Brewers prospect named the Southern League's most valuable player

Blake Burke may no longer be a member of the Class AA Biloxi Shuckers, but the Milwaukee Brewers ' slugging first base prospect left a mark.

Burke was named the Southern League most valuable player Sept. 21, a nod to Burke's incredible season before an August promotion to Class AAA Nashville.

He was joined by teammates Jesús Made, Josh Adamczewski and Andrew Fischer on the 2026 Southern League All-Star Team . All are highly regarded prospects in the Brewers organization.

Burke hit 30 home runs at Biloxi – giving him a franchise-record 41 in his Double-A career – and led the league in batting average (.285) and OPS (.970). He became the first Southern League player with a 30-homer season since Wisconsin native Adam Brett Walker in 2015, and Burke needed just 88 games to reach that threshold.

All told, Burke played 96 games at Biloxi and stole 28 bases despite his 6-foot-3, 236-pound frame. Though he struggled in 31 games at Nashville (.635 OPS, four homers), his overall numbers for the year were still strong (.263 average, .889 OPS, 34 homers, 29 steals).

The 23-year-old left-handed bat, a 2024 Brewers first-round pick, is regarded as the No. 12 prospect in the organization by MLB Pipeline.

Burke and the rest of the Shuckers hit a franchise-record 178 home runs in 2026, shattering the old record of 154. Fischer, the Southern League all-star at third base, had a lot to do with it by parking 28 homers in 72 games with the Shuckers, with a 1.026 OPS for his portion of the season at Class AA.

Made, regarded as the top prospect in baseball, made the all-star team as a shortstop and spent all season with Biloxi. He finished with 14 homers, 91 RBIs, 37 steals and a .774 OPS. The 19-year-old's RBI count was the most in franchise history, breaking the mark of 90 by Jackson Chourio in 2023, and led the league.

Adamczewski, regarded as the No. 3 prospect in the organization, played in 66 games after promotion and made the Southern League all-star team as the left fielder. He had an .837 OPS in Biloxi with nine homers and eight steals. He started his career with a 12-game hitting streak, the longest stretch by any Shucker this season.

Burke is the first Brewers minor-leaguer to win a league MVP award since 2022, when both Jackson Chourio (Carolina League) and Jakson Reetz (Southern League) earned MVP honors.

Reetz, a catcher signed by the Brewers in the offseason before the 2022 season, left after they designated him for assignment in August of that season, and he elected free agency after clearing waivers. He had briefly gotten to the big leagues for two at-bats with Washington in 2021 and got back in 2024 with San Francisco for 14 at-bats.

Other Brewers prospects to win league player of the year awards at the top four levels are:

Mario Feliciano (2019, Carolina League with Carolina)

Corey Ray (2018, Southern League with Biloxi)

Hunter Morris (2012, Southern League with Huntsville)

Corey Hart (2003, Southern League with Huntsville)

Prince Fielder (2003, Midwest League with Beloit)

Mike Kinkade (1997, Texas League with El Paso)

Tim Unroe (1994, Texas League with El Paso)

John Jaha (1991, Texas League with El Paso)

Troy O'Leary (1992, Texas League with El Paso)

Greg Vaughn (1987, Midwest League with Beloit)

Steve Stanicek (1986, Texas League with El Paso)

Billy Jo Robidoux (1985, Texas League with El Paso)

Joey Meyer (1984, Midwest League with Beloit)

Bill Foley (1978, Midwest League with Burlington)

Jeff Yurak (1978, Eastern League with Holyoke)

Paul Molitor (1977, Midwest League with Burlington)

Danny Thomas (1976, Eastern League with Berkshire)