Milwaukee Brewers: Breaking Down the Top 5 Prospects in the Brewers' Farm System

Prior to the 2011 season, the Milwaukee Brewers emptied out their farm system in hopes of winning a World Series prior to losing Prince Fielder to free agency. They did win the National League Central and won a playoff series for the first time since 1982, but fell short of the ultimate goal. 

There are not a lot of impact players in the Brewers' system right now, but there are some quality prospects down on the farm. Having two first-round picks last year helps a lot, and they did well to get quality college pitchers who could move quickly. 

While there is still work to be done to get the system back to respectability, they do have pieces to work with. 

Here are the Top Five prospects for the Brewers entering the 2012 season. 

1. Wily Peralta, RHP, 22

Peralta's career had been uneven prior to the 2011 season. He always had the stuff to be a good starting pitcher, but his command was always spotty, at best, and he looked like he was going to be a hard-throwing reliever. Confidence and small adjustments made a world of difference for him, and he moved right to the top of the Brewers' prospect list as a result. 

Strengths: As much as Peralta has struggled to develop a good feel for his stuff in the early years, there was never any doubt about the quality of his pitches because of his easy delivery and velocity. His fastball sits in the mid-90's with good movement, and his slider has a good, late break to it that allows him to miss bats. 

Weaknesses: Despite showing improvements last season, I am still skeptical that Peralta will ever have better-than-average command. He did take steps forward, but he will have to prove that was a sign of maturity and not just a one-year aberration. 

Report: Peralta has the upside of a No. 2 starter, but it all depends on his ability to keep improving his command. If he builds off his success in 2011, he should be a part of the Brewers' rotation for a long time to come. His fastball-slider combination will make him at least a back-of-the-rotation arm, and if his changeup catches up to the other two pitches he will be dominant. 

ETA: 2012

2. Jed Bradley, LHP, 21

Bradley was projected to be a top 10 pick in last year's draft, but when he struggled during the spring his stock took a tumble. The Brewers grabbed him with the No. 15 pick, their second first-round pick that they received for not signing Dylan Covey the year before. 

Strengths: Bradley has a great pitcher's body. He is listed at 6'4" and 225 pounds. When he is on, he can get hitters out with his plus fastball or slider. He has a clean delivery that allows him to get easy velocity without putting too much stress on his shoulder. 

Weaknesses: The fact that Bradley struggled in college is a cause for some concern. He never had good command of his off-speed pitches and his future as a starter will depend on whether he can improve this aspect of his game.

Report: He has the body of a workhorse when he gets to the majors. He has the upside of a No. 2 starter, though his command issues could lower it to a No. 3. He will get his first taste of professional hitters this April, and could be ready to contribute within two years. 

ETA: 2014

3. Taylor Jungmann, RHP, 22

Pitching for Texas can be a red flag because of the way that head coach Augie Garrido abuses his arms, but Jungmann never had any problems during his time in Austin. He was one of the most consistent college pitchers, striking out at least 100 batters in three seasons.

Strengths: Like Bradley, Jungmann has a great pitcher's frame at 6'6" 220 pounds. He uses his size to throw the ball on a downhill plane, and his low-90's fastball has good movement. His pedigree in college likely means he won't have to wait long to get a call-up. 

Weaknesses: His delivery is a little unorthodox, because he doesn't use his legs as much as he should. Until that actually becomes a problem, there is no reason to change it. He doesn't have a consistent third pitch to complement his fastball and slider. He has a changeup, but he will have to throw it more often to get a feel for it. 

Report: Jungmann should be ready to join the big league rotation by the end of the 2013 season. He is nearly a finished product with a few small adjustments and things to improve on—like developing his changeup—in order to reach his potential. He should be a No. 3 starter. 

ETA: Late-2013

4. Scooter Gennett, 2B, 21

The Brewers have a habit of finding quality hitters in the draft, and Gennett is another potential big league starter that they plucked out of Florida in 2009. He won't be another Prince Fielder or Ryan Braun, but he does have some upside to make you optimistic about his future. 

Strengths: Gennett has been a very consistent hitter during his time in the minors. He has hit at least .300 in his first two seasons. He is a contact hitter who will drive the ball to all fields, though he doesn't have a lot of power. While his defensive performance leaves a lot to be desired, he does have the skills to be average with the glove thanks to good range and a strong arm. 

Weaknesses: As good as Gennett is at hitting, he doesn't like to take a lot of walks. He can put up a decent on-base percentage because he makes enough contact, but he would have more upside if he worked the count better. He needs to start getting results on the field with his glove. He has committed 47 errors in his first two seasons at second base. 

Report: As long as Gennett's glove comes along, he should be an average National League second baseman. He has a good swing and makes consistent contact, so hitting for a good average shouldn't be a problem. He needs to take some more walks, but for now it's nothing to be alarmed about. 

ETA: 2014

5. Tyler Thornburg, RHP, 23

It seems like anytime there is a smaller pitcher with a funky delivery, he is going to get compared to Tim Lincecum. Case in point: Tyler Thornburg. He is just 5'11" and 185 pounds with a jerky delivery, but his isn't as profound as Big Time Timmy Jim's. Plus, whenever fans hear that they start to get excited that their team has found a two-time Cy Young award winner. That's not how it works. 

Strengths: Thornburg's best pitch is his late-fading changeup that dives away from left-handed hitters. He has a good fastball that sits in the low-90's with some movement. His delivery and power stuff have allowed him to strike out 198 hitters in just 160 minor league innings. 

Weaknesses: As much as Thornburg's delivery helps him miss bats, it does hinder his control. He is still trying to find a consistent release point to keep his walk totals down. He also has to work on throwing his curveball for strikes. It has the potential to be a wipeout pitch, but he doesn't command it well at all. 

Report: Thornburg's delivery might be his greatest strength and weakness. It gives him great deception, which allows him to miss a lot of bats. At the same time, it prevents him from commanding his pitches with any consistency. He has the upside of a No. 3 starter, but could end up as a late-inning, high-leverage reliever. 

ETA: 2014

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