Young Brewers Tracker: Several prospects play in All-Star games
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 -- as well as noting others who might be stepping up -- measuring, highlighting and evaluating their progress. Please note the glossary of advanced stats at the bottom of the story.
This is the 10th edition of the Young Brewers Tracker.
IN THE MAJORS
Keon Broxton (age 25)
Last week: 2 games, 6 PA, 0 BB, 4 K, .000 BA, .000 OBP, .000 SLG, .000 OPS, -100 sOPS+, .000 BAbip
Season: 24 games, 64PA, .125 BA, .234 OBP, .143 SLG, .377 OPS, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 5 R, 1 RBI, 6 SB, 8 BB, 31 K, .280 BAbip, 5 OPS+, -0.3 WAR.
Notable: Broxton seems destined to be a backup this year and sent down when Domingo Santana returns from the disabled list. Broxton has appeared in 24 games -- and struck out in 21 of them. He has 6 Ks in his last 9 at-bats.
Zach Davies (age 23)
Last week: 1 games (1 start), 1-0, 1.29 ERA, 7 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 6 K, .200 OBA, .259 OBP, .320 SLG, 0.857 WHIP, 55 sOPS+, .222 BAbip,
Season: 12 games (12 starts), 5-3, 3.62 ERA, 69 2/3 IP, 1.148 WHIP, 7.8 H/9, 1.2 HR/9, 2.6 BB/9, 7.2 K/9, .235 OBA, .295 OBP, .408 SLG, 114 ERA+, 4.18 FIP, 0.6 WAR
Notable: Over the last month has made five starts, posting a 1.34 ERA while holding opponents to a slash line of 162/202/282.
Ramon Flores (age 23)
Last week: 5 games, 16 PA, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1 2B, 1 SB, 1 BB, 3 K, .429 BA, .467 OBP, .500 SLG, .967 OPS, 162 sOPS+, .545 BAbip
Season: 64 games, 179 PA, .247 BA, .322 OBP, .299 SLG, .621 OPS, 5 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 14 R, 15 RBI, 3 SB, 19 BB, 38 K, .311 BAbip, 69 OPS+, - 0.2 WAR.
Notable: Has a four-game hitting streak and has had a hit in six straight starts.
Yadiel Rivera (age 24)
Last week: 1 game, 4 PA, 1 R, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K, .333 BA, .333 OBP, .333 SLG, .667 OPS, 177 sOPS+, .500 BAbip
Season: 18 games, 51 PA, .204 BA, .220 OBP, .265 SLG, .485 OPS, 3 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 8 R, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 1 BB, 19 K, .333 BAbip, 30 OPS+, - 0.2 WAR.
Notable: Recalled when Hernan Perez went on paternity leave, Rivera got a start on June 22 and raised his average 8 points.
Domingo Santana (age 23)
Last week: n/a
Season: 40 games, 150 PA, .234 BA, .347 OBP, .391 SLG, .737 OPS, 8 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 19 R, 13 RBI, 0 SB, 21 BB, 52 K, 98 OPS+, .361 BAbip, -0.5 WAR.
Notable: Placed on the disabled list June 9 due to right elbow soreness.
Jonathan Villar (age 25)
Last week: 4 games, 18 PA, 0 R, 1 RBI, 1 SB, 0 BB, 5 K, .167 BA, .167 OBP, .167 SLG, .333 OPS, -16 sOPS+, .231 BAbip
Season: 69 games, 303 PA, .292 BA, .377 OBP, .423 SLG, .800 OPS, 16 2B, 0 3B, 6 HR, 37 R, 29 RBI, 25 SB, 36 BB, 77 K, 115 OPS+, .389 BAbip, 1.6 WAR.
Notable: Became the 15th player in Brewers history with 25 or more steals in a season. It has been done a total of 33 times in franchise history.
DOWN ON THE FARM
Orlando Arcia (age 21/Triple-A)
Last week: 8 games, 32 AB, 8 H, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 6 R, 6 RBI, 1 SB, 2 BB, 8 K, .250 BA.
Season: 67 games, 273 AB, .282 BA, .324 OBP, .418 SLG, .742 OPS, 9 2B, 5 3B, 6 HR, 43 R, 32 RBI, 10 SB, 17 BB, 45 K.
Notable: Played three games at second base this past week and has appeared there four times this year, cleanly fielding all 19 chances. Back at shortstop, homered in both ends of a June 22 doubleheader and had an extra-base hit in four straight games.
Season: 24 games, 84 AB, .214 BA, .365 OBP, .381 SLG, .746 OPS, 7 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 12 R, 7 RBI, 0 SB, 20 BB, 29 K.
Notable: In 12 May games, batted 220/396/415. In 12 June games thus far, has batted 209/333/349.
Clint Coulter (age 22/Single-A)
Last week: 4 games, 15 AB, 2 H, 0 R, 0 RBI, 0 BB, 3 K, .133 BA.
Season: 47 games, 174 AB, .213 BA, .278 OBP, .305 SLG, .583 OPS, 5 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 13 R, 16 RBI, 1 SB, 12 BB, 40 K.
