2026 Trade/Waiver Targets

[TURBO]

2 hours ago, Lloyd330 said:

Just move Vaughn to 3B for the next month and see how it works out

Nah, we'd still have to sit him vs right handed pitchers.

[wiguy94]

6 hours ago, Jopal78 said:

Define overpay? The two farmhands I mentioned are not amongst Milwaukee’s top echelon.  Sheesh. Thats more like a grapefruit being .99 and leaving it in the bin because it’s too expensive, because you’re only willing to spend a quarter on a grapefruit. 

This is not remotely true. Hardin is our second best SP prospect and Adamczewski might be the best pure hitting prospect the Brewers have. Adamczewski is already making Top 100 lists (he’s 76 at BA for reference) and Hardin has been getting some steam as well not in terms of Top 100 but he’d be a Top 10 prospect in the vast majority of MLB systems 

[wiguy94]

5 hours ago, Jopal78 said:

I guess I’m tired of this. Even the prospects lists themselves are full of variance. MLB pipeline has Adamczewski at 10 and Hardin at 15 which are nearly the exact  ranks you suggested just filled by different players from whatever source you used.

I guess there are only four things to be sure of in life: 1. death, 2. Taxes 3. Any veteran player available at the deadline isn’t worth a  prospect if anyone has heard of him. 4. Because all, Brewer prospects are destined to be future major league contributors .
 

 

MLB Pipeline hasn’t done any updates since February. That list is crazy outdated at this time of the year.

[BrewerFan]

8 hours ago, Jopal78 said:

Don’t know where you’re getting 97+ for Hardin, but here’s MLB’s scouting report. Their words not mine “average velocity”. 

... from how hard he has thrown the baseball... via Baseball America. 

That's where. 

Now can YOU tell me where you're getting AA and AAA are "lower levels" of the minors?

We haven't eliminated LowA(or HiA)... or the roookie leagues, DSL yet. So they seem higher up, but I'll google it!
 

[Jopal78]

4 hours ago, wiguy94 said:

This is not remotely true. Hardin is our second best SP prospect and Adamczewski might be the best pure hitting prospect the Brewers have. Adamczewski is already making Top 100 lists (he’s 76 at BA for reference) and Hardin has been getting some steam as well not in terms of Top 100 but he’d be a Top 10 prospect in the vast majority of MLB systems 

Luis Urias, Greg Jones and Luis Matos were top 100 prospects too. What’s that mean? Further, a year ago folks were up in arms because the Brewers left Shane Smith unprotected. 

Prospect rankings are nothing more than click bait lists of players who might be good or might not be good. If someone at MLB.com or baseball America or any other website could actually prognosticate who wil succeed in the majors they’d be working for a team and not writing for a fan site. 

[BrewerFan]

9 hours ago, Lloyd330 said:

Just move Vaughn to 3B for the next month and see how it works out

He's not a good fielder at 1B... I do not want to see him at 3B for a month. 

[umphrey]

Was reading the MLBTR top 35 trade candidates and Chapman and Nolan Gorman are the only 3Bs on the list. Chapman isn’t going to happen (expensive) and Gorman was demoted to AAA due to poor performance (not to mention plays for a division rival). Sad. 

[BrewLongma34]

Chapman is garbage. His price tag alone but his game has been declining rapidly.  I would take D Hamilton over him any day. 

[TURBO]

1 minute ago, BrewLongma34 said:

Chapman is garbage. His price tag alone but his game has been declining rapidly.  

Yup, he is no bueno...  The days when he was a difference maker are long gone.

[sveumrules]

On 6/25/2026 at 6:27 PM, Jopal78 said:

Luis Urias, Greg Jones and Luis Matos were top 100 prospects too. What’s that mean? Further, a year ago folks were up in arms because the Brewers left Shane Smith unprotected. 

Of course the hit rate for Top 100 prospects is less than 100%, that means if a team can better identify, acquire, and develop those players (plus the myriad players who never get recognized on those lists) they will probably have a pretty serious leg up on their competition.

Since Matt Arnold took over in 2023, the Brewers have gotten an MLB best 69.3 WAR from position players in their Age 28 and under seasons (second place is the Cubs down at 55.3 WAR). Some of the Brewers individual category rankings on that leaderboard are...

15,530 PA (6th) | 1,961 R (1st) | +113.3 DEF (1st) | 9.4 BB% (2nd) | 45.1 GB% (t-2nd) | 469 SB (3rd) | +36.5 BsR (3rd) | .326 OBP (4th) | .303 BABIP (6th) | 101 wRC+ (13th) | .140 ISO (28th)

The Brewers have also demonstrated they can identify, acquire, and develop these young players via different means as well with guys like Contreras & Adames acquired via trade as MLB players with some degree of success but also some lingering questions. Then there are Chourio, Turang, Frelick, and Mitchell (and now Pratt) who have been homegrown. Guys like Ortiz & Durbin were acquired in maligned star player trades, Perkins & Collins were acquired for essentially free, Vaughn was a change of scenery candidate & though he doesn't meet the Age 28 cutoff Bauers is another recent success story.

The pitchers in their Age 28 and under seasons haven't been quite as good going back to Arnold taking over in 2023, their 48.5 rWAR is only second (behind CLE with 60.6 rWAR). Some of the Brewers individual category rankings on that leaderboard are...

2827 IP (11th) | 85 ERA- (1st) | 112 K+ (1st) | 92 AVG+ (1st) | 106 LOB+ (1st) | +22.58 RE24 (1st) | +23.13 WPA (3rd) | 3.85 xERA (3rd) | 94 WHIP+ (4th) | 94 FIP- (4th)

In addition to having an MLB roster rife with young talent, the Brewers have a farm system that is generally regarded as among the best in MLB currently. What all that tells me, is that whatever the leaguewide hit rate is for prospects (Top 100 or otherwise), the Brewers are more or less setting the top end of the curve.