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Prospects in the Brewers' 2020 player pool

Turang, Small, Feliciano headline 14 prospects in Summer Camp
Top-ranked Brewers prospect Brice Turang hit .256 with 19 doubles and 37 RBIs in 2019. (Paul R. Gierhart/MiLB.com)
July 14, 2020

As part of the new rules for the 2020 Major League season, each of the 30 organizations will maintain a 60-man player pool for the duration of the campaign. Some members of the player pool will feature on the active Major League roster while others will work out at an

As part of the new rules for the 2020 Major League season, each of the 30 organizations will maintain a 60-man player pool for the duration of the campaign. Some members of the player pool will feature on the active Major League roster while others will work out at an alternate training site in the hopes of staying fresh for a potential callup or getting in much-needed development time.

The MiLB.com staff is rounding up the notable prospects in each organization’s 60-man player pool and analyzing what the new system will mean for their 2020 seasons.

The Brew Crew is back and trying to make the playoffs for the third year in a row after falling short in the NL Wild Card game against the eventual champion Washington Nationals last fall. With Craig Counsell in charge, Milwaukee has invited 14 prospects to Summer Camp, including top-ranked Brice Turang, No. 2 Ethan Small and No. 3 Mario Feliciano

Here’s a look at the prospects taking part in camp at Miller Park.

Brice Turang, SS/2B: Only 20, the Brewers’ top prospect ended last season at Class A Advanced Carolina, hitting .200 with a homer, two triples, six doubles, six RBIs and 25 runs scored in 170 at-bats. He uses his speed effectively, stealing 30 bases in 35 tries in 2019. He's also flashed some power and his defense is considered above average. The 2018 first-round pick could provide some relief up the middle if the need arises.

Ethan Small, LHP: The 28th overall pick in last year's Draft out of Mississippi State, Small is a 6-foot-4 southpaw with three top pitches, including a fastball in the 89-92 mph range, a swing-inducing changeup and an improving curveball. In seven starts across two levels, Small posted a 0.86 ERA over 21 innings, piling up 36 strikeouts while issuing only four walks and holding foes to a .151 average. He could serve as bullpen help this season, despite his limited professional experience.

Mario Feliciano, C: The 21-year-old backstop had a breakout season in 2019, garnering Carolina League MVP honors after hitting .273/.324/.477 with a circuit-best 19 homers, 81 RBIs and 210 total bases in 116 games. He probably possesses the best combination of hitting and power in the system, and his defense is coming along with his athletic body. With four catchers ahead of him on the depth chart, Feliciano might not see the field this season, but the extra work will help advance his game.

Tristen Lutz, OF: Milwaukee's fourth-ranked prospect has all of the tools to become a solid big league outfielder, including power that's still developing on his 6-foot-2 frame and sneaky speed that helps him on the bases and cover ground defensively. In the Carolina League last season, Lutz batted .255/.335/.419 with a .754 OPS, 13 homers, three triples, 24 doubles, 54 RBIs and 62 runs scored. The Texas native could serve as a defensive replacement or pinch-hitter before season's end.

Antoine Kelly, LHP: A 2019 second-round pick, Kelly made 10 starts last season, all but one in the Rookie-level Arizona League. In those nine outings, he put up a 1.26 ERA with 45 strikeouts and nine walks over 28 2/3 innings. At 6-foot-6, the Brewers' No. 6 prospect already is adding muscle to his frame and speed to a fastball that ranges between 94-97 mph. He complements that with a hard slider, although his changeup is a work in progress.

Drew Rasmussen, RHP: The 6-foot-1 right-hander was solid last year after missing the entire 2018 season following Tommy John surgery. Over 74 1/3 innings across three levels, he posted a 3.54 ERA with 96 strikeouts and 31 walks. When healthy, the Brewers’ No. 9 prospect can light it up with a fastball in the mid- to upper-90s. Rasmussen complements that heater with a hard slider and changeup. Expected to be a starter in the Majors down the road, he’s only pitched one season in the pros but could be a bullpen option, if needed, in Milwaukee this summer.

Corey Ray, OF: The 10th-ranked prospect uses his speed to his advantage, both offensively and in the outfield, where he's an above-average fielder with an average arm. While he has power (he hit eight homers in 2019), his strikeout rate (421 in 1,188 at-bats over the last three years) has become a concern. Still, the 25-year-old has been working on his plate approach and, if that comes around, will have all the tools needed to be a consistent Major Leaguer.

Devin Williams, RHP: Another guy who underwent Tommy John surgery (he missed all of 2017 and part of 2018), Williams is coming off an impressive season. Between Double-A Biloxi and Triple-A San Antonio, he went 7-2 with a 2.21 ERA over 57 innings. The Brewers called up their No. 13 prospect last September for his big league debut and he compiled a 3.95 ERA over 13 2/3 frames in 13 appearances. At 25, Williams has developed into what should be a multi-inning reliever, a role he could fill in 2020.

Zack Brown, RHP: The 25-year-old has the repertoire -- above-average fastball with a good curveball and changeup -- that serves a starter well in the Majors. In the Pacific Coast League last season, Brown had a 5.79 ERA over 116 2/3 innings, striking out 98 while walking 64. Ranked 14th in the Milwaukee system, he should see time in the big league bullpen in 2020.

Trey Supak , RHP: A big presence on the mound at 6-foot-5 and 268 pounds, Supak has no special pitch but a combination that he uses with excellent location to keep opponents off-balance. At two levels in 2019, the 15th-ranked prospect posted a 12-6 record and 3.60 ERA over 152 2/3 innings, fanning 118 while walking 32 and holding opponents to a .222 average. Known for his stamina, Supak is projected to be a starter in the Majors but should see some time as a reliever this summer.

Tyrone Taylor , OF: The Brewers' No. 21 prospect made the most of his stint in the Majors last season, hitting .400 with two doubles and a RBI in 10 at-bats. His raw power translated to 14 homers finally came to fruition at the plate last season in which he struck 14 homers in 92 games in the Pacific Coast League before his promotion. A solid fielder, Taylor could see time at all three outfield positions this year.

Thomas Dillard, C/1B/OF: A switch-hitter with power, Dillard batted .249 with seven dingers, nine doubles and 28 RBIs in 55 games in the AZL and with Class A Wisconsin in his first season as a pro. The Brewers are still figuring out where to put the Ole Miss product in the field, with catcher being the likely position. However, with the universal DH in place in the 60-game spring, he could see some time in that role.

Dylan File, RHP: The No. 24 Brewers prospect has four quality pitches he can command, including a fastball from a lower arm angle that he can pinpoint on either side of the plate. In 26 starts for Carolina and Biloxi in 2019, File was 15-6 with a 3.24 ERA, 136 strikeouts and 22 walks over 147 frames. Projected as a starter, the Dixie State product could logs multiple innings out of the bullpen in the short term.

Clayton Andrews, LHP/OF: A two-way player out of Long Beach State, Andrews throws a fastball that occasionally tops 90 mph and helps set up his changeup and curveball, which are both considered above-average. Offensively, the 5-foot-6 lefty is a contact hitter who batted .333/.391/.381 in 26 games last season. His speed might be his top asset, especially in the outfield, where he covers a lot of ground. In just his second season as a pro, Andrews will benefit from his time in Summer Camp.