Top Ten Prospects: Milwaukee Brewers
Complete Index of Top 10s

By John Manuel
November 21, 2005

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Baseball America's Top 10 Prospects lists are based on projections of a player's long-term worth after discussions with scouting and player-development personnel. All players who haven't exceeded the major league rookie standards of 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched (without regard to service time) are eligible. Ages are as of April 1, 2006.

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TOP TEN PROSPECTS

1. Prince Fielder, 1b 2. Mark Rogers, rhp 3. Ryan Braun, 3b 4. Yovani Gallardo, rhp 5. Corey Hart, of/3b 6. Alcides Escobar, ss 7. Dana Eveland, lhp 8. Nelson Cruz, of 9. Jose Capellan, rhp 10. Will Inman, rhp

BEST TOOLS

Best Hitter for Average Ryan Braun Best Power Hitter Prince Fielder Best Strike-Zone Discipline Anthony Gwynn Fastest Baserunner Darren Ford Best Athlete Charlie Fermaint Best Fastball Mark Rogers Best Curveball Ben Hendrickson Best Slider Mark Rogers Best Changeup Carlos Villanueva Best Control Tim Dillard Best Defensive Catcher Lou Palmisano Best Defensive Infielder Alcides Escobar Best Infield Arm Enrique Cruz Best Defensive Outfielder Charlie Fermaint Best Outfield Arm Nelson Cruz

TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE

Team Player, Pos. 2005 Org 1996 Jeff D'Amico, rhp Out of baseball 1997 Todd Dunn, of Out of baseball 1998 Valerio de los Santos, lhp Marlins 1999 Ron Belliard, 2b Indians 2000 Nick Neugebauer, rhp Out of baseball 2001 Ben Sheets, rhp Brewers 2002 Nick Neugebauer, rhp Out of baseball 2003 Brad Nelson, 1b Brewers 2004 Rickie Weeks, 2b Brewers 2005 Rickie Weeks, 2b Brewers

TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE

Team Player, Pos. 2005 Org 1996 Chad Green, of Out of baseball 1997 Kyle Peterson, rhp Out of baseball 1998 J.M. Gold, rhp Out of baseball 1999 Ben Sheets, rhp Brewers 2000 Dave Krynzel, of Brewers 2001 Mike Jones, rhp Brewers 2002 Prince Fielder, 1b Brewers 2003 Rickie Weeks, 1b Brewers 2004 Mark Rogers, rhp Brewers 2005 Ryan Braun, 3b Brewers

LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY

Rickie Weeks, 2003 $3,600,000 Ben Sheets, 1999 $2,450,000 Ryan Braun, 2005 $2,450,000 Prince Fielder, 2002 $2,400,000 Mark Rogers, 2004 $2,200,000

One more win would have been nice. That way, the Brewers could say they had their first winning season since 1992. Instead, the 2005 team’s 81-81 record meant Milwaukee had its first non-losing season since that club, snapping a tie with the Pirates for baseball’s longest active streak of sub-.500 seasons at 12.

Undeniably, the Brewers made progress. They attained the .500 mark despite a modest $42 million payroll and staff ace Ben Sheets missing 10 starts.

Owner Mark Attanasio, 48, brought a new vibe to the organization, which finally shed its link to commissioner (and former owner) Bud Selig. Attanasio increased payroll from $27 million in 2004, and he thanked fans for their support by giving them free tickets to the season finale.
With success, however modest, comes expectations. The Brewers hope they’re passing .500 on the way up, not just visiting.

“One of the best things about getting to .500 is we don’t have to hear about it anymore,” general manager Doug Melvin told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “But the biggest thing it creates is new challenges for us. It raises the bar, which I think we all need to do . . . But it’s going to be tougher to get to the next level.”

Because of a farm system still stocked with talent, even after graduating rookie middle infielders J.J. Hardy and Rickie Weeks to Milwaukee in 2005, the Brewers are poised to get better. Top prospect Prince Fielder, versatile Corey Hart and pitchers Jose Capellan and Dana Eveland also got time in the majors and should play larger roles in 2006.

Melvin has some interesting choices to make this offseason. At first base, he can go with Fielder or Lyle Overbay, a consistent hitter who’s arbitration-eligible. Hart is blocked on the outfield corners by all-star Carlos Lee and Geoff Jenkins, but could be in the mix at third base, where Bill Hall broke through. Eveland could slide into the fifth spot in the rotation, unless Melvin pursues a free agent.

They’re all good problems to have. The Brewers have talent at the upper levels of the minors to help now while maintaining some depth. Scouting director Jack Zduriencik continues to execute a simple philosophy of drafting the best player available, and Milwaukee continues to pay the market rate for top talent. The latest example of this came when the Brewers signed Ryan Braun, the fifth overall pick in the 2005 draft, for $2.45 million.

Melvin’s Brewers have excelled at finding talent wherever they can, from independent leagues to Canadian draftees to the waiver wire, which has produced closer Derrick Turnbow and center fielder Brady Clark to name two. Now they’ve decided to become more of a player internationally, and international scouting director Fernando Arango came through by signing Rolando Pascual, the most coveted amateur pitcher in the Dominican Republic, for $710,000.

As the Pascual signing showed, these aren’t the same Brewers anymore. The best evidence yet would be a season over .500.

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