Brewers' prospects advised to ignore rankings
PHOENIX – As the rebuilding Milwaukee Brewers have restocked their farm system over the past two years with a large group of highly rated minor-league prospects, they improved their standing on lists from those who publish rankings.
Brewers fans have seen a growing number of the organization’s top prospects rise on national lists, increasing their profile. The players also see those lists and Brewers manager Craig Counsell said he and his staff have encouraged them not to obsess over them or lose focus on the job at hand.
“The message we’ve given all minor-leaguers is that everybody’s on a list,” Counsell said Thursday. “We’ve made it harder on them as far as expectations, and focusing on things that are really irrelevant – where you are on a list.
“People love lists. It makes everything clean. Lists make life clean. But for these guys, it’s external stuff and unneeded stuff. They get more stuff put in their orbit that’s useless.
“It’s part of the maturation for young players now. It’s not a bad thing. It’s the next thing you have to deal with. It’s the players’ interpretation. They get more stuff from the outside. We give them more information. They have more of a media presence, or aware of their status. So, it’s a challenge for them.”
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In the recent Top 100 prospects list by Baseball America magazine, the Brewers had six players ranked: outfielder Lewis Brinson, No. 27; left-hander Josh Hader, No. 33; outfielder Corey Ray, No. 42; right-hander Luis Ortiz, No. 79; right-hander Brandon Woodruff, No. 82; and infielder Isan Diaz, No. 93.
Accordingly, big things will be expected of those players as they rise through the minor leagues. Counsell said the message to those prospects is not to let the outside noise affect their play.
“It’s something new that this generation deals with,” he said. “And I respect that it’s harder, for sure. It’s a question we have to address with them.”
Just as rising up prospect lists can boost a player’s confidence and self-esteem, sliding down them can be discouraging. That happened to outfielder Brett Phillips after he had a tough 2016 season at Class AA Biloxi, knocking him out of the Brewers Top 10 as ranked by Baseball America.
Phillips, 22, struggled at times to make contact at Biloxi, striking out 154 times in 517 plate appearances. In 124 games, he batted .229 with a .729 OPS, 16 home runs and 62 RBI.
The Brewers sent Phillips to the Arizona Fall League to work on things and he scuffled there as well, batting .210 with a .673 OPS in 19 games with 23 strikeouts in 62 at-bats. To say the least, it was a humbling year for Phillips, giving him new motivation this spring.
“I’m putting that season behind me,” Phillips said. “That was a learning experience for me. It was the first time in my career I failed. You learn from those failures. You learn how to deal with adversity.
“It was a matter of not being as selective at the plate. I might have been trying to do too much. I don’t have to do that. Just go out and be who I am.”
Phillips missed much of spring training in 2016 with an oblique strain, preventing him from getting in games in his first camp with the Brewers. But he did not use that as an excuse for going on to a trying season in Biloxi.
“I still got off to a pretty good start,” he said. “I don’t have an excuse. It was a down year and I’m putting it behind me. I’m looking forward to this year and redeeming myself. Every year, you have something to prove. You have to continue to get better.”
As for the increased competition in the stronger farm system, particularly in the outfield, Phillips said, “I think it’s awesome. Competition brings out the best in you. We have amazing depth but the more talent, the better. The more talent we have, the better we’re going to be in the big leagues.”
Heroes back home: Infielders Yadiel Rivera and Ivan De Jesus Jr. played big roles in leading Puerto Rico to its first Caribbean Series title in 17 years. In the championship game against home team Mexico, Rivera doubled and scored the only run in the 10th inning.
Rivera batted .364 with a .417 on-base percentage in that five-country tournament. De Jesus Jr. was named outstanding designated hitter of the tourney after batting .500 with a 1.242 OPS and four RBI.
“It was amazing,” said Rivera, who also caught a line drive to end the game. “That was like a Game 7, do or die. We were the underdog. When we got back home, people were celebrating in the airport. Then, we had a parade in my hometown, Caguas. It was my hometown team. That made it even better."
Brewers minor-league pitcher Hiram Burgos also was on that team.