Brewers sign Mark Canha

[markedman5]

To a minor league deal with spring training invite per Heyman 

[wallus]

I won't get upset at a minor league deal like this. Mark can still hit lefties it appears

[endaround]

Is this a sign that the Brewers are really down on Black?

Maybe squint and see a Black/Canha or EMJ/Canha 1B platoon?

[MVP2110]

I'd guess Canha & Margot are fighting for the Lefty platoon OF role until Perkins gets back

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Maybe I just don't understand analytics or aging curves well enough, but Canha had a league-average OPS+ last year. Professional hitter. I get he's 36 and can only play corners, but a lot of teams can do a lot worse than giving this guy 200 ABs. 

Seemed like a good fit in Milwaukee in 2023, so here's hoping for more league average production in a limited role.

[jesusoftheapes]

you are FAST ! good work! 

[MVP2110]

Canha had a 120 OPS+ vs LHP last season(88 vs RHP). He was a poor defender but as a part time player he certainly seems like he could fill a role

[markedman5]

9 minutes ago, MVP2110 said:

Canha had a 120 OPS+ vs LHP last season(88 vs RHP). He was a poor defender but as a part time player he certainly seems like he could fill a role

And gets hit by a lot of pitches!

[TURBO]

Ok, I don't hate this, don't really care to be honest, but we are still signing depth guys, but not for the position(s) we need it most.  Arguably starting pitching and 3B.

I have to think we are not done just yet...

[MNBrew]

I'd think both Canha & Margot are there for depth, especially now that Perkins is out for a bit.  Canha can also play 1B.

[Ro Mueller]

Interesting signing.

We’ve got some options for the final 4 position player spots: Durbin, Dunn (I’m not sold), Canha, Black (also not sold), Monasterio, Bauers, Capra, Collins, Hicklen, Martinez.

[Jopal78]

This is how it always works doesn’t it? Brewers have NRI on the table to players, while the player looks for a guarantee. With campS open players will start making decisions. 
 

Can’t go wrong with a veteran player on an NRI. I hope they bring in even more 

[edfunderburk]

15 hours ago, TURBO said:

I have to think we are not done just yet..

I certainly hope you are correct

[jay87shot]

Love this, he can be the 5th OF until Perk is back. He can play 1st, DH, and maybe best of all is a perfect pinch hitter late in the game if a lefty is slumping. He could even play an odd game at 3rd, probably not more than an emergency situation. He also provides a strong vet presence and like we saw at the end of 2023 every at bat was a battle. 

[umphrey]

On 2/22/2025 at 8:04 PM, endaround said:

Is this a sign that the Brewers are really down on Black?

Maybe squint and see a Black/Canha or EMJ/Canha 1B platoon?

I think the big shocker is going to be that Tyler Black is our starting 3B

[endaround]

12 hours ago, jay87shot said:

Love this, he can be the 5th OF until Perk is back. He can play 1st, DH, and maybe best of all is a perfect pinch hitter late in the game if a lefty is slumping. He could even play an odd game at 3rd, probably not more than an emergency situation. He also provides a strong vet presence and like we saw at the end of 2023 every at bat was a battle. 

Canha himself makes a lot of sense as a right handed bat for 1B/OF. It's just the bench is getting crowded. Haase, Frelick, and Perkins (when healthy) look to be locks.  They need a utility infielder so 1 place for Dunn/Monasterio.  And then Canha who being able to handle 3B in a pinch would make this work.  But that leaves just the left handed side for 1B open.  Now hopefully Black can beat out Bauers (though he couldn't last year though not sure if that was a full talent call) but also means the Brewers look at Black as a part tiem palyer at this point.

[jay87shot]

4 hours ago, umphrey said:

I think the big shocker is going to be that Tyler Black is our starting 3B

I agree, I am all for giving Black a chance I just kind of thought he would get 1B reps and then some DH when Yeli is in the OF, and likely some OF time. 

I don't mind giving him a shot to claim the position, I like him for 3rd better than the other options but everything I've read makes it seem like he will be like Ryan Braun was as a rookie defensively. The lineup will look very nice though if he can hit like we think he will and the other young guys make some improvements.

Turang, Contreras/Chourio, Yeli, Contreras/Chourio, Mitchell, Rhys, Black, Ortiz, Sal   I think that lineup has the potential to be awesome with all the guys with .340+ obps (maybe .350)

[SoCalBrewfan]

I wonder whether any statement like "PlayerX is the starting PositionY" is probably both premature and not consistent with the Brewers' recent MO. I'd guess that there will be a lot of moving around for a bit, but maybe that was Counsell's approach and less so Murphys? Last year only two Brewers played 140 games or more at a single position: Adames and Turang.  Next was Ortiz with 134 at 3b, Contreras who caught 120 games, and (surprising me) Perkins with 119 games in CF. 

Contreras, Turang, Ortiz, Chourio will be out there every day, and are probably the strongest cases for having set positions, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a good bit of mix and match even with the middle IF as they evaluate Durbin, Dunn, Black, and the shortstop defense of Turang and Ortiz.

The OF/1B/DH mix was always going to be a 'arrange five of these eight names based on health, matchups, etc, and if Chourio is not one of those names, maybe try again.'

This year has to be both about trying to win the central but also getting a read on young talent. This is very true in the rotation, but also in the infield. Also those lights in the rear-view are from Mike Boeve and Cooper Pratt, who might change the calculus sooner than expected.

[CheezWizHed]

9 minutes ago, SoCalBrewfan said:

and (surprising me) Perkins with 119 games in CF. 

Obviously he played many games when Mitchell was injured during the first 3 months, but several of those games was also as a defensive replacement.  He started 104 games last year (thus came in mid-game for 15 games) and played 95 complete games.  Dude deserved a GG... (maybe more than Frelick), which is why he was always in CF.  

Granted Mitchell is no slouch with the leather either... nice problems to have. 

[brewerfan82]

Glad to see Canha back in the mix again. Love that he can help in the OF and at 1B.

Even with his dipped production last season, he had better lefty AND righty wRC+ splits than Frelick, Perkins, Margot, Bauers, and Black (and nearly Hoskins), including a hefty 124 wRC+ against lefties and a not too shabby 94 wRC+ against righties:

2024 vs. RHP:

2024 vs. LHP:

That said, the outfield/bench is crowded, especially once Perkins comes back, so it'll be interesting to see if they can find him a spot. May take an injury, or preferably, a trade to fit him in somewhere.

[wallus]

I would be surprised if Canha doesn't make the team out of spring training.

[Outlander]

Pretty pathetic that Bauers can't even exceed Canha against RHP. Amazing that Canha's wRC is at 94 because his numbers look pretty putrid but that OBP really helps him. With Perkins hurt there really isn't a reason that Canha shouldn't make this team as backup OF/1B/DH.

[markedman5]

On 2/24/2025 at 4:55 AM, umphrey said:

I think the big shocker is going to be that Tyler Black is our starting 3B

They already have said that Black will see the vast majority of his reps at first base this spring……….don’t think they’d do that if he was in contention for the starting 3rd base spot.

[markedman5]