- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 409,573
- Reaction score
- 43
The Milwaukee Brewerstraded outfield prospect Yophery Rodriguez, a player to be named later and a compensatory draft pick to the Boston Red Sox on Monday for starter Quinn Priester, who will presumably alleviate Milwaukee's rash of injuries to its starting rotation.
Priester hasn't had overt success in the big leagues, but here's what to know about the right-hander:
Priester is 24 years old and hails from Cary-Grove High School in Illinois, a little more than 20 miles south of the Wisconsin border. He was drafted in the first round of the 2019 draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates (18th overall) and traded to the Red Sox midway through last season.
Priester made his debut in 2023 and struggled in 10 starts with the Pirates, posting a 7.74 ERA and a 1.700 WHIP. In 2024, he posted an improved 5.04 ERA with Pittsburgh in just about 45 innings, with six of his 10 outings as a starter. He also made one five-inning appearance for Boston after he was traded, coming in the 2024 season finale.
Overall in his big-league career, he has a 6.23 ERA in 15 starts and nearly 100 innings.
Priester has actually made more appearances against the Brewers (three) than any other team. In those outings, including two starts, he has allowed nine runs in 19 innings (a 5.06 ERA), including two homers — one to Sal Frelick last year and one against former teammate Carlos Santana in 2023.
In six minor-league seasons, Priester has a 26-17 record, 3.61 ERA and 1.248 WHIP. He struggled in spring training with the Red Sox and was assigned to Class AAA Worcester to open the year.
Milwaukee has found diamonds in the rough before. Priester is a former top prospect, once ranked No. 60 in all of baseball by MLB Pipeline, so he has that prospect pedigree. None of his pitches graded out as MLB average according to the pitching model Stuff+, but his sinker/slider combo is the type of profile Milwaukee often works with. He's also throwing a cutter more often, as of spring training.
There's also a matter of club control; Priester theoretically could be under team control for the next six years.
The Brewers are also in a bit of a desperate spot. Six of their projected top seven starting pitchers to begin the season are on the injured list, and Elvin Rodriguez has struggled mightily in two starts trying to fill one of the voids.
Of course, it's just as easy to presume that the Brewers will get some starters back soon, beginning Friday when the club is eligible to activate and promote starter José Quintana. And it's also easy to point out that the benefit of finding help from unlikely sources is that those unlikely sources don't often cost a lot of resources in a trade.
Yophery Rodriguez was the Brewers’ top international signing in 2023 and ranked No. 8 among the top prospects in the organization, according to the Journal Sentinel. The Dominican Republic native is still only 19 years old and was one of the youngest players in the Carolina League last year, with a start this season for High Class A Wisconsin.
The left-handed outfielder had an OPS of .726 last year and had started out on fire at Wisconsin, with five hits in 12 at-bats (including a double and triple) at Wisconsin. As Jackson Chourio was making a rapid ascent through the Brewers system, Rodriguez looked like a player who had the capacity to follow a similar meteoric trajectory. Though his arrival stateside didn't necessarily maintain that otherworldly path, there's still a ton to like.
The draft pick, No. 33 in the 2025 draft, is also a substantial asset. The Brewers, who also have the No. 20 selection and the No. 32 pick, surrendered the "Competitive Balance Round A" pick awarded to teams in the 10 smallest markets or with the 10 smallest revenue pools. Yes, those can be traded, unlike most picks in the draft. Milwaukee acquired one such pick in the deal with Baltimore that sent Corbin Burnes to the Orioles.
In this category of picks, you might notice the New York Mets (No. 38), New York Yankees (No. 39) and Los Angeles Dodgers (No. 40 and No. 41), but they're here because they exceeded the second surcharge threshold of the competitive balance tax, meaning they don't get a normal first-round pick, and these will be their first picks of the draft.
The Brewers received the No. 32 pick as compensation for losing Willy Adames in free agency. Even after losing No. 33, they still hold five picks in the top 100 — No. 20; No. 32; No. 59 (second round); No. 68 (Competitive Balance B), a pick awarded to them because Milwaukee didn't sign last year's No. 67 pick, pitcher Chris Levonas; and No. 94 (third round).
The Brewers are also giving the Red Sox a player to be named later or cash considerations.
Priester is signed to a one-year deal and won't hit arbitration until after the 2027 season.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Who is Quinn Priester? Get to know the Brewers' newest pitcher
Continue reading...
Priester hasn't had overt success in the big leagues, but here's what to know about the right-hander:
How old is Quinn Priester and where is he from?
