Brewers OF prospect Phillips picks up where he left off in Triple-A

By Dave Heller
Published

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 14th edition of the 2017 Young Brewers Tracker.

 

Mauricio Dubon (Age 23/Triple-A)

Last week: 6 games, 25 AB, 8 H, 2 2B, 1 HR, 6 R, 2 RBI, 2 SB, 2 BB, 3 K, .320 BA.

Season: 31 games, 137 AB, .292 BA, .326 OBP, .460 SLG, .786 OPS, 11 2B, 0 3B, 4 HR, 24 R, 22 RBI, 6 SB, 6 BB, 20 K.

Notable: On July 27 vs. Tacoma, Dubon went 3 for 3 with five runs, an RBI, double, home run and steal. He has nine multiple-hit games over his last 14 games.


















 

Jake Gatewood (Age 21/Single-A)


Last week: 7 games, 26 AB, 6 H, 3 2B, 4 R, 5 RBI, 0 SB, 1 BB, 9 K, .231 BA.

Season: 107 games, 404 AB, .270 BA, .341 OBP, .443 SLG, .784 OPS, 35 2B, 1 3B, 11 HR, 64 R, 52 RBI, 7 SB, 42 BB, 126 K.

Notable: Gatewood hit .255/.311/.382 in 29 July games but had 11 doubles. He is tied for the Carolina League lead in doubles with 35 but is also second in strikeouts.

 

Keston Hiura (Age 21/Low-A)


Last week: 8 games, 31 AB, 10 H, 2 2B, 1 3B, 5 R, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 0 BB, 9 K, .323 BA.

Season (Single-A): 14 games, 57 AB, .368 BA, .379 OBP, .526 SLG, .906 OPS, 5 2B, 2 3B, 0 HR, 7 R, 8 RBI, 0 SB, 0 BB, 14 K.

Notable: Aug. 1 marked the first time in Hiura's first 28 professional games in which he didn't have a hit or a walk (he was 0 for 4). He rebounded the next day, his 21st birthday, going 1 for 4, giving him a hit in 27 of his first 29 games. He is still looking for his first walk at the Single-A level.

 

Jacob Nottingham (age 22/Double-A)

Last week: 4 games, 14 AB, 2 H, 1 R, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 2 BB, 6 K, .143 BA.

Season: 78 games, 254 AB, .220 BA, .327 OBP, .370 SLG, .697 OPS, 19 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 28 R, 38 RBI, 4 SB, 25 BB, 65 K.

Notable: After being named the Brewers' minor-league Player of the Month in June, Nottingham slipped to .152/.278/.303 with 22 strikeouts in 20 games in July.



 

Luis Ortiz (age 21/Double-A)

Last week: n/a

Season: 17 games (17 starts), 4-5, 3.57 ERA, 80.2 IP, 60 H, 9 HR, 31 BB, 72 K, .207 OBA, 1.13 WHIP.

Notable: Ortiz was scratched from his July 30 start due to illness and was supposed to get back on the mound Aug. 1, but he wasn't ready to go just yet and was scratched again.

 

Brett Phillips (age 23/Triple-A)

Last week: 5 games, 16 AB, 7 H, 1 2B, 1 3B, 5 R, 0 RBI, 1 SB, 6 BB, 4 K, .438 BA.

Season: 81 games, 296 AB, .301 BA, .373 OBP, .584 SLG, .958 OPS, 17 2B, 8 3B, 17 HR, 63 R, 66 RBI, 6 SB, 35 BB, 97 K.

Notable: Sent back to Colorado Springs on July 27, Phillips picked up right where he left off, going to 2 for 5 in his return game and on July 31 collecting three hits. He finished the month batting .364/.438/.691 with eight extra-base hits -- including four homers -- in 14 games.

 

Corey Ray (age 22/Single-A)

Last week: 7 games, 25 AB, 7 H, 3 2B, 1 HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, 1 SB, 3 BB, 7 K, .280 BA.

Season: 85 games, 340 AB, .238 BA, .314 OBP, .379 SLG, .694 OPS, 24 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, 45 R, 39 RBI, 20 SB, 38 BB, 118 K.

Notable: While Ray hit just .195/.265/.307 in 24 July games, he has hits in his last four games and nine of his last 10.



 

Others: OF Johnny Davis (22nd round, 2013) had a five-hit game (with a homer, 2 RBI and 2 SB) on Aug. 2, just the second five-hit game in Biloxi franchise history. Overall, Davis hit .393/.433/.571 with four steals last week. …  Biloxi RHP Corbin Burnes (4th round, 2016) hadn't allowed four runs in a game all season but now has done it in back-to-back starts. On July 27 he allowed 4 R in just 2 IP. … OF Tony Stokes Jr. (4th round, 2014) was the organization's Player of the Month for July and promoted from Carolina to Biloxi on July 27. … Carolina SS Isan Diaz's struggles continue. He was just 2 for 17 (.118) in the past week. … Mudcats OF Monte Harrison (2nd round, 2014) hit .370 with three homers and seven RBI. … Wisconsin OF Demi Orimoloye hit .370/.414/.593 last week with three doubles, a homer and two steals. … Timber Rattlers RHP Thomas Jankins (13th round, 2016) pitched 11 scoreless innings in his two appearances, allowing eight hits and three walks while striking out 10.

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