Brewers Skipper Spotlights 21-Year-Old Speedster As MLB 'Darkhorse'

Everyone has their version of the projected opening day roster for this year's Milwaukee Brewers team, but what about the players who could come up later in the year and make an impact?

Milwaukee's farm system is arguably the strongest it's ever been after some notable offseason trades. But while top prospects like Jesús Made and Jett Wiliams are taking up most of the attention in spring training, there's an outfielder some may be sleeping on.

On Wednesday, Brewers manager Pat Murphy highlighted 21-year-old outfielder Luis Lara as someone who could make an impact on the major league roster before the season comes to a close.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

Will Luis Lara be impact player for Brewers soon?

Though Murphy prefaced things by saying the club would need to see how Lara adjusted to Triple-A pitching eventually, he raved about the youngster's defense and makeup.

"Everybody's offense, if you haven't been in Triple-A yet, is a question mark," Murphy said, per Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "There's two jumps: Triple-A and then the big leagues. But Lara is a kid that sticks out all the time when you're around him because he has great energy. And he's a great defender.

"He's a darkhorse. I like the pick. He could be a click to pick."

Lara posted a .257/.369/.343 slash line in 136 games for Double-A Biloxi last season. Players at his age are often still in the process of adding power, so even though he stands just 5-foot-8, he might not be a total punch-and-judy hitter when all is said and done.

MLB Pipeline ranked Lara the No. 14 prospect in the Brewers system after the additions from the recent trade with the New York Mets.

Murphy was by no means insinuating Lara had a chance at the opening day roster, but the Brewers always know they need to have a next man up in the outfield. Starting center fielder Garrett Mitchell has never come close to playing 100 games in a season, and Jackson Chourio and Sal Frelick have had some nagging injuries over the past two years as well.

Even if he's more of a defensive specialist early in his major league career, Lara is a name to keep on our radar as we try to anticipate some of the twists and turns this roster will experience through the course of the season.

More MLB: Brewers Announce Glass-Half-Full Sal Frelick Injury Update