![]() No player was closer in the clubhouse to fellow Southern Californian Ryan Braun than Christian Yelich. "They’re both kind of in similar situations – contributors last year and hopefully be contributors again." Missing Braunie Obviously, we know they’re going to play a part for us this year but I think we want to make them earn their spots. "Both guys I’ve told they’ve got to earn their spots on the team. "I think it’s just a certain degree of familiarity you get," Counsell said. ![]() But at the very least, Rasmussen and Topa have shown they can pitch in the big leagues and can be counted on to get big outs in what should be a talented bullpen. Throwing mostly a heavy sinker along with a slider, he posted a 2.35 ERA and WHIP of 0.91 in 7⅔ innings over six appearances.īoth have minor-league options remaining and are likely to ride the Class AAA Nashville shuttle back and forth a few times along with several other relievers. Topa, 29, quite literally came out of nowhere – he was a late invite to Milwaukee's alternate training site in Appleton – to debut Sept. ![]() While he struck out 21 in 15⅓ innings over 12 appearances and registered his first major-league victory, his 5.87 earned run average and WHIP of 1.70 were indicative of his struggles commanding his secondary pitches. Rasmussen, 25, debuted first for Milwaukee last Aug. "That’s what we’re getting." Second time aroundĭrew Rasmussen and Justin Topa both turned heads by regularly threatening the 100-mph mark with their fastballs in 2020.Įach right-hander traveled a similar path to the major leagues as well in bouncing back from not one but two Tommy John surgeries, although Rasmussen was a much more highly touted prospect coming out of Oregon State and a first-round pick of Tampa Bay in 2017. “Luke, he’s known for his defense, he’s known for his receiving," Counsell said. "He’s a player that has been on our radar for a couple of years for his receiving skills. But it's Maile's glove that is his strong suit he accrued an impressive 21 defensive runs saved during his time with the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto Blue Jays. 198 hitter with 10 homers and 60 RBI in 605 at-bats. He missed last season – which he spent with the Pittsburgh Pirates – with a broken right index finger. Signed as a free agent in early December, the 24-year-old has 215 games of major-league experience since 2015. Nottingham's absence opens the door for Luke Maile to make an impression in his first camp with the Brewers. Even the hitting, we’ll go a little faster with, but we have to be slow with the catching part of it.” "So, we’ve got to be slow with the catching. It’s just the catching thing we’re going to be slow with because that’s where the problem occurred and that’s the chance where he could reaggravate it, frankly. "There are things that he can do," Counsell said. Getting some at-bats under his belt will be important, but gaining familiarity with the new pitchers in camp might be even more so. While the Brewers open Cactus League play on Sunday, Nottingham will try to improve and progress to the point he can join them with enough time left in the spring to build a solid foundation for 2021. ![]() Nottingham injured his thumb in Game 2 of the Brewers' NL wild-card series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. More impressive was the progress Nottingham made defensively his game calling, arm strength and general presence behind the plate earned strong reviews from not only Counsell but also Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff. 188 but displayed some pop with four home runs while also driving in 13 runs. Nottingham got his first extended opportunity behind the plate last season, thanks in large part to a knee injury that knocked Piña out for the final month. Mario Feliciano – profiling as the team's catcher of the future – is the fifth catcher on the 40-man but has played only 298 games in the minors leagues and just three at Class AA Biloxi. With Omar Narváez and Manny Piña on top of the depth chart, Nottingham and Luke Maile figure to be jockeying for the No. Nottingham, who turns 26 on April 3, is one of five catchers on the 40-man roster. RELATED: Brewers' Christian Yelich embraces 'fresh start' after poor 2020 We’re kind of day by day in terms of getting him into baseball activities." "We’re going to be behind with Jacob," Counsell said. "He’s not going to be on the field early in the Cactus League season. Manager Craig Counsell said Friday that Nottingham's recovery from late-December surgery on his left thumb has been slowed to the point that he's not participating in workouts and instead being limited to "small baseball activities." ![]() Jacob Nottingham's quest to distinguish himself in the Milwaukee Brewers' deep catching group has been detoured for the time being. ![]()
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