Tyler Black Has Options Remaining, But That Doesn't Make Him More Helpful to the Brewers

[Jack Stern]

When a team can option an unestablished player to the minor leagues, that added flexibility often makes it easier to keep him on the 40-man roster. That’s not as much the case for the Brewers and one of their top prospects.

Image courtesy of © David Banks-Imagn Images

Tyler Black’s first tastes of the big leagues were brief and unsuccessful. The Brewers selected his contract at the end of April, but he only appeared in 18 games, slashing .204/.316/.245 (68 wRC+) in 57 disjointed plate appearances. Despite entering the season as Milwaukee’s No. 4 prospect (according to MLB Pipeline), there was no place for Black on the big-league roster, and he did not push the envelope enough to create one. As things currently stand, it could be a similar story in 2025.

There are openings in the lineup. While the Brewers added infielder Caleb Durbin as part of the Devin Williams trade last week, they still have an infield position with no designated starter. Unfortunately, Black did not take well to second or third base in the minor leagues, prompting the organization to move him to first base full-time for most of 2024.

Black could be a left-handed complement for Rhys Hoskins at first base, but the Brewers may prioritize competent defense in that role. That’s why Jake Bauers remained on the roster over Black for the entire season, even as his bat cratered in the second half. Perhaps the Brewers view Andruw Monasterio as their best defensive backup first baseman, after he gained his first experience there in 2024.

Black has two minor-league options remaining, so the Brewers face no pressure to shoehorn him onto the active roster. They can easily keep him in the organization without rostering him in the majors. At first glance, that may seem like the most compelling argument for hanging onto him instead of dangling him as offseason trade bait.

This was why the Brewers could comfortably keep all of their young outfielders as potential logjams brewed. In the event of a roster crunch, they could option one of Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick, or Blake Perkins to Triple-A to continue playing regularly. If injury or underperformance created an opening in the outfield, they could recall the demoted player and plug him back into the starting lineup.

Mitchell and Christian Yelich’s injury troubles prevented that situation from arising, but the Brewers would not have been in a serious bind had everyone remained healthy. Every young outfielder had (and still has) options, which created roster flexibility. The odd man out would still serve as valuable depth on the 40-man roster because he’d have a direct path to contribute if any other outfielder went down.

That’s not so for Black. He’s not an infielder, where his hands and instincts remain clunky. At this moment, he’s effectively confined to DH duty. While Hoskins’s poor defense means Black could fill in without a significant dropoff in the field, he’s not a clean replacement for any other player. Because they can play capable defense at several positions, Monasterio and Isaac Collins have more value as optionable depth.

The Brewers can option Black to Triple A, but he’s an inefficient use of a 40-man spot, particularly if they have other plans for reinforcing their first-base depth. The harsh reality is that Black brings little value to this roster, as it’s currently constructed. If he’s rarely a realistic choice for a promotion, he is not genuine depth.

Trading away an outfielder is the best way to change that. Black’s speed and athleticism should make him a capable left fielder, and he and Yelich could share time in left and at DH. However, he lacks Mitchell’s upside, Frelick’s experience, and Perkins’s elite glovework as a fourth outfielder. The Brewers may not be comfortable trading a known commodity to accommodate a player with limited outfield reps as a professional.

The alternative is trading Black. It comes down to how the Brewers project each player to contribute in 2025 and what they can receive in return. Nothing is forcing a move, but Black’s odd profile and nonexistent fit may prompt them to shop him more aggressively. The depth argument for stashing him in Triple-A is less compelling than it is for other players. Making good on his prospect pedigree now via trade may be the best course of action.

There is little question surrounding Black’s excellent plate discipline, bat-to-ball skills, and speed. In those senses, he fits in with his former minor-league peers who have formed a scrappy core throughout the Brewers’ lineup. His offense has a high floor and is MLB-ready. The problem is that his shortcomings render him too limited to fill the open roles on the big-league roster. As a result, he could find himself with another organization before getting a prolonged opportunity to establish himself in Milwaukee.

