2024 Brewers Positional Preview: Shortstop

The Starter: Willy Adames
2023 Stats: .217/.310/.407 with 29 2B, 24 HR, 3.0 WAR, 95 OPS+
2024 Projections: .238/.316/.444 with 29 2B, 25 HR (Baseball-Reference.com)

Willy Adames has been one of the best acquisitions of the David Stearns era. Since he was acquired, he’s posted 11 WAR for the Crew and finished just behind Corbin Burnes in MVP voting in 2021. The price (pitchers Drew Rasmussen and J.P. Feyereisen) was a bit steep, especially as Rasmussen emerged as a solid starter in 2022.

His bat has delivered a lot of power for the Crew – 75 long balls and 86 doubles. While his average has dipped from 2021, he did improve his on-base skills in 2023, walking 71 times in 553 at-bats. In short, he’s a reliable offensive contributor who can lift the team on a hot streak.

While his power justifiably gets the attention (he eclipsed Robin Yount’s single-season record for home runs by a shortstop in 2022), Adames also provides outstanding defense at that position, which increases his value, even if he is slumping a little offensively.

Adames also is one of the key leaders on the team, and his presence in the Brewers clubhouse has been a huge positive for the team. Those contributions don't get seen in box scores, and the Brewers had that lesson reinforced in 2022.

Other Options
Joey Ortiz, acquired in the Corbin Burnes trade, has some similarities to Adames. He’s a right-handed hitter who can punish the baseball, according to minor-league batting data. In addition, reports universally praise his defense. Ortiz is in the mix to play second or third base as long as Adames is with the Brewers, but he appears to have the tools to take over for the veteran.

Brice Turang, the Brewers’ first-round pick in 2018, is another option. Like Ortiz, his defense has drawn rave reviews. His offensive calling card in the minors, though, centered on his speed and on-base percentage rather than power. In the majors, he looked to have been overpowered at times, to put it mildly. Still, in 22 games at shortstop with the Brewers, he did not commit a single error, and his defense propelled him to 1.6 WAR.

Andruw Monasterio had an impressive 2023, considering he wasn’t considered a top prospect. He took Top Rookie honors from Brewer Fanatic while becoming a cult hero to fans. While he only saw five games at shortstop in Milwaukee (he mostly handled second case and third base), he played that position in the minors. He is more steady than flashy at the position, but he is still capable, given that his bat is decent.

The Big Question
When is Willy Adames leaving, and who takes over when that day comes? Adames could be gone in the middle of 2024, he could depart after the season, or it may not come until after the 2025 season (assuming he receives and accepts a qualifying offer from the Brewers). Could Matt Arnold work out a longer-term deal, the way he brought back Brandon Woodruff after most fans figured the injured ace was out the door after being non-tendered?

If Adames does depart anytime from Opening Day 2024 to the end of 2025, the Crew has three good options to replace him in Ortiz, Turang, and Monasterio, each with their strengths and drawbacks. The WAR could be generated one way or another. But how will the Brewers replace what Adames provides in the clubhouse? Do they want to run the risk of having to try? How Matt Arnold comes down on that call could determine the team’s course of action.

Should Adames’s departure be delayed past the end of 2025 due to an extension, the question shifts to one of figuring out where the youngsters (particularly Ortiz and Turang) will play. Will they bump other prospects like Tyler Black and Brock Wilken? Will some of them be traded? Some of the young talent in the minors (Cooper Pratt, Juan Baez, Freddy Zamora, Ethan Murray, Filippo Di Turi, Daniel Guilarte, and Eric Brown, Jr.) could be in the mix to take over for Adames if he departs after getting an extension.

The Brewers have a very good shortstop in Adames. They also have some solid to excellent options to take over for him, either right away, or way down the road.