Lewis Brinson

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #1 prospect in 2018
  Brinson had a disjointed 2017 season, beginning with a dislocation of his left pinkie finger on Opening Day at Triple-A Colorado Springs. He had two short stints with the Brewers, getting his first shot at the big leagues, but he didn't hit much and went back down. Slated for a September callup, he suffered a significant hamstring strain in August and was done for the season. Brinson performed for the Sky Sox when healthy (.962 OPS) and the Brewers designated him as the organization's player of the year despite seeing action in just 76 games. The Athletics tried to pry him away during trade negotiations for Sonny Gray, but the Brewers backed off rather than part with Brinson. Brinson provides the rare combination of power and speed that every team seeks. He showed maturation as a hitter in 2017 by improving his plate discipline (.400 on-base percentage), with a better walk rate than the previous season and a lower strikeout rate. Part of that maturation was learning to lay off breaking balls off the plate and continuing to use the entire field, an improvement that began the previous year. While playing mostly in center field at Colorado Springs but also seeing some action in the corners, he worked on getting better jumps on the ball and taking better routes. Brinson has enough speed to play center in the majors but also has the arm and power to be a right fielder. Brinson hit barely .100 during his two stints with Milwaukee but didn't see regular action and pressed when he got a chance to play. He showed some pop with a couple of home runs, and his skill set bodes well once he gets a chance to be a regular at the top level. He has an even-keeled personality and a confident, but not cocky, approach to the game. Brinson turns 24 in 2018 but will have to hit his way into the outfield picture. Left fielder Ryan Braun still has three years remaining on his contract and 25-year-old right fielder Domingo Santana is fresh off a breakthrough season. That leaves center field, where Keon Broxton and Brett Phillips have a foot in the door.
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  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #1 prospect in 2017
  The Rangers selected Brinson with the next-to-last pick in the first round of the 2012 draft, and he broadcast his power-speed ability in five years in the Texas system. He had scuffled at Double-A Frisco in 2016, however, before the Brewers acquired him (and Luis Ortiz) from the Rangers at the trade deadline for Jonathan Lucroy and Jeremy Jeffress. Some of Brinson's struggles were related to a shoulder issue that forced him to the disabled list for a month in June. The Brewers opted to elevate him to the hitter-friendly environment at Triple-A Colorado Springs, and he thrived more than anyone could have anticipated by recording a 1.005 OPS in 23 games. High altitude or not, that showing was a huge confidence boost for both Brinson and the organization, and it put him in position to challenge for a spot on the major league roster sometime in 2017. He quickly inherited No. 1 prospect status in the Brewers system after the promotion of shortstop Orlando Arcia to Milwaukee, which coincided with the trade. Brinson has worked hard to reduce his strikeout rate since whiffing 38 percent of the time in his full-season debut at low Class A Hickory in 2013. He trimmed that rate to 20 percent in 2016. Brinson has the coveted combination of speed and power, and he projects to be at least an average hitter. It is difficult for pitchers to get a fastball past Brinson, who has great bat speed, but he has trouble laying off breaking balls out of the zone and continues to work on plate discipline. He still needs plenty of work in patience, as evidenced by his two walks in 93 plate appearances at Colorado Springs. He has learned to use the whole field and is not as pull-conscious as he was earlier in his career. Some scouts question whether Brinson will be able to remain in center field, where he continues to work on improving his routes and throwing accuracy. He has good gap-to-gap range and arm strength, and the Brewers prefer to keep him in center until proven he needs to move to a corner. He would likely fit well in right field, if he does need to eventually change positions. Brinson clearly has the raw tools to be an impact player, but it's up to him to make the most of them, especially on offense. His overall skill set will serve him well in the outfield, but he might not be cut out to bat near the top of the order unless he improves his walk rate. While Keon Broxton got a foot in the door in center field for the Brewers over the final two months of 2016, Brinson is guaranteed to get a good look in spring training. The Brewers have stockpiled young center fielders in recent years--whether they be draft picks Trent Clark and Corey Ray or trade pickups Brinson and Brett Phillips--but only one can play there at a time. Brinson has the most experience of the group, but his arm strength and power potential also would play in a corner.
• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #2 prospect in 2016
  Brinson, signed for $1.625 million as the 29th overall pick in 2012, entered the system as an excellent athlete with promising size and tools but was raw at the plate. Strikeouts and injuries held back Brinson his first two full seasons, but he was one of the breakout prospects of 2015, soaring through three levels and ranking second in the minors with a .601 slugging percentage. Brinson's hitting transformation came from a combination of physical and mental adjustments. Adding strength to his lower half helped him get in better position to hit and improve his balance with a stronger base. That helped him keep his head locked in, which allowed him to track pitches better. Notorious for chasing breaking balls off the plate earlier in his career, Brinson developed a plan to zone in on hitting the fastball. The mentality and approach helped his plate discipline improve; he doesn't yet punish breaking balls but now has learned to lay off more of them out of the zone and take advantage of his excellent bat speed and plus power to crush the fastball. Brinson has gotten better at using the whole field, though he could still use the opposite field more often. His speed and arm strength are both plus tools, with the range to be a plus defender in center field. If Brinson can be even an average hitter, he will be an above-average everyday player because of his other skills. If his offensive growth plateaus, he could end up along the lines of Cameron Maybin, but his power-speed combination gives him the upside of Adam Jones.
• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #14 prospect in 2015
  Brinson posted a 20/20 season in his pro debut in 2013 at low Class A Hickory, but he also struck out 191 times (one behind the minor league leader) in 122 games, so he repeated the South Atlantic League in 2014. Brinson showed improvement in Hickory before a July promotion to high Class A Myrtle Beach, where he scuffled, and battled through some nagging leg injuries during the season. He already shines in center field, where he has plus speed, range and arm strength, with much-improved jumps off the bat. Brinson is a tool shed, but he's still learning the basics of hitting. His bat speed and raw power are plus, but tapping into that in games remains a struggle. He did slice his strikeout rate from 38 percent in 2013 to 25 percent in 2014, as he improved his plate coverage on the outer half and used the opposite field with more frequency, but that remains a focal point for him. So is making sure he doesn't expand the strike zone, especially against sliders. With an unorthodox swing, Brinson will always have a high swing-and-miss rate and is thus a high-risk prospect, but if he can merely be a serviceable hitter, he has the secondary skills to be a valuable player. Expect him to return to high Class A at the Rangers' new High Desert affiliate.
• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #15 prospect in 2014
  Brinson didn't have a great senior season, but the Rangers were so drawn to his tools and athleticism that they took him with the No. 29 pick in the 2012 draft and signed him for $1.625 million. His raw tools are as good as anyone's in the system, but his baseball skills remain unrefined. He has outstanding bat speed and plus raw power to all fields, and he beat out Byron Buxton in the finals of the home run derby of the 2011 Under Armour All-America Game. Brinson came into pro ball as merely an adequate defensive center fielder, but the Rangers felt he improved significantly in the second half at low Class A Hickory in 2013 to take advantage of his plus speed and above-average arm. There's still a long ways for Brinson to go at the plate. He struck out 191 times in 2013, finishing one behind the minor league leader in that category, with a whiff in 38 percent of his trips to the plate and a .209/.292/.374 batting line away from hitter-friendly Hickory. Brinson hit home runs to right field in games, but he doesn't cover the outer half of the plate or use the opposite field like he should, becoming extremely pull-conscious with an uphill swing. His awkward hitting mechanics, which by the end of the year had him in a crouched position and nearly standing over the plate, cause him to lose his balance, and he lacks the pitch recognition or plate discipline to resist chasing breaking pitches off the plate. Nevertheless, Brinson should move up to high Class A Myrtle Beach in 2014.