Priester is 24 years old and hails from Cary-Grove High School in Illinois, a little more than 20 miles south of the Wisconsin border. He was drafted in the first round of the 2019 draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates (18th overall) and traded to the Red Sox midway through last season.
How has Priester fared in the big leagues?
Priester made his debut in 2023 and struggled in 10 starts with the Pirates, posting a 7.74 ERA and a 1.700 WHIP. In 2024, he posted an improved 5.04 ERA with Pittsburgh in just about 45 innings, with six of his 10 outings as a starter. He also made one five-inning appearance for Boston after he was traded, coming in the 2024 season finale.
Overall in his big-league career, he has a 6.23 ERA in 15 starts and nearly 100 innings.
You must be registered for see images
Priester has actually made more appearances against the Brewers (three) than any other team. In those outings, including two starts, he has allowed nine runs in 19 innings (a 5.06 ERA), including two homers — one to Sal Frelick last year and one against former teammate Carlos Santana in 2023.
In six minor-league seasons, Priester has a 26-17 record, 3.61 ERA and 1.248 WHIP. He struggled in spring training with the Red Sox and was assigned to Class AAA Worcester to open the year.
Why would the Brewers bring in a pitcher who has struggled?
Milwaukee has found diamonds in the rough before. Priester is a former top prospect, once ranked No. 60 in all of baseball by MLB Pipeline, so he has that prospect pedigree. None of his pitches graded out as MLB average according to the pitching model Stuff+, but his sinker/slider combo is the type of profile Milwaukee often works with. He's also throwing a cutter more often, as of spring training.
There's also a matter of club control; Priester theoretically could be under team control for the next six years.
The Brewers are also in a bit of a desperate spot. Six of their projected top seven starting pitchers to begin the season are on the injured list, and Elvin Rodriguez has struggled mightily in two starts trying to fill one of the voids.
Of course, it's just as easy to presume that the Brewers will get some starters back soon, beginning Friday when the club is eligible to activate and promote starter José Quintana. And it's also easy to point out that the benefit of finding help from unlikely sources is that those unlikely sources don't often cost a lot of resources in a trade.
Three other things to know about Quinn Priester
- He caught a touchdown in the Illinois 6A football state championship as Cary-Grove defeated Crete-Monee, 35-13. The two-sport athlete was also named Gatorade Player of the Year in baseball in Illinois. He had an offer to play both sports at Northwestern University before choosing pro baseball.
- When he was drafted in 2019, he became the first high-school player from Illinois selected in the first round since 2010.
- Alas, he's a fan of the Chicago Bears.
You must be registered for see images attach
Who did the Brewers surrender to get Quinn Priester?
Yophery Rodriguez was the Brewers’ top international signing in 2023 and ranked No. 8 among the top prospects in the organization, according to the Journal Sentinel. The Dominican Republic native is still only 19 years old and was one of the youngest players in the Carolina League last year, with a start this season for High Class A Wisconsin.
The left-handed outfielder had an OPS of .726 last year and had started out on fire at Wisconsin, with five hits in 12 at-bats (including a double and triple) at Wisconsin. As Jackson Chourio was making a rapid ascent through the Brewers system, Rodriguez looked like a player who had the capacity to follow a similar meteoric trajectory. Though his arrival stateside didn't necessarily maintain that otherworldly path, there's still a ton to like.
The draft pick, No. 33 in the 2025 draft, is also a substantial asset. The Brewers, who also have the No. 20 selection and the No. 32 pick, surrendered the "Competitive Balance Round A" pick awarded to teams in the 10 smallest markets or with the 10 smallest revenue pools. Yes, those can be traded, unlike most picks in the draft. Milwaukee acquired one such pick in the deal with Baltimore that sent Corbin Burnes to the Orioles.
In this category of picks, you might notice the New York Mets (No. 38), New York Yankees (No. 39) and Los Angeles Dodgers (No. 40 and No. 41), but they're here because they exceeded the second surcharge threshold of the competitive balance tax, meaning they don't get a normal first-round pick, and these will be their first picks of the draft.
The Brewers received the No. 32 pick as compensation for losing Willy Adames in free agency. Even after losing No. 33, they still hold five picks in the top 100 — No. 20; No. 32; No. 59 (second round); No. 68 (Competitive Balance B), a pick awarded to them because Milwaukee didn't sign last year's No. 67 pick, pitcher Chris Levonas; and No. 94 (third round).
The Brewers are also giving the Red Sox a player to be named later or cash considerations.
What is Quinn Priester's contract?
Priester is signed to a one-year deal and won't hit arbitration until after the 2027 season.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Who is Quinn Priester? Get to know the Brewers' newest pitcher
Continue reading...
