Brewers Predicted To Pass On Promotion For No. 1 Prospect Next Season

Part of the thrill of having a must-see prospect in your farm system is the uncertainty.

Milwaukee Brewers infield prospect Jesús Made has exploded onto the scene in his first two seasons as a professional. MLB Pipeline currently ranks him as the No. 5 prospect in all of baseball, not to mention the No. 1 prospect in Milwaukee's system.

Still just 18 years old, Made has climbed two levels of the minors this season and already has a triple in his first two games with Double-A Biloxi. Quick math would indicate that only two more promotions would earn him his first-ever trip to the big leagues.

Will Jesús Made debut in 2026?

It's highly uncommon for international prospects to debut within two years of signing their first professional contract, but it's also uncommon to see them debut in Double-A before the end of their age-18 season. Given that it's late in the year, it would be unsurprising to see Made remain in Double-A to begin next season, but the door could, in theory, be open for a late-season debut.

Tremayne Person of FanSided, however, does not believe the Brewers will promote Made to the big leagues until 2027, as he expressed in a piece published on Thursday.

"The Brewers want to see if Made can sustain his production over the course of an entire season at Double-A and Triple-A before pushing him to the majors," Person wrote. "(Milwaukee knows) that rushing a player this young into the big leagues could do more harm than good, especially when there isn’t a desperate need at shortstop right now.

"There’s also the business side of baseball. Preserving rookie eligibility by holding him back until 2027 allows the Brewers to potentially lock him up to a long-term extension, much like they did with Chourio. That’s the type of deal that sets both player and team up for stability, ensuring fans get to enjoy their star prospect for years to come."

Is it possible that the Brewers could have a contract laid out for Made by 2027 if they see him continue on his current upward trajectory? Certainly, but it shouldn't be a determining factor in his promotion -- if he's ready and has earned the opportunity, there's no reason to hold him back.

The last thing to keep an eye on is the Brewers' production at the shortstop position in the majors. If Joey Ortiz has another season at the plate like this one (.593 OPS, worst among qualified hitters), there could be more incentive to give Made a shot.

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