Our Annual Preview - Which Brewers Farmhands Qualify for the Rule 5 Draft or Minor League Free Agency?

[liveforoctober]

I don't believe we should be operating with the assumption that there won't be a season next year, but I do think it complicates things for the Brewers and particularly for Adams and Wilken. 

If they need to get moved to the 40 man to protect them and then we get locked out... They can't play next year while both Burke and Fischer will have full seasons at AAA. I would assume one or both (Fischer and Burke) will be ready for us in 2028. So by moving the two prior names up to the 40 man.. If we get locked out, I don't know where their roster spot is when we come back.

[BrewerFan]

On 7/22/2026 at 8:03 PM, BrewCrew8675309 said:

Woo, Lance McC, Gary Sanchez, Shewmake, Bryse, and sadly Jake Bauers won't be back most likely.  

Rom, Stallings, and Baddoo shouldn't be back.

Zastnstry, CGordon, and Perkins seem on the chopping block.

AVaughn and TBlack are not without complications.

Add to this list trade candidates from the minors and on the 40 man roster currently and I think eventually we will have enough open positions to keep who Arnold and Company want to keep and acquire moving forward.

I am not a BWilken or Luke Adams guy but I will say that Luke Adams has done very well in AAA and will most likely be considered for the Jake Bauers slot next year.

Bauers big edge is he's a lefty. Adams... he's more redundant with Vaughn. I do like Adams, I think he'd be nice for a year or two. I'd like to see him get some ABs, play a bit, then if he can put up a .230/.320 season with 15-18 HRs(not out of question)... you could sell high on him and then go into '28 with Burke or Fischer. 

I also think Vaughn should absolutely be back. He needs to be put in the lineup in pen and figure out who is going to play around him(for the most part). 

[JoeyWiemerTruther]

On 7/22/2026 at 8:25 PM, liveforoctober said:

I don't believe we should be operating with the assumption that there won't be a season next year, but I do think it complicates things for the Brewers and particularly for Adams and Wilken. 

If they need to get moved to the 40 man to protect them and then we get locked out... They can't play next year while both Burke and Fischer will have full seasons at AAA. I would assume one or both (Fischer and Burke) will be ready for us in 2028. So by moving the two prior names up to the 40 man.. If we get locked out, I don't know where their roster spot is when we come back.

Keep in mind there was only 13 rule 5 draft selections last year and 16 the year before. Most teams just bypass it and opt to keep their own guys. Wilken would easily go unpicked if not protected so no worries there. No need to add to 40 man. Adams however in addition to Jett would have good chances to be selected in addition to Spencer M saying C. Wagoner, M. Manfredi, and I believe T. Kuehner as the other 3 he said would be the most likely guys stolen by other teams if not protected. Might see 2-4 of those guys protected by us and added to the 40 man, we’ll see.

edit: I misread, there was 13 players selected last year in the major league phase and 55 picks in the AAA phase, 68 total. But still, no need to protect Wilken

[nate82]

As of right now I don’t think the Brewers or any team will have to protect anyone.  Unless there is a CBA agreement that gets signed or agreed to early.  I think the rule 5 draft will be canceled.  

[Jim Goulart]

24 minutes ago, nate82 said:

As of right now I don’t think the Brewers or any team will have to protect anyone.  Unless there is a CBA agreement that gets signed or agreed to early.  I think the rule 5 draft will be canceled.  

Teams need to declare their protected rosters prior to the expiration of the current agreement. So whether there is a Rule 5 draft or not, teams must proceed based on the concept there will be a draft.

[LouisEly]

Wande Torres singing a little "Don't you forget about me" lately...

[sveumrules]

5 hours ago, LouisEly said:

Wande Torres singing a little "Don't you forget about me" lately...

Will be an interesting follow for sure. Could see the case for trying to slip him through since he is still so far away, but could also see a pitching starved team plucking him and trying to slip him through the season as the last man in the bullpen.

Could also be a candidate for Organizational Pitcher of the Year with the season he is having...

115 IP of 4.15 ERA | 4.49 FIP (78 ERA- | 85 FIP-)
126 K (3rd in MWL) | 51 BB (10.2 BB%)

or maybe Jaron DeBerry...

119 IP of 4.31 ERA | 5.01 FIP (87 ERA- | 99 FIP-)
132 K (most in SL) | 60 BB (11.7 BB%)

dark horse Braylon Owens...

