Prospect Peña quietly drawing raves in Brewers' farm system
PHOENIX – Jesús Made was at the top of the Brewers’ lineup for Sunday’s 9-7 loss to the Reds in the finale of MLB’s four-day Spring Breakout, a fitting perch when you consider that the 17-year-old infielder is under a bright spotlight as MLB Pipeline’s No. 55 prospect. Made could
PHOENIX – Jesús Made was at the top of the Brewers’ lineup for Sunday’s 9-7 loss to the Reds in the finale of MLB’s four-day Spring Breakout, a fitting perch when you consider that the 17-year-old infielder is under a bright spotlight as MLB Pipeline’s No. 55 prospect. Made could be the next big thing to come from the farm system that just saw Jackson Chourio star in the big leagues as a 20-year-old.
But the evaluators who visited Milwaukee’s complex in the Dominican Republic last summer say don’t sleep on 18-year-old Luis Peña, who quietly sits at No. 10 on the Brewers’ Top 30. Peña signed in the same January 2024 international class as Made, also plays shortstop and might be just as talented -- perhaps more talented, said two Brewers evaluators. And he hasn’t generated a fraction of the hype.
Luis Pena hit the only HR of the DSL All-Star Game this weekend 💣🇩🇴
— Brewers Player Development (@BrewersPD) July 22, 2024
The 104-mph EV is his hardest hit of the year
Pena ranks top 5 in the DSL in OBP (.496), and leads the league in SBs (33)#ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/Ii7R0tgTIk
For Brewers senior special assistant Carlos Villanueva, that’s as it should be.
”I do believe that the right guy is getting the attention just because he can handle it better,” said Villanueva, the former Brewers right-hander who has worked in player development since 2018. “Made is incredibly mature for his age. His dad played some ball [in the U.S. Minor Leagues], so he’s been conditioned a little bit more about what pro ball could look like. Peña is learning at his own pace.
“Having Peña feel a little bit of that competitive juice is going to mean that they push each other. That’s why I think we’re going to do our best to keep them together so they can feed off each other. Peña probably needs that, like, ‘Hey, I want to show you guys.’”
The Brewers have been scouting Peña since he was 14 and learned that about his personality early on, said director of Latin American evaluation Luis Pérez. Villanueva, meanwhile, remembers other instances of prospects playing together and pushing each other through the Minor Leagues, from Rickie Weeks, Prince Fielder, J.J. Hardy and Corey Hart, to the pitching trio of Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta.
📩 SUBSCRIBE TO THE BASEBALL TRAVELER NEWSLETTER
Those friendly rivalries fueled success. Now, it’s Made and Peña. If all goes right, they will begin the season at Class A Carolina with a chance to move fast, just like Chourio did.
“Since we were kids, we’ve been together,” said Peña, with Arizona Rookie League manager Rafael Neda translating from Spanish. “He’s been a good friend, a good pal, and we’re pushing each other. We’re on the same boat. We’re preparing, pushing each other to make it.”
Who does he think will make it first?
“For me, it’s both,” Peña said, choosing diplomacy and a smile.
Villanueva has been in the dugout for Cactus League games and resists the urge to answer when a coach asks about one of the many top Latin American prospects who have helped cover the late innings. Made, Peña, Yophery Rodriguez (Brewers No. 7), Luis Lara (No. 21), Jadher Areinamo (No. 24), Juan Baez (No. 27) and Eduardo Garcia (unranked) all have taken at-bats in Major League games during their buildup to the Spring Breakout.
Villanueva would rather his colleagues discover the players’ skills for themselves.
“Even Murph the other day,” said Villanueva, referring to Brewers manager Pat Murphy, “he’s seen both [Made and Peña] play shortstop and he’s like, ‘That Peña kid, he seems like a shortstop.’ Then I think he hit into a double play and he just flew down the line and everybody is looking at their watches going, ‘Did anybody get that time?’
“It makes me very excited when guys are asking about them, because I get the privilege of being in the D.R. and seeing them all summer. I’ve seen it.”
Peña won last season’s Dominican Summer League batting title with a .393 average while stealing 39 bases and walking as many times as he struck out (15) in 184 plate appearances. He’s a big part of the reason Villanueva believes that the January 2024 class will prove special. Three of those players -- Made, Peña and outfielder José Anderson -- were on the Spring Breakout roster. Anderson (Brewers No. 28) flashed his power by hitting a two-run home run in the fourth inning.
“It’s the most advanced class we’ve had,” Villanueva said. “They’re all toolsy, but it’s having tools plus being good at some of the other advanced things we measure. When you can control the zone at that age, it’s very different. It usually takes years to teach guys to do this.”
It sounds like the way player development officials talked about Chourio. He played in last year’s Spring Breakout, and look where he ended up.
