The physical tools have always been there for Josh Adamczewski.
Since he graduated from Lake Central and turned pro in 2023, however, Adamczewski believes he has developed a better grasp of the mental side of baseball.
“It’s just having a free head when I go up there and not thinking about too much, not beating myself up if I have a bad at-bat or a bad game,” he said. “You always have tomorrow to look forward to. No matter how you played, there’s always more to come. It’s looking forward instead of looking back.”
That forward-thinking approach has helped Adamczewski flourish in the Milwaukee Brewers’ system despite injuries. The second baseman is one of the top hitters for the Single-A Carolina Mudcats this season and is rated the Brewers’ No. 14 prospect by MLB.
Through 35 games, Adamczewski was hitting .352 with a 1.004 OPS, 10 doubles, two triples, four home runs, 29 runs scored and 29 RBIs.
Adamczewski, who was picked by the Brewers in the 15th round of the 2023 MLB draft, said there was no major physical leap that helped him improve on the .273 batting average he posted during a nine-game stint with Carolina at the end of last season. It was all about his mental approach.
“What are you going to do about the past?” he said. “You can’t go back and change anything. You just have to take those opportunities that you failed on, learn how to make adjustments on the fly and do everything you can to succeed as much as possible.”
Mudcats manager Nick Stanley credited Adamczewski’s ability to focus on the task at hand for his success this season.
“You have to be a really good competitor, and he is that,” Stanley said. “His ability to really lock in for each pitch is a separating factor, whether something good, bad or otherwise just happened.”
Carolina Mudcats second baseman Josh Adamczewski bats during a game against the Fredericksburg Nationals in Zebulon, North Carolina, on Sunday, April 6, 2025. (Neal Hock / Carolina Mudcats)
Adamczewski’s mindset was tested in early May, when the 20-year-old learned he had arthritis in the sacroiliac joint that caused pain in his lower back. He was sidelined for two months.
“It just made me realize that I have to start taking care of myself,” he said. “Even though I think that I’m unbreakable right now because I’m so young, playing any sport every day is going to be a lot on someone’s body. You just have to learn how to put yourself in the position to go out there and play every day.”
Adamczewski, who also missed time with injuries in 2023 and 2024, returned to action on a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League on July 1 and hit .333 in nine games. He rejoined the Mudcats on July 18 and looked like he hadn’t missed a beat.
“He’s really, really talented as a hitter,” Stanley said. “It’s unfortunate he missed time with an injury, but once he was fully healthy, I expected him to come back and pick up where he left off. He’s got a talented baseline of hitting skills, and if you pair that with a competitive approach, you can see results like he’s had this year.”
Lake Central coach Mike Swartzentruber recalls that about Adamczewski.
“He was one of those guys who thought he could get on base every time he was up, and he took it personal if he didn’t because he always felt like he was better than the guy on the mound,” Swartzentruber said.
Carolina Mudcats second baseman Josh Adamczewski throws the ball to first base during a game against the Delmarva Shorebirds in Zebulon, North Carolina, on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Neal Hock / Carolina Mudcats)
One of the familiar faces awaiting Adamczewski when he returned to the Mudcats was 2024 Lake Central graduate Griffin Tobias. A ninth-round pick of the Brewers in 2024, Tobias was promoted to Carolina during the first week of July.
“It’s pretty awesome,” Adamczewski said. “It still doesn’t feel real, having someone that I grew up playing baseball with being on the same team as me now. I’m grateful for that.”
Adamczewski is also grateful to be back in the lineup.
“It’s more of a mental thing than a physical thing,” he said. “It’s just making sure your body is prepared and ready. I feel like that’s more difficult than playing. Playing is easy. You just go out there and do what you know you can.”
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter.
Originally Published: August 1, 2025 at 7:44 AM CDT