Many expected the National League Rookie of the Year race to be tight. At the 2025 season’s midpoint, Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Chad Patrick is quickly becoming a dark-horse candidate to claim the award.
“The Brewers always seem to come up with one or two (or more) unsung pitchers who excel,” ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle mentioned in a May 27 story. “This year, Patrick certainly fits that bill, posting a 3.23 ERA over 11 outings, including 10 starts. A lack of swing-and-miss stuff kept Patrick off the prospect radar, but so far, he has made it work with command and a lot of soft contact. Patrick has already been traded twice in his career, going from Arizona to Oakland at the 2023 deadline for Jace Peterson, then moving from the A’s to Milwaukee after that season for Abraham Toro. This is what the Brewers do.”
Through 12 outings, Patrick’s impressive ERA has helped stabilize the Brewers’ rotation with reliable innings and poise that belies his experience level. He isn’t flashy, but his numbers tell a clear story. He limits damage, avoids big innings and gets outs without relying on overpowering stuff.
Patrick’s Promising Brewers Situation
What makes Patrick’s emergence with the Brewers even more fascinating, is his path to this point. He’s already been traded twice in his young career, bouncing from the Diamondbacks to the Athletics before landing in Milwaukee. Each organization saw something in him, but it’s the Brewers—long known for their natural ability to develop arms—who have unlocked his full potential.
That development pipeline is part of what makes Milwaukee’s system so respected around the league. Time and again, they’ve turned lesser-known prospects and under-the-radar acquisitions into major contributors. Patrick may be the latest example of that trend.
Another Brewer In Contention
Meanwhile, Logan Henderson—another Brewer—is dominating in limited action. In just three starts, he’s already notched three wins, 29 strikeouts, and allowed just four earned runs over 21 innings. If Milwaukee chooses to give him more opportunities, he could rapidly climb ahead of Los Angeles Dodgers’ Ben Casparius or Atlanta Braves’ Drake Baldwin on the leaderboard.
And that’s what makes this year’s NL rookie picture so intriguing. There is no clear-cut superstar running away with the award. It’s wide open. There are players with tools, players with upside, and players—like Patrick—who are simply getting the job done. With more than half the season to play, the narrative can shift quickly. One strong month from any of these names could rewrite the race.
Still, what Patrick brings to the table is rare. He is not the type of pitcher who lights up radar guns or draws national headlines with triple-digit heat. But what he does do is equally beneficial to his Milwaukee club.
With a calm presence on the mound and elite command, Patrick is putting together one of the most effective rookie campaigns in baseball.
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