With the 75th overall pick in 2016, the Brewers selected the Puerto Rican backstop out of the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy.
His breakthrough season came in 2019 when he hit .270/.323/.473 with 19 home runs for High-A Carolina and was awarded Carolina League MVP.
A year later, he performed well at the other training location as a follow-up. Feliciano was signed to Milwaukee’s 40-man roster in November 2020, but he had a difficult season in 2021.
Feliciano, who had one Major League appearance in May, missed nearly two months due to right shoulder impingement.
During that time, he played 114 plate appearances for Triple-A Nashville and hit just .210/.246/.314 (46 wRC+). An excursion to the Arizona Fall League (.318/.348/.432) made the year’s finish more upbeat.
Feliciano has used his bat to boost his prospect status ever since being selected in the MLB.
He has the above-average raw power to threaten for 15-20 home runs over a full Major League season and uses a compact right-handed swing to drive the ball with authority.
His strikeout percentage did slightly decrease at Triple-A, which is a cause for hope for 2021, but he isn’t the most conservative swinger with a 3.5 percent walk rate.
Feliciano’s shoulder issues weren’t new last season; he also required arthroscopic surgery in the offseason of 2018–19. It is now uncertain how his injury history will affect his ability to continue playing behind the plate.
The Brewers are hopeful he can return to his former form as an athletic catcher with above-average arm strength. His second 40-man season in 2022 should provide the regular reps he needs to find that form.
How Tall Is Mario Feliciano?
Mario Feliciano stands at a height of 1.85 m.