Mario Feliciano

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #18 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Feliciano made his major league debut in 2021, drawing an 11th-inning walk and coming around to score the winning run in a May 1 victory over the Dodgers. That was Feliciano’s only big league plate appearance and little else went right for him during the year. A right shoulder impingement limited his playing time, and when he did get on the field at Triple-A Nashville, he struggled.
  
  Scouting Report: While his numbers dropped in 2021, Feliciano has generally been an offensive-minded catcher when healthy. He has above-average raw power that he generates from a loose swing with some length to it, but his proclivity to expand the strike zone eats away at his productivity and leads to too many empty swings. Behind the plate, Felciiano is agile and athletic and shows a solid-average arm when healthy. That often wasn’t the case in 2021, though, and his slower transfer led him to throw out just 19% of basestealers.
  
  The Future: It’s possible that injuries simply masked Feliciano’s true ability last year, but the 2022 season will be critical for Feliciano to rebound on both sides of the ball. He should start 2022 back in Triple-A.
  
• 
  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #7 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 40. Power: 60. Running: 40. Fielding: 45. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: The Brewers have pushed Feliciano aggressively since drafting him in the supplemental second round in 2016, but he responded by winning the high Class A Carolina League MVP award as a 20-year-old in 2019, one year after he played just 46 games and had offseason shoulder surgery. Feliciano spent 2020 at the alternate training site in Appleton, Wis., where he was the Brewers’ most consistent offensive performer.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Feliciano made more frequent contact when he first entered the organization, but has traded contact for power the last two seasons. He has plus raw power and a sound swing, but he chases too many pitches outside the strike zone and needs to become a more disciplined hitter. Feliciano is an offensive-oriented player but should end up good enough defensively to stick behind the plate. He’s agile and a good athlete for a catcher with a slightly above-average arm. He threw out 28% of basestealers in 2019, and his throwing showed continued signs of improvement in 2020.
  
  THE FUTURE: Feliciano has a chance to develop into a power-hitting, everyday catcher, but only if he can rein in his aggressive approach and keep his strikeouts manageable. After a cameo at the level in 2019, he’ll return to Double-A in 2021.
• 
  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #6 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: After an injury-plagued 2018 limited Feliciano to just 42 games and resulted in offseason shoulder surgery, the Puerto Rican catcher needed to reestablish himself as a top prospect in the system. He did exactly that, leading the high Class A Carolina League with 19 homers, 81 RBIs, a .477 slugging percentage, 48 extra-base hits and 210 total bases at age 20 and winning the league's MVP award.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A bat-first player, Feliciano finally made strides offensively but should also develop into a high-caliber defender with more games behind the plate. He has a compact swing and makes consistent hard contact to all fields and is learning to tap into his average power more and more in games. Feliciano is an aggressive hitter who rarely walks and is prone to striking out—his swinging-strike rate was one of the highest in the minors—but his plate discipline should improve with maturity and experience. Feliciano is a good athlete who runs well for a catcher and shows agility behind the plate. His plus arm strength and quick release discourages runners from taking liberties on the bases.
  
  THE FUTURE: Feliciano has all the tools to develop into an everyday catcher, but he still needs to show he can repeat his breakout 2019. He will try to do that at Double-A Biloxi in 2020.
• 
  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #23 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Feliciano has moved slowly since the Brewers signed him for $800,000 as the 75th overall pick in 2016, in large part due to injury. He missed the first two months of 2018 with an arm injury and played in just 42 games for high Class A Carolina. The Brewers sent him to the Arizona Fall League to get more at-bats, but he reported right shoulder discomfort and had arthroscopic surgery at the beginning of November.
  
  Scouting Report: When healthy, Feliciano projects as an offensive player. He has a smooth swing with good barrel-to-ball ability that generates hard contact to all fields. He has shown a natural feel for hitting at a young age and should hit for average with health and experience. Feliciano has shown some power, but it has not translated to many home runs. As he gets stronger and learns better pitch recognition, his power is expected to play more into the double-digit home run range. For a catcher, Feliciano is a good athlete who runs respectably, and that athleticism helps him behind the plate, where he moves well and displays an above-average arm.
  
