The Brewers Have The Depth To Avoid Expensive Mistakes In Free Agency

[Harold Hutchison]

With the hot stove league not so far into the future, questions about what the Brewers should do in the offseason are already swirling. There is a strong case for them to steer clear of one typical offseason course of action for a team that made an early playoff exit.

Image courtesy of © Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The Brewers do not need to enter the free-agent market for external options in the 2024-2025 offseason. Forget pursuing a third baseman via free agency, bolstering the rotation, or bullpen. If fans look at potential needs, they can all be filled in-house. Let’s look over the positions where they might need help.

Third Base
Should Willy Adames depart Milwaukee, the Brewers will likely slide Joey Ortiz over from third base to fill the gap. So, someone will end up taking over at the hot corner. There are plenty of choices for the Brewers on the 40-man roster or likely to be on it; the most likely options include Tyler Black, Oliver Dunn, and Andruw Monasterio. Black is a pure hitter who performed well at third base in 2023 but saw limited action at the hot corner in 2024 and who likely will adjust to MLB pitching in about the same timeframe it took Jackson Chourio. His big issue has been the lack of a defensive “home,” but he’s been okay during stints at second base, third base, first base, and the outfield.

Monasterio, the Brewer Fanatic Rookie of the Year for 2023, held down third base in 2023 for the Brewers when Brian Anderson faded after a hot start. Monasterio’s OPS isn’t the highest on the team, but he’s also a player whose offensive profile complements many everyday players on the Brewers – think Ortiz with less pop.

Dunn flashed power and solid defense in limited action in 2024 but struggled to make contact at the MLB level. He did have back problems, and it remains to be seen if a fully healthy Dunn can be part of the answer.

Isaac Collins and Sal Frelick could also be options at the hot corner. Both have seen limited action at the hot corner in their professional careers, but neither have been horrid.

Catcher
Whether or not the Brewers go with three catchers, the team looks to be set behind the plate on the 40-man roster with William Contreras, Eric Haase, and Jeferson Quero. The real question is how long it will take Quero to show he’s fully recovered from the shoulder injury that wrecked his 2024 season.

Arguably, the Brewers try to retain Francisco Mejia, but the team has other options in the minors, like Darrien Miller. Wes Clarke saw little action behind the plate in 2024 (only six games), but he was the primary backup catcher at multiple stops during the 2022 and 2023 campaigns.

Starting Rotation
Here, the Brewers’ depth is almost embarrassing. For 2025, their current 40-man options returning from the 2024 season include Freddy Peralta, Colin Rea, Tobias Myers, and Aaron Civale as mainstays, Brandon Woodruff and Robert Gasser on the comeback trail from injuries, Carlos F. Rodriguez as a potential reinforcement from the minors, DL Hall and Aaron Ashby as potential reinforcements from the bullpen, and Bryse Wilson as a viable emergency option.

Then, down at Triple-A Nashville, the Brewers only have Chad Patrick (a likely addition to the 40-man over the offseason), Jacob Misiorowski, Logan Henderson, and 2023 Minor-League Reliever of the Year Shane Smith. If you want to consider potential promotions from Double-A Biloxi, there’s 2024 Minor League Starting Pitcher of the Year KC Hunt, Brett Wichrowski, and Tate Kuehner.

First Base
Rhys Hoskins had a good enough season after missing all of 2023, so exercising his player option is not a total disaster for the Brewers. The real question is, who is his backup/complement off the bench? Two major contenders exist on the 40-man roster: Jake Bauers and Tyler Black. Bauers brings a three-true-outcomes offensive profile and has some speed, but his batting average ended up just below the Uecker line. Black has a more well-rounded offensive profile, arguably reminiscent of the skillset Paul Molitor displayed from 1987 to 1992 with the Brewers.

In the minors, though, Wes Clarke could be an option to take over. He brings his own three-true-outcome profile and offers the capability to be a third catcher (at least on an emergency basis). The real intriguing option is Ernesto Martinez, who provides outstanding defense, a superb offensive skillset, and some surprising positional versatility.

Bullpen
Let’s assume the Brewers flip Devin Williams and Hoby Milner before their final pre-free agency year and that DL Hall and Aaron Ashby end up with the starting pitchers. Here’s who the Brewers would have for their bullpen as likely returnees – just on the 40-man roster: Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, Joel Payamps, Jared Koenig, Bryan Hudson, Elvis Peguero, Nick Mears, Bryse Wilson, JB Bukauskas, Rob Zastryzny, Kevin Herget, and Tyler Jay.

In Triple-A Nashville, the Brewers have Craig Yoho and Blake Holub among those waiting in the wings. Justin Yeager, Russell Smith, San Gardiner, and Nick Merkel will likely join them after excelling at Double-A Biloxi.

The Brewers' bullpen was so deep that they released James Meeker, who posted dominating numbers—although a reunion may not be a bad idea in this case.

Overview
The Brewers have built a superb farm system that churns out prospects. One benefit is that it makes the Brewers less dependent on the free-agent market. That means a big free-agent splurge isn’t necessary this offseason, with the shift to a new local broadcast option adding uncertainty. 

The Brewers have done well by often finding gems among minor-league free agents - see Blake Perkins, Tobias Myers, and Andruw Monasterio as cases in point. That should continue for obvious reasons. But when it comes to a big deal for an external option, that is probably not the best use of the Brewers' money at this time. The Crew would be better served by putting the big bucks towards retaining a key asset or reinvesting it into the farm to make it even better.

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[SF70]

Filling the teams only 2 weaknesses (3B & utility IF) internally isn’t going to happen. Dunn missed more than half the year with a bad back and if finally healthy, needs to prove himself at AAA first. Black is a poor IF defender and as such isn’t an option for this defense-centric team. Monasterio shouldn’t even be a utility option let alone get big-league reps at 3B.

FA with Moncada & DeJong could fill both holes for a reasonable cost ($8M & $4M respectively is my estimate), or a trade acquisition like Suarez, Bohm or McMahon.

The rest of the team is set, depth-wise. Maybe a trade of a Rea with a signing of a Lorenzen, but this team outside of 3B & utility IF doesn’t have any glaring holes or weaknesses.

[notimelikenow]

Brewers might need to trade some bullpen arms in order to have enough pitchers with options to move back and forth. Are not most returners now out of options/

[Jim French Stepstool]

The team knew that this was the final year of Adames' contract, knew for quite some time that the chances of him re-upping here were slim & none, and also knew that Joey Ortiz is an excellent replacement defensively at SS. In spite of all this, Tyler Black barely played 3B this past year (six games IIRC). If he was a viable option at 3B he would've seen more time there. And I'm far from giving up on Dunn, but he needs a year in AAA IMO.

Martinez IS kinda intriguing. But I see him in AAA in the spring of '25 as well.