When the Milwaukee Brewers offered Zack Greinke to the highest bidder, they were looking for a shortstop for the future. Since J.J. Hardy and Alcides Escobar were sent away, shortstop has been a gaping hole for the Crew.
By acquiring Jean Segura, the Brewers found their man.
Before the 2012 season started, Segura was ranked as the 55th-best prospect in baseball by Baseball America and was the Angels‘ No. 2 prospect behind Mike Trout. With the Brewers, he has easily become the top prospect.
Segura, 22, has all the tools to be the next great thing to come through the Brew City. Even though Ryan Braun owns Milwaukee, Segura has a chance to become a fast fan favorite. With time and development, he will be an All-Star for years to come.
The former Angel is very skilled defensively. In 30 chances, Segura has yet to commit an error in the major leagues. Many believe he is more fitted for second base, but with Rickie Weeks manning the position for the Brewers, Segura will remain at short.
Segura is most known for his bat. He has impractical power for being as undersized as he is. He hit seven home runs for the Angels’ Double-A squad before being promoted and then traded. The Brewers aren’t looking for long balls out of him, though. They are hoping that their young phenom reaches base with abundance and unleashes his speed.
With above-average speed, Segura stole 33 bases in the minors. He was caught 13 times. Milwaukee is not know for its base-stealing, but maybe with him in the lineup, things will change.
After hitting .433 in eight games with Double-A Huntsville, the Brewers promoted Segura to the majors, waiving Cesar Izturis. His two-month audition will show the Brewers if he’s truly ready for the next step.
During his limited time with Milwaukee, Segura has shown signs of greatness. In six games, Segura has managed a .286 average and has driven in three runs. His range at shortstop has been impeccable and even better than advertised.
Plagued by a hamstring injury in 2011, Segura still needs some time to develop. Considering that the Brewers’ playoff hopes have been flushed away, there’s no better way to develop Segura than now with the big league club.
With Segura’s rare arsenal of speed, bat strength and defensive skills, he will finally be what the Brewers need: a dominant all-star shortstop. At only 22 years old, the young man can only improve to what is already an extraordinary set of skills.
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