MLB Pipeline recently released the updated version of their top 30 organizational rankings. Here’s a quick primer on each of the prospects who made the list:
No. 1: SS/3B Jesus Made
Made, an 18-year-old who the Brewers signed out of the Dominican Republic in January of 2024, is the best prospect the Brewers have had since Jackson Chourio. He has quickly become a top 10 prospect in all of baseball due to his 60-grade hit, throw, and arm tools. Made’s production thus far has lived up to the hype, as he’s slashing .281/.388/.411 in his first season in affiliated baseball.
Milwaukee Brewers: Jesús Made – SS/3B (MIL No. 1)
Made was a no-brainer pick for the Brewers this year. He’s been considered one of the best prospects in all of baseball, and will showcase that in this game. His production hasn’t been jaw-dropping this year as an 18-year-old in… pic.twitter.com/qCo85IjANk
— Tobey Schulman (@tschulmanreport) July 12, 2025
No. 2: RHP Jacob Misiorowski
I won’t spend too much time on Miz because every Brewers fan already knows his name. He’s been absolutely electric since earning his call-up to the show, posting a 2.45 ERA through six starts with Milwaukee. You can read more on Misiorowski here and here.
No. 3: SS/3B Luis Peña
Here’s what I wrote about Peña a couple of months ago, when he became the biggest riser on Baseball America’s updated prospect rankings:
Peña, another shortstop prospect, is the biggest riser in Baseball America’s updated rankings. If it weren’t for Made (and Cooper Pratt), we’d probably be talking about Peña a lot differently.
The 18-year-old Peña, who (along with Made) headlined the Brewers’ 2024 international signing class, has been one of the best hitters on the absolutely stacked Mudcats. He’s slashing .344/.407/.563 with five home runs and 15 extra-base hits on the year.
Peña certainly passes the eye test. He has a pure, smooth swing and can hit for power to all fields.
All of this still stands true. Peña .869 OPS leads the Mudcats (min. 100 at-bats), and he’s continuing to make a name for himself as one of the best shortstop prospects in the game.
No. 4: SS Cooper Pratt
Pratt is the best defensive shortstop prospect in the Brewers’ system. He’s only slashing .236/.334/.344 on the season, but he’s sustained stretches hitting well above .300, indicating a high ceiling as he continues to adjust to Double-A pitching.
No. 5: C Jeferson Quero
Quero was the Brewers’ No. 2 prospect coming into the season, but slipped a bit in the rankings due to how impressive Misiorowski and Peña have been. He’s currently working back from a labrum injury (throwing arm) that caused him to miss all of the 2024 season and a good portion of 2025.
At the plate, Quero has been making solid contact, although he’s yet to regain much of the power he flashed in 2023. He’s only hit two home runs through 116 at-bats with Triple-A Nashville. Defensively, Quero’s been splitting his time between DH and catcher — presumably to avoid putting too much stress on his arm. As soon as he’s playing catcher full-time and hitting for more power, he should be ready for the bigs.
No. 6: RHP Logan Henderson
Henderson was one of the big stories when Milwaukee was pressed for pitching depth earlier in the season. The 23-year-old right-hander has pitched to the tune of a 1.71 ERA in four starts with the big club. He’s down in the minors not because he’s not ready, but because he has options and because of the absurd pitching depth the Crew currently has.
Hendo is basically a two-pitch pitcher (four-seam and changeup) at this point in his career, which is somewhat unusual for a starting pitcher in today’s MLB. He gets outs due to his ability to limit hard contact, which he’s able to do because of two reasons — his below-average VAA (vertical approach angle) of -4.1 degrees and his fastball’s induced vertical break (17.6”).
Basically, his fastball breaks more than usual while being released from a unique (and deceptive) angle, causing hitters to swing under it. Henderson’s changeup is also a plus pitch, as it looks like the fastball coming out of his hand but drops significantly right before reaching the plate. He’s already proven to be effective at the major league level and should be part of the Brewers’ rotation for years to come.
Logan Henderson proved that he belongs in the Brewers rotation!
5 IP 2 H 0 R 2 BB 7 K
20 whiffs
31 CSW%
Lowers his ERA to 1.69 in 16 IP this year
pic.twitter.com/vOJFcuqaAF
— Andrew DeCeglie (@Andrew_FBB) May 21, 2025
No. 7: RHP Bishop Letson
On June 3, Letson was placed on the IL with a right shoulder injury that reportedly “wasn’t much of a concern.” On July 14, Letson was transferred to the 60-day IL, presumably ending his season. In the six games in which he appeared, the 2023 11th-round pick recorded a 1.33 ERA along with great peripheral numbers — 10 K/9, 2.33 BB/9, and 2.16 FIP — without allowing a home run.
