Who is your dark horse to make the opening day roster this year?

[jonescm128]

Still so early in the spring but at this point it seems Tyler Black is the early standout. Does he have a shot to make the roster? Would be hard to say no if he keeps hitting like this.

[wallus]

I think someone will have to get injured for Black to make the roster.

Vinny Capra should remind us that Spring Training stats do not correlate to success.

[mudbutt]

Feels pretty settled that the bench will be Sanchez, Bauers, Hamilton and Perkins. I don't see how the first three could be supplanted, so maybe an upset would be someone like Lockridge taking Perkins spot.

[Jim French Stepstool]

Blacks' glove has pretty much relegated him to a 1B-maybe LF role, which hurts his chances with a team that values versatility. Perhaps a minor injury to Bauers or Vaughn, something that isn't normally IL-worthy but gives Black an early stint if he keeps hitting?

Otherwise, I feel a more likely scenario would be the organization finding a taker for a late-March deal.

[Harold Hutchison]

Could see Bauers moving. Black offers more positional versatility (he's seen action at 3B, 2B, and CF in addition to 1B, LF, and RF), and while he doesn't have the pop Bauers has, he's got a more consistent profile.

What Black needs is a month or two of regular ABs at the major-league level. He could probably get that rotating at several positions.

[ghostdrew]

Black has no shot at making this roster over anybody else .My pick is probably lockridge.

[liveforoctober]

I think if there is a surprise (barring a trade at another position) it would be in the bullpen. They have so much control over others that maybe they try to hold onto one of the vets a bit longer into the season to steal some innings. A guy like Strzelecki or something..

[TURBO]

1 hour ago, Harold Hutchison said:

Could see Bauers moving. Black offers more positional versatility (he's seen action at 3B, 2B, and CF in addition to 1B, LF, and RF), and while he doesn't have the pop Bauers has, he's got a more consistent profile.

What Black needs is a month or two of regular ABs at the major-league level. He could probably get that rotating at several positions.

Seen action is a a lot different than being able to play those positions at the major league level.

At this point, it is LF, 1B or bust.

Not a chance in hell we see Black play 3B, 2B, CF or RF for the Brewers.  That ship has sailed and sank, sunk, or whatever...

[Matt]

There's nothing Bauers does that Black couldn't. They're both 1B or LF. Except Bauers is 30 with five years of service time, and Black is 25 with no years of service time. Time to see what the younger guy can do.

[thebruce44]

5 minutes ago, Matt said:

There's nothing Bauers does that Black couldn't. They're both 1B or LF. Except Bauers is 30 with five years of service time, and Black is 25 with no years of service time. Time to see what the younger guy can do.

With the way Bauers finished the season last year, I think he gets a pretty long leash to be a regular in the lineup.

[Lathund]

I think the roster is pretty set. Black might be the first man up in case of a 1B/DH/OF injury, but very unlikely he starts on the ML roster. Bauers showed real progress in both results and underlying numbers last year, should absolutely see what he can do before moving on. If he struggles, Black is a logical choice to replace him. 

My dark horse would be Brandon Lockridge. The role held by Perkins is to take some of Mitchell's appearances against LHP, defensive replacement and to give rest days to the other OFs. If the Brewers think Lockridge has taken steps forward at the plate, he can fulfill all those roles. Both Perkins and Lockridge have options remaining, both make minimum salary, so not much between them. Perkins has the edge, but not by a lot. For all the things Brewers probably love about Perkins (The defense in particular, generally puts up competitive at bats etc), I don't think they're enamoured by his offensive profile. For someone with so little power, that's a pretty bad strikeout rate.

[Jopal78]

7 hours ago, Matt said:

There's nothing Bauers does that Black couldn't. They're both 1B or LF. Except Bauers is 30 with five years of service time, and Black is 25 with no years of service time. Time to see what the younger guy can do.

You have omitted the fact Bauers has a $2.7 million guarantee for 2026 and is out of minor league options.
 

