Ramirez is beginning to transition from first base to pitcher during the Brewers Instructional League, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
After spending three years at the Double-A level with declining offensive production, it appears the Brewers would like to try Ramirez out as a reliever in order to keep him in the organization. The 27-year-old did act as the closer while he was at Cal State-Fullerton, converting 16 saves in his final collegiate season to go with a stellar 1.13 ERA and 11.6 K/9. Those stats did come from 2011, however, so he may need a bit of time to get accustomed to pitching to professional hitters. That being said, left-handed relievers with that kind of strikeout ability are hard to come by, so if the 27-year-old can get back into the same groove he was in during his final season in college, he could finally manage to move past Double-A.