No. 8: 3B/1B Luke Adams
Not to say I haven’t been impressed with Boeve, but I’ve been more impressed with Adams this season: he has the best batting average (.241) and OPS (.899) that he’s posted outside of the Arizona Complex League. He’s already matched his career-high with 11 home runs. Adams is fun to watch because he looks the part of a power hitter, with high hands and a pronounced leg kick that make it feel like every swing is going to be a moon ball.
Defensively, he’s solid if not impressive. Per MLB’s scouting report, Adams “can make it work” at third but projects to be a first baseman at the major league level.
No. 9: OF Braylon Payne
The main appeal with Payne coming out of high school was that he’s fast, like, really fast. An “elite” speed guy in MLB runs somewhere under 6.6 on a 60-yard dash. MLB average is 6.8. Payne ran a 6.28 in high school.
Payne was a surprise first-round pick last year who signed for well under slot ($3.44 million). His defense is solid mainly due to the fact that he’s — again — really, really fast. At the plate, he’s been mainly a slap hitter — a lefty with a flat, compact swing that has a tendency to almost start running as he’s finishing his swing. Occasionally, an at-bat of his reminds me of my beloved Nori Aoki.
Payne has developed more power (seven home runs, 17 XBH) in his first year with the Brewers organization. He’s young (18 years old), so it’s well within the realm of possibility that he develops more power as he ages. Payne has been lending more credence to that idea recently, slashing .383/.517/.638 in the month of July.
Braylon Payne won the Carolina League Player of the Week award before the All-Star break and holds a 12-game on-base streak
In that span:
• 1.237 OPS
• 3 HRs / 3 2Bs / 1 3B
• More BBs (12) than Ks (11)#ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/lJnfR01UTC
— Brewers Player Development (@BrewersPD) July 21, 2025
No. 10: C Marco Dinges
Dinges has been one of my favorite prospects to cover in my weekly Minor League Roundup column and one of the most productive prospects in the Brewers’ organization. Milwaukee’s 2024 fourth-round pick slashed .323/.426/.532 (165 wRC+) between the Single-A Carolina Mudcats and the High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Dinges has already recorded bat speeds above 110 mph and can hit for power to all fields, although he can sometimes be susceptible to off-speed stuff as a result of his vicious swing.
No. 11: OF Luis Lara
Lara doesn’t have much home run pop as of now, with just one on the season. He does, however, hit doubles like crazy — his 24 doubles lead the Shuckers. Even if the 20-year-old Lara never develops more than warning track power, he gets on base at a good clip (.366 OBP) and frequently shows up on the Shuckers’ social media pages as a result of his stellar defense.
No. 12: 1B/3B Eric Bitonti
I absolutely love the 19-year-old’s Bitonti’s profile. The 2023 third-round pick has improved on last year’s promising rookie campaign, hitting .237 with a .763 OPS and 15 home runs. He generates his power via impressive bat speed, hitting the mid-70s not infrequently.
The issue with Bitonti’s hit tool is strikeouts. Bitonti has struck out in 34.7% of his plate appearances this year. If he can cut down on the strikeouts, he has a chance to make it into the top five prospects sometime in the next year or two.
Defensively, Bitonti was drafted as a shortstop but has played a lot of third base too. He’s mostly played first this year with the Mudcats, but that’s probably because they have Made, Peña, and Filippo Di Turi.
No. 13: LHP Robert Gasser
You probably remember Gasser from his electric debut season last year, when he posted a 2.57 ERA (3.38 FIP) in five games with Milwaukee. Unfortunately, that hot stretch ended with a torn UCL and Tommy John surgery. Gasser is currently rehabbing with High-A Wisconsin, where he’s made one appearance so far.
No. 14: RHP Bryce Meccage
Meccage’s FIP (3.66) is currently significantly higher than his ERA (4.11). Milwaukee’s 2024 second-round pick has a high ceiling, but could stand to improve his command. Meccage’s changeup has also historically been a work in progress. He’s reportedly implemented the new “kick” change, which has been more effective than his old changeup when he throws it (not often).
No. 15: 2B Josh Adamczewski
Adamczewski jumped from unranked all the way to 15 after a stellar start to the year. He ended up missing almost two months due to back problems, but made his return on July 17. Adamczewski played well in rookie ball last year, but a couple of changes to his swing (including dropping his hands) have led to a healthy increase in line drives and fly balls. Carolina’s 20-year-old second baseman has put together an eye-popping slash line (.365/.454/.557) in Single-A.
No. 16: 3B Brock Wilken
Wilken doesn’t hit for a high average (.230 this year), but he does hit for power, smashing 18 home runs in the first half of the Shuckers’ season alone. Unfortunately, he slipped in the dugout while celebrating and dislocated his left patella. Milwaukee’s 2023 first-round pick will be out for at least another month and may not be back at all this season. For more on Wilken, check out this article I wrote back in May.