The contract is outcome determinative that he will open the season on the roster.

For a dark horse, the likeliest scenario is someone beats out Chad Patrick for a rotation spot. 

[ClosetBrewerFan]

Assuming no injuries to position players, I agree Perkins/Lockridge is the only real battle in spring, with Perkins having the edge.  Injuries happen though, and that could open the door for Jett, Black, Baddoo, and Eddys Leonard.  A catcher injury would give Quero/McGuire an opportunity.  I dont think anyone else has a shot.

[SF70]

5 hours ago, Lathund said:

I think the roster is pretty set. Black might be the first man up in case of a 1B/DH/OF injury, but very unlikely he starts on the ML roster. Bauers showed real progress in both results and underlying numbers last year, should absolutely see what he can do before moving on. If he struggles, Black is a logical choice to replace him. 

My dark horse would be Brandon Lockridge. The role held by Perkins is to take some of Mitchell's appearances against LHP, defensive replacement and to give rest days to the other OFs. If the Brewers think Lockridge has taken steps forward at the plate, he can fulfill all those roles. Both Perkins and Lockridge have options remaining, both make minimum salary, so not much between them. Perkins has the edge, but not by a lot. For all the things Brewers probably love about Perkins (The defense in particular, generally puts up competitive at bats etc), I don't think they're enamoured by his offensive profile. For someone with so little power, that's a pretty bad strikeout rate.

Lockridge with the higher offensive ceiling, Perkins with the better CF defense. I think Perkins makes the OD roster but if he doesn’t hit and Lockridge does at Nashville, I could see them switch-out the two of them.

I think they hold Black for depth and see what happens with the rest of their large stable of 1B prospects at AAA for next year. A good Black AAA season builds-back his trade-value and gives the team options at the trade-deadline to potentially package-off 1 of Black/Burke/Adams/Boeve/Wilken.

[Outlander]

Hopefully Black can produce at AAA and the Brewers don't hesitate to dump Bauers if he struggles. No doubt Bauers was very productive in September and into the playoffs but there are a couple of thousand plate appearances in the majors indicating that isn't the real Bauers. Black was kind of the same way last year, he struggled most of the year but September gave us hope and that has extending into Spring Training. He still has much to prove.

[bensheeps]

Agreed that the most likeliest is Lockridge moving ahead of Perkins with a hot spring (although with the way that Murph speaks about Perkins, it could take a lot).

 

Before the late winter trades, I would have said Eddys Leonard.  The reasons:  signed early in the fall (showing real interest from the Brewers), out of options, versatility on defense, some pop in the minor leagues.  But, the powers that be have really spoken highly of David Hamilton so it would be a surprise to see that switch.

[wallus]

No reason to dump Bauers. We need depth and hopefully Black can provide that if called upon 

[Frisbee Slider]

11 minutes ago, wallus said:

We need depth and hopefully Black can provide that if called upon 

Could be interesting to see if any other MLB team ‘buys high’ on Tyler Black if he maintains a hot pace and offers a trade.
 

[long ball]

It is kinda crazy to look back at the opening day roster last year and realize how many of those guys were a bit of a surprise to make the opening day roster. 
Bauers was on a minor league deal. Patrick was a surprise. Isaac Collins was a surprise. Thomas was a rule 5 guy. 
 

Then there were a host of guys we knew would make the roster, but ended up playing minimal roles on the team. Cortes, Civale, Rodriguez, Alexander, Hudson, Peguero, payamps, Capra, Dunn, and Mitchell. 
 

Hopefully we make it through the wbc/spring training healthy. The only surprises I can envision right now would be from injuries. 
 

the only pitchers on the 40 man who I’d be surprised to see on the opening day roster would be Peralta, crow, Drohan, or Rodriguez. Even guys like McGee and Yoho are intriguing enough that it would only take 1 bullpen injury for them to get the nod. 
 

McGwire (C) , Eddys Leonard (INF), Black (1B) and Lockridge (OF) are probably the first men up in case of spring training injuries.