1. Alcides Escobar, SS – The Brewers handed the starting shortstop job to Escobar this spring by trading off J.J. Hardy. Escobar is a defensive whiz who can hit a little. He has no power, but has speed to swipe a few bases. He’ll probably hit in the .290 range eventually; this year could be tough though.
2. Brett Lawrie, 2B – Lawrie’s got a great bat, which is good since he really doesn’t have a position. Many think he won’t stick at second and could end up in the outfield. While he’ll be a good hitter, that will hurt his value. If he can maybe play third base, his value shouldn’t be hurt too much.
3. Mat Gamel, 3B – Gamel did ok in his major league trail, but lost out to fellow rookie Casey McGehee. There were rumors over the winter that the Brewers would be willing to trade Gamel and let McGehee hold down third on his own (which would have been a mistake). Gamel may not stay at third due to defense, but would be a quality corner outfielder.
4. Eric Arnett, P – Arnett is one of those pitchers with a power sinker; he gets a lot of groundballs and strike outs – a rare combination. If his control can improve, he’s got the potential to top out as a #3 starter.
5. Jonathan Lucroy, C – Lucroy is probably the catcher of the future for the Brewers. He’s got good power that has the potential to be top notch for the position. He walks more than he strikes out. His defensive skills are coming along, so he probably won’t move off the position.
6. Jake Odorizzi, P – Odorizzi is someone I’ve followed since he pitched for a high school right outside of St. Louis. He’s got a nice arsenal of pitches and has been handled carefully. He’s got the potential to be a 2-3 starter if everything goes right.
7. Kentrail Davis, OF – Davis is a high upside outfield prospect. He’s been handled carefully as well, so it’s hard to really say what he could do. Look for him in Lo A this year.
8. Cody Scarpetta, P – Scarpetta is a sleeper in the organization. He’s got a good sinking fastball and a nasty curve. He’s working on a change-up that could really give him an advantage. If he can harness his control issues, he’s got the potential to be a mid-rotation starter.
9. Zach Braddock, P – Braddock is a power lefty that has a good fastball and a killer slider. He’s had injury and durability questions, so it looks like the bullpen is his future. He can range from a LOOGY to closer, depending on his control.
10. Josh Butler, P – Bulter is another arm that looks better out of the pen. He gets groundballs and has a strikeout to walk rate that is better than 2-1. He has less than a K per inning, but that may increase when he’s in the bullpen.
