The Brewers top center field prospect
John Bittner hit 42 home runs this season between three levels (A- 12, AA- 25, AAA- 5) over 588 plate appearances. And now, playing for the Surprise Saguaros in the Arizona Fall League,
Bittner has slugged 11 more, setting the new single season record in the AFL.
Bittner's development is one of the reasons the Brewers were willing to let smooth fielding veteran Danny Hendricks test the free agent market this offseason and while
Myles Ford will most likely start the 1987 season as the Brewers primary starting center fielder,
Bittner might take that title over before the end of the upcoming season.
He has the defensive chops, it seems, to man the position (though with a below-average arm) and he has the power to hit in the middle of the order. The real question with his bat is whether he will be able to consistently get bat to ball in the WPK, but even though he is unlikely to ever have high batting averages in the bigs, he will draw walks and will punish the pitches he manages to connect with.
A few other top Brewer hitting prospects are also on the squad, and 20-year old
Bill Arvayo isn't that far behind
Bittner in terms of hitting the long ball as he has 7 homers in his 116 PA's.
Arvayo, who was the Brewers 2nd round draft pick in this year's draft, played exclusively in Rookie ball this season and didn't exactly tear things up at that level, though he showed some promise. He won't likely be quite as prodigious a big league power hitter as
Bittner, but should have better contact hitting skills while also showing great patience and an advanced eye at the plate. As an outfielder he looks like a capable first baseman or a convincing designated hitter. But if he hits enough he might be able to stick in left field for a few seasons at least.
And finally, the Brewers top position player prospect, this past year's first round pick (and 9th overall), and now the #26 top prospect in the WPK,
Jonathan Murphy, only has hit 2 homers in Arizona, but he has a slash line of .336/.424/.486. And this is after hitting .360/.416/.553 in the Rookie League over 125 PA, then .352/.419/.607 in 136 PA's in the short-season A ball level, followed by a brief 26-PA stint in single A hitting .500/.500/.682. His power is still developing but should eventually be a plus or even plus plus tool and he is already probably a big league contact hitter with great gap power, a plus eye, and plus avoid strikeout skills. He will be a DH in the WPK (with maybe the occasional game at first base) but all signs are that he will also be a middle of the order force, possibly combining with players like
Bittner and current Brewer right fielder
Jerry Lillie to give the Brewers a trio of mashers in the middle of lineup. It won't happen until late 1987 at the earliest, but don't be surprised if in 1988 all three of these players are in key roles.
Among the other Brewers playing in the AFL, the only one likely to be a key player on the big league club eventually is lefty relief prospect
Sharaf Sanchez, also a draft pick just this year. Sanchez isn't doing great in Arizona- he has a 4.50 ERA and 1.58 WHIP over 24 innings pitched, but he does have a K/9 of 12.0, pretty much exactly what he put up at 3 minor league levels (A-AA-AAA) this season. He need to harness his control but once he does his stuff is so nasty that he could become a high-leverage late-innings arm in the WPK before long.