Brewers OF prospect Phillips hits unconventional inside-the-park homer
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 4th edition of the 2017 Young Brewers Tracker.
Lewis Brinson (age 23/Triple-A)
Last week: 4 games, 10 AB, 1 H, 1 R, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 1 BB, 2 K, .100 BA.
Season: 32 games, 120 AB, .308 BA, .396 OBP, .483 SLG, .879 OPS, 9 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 27 R, 15 RBI, 5 SB, 16 BB, 30 K.
Notable: Brinson was hit by a pitch on the hand May 20 at Albuquerque and didn't get back into the lineup again until May 24, going 1 for 5.
Ryan Cordell (Age 25/Triple-A)
Last week: 7 games, 29 AB, 7 H, 3 2B, 1 3B, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 SB, 1 BB, 6 K, .241 BA.
Season: 39 games, 155 AB, .303 BA, .368 OBP, .535 SLG, .903 OPS, 14 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 32 R, 28 RBI, 5 SB, 14 BB, 32 K.
Notable: Cordell played three games at third base to start the week (and has appeared at that position in eight games so far in 2017) and also saw time in all three outfield spots.
Isan Diaz (age 20/Single-A)
Last week: 7 games, 23 AB, 4 H, 1 2B, 1 HR, 7 R, 5 RBI, 0 SB, 3 BB, 5 K, .174 BA.
Season: 45 games, 166 AB, .265 BA, .346 OBP, .470 SLG, .815 OPS, 10 2B, 0 3B, 8 HR, 30 R, 32 RBI, 5 SB, 21 BB, 45 K.
Notable: Scored three runs on May 19 at Winston-Salem and hit a grand slam in the first game of a doubleheader at Down East on May 24.
Mauricio Dubon (Age 22/Double-A)
Last week: 6 games, 21 AB, 5 H, 1 2B, 2 R, 3 RBI, 1 SB, 1 BB, 4 K, .238 BA.
Season: 46 games, 177 AB, .305 BA, .358 OBP, .390 SLG, .747 OPS, 9 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 20 R, 18 RBI, 23 SB, 14 BB, 25 K.
Notable: Dubon has been caught stealing just six times this season, but is just 2 of 4 on recent steal attempts.
Jake Gatewood (Age 21/Single-A)
Last week: 7 games, 27 AB, 6 H, 3 2B, 2 HR, 3 R, 8 RBI, 1 SB, 0 BB, 6 K, .222 BA.
Season: 46 games, 170 AB, .312 BA, .387 OBP, .541 SLG, .929 OPS, 18 2B, 0 3B, 7 HR, 33 R, 27 RBI, 4 SB, 21 BB, 48 K.
Notable: Gatewood had a big day May 22 at Winston-Salem, going 3 for 4 with two doubles, a home run and six RBI. His previous season high in RBI was two. Gatewood had six RBI in his career once previously.
Josh Hader (age 23/Triple-A)
Last week: 2 game (2 starts), 0-2, 7.1 IP, 16 H, 12 R, 5 BB, 7 K
Season: 10 games (10 starts), 3-4, 5.81 ERA, 48 IP, 47 H, 14 HR, 29 BB, 43 K, .261 OBA, 1.58 WHIP.
Notable: Hader had a rough week, going 4 1/3 innings allowing four runs on seven hits at Albuquerque then getting rocked for eight runs on nine hits -- including four home runs -- in three innings at home vs. New Orleans. As a result, his ERA went up from 4.20 to 5.81, OBA from .214 to .261 and WHIP 1.35 to 1.58.
Jacob Nottingham (age 22/Double-A)
Last week: 5 games, 16 AB, 7 H, 1 2B, 1 HR, 4 R, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 2 BB, 0 K, .438 BA.
Season: 35 games, 114 AB, .219 BA, .331 OBP, .342 SLG, .673 OPS, 9 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 12 R, 11 RBI, 3 SB, 8 BB, 26 K.
Notable: Coming into the week, Nottingham had two multiple-hit games. He doubled it in the past seven days, going 2 for 3 with a double on May 18 and 3 for 5 with his first homer of the season on May 24. He raised his average 24 points in a week. Also, after striking out 26 times in his first 98 at-bat, Nottingham didn't whiff once. Let's just say he had a good week.
Luis Ortiz (age 21/Double-A)
Last week: 1 game (1 starts), 0-0, 4.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 3 K
Season: 8 games (8 starts), 2-3, 3.18 ERA, 39.2 IP, 25 H, 5 HR, 17 BB, 36 K, .182 OBA, 1.06 WHIP.
Notable: After six straight starts allowing 2 or fewer runs, Ortiz was tagged for four runs by Chattanooga on May 21. He walked four in that game, tying a season high.
Brett Phillips (Age 22/Triple-A)
Last week: 7 games, 25 AB, 6 H, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 5 R, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 4 BB, 5 K, .240 BA.
Season: 39 games, 140 AB, .293 BA, .381 OBP, .593 SLG, .974 OPS, 9 2B, 3 3B, 9 HR, 29 R, 34 RBI, 2 SB, 20 BB, 49 K.
Notable: Phillips hit one home run last week and let's just say it was a bit out of the ordinary (see video below).
Corey Ray (age 21/Single-A)
Last week: 5 games, 21 AB, 7 H, 1 HR, 4 R, 2 RBI, 1 SB, 0 BB, 5 K, .333 BA.
Season: 32 games, 132 AB, .265 BA, .336 OBP, .402 SLG, .737 OPS, 11 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 18 R, 20 RBI, 9 SB, 15 BB, 42 K.
Notable: Ray had a six-game hit streak come to an end May 22, but even with an 0 for 3 on May 24 he raised his average 36 points. Ray also hit his first home run of the season at Winston-Salem on May 20.
Others: Colorado Springs 1B Garrett Cooper (6th round, 2013) returned from the disabled list May 21 and then had a five-hit game the next day. … C Cooper Hummel (18th round, 2016) was assigned to Carolina on May 17. In his first four games he was 5 for 11 with 3 doubles, 1 triple and 1 home run (.455/.571/1.182). … Mudcats RHP Cody Ponce (2nd round, 2015) has five straight starts with 7+ IP and allowing 2 or fewer runs. … Carolina RHP Corbin Burnes (4th round, 2016) tossed 7 shutout innings at Winston-Salem on May 21, allowing 3 hits and 1 walk with 10 strikeouts. … Wisconsin RHP Trey Supak tossed 11 scoreless innings over two starts, giving up 5 hits and 3 walks with 11 whiffs.
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
