Does Jimmy Nelson have the best pure stuff in the Brewers organization? The answer is yes, or at least that’s what a source who has closely followed the right-handed pitcher’s career told me. And after hearing that, my curiosity was piqued — especially after Nelson faltered in the second half of 2012 and posted a 7.24 BB/9 in his first taste of Double-A.
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I’m a little concerned about the overall depth of the Brewers system but the Top 15 list filled out a little bit better than I expected it to. There are a number of pitching prospects that appear capable of developing into solid big league starters, which should be welcomed news in Milwaukee considering how thin the big league staff is at this time.
#1 Tyler Thornburg (P)
| Age | G | GS | IP | K/9 | BB/9 | GB% | ERA | FIP | WAR |
| 23 | 8 | 3 | 22.0 | 8.18 | 2.86 | 42.4 % | 4.50 | 7.09 | -0.5 |
Questions about Thornburg’s ability to remain a starter have been raised since he entered pro ball. He’s a shorter right-hander and has some effort to his delivery but, to this point, he’s been durable by providing more than 130 innings in each of the past two seasons. The Texas native is a hard thrower. As a starter, he works in the 89-94 mph range but has hit the upper-90s as a reliever. He flashes a good changeup and a solid curveball.
Thornburg, 24, has steadily moved through the system since being selected in the third round of the 2010 amateur draft out of Charleston Southern University. He made 13 starts in double-A and then another eight in triple-A in 2012. He also made his MLB debut with eight appearances (three starts) but an ideal situation would allow the right-hander to return to triple-A to open 2013. With the big league rotation as thin as it is, though, Thornburg has a decent shot at opening the year in the starting rotation. Read the rest of this entry »
Tentative rosters for the Arizona Fall League were released on Aug. 29. The fall developmental league is designed to help prospects received extra seasoning and coaching at the conclusion of the minor league season. Each organization contributes players to the six-team league. The league typically shifts in favor of the hitters because teams are generally reluctant to assign top arms to the league – unless they’re attempting to make up for lost innings due to injuries.
We’ve already broken down two AFL clubs:
Mesa Solar Sox
Peoria Javelinas
The Phoenix Desert Dogs club consists of players from five organizations – Oakland, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Tampa Bay and Miami. Below are some interesting names set to appear on the roster. Full rosters can be found here.