Craig Yoho wasn’t on the radars of many coming into the year, but he sure is now.

The Milwaukee Brewers pitching prospect has had a whale of a 2024 season, working his way through three levels of the minor leagues and now is in the discussion for a late-season call-up to the majors.

Yoho began his first year of pro ball this season with Class A Wisconsin, where he gave up one earned run and struck out 37 in 20⅓ innings, and has continued that dominance all the way through Class AAA Nashville, where he is currently pitching.

Here’s what to know about the fast-rising prospect.

When did the Brewers draft Craig Yoho?

The Brewers selected Yoho in the eighth round of the 2023 MLB draft out of Indiana University. He signed for $10,000, the fourth-lowest signing bonus of any player taken in the 20-round draft.

Where is Yoho from?

Yoho is from Fishers, Indiana, and attended Fishers High School. He also attended the University of Houston before transferring to Indiana.

How old is Yoho?

Yoho is 24 years old.

How tall is Yoho?

Yoho is 6 foot 3.

Where is Yoho ranked as a prospect?

The Journal Sentinel ranked Yoho as the No. 12 prospect in the system earlier this season, though he has certainly made a case to move higher in the rankings since that update. MLB.com ranks him as the organization’s 20th-best prospect, as does Baseball America.

What is Yoho’s best pitch?

Yoho’s best pitch is his changeup, which has drawn plenty of attention in the minors for its heavy movement, both horizontally and vertically. He also throws a 92-93 mph four-seam fastball, a mid-70s slider/curveball and a cutter in the upper-80s.

What is Yoho’s injury history?

Yoho has had two Tommy John surgeries, one in 2019 and the other in 2021, both performed when he was in college. He also dislocated a kneecap in 2022 and had to undergo surgery to repair it. 

How has he performed in the minor leagues?

Yoho has taken the minors by storm in his first year of pro ball. In 39 games and 48⅔ innings out of the bullpen, he has a 0.74 ERA and 0.822 WHIP. He has struck out 92 batters while allowing only 15 walks.

When will Yoho make his MLB debut?

It’s possible that the Brewers give Yoho a look down the stretch in the 2024 season, though based upon the crowded bullpen mix they have it’s just as likely he’ll have to wait until early 2025 to make his debut.

What is Yoho’s long-term outlook?

Yoho is viewed as a relief-only prospect, in part because of his injury history. He does feature a true four-pitch mix but projects to be an important piece of the Brewers bullpen for years to come.

The Brewers and Giants finish their three-game series this afternoon in Milwaukee, as well as the short three-game series at home. Aaron Civale faces Hayden Birdsong in the final game of the series. First pitch is at 1:10 p.m. and will be on Bally Sports Wisconsin and the Brewers Radio Network.

MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks are almost ready to turn its eyes to the 2024-25 season, and it’s fun to deal in the present.

But what about the future?

The Bucks, who have been in ”win-now” mode the past several years, have spent a lot of draft capital while chasing titles. Compared to other NBA franchises like the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, who’ve been stockpiling future draft picks, the Bucks’ war chest of future draft capital seems rather bare. This is in large part due to their goal of building a championship-caliber roster centered around Giannis Antetokounmpo, which is why most of their upcoming draft capital has vanished due to trading for Jrue Holiday in 2020 and Damian Lillard last offseason.

These big-name acquisitions over recent years have caused the Bucks to have limited options when it comes to upgrading its roster, though stealing Gary Trent Jr. earlier this offseason was a big deal. Coming off its second straight first-round playoff exit, there is little Bucks’ general manager Jon Horst has to work with in relation to trading away future draft picks for proven NBA players or unproven prospects.

Here’s a deep dive into the current status of the Bucks’ future draft picks, the ones they’ve traded away and the options they will have moving forward.

The Bucks have made many headlines from the trade market over recent years as they’ve pushed to contend for titles during Giannis Antetokounmpo’s physical prime. Here’s a look at the cost of all those transactions.

Having limited draft assets immediately available, the Bucks’ front office needs to be as strategic as possible when exploring various avenues to enhance the roster. Here are some ideas that Horst could explore later down the road.

1. Utilize future picks for in-season trade

Depending how well the Bucks open the first half of the season, they could find themselves active ahead of the trade deadline, which ends on Feb. 6 at 3 p.m. ET. They could package their 2031 and/or 2031 second in a combination with a current player to upgrade their roster.

2. Strategize potential pick swaps with Portland and New Orleans

Considering the amount of pick swaps the Bucks have with both New Orleans and Portland, Milwaukee could engage discussions with both teams to potentially avoid these swaps. They could offer current players or other assets in order to retain certain picks if they were to have a down season in one of the years they’d swap picks.

3. Hang on to future picks to speed up a possible rebuild

Bucks’ fans may not like to hear this, but the clock is ticking on thier championship window. Damian Lillard recently turned 34 years old, signifying he’s on the very backend of his prime. Khris Middleton has been riddled with leg injuries over the past two seasons, leaving his ability to bounce-back to all-star form in serious question. Giannis Antetokounmpo will also turn 30 years old later this December and while he’s shown no signs of slowing down, he could opt out of his 2027-28 player option and test free agency if the Bucks don’t make serious noise in the playoffs over the next handful of seasons. With all that in mind, Milwaukee could opt to hold onto its future picks in order to prepare for a possible rebuild later down the line.

It’s no secret the Bucks are in a complex situation regarding their future draft assets. They’ve already mortgaged most of their future draft capital to build a championship-level roster, but yet they still find themselves holding onto some valuable first-round picks. The key for the Bucks is to leverage the assets they still own to further enhance their current roster while also maneuvering through the complexities of all their traded picks and picks swaps.

Going forward into 2024-25, it will be interesting to see if Horst will make any moves that will see himself trade away more assets or try and recoup some by trading away current players on the roster.