93 IP of 4.04 ERA | 3.81 FIP (78 ERA- | 73 FIP-)
29.9 K% (best in system min. 60 IP) | 43 BB (10.9 BB%)

[BrewCrew8675309]

Any love for Matthew Wood in this thread?

Through Thursday, Brewers catcher Matt Wood had eight walks in 17 PA with no strikeouts, going 4-for-9 the rest of the time. He’s at least a big-league backup — a capable defender who has real bat-to-ball skills and knows the strike zone, although he’s 25 already and hasn’t been to Triple A yet.

[Mr Southpaw]

After the World Series we will have 37 on the 40 man roster. Antoinio Sentatela will not be offered the team option so that makes 36.  Akil Baddoo, Bryce Wilson, and Jared Koenig can be released in needed.  I am also ok with just trading Tyler Black for a bucket of balls, we just have no spot for him unless they think he can take Jake B spot at 1B.  So that makes 32.  That is a lot of prospect protection.

[Mr Southpaw]

In this order to the 40....

Adams

J Williams

Wagoner

Wichrowski

Torres 

Wood

M Rodriguiz

Birchard

[jay87shot]

On 10/26/2026 at 6:18 AM, Mr Southpaw said:

After the World Series we will have 37 on the 40 man roster. Antoinio Sentatela will not be offered the team option so that makes 36.  Akil Baddoo, Bryce Wilson, and Jared Koenig can be released in needed.  I am also ok with just trading Tyler Black for a bucket of balls, we just have no spot for him unless they think he can take Jake B spot at 1B.  So that makes 32.  That is a lot of prospect protection.

I would think we could let Zerpa go and sign him to a minor league deal and I know he would count as a 40 man over the offseason but Brian Fitzpatrick will be on the IL all year so we will get that spot when the season starts. I could see us trading someone like Grant Anderson as well depending on his arby #, someone will want him but he might not be worth say 2 million if we can get a lotto ticket prospect back for him.

I would only add Adams, Jett, Wagoner, and Wood to the 40 man. I don't see any team taking and keeping any of Wichrowski, Torres, Manny, or Birchard on a 40 man for the entire year. Wichrowski and Birchard have the high end arms to be selected in the rule 5 draft but with their results I can't see them sticking on a roster. Maybe I am forgetting someone, Dylan O'Rae is probably in the same boat.

If there are extra 40 man spots I would let Arnold and Co go find some cheaper underappreciated players ala Bauers, Megill, Patrick, Myers, Anderson, etc.

[biedergb]

3 hours ago, jay87shot said:

I would only add Adams, Jett, Wagoner, and Wood to the 40 man. I don't see any team taking and keeping any of Wichrowski, Torres, Manny, or Birchard on a 40 man for the entire year.

agree, Adams, Jett Wagoner are locks in my mind; with Wood as a likely candidate.  Wichrowski, Birchard could be traded but also unlikely to be MLB arm for the entire season (Wichrowski who pitched AAA is the highest risk). Rodriguez does not have the velo to warrant consideration by any team, and Torres only just pitched at AA at the end of the season, and while a LHP with good velo is intriguing it is a very risky move for another FO to take him.  Usually players at risk are those who have AA seasons and likely some AAA experience (ie Wichrowski).  Taking A ball players (like we did with WCW 10-12 years ago) seems to be a thing of the past.

 

3 hours ago, jay87shot said:

If there are extra 40 man spots I would let Arnold and Co go find some cheaper underappreciated players ala Bauers, Megill, Patrick, Myers, Anderson, etc.

agree here, all assuming (like the Rule V draft) that the off season happens.

But finding someone who is a low cost pick up that really only costs a 40 man roster spot is something Arnold has done well with.

[biedergb]

Also need to factor in leaving 1-2 spots open for next season as there could be another prospect who is offered a deal similar to Chourio/Pratt/Lara, maybe a Made, Pena, Fischer.

[cragi]

1 hour ago, biedergb said:

Also need to factor in leaving 1-2 spots open for next season as there could be another prospect who is offered a deal similar to Chourio/Pratt/Lara, maybe a Made, Pena, Fischer.

Not just that but you have a number of guys in AAA who could be pushing for a spot at some point next year in addition to those 3: Adamczewski, Payne, letson, Hardin, Burke

i expect some blockbuster trades to clear some room, but we still face an exciting logjam