The Milwaukee Brewers have a new king of the prospect mountain. Jesús Made, the organization's top minor league talent, has been named the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball by both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline as of May 13. That's no small feat, especially considering he just celebrated his 19th birthday less than a week ago.
How did the teenage shortstop leap to the top? It took a bit of math. Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Konnor Griffin, also 20, graduated from prospect status after logging enough big-league experience, clearing the path for Made to claim the throne on both lists.
Now, Made isn't exactly tearing the cover off the ball at Class AA Biloxi right now. He's in a bit of a slump this month, posting just a .464 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in May. But zoom out, and the picture is still bright. Overall this season in a pitcher-friendly league, he's carrying a .740 OPS with three home runs and 15 stolen bases. That kind of well-rounded production—power and speed—is what has evaluators buzzing.
What makes his rise even more remarkable? Made wasn't even the top signing in the Brewers' 2024 international class. That honor went to Jorge Quintana, who was later traded to San Diego in the deal for Brandon Lockridge. The same class also brought in Luis Peña, now the organization's clear No. 2 prospect at 19 years old, though he's been sidelined since a scary on-field incident in late April.
This isn't a one-hit wonder for Milwaukee, either. The Brewers have built a reputation for finding gems on the international market. Jackson Chourio briefly held the No. 1 prospect title before debuting in the majors at just 20 years old in 2023. And outfielder Luis Lara, signed out of Venezuela in 2022, now sits at No. 96 on MLB Pipeline's top 100 and is knocking on the big-league door with strong play at Class AAA Nashville.
Made's ascent also reflects the Brewers' deeper commitment to global scouting. They opened a state-of-the-art academy in the Dominican Republic in early 2024, and it's already paying dividends. Made got an invite to big-league camp during spring training and has impressed evaluators with his complete game—switch-hitting power, plate discipline, and defensive chops at shortstop.
For Brewers fans, the future looks bright. And if you're looking to rep the next wave of Milwaukee baseball, now's the time to grab your gear.