2024 Brewers Positional Preview: Third Base

The Starter: Joey Ortiz
2023 MLB Stats: 15 G, 34 PA, .212/.206/.242  
AAA Stats: 88 G, 389 PA, .321/.378/.507, 9 HR

2024 Projections (ZiPS): 94 G, 406 PA, .241/.297/.371, 8 HR, 1.1 fWAR; PECOTA: 360 PA, .237/.298/.367, 7 HR, 0.4 WARP, 86 DRC+, 18.1% K, 7.2% BB

Scouting Report: Ortiz came over with pitcher DL Hall from Baltimore in the Corbin Burnes trade. He is a plus defender at shortstop and is projected as an adequate third baseman in the short term, although is expected to move to SS if (and when) Willy Adames gets moved. Ortiz is on the small side (5’9”, 190) but has consistently registered high exit velocities in the minors and appears to have enough pop to hit 10-15 HRs in the bigs.

His career K percentage is 17.2, well below the major league average last year of 22.7. Ortiz is average at drawing a free pass with his 9.5% walk rate. The 25-year-old is an average runner and won’t steal a ton of bases, but won’t be a pylon on the bases, either.

Ortiz worked hard during the minor league shutdown of 2020, moving him up the organizational list in the eyes of Orioles brass, but had his 2021 season ended with a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder that required surgery. The injury has healed and should not be a problem going forward.

At this early time, the right-handed batter should be the front-runner at third base but could just as easily be slotted into the starting spot at SS should Adames be traded before the season.

The Backup/Utility Guy: Andruw Monasterio
2023 MLB Stats: 92 G, 315 PA, .259/.330/.348, 3 HR, 1.3 bWAR

2024 Projections (ZiPS): 45 G, 196 PA, .249/.330/.361, 3 HR, 0.7 fWAR; PECOTA: 252 PA, .242/.322/.353, 4 HR, 0.5 WARP, 92 DRC+, 19.8% K, 9.5% BB

Scouting Report: The 25-year-old was signed as a free agent by the Brewers after the 2021 campaign but didn’t make his big-league debut until the end of May 2023. He had 21 multi-hit games, and his batting average was up to .307 in late July after a two-week hot streak that saw him hit .400 (16-for-40). Monasterio came back to earth the last two months and finished with decent numbers for his rookie season.

The right-handed hitter from Venezuela was versatile, as he made 48 starts at third, 21 starts at second, and even started the game twice as a shortstop. Monasterio was very good against LHP, slashing .291/.387/.392 in 93 plate appearances.

His 2024 season depends on how Brice Turang and Ortiz perform. Monasterio can start at either 2B or 3B and is a decent defender, with above-average speed and arm strength.

Other Options: At this point, three other candidates are on the 40-man roster: Vinny Capra, Oliver Dunn, and Owen Miller. All three have minor league options left. Miller is rated the most likely of the three to see substantial playing time in Milwaukee, according to the ZiPS projections. Capra and Dunn will most likely provide organizational depth to begin the season.

A trio of non-roster invitees add to the mix. The highly touted duo of Tyler Black and Brock Wilken will get opportunities to flash their wares in Arizona over the next few weeks. Black has a decent chance to stick on the big-league roster, while Wilken probably needs more seasoning, likely at Double-A Biloxi to start the year.

Veteran Christian Arroyo signed a minor league NRI contract last month and has played seven years in the bigs. Arroyo can play any spot in the infield and can even patrol a corner garden spot in a pinch. He, however, has no minor league options left.

Many Brewer fans would like to see Tyler Black win a starting job at 3B. His plus hit and run tools have helped him to advance nicely through the farm system, but he is unlikely to steal 55 bases in the big leagues. A successful spring would most likely ensure that he would start the season in Milwaukee.

The Big Questions: Can Joey Ortiz hit well enough to keep a starting role? His glove will never be in question, but he needs to perform at the dish as well. Monasterio can play in the bigs, but his role will be decided by how Ortiz and Turang do at 3B and 2B, respectively. Miller, Capra, Dunn, Arroyo, and Black might be battling for one spot, depending on how manager Pat Murphy sets his roster. Wilken might see some action in Milwaukee this year, but it would most likely be as a late-season call-up.

Readers, can Joey Ortiz win the third base job and hit well enough to keep it? Where will Monasterio play—starter or utility guy? How soon until we see Black and Wilken in Milwaukee?