“What that has done is it has opened the eyes of everybody else,” said Brewers roving coach Mike Guerrero. “I’ve been with the Brewers so long that I remember when everybody was talking about Robin [Yount] getting to the big leagues at 18 years of age, and Paul Molitor going to the big leagues from A-ball. That was preached to us in 1986 when we got to Spring Training: The door is open if you have talent and can change the game.
“What Chourio did has changed the way we think again. You don’t have to spend six years in the Minor Leagues to make an impact in the big leagues. If you have the talent, you can do it.”
Supervising Club Reporter Adam McCalvy has covered the Brewers for MLB.com since 2001.
Rawhide Fall in Back and Forth Series Finale to Ports
Visalia, CA – A back and forth ballgame fell the Stockton Ports’ way as the Visalia Rawhide dropped the series closer 8-6 Sunday afternoon at Valley Strong Ballpark. Visalia (4-11) scored four runs in the third but Stockton (10-5) hit a game tying two run home run in the fifth
Paredes and Savino Combine for Visalia Shutout of Stockton
Visalia, CA – Wilkin Paredes and Nate Savino combined for a shutout from the mound as the Visalia Rawhide defeated the Stockton Ports 1-0 on Friday night at Valley Strong Ballpark. Slade Caldwell totaled two hits and scored the game winning run for Visalia (4-10) while Rawhide pitching held Stockton
Rawhide Hit Barrage Not Enough on Friday Night
Visalia, CA – The Visalia Rawhide totaled 11 hits but lost 6-2 to the Stockton Ports on Friday night at Valley Strong Ballpark. Four Visalia (3-10) players totaled two hit nights but Stockton (9-4) scored five unanswered runs to win. Alberto Barriga hit a two out RBI single in the
Rawhide Drop Late Game Thriller to Ports
Visalia, CA – The Stockton Ports scored a go ahead run in the ninth inning to defeat the Visalia Rawhide 4-3 on Thursday night at Valley Strong Ballpark. Visalia (3-9) took an early 3-0 lead but Stockton (8-4) completed the comeback to win their third straight game to start the
Caldwell Totals Four Hit Night, Rawhide Fall to Ports
Visalia, CA – Slade Caldwell totaled the first four hit game of his young pro career, but the Stockton Ports defeated the Visalia Rawhide 10-3 on Wednesday night at Valley Strong Ballpark. Stockton (7-4) scored four runs in the second frame and three more in the third inning to pull
Larrondo Works Strong Start, Visalia Drops Series Opener
Visalia, CA – Denny Larrondo tossed five innings of one-run ball but suffered a tough luck loss as the Visalia Rawhide fell to the Stockton Ports 6-1 on Tuesday evening at Valley Strong Ballpark. Alberto Barriga led Visalia (3-7) with two hits but the Rawhide could not muster a run
First Full Week of Rawhide Baseball on Deck in Visalia
Visalia, CA – The Visalia Rawhide host the first full week of baseball at Valley Strong Ballpark in 2025 with a six game series against the Stockton Ports starting Tuesday as part of an exciting week of promotions and giveaways. Highlights include Irish Night on Thursday and a Max Scherzer
Visalia Scores Most Runs in Nine Years in Rout of Inland Empire
Visalia, CA – The Visalia Rawhide scored 18 runs, the most in a game since 2016, in a 18-5 shellacking of the Inland Empire 66ers to complete an Opening Weekend series sweep on Sunday afternoon at Valley Strong Ballpark. Adrian De Leon led the Rawhide (3-0) with seven RBI- the
Four Run Frames Key Rawhide Win Over 66ers
Visalia, CA – The Visalia Rawhide defeated the Inland Empire 66ers 8-6 on Saturday night at Valley Strong Ballpark behind a pair of four run innings. The Rawhide (2-0) secured the Opening Weekend Series over the 66ers (0-2) in front of a crowd of a near sellout of 2,626 fans.
