Welcome to Volume Four of PARScards for 2026!
Next up, we have longtime PARS gem Luke Adams of the Brewers. Let’s dig in.
Background
Adams was headed to Michigan State, but signed with Milwaukee after they offered him sixth round money as a twelfth round pick. That may have been due to his impressive debut in the summer collegiate Prospect League as an 18-year-old, roughly 2.5 years younger than the competition. In 16 games, he went .404/.478/.737 with speed and power.
How’d We Get Here?
After an impressive debut in the Arizona Complex League later in 2022, Adams was promoted to full-season ball in 2023. He stood out for his advanced approach and exceptionally high OBP. This coincided with the first resurrection of PARS in 2023, and the formula didn’t miss:
Adams heard the phrase “take one for the team” and thought they said two. He’s been hit in around 7% of his plate appearances. Think about that. That’s a decent walk rate. Incredible. This has been a huge boost to his OBP.
Adams is also known for his funky swing mechanics. He lifts his left leg, extends his foot straight out, then stomps down to generate massive pop.
The Good
- Huge boost for OBP leagues. Between the HBPs and the walks, we're looking at a Max Muncy- or Kyle Schwarber-level gap between BA and OBP.
- The power is as legit as it gets. His 90th-percentile EV is in... the 90th percentile. He’s a BIG dude, at 6′4″—this is not going away. He’s a masher.
- He crushes fastballs. 19% barrel rate against the heater.
- He doesn’t chase out of the zone, part of his ridiculously keen approach/elite plate discipline. See more on this below…
- Adams runs—and runs like crazy for a big corner bat.
- He’s steady, in two ways. First, the org is telling us they like him—steady movement through the system without stalling anywhere. Second, his performance at each level is virtually identical. He's essentially MLB-ready at 22, but there's nowhere to put him. More on this below as well.
- A decision is coming soon. He's Rule 5-eligible after this season. So he should get an audition this year.
The Bad
- The extreme HBP totals are likely to decline in MLB due to better command and increased velocity.
- The steals are likely a mirage long-term, though he could still chip in double-digit totals through his mid-20s.
- His defense is limited, and he’s likely looking at first base as his long-term home.
- He’s currently very, very blocked in Milwaukee by Jake Bauers and Andrew Vaughn. Top prospect Blake Burke is also not far behind, holding his own in Double-A (15 HR, 16 SB as of this writing), though Adams is outscoring him by more than 20 PARS points.
Man, Tyler Black, what happened 😫🥶
- He tends to whiff much more frequently against off-speed stuff, though he doesn't chase.
- He’s a bit too passive. Reminiscent of Emmanuel Rodriguez, a bit. Don't you just wish these guys would be a little more aggressive? I know minor league pitching isn’t as tight as MLB, but you can extend once in a while just to get the bat off your shoulder. But what do I know? I flamed out in High School.
The Verdict
I think the floor here is a pretty solid strong-side platoon bat. He’ll be great in OBP leagues with daily lineup changes, but if he doesn’t hit his ceiling as a right-handed Schwarber or Muncy, his usefulness in shallow BA leagues with weekly lineup locks will be minimal.
At the very least, Adams is interesting for his elite approach and unique swing mechanics. I don’t think he’s going to last in Milwaukee, as I think they will use him in a trade this summer. If that happens, we’ll hopefully have some fun this summer.
But will this work in MLB? We saw Chase De Lauter have some immediate success with an unorthodox swing, then cool off. Spencer Jones lasted all of one game with his weird setup, then the Yankees intervened. Where he lands may be the difference. Could a deal with Tampa Bay be possible? I could see the Rays maximizing this profile. Time will tell, but I'm a fan either way, obvious warts and all.
Thanks for reading!
- Rick ✌🏼