Brewers recall top prospect Hiura, place Shaw on IL

The time is now for the Milwaukee Brewers’ best prospect.

On Tuesday, Milwaukee recalled second baseman Keston Hiura, the team’s first-round draft pick in 2017 and the top-ranked prospect in the Brewers’ system by both Baseball America and MLB.com.

Travis Shaw, who has struggled at the plate all season, was placed on the 10-day injured list with a wrist strain, while Corey Spangenberg was designated for assignment. Shaw is hitting just .163 in 40 games (154 plate appearances) with four home runs and eight RBI. Shaw’s slugging percentage is a woeful .281. He hasn’t homered since April 23 and doesn’t have an extra-base hit since May 1. Since that double in the fourth inning against the Rockies, Shaw is 2-for-35 (.057).

It’s been a rapid ascent for the right-handed hitting Hiura, who started out in Rookie Ball after being drafted and after 15 games, in which he batted .435, he was moved to Single-A. In 2018, Hiura split time with Single-A Carolina and Double-A Biloxi.

Hiura was sent to Triple-A San Antonio to begin the 2019 season and has slashed .333/.408/.698 with 11 home runs in 37 games for the Missions. He’s had nine multi-hit games this year, including four games with three hits. Hiura led San Antonio in hits (43), doubles (12), homers, RBI (26) and runs (23) and was second in walks (15). He also was sixth in the Pacific Coast League in OPS (1.106).

In 202 minor-league games in 781 at-bats, Hiura owns a career slash line of .316/.380/.534 with 60 doubles, 13 triples, 28 home runs, 129 runs and 102 RBI.

The move means Mike Moustakas, re-signed in the offseason to be the Brewers’ second baseman, will move back to third base. Moustakas is hitting .250/.316/.528 with 10 homers and 26 RBI. The latter two totals being second on the team behind just Christian Yelich.

Moustakas has played 12 games at third base, with nine starts, this season compared to 29 games with 27 starts at third. In 2018, he played 52 games (50 starts) at third after being acquired by Milwaukee on July 27, with Shaw moving to second.