Brewers general manager Matt Arnold informed reporters, including Adam McCalvy of MLB.com, that catching prospect Jeferson Quero will undergo surgery for a torn labrum. The recovery time is expected to be nine months, which obviously ends the season for the young backstop.
It was reported last week that Quero, 21, had been diagnosed with a subluxation in his right shoulder. The club didn’t make the next steps known at that time as they were planning to get a second opinion, but it now seems that a determination has been made with surgery required for Quero.
It’s an unfortunate development for the Brewers, both in the short term and in the long term. In the short term, it will put a notable dent in the club’s catching depth. Quero was added to the club”s 40-man roster in November to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft and he was sent to Triple-A to start this year.
The Brewers have William Contreras and Gary Sánchez handling the catching duties at the big league level but Quero could have been in line for his big league debut this year if an injury arose to either of those two. Instead, Quero is the one who is injured, subtracting that option from the club this year. Eric Haase and Francisco Mejia are in Triple-A as non-roster depth options and one of those two will likely be the first up if another catcher is needed at the big league level.
In the long term, it’s an unfortunate loss of a development year for a notable young player in the system. Quero was a consensus top 50 prospect in the league coming into the year and is currently listed #35 in the league by Baseball America, #41 at FanGraphs, #33 at MLB Pipeline, #32 at ESPN and was all the way up at #12 on the list of Keith Law of The Athletic.
Long considered a strong defensive catcher, Quero hit well in the lower levels of the minors but without much power. Over 2021 and 2022, he hit .290/.357/.448 but with just 12 home runs in 488 plate appearances as he climbed to High-A. Last year, he was sent to Double-A and hit 16 homers in just 381 plate appearances while walking in 10% of his plate appearances and striking out just 17.8% of the time. He slashed .262/.339/.440 for a wRC+ of 107 despite being just 20 years old.
That strong showing vaulted him up prospect lists and seemed to have him in place to be pushing for a major league debut, perhaps as soon as this year. But after just one plate appearance at the Triple-A level this year, he suffered this injury and will have to sit out the remainder of the campaign. Quero is still young and will have plenty of time to get back on track but it’s obviously less than ideal for a young player to miss an entire year of reps as he is trying to grow as a player.
Since Quero was in the minor leagues when he suffered his injury, he’ll be placed on the minor league injured list. The Brewers could recall him and place him on the major league injured list if they want to open a 40-man roster spot, but doing so would start Quero’s service time clock.
Bad news for the kid. Wish him the best
Pretty good looking player, come back strong kid!
How many season ending injuries so far? My goodness!
I understand “stuff” happens, but this does feel ridiculous this year! Just hoping everyone comes back healthy.
The MLBPA must approach the league about the shorter pitch time interval also wearing on catchers arm/shoulders for having to toss back to pitcher more frequently.
They didn’t do anything about all these teams w no funds due to tv deal fallout. Don’t get your hopes up !
I wasn’t serious about the catchers
That BS from the union has absolutely nothing to do with any injuries.
Arm injuries only started last year??
Half of the top stories are all injuries
@Well….shoot: Half of the top stories every year are about injuries.
@Gwynning: Recency bias. I doubt there have been significantly more injuries this year than previously.
We just tend to forget about prior seasons.
You’re more than likely correct, and I have no statistical data to provide otherwise. Just… “feels” weird.
Everybody has at least one torn muscle.
Damn that pitch clock!
/s
MLBPA: true dat!
“Pitvh clock”..I know, right. My wife recently left me after she found me having sex with her best friend. The damn pitch clock has ruined my life.
Anyone notice since the pitch clock was implemented housing prices went up and the interest rates rose? We need the MLBPA to step in!
Anyway we can blame this injury on the MLB pitch clock or the low-quality uniforms Nike put on the field this year?
Certain RS fans are sure it is either Cora’s fault, Bloom’s fault, or Henry’s fault.
Michael Rubin has videos of Manfred doing some unsavory acts at his white party. Rubin knows he doesn’t need to put out a good product cuz MLB is on the hook in perpetuity!
And just like that. You lose all confidence that Quero would have an All Star Gold Glove filled career.
Get Contreras’ agent on the line for an extension.
All? C’mon. But yes, Contreras should be extended already even if this injury didnt happen.
Flouridation is sapping and impurifying our players of their precious bodily fluids Manfred
Showing ur age with that reference!
Feed me Mandrake!
I mean…Mandrake, in the name of Her Majesty and the Continental Congress come here and feed me this belt, boy!
Why can’t “we” ever have nice things?
As a brewer fan, ouch. But at least his clock hasn’t started and he’s young and also catching is our best depth position imo. As long as he comes back the same, it’s the prospect we can most afford a set back with.
Very tough break. A labrum tear in his throwing arm could wreck this kid. I’m a slap tear survivor and it’s a horrible surgery and recovery. Prayers up for the young man.
This is why I never read Keith Law and rarely bother with Fangraphs when it comes to prospects.
“Quero was a consensus top 50 prospect in the league coming into the year and is currently listed #35 in the league by Baseball America, #41 at FanGraphs, #33 at MLB Pipeline, #32 at ESPN and was all the way up at #12 on the list of Keith Law of The Athletic.”
35,
41,
33,
32,
12 WTF???.
Baseball Prospectus was right there with BA, MLB, and ESPN. Everyone else agrees on basically where he is ranked. Law is off in LALA Land.
Yeah how dare someone rank a guy 20 spots ahead of another guy on some subjective list!!!
Why, its almost like prospects are crapshoots!
Sorry to see a talented young player go down for the entire season. Hoping for a good recovery and a long career.
Awful young for this. Best wishes for a great recovery!
another one bites the dust smh
Looks like Jeferson won’t be moving on up anytime soon.
If he were up in the big leagues, he’d be getting his turn at bat.