Luis Lara

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #9 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/High
  
  Track Record: As a skinny 5-foot-6 outfielder, Lara didn’t get a ton of attention early in the scouting process in Venezuela. The Brewers were drawn to his mix of quick-twitch athleticism, hitting ability and defense at a premium position, signing him for $1.1 million when the international signing period opened on Jan. 15, 2022. Lara made his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League that year and was so advanced that the Brewers pushed him in 2023 to Low-A Carolina as an 18-year-old before another an August promotion to High-A Wisconsin.
  
  Scouting Report: Lara is a small, athletic switch-hitter with an accurate barrel and solid grasp of the strike zone who struck out in just 15% of his plate appearances in 2023. He starts his swing with his barrel tipped toward the pitcher but is able to keep his hands direct to the ball with good balance and the bat control to make consistent contact against fastballs and breaking stuff. He’s comfortable letting the ball travel deep into the hitting zone, using the whole field and shooting line drives the opposite way. Lara’s future power is a question mark. He’s small and has just two home runs in 145 career games, so he might never have more than below-average power. More bullish evaluators can point to his youth, high upper-end exit velocities--up to 110 mph--and potential to develop more impact once he learns which pitches to turn on with pull power as reasons to believe there’s more impact coming. He draws strong reviews for his defense in center field, where he’s a potential above-average defender with plus speed, a quick first step, athletic movements and an above-average arm.
  
  The Future: Lara’s hitting ability is polished for his age, but the key will be to prove he can hit for more power. He will again be one of the youngest players in the league when he opens 2024 in Wisconsin.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 30 | Run: 60 | Field: 55 | Arm: 55
• 
  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #12 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: As an amateur in Venezuela, Lara wasn't getting much attention early in the scouting process as a slender 5-foot-6 outfielder. The Brewers have been as aggressive as any team in Venezuela and watched him develop into an explosive athlete with impressive game skills, and signed him for $1.1 million when the international signing period opened on Jan. 15, 2022. He drew more excitement after making his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League.
  
  Scouting Report: Lara is a quick-burst athlete with a sweet swing from both sides of the plate. It's a short, quick swing with good rhythm and timing. He has strong bat-to-ball skills with a 12% strikeout rate in the DSL and a solid grasp of the strike zone for his age. Lara is small but he isn't a slap hitter, and takes aggressive swings with good bat speed from both sides of the plate with exit velocities up to 108 mph. Some scouts question his future power because of his size, while others think he could hit 20 homers in the big leagues. He's a 70 runner on the 20-80 scale with a quick first step and good range in center field, where he has a solid-average arm.
  
  The Future: A potential tablesetter at the top of a lineup who can play a premium position, Lara has been an arrow-up player and the most exciting Latin American signing in the system beneath the full-season level. He should make his U.S. debut in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League, though time at Low-A Carolina by the end of the year is possible.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 45. Speed: 70. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: As an amateur in Venezuela, Lara wasn't getting much attention early in the scouting process as a slender 5-foot-6 outfielder. The Brewers have been as aggressive as any team in Venezuela and watched him develop into an explosive athlete with impressive game skills, and signed him for $1.1 million when the international signing period opened on Jan. 15, 2022. He drew more excitement after making his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League.
  
  Scouting Report: Lara is a quick-burst athlete with a sweet swing from both sides of the plate. It's a short, quick swing with good rhythm and timing. He has strong bat-to-ball skills with a 12% strikeout rate in the DSL and a solid grasp of the strike zone for his age. Lara is small but he isn't a slap hitter, and takes aggressive swings with good bat speed from both sides of the plate with exit velocities up to 108 mph. Some scouts question his future power because of his size, while others think he could hit 20 homers in the big leagues. He's a 70 runner on the 20-80 scale with a quick first step and good range in center field, where he has a solid-average arm.
  
  The Future: A potential tablesetter at the top of a lineup who can play a premium position, Lara has been an arrow-up player and the most exciting Latin American signing in the system beneath the full-season level. He should make his U.S. debut in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League, though time at Low-A Carolina by the end of the year is possible.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 45. Speed: 70. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: As an amateur in Venezuela, Lara wasn't getting much attention early in the scouting process as a slender 5-foot-6 outfielder. The Brewers have been as aggressive as any team in Venezuela and watched him develop into an explosive athlete with impressive game skills, and signed him for $1.1 million when the international signing period opened on Jan. 15, 2022. He drew more excitement after making his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League.
  
  Scouting Report: Lara is a quick-burst athlete with a sweet swing from both sides of the plate. It's a short, quick swing with good rhythm and timing. He has strong bat-to-ball skills with a 12% strikeout rate in the DSL and a solid grasp of the strike zone for his age. Lara is small but he isn't a slap hitter, and takes aggressive swings with good bat speed from both sides of the plate with exit velocities up to 108 mph. Some scouts question his future power because of his size, while others think he could hit 20 homers in the big leagues. He's a 70 runner on the 20-80 scale with a quick first step and good range in center field, where he has a solid-average arm.
  
  The Future: A potential tablesetter at the top of a lineup who can play a premium position, Lara has been an arrow-up player and the most exciting Latin American signing in the system beneath the full-season level. He should make his U.S. debut in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League, though time at Low-A Carolina by the end of the year is possible.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 45. Speed: 70. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/Extreme
  
  Midseason Update: Lara ranked as the Brewers&#39 No. 17 prospect in May prior to making his pro debut. Now that he&#39s playing, he&#39s backing up the exciting reports from scouts with strong performance in the Dominican Summer League. Lara is small but explosive with a sweet swing, good bat-to-ball skills and impressive defense in center field.
  
  Track Record: Early in the scouting process in Venezuela, Lara was a slender 5-foot-6 outfielder who wasn&#39 t getting much attention. He&#39 s still on the smaller side at 5-foot-9, but he has developed into an exciting, high-energy player with a promising mix of athleticism, tools and game skills, joining the Brewers as one of their top international signings for the 2021-22 signing period when it opened on Jan. 15, 2022.
  
  Scouting Report: Lara is a premium, quick-twitch athlete and a true switch-hitter with good bat speed from both sides of the plate. His swing is short and quick with good rhythm and a knack for being on time, leading to a high contact rate in games. At Lara&#39 s size, some scouts question is ultimate power upside, though others say he puts a surprising charge into the ball for his size and think he has a chance to be a 20-plus home run threat. His best tool is his plus-plus speed, with a good gait to sprint around center field with good range and closing speed, along with a solid-average arm.
  
  The Future: Lara was not heavily scouted in Venezuela, but the Brewers have been as aggressive as any team in that country in recent years. Lara is another arrow-up player who joins an impressive collection of Venezuelan prospects in the lower levels of the system.