It did not take Jacob Misiorowski long to show why he is one of the most electric pitching prospects in baseball. Misiorowski, in his MLB debut with the Milwaukee Brewers, took a no-hitter into the sixth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at American Family Field on Thursday (MIL 6, STL 0). However, his night came to a premature end when he was forced to leave the game in the top of the sixth after appearing to roll his right ankle on the mound.
The Brewers later announced Misiorowski left the game with right calf and quad cramping, which is good news, all things considered. He walked off the field under his own power, but seeing how he is one of the best young arms in baseball, the Brewers took no risks, and quickly lifted him from the game. Misiorowski struck out five, walked four, and threw 81 pitches. He was removed from the game in the middle of an at-bat.
Misiorowski’s first pitch in the majors was a 100.5 mph fastball, the fastest pitch by a Brewers’ starter since pitch-tracking launched in 2008. He hit 102.2 mph later in the game. That is the second fastest pitch thrown by a starting pitcher this year, eclipsed only by a 102.6 mph fastball from reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal last month. All told, Misiorowski hit 100 mph 13 times in his debut.
The longest no-hit bid in an MLB debut is 7 ⅓ innings by Ross Stripling, then with the Los Angeles Dodgers, on April 8, 2016. He did not allow a hit and was removed from the game after issuing a walk with an out in the eighth against the San Francisco Giants. The Brewers’ record is 5 ⅓ no-hit innings in an MLB debut by Freddy Peralta against the Colorado Rockies on May 13 2018.
Our R.J. Anderson ranked Misiorowski the 48th-best prospect in baseball entering the season. Here’s his write-up:
The short hook: Big stuff, walk rates
Misiorowski is a fascinating prospect. He’s averaged nearly 13 strikeouts per nine innings as a professional thanks to an outstanding arsenal (one pitch-quality model graded all five of his pitches as above-average) and a deceptive low-slot release. Unfortunately, his ascent has been slowed by a pesky little flaw: his well-below-average command. Misiorowski has handed out nearly six free passes per nine, calling into question his chances of lasting as a big-league starter. If the Brewers can help him tighten his handle, he has impact-starter upside; of course, if it were that simple, it would already be done. As such, Misiorowski seems more likely to land in a high-leverage relief role. We’ll give him another year to avoid that designation. MLB ETA: Summer 2025
Misiorowski, 23, was the No. 63 overall pick in the 2022 draft. He has torn up Triple-A this season, pitching to a 2.13 ERA with 80 strikeouts in 63 ⅓ innings.
Veteran righty Aaron Civale was demoted to the bullpen to open a rotation spot for Misiorowski, which prompted Civale to request a trade. Peralta, Chad Patrick, Quinn Priester, and Jose Quintana are Milwaukee’s other four starters. Veterans Nestor Cortes (flexor) and Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) are working their way back from arm injuries.
The Brewers (36-33) and Cardinals (36-32) entered this weekend’s four-game series with virtually identical records. They’re chasing the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central and also competing for a wild-card spot.
