthday, was Milwaukee’s first-round pick in 2020. Entering that draft, CBS Sports ranked him as the 11th best odds in the class, write the following:
Mitchell is one of the fastest runners in the class, and he should have no problem staying in the center for long. Other elements in his game are less certain. Mitchell has the kind of sporty, angular frame that a scout dreams about, and he puts on better compression than his in-game strength numbers suggest (his functional ISO .151 was bolstered by 15 triples, compared to six home runs). He’s already recreated his swing once since high school, and a team hoping to help him unleash his stellar potential might cost him to try it again. Mitchell, a type 1 diabetic, must be a positive role model regardless.
Since then, Mitchell has had a fast climb, posting .287/ .377/ .426 via Double- and Triple-A this year, his second full professional season. The Brewers promoted him to majors last week, and he had a very eventful few days on The Show. Thursday’s entry hit .22/.364/.556 (155 OPS+) with a home run, hitting five runs, and stealing base in five games. That home run, a two-round shot that tied the score at the bottom of the eighth, set the stage for the Brewers’ latest victory. take a look:
Most of the exploratory reports above remain true about Mitchell. He’s a legitimate midfielder with the highest speed and has succeeded in 17 out of 18 combined steal base attempts this season. The flaw with Mitchell is, too, exactly what he was on draft day: his inability to consistently utilize his brute strength. His isolated hit in Triple-A was .123 (versus the .162 team average), and he had only made five comebacks in 66 minor league games before he was promoted.
Mitchell’s lack of power output stems in large part from his tennis profile. According to FanGraphs, the average globe-trotter was 60 percent in juniors, often hitting the ball toward the opposite court. This can be an effective equalization for someone of his hand (he’s left-handed) and his speed, because a ball deep in the hole is likely to smash one into him. However, it limits his ceiling and reduces his chances of becoming a star.
Of course, there is no law that prevents players from continuing to evolve once they reach the majors, and Lord understands that progression isn’t always linear. (Indeed, it should come as no surprise if brewers are messing with his hatchet more over the coming weeks, or at least head into next spring.), extra base hits, and walking to be net positive—particularly given the impact it will have on the lanes. The base and the defensive side.
Besides, have you seen the Brewers Center field production this season? Milwaukee ranks 23rd in the Wins Above Replacement from that spot, more than half a win behind any other team vying for an accessory spot. Lorenzo Cain was responsible for some damage, but the brewers have since relied on a combination of Tyrone Taylor and Jonathan Davis that leans a lot toward the defensive side of things. Mitchell has a chance to upgrade above Davis in the board without making her back on the field, which suggests that the brewers should be better in the middle heading forward.
And hey, if brewers get tired of arranging their new faction and decide they want to upgrade even more, they can always call up another ex-first-round pick: Sal Frelick.