Looking at 5 Guys the Brewers Could Take in the Rule 5 Draft

Thursday's Rule 5 Draft could be a busy one for the Milwaukee Brewers as they currently have 6 open spots on their 40-man roster. Couple that with a rebuilding project, an emphasis on upside, and available roles on the big league club - well - it's a recipe rife with possibilities.

The quick breakdown of acquiring a player in the Rule 5 draft is this: 1) He is not on a team's 40-man roster. 2) He has accrued enough time with the club that signed him. 3) Upon drafting a player, the new team must keep him on the Major League club for the entire season (some exceptions exist).

That last part is often the determining factor for teams, as the ones looking to compete aren't going to take many chances on young and/or unproven players. Sometimes a franchise in contention will try to "hide" that guy (e.g. Wei-Chung Wang with the Brewers in 2014), but it's often not worth the trouble.

This season represents the perfect storm for Milwaukee to take a look at some arms and bats that could bring them a nice reward.

Here are 5 players GM David Stearns and the Brewers could be looking at:

1) Balbino Fuenmayor - First Baseman - Kansas City Royals

Now 26 years old, Fuenmayor struggled to develop his power in his first go 'round in affiliated minor league baseball. After some time in the Venezuelan Winter League and playing independent baseball in 2014, Fuenmayor hasn't stopped hitting.

In 89 games between AA and AAA last year, Fuenmayor hit .358 with a .384 OBP, .589 SLG and .972 OPS in the Royals' system. He unfortunately tore his ACL in July, but that shouldn't be a deterrent for a team like the Brewers.

Over the past two years in the Canadian-American Association (independent), Venezuelan Winter League and the minors, Fuenmayor blasted 50 HR and drove in 203 runs in the equivalent of just under one-and-a-half seasons.

With Adam Lind now shipped to the Seattle Mariners, Fuenmayor can at least compete for starts at first base in Milwaukee.

2) Jimmy Brasoban - Right-handed Pitcher - San Diego Padres

Still only 21 years old, Brasoban's numbers finally began to match his stuff in 2015. Originally tried out as a starting pitcher, the move into relief last season served him well in A ball. Brasoban compiled a 2.26 ERA with a 1.074 WHIP and 10 strikeouts per 9 innings (K/9) in 71.2 frames.

He features a sinking fastball in the low 90's, but as he moved into the bullpen, he was clocking in over 95 MPH more frequently. Brasoban continues to work on his slider as well, a pitch that is on track to be a valuable go-to pitch as he matures.

The Brewers' bullpen situation is very fluid this season as they'll have a strong, young core where innings and roles may not be so segmented. Brasoban could flash his stuff throughout the season at the big league level without the real pressure of games that matter in the standings.

3) Ronny Rodriguez - Infielder - Cleveland Indians

Like many young infielders, Rodriguez started out as a shortstop, but now profiles more effectively playing second or third base. His versatility is a plus, including a move to short in a pinch. His bat started to come around last year, making the 23-year-old a bit more appealing to clubs.

In 72 AA games in 2015, Rodriguez earned an .806 OPS thanks to his .491 SLG. Though his low walk totals and high strikeout tendencies would be concerning, his 11 HR, 14 doubles and 4 triples in just half a season are terrific numbers, especially featured at second base.

He also averaged nearly 25 doubles over the previous 4 seasons, so his slugging potential and gap power have always been there.

I'm not sure anyone is sold on Scooter Gennett being the long-term answer at second, and Rodriguez would certainly bring better defense to that position as well.

4) Luis Perdomo - Right-handed Pitcher - St. Louis Cardinals

Many people like his fastball (mid-90's) and sharp slider that bites down, though the 22-year-old hasn't seen the results everyone had hoped for in high-A. Perdomo has mostly been a starter, but some believe he would be better off as a bullpen arm.

Overall, the strikeout numbers have been there in his career and his command has been decent. As a bonus, he's been a ground ball pitcher, a plus if he's pitching in Miller Park. He could improve his pitches and take them to the next level in relief, but a starting role down the road is an option.

As mentioned with Brasoban, the Brewers' bullpen is set up nicely to give guys like Perdomo a shot. It doesn't hurt that he was in a Cardinals' system that seemingly turns everyone into a quality pitcher, so perhaps some of that will rub off on him too.

5) Zach Borenstein - Outfielder - Arizona Diamondbacks

A left-handed hitter and corner outfielder might be a sneaky pickup for the Brewers to help balance their options in left and right field. Borenstein has proven to be a solid, all-around hitter with power and has worked to improve his contact at the dish to avoid so many strikeouts.

Across 5 minor league seasons of varying levels, he owns a .287 average, .360 OBP and a .499 slugging percentage for a stellar .859 OPS. Last season in 85 AA games, Borenstein had a .905 OPS (.394 OBP, .511 SLG) with 30 extra-base hits and 57 RBI. Depending on the moves made to bring in a center fielder or trading someone like Khris Davis, there could be legitimate opportunities for Borenstein to get experience in Milwaukee. With Davis, Ryan Braun and Domingo Santana all righties, he could be a great complement off the bench regardless.

Those are the 5 on my mind, but the Brewers have a ton more insight, of course. I'd be shocked if they didn't take anybody in the Rule 5 draft...and even a bit surprised if they didn't snag at least two.

If you're interested in checking out some other guys that could be on the Brewers' list, head over to Brew Crew Ball as they have more options and have more detail on one of the players I noted above.

If there was any time for Milwaukee to have multiple Rule 5 players stashed on their 25-man roster, 2016 is definitely the year.

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