Sneaky Brewers Trade Candidates For An Infield Bench Role

[Michael Trzinski]

Image courtesy of IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 2026 MLB trade deadline is rapidly approaching—it's on August 3—and even though the Milwaukee Brewers are seemingly set for position players, we at Brewer Fanatic would like to offer a dozen or so players who could be good pieces to fill in for injuries or demotions. Great though it's been to see Joey Ortiz go on a bit of a tear, we don't believe in ignoring the downside that still lurks for Ortiz, Cooper Pratt, and others. So, here's where the team might pivot if needed. Enjoy!

Higher-Salary Players

Oswaldo Cabrera, New York Yankees (AAA), 27

Cabrera is currently playing at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and is hitting .284/.343/.435 with 10 home runs across 299 at-bats, so he has some pop as a switch-hitter. He has played every position except for catcher and center field this year, so he offers good versatility for a team that craves that asset. He has a one-year, $1.2-million contract for 2026, which obviously isn't much in baseball terms—but it's kind of a lot for a fifth infielder.

Edmundo Sosa, Philadelphia Phillies, 30

The right-handed Sosa has played at least 10 games at second base, third base, shortstop, and left field for the Phillies this year. His batting numbers are down a bit (.213/.250/.350) from his career averages of .253/.304/.408, but he has hit five dingers across 160 at-bats. His $4.4 million contract might keep potential suitors away. But for a contender like the Brewers, the fact that Sosa has played in 19 postseason games is a huge plus. (Of course, the Phillies are also a contender, so they (like the Yankees) might not be eager to give up their own depth.)

Didn’t You Used to Be Somebody?

Jeimer Candelario, Los Angeles Angels (AAA), 32

The switch-hitting corner infielder has had a solid 11-year major-league career, but is toiling at Salt Lake this season. He's hitting .263/.364/.442 for the Bees, with six homers across 217 ABs. He signed a 3-year, $45-million contract with the Halos before the 2024 campaign, but he might be willing to sign a smaller deal to get back to the big leagues.

Santiago Espinal, Texas Rangers (AAA), 31

Released by the Los Angeles Dodgers in late May, Espinal signed a minor league contract with the Rangers just before Independence Day. The righty-hitting utility infielder has been at Round Rock and is hitting .250/.300/.306 over 36 ABs but is heating up a bit lately, going 5-for-11 in his last three games. Espinal was an All-Star with Toronto in 2022 and has seven years’ experience in the bigs.

Stuck in the Minors

Christian Koss, San Francisco Giants, 28

Koss got called up to San Francisco when third baseman Matt Chapman went down with an abdominal injury in early July. He has had limited success in a small sample, going just 3-for-21 since being promoted. Koss has spent seven years in the minors, slashing .277/.340/.458 with 59 home runs across 1700+ at-bats. It is likely he will return to the minors when Chapman returns in late July, so he could possibly be a versatile, cheap pickup for Milwaukee.

Nick Sogard, Boston Red Sox (AAA), 28

Sogard is a switch-hitter who has lots of minor league time under his belt with numbers similar to those of Koss. He is a cousin of former Brewer Eric Sogard and the nephew of Steve Sax, so baseball is in his blood. He recently returned to action after suffering a right oblique strain and had done well in a brief stint with Boston, batting .257/.350/.371 across 35 ABs. Having another Sogard playing for the Brewers wouldn’t be a bad thing.

Tyler Tolbert, Kansas City Royals, 28

Tolbert plays some short and outfield as he is filling in for the injured Bobby Witt, Jr. He has been impressive in his time with the Royals, hitting .328/.364/.443 across 61 ABs. In two seasons with the Royals, he has stolen 32 bases during just 111 ABs, so his speed would fit right in with Milwaukee. Witt is expected to return in late July, so Tolbert might be readily available.

Charles McAdoo, Toronto Blue Jays (AAA), 24

McAdoo can play almost anywhere and has some pop, hitting 50 home runs in four minor league seasons. He played three weeks in Toronto earlier in the season but was returned to Triple-A Buffalo. McAdoo also has some speed, having pilfered 34 bases last season in Double-A. He is stuck behind Ernie Clement and Kazuma Okamoto at second and third, respectively, so he might be on the trading block.

Hey, You Look Familiar

Anthony Seigler, Boston Red Sox, 27

Seigler is having a decent season in Boston, hitting .245/.314/.383 across 94 ABs as a fill-in at second and third.

Orlando Arcia, Minnesota Twins (AAA), 31

It seems like he has been around forever, and he has, witnessed by his 11 big-league seasons. Although his best days are behind him, he is still a solid all-around player.

Raynel Delgado, Houston Astros (AAA), 26

Despite having a good season at Nashville in 2025, he became a free agent and has played in the Tampa Bay and Houston organizations since. He played in 17 games in a three-week stint for Houston earlier this year, batting .273/.314/.394 across 33 ABs. Maybe it is time for Milwaukee to give him another chance.

Rowdy Tellez, Atlanta Braves (AAA), 31

Tellez was a Brewers fan favorite and slugged 35 dingers in 2022, giving him 123 in his nine-year career. If the Brewers need a LH power bat, this might be the guy.

Will the Brewers go after any of these guys, or will they stand pat? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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[Brian]

The "Hey, You Look Familiar" section is a very hard no! 

[Michael Trzinski]

On 8/2/2026 at 10:58 AM, Brian said:

The "Hey, You Look Familiar" section is a very hard no! 

I guess they weren't looking for anybody lol