The Milwaukee Brewers media and public relation teams did a phenomenal job last year introducing fans to “The Freshman”. This docuseries provided an inside look at the on and off the field lives of Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick, Joey Wiemer, Brice Turang, and Jackson Chourio. Of that group four of the five made their MLB debuts in 2023.
The lone prospect who didn’t debut in the big leagues was Jackson Chourio. He inked a massive contract extension this off-season and will figure into the Milwaukee Brewers plans at some point in 2024. For the purpose of this article Jackson Chourio will not be included when answering the question as to which sophomore will take the biggest leap in 2024.
How did Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick, Joey Weimer, and Brice Turang all perform as freshman?
Before diving into the offensive numbers it is important to remember that each of these players battled different adversities a season ago. Garrett Mitchell sustained a shoulder injury requiring surgery and a lengthy recovery. Additionally, Sal Frelick also had surgery for a ligament injury in his thumb. Lastly Brice Turang and Joey Weimer got the most playing time, but did not have the consistent success that they are accustomed too and at points were optioned back down to the minor leagues.
That being said, here is how each of the above mentioned players has fared in the big leagues so far. Their standard statistics are listed first followed by a few advanced metrics.
- Garrett Mitchell
47 G, 141 PA, .278/.348/.452/.795, 5 HR, 16 RBI, 9 SB
EV 89.5 MPH, Hard Hit % 39.2, K% 38.3, BB% 9.2, GB% 40.5, Zone Swing % 68.5, Chase Contact % 32.8, Whiff % 35.4
- Sal Frelick
57 G, 223 PA, .246/.341/.351/.692, 3 HR, 24 RBI, 7 SB
EV 88.3 MPH, Hard Hit % 23.6, K% 16.6, BB% 12.6, GB % 53.5, Zone Swing % 58.2, Chase Contact % 75.9, Whiff % 14.6
- Joey Wiemer
132 G, 410 PA, .204/.283/.362/.645, 13 HR, 42 RBI, 11 SB
EV 89.3 MPH, Hard Hit % 39.1, K% 28.3, BB% 8.8, GB % 46.6, Zone Swing % 65.9, Chase Contact % 47.9, Whiff % 33.6
- Brice Turang
137 G, 448 PA, .218/.285/.300/.585, 6 HR, 34 RBI, 26 SB
EV 85.5 MPH, Hard Hit % 27, K% 21, BB% 8.5, GB % 42.5, Zone Swing % 67.2, Chase Contact %, 63.1, Whiff % 21.5
Looking at each player’s big league data so far one thing that stands out in regards to exit velocity and hard hit percentage is that Garrett Mitchell and Joey Wiemer are both above the league average. The trade off is that they made less contact. Less contact is more of an issue with Mitchell on both pitches inside and outside of the zone for he has just a zone contact percentage of 72.9 (MLB league average is 82.0) and a chase contact percentage of 32.8 (MLB league average is 58.0).
On the contrary both Sal Frelick and Brice Turang made more contact, but they did not hit the ball as hard. Turang’s exit velocity of just 85.5 MPH was near the worst in the league and generally led to more “easy outs”. Frelick was more passive at the plate for he swung at just 58.2% of pitches inside the zone (MLB league average is 67%) and 53% of the time the ball was put in play on the ground.
Which Milwaukee Brewers sophomore will take the biggest leap forward in 2024?
Baseball is a hard game to predict and individual results can vary significantly year-by-year, but the good news is that realistically all of last year’s freshmen on the Brewers roster should take steps forward in 2024. They all now have a taste of the big leagues, have a better understanding of how to make adjustments, and will be looking to put less than desirable first seasons behind them.
Who will take the biggest step forward? My hunch would be Sal Frelick. His bat to ball skills are the best of the group and if he becomes more aggressive at the plate and elevates the ball more in 2024 his offensive numbers should improve. Additionally he has a knack for impacting the game defensively and he has 30+ stolen base potential with his speed.
Related: Milwaukee Brewers fans react to improbable catch by Sal Frelick.
Playing time and health will play a significant role in the final numbers for these players in 2024 in which the Milwaukee Brewers outfield is currently crowded with talent. It will be interesting to see how this group of home grown talent fares in their sophomore season.
- Follow me on Twitter @tylerkoerth. Follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great sports content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here!. We cover the Milwaukee Brewers, Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Badgers, Milwaukee Milkmen, and Wisconsin High School Sports. Additionally we provide the latest news coverage on the NFL, MLB, and NBA.
1 Comment
MItchell. Has superstar written all over him and should at least be an All Star this year.
Frelick is merely a table setter and I think he hits a plateau (or table!).
Wiemer and Turang could be gone in short order and I expect neither to have great careers.
Too many roster spots open and (and many articles have attested) many more could easily be opened. Small, Wilson, Andrews, Jones and Perkins (and maybe even Miller) are AAAA players at best and have no place on a MLB 40 man.
WIth the 2 spots already open and jettisoning those players, we might see at least 8 new faces before camp breaks. And there could still be a few open spots after that if the Crew trade Turang and Wiemer to try to upgrade at all but C and SS on the infield. I still expect that 3 starters at the other positions are NOT yet on the roster.