Brown signed a minor-league contract with the Reds on Thursday.
Brown was the Brewers' minor-league pitcher of the year in 2018 with a 2.44 ERA at the Double-A level, but he struggled in 2019 and was moved to the bullpen last season. After being dominant in the lower minors, the 28-year-old has yet to find success at Triple-A with 5.09 ERA.
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Brewers' Zack Brown: Moves past shoulder issue
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Brown (shoulder) returned to action for Double-A Biloxi on Friday, retiring two of the five batters he faced en route to earning a hold in the team's 4-1 win over Montgomery.
After spending all season on Biloxi's roster while recovering from right shoulder fatigue, Brown was finally cleared to make his 2021 debut for the affiliate this weekend. Before being reinstated from the 60-day injured list Friday, Brown made two tune-up appearances in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League. The Brewers had previously developed the 26-year-old Brown as a starter, but he could spend the rest of the 2021 campaign working out of the bullpen after the shoulder injury cost him considerable ramp-up time.
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Brewers' Zack Brown: Battling shoulder fatigue
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Brewers manager Craig Counsell said Sunday that Brown has been shut down indefinitely due to right shoulder fatigue, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.
Though Counsell was unwilling to provide a definitive timeline on Brown's return, the skipper confirmed that the right-hander wouldn't appear in any more Cactus League games while he manages the shoulder issue, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Brewers don't believe Brown's shoulder issue is a long-term concern, so he could still have a realistic chance at being ready to go for the start of the Triple-A season, which has been pushed back to early May.
The Brewers included Brown as part of their initial 60-man roster pool released Monday.
Brown is one of nine non-roster invitees included on the initial 60-man list, which features 45 players. The Brewers' choice to include Brown in the roster pool is likely a means to oversee his development rather than an indication that the organization views him as a pitcher who will be ready to handle a notable role for the big club in 2020. He was hit hard in his first taste of Triple-A in 2019, posting a 5.79 ERA and 1.74 WHIP over 116.2 innings with San Antonio.
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Brewers' Zack Brown: Could see big-league time this year
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Manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday that Brown could pitch for the big club at some point this season, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports. "It's a name we don't talk about a lot, but a name who can help us this year," Counsell said in regards to Brown. "One of those we're maybe not counting on on Opening Day, but one of those guys who can impact us during the season."
Brown appeared to be well on his way toward being an impact player at the big-league level after a fine 2018 season with Double-A Biloxi, but he struggled last year in his first Triple-A stint and lost a lot of the shine on his prospect status. While Counsell's comments point toward Brown starting the year in the minors, they also indicate he could make his big-league debut at some point in 2020, possibly as a starter but more likely as a reliever.
Brown allowed two earned runs over six innings in a start with Triple-A San Antonio on Monday and owns a 3.99 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and 32:18 K:BB in 38.1 innings over seven Triple-A starts this season.
Brown has done a good job preventing runs in his first go-around at the Triple-A level, particularly with his squad playing in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. He has, however, had some issues keeping runners off the bases, particularly via the base on balls. Brown remains the Brewers' top pitching prospect, and if he is able to iron out some kinks in the near future, he could still make his big-league debut at some point this summer.
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Brewers' Zack Brown: Reaches Triple-A
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Brown will open the year with Triple-A San Antonio, Mike Rosenbaum of MLB.com reports.
Brown is the Brewers' best pitching prospect, which isn't necessarily saying much, but he has a fairly similar profile to Brandon Woodruff at the same stage of their careers. His arsenal is headlined by a 92-95 mph fastball that generates an elite percentage of groundballs. Brown also owns a plus bender and a solid changeup. He is more control than command at this stage of his development, but his fearless style on the mound tends to work in his favor. He could join the big-league rotation or bullpen at some point this summer.
