Milwaukee Brewers

Brewers top pick Hiura tears cover off ball in first week as pro

Published Jun. 29, 2017 3:01 p.m. ET

Dave Heller

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 9th edition of the 2017 Young Brewers Tracker.

Lewis Brinson (Age 23/Triple-A)

Last week: 4 games, 16 AB, 6 H, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 R, 6 RBI, 1 SB, 2 BB, 1 K, .375 BA.

Season: 49 games, 189 AB, .323 BA, .405 OBP, .540 SLG, .945 OPS, 15 2B, 1 3B, 8 HR, 47 R, 31 RBI, 8 SB, 24 BB, 46 K.

Notable: After struggling in his brief call-up to Milwaukee (14 games, .097), Brinson returned with a bang, going 4 for 4 with two doubles, a homer (he nearly had a cycle but was out trying for a triple) and 3 RBI in his first game back at Colorado Springs. He had at least one run in every game last week and also had a two-hit game and another homer on June 27.

Ryan Cordell (Age 25/Triple-A)

Last week: 4 games, 14 AB, 4 H, 1 2B, 1 R, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 1 BB, 5 K, .286 BA.

Season: 68 games, 261 AB, .284 BA, .349 OBP, .506 SLG, .855 OPS, 18 2B, 5 3B, 10 HR, 49 R, 45 RBI, 9 SB, 25 BB, 65 K.

Notable: Cordell has had hits in four of his last five games including a pair of two-hit games.

Mauricio Dubon (Age 22/Triple-A)

Season: 4 games, 19 AB, .263 BA, .263 OBP, .368 SLG, .632 OPS, 2 2B, 0 3B, 9 HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 0 BB, 3 K.

Notable: After hitting .276 with a franchise-record 31 steals for Double-A Biloxi, Dubon was promoted to Colorado Springs on June 26. While he played both shortstop and second base for the Shuckers, Dubon was stationed at short in each game last week for the Sky Sox.

Jake Gatewood (Age 21/Single-A)

Last week: 7 games, 31 AB, 7 H, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, 0 SB, 2 BB, 7 K, .226 BA.

Season: 74 games, 278 AB, .277 BA, .355 OBP, .475 SLG, .829 OPS, 23 2B, 1 3B, 10 HR, 46 R, 37 RBI, 6 SB, 33 BB, 85 K.

Notable: Gatewood opened the week with a pair of two-hit games, including knocking a triple and home run on June 22 at Potomac.

Keston Hiura (Age 20/Rookie)

Season: 4 games, 16 AB, .563 BA, .600 OBP, 1.125 SLG, 1.725 OPS, 2 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 4 R, 9 RBI, 0 SB, 2 BB, 2 K.

Notable: The Brewers' top draft choice this season started off his pro career with a bang. Hiura, playing designated hitter, had multiple hits in all four of his first four games, including a three-hit outing on June 26 which including a pair of triples. He also drove in four runs that game and in his debut June 24 homered and scored three times.

Jacob Nottingham (age 22/Double-A)

Last week: 5 games, 16 AB, 6 H, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 R, 4 RBI, 0 SB, 3 BB, 2 K, .375 BA.

Season: 56 games, 182 AB, .253 BA, .349 OBP, .407 SLG, .756 OPS, 17 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 21 R, 21 RBI, 3 SB, 16 BB, 39 K.

Notable: Nottingham continued his hot hitting, owning a four-game hit streak with hits in eight of his last nine games. He's pushed his average from .211 on June 1 to .253. He had a pair of two-hit games last week and has two homers in his last six games.

Luis Ortiz (age 21/Double-A)

Last week: 1 game (1 start), 0-0, 3 2/3 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 5 K

Season: 12 games (12 starts), 3-3, 3.14 ERA, 57.1 IP, 41 H, 7 HR, 24 BB, 54 K, .203 OBA, 1.13 WHIP.

Notable: Ortiz returned from the disabled list on June 26 and made his first start since June 8.

Brett Phillips (Age 23/Triple-A)

Last week: 8 games, 30 AB, 9 H, 3 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 7 R, 8 RBI, 0 SB, 2 BB, 11 K, .300 BA.

Season: 64 games, 232 AB, .289 BA, .355 OBP, .573 SLG, .928 OPS, 15 2B, 6 3B, 13 HR, 46 R, 53 RBI, 2 SB, 25 BB, 81 K.

Notable: Phillips has at least one RBI in five straight games. He ranks fifth in the Pacific Coast League in slugging percentage.

Corey Ray (age 21/Single-A)

Last week: 7 games, 32 AB, 9 H, 3 2B, 3 R, 5 RBI, 3 SB, 1 BB, 8 K, .281 BA.

Season: 57 games, 203 AB, .255 BA, .332 OBP, .396 SLG, .728 OPS, 17 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 31 R, 31 RBI, 18 SB, 27 BB, 82 K.

Notable: Ray had three consecutive game with multiple hits, from June 23-25, including a three-hit game on June 23 when he had two doubles. Ray now ranks fifth in the Carolina League in steals.

Others: Colorado Springs 1B Garrett Cooper (6th round, 2013) was named a starter in the Pacific Coast League All-Star Game. Cooper is hitting an impressive .357/.412/.614 with 14 home runs and 67 RBI. … Veteran infielder Ivan DeJesus of Colorado Springs was 16 for 26 (.615) with three doubles. … Biloxi RHP Corbin Burnes (4th round, 2016) allowed 3 runs in 12 2/3 innings with 13 strikeouts. … Biloxi RHP reliever Eric Hanhold (6th round, 2015) struck out 12 in 5 1/3 innings and didn't allow a run. … Carolina OF Trent Clark (1st round, 2015) hit .364/.500/.636 with a homer and three steals.

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