Milwaukee Brewers 2024 Spring Training Position Battles: Second Base

[Jake McKibbin]

With spring training underway for the 2024 Milwaukee Brewers, today begins a series of pieces in which we'll cover some of the position battles that will unfold during camp. Today, we'll focus on the keystone position.

Image courtesy of © Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Second base was a troubled position for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2023, due to the struggles of rookie Brice Turang, but a lack of successful alternatives meant he got regular reps at the spot. He's still in the driver's seat, but there's some stiff competition coming his way.

The Incumbent: Brice Turang
2023 Stats: 137 G, 448 PA, 62 OPS+, 26 SB, 6 HR, 8.5% BB, 21.5% K, 1.6 bWAR, 12 DRS
2024 ZIPS Projections: 483 PA, .243/.312/.355, 21 SB, 1.5 fWAR

Scouting Report: Turang was drafted out of high school, with excellent athleticism and defensive actions to go along with a smooth swing, none of which he has lost in his progression through the minors. At each stage, Turang took some time to adapt to the new levels with the bat, and that perhaps happened again in 2023 with the Brewers. His journey began with this:

It went swiftly downhill from there, however, and he was briefly demoted to Triple A before coming back a slightly more patient version of himself at the plate. That improved plate discipline helped, but his struggles to impact the baseball or create consistent, quality contact left him a black hole in the Brewers lineup. He has the potential to be a high-batting average, contact-oriented hitter if everything clicks, and has shown an adaptability throughout his career so far that suggests he can tweak his game to find more success. 

Turang’s approach before and after the All-Star break resulted in similar OPS numbers, but there was a crucial difference. Earlier in the season, he showed an ability to hit the ball hard occasionally, but struggled to get on base with a .265 clip before the break. After it, he attempted to work better counts, getting his OBP up to .305. However, it came at the cost of any power. He hit just five extra base hits in 229 plate appearances down the stretch.

He has the speed to trouble teams on the basepaths, and his truly elite defense played a large part in his 1.6 bWAR last season, despite his horrible numbers at the plate. He is a valuable asset but the bat needs to take a step forward in 2024 or he could find himself pushed to a utility infielder’s role. It’s fair to say Turang hasn’t stamped his name into the Opening Day lineup by any means, and there’s plenty of competition in the background. 

The Biggest Contender: Joey Ortiz
2023 Season (AAA): .321/.378/.507, 9 HR, 30 2B, 121 WRC+, 17.7% K
ZIPS Projection: .241/297/.371, 9 HR, 1.6 fWAR
Many assume that Joey Ortiz was acquired to play third base, or to supplant Willy Adames at shortstop. However, he provides a possibility of the best defensive middle infield in baseball alongside Adames, while also having a significantly higher ceiling with the bat than Turang. Ortiz has hit a lot of ground balls, but as I recently noted, he chases excessively above, below, and inside the strike zone, which is limiting his in-game power. And make no mistake about it, he has power. Ortiz hit 19 home runs in 2022, but profiles currently to hit more doubles as he struggles to get the ball in the air. He needs to elevate with more regularity, but his 90% in-zone contact rate and an overall swing-and-miss rate of just 17% are impressive with his aggressive approach. They provide a strong floor, to go along with him having the highest average exit velocity of any Orioles prospect--higher than Heston Kjerstad. Higher than Coby Mayo. Higher than Jackson Holliday.

Ortiz's defense was among the best in the minor leagues, grading out at 65 with Baseball America. He has a plus arm and exceptional range, which gives him a floor similar to (if not better than) Turang's. The Brewers prized their defense last season, and Ortiz fits that mold beautifully.  In terms of pure wheels, Turang would have the edge, with Ortiz relying more on instincts and his reactions to cover the ground at short. He's not the base-stealing threat Turang is.

If they can find away to gets him elevating more consistently, Ortiz will be a starting middle infielder with a hit tool, raw power and defensive wizardry over which to salivate. Whether he will start this season at second base will be decided by both his and Turang's performance in spring training.

The Other Options, and How They Can Force Their Way In
The Brewers have spent the offseason stockpiling their infield resources, and as a result, they now have some intriguing options that could have a big impact if all goes well.

Oliver Dunn
ZIPS Projection: .213/.321/.368, 11 HR, 1.4 WAR
Acquired from the Phillies in November, Dunn endured an injury-riddled time in the minor leagues until the last couple of seasons. In 2023, he slashed .271/.396/.506 at Double A, showing off both a patient approach and impressive power. His defense is average at best, but he does also have speed, something he flaunted with regularity in the Arizona Fall League. He went 12-for-12 in stolen bases, along with 4 triples in 19 games. Dunn's calling card will be his offense, and the question is whether he can maintain that level of performance through Triple A and into the major leagues. He's a late bloomer, but certainly one to keep an eye on, and if that bat gets hot to start the season, it may not be too long before he gets a chance to prove himself on the biggest stage.

