The Milwaukee Brewers have built a reputation around two things: developing homegrown arms and reviving careers that looked all but finished. Whether it’s a top draft pick rising through the system or a pitcher who’s bounced around and needs a reset, Milwaukee has become a destination for pitchers looking to turn the corner. And in 2025, one of the most compelling examples of that formula working to near perfection was Quinn Priester.
Before landing in Milwaukee, Priester’s big-league numbers weren’t exactly turning heads. He came over from Boston’s Triple-A affiliate with a 6-9 Major League record and a 6.23 ERA. At the time of the trade, he was 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in Triple-A-hardly the kind of stat line that screams breakout candidate.
But once he arrived in Milwaukee, something clicked. Priester didn’t just stabilize-he thrived.
He went 13-3 with a 3.32 ERA and led all of Major League Baseball in winning percentage at .813. That’s not just a turnaround; that’s a transformation.
It’s the kind of leap that makes you wonder what the Brewers are tapping into behind the scenes, especially when it comes to pitching development.
Of course, not every pitcher who passes through Milwaukee finds that same success. Some use their time in the organization as a stepping stone, hoping the tools and tweaks they pick up will carry over elsewhere. One of those pitchers is Travis MacGregor.
MacGregor’s journey has been anything but linear. Originally a second-round pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates back in 2016, he’s spent time with multiple organizations, including the Angels and Rangers, but has yet to make his Major League debut.
When Texas let him go in August, Milwaukee scooped him up and assigned him to Double-A Biloxi. There, he posted a 3.48 ERA over 11 games (nine starts), but went 0-3.
While the win-loss record doesn’t tell the full story, the improved ERA showed signs of progress.
After the season, MacGregor elected free agency and has now signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees. At 28 years old, he’s still chasing that elusive big-league call-up. In 2025, splitting time between Texas and Milwaukee’s Double-A affiliates, he posted a 4.94 ERA with 55 strikeouts in 51 innings-all in relief.
Over nearly a decade in pro ball, MacGregor carries a 20-37 record and a 4.72 ERA. Those numbers won’t jump off the page, but the Yankees clearly see enough to bring him into the fold and give him a shot. Whether he cracks the 40-man roster remains to be seen, but he’ll get a look in Spring Training and a chance to prove he belongs.
For MacGregor, it’s another opportunity to turn potential into production. For the Yankees, it’s a low-risk move with possible upside. And for the Brewers, it’s another reminder that even when their reclamation projects don’t fully pan out in Milwaukee, the rest of the league is still watching what they're doing with pitching.