Milwaukee’s ace Jacob Misiorowski is hitting unthinkable velocity in just his second big-league season, making every single one of his starts absolutely must-watch television. He’s one of the breakthrough stars ready to dominate the 122nd World Series, which kicks off Friday in Milwaukee, but he’s not alone in driving the Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays to the Fall Classic. These two clubs, famous for playing in some of MLB’s smallest markets with some of the league’s lowest payrolls, have still somehow acquired and developed a stable of players who have absolutely exploded onto the mainstream stage.
Stars Lighting Up the Fall Classic Spotlight
Beyond Misiorowski’s incredible arm, the Brewers and Rays are stacked with young talent and established veterans proving their worth. For the Rays, third baseman Junior Caminero shined bright in the 2025 Home Run Derby, and his spectacular slugging at such a young age has already grabbed the attention of casual fans everywhere. Then there’s Freddy Peralta, a two-time All-Star with the Brewers who got traded twice in eight months, then went to Tampa Bay and absolutely shone down the stretch, eventually earning ALCS MVP honors. Rays designated hitter Yandy Diaz has become a total staple in their lineup, delivering several huge swings this postseason when it mattered most.
On the Milwaukee side, Jackson Chourio, who’s nine months younger than Caminero, has already rocketed to the top of several of the Brewers’ all-time postseason leaderboards. Christian Yelich, who won NL MVP in his first season with the Brewers way back in 2018, is still the undisputed face of the franchise, and he just earned the captain’s distinction. Catcher William Contreras is another Brewers lineup staple, coming up with huge swings this postseason. These are the guys you’ll see gracing the promo graphics and hype videos for the World Series, no doubt. But trust me, both rosters are absolutely littered with crucial contributors ready to have a massive impact on how this Fall Classic plays out.
The Quietly Elite: Unsung Heroes Ready to Deliver
Let’s talk about the guys who might not be on every highlight reel but are absolutely essential. Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen is quietly elite. This guy has battled back from three arm surgeries, two Tommy John procedures in college and internal brace surgery in 2023, to become one of the most dependable starting pitchers in the American League. He’s been an All-Star the past two seasons! Since becoming a full-time starter in 2022, his 2.74 ERA ranks fourth among pitchers with at least 500 innings, behind only Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell, and Chris Sale. Rasmussen was drafted by the Rays after his junior year at Oregon State, but he stayed in school and entered pro ball with the Brewers a year later. Milwaukee developed him and saw him debut in 2020 before trading him to Tampa Bay as the primary return in the Willy Adames deal. Talk about a full circle moment!
Then there’s Brewers first baseman Jake Bauers. He’s arguably the breakout slugger of this entire postseason, thanks to his epic, lengthy battles with pitchers like Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Blake Snell. What’s wild is Bauers actually made his major-league debut with his World Series opponent, the Rays! The Brewers are his seventh MLB organization. He was drafted by San Diego out of high school, traded to the Rays shortly after, and debuted with Tampa Bay in 2018. He then bounced around, struggled to stick with any one team, and famously contemplated retirement a couple years ago before giving it one more go with the M. This guy has fought tooth and nail to get here.
The 122nd World Series kicks off Friday in Milwaukee. With difference-makers like Rasmussen and Bauers waiting to swing momentum, alongside the established stars, this Fall Classic is gonna be a wild ride. Don’t blink!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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