The Brewers added right-handed hitter Logan Henderson And Chad Patrick Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports that they are adding to their 40-man roster ahead of today's Rule 5 deadline (X Link). Since Milwaukee has two more open spots for the 40 players, McCalvy writes that even more players could be protected before 5:00 p.m. CT.
Henderson was selected by the Brewers in the fourth round of the 2021 draft, although elbow surgery prevented him from making his professional debut until over a year after his draft date. After throwing just 13 2/3 innings in 2022, Henderson threw 78 2/3 frames in A ball in 2023 and then 81 1/3 innings at four different minor league levels last season. The overall numbers (3.32 ERA, 32.8% strikeout rate, 4.73% walk rate) were very impressive, although Henderson had a 4.56 ERA and a few home runs in 23 2/3 Triple-A innings -had problems.
Henderson's signature pitch is a plus changeup that is so effective that it allows him to get away with a fastball with that movement but is in the 88-92 mph range. That two-pitch arsenal could mean that Henderson will ultimately end up as a reliever, although the Brewers will of course evaluate him extensively first to see if he can continue to develop as a starting pitcher. Since the 22-year-old Henderson has already cracked the Triple-A level and could be close to making his major league debut, it stands to reason that he may have received a lot of attention from teams in the Rule 5 draft.
MLB Pipeline ranks Henderson 11th among all Milwaukee prospects, while Baseball America ranks him 21st. Patrick isn't on either team's top-30 list, although given his considerable Triple-A experience (158 innings), he likely would have been on rivals' R5 radar as well.
Patrick was also a fourth-round pick in 2021 as the Diamondbacks filled nine right-handed spots before the Brewers selected Henderson. Arizona handed Patrick over to the Athletics Jace Peterson at the 2023 trade deadline, and the A's then traded Patrick to the Brewers almost exactly a year ago the trade that sent Abraham Toro to Oakland.
After struggling mightily in 2023, Patrick found his footing in his new organization, posting a 2.90 ERA, a 26.1% strikeout rate and a seven percent walk rate over 136-1 with Triple-A Nashville /3 innings. While a 2.67 BABIP and 79.2% strand rate helped Patrick's cause, he started 24 of his 26 games and delivered quality finishes, earning his first 40-man berth. With the Brewers frequently rotating pitchers from the minors, the 26-year-old Patrick could also be in the mix to make his MLB debut next season.
