The Milwaukee Brewers' retooling happened quicker than expected, but the team still has a number of promising 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 12th edition of the 2018 Young Brewers Tracker.
Orlando Arcia, SS (age 23/Triple-A)
Last week: 7 games, 27 AB, 10 H, 1 2B, 1 HR, 7 R, 4 RBI, 0 SB, 6 BB, 5 K, .370 BA.
Season: 16 games, 59 AB, .322 BA, .429 OBP, .448 SLG, .896 OPS, 2 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 12 R, 6 RBI, 2 SB, 10 BB, 10 K.
Notable: Back in our prospect list -- Arcia will turn just 24 on Aug. 4 -- the one-time Brewers shortstop picked it up with the bat last week, recording three multi-hit games. On July 17-18 he had back-to-back three-hit games. While Arcia did hit a double and homer last week, he doesn't have an extra-base hit in his last five games.
Lucas Erceg, 3B (Age 23/Double-A)
Last week: 5 games, 19 AB, 8 H, 1 2B, 3 HR, 6 R, 4 RBI, 1 SB, 2 BB, 0 K, .421 BA.
Season: 88 games, 336 AB, .256 BA, .319 OBP, .408 SLG, .727 OPS, 16 2B, 1 3B, 11 HR, 42 R, 38 RBI, 2 SB, 30 BB, 55 K.
Notable: Erceg raised his average 10 points, closing the week by going 2 for 3 with a double and home run at Jacksonville on July 15 and then with a 4 for 4 outing the next day, adding another homer. In his last eight games, Erceg has five home runs and just one strikeout.
Keston Hiura, 2B (Age 21/Double-A)
Last week: 3 games, 11 AB, 5 H, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, 1 SB, 2 BB, 2 K, .455 BA.
Season (Double-A): 33 games, 129 AB, .287 BA, .352 OBP, .450 SLG, .802 OPS, 12 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 19 R, 7 RBI, 7 SB, 8 BB, 24 K.
Season (High-A): 50 games, 206 AB, .320 BA, .382 OBP, .529 SLG, .911 OPS, 16 2B, 3 3B, 7 HR, 38 R, 23 RBI, 4 SB, 14 BB, 47 K.
Notable: After slumping last week, Hiura upped his OPS by nearly 60 points despite playing in only three games. That was thanks in large part to going 4 for 4 with a home run on July 13. Hiura batted fifth in Sunday's Futures Game and went 0 for 2 with two strikeouts.
Luis Ortiz, SP (age 22/Double-A)
Last week: DNP
Season: 13 games (8 starts), 1-4, 2 SV, 4.33 ERA, 52 IP, 54 H, 6 HR, 16 BB, 53 K, .262 OBA, 1.35 WHIP.
Notable: Ortiz pitched one-third of an inning at Sunday's Futures Game, retiring the only batter he faced, Yusniel Diaz, who had homered twice previously, to end the game. He last pitched for Biloxi on July 11.
Corey Ray, OF (age 23/Double-A)
Last week: 5 games, 21 AB, 5 H, 3 2B, 5 R, 2 RBI, 2 SB, 4 BB, 7 K, .238 BA.
Season: 91 games, 364 AB, .247 BA, .341 OBP, .478 SLG, .819 OPS, 24 2B, 6 3B, 16 HR, 58 R, 51 RBI, 28 SB, 48 BB, 113 K.
Notable: Ray had some fun on the basepaths at Jacksonville. He stole two bases on July 13, four on July 15 and one more on July 16. Ray hasn't been caught stealing since June 15, with 11 steals since.
Brice Turang, SS (age 18/Rookie)
Last week: 3 games, 11 AB, 3 H, 3 R, 0 RBI, 2 SB, 3 BB, 2 K, .273 BA.
Season: 3 games, 11 AB, .273 BA, .429 OBP, .273 SLG, .701 OPS, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 R, 0 RBI, 2 SB, 3 BB, 2 K.
Notable: Batting second in the lineup, Milwaukee's first-round pick this year singled in his first pro at-bat, which came on July 13. Turang played in three of the Arizona League Brewers' four games last week and recorded one hit and one walk in each. After striking out in his first game, Turang didn't whiff in the next two, and also stole a base in each of the final two contests. At short, he fielded all 15 of his chances cleanly, with six putouts and two double plays turned.
Others: Colorado Springs OF Domingo Santana hit .304/.452/.609 with his first two home runs since being sent down, both coming against Round Rock on July 17. On the downside, he also struck out 11 times in 23 at-bats. … Sky Sox IF Jake Hager had 12 hits (.387) last week, including games of five hits and four hits. … Carolina OF Weston Wilson (17th round, 2016) was 10 for 18 (.556) with three doubles, two home runs, six runs and five RBI in five games. … Mudcats OF Cooper Hummel (18th round, 2016) hit .412 with three doubles and a homer. … Wisconsin RHP Dylan File (21st round, 2017) threw just 88 pitches in eight innings at South Bend, allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts. … Wisconsin C KJ Harrison (3rd round, 2017) hit .385 with a .577 slugging percentage last week. … Timber Rattlers OF Tristen Lutz (1st round comp., 2017) hit .333/.407/.667 with two doubles, two homers, five runs and six RBI. … OF/1B Bryan Connell, RHP Wilber Perez and OF Carlos Rodriguez were named DSL All-Stars.
Statistics courtesy milb.com and STATS
Dave Heller is the author of Ken Williams: A Slugger in Ruth's Shadow (a Larry Ritter Book Award nominee), 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
