Checking in on the Brewers’ Arizona Fall League prospects

Now that we’re a couple of weeks into this year’s Arizona Fall League, let’s check in on the nine Brewers prospects playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions. As always with the AFL, these are small samples, so take the numbers with a grain of salt.

Hitters:

Braylon Payne: 6-for-27, 2 3B, 10 K

Payne is still hitting for power, with two triples in under 30 at-bats, but he hasn’t homered yet and has struck out 10 times. It’s not an auspicious start for the former first-rounder, but it isn’t necessarily concerning either, especially after the season he just had. There’s a lot more baseball to be played this fall.

Eric Bitonti: 5-for-30, 2B, HR, 5 BB, 13 K

Bitonti has a lot of swing-and-miss in his game, and that’s shown up so far in the AFL. But a higher walk rate was one of the drivers of his breakout season, so five walks in 35 plate appearances is a good sign.

Jett Williams: 3-for-27, 6 BB, 10 K

To put it plainly, Williams has struggled. He’s drawn six walks, but he’s struck out as many times as Payne. It’s worth remembering that right wrist injuries cost him almost the entire second half of the season, so he’s still getting his feet under him.

Matthew Wood: 4-for-11, 10 BB

Wood has been getting on base like it’s nobody’s business, reaching in 14 of his 21 plate appearances for a ridiculous .667 OBP. With Jeferson Quero’s future somewhat uncertain, Milwaukee doesn’t have much catching depth in the organization, so it’s great to see Wood, who had an .890 OPS and 18 home runs at Double-A Biloxi this year, keep producing at the plate.

Pitchers:

Joshua Quezada: 3 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K

Quezada pitched at all four full-season levels this year, finishing with 77 strikeouts in 61 innings. The strikeouts have followed him to Arizona, where he’s fanned five in three innings, though he’s also allowed four hits and two runs.

Miqueas Mercedes: 6 2/3 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 8 BB, 6 K

Mercedes (2.61 ERA in 79 1/3 innings between Single-A and High-A this year) has the stuff to be a major league pitcher someday, but not yet the command. Walks were an issue during the season, and eight in 6 2/3 innings is far from ideal, as are the four earned runs. He’s still striking out nearly a batter an inning.

Jose Meneses: 2 1/3 IP, 0 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 K

Meneses, a lefty reliever who posted a 2.21 ERA this season between Single-A and High-A, hasn’t allowed a hit. He has been a bit wild over his first three appearances, though.

Ryan Birchard: 3 2/3 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 4 BB, 7 K

Birchard has had two hitless, scoreless outings, including a three-strikeout inning last week, but gave up three runs in his third. His seven strikeouts and four walks in under four innings are about what you’d expect after this season, when he struck out 35% of the batters he faced but also walked nearly a quarter of them.

Peyton Niksch: 6 2/3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 HR, 1 BB, 8 K

Niksch has kept pretty much everything in check except the long ball. Both runs he’s allowed came on solo home runs, and he’s given up just one other hit while walking only one batter.