The Major League Baseball season is in full swing, and now the Minor Leagues are back. After missing the 2020 season, Minor League Baseball is back, as prospects continue the grind to the minors.
Here are 3 players in the Brewers’ system who are off to a hot start in the 2021 season.
Zach Green, 3B AAA Nashville
Zach Green signed with Milwaukee over the winter to a minor league deal. The 27-year old infielder previously spent time in the San Francisco and Philadelphia system and had a brief cup of coffee in the Majors with the Giants back in 2019.
The 2021 Minor League Season has finally started! A week into action, here are 3 Brewers farmhands who are off to hot starts.
Through his first six games with Nashville, Green has an impressive triple slash of (.323/.344/.774), giving him an OPS of 1.118 in the minors. He has four home runs, 12 runs batted in, and leads the team with 24 total bases. His hot start has helped Nashville start 6-4.
Defensively, Green has appeared primarily at third base, and has made two appearances at first. Green’s hot start is one to keep an eye on, especially as the Brewers continue to struggle with production both at first and third. The biggest disadvantage facing Green is he is a right handed bat, but he has three options remaining, and very well could see time in Milwaukee sooner rather than later.
Payton Henry, C, AA Biloxi
Payton Henry, a 23 year old catcher is off to a hot start in Biloxi. Through nine games, Henry is slashing (.233/.343/.367) for an OPS of 710. His OPS and total bases are second best on the team with 11.
Defensively Henry has also been a solid contributor, yet to record an error, and having thrown out 4 of 7 batters who tried to steal against him.
Henry, the 19th ranked prospect according to MLB.com, has a listed ETA of 2022, and currently falls behind Mario Feliciano on the organizational depth chart. Back in 2019, he tied for 4th with 14 home runs in the Carolina league, and has been able to provide a home run already this season.
Strikeouts have been a concern for Henry his entire career, and he continues to strikeout at a 28% clip. Whether or not Henry is able to cut that number down, or if that matters will be interesting to monitor as he continues to climb the minors. But as it stands right now, Payton Henry is off to a hot start, providing more organizational catching depth.
Victor Castaneda, P, A+ Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are off to a hot start in the High-A-Central. That in part has come thanks to a strong pitching start from 22-year old Victor Castaneda.
Castaneda, an international free agent from Mexico, has made three starts for Wisconsin. In those starts, he has held opponents to 9 runs in 15 innings. Castaneda has struck out 15 batters, which translates to 9.0 K/9.
Per FanGraphs, Castaneda has a projected future value of 40. The 40 grade translates to slightly below average at the Major League level. Castaneda also offers an above average splitter, which hopefully will carve up the Minors.
Castaneda has a long path to go before he gets to Milwaukee, but his 2021 season is off to a great start.
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