• 
  Ranked Texas Rangers #12 prospect in 2013
  Brinson cemented his prospect status as an amateur by winning the Under Armour All-America Game home run derby at Wrigley Field in 2011 and by performing well at the World Wood Bat Association tournament that fall. Though he had a disappointing high school senior year, the Rangers stayed on him, took him with the 29th pick in June and signed him for $1.625 million. He topped the Arizona League in runs (54), doubles (22), extra-base hits (36) and strikeouts (74) in his pro debut. Brinson draws comparisons to Cameron Maybin and Dexter Fowler for his tall, lean, long-limbed physique and outstanding bat speed. The ball carries off Brinson's bat, and with a more consistent approach he could hit 15-20 homers. Getting to that power could be a challenge if he doesn't refine his swing mechanics to cut down on strikeouts. Texas is working with him to reduce his stride and keep his hands back on breaking pitches in order to take some of the loop out of his swing path. Scouts expect Brinson to develop into a plus defender in center field, with above-average arm strength and speed. If he improves his lower-half strength and explosiveness he could become a basestealing threat. Texas may have him take the minors one level at a time, but the ultimate payout could be a five-tool center fielder.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #52 prospect in 2012 draft
  Brinson is an intelligent, hard-working player whose father died when he was just 11 years old. Scouts like his tools and his makeup, but his performance has driven his stock down a bit this spring. He looks the part in a uniform, with a long, lean, athletic body and 6-foot-4, 185-pound frame that evokes Padres center fielder Cameron Maybin. Brinson has fairly long arms and is a long-levered athlete, with advantages and disadvantages associated with that. He's a fluid runner with plus speed and range to spare in center field. He should become a premium defender, with a plus arm as well. Brinson showed strong offensive potential last summer, beating Byron Buxton in the home run derby at Wrigley Field in the Under Armour All-America Game. He also showed the ability to hit velocity in the Perfect Game showcase in Jupiter, Fla., last October. However, Brinson has disappointed scouts this spring with his lack of consistent hard contact. His long levers lead to a long swing with too many holes, and his bat speed has regressed as he has lost his way mechanically. Teams that like Brinson in the first 60 selections will have to be confident in their projections on his bat.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Pacific Coast League #2 prospect in 2017
  Brinson recorded a 1.005 OPS in a 23-game trial in the thin air of Colorado Springs last year after coming over from the Rangers in the Jonathan Lucroy trade. The five-tool center fielder continued to rake in the PCL this season, hitting .331 and showing plus power and speed. Key to Brinson's continuing maturation as a player is improved discipline at bat and in the field. He walked more and struck out less this season than in any previous primary assignment, while also working to improve his jumps and routes in the outfield. He also learned a lot from three callups to Milwaukee, even though he barely hit .100 in those stints. "I think the biggest thing is realizing (pitchers) aren't going to throw you strikes unless you make them throw you strikes," Colorado Springs manager Rick Sweet said. ". . . You have to make them throw strikes by not chasing out of the zone."
• 
  Ranked Texas League #10 prospect in 2016
  Brinson has an intriguing combination of size, strength and speed. He punishes fastballs enough to project as at least an average hitter with average power. He needs to do a better job of recognizing and laying off difficult-to-hit breaking balls, a skill he improved upon in 2015 before regressing this season. Scouts offer mixed reviews of Brinson's defense in center field. Some grade him as above-average, while others project him to a corner once his body fills out. His arm works well in either center or right field.
• 
  Ranked California League #7 prospect in 2015
  Brinson got off to a middling start before going down with a hamstring injury in late April that shelved him for the entire month of May. When he came back, he was a different hitter. From his June 5 return through his July 29 promotion to Double-A Frisco, Brinson posted the second-best OPS (1.135) in the league, trailing only A.J. Reed. Brinson has come a long way from the raw high schooler who struck out 191 times in 2013. His post-injury hot streak coincided with cutting down the leg kick in his swing and sharpening his plate discipline. As he got comfortable with his timing, he consistently hit balls hard and his confidence grew. Brinson performed at hitter-happy High Desert, of course, but he also logged a similar 1.047 OPS in road games. He has the potential to keep hitting for above-average power as he moves up, and he has the speed and strong throwing arm to handle center field, though his routes and angles need more polish.
