Breaking: Two Milwaukee Brewers are ranked among the top 50 best players……..read more

With a record of 26-17, the Milwaukee Brewers lead the National League Central Division. They have a one and a half game advantage over the Chicago Cubs, a seven and a half game lead over the Pittsburgh Pirates, and an eight game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds. Surprisingly, Milwaukee has managed to achieve significant early-season success even though they have a lot of rookies and inexperienced players playing important positions for the team.

For instance, the rookies Robert Gasser and Jackson Chourio created MLB and franchise history on Wednesday when the Brewers defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 10-2. Three of Milwaukee’s five home runs in the victory came from players in their young core: Chourio, Sal Frelick, and Joey Ortiz.

Though they have been excellent, the rookies and young players have only served as supporting cast members for the seasoned veterans Milwaukee chose to center their squad around. Two of these seasoned players were recently included on a list of the top 50 Major League players to center a club around.

William Contreras, a catcher with the Milwaukee Brewers, was ranked 47th.

The author of a recent Bleacher Report piece selecting the top 50 Major League Baseball players—players that would be ideal to base a club around—is Joel Reuter.

William Contreras, catcher for the Brewers, was placed 47th by him, slightly below Anthony Vlope of the New York Yankees and ahead of pitchers Logan Gilbert and Bryce Miller of the Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks Ketel Marte.

Regarding Contreras, Reuter notes:

“William Contreras and Ketel Marte are the best offensive players on their team right now and rank among the best offensive players in baseball at their respective positions.”

With six home runs and 34 RBI, 26-year-old Contreras is hitting.359/.434/.553 right now. This season, he leads the Majors with 39 runs scored.

Contreras has won a World Series, been chosen an All-Star, and taken home a Silver Slugger in his three seasons with the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee before this one.

He is, in fact, regarded by many as the best catcher in baseball at the moment.

Freddy Peralta, the starting pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, was ranked 36th.

Brewers star Reuter’s list had Freddy Peralta placed 36th, ahead of a number of well-known players, including Zach Wheeler, Freddie Freeman, and Dylan Cease.

Reuter said of Peralta:

“Dylan Cease and Freddy Peralta are two of the best strikeout pitchers in baseball, but in comparison to some of the other top starters on this list, they are still on the younger end of the established front-line starter spectrum.”

The 28-year-old Peralta has proven that he is a legitimate ace in addition to being a dependable starting pitcher. So far this season, he has a 3.63 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and is 3-1. With 58 strikeouts this season, Peralta is tied for the 11th-highest total in the Major Leagues. He leads the National League in strikeouts per nine innings with 11.9.

Two Players for the Milwaukee Brewers Received Honorable Mentions

Reuter identified a few players that were either too young and inexperienced or barely missed the cut before revealing his pick of the top 50 Major League players to base a team around. Jackson Chourio was listed as one of the guys who might eventually be regarded as the foundation of the team.

Reuter went on to name players who were competent but not exceptional enough to be regarded as mainstays. Willy Adames of the Brewers was one of these players.