Pitcher hopes to advance in Brewers organization

KANSAS --- Tyler Wehrle readily acknowledges that he's never been big on academics and he enrolled in college to be able to keep playing baseball. Nearly two years after leaving Tiffin University, the Lakota High School graduate is still a baseball player and he aims to be one for a long time into the future. The 23-year-old right-handed pitcher signed a contract with the Milwaukee Brewers organization after being unchosen in the 2022 draft, but he's impressed the club enough through stints in rookie ball and low-Class A to be preparing to head to spring training in Phoenix next month. He said his sights are set on pitching in high Class A this season and eventually making it to the major leagues. "There is no Plan B," the 6-foot-3, 220-pounder said in a phone interview from Hilliard, where he has spent the offseason training at Bo Jackson Elite Sports Development. "All you need is a chance," he said. "I mean, I'm getting a chance to play professional baseball and show what I've got," he said. "I'm just trying to cross from a small-town area and do what I can to put little Lakota on the map." The school's athletic boosters recently recognized his baseball achievements during a boys basketball home game. He was presented a plaque bearing his photo and information on his baseball career. "I had no idea what was going on," he said, adding that he'd only been advised that one of his younger brothers would be playing basketball at halftime and wanted his entire family to attend. "They surprised me with it," Wehrle said. "... To have that happen is one of the best things that's ever happened in my life. I have two little brothers who go (to Lakota) – they're 13 and 9 years old – so to be able to see me up there and have something to push them and have something to strive for, it's great. I love it. I couldn't ask for anything better. I left a legacy at Lakota and it's not done yet. I'm ready to go play baseball and leave an even bigger one at Lakota. My little brothers have something to wake up for and strive to be better than, so that's awesome. I love it." Wehrle himself is following in some accomplished footsteps. His stepfather, Gregg Prenzlin, also starred at Lakota and TU and made it to the professional level in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization before an injury suffered in Class AA ended his career. He said his family's support has been at the core of his success. "I owe all gratitude to my family," Wehrle said. "I've had a lot of doubters along the way, but my family has really, really helped me out throughout the whole thing and pushed me to be the best I possibly can as a baseball player. I couldn't ask for a better family, to be so generous to help me play summer baseball in different states. ... It's just a blessing that I have, honestly. And coming from a small school like that, too, that just pushes me that much harder to want to make it." While playing in suburban Raleigh last year for the Carolina Mudcats of the Carolina League, Wehrle, pitching primarily in relief, posted an 8-7 record with a 4.18 earned-run average. He struck out 74 and walked 31 in 81 innings. "Last year was a big learning curve for me," said Wehrle, who was a two-time All-Great Midwest Athletic Conference pitcher at Tiffin. "One year in, I got to face a lot of really good hitters. You've got guys coming down, going up, rehab guys, first-round draft picks coming in, all this and that. It's a huge learning curve. I learned that you can't just throw fastballs right by anybody anymore. That's what I did in college, but in pro ball, 95 (miles per hour) is the new 90 now, so I've got to strive to throw harder and that's what I'm trying to work off of. They said they like what they see, but there's a lot of room for improvement. Along with a four-seam fastball and cut fastball, Wehrle throws a changeup and a slurve, which is a combination of a curveball and a slider. "They want me to increase my velo(city) speed and be more consistent with it," Wehrle said of the Brewers. "I want to be more predominantly above the 95 miles-per-hour mark. I've hit 97 a couple of times, but they want me to get in that 97 range, sitting. They want me to be above the 95 miles-per-hour range and they want me to be a little more in the strike zone with all my other pitches that I throw. "I learned a lot from last season and I'm excited to go into my second year of professional baseball and see what I've learned and see what I've gained and see where it takes me." Wehrle said perseverance got him through his times of struggling last year, and he'll rely on that to remain in professional baseball for as long as he can, with the end result being the major leagues. "I want to be known as a guy who played for his entire life," he said. "I don't care what I have to do. I will do anything I have to do (to continue playing) as long as I possibly can. They are going to have to tell me, 'You have to get out of here.' I will do everything I can to play professional baseball. "... A lot of people say they'd just be content with making it to professional baseball in the minor leagues. I'm not content. I'll be happy when I make it to the major leagues when you can watch me on TV the whole time and know my name. Then I'll be happy. I'm determined, man, and it would be the best single thing if that would ever happen."