Encarnacion, Anderson Combine for Rawhide Shutout on Opening Day
Visalia, CA – Lorenzo Encarnacion and Casey Anderson combined to pitch a shutout performance on the mound as the Visalia Rawhide defeated the Inland Empire 66ers 4-0 on Friday night at Valley Strong Ballpark. The Rawhide (1-0) won on 2025 Opening Night over the 66ers (0-1) in front of a
Rawhide Announce 2025 Opening Day Roster
Visalia, CA – The Visalia Rawhide announced their 2025 Opening Day roster on Friday headlined by 2024 Arizona Diamondbacks first round pick Slade Caldwell and three other MLB.com Top 30 D-Backs prospects. Visalia’s 2025 squad debuts on this Friday evening with a three game weekend series against Los Angeles Angels
Rawhide Release Promotional Schedule
Rawhide Release Promo Schedule, All Tickets on Sale Visalia, CA –The Visalia Rawhide are excited to announce the full promotional schedule for the 2025 season. Tickets for all 66 home games are now on sale via the Rawhide’s Website and at the Valley Strong Ballpark ticket office, presented by Kaweah
Theater & Comedy Guide for Visalia Rawhide Fans
Theater and Comedy Guide for Visalia Rawhide Fans There’s always something exciting happening when you’re part of the Visalia Rawhide community whether you’re in search of toe-tapping tunes, dramatic storytelling, or belly-laugh-worthy stand-up performances. And don’t forget your exclusive TicketSmarter discount! Use RAWHIDE5 at checkout to save 5% on your
Not-to-be-Missed Experiences
Rawhide Fans: Not-to-be-Missed Sporting Event Experiences The Visalia Rawhide are an integral part of California's baseball landscape, but beyond the field, there's a world of sports entertainment worth exploring. In this guide, we delve into the most prestigious and globally celebrated sporting events. Each event has its own rich history
Visalia Rawhide and City of Visalia Reach Agreement to Upgrade Ballpark
AUGUST 30, 2024 RAWHIDE TO PLAY ON IN VISALIA Visalia Rawhide and City of Visalia Reach Agreement to Upgrade Ballpark VISALIA, CA – The Visalia Rawhide and the City of Visalia have reached an agreement to upgrade Valley Strong Ballpark to meet current facility standards, thereby enabling Visalia to continue
Robbie Ray Strikes Out Nine, Rawhide Drop Final Game Before Break
SAN JOSE, CA- Giants capture third straight win, claim final series before the all-star break. Giants starting pitcher Robbie Ray pitched 5.0 innings while striking out nine batters without allowing a run. Rawhide pitcher Adonys Perez suffered his sixth loss of the season but struckout seven batters. Alongside Perez, Carlos
San Jose Even Series, Defeat Visalia 6-4
SAN JOSE, CA- Giants two run homerun in the seventh inning lift San Jose past Visalia 6-4. After taking a 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh inning, Cesar Quintas recorded his team leading seventh home run of the season to give the Giants the lead. Starting pitcher Nate
Central Valley Entertainment Guide
Central Valley Entertainment Guide TicketSmarter is delighted to offer a special 5% discount to supporters and fans of the Visalia Rawhide, providing access to an eclectic mix of live events in Visalia, Fresno, and the broader Central Valley region. Our extensive array of over 125,000 concerts, sports events, theatrical productions,
Rawhide Score Late, Defeat San Jose 9-5
SAN JOSE, CA- Visalia score seven runs in the last two innings, defeat San Jose 9-3. Entering the eighth inning, the Rawhide trailed 3-2 before scoring five runs on six hits. The nine batter is the second time this season the Rawhide have recorded six hits in an inning. Rawhide
Giants Walk-off Series Opener in San Jose
SAN JOSE, CA- Giants complete ninth inning comeback defeating Visalia 5-4. The Rawhide took an early 4-0 lead behind back-to-back homeruns against Giants rehab pitcher Robbie Ray. However, in the bottom of the ninth inning, third baseman Charlie Szykowny hit a walkoff single to complete the comeback. Jansel Luis became
Rawhide Capture Sixth Win to Conclude Road Trip
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA- Visalia captures second game of series defeating Rancho Cucamonga 5-1. Following the win, Visalia improves to 6-3 during the nine game road trip. The Quakes struck first scoring one run on three hits, removing Denny Larrondo after six batters faced. The Rawhide countered in the fourth inning
Rawhide Score 13 Runs, Roll Past Rancho Cucamonga
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA- Visalia score six runs in the fifth inning, defeat Rancho Cucamonga 13-4. The Rawhide batted through the order once, with Dimitrio Crisantes recording his second home run of the season. Five different Rawhide players recorded a mulit-hit game including catcher Kenny Castillo who went 3-for-5. Castillo performance
Quakes Eight Run Inning Leads to Series Opening Win
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA- Quakes score eight runs in the fourth inning, defeating Visalia 8-3. Casey Anderson started the game with six strikeouts in the first three innings. Anderson finished the night with 3.0 innings, six strikeouts, and eight earned runs. Teofilo Mendez and Rio Britton were the only relief pitchers
Visalia defeat Inland Empire, Capture Second Straight Series Win
INLAND EMPIRE, CA- The Rawhide capture their first back-to-back series win since August 2023, defeating the 66ers 6-5. Visalia scored six runs in the first inning bringing 11 batters to the plate. Modeifi Marte led Visalia offensively with two base hits and a run in the first inning. Starting pitcher
Rawhide Tally Season High 14 Runs, Take Game Five
INLAND EMPIRE, CA- Visalia tie a team high runs and hits, defeating Inland Empire 14-4. The Rawhide outhit the 66ers 18-5 including a three hit performance from Druw Jones and Angel Ortiz. The Rawhide tallied 45 at bats throughout the night including a hit from each each position player. Wilkin