Scouting Report: Zach Willeman
Milwaukee Brewers | RP
Overall
Summary
Zach Wheeler has made an impressive return from major shoulder surgery (thoracic outlet surgery, blood clot, rib removal) that ended his 2025 season. Since his season debut on April 25, 2026, Wheeler has made 4-5 starts with a 1.99-2.55 ERA and 0.88-0.93 WHIP over 24.2-31.2 innings pitched. He demonstrates elite command (36.1% chase rate in 91st percentile), strong swing-and-miss stuff (25.8% whiff rate, 23.2% strikeout rate), and excellent pitch movement. His underlying metrics (FIP, K-BB%, Stuff+) suggest he may be performing even better than his surface statistics indicate. Minor concern: fastball velocity has decreased from 96 mph in 2025 to 94.5-94.9 mph in 2026, though manager Don Mattingly indicates velocity is trending upward.
Strengths
- Dominant ERA (1.99-2.55) in early season starts
- Elite command and zone control (36.1% chase rate, 91st percentile)
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