Spring Training is just beginning and the Brewers have no shortage of fresh faces at their Arizona compound. To help fans get acclimated with this year’s crop of newcomers to the organization, the Daily Brew has been publishing a series of player profiles over the past several weeks. This is the eleventh installment in the Newcomer Breakdown series, which covers major leaguers as well as selected minor leaguers; the first ten profiles covered Jerome Gamble, Derrick Turnbow, Justin Lehr, Julio Santana, Jose Capellan, Sam Narron, Nelson Cruz, Damian Miller, Ricky Bottalico, and Kelley Gulledge.

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Born in South Korea to a military family, Travis Phelps was the kind of athlete Dads all over America hope their sons grow up to be like. A standout prep star at Robinson High School in Tampa, Florida, Phelps was the quarterback of the football team and ace pitcher of the baseball team. He was recruited vigorously by Florida State and the University of Georgia to play on both the gridiron and diamond, but convinced that hurling the horsehide was his true calling, Phelps decided to concentrate on baseball and committed to attend the University of South Florida.

Before he could set foot on the USF campus, the southpaw was selected in the eight round of the 1992 Major League Baseball June Amateur Draft by the Montreal Expos. A tough decision for any young athlete, Phelps agonized over whether to sign or enroll at USF. While mulling things over, he participated in the Sun Belt Classic, a prep showcase event in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and badly injured his right knee while playing a game of pickup basketball with his teammates. He underwent a rigorous rehabilitation program at Tampa General Hospital and was examined by the Expos. Convinced he would make a full recovery, they reiterated their offer and Phelps signed on the dotted line. He joined the club’s Fall Instructional League and never looked back.

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