Is Milwaukee’s Backup Backstop For 2026 Already Coming To Maryvale?

[Harold Hutchison]

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

The Brewers appear to need a number two catcher as spring training is mere weeks away, which is surprising as Top 100 prospect Jeferson Quero is on the 40-man roster, even as he’s recovered from an injury that cost him all of 2024.

Talk about signing a veteran centered on the chance the Brewers could reunite with Victor Caratini, whose bat has improved since his first stint in Milwaukee. There was speculation from Sports Illustrated that Milwaukee was a dark horse to pick up free agent J.T. Realmuto.

Neither of those happened. Per the FanGraphs free-agent tracker, Caratini signed a two-year $14 million deal with the Twins, while Realmuto worked out a three-year deal to stay in Philadelphia.

The best free-agent catcher left on the market is Christian Vazquez, who posted a 52 OPS+ for the Twins in 2025. FanGraphs estimates that he could get a one-year deal worth $5 million. Thanks to the latest drama about the Brewers' broadcast deal, Milwaukee may not be able to afford $5 million for a backup catcher.

In a sense, though, things may work out well for the Brewer, simply because those two moves give a returning non-roster invitee the chance to shine. Darrien Miller came to big-league camp in 2025, which was intriguing given that the Crew had Quero on the 40-man roster, even though his power had declined in 2024 from his 2023 season.

Miller returns to the big-league camp in 2026 after a 2025 that saw him fail to reach the Uecker line in terms of batting average while playing at Double-A Biloxi. That said, during that season, he regained a power stroke, hitting seven home runs and driving in 37 in 66 fewer at-bats than in 2024, while his OBP skills remained elite (57 walks and getting plunked 17 times).

Is Miller the answer the Brewers are seeking as their backup backstop? At first glance, people might think that it isn’t a good idea. Over the last two seasons, he’s slashed a .203/.387/.308 line in Double-A Biloxi, a .695 OPS. These numbers are not horrific in one of the most pitching-friendly leagues in professional baseball. How pitching-friendly is the Southern League? Cooper Pratt posted a .691 OPS in 2025.

Despite those seemingly uninspiring numbers over two years, the Brewers re-signed him after he reached minor-league free agency. Teams don’t usually bring back minor-league free agents and invite them to spring training in back-to-back seasons if they think the player is a dud. So, the team obviously sees something in Miller worth keeping him around.

As it turns out, Miller could be very valuable to Milwaukee for the next five to six years, given his lengthy tenure with the organization. Since he was drafted in 2019, he’s worked with a lot of young pitchers in that organization, some of whom reached Milwaukee (Jacob Misiorowski, Logan Henderson, and Craig Yoho), others who could be in Milwaukee soon (Coleman Crow, Tate Kuehner, and Mark Manfredi jump to mind). In other words, this is right around the timeframe where these pitchers are under team control.

This sort of working relationship and mutual familiarity among batterymates can’t be picked up via sabermetrics, but it does have an effect. The Brewers have long valued team chemistry – witness the haste with which they traded the disgruntled Aaron Civale and their desire to avoid arbitration hearings (which soured relationships with Josh Hader and Corbin Burnes).

But Miller also has some offensive skills the Brewers value. He’s been exceptional at drawing walks over his professional career (271 in 1,515 professional at-bats in minor-league baseball and winter ball in Australia). He also could compete with Caleb Durbin in terms of being willing to get plunked for the team (he’s been hit by pitches 102 times over his career), meaning almost a quarter of his at-bats end with him on base without needing a hit.

Miller brings some other advantages for the Brewers: He would be cost-controlled through 2028 at the very least (possibly longer if he and Quero swap places between Milwaukee and Nashville in what could very likely be William Contreras’ final season in Milwaukee, barring a miracle).

He also bats left-handed, which would complement the largely right-handed catchers currently on the 40-man roster. Miller is also only 25 and would be nearing his physical peak years.

Milwaukee's search for a backup catcher in 2026 - and beyond - may be over, with the solution right before their eyes.

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[biedergb]

Unless his defense has picked up I don’t see him as a viable MLB catcher.  He was bad in 2024, and was better last year, but his receiving did not look good (some WPs may really have been on him), and I can’t recall but I didn’t recall his arm being great either. Maybe someone who knows this more than me can answer but he didn’t look the part on my eye test. Wood seemed like a better catcher. Both are still a year away from MLB action barring injuries I think.

Not sure how but I would still imagine a AAA or MLB catcher is yet to be acquired - either FA or maybe trade some infield or SP depth for a catcher?

