New Brewers Catcher Danny Jansen Supplies a Skill Their Offense Lacks

[Jack Stern]

Image courtesy of © Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Brewers made their first strike of trade deadline week on Monday night, acquiring veteran catcher Danny Jansen and cash from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for infield prospect Jadher Areinamo.

The Appleton West High School product will replace Eric Haase, whom the Brewers designated for assignment in a corresponding move, as William Contreras's backup. Haase is perhaps the better game-caller of the two and posted a capable 104 wRC+ in limited action across two seasons with the club, but several red flags behind that production meant his output was almost certain to decline. He flashed some power, but he chased 32.3% of pitches outside the zone and whiffed on 35.6% of swings, walking just 4.8% of the time against an alarming 40.4% strikeout rate.

"It's a hard day for the Brewers, in some ways, because Eric Haase has for two years been an incredible team member," Pat Murphy said after the Brewers officially announced the trade. "When he plays, he helps us win. Anytime we subtract a guy that's been a leader in that clubhouse, too, it's a really rough day for me."

Jansen, meanwhile, has struck out at a career-worst 26.3% rate, but his contact rates are comparable to past seasons in which he has punched out less. That strikeout rate could trend toward his career average of 20.7% down the stretch.

The 30-year-old’s .218/.309/.389 slash line and 99 wRC+ are in line with his career numbers, and constitute an upgrade behind Contreras, who has caught a league-leading 765 1/3 innings despite suffering from a fractured left middle finger. 

"I think on one hand, it's a tough conversation with Eric Haase, but we felt like it was something that we wanted to try to insulate, in particular, with the health of William," Matt Arnold said. "Just making sure we were covered there with our depth."

While Murphy pushed back on Monday night against the possibility of Contreras catching less down the stretch, and Arnold reiterated that the Brewers believe he's still healthy and productive enough to remain the starting catcher, they seemingly feel more comfortable resting him for Jansen than they did for Haase.

"No concerns with near-term issues with his health at all," Arnold said. "I think it does give us an opportunity to potentially shade him a little bit."

With his patience and sound swing decisions at the plate (12.7% walk rate and 19.7% chase rate) and his 121 wRC+ against left-handed pitching since the start of 2022, Jansen should fit in nicely while raising the catching tandem's floor. That's already enough to make the team better. He could prove even more impactful, though, by boosting the lineup in the power department.

Milwaukee's offense ranks 22nd in slugging percentage (.386), 27th in ISO (.135) and hard-hit rate (38.3%), and last in barrels per plate appearance (4.1%). In addition to that lack of loud contact, only 15.3% of the Brewers' batted balls have been pulled in the air, the second-lowest rate in baseball. Instead, they generally shoot lower line drives and ground balls to all fields. Enter Jansen, a longtime extreme air-pull hitter whose 33.5% pull air rate ranks fourth among qualified hitters this year.

Jansen does not crush the ball; his 40.6% hard-hit rate and 8.4% barrel rate are both below the league average. However, he hits it just hard enough (and in the right direction) to produce semi-regular pop. A peek at his spray chart this year reveals that he crushed very few of his home runs but lifted them well enough down the line to leave the yard.

"He's been a dangerous bat in the box, for sure," Arnold said. "We think there's still more to tap into there, as well, but a really dangerous at-bat we think can complement our lineup well."

The veteran backstop is a mixed bag defensively. He remains one of the game's best blockers, but his pitch framing ability has nosedived. After accruing 6 Statcast framing runs from 2018 through 2023, he has combined for -12 runs the last two seasons, including a career-worst -8 this year.

The Brewers have been among baseball's best at developing that skill, though, with Contreras and Haase among their recent success stories. Like Haase, Jansen's pre-pitch movements have been overly noisy in his first season catching almost exclusively in a one-knee stance. Perhaps they'll coach him into the more upright and stable position that turned Haase into a competent receiver.

At the very least, Jansen projects as a solid backup who can ease Contreras's workload. He also features the ingredients for a potential second-half power binge, which could help shore up one of the Brewers' few weaknesses and propel him into a more regular role in the lineup.