Notable: Batting 232/290/357 in June after hitting 194/225/278 in May.
Isan Diaz (age 19/Single-A)
Last week: 4 games, 18 AB, 5 H, 3 2B, 1 R, 4 RBI, 0 SB, 0 BB, 4 K, .278 BA.
Season: 67 games, 254 AB, .232 BA, .309 OBP, .370 SLG, .679 OPS, 17 2B, 0 3B, 6 HR, 24 R, 36 RBI, 5 SB, 28 BB, 66 K.
Notable: Had nine-game hit streak snapped June 19. Was 0 for 2 with a walk and a run in the Midwest League All-Star Game.
Josh Hader (age 22/Triple-A)
Last week: 2 game (2 starts), 0-1, 9 IP, 13 H, 8 R, 5 BB, 9 K, 8.00 ERA.
Season (combined Double-A & Triple-A): 14 games (14 starts), 2-3, 2.00 ERA, 72 IP, 1.14 WHIP, 54 H, 2 HR, 28 BB, 91 K, .217 OBA.
Notable: Hader got his first tastes of pitching in Colorado. His first effort went well, allowing two runs in six innings on seven hits. But on June 22, he was pounded for six runs on eight hits in just three innings.
Adrian Houser (age 23/Double-A)
Last week: 1 game (1 start), 0-1, 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 4 K, 3.00 ERA.
Season: 12 games (12 starts), 3-6, 5.16 ERA, 66 1/3 IP, 1.37 WHIP, 71 H, 4 HR, 20 BB, 52 K, .276 OBA.
Notable: In three June starts Houser has a 1.42 ERA, .236 opponent batting average and 1.11 WHIP.
Jorge Lopez (age 23/Triple-A)
Last week: n/a
Season: 12 games (11 starts), 1-5, 5.56 ERA, 56 2/3 IP, 1.80 WHIP, 63 H, 2 HR, 39 BB, 44 K, .284 OBA
Notable: Was placed on the temporary inactive list June 16.
Jacob Nottingham (age 21/Double-A)
Last week: 3 games, 10 AB, 2 H, 0 R, 0 RBI, 0 SB, 0 BB, 3 K, .200 BA.
Season: 58 games, 212 AB, .255 BA, .319 OBP, .382 SLG, .701 OPS, 6 2B, 0 3B, 7 HR, 25 R, 21 RBI, 4 SB, 16 BB, 58 K.
Notable: Went 0 for 2 in Southern League All-Star Game.
Brett Phillips (Age 21/Double-A)
Last week: 4 games, 13 AB, 5 H, 1 2B, 1 R, 0 RBI, 1 BB, 4 K, .385 BA.
Season: 58 games, 213 AB, .258 BA, .342 OBP, .469 SLG, .811 OPS, 10 2B, 4 3B, 9 HR, 35 R, 34 RBI, 3 SB, 25 BB, 78 K.
Notable: Batting leadoff, went 1 for 3 with a run in the Southern League All-Star Game.
Michael Reed (age 23/Triple-A)
Last week: 8 games, 30 AB, 12 H, 4 R, 2 RBI, 2 SB, 4 BB, 8 K, .400 BA
Season: 60 games, 199 AB, .251 BA, .385 OBP, .337 SLG, .722 OPS, 9 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 32 R, 19 RBI, 12 SB, 41 BB, 56 K.
Notable: Has hits in nine of last 10 games -- including two three-hit games and a pair of two-hit games -- to raise his batting average from .216 to .251.
Others: At Southern League All-Star Game, 3B Garrett Cooper (6th round, 2013) played 1B and went 1 for 4 and LHP Stephen Peterson pitched one scoreless inning. . . . At Florida State League All-Star Game, SS Angel Ortega started and was 0 for 2 and catcher Dustin Houle (8th round, 2011) entered as a sub and went 1 for 1 with an RBI. . . . At the Midwest League All-Star Game, 3B Jake Gatewood (1st round, 2014) started and was 1 for 3 with a double and RBI, C Max McDowell (13th round, 2015) started and was 1 for 2 with a walk, C Mitch Gelfhi (28th round, 2015) subbed in at 1B and was 0 for 2 and OF David Denson (15th round, 2013) pinch-hit and served as DH and went 0 for 2.
A glossary of some of the advanced statistics used:
OPS: On base percentage + slugging percentage
OPS+: OPS compared to league average of 100, adjusted to the player's ballpark
sOPS+: OPS for the split (in our case the last 7 days) compared to the league's split OPS (100 being average).
BAbip: Batting average on balls in play.
WHIP: Walks plus hits divided by innings pitched.
ERA+: ERA compared to league average of 100, adjusted to the player's ballpark
FIP: Fielding Independent Pitching. Measures a pitcher's effectiveness at presenting home runs, walks and hit by pitches while causing strikeouts. The MLB average FIP is the same as the MLB average ERA.
WAR: Wins Above Replacement value. Represents the number of wins the player added to the team above what a replacement player would add (we are using WAR from baseball-reference.com).
Statistics courtesy baseball-reference.com and milb.com
Dave Heller is the author of the upcoming 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
