Frosty Microbrew: Minor League Camp Underway

This week in Maryvale, finally, the Milwaukee Brewers spring training camp is all systems go.
Major league pitchers and catchers reported to Maryvale Baseball Park on February 14, followed by minor league early camp participants on February 19, the remaining pitchers and catchers on March 3 and the final position players on March 9. Following physicals, the first full squad workout of the spring was on March 11, and over 160 players were on the initial camp roster. It's the first time most of these players have all been together in the same place since the Brewers broke camp last spring.
"One of the most underrated aspects of spring training is the simple fact that everyone is in one place," Brewers Farm Director Tom Flanagan said via email. "After spring, the staff and players will be scattered geographically. So the time together here in Phoenix allows for off-field 'classroom' settings for both staff and players. This can continue on a team-by-team basis during the season, but it's not quite the same as in the spring."

Once everyone is in camp, players are quickly divided into working groups to get ready for game action: Minor league games start on Friday after just five full days of workouts, and the final 16 days of camp will feature 61 minor league games and three "camp days," where no games are scheduled but practice and drills still take place.
"The activity level at minor league camp definitely ramps up. And we have a great staff that manages the workload," Flanagan said. "Charlie Greene, our field coordinator/roving catching instructor, is the person who keeps everything going on the fields. He manages all of our work on 4 ½ fields, the cages, the bullpens, the bunting station, etc. Charlie keeps everything moving and gets creative with the drills so that players not only get the work they need, but it stays somewhat fresh and keeps their focus."
The Brewers are returning nearly the full complement of minor league managers, coaches and roving instructors from the 2017 season. Flanagan said that continuity within his staff "certainly helps" when preparing for a long season with a big group of players.
"The staff communicates very well with each other as well as with the players," Flanagan said. "And they have complete trust of our processes and work well with the other baseball departments as they maintain solid interaction."
Activity each day begins with "early work" around 8 am, drills and skill work from 9-11, then a break for lunch and to prepare for the day's games. Most days during minor league camp all four minor league teams face an opponent from the same organization, with two games taking place at home and two at the opponent's facility. That schedule continues through March 31, when the groups split up and head out to their respective affiliates.
Minor league early camp participants, of course, have already been adapting to this schedule for most of a month now. Being in camp ahead of their teammates opened the door for many of them to get the daily call over to major league camp, where they've had the opportunity to get some playing time in the late innings of Cactus League games.
One of the players that has seen a fair amount of time on the big league fields is outfielder and 2013 Timber Rattler Tyrone Taylor, who appeared in eleven of the Brewers' first 19 games this spring. Taylor was the #93 prospect in all of baseball before the 2015 season according to Baseball America, but is coming back from a season where injuries limited him to just 32 games. Flanagan mentioned him specifically as a player from minor league camp whose performance has stood out.
"Tyrone Taylor is one player that has made a really good impression," Flanagan said. "He battled some injuries last year, but he has worked very hard and is healthy now. And he has played particularly well and people have noticed."
Flanagan said seeing players like Taylor go over to major league camp and make a good impression is a major source of excitement and pride for him and his staff.
"Our staff pulls for these guys and seeing them gain experience in ML games is important for their development. And when they have success it's definitely something our staff takes pride in," Flanagan said.
Minor league Brewers have given Flanagan and his staff plenty to be proud of this spring. Besides Taylor, players like Keston Hiura, Mauricio Dubón and Troy Stokes Jr have all spent considerable time in major league games early in Cactus League play.
Both in major and minor league camp excitement is building for the pending renovations at Maryvale Baseball Park. Work is scheduled to commence almost immediately following the end of major league spring training on a new clubhouse and office building around twice the size of the current available space, a new entry plaza, a renovated major league clubhouse, new batting tunnels and practice mounds and an agility field. Work on the facility is expected to reach substantial completion by the time the Brewers report to spring training next February.
That construction schedule won't inconvenience the major league Brewers, who largely only utilize the facility in the spring. It's far from quiet at the park during the other months, however, as extended spring training, the Arizona Summer League Brewers, fall instructional league and various injury rehabs utilize the space. Flanagan said that players and staff will likely notice the construction taking place in the parking lot, but the ongoing renovations should not disrupt or interrupt their work.
"The fields won't be affected too much during the renovations. So we will be able to utilize the minor league facility and get all of our work in," Flanagan said. "There obviously will be a large construction project taking place in the adjacent parking lot. But other than an adjustment to our parking we will be able to get all of our normal work in throughout the year both inside the complex and on the fields."
While Flanagan downplayed any inconvenience the ongoing construction will cause, he did note its possible impact as a motivator for his players.
"Having the staff (and players) see the construction taking place over the summer will be a boost to everyone," Flanagan said. "Many people don't realize that Maryvale is a year-round facility and it is constantly being utilized by our minor league staff and players. So seeing progress toward a new home will be a big motivator."