The Brewers kept pumping out arms in 2026, and the organization had no shortage of candidates when it came time to sort through the season’s best minor league pitchers. From younger starters climbing the ladder to more advanced names getting a taste of Triple-A, the system gave the award a real debate.
Two pitchers just missed the top three: SP Wande Torres, who posted a 4.41 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 24.4% K, 10.6% BB, 4.63 FIP and 122 1/3 innings over 26 games and 18 starts, and SP Jaron DeBerry, who finished with a 4.69 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 24.8% K, 11.5% BB, 5.31 FIP and 128 2/3 innings across 26 appearances and 26 starts.
The No. 3 spot went to SP Manuel Rodriguez, whose season carried extra weight because he was only 20 for most of the year. His line read 4.74 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 20.9% K, 5.6% BB, 5.62 FIP and 133 innings in 27 games and 26 starts.
Rodriguez did not rack up eye-popping strikeout totals, but he showed real feel for the zone and the ability to work into games. He walked only 5.6% of the hitters he faced, a strong mark for any minor leaguer, and he reached the sixth inning or later in eight of his 26 starts.
The blemish was the home run ball: he gave up 31 long balls, or 2.1 per nine innings, which helps explain why his FIP sat well above his ERA.
At No. 2 was SP Tyson Hardin, who logged a 5.34 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 26.9% K, 7.2% BB, 3.33 FIP and 119 2/3 innings over 26 outings and 25 starts. The raw ERA doesn’t jump off the page, but the split matters here.
Of those innings, 90 came at Triple-A Nashville, and he was clearly better there than in his brief Double-A Biloxi stint. His Nashville work came with a much lower ERA, fewer baserunners and more than a strikeout per inning, which makes his season look a lot stronger than the surface number suggests.
He also allowed only an 86.9 MPH average exit velocity and a 30.7% hard-hit rate in Nashville. Hardin is currently Brewer Fanatic’s No. 8 prospect, and after what he did at Triple-A, he has a chance to help the Brewers in 2027.
The top honor went to SP Coleman Crow, the Brewers’ 2026 Minor League Pitcher of the Year. Crow finished with a 3.59 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 23.3% K, 8% BB, 3.89 FIP and 105 1/3 innings in 20 games and 19 starts.
He made his major league debut in May, but injuries and performance sent him back to Triple-A Nashville for most of the season, where he continued to show why he remains such an interesting arm in the system. After returning from the injured list with a flexor strain, his strikeout numbers dipped, but he kept throwing strikes and working deep into games.
He also limited hard contact, posting an 87 MPH average exit velocity in Nashville and allowing just 10 home runs over 105 1/3 innings. Crow’s game is built on length, zone attacks and keeping hitters from squaring him up, and that profile gave him the edge over the rest of the field.
Crow may not light up a radar gun or pile up gaudy strikeout totals, but his performance, durability and ability to get through lineups made him the clear choice. With a debut already on the books in 2026, he could have a bigger role with Milwaukee in 2027 if he stays healthy.
The broader takeaway is simple: the Brewers’ pitching depth keeps rolling, and there are more arms coming behind these names as the organization heads toward 2027.
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