Brewers Might Move Young Starter To Bullpen: 'Could Be Their Closer By August'

Should Milwaukee change up the game plan with one of their top prospects?

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The Milwaukee Brewers could make a surprising decision in 2025 to move one of their most talented starting pitcher prospects into a new role.

The Brewers are looking to advance deeper into the playoffs this year after suffering a premature exit in 2024 after an awesome regular season. But Milwaukee will be without one of its stars from 2024, Devin Williams, as he was traded to the New York Yankees in December for Nestor Cortés and Caleb Durbin.

The Brewers’ replacement for Williams might come from an unexpected place, as noted by The Athletic’s Keith Law in a new report released Monday ranking rookies who are positioned to make an impact in 2025.

Law ranked Milwaukee’s pitching prospect Jacob Misiorowski No. 24 on the list but also asserted that Misiorowski — and the Brewers — would benefit from the six-foot-seven right-hander moving to the bullpen.

“The Brewers are rapidly approaching the point where they’re going to have to decide — or, in my view, accept — that Misiorowski will never have the control to be a starter,” Law wrote.

“They should stick him in the bullpen, where even a modest improvement in his walk rate will probably make him an effective reliever right away.”

“It’s two 70s, if not better, in his arsenal, and he walks one in every seven batters he faces as a starter. He struck out 30.4 percent of batters he faced last year in Double A and Triple A, and honestly that feels low.”

“You should not have any open flames near the field when Misiorowski is pitching. He could be their closer by August if they change his role and it results in some improvement in the walk rate.”

Will Brewers manager Pat Murphy consider the strategy concerning Misiorowski outlined by Law? It remains to be seen, but Law makes a compelling argument.

Misiorowski, 22, has his entire career ahead of him, so he’ll likely experience stints in various roles before a team (the Brewers or someone else) figures out what he’s best at. Milwaukee selected Misiorowski with the No. 63 overall pick in the 2022 Major League Baseball draft out of LSU.

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