Inside Brewers Rookie Brandon Sproat's Huge June Turnaround After Slow Start

The Milwaukee Brewers rookie is red-hot and is showing why Milwaukee wanted to acquire him.

May 12, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brandon Sproat (23) delivers a pitch against the San Diego Padres in the third inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When the Milwaukee Brewers acquired Brandon Sproat in the Freddy Peralta deal this past offseason, the club had high hopes that the 25-year-old could end up being a long-term building block piece for this starting rotation.

Sproat was put right into the action early on this season and bounced between the rotation and the bullpen at first. Then, he settled into a consistent rotation role in April as injuries piled up. He was inconsistent at first, which shouldn't shock anyone. He's a 25-year-old rookie who entered the season with four games of big league experience under his belt.

The righty had to learn on the fly, and it seems like it's working. Sproat has shown a clear sign of progress. In May, he logged a 5.64 ERA in five starts across 22 1/3 innings of work. In June, he was much better. Sproat made five starts and logged a 3.46 ERA and a 28-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 26 innings pitched. In comparison, he had a 27-to-12 strikeout-to-walk ratio in his 22 1/3 innings pitched in May.

The Brewers Rookie Is Turning A Corner

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brandon Sproat (23) throws a pitch in the second inning of the MLB National League Central game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

So, Sproat got deeper into games on average in June and showed significantly better command. He dropped his walk total down by five, despite pitching 3 2/3 more innings. That's a massive sign of progress. Obviously, the ERA number was better as well by over two points.

Milwaukee is going to have a tough decision to make in the near future. Logan Henderson is about to come back. Then, the Brewers will have to decide who should fill out the rotation with Jacob Misiorowski, Kyle Harrison, Brandon Woodruff, Sproat, Henderson, Shane Drohan and even Robert Gasser as options.

There was a time earlier in the season in which Sproat would've been an option to send to the bullpen, but right now he's pitching well enough to earn a longer run in the rotation. Arguably, it should be Drohan and then Gasser, when he comes back up to the majors, to the bullpen with Henderson and Sproat filling the final two rotation spots.

It's no secret that Sproat has big-time stuff. That's why the Brewers wanted him. And when Milwaukee wants to acquire a hurler via trade, it typically does well in the deal, like getting Harrison and Quinn Priester from the Boston Red Sox. It took a bit of time for Sproat to adjust to the big league game, but he's starting to really look like the hurler Milwaukee was hoping it was getting. He has allowed just two earned runs across his last 11 1/3 innings pitched. That will play.