• 
  Ranked South Atlantic League #20 prospect in 2014
  Brinson was the man of a thousand batting stances in his first try at the SAL in 2013. In his return he scrapped the weird, squatting stance he had settled on late in 2013, returned to a more conventional setup that allowed him to utilize his athleticism and strength and was rewarded with the best stretch at the plate he's had as a pro. Brinson missed almost all of May and part of June with a quad injury, which slowed him down, but when healthy he showed plus speed. He showed an improved ability to drive the ball up the middle to go with his above-average pull power. He's shown steady improvement in center field to the point where he's a tick above-average defender.
• 
  Ranked Carolina League #15 prospect in 2014
  While several top Rangers prospects left Myrtle Beach after dominating the CL, Brinson joined the Pelicans after shining at low Class A Hickory. The 29th pick in the 2012 draft, Brinson stands as the best athlete in an athletic Rangers system. Still raw at the plate, Brinson took a chunk out of his strikeout rate this season, reducing it to about a quarter of all plate appearances. That allowed his bat to play up at Hickory but not as much at Myrtle Beach, where he finished the year by going 3-for-22 in the league playoffs. Brinson shows plus range in center field and is a plus runner, and if his 2014 run through Hickory is any indication, he has the ability to make adjustments.
• 
  Ranked South Atlantic League #11 prospect in 2013
  Ranking the Rangers position prospects in some semblance of order is a question with no clear answer. Asking four scouts will produce four different answers, in part because all of these prospects are like an Evel Knievel stunt. If they stick the landing, they could be spectacular, but it?s just as possible that they?ll end up in a flaming crash. Brinson is as risky as anyone. He struck out 191 times this year with one of the highest strikeout rates (38 percent of plate appearances) seen in the minors in years. See him on the right night, however, and it?s easy to dream. Brinson plays a great center field with more than enough arm for the position. He?s a plus runner with outstanding raw power for the position. Like the rest of his Hickory teammates, it all depends on Brinson developing a much better hit tool. Brinson?s late-season stance, which had him crouched and standing almost on top of the plate, concerned scouts. His strikeout problem seems less related to a bad swing than to a difficulty in making adjustments.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Complex League #6 prospect in 2012
  A third Florida high schooler who went in the first round in June, Brinson signed for $1.625 million and sparked the league-champion Rangers from the leadoff position all summer. He topped the league in runs (54), doubles (22), extra-base hits (36), total bases (124)--as well as strikeouts (74)--while showing off extreme athleticism. Brinson is still very much a raw talent who struggles with breaking balls, though he improved his pitch recognition as the season progressed, specifically learning which curveballs to lay off. Rangers staff worked with him on his swing mechanics, keeping his hands back and shortening his stride. He has plus speed that makes him a basestealing threat and a quality defender in center field, where he also displays a strong arm and draws comparisons to Cameron Maybin. "In three to five years, I see a special player," Ragsdale said. "He's a very good kid, he's a smart kid and he wants to be good, he wants to get better. He's got that fire in his belly."