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[WAN2]

There IS a question about his bat to ball skills.  And they better improve quickly.  

[Outlander]

Kind of surprising he is still #5 on prospect lists here. If Black was gone tomorrow I don't think the Brewers lose much but would be mad if they included Made (#6) in a deal.

[Brian]

1 hour ago, WAN2 said:

There IS a question about his bat to ball skills.  And they better improve quickly.  

I always thought of Black as a type player you could use in a pinch, (Injuries backup and or running substitutions). 

[jay87shot]

I still have a lot of faith in Black, he struggled at the end of the year but there is still a lot of potential there. I kind of am warming up to the idea of trading Blake Perkins and having Black be our 5th OF and playing some 1B. I know people worry about Mitchell and Yeli getting hurt and then being short in the OF but I would be fine if Hicklen/Collins ends up our 4th OF if that happens. I think most people here are on the outs with Black not being an IF but this situation gives him 1 more shot at 1B and a door to his best defensive position the OF. I don't like the idea of just selling low on him it isn't how our org. works. I think selling high on a guy like Perk makes more sense.

[SocalBaseball]

You have to admit, yes Bauers ended with a .199 BA but he got the job done when needed.  For most of the season, he was in the top 4 with RBI/AB.  Nobody tracks that but when he got the chance at bat, he produced RBIs.  Remember when he made a diving catch at 1B to prevent a walk off?  A couple GS and a walk off hit.  Then gave the Brewers a chance in that final playoff game by smashing that HR to right followed by Frelick.  Then they threw him away.  

[Brock Beauchamp]

1 hour ago, SocalBaseball said:

You have to admit, yes Bauers ended with a .199 BA but he got the job done when needed.  For most of the season, he was in the top 4 with RBI/AB.  Nobody tracks that but when he got the chance at bat, he produced RBIs.  Remember when he made a diving catch at 1B to prevent a walk off?  A couple GS and a walk off hit.  Then gave the Brewers a chance in that final playoff game by smashing that HR to right followed by Frelick.  Then they threw him away.  

Welcome to Brewer Fanatic!

[sveumrules]

1 hour ago, SocalBaseball said:

For most of the season, he was in the top 4 with RBI/AB. Nobody tracks that but when he got the chance at bat, he produced RBIs.

Baseball Musings RBI percentage page has 255 players that came to bat with at least 200 runners on base this year.

Bauers 13.78 RBI% ranked 139th so he wasn't really cashing in base runners at any extraordinary rate.

[yourout]

I'm not optimistic he's ever going to come out to anything. Certainly not without some major mechanical changes. 

 

[Rick Daltons Flamethrower]

Glass is more half full on my end too. Tyler Black is kind of in No Man's Land without a map and a compass. Wonder what it feels like for himself personally knowing the on ramp to the major's has road blocks. Gotta be kind of rough. Maybe some injuries open some opportunities.

[Harold Hutchison]

I think the Brewers have gotten hung up on what Black can't do as opposed to what he can.

He's not going to be a Gold Glove-caliber defender, whether at first base, third base, or left field. DH is likely to be the primary role for Christian Yelich.

But that's no reason to leave his bat on the bench or to keep him in Triple-A. Once he adjusts, I think he is reminiscent of the offensive profile the Brewers got from Paul Molitor from 1987-1992.

He's also got the skills on the basepaths at arguably Brice Turang's level, but his bat is that much better. 

[sveumrules]

4 hours ago, Harold Hutchison said:

Once he adjusts, I think he is reminiscent of the offensive profile the Brewers got from Paul Molitor from 1987-1992.

From 1987-92 Paul Molitor hit 319/390/476 (139 wRC+).

Only Witt, Vlad and Judge topped a .319 average this past season among qualified hitters.

A 139 wRC+ was a Top 15 qualified hitter last year.

I’ll take the under.