Photo: Lake County Captains
Will Brennan is making his move through the Cleveland Guardians system. The 24-year old was recently promoted to AAA Columbus after starting the season at AA Akron.
He is in his third season with the Guardians organization after being drafted by Cleveland in the 8th round of the 2019 MLB draft out of Kansas State. His first season in 2019 he split 57 games between the Arizona Complex League and the New York Penn rookie league hitting a combined .266 with 11 doubles and 32 RBI in 57 games. Like every other MiLB player the Covid-19 pandemic wiped out his 2020 season.
Brennan came back strong in 2021 starting the season at High A Lake County slashing .290/.368/.441 with 22 doubles, 4 HR and 30 RBI in 62 games. He finished up 2021 at AA Akron slashing .280/.369/.360 for the Rubberducks in 40 games. His totals for 2021: .286/.369/.410 with 28 doubles, 1 triple, 6 HR and 50 RBI.
Enter 2022 as he picked up where he left of in 2021 at AA Akron. Through the first 36 games all he did was slash .311/.382/.504 with 12 doubles, 4 HR and 39 RBI in only 36 games. This earned him a promotion to AAA Columbus on May 26th. He has been on a major tear ever since! Brennan is coming off another three hit game on Sunday at Omaha driving in four runs in the Clippers 17-14 loss.
In only 27 games at AAA thus far Brennan has slashed .348/.426/.491 with a .917 OPS. He has put up 10 doubles, 2 HR and 26 RBI. His numbers have gotten better at every level as he now sits on the doorstep of making his major league debut which could come at some point in 2022. Brennan, much like Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan, puts the ball in play and is tough to strikeout. In 849 career minor league at bats covering 222 games Brennan has only struck out 125 times. While he only has 13 career HR, he has put up 61 doubles in that span along with 6 triples.
Brennan fits the mold of the Guardians most recent outfield call-ups Kwan and Richie Palacios. Contact hitters with good awareness of the strike zone. That similar approach could get Brennan the call to join his former Akron teammates in Cleveland sometime this season.