Eric Brown Jr.
Like Dunn, Brown has struggled to get consistent playing time due to injuries, but has shown strong defensive capabilities to go with excellent strike-zone discipline and contact skills. He was working on getting into his legs more in the AFL, and got back to some of the power he teased in 2022, which leads to some hope for the coming season. However, Brown isn't likely to get much of a chance to impact the big-league team until later in the season, if at all. His journey this season will likely begin at Double A, and be centered around consistent at-bats. That being said, he has all the defensive tools to be solid if the Brewers lose faith in Turang, and his contact profile should adapt well to the big leagues if the moment is thrust upon him. 

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Who can you see starting the season at second base? Do you have faith in Turang's bat? Will Ortiz steal the limelight on Opening Day? Or could there be a surprise from the farm system or a trade? Let us know your thoughts below.

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[eddiemathews]

Might see some of Black there, too, but my preference is Ortiz at second and Black at third. If Willy is traded short is Ortiz's to lose, and we could get a platoon at second with Turang getting most of the at bats. 

Man, I hope Black can handle third.

[Diamond Dog]

Thanks for always posting new articles vs. others who do not.

[Rick Daltons Flamethrower]

Thanks for the article. As always lots of ifs when you are trying to project players. That's the beauty and the frustration of the game. Opportunities await as we wait to see who ascends. Competition and unwritten stories await. The story is yet to be told. 

[eddiemathews]

1 hour ago, Rick Daltons Flamethrower said:

Thanks for the article. As always lots of ifs when you are trying to project players. That's the beauty and the frustration of the game. Opportunities await as we wait to see who ascends. Competition and unwritten stories await. The story is yet to be told. 

The real story is rarely as good as I imagine it will be.

[Jim French Stepstool]

22 hours ago, eddiemathews said:

Might see some of Black there, too, but my preference is Ortiz at second and Black at third. If Willy is traded short is Ortiz's to lose, and we could get a platoon at second with Turang getting most of the at bats. 

Man, I hope Black can handle third.

Agree with all of this. My one qualifier though is----are we sure Turang isn't a better SS than Ortiz, if it comes to that? I'll defer to those who have seen Ortiz play, as I have not. I know he's reputed to be a strong defensive SS.

Also, if Turang plays in a platoon situation I suppose you'd rather platoon the 2B position, than SS.

If Black settles into a regular defensive job I'd be shocked if it wasn't one of the corners.

[wibadgers23]

1 hour ago, Jim French Stepstool said:

Agree with all of this. My one qualifier though is----are we sure Turang isn't a better SS than Ortiz, if it comes to that? I'll defer to those who have seen Ortiz play, as I have not. I know he's reputed to be a strong defensive SS.

Also, if Turang plays in a platoon situation I suppose you'd rather platoon the 2B position, than SS.

If Black settles into a regular defensive job I'd be shocked if it wasn't one of the corners.

From what I have read and heard on podcasts, Ortiz is elite defensively at SS and many feel like his defense would be wasted at 2B.

[Jake McKibbin]

15 hours ago, wibadgers23 said:

From what I have read and heard on podcasts, Ortiz is elite defensively at SS and many feel like his defense would be wasted at 2B.

Ive heard the same, but no way Adames can be moved from a team standpoint in his contract year, that wouldn't go down well. He's also a plus shortstop, so having those two up the middle is pure gas.

Big difference between him and Turang is the above average arm. And he hits the ball hard. Both suggest more promise, however there's still that underlying hit that Brice's sweet sweet swing can do damage. It looks so pretty when he moonshots one, but that's definitely my eye test over backing numbers.

[wallus]

Others that should have been mentioned in this article:

Monasterio, Miller, Arroyo

[GasserFace]

I like where the Brewers are going into ST. 2b and 3b are wide open for Turang Ortiz Black Dunn Miller etc. I would prefer Black to secure third and Ortiz at second. That feels like the best balance of defense and offensive ceiling. 
 

I’m especially excited to see what Dunn Black and Ortiz look like offensively

[Brock Beauchamp]

Just now, GasserFace said:

I like where the Brewers are going into ST. 2b and 3b are wide open for Turang Ortiz Black Dunn Miller etc. I would prefer Black to secure third and Ortiz at second. That feels like the best balance of defense and offensive ceiling. 

I’m especially excited to see what Dunn Black and Ortiz look like offensively

Welcome to Brewer Fanatic!

[Jake McKibbin]

5 hours ago, wallus said:

Others that should have been mentioned in this article:

Monasterio, Miller, Arroyo

I get that, I think all three may be struggling nail the starting berth out of Spring training barring injury, but should've mentioned them as an addendum.

 

4 hours ago, GasserFace said:

I like where the Brewers are going into ST. 2b and 3b are wide open for Turang Ortiz Black Dunn Miller etc. I would prefer Black to secure third and Ortiz at second. That feels like the best balance of defense and offensive ceiling. 
 

I’m especially excited to see what Dunn Black and Ortiz look like offensively

Completely agree, and it'd be great to see a more offense friendly product on the field. Dunn really intrigues me especially as he doesn't actually swing and miss so much as just being a passive hitter. He's a solid lottery ticket really