Brock Wilken grand slam off one of the more underrated arms in baseball in Brody Hopkins.
104 MPH off the bat. No doubter. pic.twitter.com/OGpUocRtUv
— Spencer Michaelis (@smichaelis234) June 8, 2025
No. 17: 1B/3B Mike Boeve
Boeve, drafted in the second round back in 2023, is slashing .239/.347/.353 with four home runs in Biloxi this year. He’s a solid contact hitter who hits the ball well to all fields, although he doesn’t hit a lot of home runs (just four in 53 games this year)
Given that he’s already 23, it’s hard to argue that those doubles will eventually turn into homers in the big leagues (as opposed to younger prospects like Made and Peña). Still, he does a great job of getting on base and has peripherals that suggest he could eventually develop a plus hit tool at the major league level, such as his 29% line-drive rate in 2024.
No. 18: OF Brailyn Antunez
Antunez, one of the headliners of this year’s international free agent signing class, hasn’t put together the best season statistically in the Dominican Summer League (.207/.355/.274) — although he’s striking out less than 20% of the time. He’s raw, but a very impressive athlete. Oh, and he’s still only 17 years old.
Brailyn Antunez has not gotten off to a good start statistically in the DSL, but here he is hitting a 104 MPH double. I am still very much buying in on him.
via his IG pic.twitter.com/HuirF0AQnz
— Spencer Michaelis (@smichaelis234) June 18, 2025
No. 19: RHP Craig Yoho
Yoho has a 0.84 ERA through 29 appearances in Nashville. Yeah, enough said.
He struggled with his command in seven innings with Milwaukee this year (9 BB/9). Still, his BB/9 is only 3.37 in Triple-A, so there’s reason to believe he’ll work out the kinks when the Brewers give him a more extended look.
No. 20: RHP Tyson Hardin
Hardin has been one of the biggest breakouts in the Brewers’ organization this season. The 2024 12th-rounder has put up a 2.67 ERA between High-A and Double-A. Hardin also rarely walks anybody (1.49 BB/9) or gives up home runs (0.32 HR/9). His numbers have dipped a bit since reaching Biloxi (3.38 ERA), but that’s to be expected given that the jump to Double-A is significant. If he keeps pitching like he has, Hardin will be a whole lot higher than 20 by the start of next year.
No. 21: 1B Tyler Black
Black has posted good contact and chase rates throughout his time in the minors. He was a top-five organizational prospect as recently as last year (No. 4). However, it’s been all downhill from there.
Black hit .204 in 49 at-bats with the Brewers last year before being sent down. He failed to make the Brewers’ Opening Day roster this year and began the season on the minor league IL due to a fractured right hamate bone. Since his return, Black is hitting .191 in Triple-A.
He’s still promising, but defensive questions and the aforementioned recent track record have caused him to drop in the rankings. He started the season at No. 6 in MLB Pipeline’s team rankings before dropping upon his return, and again in this update. Black also just turned 25, so time is running out for him to make an impact in the big leagues.
No. 22: RHP Josh Knoth
Knoth, selected No. 33 overall in 2023 out of high school in New York, had a 4.48 ERA in 21 starts with the Mudcats in 2024, although his innings were limited near the end of the year due to elbow soreness. That news foreshadowed what was to come this year, as Knoth ended up undergoing Tommy John surgery in February. He won’t be back on the mound for the Mudcats until 2026.
Josh Knoth, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers
Tonight: 5.2 IP/2 H/0 ER/3 BB/7 K
16 whiffs/35% CSW/63% Strikes
FB: 93-96(8 whiffs)
SL: 86-89
CH: 87-88
CB: 77-80
Advanced arsenal for his age. Very impressed with how he pitched today. pic.twitter.com/H7yXEdvMqr
— Chris Clegg (@ChrisCleggMiLB) June 23, 2024
No. 23: RHP Carlos Rodriguez
Rodriguez has been on the IL since May 31 with a forearm flexor strain. Before his injury, he’d posted a 3.77 ERA in 12 games with Nashville and an 8.10 ERA (3 ER in 3 1⁄3 IP) with Milwaukee.
No. 24: INF Jadher Areinamo
Areinamo, the Brewers’ No. 24 prospect, has hit .299 or better in three straight seasons in A-ball with excellent defense. The problem with that is that he’s spent three straight seasons in A-ball without being promoted. Milwaukee doesn’t seem to be that high on him despite the production, although that could also be a function of having stellar shortstop prospects below (Made, Peña) and above (Pratt) Areinamo in the Brewers’ organization.
