Who Replaces Christian Yelich If An IL Stint Is Needed?

Christian Yelich’s back is a time bomb waiting to happen, but thankfully, it hasn’t caused him to miss massive amounts of time on the injured list in recent years. Yelich has missed just 26 games over the last two years, but that’s not to say it hasn’t affected him. Between May and July ‘23, Yelich had a resurgence towards his old self after some down years as a result of the aforementioned back injury, producing a .314/.395/.531 slash line with 13 home runs and a 149 WRC+. Then came August when his production plummeted alongside his exit velocities during the Brewers playoff push, dropping to an 83 WRC+ and averaging over six mph less on batted balls. Heavy suspicions were this was a back-related incident, especially given the IL stint in September, and it shows how much of an effect it has on his ability at the plate.

While Yelich took 15 days on the IL, he returned to his form of prior months immediately, crushing balls from his first plate appearance back, and it begs the question of why the Brewers didn’t sit him down earlier. I wrote earlier this year about how Pat Murphy and the coaching staff must give Yelich breaks as soon as this flares up because the effect it has on him at the plate is enormous. He can still find ways to scrap on base with his strong plate discipline, but he loses almost all power and timing.

If the Brewers identify the issue early and allow it to heal properly, they can still see a fantastic player with top-five offensive production in the league over a shorter span of games. In short, 120 games of Yelich with a 150 WRC+ or above is significantly more valuable than 150 games of below-average offensive production, and if that means a more cautious timeline and approach, then so be it. It definitely shouldn’t come as any surprise for the Brewers to give him ten days off on the IL and ensure it’s healed properly. In this case, whom should they go to as his replacement?

The Man Born To Be A Brewer
Charles Brewer Hicklen was brought in on a minor league deal in November, with Matt Arnold commenting on his athleticism and loud tools and saying that their scouting department was a big fan of him for his skill set and name. A former top 100 prospect with the Royals, Hicklen has just four major league at-bats for the Royals, and that’s a byproduct of his high strikeout rates. Since joining the Brewers, however, his power has shone through while the strikeouts have dipped to a more manageable level.

Looking at his results early in the Triple-A season, Hicklen is hitting .317/.431/.585 with a 15.7% walk rate while striking out perhaps a little too often. If a comparison is needed, You could think of him as a version of Keston Hiura, who can play passable outfield defense. Above-average speed but inconsistent routes would be the expectation there, but the real reason for his call-up will be his bat. Here are some of the metrics in Triple-A since 2023:

• 91 mph average exit velocity
• 46% hard-hit rate
• 23.5% barrel rate
• 35.4% Whiff rate (Yikes)
• 31.9% Strikeout Rate (Also yikes)

There is some regression to be expected on his early 2024 numbers, which are inflated, but the Brewers were impressed with Hicklen during camp, and he showed off his thump in those games to leave a lasting impression. He isn't, however, currently on the 40-man roster, which may provide an obstacle to his promotion, although there are some candidates for DFA on the roster, which should improve the chances.

Hicklen isn't going to be anything like Christian Yelich and is likely to provide boom-or-bust production while Yelich is on the IL. The Brewers may strike lucky and steal a few home runs while Yelich is out, and he can adequately cover the outfield, perhaps to a similar standard as Yelich. 

An additional element of intrigue is the next person up is likely to be the 1000th major league player for the Milwaukee Brewers. It would be the ultimate irony for that person to be called "Brewer."

Other Options
Joey Wiemer would be the first thought for many. However, there are various reasons why he's unlikely to be brought up. Amid a sizable technical switch, Wiemer must show a marked consistency in the quality of his at-bats, with occasional crushed balls followed by poor strikeouts. He recorded four strikeouts in the first game of a doubleheader on Friday before a walk and a double in the second game, but the Brewers are likely to want him to get regular playing time while he sorts out his mechanics at the plate. He does play outstanding defense while being on the 40-man, but his current needs for plate appearances and .220/.328/.360 line is unlikely to push him to the majors again just yet.

Chris Roller is on the 40-man, perhaps most likely to challenge Hicklen for that role, hitting .308/.325/.410 in Nashville over his first 40 plate appearances. He doesn't have the same thump as Brewer Hicklen, and while striking out, he more than one would like for a contact hitter. Defensively, he is superior, able to fill in as an average center fielder with good range and reads. Perhaps most importantly, he already sits on the Brewers 40-man roster, which may swing the decision in his favor.

Who would you like to see up for the Milwaukee Brewers? Do you even think Yelich should go on the Injured List or go day-to-day? Please let us know what you think in the comments below.