The Milwaukee Brewers have witnessed the emergence of several quality hitting prospects in recent seasons. Sal Frelick, Garrett Mitchell, and Brice Turang have become bona fide big leaguers. Among them, Jackson Chourio stands out, debuting just weeks after his 20th birthday and quickly establishing himself as a young star. More talent is on the way, with Jesus Made being one of the promising young bats in the pipeline. At just 17 years old, Made showed impressive contact rates, chase rates, and exit velocities with over 200 professional at-bats.

Role Changes with New Title

Brenton Del Chiaro, who has been at the forefront of the Brewers' hitting development, recently became the assistant director of player development. He explains that his role won't change much; it's just an additional responsibility. He will continue overseeing hitting and interacting with full-season managers while also having lower-level roster responsibilities. He still focuses on hitting daily but now interacts with and oversees managers at the full-season affiliates and provides input on roster construction.

Assessing Hitters as a Coordinator vs. at an Affiliate

As a hitting coordinator, Del Chiaro takes a zoomed-out perspective, thinking about the group as a whole and the prospects. He focuses on pushing progress forward and expediting development. At an affiliate, he's more in the trenches, face to face with the players, getting to know them on a personal level and having a better read on their learning and operating styles. The assessment process also differs; as a coordinator, it's more data-informed, considering factors like contact rates, chase rates, and player trajectories.

Important Data for Hitting Assessments

Contact rates, especially in-zone contact rates, are crucial. Chase rates and swing decisions also matter. Del Chiaro looks at how players are faring with their projections throughout the year and whether they can impact the baseball. When at an affiliate, he focuses on swing path perspectives and groundball rates. He prepares by looking at video to understand potential inefficiencies in the swing and makes sure to have constant communication with hitting coaches.

Comparing Hitters: Mike Boeve and Eric Bitonti

Mike Boeve is a precision, contact-oriented hitter with a strong mental approach. Eric Bitonti has physical traits like 6-foot-4, 230-plus pounds and elite bat speed but has more swing-and-miss. As young players, Eric's learning curve is steeper. The department uses the phrase "Learn your learners," as high school kids may need more guidance, while college hitters like Mike and Brock have a better idea of what they want to do.

Sal Frelick vs. Mike Boeve as Hitters

From a contact-rate standpoint, Sal Frelick is similar to Mike Boeve. But Sal prides himself on putting the bat on the ball regardless of the zone. Mike is more focused on not swinging out of the zone. Mike's in-game approach is impressive; he goes into the game with a plan based on advance reports and adjusts based on his at-bats.

Jesus Made's Hitting Abilities at a Young Age

Jesus Made's physical presence is remarkable for a 17-year-old. He has a strong intent and focus when swinging the bat and is not afraid of any pitch type or velocity. He makes more contact than Jackson Chourio did at the same age and has a more refined approach. Currently, they are letting his development take its course, focusing on him understanding pitches and zones better.

Luis Pena's Hitting Profile

Luis Pena is another physically mature player. He is 18 years old and has an aggressive swing in the zone but has a tendency to chase. His excitement and eagerness to perform might lead him to force the issue a bit. But he has many positive aspects to his game.

Cooper Pratt's Potential

Cooper Pratt is a steal of the draft. He won the minor league Gold Glove at shortstop and was co-Minor League Player of the Year. He is a well-rounded baseball player with few holes in his game. As he gets stronger, he will have a greater impact on the game.

This Year's First Round Pick: Braylon Payne

Braylon Payne is a high school outfielder with impressive physicality. He is 6-foot-2 and almost 200 pounds with high bat-to-ball skills and elite speed. His biggest developmental path is patience and understanding his hitting style. He has shown more power in Instructional League than initially expected.

Final Thoughts on Organizational Hitting Philosophies

The Brewers pride themselves on co-designing with their athletes. Hitters have a say in their development, and the organization provides evidence-based suggestions backed by data. They give players a menu of options for training and believe this approach leads to high success rates in hitting development. They emphasize "You be you" and let players move in their own way until pitching adjustments are needed.