View full article

[Jake McKibbin]

Such a fascinating change in Jansen's framing numbers. The Rays have clearly identified that he framed better from a one knee down position from 2022-24, however that position was almost exclusively with his left knee down. Adding in a right knee down position (and reducing the both knees up) appears to have made the problem a whole lot worse, going from below average to downright horrific in the framing department

Do they ditch the right knee down position altogether, or look to refine his posture and positioning as Jack suggests? You can bet they'll be doing something

[Brewfan70]

Seems like a good add.  Ortiz is lost at the plate, need another bat (or two) plus Seranthony is available. Yoho is not going to be in plans this year 

[Michael Trzinski]

1 hour ago, Jake McKibbin said:

Such a fascinating change in Jansen's framing numbers. The Rays have clearly identified that he framed better from a one knee down position from 2022-24, however that position was almost exclusively with his left knee down. Adding in a right knee down position (and reducing the both knees up) appears to have made the problem a whole lot worse, going from below average to downright horrific in the framing department

Do they ditch the right knee down position altogether, or look to refine his posture and positioning as Jack suggests? You can bet they'll be doing something

As a dinosaur when it comes to new analytics, I am not convinced that framing numbers have any merit at all. That's just me. I still think wins for pitchers are a 'thing.' 😁

[Jake McKibbin]

47 minutes ago, Michael Trzinski said:

As a dinosaur when it comes to new analytics, I am not convinced that framing numbers have any merit at all. That's just me. I still think wins for pitchers are a 'thing.' 😁

You know you're my boy Mike! I'll not pick a fight 

[Trax]

I do not understand this trade.   I don't see much gain, he's not a developmental prospect at 30, we gave up a developmental prospect.  Will he truly bring much more than EH did?

[CheezWizHed]

53 minutes ago, Trax said:

I do not understand this trade.   I don't see much gain, he's not a developmental prospect at 30, we gave up a developmental prospect.  Will he truly bring much more than EH did?

Don't forget that many, many prospects never product a positive contribution to the MLB level. 

Jansen is an upgrade from EH, but that won't impact much if he plays as often as EH. I think this is an indication that Contreras is going to sit more and heal his broken finger.  The biggest improvement Jansen can bring is a healthy Contreras in October. 

[Jake McKibbin]

34 minutes ago, CheezWizHed said:

Don't forget that many, many prospects never product a positive contribution to the MLB level. 

Jansen is an upgrade from EH, but that won't impact much if he plays as often as EH. I think this is an indication that Contreras is going to sit more and heal his broken finger.  The biggest improvement Jansen can bring is a healthy Contreras in October. 

That and, should Contreras pick up a different injury that does actually force him out, the Brewers have a catcher they're happy getting regular reps in October.

That was evidently not the case with Haase 

[Team Canada]

1 hour ago, CheezWizHed said:

I think this is an indication that Contreras is going to sit more and heal his broken finger.

That's incorrect. Quoted elsewhere, but Murphy has said Contreras will only sit if he has season-ending surgery, otherwise rest really isn't going to help that much.

I would expect Jansen to see the bulk of LHP ABs since he is worlds better than Contreras in that regard.

[SeaBass]

@Jack Stern Not that this is an earth shattering error but in the quote about Haase from Pat Murphy, the hyperlink for Pat Murphy takes us to a page for a dude sporting a wicked 'stache that played for the New York Giants in the late 1800s. Our Pat Murphy is not quite that old. 😂

[Michael Trzinski]

8 hours ago, Jake McKibbin said:

You know you're my boy Mike! I'll not pick a fight !

Nothing against you, Jake.

I just question how accurate the framing stats really are. Kinda like when the Brewers official scorer calls an obvious throwing error a hit, and on Aug 18 in Wrigley Field, the Cubs official scorer calls the same exact play an E1. Who is right? Too much subjective objectivity, ya know? 😁

[CheezWizHed]

18 hours ago, Team Canada said:

That's incorrect. Quoted elsewhere, but Murphy has said Contreras will only sit if he has season-ending surgery, otherwise rest really isn't going to help that much.

I would expect Jansen to see the bulk of LHP ABs since he is worlds better than Contreras in that regard.

Yeah, I saw that later last night too.  It is unfortunate IMO.  Finger or not, Contreras isn't hitting all that well and it was very obvious how he wore down last year late in the season.  Frankly, Willy bore a decent chunk of the responsibility for our 1st round playoff exit.