Brewers mulling start for top prospect Nelson

MILWAUKEE -- The Brewers are still mulling a start for right-hander and top pitching prospect Jimmy Nelson before the end of the season, though manager Ron Roenicke declined to say Monday where Nelson might fit.

The Brewers are already using a six-man rotation while finishing the regular season with 20 games in 20 days and have their starters set for the current series against the Cubs. The Cardinals come to Miller Park next, and it's unlikely the Brewers would throw Nelson against the National League's top offense in a series with implications for the NL Central race.

So Nelson would probably fit somewhere during the season's final road trip against the Braves, who have the NL East locked up, or against the Mets, who are not in the postseason picture.

Since a callup on Sept. 3, Nelson has made a pair of appearances out of the Brewers' bullpen. He pitched two perfect innings at Wrigley Field on Sept. 6 in his Major League debut, then struck out two batters in another perfect inning against the Reds on Saturday at Miller Park.

"He's an aggressive guy, and that makes a difference," Roenicke said. "Maybe he'll be wild, I don't know. But he's going to come at you and he's going to give you his best stuff. Those are the kind of guys you want to see, so if we can get him in there, we want to see him."

Nelson, 24, was 10-10 with a 3.25 ERA in 27 starts between Double-A Huntsville and Triple-A Nashville this season. He was Milwaukee's second-round Draft pick in 2010.