Brewers prospect No. 1 2017 draft pick Hiura gets a promotion

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 12th edition of the 2017 Young Brewers Tracker.

 

Lewis Brinson (Age 23/Triple-A)

Last week: 5 games, 22 AB, 9 H, 3 R, 1 RBI, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 SB, 3 BB, 3 K, .409 BA.

Season: 63 games, 249 AB, .345 BA, .418 OBP, .570 SLG, .988 OPS, 20 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 60 R, 43 RBI, 11 SB, 29 BB, 54 K.

Notable: Brinson returned from the MLB Futures Game and Triple-A All-Star break and picked up right where he left off, hitting in five straight out of the break to give him a 14-game hitting streak. On July 17, he went 4 for 7 at Omaha -- his third four-hit game of the season. He is now fourth in the PCL in batting average, although the leader, former teammate Garrett Cooper is now out of the league and with the Yankees. Nos. 2 and 3 in the PCL are major-league veterans Ivan De Jesus Jr. (also a Colorado Springs teammate) and Oswaldo Arcia.


















 

Ryan Cordell (Age 25/Triple-A)

Season: 68 games, 261 AB, .284 BA, .349 OBP, .506 SLG, .855 OPS, 18 2B, 5 3B, 10 HR, 49 R, 45 RBI, 9 SB, 25 BB, 65 K.

Notable: Cordell remains on the disabled list, where he was placed June 30 with a back injury. He hasn't played since June 26.



 

Mauricio Dubon (Age 22/Triple-A)

Last week: 5 games, 26 AB, 7 H, 2 R, 5 RBI, 3 2B, 0 SB, 0 BB, 8 K, .269 BA.

Season: 19 games, 86 AB, .244 BA, .278 OBP, .395 SLG, .673 OPS, 7 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 13 R, 14 RBI, 2 SB, 4 BB, 14 K.

Notable: Dubon had three two-hit games last week, including socking a pair of doubles at Omaha on July 19. However, he's found it a little more problematic to steal at the Triple-A level. At Biloxi, before being promoted, Dubon stole 31 bases in 40 attempts. Thus far at Colorado Springs, he has two steals and been caught three times.

 

Jake Gatewood (Age 21/Single-A)


Last week: 5 games, 22 AB, 6 H, 1 2B, 3 R, 5 RBI, 0 SB, 2 BB, 7 K, .272 BA.

Season: 93 games, 352 AB, .278 BA, .352 OBP, .457 SLG, .809 OPS, 31 2B, 1 3B, 10 HR, 58 R, 46 RBI, 7 SB, 38 BB, 107 K.

Notable: Gatewood has a hit in nine of his last 10 games, including a two-hit day against Down East on July 14.


































 

Keston Hiura (Age 20/Rookie)


Last week: 5 games, 22 AB, 11 H, 1 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 5 R, 5 RBI, 0 SB, 0 BB, 2 K, .500 BA.

Season (Rookie): 15 games, 62 AB, .435 BA, .500 OBP, .839 SLG, 1.339 OPS, 3 2B, 5 3B, 4 HR, 18 R, 18 RBI, 0 SB, 6 BB, 13 K.

Season (Single-A): 1 games, 4 AB, .250 BA, .250 OBP, .250 SLG, .500 OPS, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 R, 1 RBI, 0 SB, 0 BB, 0 K.

Notable: After tearing up Rookie ball, Hiura (who led the league in batting average, triples, slugging percentage and OPS) was promoted to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers on July 18. He made his debut the next day at home against South Bend. Batting third as the designated hitter, he went 1 for 4 with an RBI.

 

Jacob Nottingham (age 22/Double-A)

Last week: 5 games, 17 AB, 4 H, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 R, 6 RBI, 0 SB, 1 BB, 3 K, .235 BA.

Season: 71 games, 229 AB, .231 BA, .337 OBP, .384 SLG, .721 OPS, 19 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 26 R, 32 RBI, 4 SB, 22 BB, 55 K.

Notable: On July 15, Nottingham was 2 for 2 with a double, a homer (his first since June 26) and four RBI. On July 19 he hit his second triple of the season, with the other coming exactly three months earlier.


























 

Luis Ortiz (age 21/Double-A)

Last week: 2 games (2 starts), 0-1, 9.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 5 BB, 8 K

Season: 16 games (16 starts), 3-5, 3.79 ERA, 73.2 IP, 56 H, 8 HR, 31 BB, 65 K, .211 OBA, 1.18 WHIP.

Notable: After a string of bad starts, including walking five in a short 3 2/3 inning stint July 13 vs. Birmingham, Ortiz twirled a beauty at Mississippi on July 19: 6 innings, 1 hit, 0 runs, 0 walks, 6 strikeouts.



 

Corey Ray (age 22/Single-A)

Last week: 6 games, 19 AB, 3 H, 2 2B, 2 R, 1 RBI, 0 SB, 3 BB, 7 K, .158 BA.

Season: 72 games, 289 AB, .232 BA, .312 OBP, .356 SLG, .668 OPS, 20 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 35 R, 34 RBI, 18 SB, 35 BB, 102 K.

Notable: Ray had has first multiple-hit game of the month, going 2 for 5 with a pair of doubles on July 17 at Salem.

 

Others: RHP Brandon Woodruff (11th round, 2014) made a rehab start for Colorado Springs at Omaha on July 19 and allowed three runs on three hits in 3 2/3 innings. …  Biloxi 2B Wendell Rijo was 2 for 19 and is now hitting just .183 in 31 games since being moved up to Double-A. … Carolina RHP Nate Griep (8th round, 2015) leads the Carolina League in saves with 17 (next closest has 12) and has allowed just two runs since June 1 (11 2/3 IP, 5 H, 11 K over that span). … Wisconsin 3B Weston Wilson (17th round, 2016) hit .348 with a .783 slugging percentage (including 2 HR) and 8 RBI. He has 20 RBI in his first 26 games with the team. … Helena OF Nic Pierre was 10 for 19 (.526) with three doubles last week. … Once-promising IF prospect Gilbert Lara, 19, was sent down from Wisconsin to Helena. He was hitting just .189/.226/.269 with the Timber Rattlers.

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