Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski Tantalizes With Big-Time Weapons
The Brewers eased 21-year-old righthander Jacob Misiorowski into his first full professional season at Low-A Carolina this spring.
Since then, the 6-foot-7 fireballer has taken off.
The Brewers promoted Misiorowski to High-A Wisconsin in early June, and in his first four Midwest League starts he notched 20 strikeouts in 15.2 innings to go with a 1.15 ERA.
That came on the heels of a nine-start stint in the Carolina League, where he recorded a 3.04 ERA in 26.2 innings that included 46 strikeouts and 12 walks.
It was the type of performance the Brewers were hoping for when they went way over slot to sign Misiorowski after drafting him in the second round last year out of Crowder (Mo.) JC.
“Jacob has been as advertised this year,” Brewers vice president of player operations and baseball administration Tom Flanagan said. “He developed a great routine at Carolina and has carried that along with him during his first (few) outings for Wisconsin.”
Misiorowski’s four-seamer has been clocked as high as 102 mph and stands as the best in the Brewers’ minor league system. He also possesses the top slider, and when he commands his two-pitch mix, it’s more often than not lights out for opposing batters.
Control is another matter. Misiorowski had walked 4.5 per nine innings through 13 starts this season.
A nine-strikeout start of five innings in Misiorowski’s penultimate start with Carolina sent him to Wisconsin with confidence—and greater endurance. After topping out near 50 pitches per start through early May, he had worked up to 75 pitches or more by the time he reached the Midwest League.
Every inning moving forward will also represent a new high-water mark for Misiorowski, so expect the Brewers to be judicious with his deployment as the season progresses.
But make no mistake: The expectations are sky high for him.
“The pure stuff is obvious, and he’s overmatched a lot of hitters this year,” Flanagan said. “He has some big-time weapons in his arsenal, and it’s been great to see his progress and watch him grow.”
MICRO BREWS
— Outfielder Sal Frelick, who had been sidelined since injuring his left thumb on April 18 while sliding into second base and subsequently undergoing surgery, was back in action with Triple-A Nashville.
If he can come close to replicating what he did at the plate last season for the Sounds, Frelick’s major league debut was likely close at hand.
“He’s got to get to Triple-A and play for a while at a minimum,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “And then Sal’s job is to play well enough to say, ‘Hey, he’s got to be here.’
“Pretty simple.”
— Joining Frelick at Triple-A Nashville was 23-year-old righthander Abner Uribe, the reliever who posted a 1.80 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with seven saves in 15 appearances for Double-A Biloxi.
Uribe, like Frelick, could be on the fast track to making his MLB debut.
“He’s going to have to pitch in Triple-A,” Counsell said. “But when you’re in Triple-A, you’re there because we think you’re a short step away from the big leagues. He can make an impact on this team.
“But he needs to conquer this next step, and we’ll give him a chance to do that.”
