DENVER -- After suffering what Pat Murphy called an “uncanny amount of injuries,” the Brewers manager was excited to welcome right-handed pitcher Quinn Priester to the clubhouse Tuesday, fresh from a trade with the Red Sox Monday.
“Credit to our front office to be able to make that quick move in the midst of the adversity we're having on the mound and all the injuries,” Murphy said. “It's unfathomable that you think about how many guys we've had injured, and for them to move fast and get a quality arm like this, who we’re familiar with and can help us right away, is really great work on their part.”
Priester has pitched in 21 big league games -- 15 of which were starts -- with all but one of them being for the Pirates. He is 6-9 with a 6.23 ERA, compiling 99.2 innings since his debut in 2023, allowing 41 walks while striking out 69. He has yet to appear in a big league game in 2025, and made one start for the Red Sox on Sept. 29 after a Deadline trade from Pittsburgh last season, earning the win in a five-inning outing when he allowed one run on four hits and a walk while striking out two.
“He's a tremendous athlete,” Murphy said. “He's only 24 years old. Can already make the ball go down, sink[s] the ball, has already pitched at the Major League level. His velo is top end, top 15 or 20 in the league, and that's a pretty good recipe.”
Priester is expected to slot right into the rotation, with Murphy saying there's a “pretty good chance Thursday that he makes a start” in the series finale in Colorado.
The 2019 first-round pick shared his manager’s enthusiasm about the opportunity to pitch for the Brewers.
“At first, [I was] shocked, and then really, really excited,” Priester said after arriving in Denver Tuesday. “I grew up about an hour and 15 minutes south of American Family Field, and my family is really, really excited, because they know this will be a chance they get to see me, and I get to see them a lot more often. It’s a team that I grew up watching a lot.”
Despite the proximity, Priester did not grow up a Brewers fan in Glendale, Illinois.
“I grew up on the wrong side in the division,” Priester said of his background as a Cubs fan. “But nonetheless, I loved going to the games, either at Wrigley or, at the time, Miller Park. It's really exciting to be a part of this team.”
Priester added about 15 pounds to his frame in the offseason and came to Spring Training with the Red Sox ready to elevate his game. He said his focus this spring was “increasing velocity on the fastball and essentially creating more separation there with the breaking balls, which [he] did.
“We ultimately didn't get the result we wanted,” Priester continued. “But now we just keep pitching and knowing that I’m ready to be in the big leagues and compete. It's exciting to get that chance and show that understanding.”
Priester said his fastball tops out at 97, but he describes himself as a “sinker guy,” and he's focused on getting the ball on the ground, getting quick innings, and going deep into games to help save the bullpen.
“Keeping the ball down and changing speeds with the slider, the curveball, and changing looks off that sinker with the changeup,” he explained of his repertoire. “There's a lot of things that I can do and do really well that makes me a great starter. Ultimately, those strengths are what we're going to capitalize on. As I continue to grow, get older, get bigger, I have no doubts that the velocity is going to stay where it's at.”
Priester will have a quick couple of days to indoctrinate himself in Brewers baseball before his likely start against the Rockies on Thursday, and he’s been soaking up every opportunity.
“I've already started going out and throwing today and picking up on a few things already,” he said of his enthusiasm for being part of the Brewers pitching tradition. “I'm really excited to continue to build myself up as a major leaguer and continue to get better and develop at this level and ultimately put together really good starts consistently. I know these guys are going to help me do that, and if Day One is any indication, I think we're going to hit the ground running.”