Milwaukee Brewers prospect Luke Adams finds all kinds of ways to help Wisconsin Timber Rattlers score runs

GRAND CHUTE – Wisconsin Timber Rattlers third baseman Luke Adams puts up interesting numbers.

While he is batting just .239 in 75 games, he’s been getting on base.

A lot.

The 20-year-old Adams has drawn 56 walks, which gives him an on-base percentage of .432 — the best in the Midwest League — which translates into a good eye for balls and strikes.

“That’s something I was born with,” said Adams, who has the highest on-base percentage among Timber Rattlers regulars. “My mom has good hand-eye coordination, so when I was young I think I had good hand-eye coordination.

“Then at this level, it’s a lot of practice and in the offseason it’s doing some vision stuff.”

Adams also thanked hitting coaches in the Milwaukee Brewers organization for developing him and other players on the team with a good awareness of the strike zone.

So even though boosting the batting average is a work in progress, Adams is making a big contribution, including on the base paths.

Players who man third base typically are not big base-stealing threats.

Yet, there is the 6-foot-4, 210-pound Adams third among current roster members with 21 steals. Jadher Areinamo has 27 steals for the team lead with Luis Lara next with 26. Dylan O’Rae had stolen 33 bases before his promotion to Class AA Biloxi.

“I do have a couple more caught steals this year, so I just look for counts for running,” Adams said. “I’ve made a couple mistakes on the base paths but overall, being aggressive is good for the team.”

So, what is Adams’ secret to stealing bases?

“I’m not that fast, so I rely more on getting a good jump and looking for a pitcher with a high leg kick,” he said. “Our first base coach Eric Bunnell helps by letting us know if the pitcher has his leg up a little longer and that’s usually a green light to go.”

Another thing Adams has been doing well is driving in runs.

With 48 RBI, he is second on the team behind Areinamo, who has 53.

And if a runner is on third, chances are good Adams will drive him home. He leads the team in home runs with nine, has a .474 batting average with a runner on third and if the bases are loaded, there’s a 1-in-3 chance he’s going to get a hit.

“I thought I was more clutch last year and maybe in the last month,” Adams said. “But the first two months of this season, I didn’t think I was very clutchable. My roommate Dylan, who got called up, and I joked around that when we’d have a big situation, we both didn’t succeed in that.”

Adams has also been hit by a pitch 23 times this season, which is tops in the Midwest League, after getting on base that way 21 times last season while playing for low-A Carolina.

One thing Adams is working on is getting that batting average up.

“Earlier in this season and back to last season, I’d change my swing a lot just from at-bat to at-bat and game-to-game,” he said. “The past month or two has been really finding a consistent stance in the batter’s box and consistent hand movement.”

Adams, who is ranked as the 15th-best prospect in the Milwaukee Brewers organization by MLB Pipeline, said they’ve worked on a couple of things this season and are refining things every day.

“Right now, it’s just about finding consistent movement,” he said.

The Timber Rattlers return to action Friday for the start of a three-game road series at the Cedar Rapids Kernels.

Q&A with Luke Adams

Your friend or significant other is having you over for dinner. What are you hoping they serve?

Adams: Burgers and maybe some brats also.

Who is your favorite baseball player, current or former?

Kris Bryant.

It’s Friday night in your hometown of Hinsdale, Illinois. What are you doing?

Probably going to Fuller House and getting another burger.

What is your favorite non-baseball activity?

Watching football and playing chess. My mom helped run our chess club when I was in elementary school. She never learned to play. She just organized it. I played from kindergarten to fifth grade and then during COVID, I picked it back up and then I’ve been pretty much playing every day.

If you weren’t playing baseball, what would you be doing?

Playing football, probably kicker or tight end.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Milwaukee Brewers prospect Luke Adams finds all kinds of ways to help Wisconsin Timber Rattlers score runs