[Spencer Michaelis]

Darrien Miller is fine minor league depth. There’s really not much else there on offense outside of being willing to take walks and HBP’s (tends to not work out at the highest levels because pitchers will just make you beat them). As BiederGB said above, the defense is also nothing to write home about and while experience with the current big league arms is nice, that’s pretty much all it is.

[Joseph Zarr]

Just no. Absolutely not. Darrien Miller is a fine young man. Nice MINOR LEAGUE depth. Great teammate. Nowhere near a MLB catcher. End of story. You know who else they used to invite to Big League ST? C Mario Feliciano. They need bodies, familiarity, and a professional approach. All things Miller has. It doesn't mean he has MLB talent in 2026. He does not. Just grateful we could no longer further spam this piece with C Wes Clarke ruminations.🙄

[wntrtxn21]

Reese McGuire is still available. Lefty hitter with some pop. Also a decent defensive catcher. Great for a backup to WC.

[Team Canada]

9 hours ago, Harold Hutchison said:

Miller returns to the big-league camp in 2026 after a 2025 that saw him fail to reach the Uecker line in terms of batting average while playing at Double-A Biloxi.

No, someone struggling to hit in AA does not sound like the heir apparent for backup catcher.

[ClosetBrewerFan]

Can't the Brewers just move Tyler Black to Catcher.  I don't think they have tried him there yet.  😉

[duewizard]

I'd guess Siegler has a better shot at sticking as the back up than Darrien does. He couldn't hit in the Southern League and the defense is no where near the level it would need to be for him to get a call up. If you reaaaally want someone from within the org not named Quero it would be either Wood or Rodríguez, and I doubt they would be very successful.

So yeah, I agree with biedergb. A minor trade or an FA. Diaz, McGuire, Thaiss, etc still out there as serviceable backups for early in the season before a Quero call up.

[Stubby66]

I think the Brewers need to look at Seigler or Wood as the back up catchers They will never be a starter but can be back up catcher for sure. No need to spend or a million dollars on someone who will be catching 60 games. Wood could turn into a David Fry. Of course I also believe that if Bauers and Vaughn go back to light hitting you might as well consider going with a combo of Burke, Black or Adams at first of some sort. Why waste 10 million of them.

[wiguy94]

Here's a list of players since 2006 with 700 PA at AA and a batting average between .200 and .210...not exactly a list that screams future MLB player. I think there's two MLB players on that list. One is a CF who can't hit but is super fast and great defensively. The other briefly played catcher for the A's in 2024 and has some pop in his bat but can't make contact. Guys who can't hit for average and don't have pop rarely ever make it to MLB unless they are elite defensively. Darrien Miller is not elite defensively.

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/minor-league?pos=all&level=2&lg=&stats=bat&qual=700&type=1&team=&season=2006&seasonEnd=2025&org=all&ind=0&splitTeam=false&players=&filter=AVG|gt|0.2,AVG|lt|0.21&sort=19,1

[sveumrules]

17 hours ago, Joseph Zarr said:

Just grateful we could no longer further spam this piece with C Wes Clarke ruminations.

Says who?

After publishing his Catcher of the Future Showdown between William Contreras, Jeferson Quero and Wes Clarke prior to the 2024 season (then doubling down on Clarke's catching bona fides in the comments) Wes Clarke went on to catch six games for Biloxi over the two ensuing baseball seasons.

[Joseph Zarr]

14 minutes ago, sveumrules said:

Says who?

After publishing his Catcher of the Future Showdown between William Contreras, Jeferson Quero and Wes Clarke prior to the 2024 season (then doubling down on Clarke's catching bona fides in the comments) Wes Clarke went on to catch six games for Biloxi over the two ensuing baseball seasons.

The same C Wes Clarke who spent the remainder of his 2025 season at Houston's Double-A affiliate...and, surprisingly, didn't spend an inning behind the dish. It's almost a conspiracy at this point!

[Turning2]

A few have referred to Miller as minor league depth but indicate an opinion that he is not a suitable consideration for the big leagues. Isn't that contradictory? If one holds the view that he is a minor league talent only, as I do, he's not really depth when depth is defined as being a viable major league option. If he's not generally viewed as ML material, what is he depth for? 

[wiguy94]

Just now, Turning2 said:

A few have referred to Miller as minor league depth but indicate an opinion that he is not a suitable consideration for the big leagues. Isn't that contradictory? If one holds the view that he is a minor league talent only, as I do, he's not really depth when depth is defined as being a viable major league option. If he's not generally viewed as ML material, what is he depth for? 

When Spencer said minor league depth he means depth for the minor leagues not for the major leagues. Basically Miller is a solid minor leaguer and is system depth.