MILWAUKEE -- Mauricio Dubon's bid to become the first native Hondouran to make it to the Major Leagues will have to wait until 2019.
At the same time the Brewers made a roster move that might have cleared a path to the big leagues for Dubon, the club's No. 10 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, was diagnosed with a torn ACL in his left knee. Dubon will undergo surgery as soon as his swelling subsides and will miss the remainder of this season.
• Brewers' Top 30 prospects
"I feel bad for Mauricio," Brewers general manager David Stearns said. "He put a lot into this offseason. He put a lot into the first six weeks of this season. He was making some really big strides developmentally. Frankly, [he was] doing a lot of the things we asked him to do.
"He was clearly off to a tremendous start at Colorado Springs both offensively and defensively. He was really showing us that he could play either position up the middle. He was working himself into being an option here."
The Brewers' player development department announced the Dubon news at the same time the Brewers optioned veteran middle infielder Eric Sogard to Triple-A Colorado Springs amidst an 0-for-27 slump. At minimum, Dubon would have been among the players considered for a promotion, especially given the Brewers' offensive shortcomings at second base and shortstop. Dubon, 23, was slashing .343/.348/.574 at Triple-A Colorado Springs and has an active 23-game hitting streak.
Instead, the Brewers recalled utility man Nick Franklin from Double-A Biloxi. To free a spot on the full 40-man roster for Franklin, the Brewers shifted catcher Stephen Vogt to the 60-day disabled list.
Dubon was injured in a rundown during Colorado Springs' game on Saturday night after extending his hitting streak. Tests on-site indicated a ligament injury, but it wasn't until Dubon underwent further testing in Milwaukee that the extent of the damage was confirmed.
• Pipeline Q&A: Brewers' Mauricio Dubon
It could be several weeks, Stearns said, before swelling in Dubon's knee subsides enough to schedule surgery.
"He's an upbeat kid," Stearns said. "He cares about baseball. He's positive. After this period of disappointment, we know he's going to get back out there and work as hard as he can through his rehab process. Our aim is to get him ready to go by Spring Training next year."