Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski is the most prominent rookie in baseball despite debuting in mid-June. The 23-year-old All-Star was favored for NL Rookie of the Year after two starts. After five, he’s nearing a stranglehold atop the betting market leaderboard. Current odds give him around a 65-70% chance to win.
He’s hardly the only Brewers rookie getting it done, though. In fact, ESPN indicates that by Wins Above Replacement, a metric that quantifies players’ overall worth, Milwaukee has the best group in MLB.
Led by Misiorowski, Milwaukee Brewers Rookies Are Making A-Plus First Impressions
Two of the team’s rookies aren’t even on the major league roster at the moment – the starting rotation is just that stacked. Chad Patrick, who began the year strong but struggled through three poor starts last month, is one of them. He followed up that rough patch by allowing just a pair of runs in his next two outings combined, but with Brandon Woodruff’s return from injury, it wasn’t enough. He had his ticket punched to Triple-A Nashville.
Logan Henderson, also a starting pitcher, posted a 1.71 ERA in 21 innings before being sent down in May. He’s 9-3 with a 3.01 ERA in the minors this season. Patrick pitched to a 3.52 mark in Milwaukee before his demotion.
In the field, the Brewers may have found a future Gold Glove third baseman in Caleb Durbin. In 68 starts there, he has saved six runs. Overall, he’s accrued a DWar of 0.7 – not bad for a first half of baseball.
He’s picked it up at the dish, too. A monstrous stretch that began in the middle of last month has boosted his OPS nearly 100 points in under four weeks, an impressive feat this far into the season. From a late-May lowpoint of .501, that figure has climbed to .733. To go with stellar defense, he now has five homeruns and 34 RBIs in 75 games played.
Bench Guy Turned Regular Rounds Out Freshman Cast
In the outfield, Isaac Collins has enjoyed a similar success story. Stepping up to aid an injured Brewers outfield, the 27-year-old rookie has gone from platoon player to everyday starter. Like Durbin, he enjoyed a torrid hot streak not too long ago and has provided consistent at bats since then. Beginning in June, Collins has reached base at better than a .400 clip.
He’s no slouch in the field, either. Playing primarily in left, his glove grades out solidly above-average.
Here’s a look at the value these five main rookies have contributed thus far:
Caleb Durbin, 3B: 238 AB, 2.1 WAR
Isaac Collins, LF: 196 AB, 1.4 WAR
Chad Patrick, SP: 94.2 innings, 1.4 WAR
Logan Henderson, SP: 21 innings, 0.8 WAR
Jacob Misiorowski, SP: 25.2 innings, 0.7 WAR.
The Miz in particular, 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA in his young career, should see his numbers accumulate rapidly in coming weeks as he adds to his small but electric sample of big league experience. If the other rookie pitchers don’t return this season – though it would be strange if Patrick doesn’t get another shot – they should have a chance to make their mark next year.
In an almost forgotten sideplot, the performance of guys like Misiorowski and Patrick has also given Milwaukee the luxury of keeping second-year pitcher Tobias Myers in the minors since early this season, after an outstanding rookie campaign in 2024. Simply put, the Brewers have an ungodly amount of pitching talent.
Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers pitches during the eighth inning during the 2025 MLB All Star Game at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
In the lineup, Durbin and Collins should keep doing their thing. The upside of getting great production from such unexpected places is the depth it gives this team. Despite the theoretical need for some pop or another power arm in the pen, the Brewers could be just fine by doing nothing.
Granting a rare bit of national recognition, ESPN observes, “With so many young players on the rise, it’s not clear that the National League’s hottest team entering the break needs to do any more than stay the course.”
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