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #18 prospect in 2018
• Ranked Baseball America's #27 prospect in 2017
• Ranked Baseball America's #16 prospect in 2016

• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Brinson had a disjointed 2017 season, beginning with a dislocation of his left pinkie finger on Opening Day at Triple-A Colorado Springs. He had two short stints with the Brewers, getting his first shot at the big leagues, but he didn't hit much and went back down. Slated for a September callup, he suffered a significant hamstring strain in August and was done for the season. Brinson performed for the Sky Sox when healthy (.962 OPS) and the Brewers designated him as the organization's player of the year despite seeing action in just 76 games. Acquired from the Rangers at the 2016 trade deadline as one of three prospects for catcher Jonathan Lucroy, Brinson made an immediate impact and ascended to No. 1 prospect status. He has remained there since in a deep system. The Athletics tried to pry him away during trade negotiations for Sonny Gray, but the Brewers backed off rather than part with Brinson. Scouting Report: Brinson provides the rare combination of power and speed that every team seeks. He showed maturation as a hitter in 2017 by improving his plate discipline (.400 on-base percentage), with a better walk rate than the previous season and a lower strikeout rate. Part of that maturation was learning to lay off breaking balls off the plate and continuing to use the entire field, an improvement that began the previous year. While playing mostly in center field at Colorado Springs but also seeing some action in the corners, he worked on getting better jumps on the ball and taking better routes. Brinson has enough speed to play center in the majors but also has the arm and power to be a right fielder. Brinson hit barely .100 during his two stints with Milwaukee but didn't see regular action and pressed when he got a chance to play. He showed some pop with a couple of home runs, and his skill set bodes well once he gets a chance to be a regular at the top level. He has an even-keeled personality and a confident but not cocky approach to the game. The Future: Brinson turns 24 in 2018 but will have to hit his way into the outfield picture. Left fielder Ryan Braun still has three years remaining on his contract and 25-year-old right fielder Domingo Santana is fresh off a breakthrough season. That leaves center field, where Keon Broxton and Brett Phillips have a foot in the door.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: The Rangers selected Brinson with the next-to-last pick in the first round of the 2012 draft, and he broadcast his power-speed ability in five years in the Texas system. He had scuffled at Double-A Frisco in 2016, however, before the Brewers acquired him (and Luis Ortiz) from the Rangers at the trade deadline for Jonathan Lucroy and Jeremy Jeffress. Some of Brinson's struggles were related to a shoulder issue that forced him to the disabled list for a month in June. The Brewers opted to elevate him to the hitter-friendly environment at Triple-A Colorado Springs, and he thrived more than anyone could have anticipated by recording a 1.005 OPS in 23 games. High altitude or not, that showing was a huge confidence boost for both Brinson and the organization, and it put him in position to challenge for a spot on the major league roster in 2017. He quickly inherited No. 1 prospect status in the Brewers system after the promotion of shortstop Orlando Arcia to Milwaukee, which coincided with the trade. Scouting Report: Brinson has worked hard to reduce his strikeout rate since whiffing 38 percent of the time in his full-season debut at low Class A Hickory in 2013. He trimmed that rate to 20 percent in 2016. Brinson has the coveted combination of speed and power, and he projects to be at least an average hitter. It is difficult for pitchers to get a fastball past Brinson, who has great bat speed, but he has trouble laying off breaking balls out of the zone and continues to work on plate discipline. He still needs plenty of work in patience, as evidenced by his two walks in 93 plate appearances at Colorado Springs. He has learned to use the whole field and is not as pull-conscious as he was earlier in his career. Some scouts question whether Brinson will be able to remain in center field, where he continues to work on his routes and throwing accuracy. He has good gap-to-gap range and arm strength, and the Brewers prefer to keep him in center until proven he needs to move to a corner. Brinson clearly has the raw tools to be an impact player, but it's up to him to make the most of them, especially on offense. His overall skill set will serve him well in the outfield, but he might not be cut out to bat near the top of the order unless he improves his walk rate. The Future: While Keon Broxton got a foot in the door in center field for the Brewers over the final two months of 2016, Brinson is guaranteed to get a good look in spring training. The Brewers have stockpiled young center fielders in recent years--whether they be draft picks Trent Clark and Corey Ray or trade pickups Brinson and Brett Phillips--but only one can play there at a time. Brinson has the most experience of the group, but his arm strength and power potential also would play in a corner.