New Brewers Pitcher Eviscerates Former Team's Pitching Development System

A new Brewer had some criticism for his old team.

Sep 11, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; A detailed view of the 9/11 ribbon on a St. Louis Cardinals hat in the dugout before the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers had a very quiet offseason. Their only free agency moves were the signings of pitchers Tyler Alexander and Grant Wolfram, and they also traded Devin Williams to the New York Yankees and lost Willy Adames.

One interesting move they did make however was claiming left-hander Connor Thomas from the St. Louis Cardinals in the Rule 5 Draft back in December.

Thomas never reached the Major League roster with the Cardinals, though he was ranked the organization's 17th best prospect in 2023.

Recently, Thomas had some harsh criticism for his old team's player development system and praised the Brewers for being several steps ahead.

"There were no tweaks, nothing like that, nothing of this. A great organization, and I enjoyed my time over there, but I'm happy to be with a team that's, on the coaching side of it, doing a little more for me," Thomas said.

While the Cardinals typically outspend the small-market Brewers, Milwaukee has been considerably better than St. Louis over the last several years. Player development could be a key reason for that.

The Brewers have had more instructors in their system and have been ahead of the game, while St. Louis seemingly remains stuck in the past with their methods.

Perhaps Thomas can now reach his full potential since he is with an organization that has prioritized player development to make up for their lack of spending.

Keep in mind that the Brewers traded Corbin Burnes last year and still ran away with the National League Central thanks in large part to their young core.

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