Brewers Call Up Top Prospect Orlando Arcia To Make Debut On Tuesday

Orlando Arcia has finally gotten his big opportunity.

Brewers Call Up Top Prospect Orlando Arcia To Make Debut On Tuesday

The Milwaukee Brewers announced following their 7-3 loss to the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on Monday that Arcia, their top prospect, will be recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs on Tuesday and become their primary starter at shortstop. He will make his debut against the Padres Tuesday night for the middle of the three-game series.

Jonathan Villar, who has played at an all-star level for much of the season, will shift over to third base, where Milwaukee currently has no established starter.

“The thinking is, it’s time to get him started,” said Brewers manager Craig Counsell, who earlier in the day bid adieu to catcher Jonathan Lucroy and relievers Jeremy Jeffress and Will Smith after they were traded in two separate deadline-day deals.

“It’s as much as that. We’ve still got (58) games left, a good chunk of the season left, and we’re hopeful it gives him good experience going into next year. I think it’s a little shot in the arm for us, a little boost for us, as well.”

The overarching goal for general manager David Stearns was to acquire top-flight prospects who could emerge to join Arcia and bolster their defense.

“I don’t know if we necessarily pick out finite milestones,” Stearns said when asked if the latest deals moved the Brewers closer to the next phase of rebuilding.

But the key is stacking “solid decisions atop of solid decisions” to become a consistent winner again, Stearns said Monday. “We believe that today’s decisions will help us get there.”

Arcia’s arrival could also help with that.

The 21-year-old Venezuelan was hitting .267 with eight homers and 53 RBIs in 100 games in his first season at Triple-A. He also has 15 steals, and is a .282 career hitter in the minors. He went 0 for 1 as a pinch-hitter on Monday night against Oklahoma City.

Arcia was selected to play in the Triple-A All-Star Game in mid-July, but opted out for personal reasons. Last season, he was named Milwaukee’s minor-league player of the year after hitting .307 with eight homers, 69 RBI and 25 stolen bases in 129 games at Class AA Biloxi.

Villar has committed a team-high 17 errors this season. He has also been hitting .293 with eight homers, 38 RBI, a .376 on-base percentage and a major-league-leading 39 stolen bases.

Hernan Perez, who has also pleasantly surprised this season and has been serving as the main third baseman recently, will now move to the outfield as well as the infield.

“Jonny’s going to play largely third base, but there will be some shortstop days for him still,” Counsell said. “With Hernan, we’ll take advantage of his versatility. There will be outfield starts, there will be infield starts, but he’ll certainly continue to play a lot.”

Counsell aslo recognized Villar’s accomplishments at shortstop to this point.

“From my perspective, Jonny’s done his job. He’s done a really good job,” he said. “He was disappointed and I understand that. I’m perfectly good with that. But Orlando’s a shortstop, and he’s a really good shortstop.”

Villar has now been displaced from shortstop in two consecutive years. Prior to the Brewers trading for him, he was the Houston Astros’ shortstop until eventual American League rookie of the year Carlos Correa was deemed ready to play every day. He wound up starting eight games at third for the Astros last season.

“I don’t have control for the situation,” Villar said. “I say thank you (to Counsell) because he gave me the opportunity to play every day. I go to third base, so I’ll be ready to play there.

“I understand because last year in Houston I played different positions. I know (Arcia) is very good. That’s today, but we don’t know next year what position you’re going to play. But they want to see the guy and what he’s got.

“I’m going to be ready to play third base.”

PHOENIX, AZ – MARCH 12: Orlando Arcia #72 of the Milwaukee Brewers rounds the bases to score in the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies on March 12, 2016 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)