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Looking at the third base market, there are several clubs in borderline must-win scenarios looking for big third base upgrades. The New York Yankees would ideally move Jazz Chisholm Jr. to second base and find a bigger bat to occupy third base. They currently have DJ LeMahieu and his .640 On Base plus Slugging (OPS) holding down second base while Chisholm covers the hot corner, and Oswaldo Cabrera on the 60-day injured list (and having recorded a .630 OPS of his own this season).
Then you have the Chicago Cubs, who have Matt Shaw holding their third base roster spot, but despite some fantastic defensive acumen, his bat hasn't translated to the big leagues, posting a .593 OPS across 191 plate appearances.
Both teams are looking heavily into the third base market and have the prospect capital and demand to make a big splash. The competition raises prices of assets across the board to the point where rental acquisitions are costing significantly above their actual value. Eugenio Suarez, Ryan McMahon, and even Nolan Arenado could all be moved, but all would require sizeable packages to get the job done.
Instead, the Brewers have been granted a boon. In June, Joey Ortiz and Caleb Durbin have been the Brewers' third and fourth-best hitters by WRC+. Both are capable of being above-average defenders on the left side of the infield, with Durbin looking surprisingly smooth of late, while Ortiz is making more of the "highlight plays" the Brewers have been looking for.
| # | Name | Team | G | PA | HR | R | RBI | SB | BB% | K% | ISO | BABIP | AVG | OBP | SLG | wOBA | xwOBA | wRC+ | BsR | Off | Def | WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christian Yelich | MIL | 20 | 82 | 3 | 8 | 18 | 2 | 9.8% | 26.8% | .192 | .479 | .356 | .427 | .548 | .421 | 172 | 0.1 | 7.0 | -2.7 | 0.7 | |
| 2 | Brice Turang | MIL | 22 | 92 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 9.8% | 20.7% | .099 | .381 | .309 | .370 | .407 | .342 | 119 | -0.9 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.5 | |
| 3 | Caleb Durbin | MIL | 20 | 78 | 3 | 16 | 8 | 1 | 7.7% | 14.1% | .147 | .273 | .265 | .346 | .412 | .336 | 115 | -0.1 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.4 | |
| 4 | Joey Ortiz | MIL | 22 | 78 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 3.8% | 15.4% | .123 | .339 | .301 | .338 | .425 | .335 | 114 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 0.6 | |
| 5 | Jackson Chourio | MIL | 22 | 98 | 3 | 15 | 12 | 4 | 5.1% | 17.3% | .185 | .274 | .250 | .286 | .435 | .310 | 96 | 0.3 | -0.1 | 0.1 | 0.3 | |
| 6 | Sal Frelick | MIL | 22 | 97 | 1 | 13 | 12 | 4 | 5.2% | 15.5% | .070 | .338 | .291 | .333 | .360 | .309 | 96 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.4 | |
| 7 | William Contreras | MIL | 20 | 87 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 14.9% | 20.7% | .097 | .255 | .208 | .322 | .306 | .283 | 78 | -0.4 | -2.7 | 1.4 | 0.2 | |
| 8 | Rhys Hoskins | MIL | 21 | 82 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 7.3% | 29.3% | .153 | .170 | .153 | .232 | .306 | .240 | 49 | -0.2 | -5.2 | -1.4 | -0.4 |
The real issue instead is how little depth and time off each of these two is able to get. Caleb Durbin, in particular, has some quite aggressive splits, recording an .838 OPS against lefties and just a .615 OPS against right-handed pitching. Ortiz has also performed better against left-handers this season with a .661 OPS compared to a .526 mark against right-handers. What they could use is a left-handed bat to pinch hit, and occasionally start against right-handers, and for that, the Brewers have the perfect player in the minor leagues.
Anthony Seigler entered the organization as a switch-hitter, playing either catcher or second base for the New York Yankees. Intriguingly, he has quite a large gap in terms of his exit velocities and quality of contact when hitting right-handed compared to when he is a left-handed hitter. The majority of his damage has come as a left-handed hitter, to the point he's now experimenting with ditching the switch-hitting altogether. Still, the important thing is that Seigler is CRUSHING right-handed pitching in Class Triple AAA to the tune of a 1.013 OPS in 207 plate appearances. All 22 of his extra-base hits have come against right-handed pitching, with seven home runs and more walks (38) than strikeouts (37).
The graph above shows data from both sides of the plate, but it accurately represents the hitter Seigler is. He doesn't boast supreme, high-end exit velocities, but what he does have is elite barrel control in the strike zone. His swing decisions are fantastic, resulting in a phenomenal walk rate without being overly passive in the strike zone. When he makes contact, he elevates the ball at an elite level and consistently squares it up, boasting a 48.4% hard hit rate and 45.2% sweet spot launch angle rate.
In short, while he won't hit the ball 115 mph, he'll quite regularly hit it between 95-100 mph and elevate the ball on a line to the outfield. As a pinch hitter, that provides a lot of value in a variety of circumstances whether you need to get a runner on base to start a rally, push in a runner from third with less than two outs, or just keep the line moving, Seigler's quality of at bats suggests a more than capable utility bench option capable of replacing either Durbin or Ortiz in late game situations, as well as starting games at third base against right handers.
The Brewers have had the same thought, giving Seigler experience over the last three weeks at the hot corner. He's started 10 games there and is looking smoother with each passing week. He has a solid arm and decent range to the point the Brewers should feel comfortable with him defensively, and his bat profiles a whole lot better than Andruw Monasterio's off the bench. The other role Monasterio has occasionally been used in is to pinch run for Rhys Hoskins, and Seigler brings some value here as well. He has 19 stolen bases in Triple-A so far this year.
All in all, Seigler is the complement that should add some nuance and variety to the Brewers' offense. He gives them added variety off the bench and a high-quality at-bat that can be used in tight situations, something the Brewers are not comfortable doing with Monasterio right now.
It shouldn't be long before Anthony Seigler is up with the Milwaukee Brewers. He won't provide the type of boom that you may get from Eugenio Suarez, but he does round out the offense with some consistent high-quality contact and high-class pitch recognition, giving an advantage in tight games when the Brewers want to mix and match. In what's shaping up to be a closely fought season, these fine margins can make all the difference.
What would you think of adding Anthony Seigler to the Brewers roster in short order? How much of a boost do you think he can bring? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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