The Milwaukee Brewers have been surging in the right direction. Over the past two years, they achieved consecutive first-place finishes for the first time since joining the National League in 1998. They also reached the playoffs in both seasons.
In 2023, their farm system was ranked No. 9 in MLB. And just last year, a survey of random MLB executives ranked the Brewers the third-best team at uncovering and developing “sleeper” prospects.
Unfortunately, they fell short in the Wild Card round both seasons and lost their ace, Corbin Burnes, in the process. It was rumored that the Brewers would make a run to re-sign Burnes, but he was recently picked up by the Arizona Diamondbacks on a six-year deal.
Their current pitching options heading into 2025 are limited behind Freddy Peralta and newly acquired left-hander Nestor Cortes Jr.
However, these rotation holes offer the perfect opportunity for No.1 pitching prospect Jacob Misiorowski to establish himself.
Who is Jacob Misiorowski?
At a staggering 6’7″, Misiorowski is a giant on the hill. He’s only listed at 190 pounds, but is reportedly trying to sit around 200 pounds come Opening Day. In 15 games for Crower Junior College in Missouri, he struck out 136 hitters. Two months later, Misiorowski was selected by the Brewers with the 63rd pick in the 2022 MLB draft. In just two years in the minors, Misiorowski has already worked his way up to Triple-A. In 19 starts at the Double-A level, Misiorowski pitched to a 3.50 ERA with 105 strikeouts. After being promoted to Triple-A in the middle of the season, his stats were even more impressive. Misiorowski posted a 2.55 ERA, 0.849 WHIP, and a sub-.100 opponent batting average.
What Misiorowski Provides the Brewers’ Staff
For starters, Misiorowski has one of the most unique arm slots of all professional pitchers. It’s not fully sidearm, but rather a middle three-quarters. When paired with his incredibly tall stature, Misiorowski gives hitters a release point that most have never encountered before.
There’s getting good extension and then there’s Jacob Misiorowski pic.twitter.com/enK6XtlD8B
— Aram Leighton (@AramLeighton8) August 25, 2024
Also, his scouting grades speak for themselves. Misiorowski’s fastball and slider tandem essentially carried him through college. That pair of pitches helped him place third in the country in strikeouts in 2022. They both received scouting grades of 70 out of 80, which equate to “plus plus” pitches. His curveball received a grade of 60 out of 80, which translates to an “above average” third pitch. Misiorowski’s arsenal also includes a changeup that he’s featured more and more as he works through the minors.
Misiorowski’s fastball has always been his go-to pitch to get ahead in counts. According to MLB.com, he topped out at 102.4 mph in the 2023 Futures Game and usually sits in the upper 90s.
His slider breaks out of the exact same tunnel and has reached low-90s velocity multiple times. Recently, he’s profiled this pitch more as a cutter due to the intense velocity while sacrificing some of the horizontal movement.
Interestingly enough, Misiorowski has developed his curveball to a point where it’s his primary out-pitch. After he reached Triple-A, Misiorowski used this pitch to break off of his fastball, a common tactic used by taller starters in MLB.
Once his changeup fully develops, he will have an elite four-pitch arsenal that features a variety of velocity and movement across all planes.
How the Brewers Should Use Misiorowski
After he made it to Triple-A, Misiorowski was transitioned into the role of a reliever. However, the Brewers made him a starter once he reached Single-A for a reason. He’s proven he had the arsenal and capability to pitch deep into games and provide length.
With Brandon Woodruff coming off shoulder surgery, his 2025 debut could be severely delayed. If there are any setbacks in the process, the Brewers should look to nobody other than Misiorowski to fill the gap.
The Brewers need to join the band of teams promoting their top-of-the-line prospects to the big leagues. Misiorowski is ready to take the ball and dominate in 2025, and he should not disappoint.
Photo Credit: © Curt Hogg / USA TODAY NETWORK
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