Why Vinny Capra Could Crack Brewers' Opening Day Roster

[Jack Stern]

While the unheralded infielder's multi-homer Cactus League opener didn't hurt matters, he was already a solid (if overlooked) bet to secure a place when the team heads north next month.

Image courtesy of © Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

You would not be alone if you forgot Vinny Capra was in the organization until his headline-capturing spring training debut over the weekend. The 28-year-old has just five career big-league hits, in 37 plate appearances. He received only a three-game cup of coffee with the Brewers last year, and his overall numbers at Triple-A Nashville were unremarkable.

As the front office maneuvered changes and worked within the constraints of the 40-man roster to fill needs and weather minor-league injuries, they found ways to hang onto Capra throughout last season and the winter. That implies that they view him as a useful depth piece with traits they value.

Capra has never been a power threat, reaching double-digit home runs even in the minors for the only time in his career in 2021. Expecting above-average offense in the big leagues is optimistic. However, he plays solid defense at multiple positions and makes smart swing decisions, which are among the chief attributes the Brewers emphasize at all levels of the organization.

Last year in Nashville, Capra chased only 23% of pitches outside the strike zone and walked at a 10.6% clip. He also shrewdly selects which pitches to swing at within the zone. Like most hitters, Capra is at his best when he pulls the ball, so he’s aggressive on inside fastballs and passive on outside ones.

After that brief midseason stint with the Brewers, Capra returned to Nashville and finished strong. From July through September, he slashed .282/.365/.431, making more contact and hitting the ball harder.

Months	OPS	wRC+	BB%	K%	Whiff%	Hard Hit%	Barrel/BBE%
March-June	.685	82	11.6%	20.9%	22.1%	33.7%	3.6%
July-September	.797	111	9.1%	15.2%	17.1%	39.6%	8.3%

Capra revealed to reporters that he spent the winter training for bat speed, which could further nudge his quality of contact forward. He’ll never crush the ball, though, and he doesn’t have to. During the offseason, Capra’s lack of minor-league options was a reason to assume his 40-man spot was in jeopardy. Fast-forward to spring training, where it now gives him a leg up on his peers.

Oliver Dunn, Caleb Durbin, Andruw Monasterio, and Isaac Collins can all be sent to the minors throughout the year. Rostering Capra over any of them on the bench best maintains depth. If he looks the part of a competent utility man who can reach base at a decent clip, he’ll likely grab one of the final roster spots when the club breaks camp.

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[Frisbee Slider]

If any of Capra, Dunn or Durbin end up with meaningfully above replacement level production at 3B this year, is Milwaukee brilliant, lucky or cheap?

We do such a good job turning unknowns into solid pitchers. I’m trying to think of the last time we did the same with a position player.

[Frisbee Slider]

Blake Perkins 1.8 WAR over 434 PA is a good find.

Or, 2016 Keon Broxton

[Matthew Trueblood]

1 hour ago, Frisbee Slider said:

If any of Capra, Dunn or Durbin end up with meaningfully above replacement level production at 3B this year, is Milwaukee brilliant, lucky or cheap?

We do such a good job turning unknowns into solid pitchers. I’m trying to think of the last time we did the same with a position player.

Andruw Monasterio had a strong half-season in 2023. Jace Peterson had one in 2022. I actually think they do a fine job finding diamonds in the rough into helpful pieces with hitters, too. It's just that those things (1-2 WAR in 300ish PA) catch the eye a bit less than a guy emerging as a really strong setup man—even though they're more or less exactly as valuable, in a very similar amount of playing time.

[jay87shot]

Let's not over react to 1 good spring training game. The is Dunn, Mone, Collins, Durbin, and Black all in front of him, I still say it is more likely that he losses the 40 man spot than get on the mlb roster. He only hit .261 in AAA and every team has a couple Vinny Capra type players. I like him overall but I still doubt we see much of him.

[Frisbee Slider]

Would Oliver Dunn accept 5 year, $35 million extension?

[Outlander]

I agree that Capra has an edge so that depth can be mantained. However, he better produce in small samples because he will likely be the first to be DFA if not getting production. On the flip side may get more opportunites if Durbin flops out of the gate.

[jesusoftheapes]

8 hours ago, Frisbee Slider said:

Would Oliver Dunn accept 5 year, $35 million extension?

LOL he better !   I would  like to get Dunn locked down here for a period of time.  I really like Dunn. 

If they could get him for $5.5 million per season now I think it would be a steal of steals.     I love this idea even if I believe you might be joking.   

I like the idea either way! 

[jesusoftheapes]

I think you can see the most deserving player to surprise everyone with starting work out of the blue is Cooper Pratt.     None of the prospects playing this spring look more MLB player like than Cooper Pratt is currently looking.     

He made a dumb baserunning mistake today against Cleveland but the rest of his day was golden.   I say let Cooper Skip AAA and see what he can do as an MLB Shortstop.   If he fails send him back to AAA for seasoning but I do not think he can learn anything in the minors he cannot figure out at the highest levels and I do not see him as a guy who will cost the Brewers if left to work and learn up here .

 

Cooper Pratt looks like a Superstar in all ways from what I have seen this Spring so far.    The fact we lost Willy and are currently looking to replace him and have a guy as good as Pratt almost ready to play big league ball .  Pratt may not have earned it by walking up the Minors like most of the MLB but he is simply just too good to let him play meaningless ball for very long.    

Cooper Pratt has impressed me.   He looks like a Big leaguer in all ways .   He is obviously young and needs a lot of work but what he already has in his tools are more than good enough for primetime.  

[Jim French Stepstool]

12 hours ago, Frisbee Slider said:

 

We do such a good job turning unknowns into solid pitchers. I’m trying to think of the last time we did the same with a position player.

Considering where his career was when we picked him up & what we got out of him, they did really well with Manny Pina.

As for Capra, I see Collins & Monasterio as the two he's most directly competing with, and he's a better defender than both. And we all know what sort of premium they put on that.