  The Future: Feliciano's physical tools are there, but he needs to stay on the field and accumulate more games behind the plate to work things out. He is expected to be ready for spring training.
• 
  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #20 prospect in 2018
  The Brewers knew Feliciano's offense was ahead of his defense when they drafted him 75th overall in 2016 but liked his tools enough to believe that he could develop into a solid defensive catcher. Feliciano made his full-season debut as an 18-year-old at low Class A Wisconsin in 2017, making him the youngest catcher in the Midwest League. Feliciano got off to a strong start with a .778 OPS in April before running out of steam. Feliciano has a good idea of hitting, keeping his hands in the zone and showing some feel. He has hit only four home runs in his first 133 career games, but has the potential to develop more power as he matures and fills out. Feliciano did better at working counts after initially being too aggressive at times. He runs well, particularly for a catcher, and has athleticism behind the plate that should work in his favor. Feliciano has above-average arm strength but must work on his fundamentals, including a quicker transfer and release, to improve throwing out runners. Some question Feliciano's long-term future behind the plate, but the Brewers see no reason to make a change now, particularly at a position of need in the organization. If he's able to stay behind the plate, Feliciano's potential as an offensive-minded catcher could pay off. He is still very young and raw however, and will be moved slowly.
• 
  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #28 prospect in 2017
  Catching has been a positional weakness in the Brewers organization for years, so the new front office regime put an emphasis on building backstop inventory in the 2016 draft. The Brewers made Feliciano one of their first picks. An offensive-minded catcher, he showed a good feel for hitting at the young age of 17 with budding power and good hands. Feliciano didn't draw many walks in his pro debut in the Rookie-level Arizona League, but he didn't strike out much either and certainly did not look overmatched at the plate. He is very athletic and moves well behind the plate and on the bases. Feliciano has above-average arm strength and the tools to develop into a solid defender with more work and experience. Some scouts question Feliciano's long-term future behind the plate, but the Brewers intend to give him the development time to stick there because of his potential for at least average hit and power ability.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #103 prospect in 2016 draft
  Puerto Rico's strong draft class includes a solid crop of catchers, led by Feliciano. The righthanded hitter has a powerful bat and is capable of driving the ball out of the park, particularly to his pull side. But he also shows some feel for hitting and does a good job of keeping his hands in the zone. Unlike most catchers, Feliciano is not a base clogger, as he posted near-average run times on the showcase circuit. Behind the plate, he has above-average arm strength and uses his athleticism well as a receiver. Like most young catchers, Feliciano will require further refinement as a defender, but has the tools necessary to develop. He has not committed to college.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Carolina League #14 prospect in 2019
  As a 20-year-old catcher, Feliciano won the Carolina League MVP award and led the league in home runs and slugging percentage while placing second in RBIs, third in OPS and tying for sixth in runs. "I like him on both sides of the ball," Winston-Salem manager Justin Jirschele said. "He stays to the middle of the field. He has plus power and is an advanced hitter.” Fastballs up and in are still a challenge for Feliciano, but his improvement at the plate was significant. In 2018, he was overmatched in the high Class A Carolina League, hitting .205/.282/.329 in 146 at-bats for the Mudcats. He was dealing with an arm injury and then had a shoulder injury that prevented him from playing in the Arizona Fall League. But a healthy Feliciano showed plus raw power this season, and he impressed scouts with his athleticism, too. He shared the catching position with fellow Brewers prospect Payton Henry and hit much better in games in which he caught. In his 60 non-DH games, he hit .325/.364/.588 in 228 at-bats.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Complex League #15 prospect in 2016
  Feliciano was part of a strong 2016 draft crop from Puerto Rico and the third player taken from the island. The Brewers grabbed the 17-year-old catcher with the 75th overall pick. A product of the Beltran Baseball Academy, he was labeled as the AZL's best catching prospect, although right now his bat is ahead of his defensive abilities. Feliciano shows impressive barrel control for his age and is a good contact hitter with average bat speed. Behind the plate, he blocks and receives well. His hands are fine and he shows an average arm. He runs well for a catcher and won't be a baseclogger. The Brewers are convinced he has the aptitude to learn and will be able to stay behind the plate. "He's a good kid and works hard," Brewers manager Tony Diggs said. "He has the potential to be an impact player in the major leagues."

• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 40/High
  
  Track Record: Feliciano made his major league debut in 2021, drawing an 11th-inning walk and coming around to score the winning run in a May 1 victory over the Dodgers. That was Feliciano&#39s only big league plate appearance and little else went right for him during the year. A right shoulder impingement limited his playing time, and when he did get on the field at Triple-A Nashville, he struggled.
  
  Scouting Report: While his numbers dropped in 2021, Feliciano has generally been an offensive-minded catcher when healthy. He has above-average raw power that he generates from a loose swing with some length to it, but his proclivity to expand the strike zone eats away at his productivity and leads to too many empty swings. Behind the plate, Felciiano is agile and athletic and shows a solid-average arm when healthy. That often wasn&#39t the case in 2021, though, and his slower transfer led him to throw out just 19% of basestealers.
  
  The Future: It&#39s possible that injuries simply masked Feliciano&#39s true ability last year, but the 2022 season will be critical for Feliciano to rebound on both sides of the ball. He should start 2022 back in Triple-A.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Feliciano made his major league debut in 2021, drawing an 11th-inning walk and coming around to score the winning run in a May 1 victory over the Dodgers. That was Feliciano’s only big league plate appearance and little else went right for him during the year. A right shoulder impingement limited his playing time, and when he did get on the field at Triple-A Nashville, he struggled.
  
  Scouting Report: While his numbers dropped in 2021, Feliciano has generally been an offensive-minded catcher when healthy. He has above-average raw power that he generates from a loose swing with some length to it, but his proclivity to expand the strike zone eats away at his productivity and leads to too many empty swings. Behind the plate, Felciiano is agile and athletic and shows a solid-average arm when healthy. That often wasn’t the case in 2021, though, and his slower transfer led him to throw out just 19% of basestealers.
  
  The Future: It’s possible that injuries simply masked Feliciano’s true ability last year, but the 2022 season will be critical for Feliciano to rebound on both sides of the ball. He should start 2022 back in Triple-A.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 40. Power: 60. Running: 40. Fielding: 45. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: The Brewers have pushed Feliciano aggressively since drafting him in the supplemental second round in 2016, but he responded by winning the high Class A Carolina League MVP award as a 20-year-old in 2019, one year after he played just 46 games and had offseason shoulder surgery. Feliciano spent 2020 at the alternate training site in Appleton, Wis., where he was the Brewers' most consistent offensive performer.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Feliciano made more frequent contact when he first entered the organization, but has traded contact for power the last two seasons. He has plus raw power and a sound swing, but he chases too many pitches outside the strike zone and needs to become a more disciplined hitter. Feliciano is an offensive-oriented player but should end up good enough defensively to stick behind the plate. He's agile and a good athlete for a catcher with a slightly above-average arm. He threw out 28% of basestealers in 2019, and his throwing showed continued signs of improvement in 2020.
  
  THE FUTURE: Feliciano has a chance to develop into a power-hitting, everyday catcher, but only if he can rein in his aggressive approach and keep his strikeouts manageable. After a cameo at the level in 2019, he'll return to Double-A in 2021.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 40. Power: 60. Running: 40. Fielding: 45. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: The Brewers have pushed Feliciano aggressively since drafting him in the supplemental second round in 2016, but he responded by winning the high Class A Carolina League MVP award as a 20-year-old in 2019, one year after he played just 46 games and had offseason shoulder surgery. Feliciano spent 2020 at the alternate training site in Appleton, Wis., where he was the Brewers’ most consistent offensive performer.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Feliciano made more frequent contact when he first entered the organization, but has traded contact for power the last two seasons. He has plus raw power and a sound swing, but he chases too many pitches outside the strike zone and needs to become a more disciplined hitter. Feliciano is an offensive-oriented player but should end up good enough defensively to stick behind the plate. He’s agile and a good athlete for a catcher with a slightly above-average arm. He threw out 28% of basestealers in 2019, and his throwing showed continued signs of improvement in 2020.
  
