Carlos Rodriguez and Jacob Misiorowski both rate very highly on the MLB Pipeline and Brewer Fanatic top prospects lists. Misiorowski holds the No. 3 spot in both lists, while Rodriguez ranks sixth on MLB Pipeline’s list and seventh on Brewer Fanatic’s. They had some overlap this year at Double-A Biloxi, but have had different paths in their professional careers. Misiorowski rocketed up in 2023, while Rodriguez has seen a slower, steadier climb. Let’s look at the case each of them have as ace of the future.
The Case For Jacob Misiorowski
This one comes down to one word: Stuff. His fastball regularly hits triple digits. His slider and curveball are both plus pitches. MLB Pipeline grades two of his pitches – the fastball and slider – at 70 on the 20-80 scale. Two other pitches, a cutter and a curveball, are at 55. He also adds a changeup to the mix.
A second-round pick in the 2022 draft, Misiorowski saw his first extended action in 2023 after being wooed from an LSU commitment by a $2.35-million bonus that was just in time to give Misiorowski a brief cup of coffee with Low-A Carolina in 2022.
The results in 2023, his first full professional season, were extremely impressive. He struck out 13.9 hitters per nine innings across three minor-league affiliates (Carolina, High-A Wisconsin, and Double-A Biloxi). He gave up only two home runs all season (both with Biloxi). He also allowed only 5.3 hits per nine innings.
His biggest issues are control (he issued 5.3 walks per nine innings in 2023) and endurance (he averaged less than four innings in his 20 starts). Given what else he brings, though, those are somewhat minor issues. In fact, the Crew could insert him into the 2024 bullpen as a late-inning relief ace if the team was so inclined. However, with Misiorowski at Biloxi and with quite a while to go before he is Rule 5 eligible, that would be a very short-sighted move.
The Case For Carlos F. Rodriguez
Rodriguez has not risen as rapidly. A sixth-round pick in 2021, he split time between Carolina and Wisconsin in 2022, then spent the bulk of 2023 at Biloxi. What stands out is the sheer depth of his arsenal – an outlier in and of itself. His entry in the Brewer Fanatic prospect list features three variants of a fastball (four-seam, sinker, and cutter), topping out at 96 miles per hour; two curveballs (one in the 70s, the other a slow curve in the 60s); a slider; and a changeup.
Statistically, what stands out is what Rodriguez doesn’t do: He doesn’t surrender many hits – only 6.1 per nine innings pitched. He also cut down his walks in the second half of Biloxi’s season – not that he was horrible from April to June (3.09 ERA). His major strength, according to MLB Pipeline, is his ability to locate his pitches.
He also generates a lot of strikeouts – 11.1 per nine innings in 2023 and 10.8 per nine innings in 2022 – despite a lack of overpowering “stuff.” He would not be the first Brewers prospect to overachieve despite a lack of high-end velocity. In this case, Rodriguez has such an arsenal that a hitter will be kept guessing.
While Rodriguez spent the entire 2023 season in the rotation, and most of 2022 there as well, the one big question will be if he can eat more innings. His only other weakness – at least compared to Misiorowski – would be that he surrendered ten go-fer balls. Still, at worst, he ends up like Adrian Houser, a serviceable starter. But he could very well outperform his “stuff,” and be an ace by making the most of his arsenal.
Leave a Reply