Jadher Areinamo is still flying under the radar!
He hit .301 last year with 10 home runs and 32 steals, and has already surpassed that HR number in 20 less games. Aggressive, elite bat-to-ball and plus defender.
He told me he steals less because pitchers know him better now. pic.twitter.com/LqGXUz41nd
— LouisAnalysis (@LouisAnalysis) July 26, 2025
No. 25: RHP Brett Wichrowski
Wichrowski’s ERA (2.69) and FIP (3.28) are both stellar, and he hasn’t dipped below a 3.15 ERA in any given month this year. He has great stuff — including a sweeper that’s probably his best pitch, a fastball that touches the upper 90s, a sinker, and a cutter. The concerning part of Wichrowski’s profile is that his above-average stuff hasn’t been generating many strikeouts (7.01 K/9). He’s improved his command (3.28 BB/9, compared to nearly 4 last year), but his strikeout numbers have dipped as well.
RHP Brett Wichrowski – MIL
Wichrowski has control issues, but it’s elite stuff in an upper-90s FB, a mid-90s SNK, a mid-80s SWP, an upper-80s CUT, and an upper-80s CH. This season with AA, he has a 2.40 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP with 44 SO to 21 BB in 56.1 IPpic.twitter.com/13KFAkJ6vF
— Baltimore Sports Fan (@88OriolesFan88) July 22, 2025
No. 26: RHP K.C. Hunt
The 25-year-old Hunt has a 5.11 ERA (4.36 FIP) in 17 starts with Biloxi this year, a far cry from his 2.03 ERA in 2024. He’s only striking out 8.8 batters per nine innings (compared to 12.26 last year) and is walking more batters. Hunt’s ERA this month is a sky-high 6.75.
The good? Hunt has a five-pitch mix that includes a truly elite slider. His repertoire has drawn comparisons to Corbin Burnes and Trevor Bauer. Hunt started last season in Carolina, so he’s ascended rapidly through the Brewers’ system over the last year-plus — maybe he just needs some time to work out the kinks.
K.C. Hunt cruised through A-ball, High-A, and AA en route to earning Co-Pitcher of the Year honors
Among MiLB starters, Hunt ranked…
2nd in…K-BB% (28%), OPS (.520), Contact (62%)
3rd in…OBP (.245), FIP (2.04)
4th in…WHIP (0.93)
5th in…K% (35%)#ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/LlkUItcrK0
— Brewers Player Development (@BrewersPD) October 1, 2024
No. 27: 1B Blake Burke
Burke, the No. 34 overall pick in 2024, is slashing .296/.381/.416 in High-A this year. Honestly, I’d have him higher than 27 on my own list of the Brewers’ top-30 prospects. He’s shown great contact ability in his time with the Brewers’ organization, and it’s not like he doesn’t hit for power, either. Burke has recorded 28 extra-base hits with the Timber Rattlers this year and has raw power that hasn’t yet entirely translated (due to his newfound tendency to pull the ball).
Burke’s defense, however, leaves something to be desired. He has a below-average arm and significantly below-average speed, so he projects as a first baseman or DH in the big leagues. Burke also tends to chase pitches more than he should (35% chase rate in his final year in college), although this year he’s walking 11.9% of the time.
No. 28: OF Kenny Fenelon
Fenelon, who, along with Antunez, headlined the Brewers’ 2025 international free agent class, is slashing just .193/.353/.272 in the DSL. He’s been caught stealing nine times in 22 attempts. Like Antunez, Fenelon is still 17, and growing pains are to be expected. Still, it’s been somewhat of an inauspicious start to his career with the Brewers. A .272 slugging percentage is especially concerning given that his main calling card as a prospect was his power.
No. 29: OF Jose Anderson
The 18-year-old Anderson is only slashing .211/.305/.385 with the Mudcats, although he’s hit six home runs already this season. He’s great at staying balanced at the plate and has an arm that would play well in either corner outfield position, even though he’s still a centerfielder.
No. 30: RHP Manuel Rodriguez
Rodriguez has a 1.76 ERA through 11 starts with the Timber Rattlers this season. He’s allowed just a .207 batting average against. Rodriguez doesn’t throw very hard, with a fastball that tops out around 92, but he gets impressive amounts of spin on all of his pitches, including an upper-70s slider that has serious potential.
Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the Brewers have another rising pitching prospect in 19 year old Manuel Rodriguez
A+ Debut:
4.1 IP
3 H
0 ER
BB
11 K
23 Whiffs
70 pitches
FB up to 92 with high spin and room to add more velocity as he develops, SL up to 2,800 RPMs… pic.twitter.com/5dCw2EFsYc
— Owen Hurd (@Owen_FBB) April 8, 2025