  THE FUTURE: Feliciano has a chance to develop into a power-hitting, everyday catcher, but only if he can rein in his aggressive approach and keep his strikeouts manageable. After a cameo at the level in 2019, he’ll return to Double-A in 2021.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 40. Power: 60. Running: 40. Fielding: 45. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: The Brewers have pushed Feliciano aggressively since drafting him in the supplemental second round in 2016, but he responded by winning the high Class A Carolina League MVP award as a 20-year-old in 2019, one year after he played just 46 games and had offseason shoulder surgery. Feliciano spent 2020 at the alternate training site in Appleton, Wis., where he was the Brewers’ most consistent offensive performer.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Feliciano made more frequent contact when he first entered the organization, but has traded contact for power the last two seasons. He has plus raw power and a sound swing, but he chases too many pitches outside the strike zone and needs to become a more disciplined hitter. Feliciano is an offensive-oriented player but should end up good enough defensively to stick behind the plate. He’s agile and a good athlete for a catcher with a slightly above-average arm. He threw out 28% of basestealers in 2019, and his throwing showed continued signs of improvement in 2020.
  
  THE FUTURE: Feliciano has a chance to develop into a power-hitting, everyday catcher, but only if he can rein in his aggressive approach and keep his strikeouts manageable. After a cameo at the level in 2019, he’ll return to Double-A in 2021.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: After an injury-plagued 2018 limited Feliciano to just 42 games and resulted in offseason shoulder surgery, the Puerto Rican catcher needed to reestablish himself as a top prospect in the system. He did exactly that, leading the high Class A Carolina League with 19 homers, 81 RBIs, a .477 slugging percentage, 48 extra-base hits and 210 total bases at age 20 and winning the league’s MVP award.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A bat-first player, Feliciano finally made strides offensively but should also develop into a high-caliber defender with more games behind the plate. He has a compact swing and makes consistent hard contact to all fields and is learning to tap into his average power more and more in games. Feliciano is an aggressive hitter who rarely walks and is prone to striking out—his swinging-strike rate was one of the highest in the minors—but his plate discipline should improve with maturity and experience. Feliciano is a good athlete who runs well for a catcher and shows agility behind the plate. His plus arm strength and quick release discourages runners from taking liberties on the bases.
  
  THE FUTURE: Feliciano has all the tools to develop into an everyday catcher, but he still needs to show he can repeat his breakout 2019. He will try to do that at Double-A Biloxi in 2020.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: After an injury-plagued 2018 limited Feliciano to just 42 games and resulted in offseason shoulder surgery, the Puerto Rican catcher needed to reestablish himself as a top prospect in the system. He did exactly that, leading the high Class A Carolina League with 19 homers, 81 RBIs, a .477 slugging percentage, 48 extra-base hits and 210 total bases at age 20 and winning the league's MVP award.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: A bat-first player, Feliciano finally made strides offensively but should also develop into a high-caliber defender with more games behind the plate. He has a compact swing and makes consistent hard contact to all fields and is learning to tap into his average power more and more in games. Feliciano is an aggressive hitter who rarely walks and is prone to striking out—his swinging-strike rate was one of the highest in the minors—but his plate discipline should improve with maturity and experience. Feliciano is a good athlete who runs well for a catcher and shows agility behind the plate. His plus arm strength and quick release discourages runners from taking liberties on the bases.
  
  THE FUTURE: Feliciano has all the tools to develop into an everyday catcher, but he still needs to show he can repeat his breakout 2019. He will try to do that at Double-A Biloxi in 2020.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  As a 20-year-old catcher, Feliciano won the Carolina League MVP award and led the league in home runs and slugging percentage while placing second in RBIs, third in OPS and tying for sixth in runs. "I like him on both sides of the ball," Winston-Salem manager Justin Jirschele said. "He stays to the middle of the field. He has plus power and is an advanced hitter.” Fastballs up and in are still a challenge for Feliciano, but his improvement at the plate was significant. In 2018, he was overmatched in the high Class A Carolina League, hitting .205/.282/.329 in 146 at-bats for the Mudcats. He was dealing with an arm injury and then had a shoulder injury that prevented him from playing in the Arizona Fall League. But a healthy Feliciano showed plus raw power this season, and he impressed scouts with his athleticism, too. He shared the catching position with fellow Brewers prospect Payton Henry and hit much better in games in which he caught. In his 60 non-DH games, he hit .325/.364/.588 in 228 at-bats.