Minor-leaguers honored

The Milwaukee Brewers honored their 2017 minor-league player and pitcher of the year Tuesday before the team’s game against the Cincinnati Reds.

For Lewis Brinson, the player of the year, the return to Miller Park was somewhat bittersweet. A strained left hamstring suffered Aug. 14 ended his season, depriving him of a chance to be part of the Brewers’ playoff push.

Corbin Burnes, meanwhile, found himself in the spot he hopes to reach sometime in the next calendar year or so. The right-hander turned in one of the best performances of any pitcher across the minor leagues in his first full season in the Milwaukee organization.

“Both guys had different story lines coming into the year,” Brewers farm director Tom Flanagan said. “Brinson got a lot of notoriety on top of the prospect list. In his case, he cemented it and lived up to the billing.

“In Corbin’s case, in his first full season with us, he came in without a lot said about him. But, internally, our coaches and staff were impressed with the limited innings he threw in 2016. They were really impressed with what they saw.

“A lot of guys felt he was capable of having a breakout year. But, to the extent he had it, he really exceeded what our expectations were for a firstyear player.

“He put himself in a good spot heading into 2018.”

Burnes, 22, was a fourth-round pick of the Brewers out of St. Mary’s College of California in 2016. After pitching in 12 games between the rookie Arizona League and Class A Wisconsin, he opened 2017 at advanced Class A Carolina and pitched well enough over the first two months to be promoted to Class AA Biloxi.

There, he helped the Shuckers remain in playoff contention in the Southern League down the stretch on a strong staff that included, among others, Freddy Peralta, another right-handed prospect who got himself onto the radar.

In 26 starts between Carolina and Biloxi, Burnes went 8-3 with a 1.67 ERA and WHIP of 0.95. He

Burnes’s ERA was third-best in the minor leagues and led the organization.

Burnes figures to advance to Class AAA Colorado Springs by next season along with Peralta and perhaps Luis Ortiz as the next wave of starting pitchers in the organization works its way toward the major leagues.

“I don’t know what plan the Brewers have for me yet, but I would like to continue to move up, of course, because the ultimate goal is the big leagues,” he said. “I would like to get a shot next year. The only thing I can do is control what I can this offseason, and that’s working hard to keep getting better.”

Brinson, 23, hit .331 with 13 homers, 48 RBI and an OPS of .962 in 76 games with Colorado Springs.

In three stints with the Brewers, he hit .106 with two homers and three RBI.

Players buy tickets: Ryan Braun, Corey Knebel and Hernan Perez are teaming up to purchase 7,500 tickets for fans for the Miller Park finale against the Cincinnati Reds at 3 p.m. Thursday.

“Our fans are a big part of what we have accomplished this year, and on behalf of Hernan and Corey, we wanted to do something out of the ordinary to show how much we truly appreciate them,” Braun said in a statement.

The tickets will be available at www.brewers.com/players at 9 a.m. Wednesday. There will be a four-ticket limit per order.