Sal Frelick
A Nashville Sounds team that is thriving off young prospect performances got a boost Tuesday as the Brewers promoted Sal Frelick, Garret Mitchell and Joey Weimer to their Triple A affiliate.
Frelick, Milwaukee’s first round pick in 2021, slashed .317/.380/.464/.844 with nine steals in 52 games with AA Biloxi. In his first pro season in 2021, Frelick hit .329/.414/.466 with 12 steals in 35 games between Rookie League and High A ball. Frelick’s best attributes are his double-plus speed and his above average contact ability and plate discipline.
While he saw some time in the corners at Boston College, Frelick moved to centerfield, where he won ACC Defensive Player of the Year. With his defensive prowess and offensive skills, most scouts see Frelick as a future leadoff hitter.
Frelick debuted with the Sounds on Tuesday, when he went 3-for-5 with an RBI in Nashville’s 8-3 win over the Norfolk Tides.
Mitchell, the Brewers’ first rounder in 2020, hit .277/.353/.428/.781 in 44 games in Biloxi. Mitchell’s speed is his best attribute, and he is viewed as a defense-first player who can steal bases and turn singles into doubles.
Next comes Weimer, the team’s fourth round pick in 2020. In 2022, he has hit .243/.321/.440/.761 in Biloxi. Contrary to Frelick’s and Mitchell’s defense-first skillsets, Weimer stands out for his strength and power. The Brewers made some adjustments to his swing in 2021, and his strikeout rate dropped and walk rate increased. With a double-plus arm, Weimer is best suited for right field.
Milwaukee’s second-, third- and fourth-ranked prospects join Brice Turang and Ethan Small as five of the Brewers’ Top 10 prospects on the Sounds. Turang and Small have been key ingredients to the Sounds’ success this season, so the timing could not be better for Nashville.
Also joining the Sounds is the Brewers’ newly acquired No. 9 prospect, Estuery Ruiz. The 23-year-old outfielder joined the organization as part of the Josh Hader trade to San Diego ahead of Tuesday’s MLB trade deadline.
Ruiz hit .315/.457/.477/.934 this season in 28 games for Triple A El Paso, and he is in the middle of a bounce back season after a down 2021 had him outside the Padres’ Top 30 prospects list. His work with San Antonio has resulted in better walk rates and lower strikeout rates as well as more balls in the air on contact.
