Matthew Lenz
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Finally, the time has come to look at the top five prospects in the Milwaukee Brewers organization as voted on by contributors at Brewer Fanatic. Where will recent acquisitions Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat fall in the list? Additional players discussed in this video are Jesus Made, Luis Pena, and Cooper Pratt. View full video
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Finally, the time has come to look at the top five prospects in the Milwaukee Brewers organization as voted on by contributors at Brewer Fanatic. Where will recent acquisitions Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat fall in the list? Additional players discussed in this video are Jesus Made, Luis Pena, and Cooper Pratt.
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Entering the top 10 of Brewer Fanatic's top prospects for the Milwaukee Brewers, we look at players ranked six through 10. Jeferson Quero struggled to stay on the field in 2025, but how much will that impact his ranking? Discussed in this video are Marco Dinges, Bishop Letson, Andrew Fischer, Jeferson Quero, and Logan Henderson. View full video
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Entering the top 10 of Brewer Fanatic's top prospects for the Milwaukee Brewers, we look at players ranked six through 10. Jeferson Quero struggled to stay on the field in 2025, but how much will that impact his ranking? Discussed in this video are Marco Dinges, Bishop Letson, Andrew Fischer, Jeferson Quero, and Logan Henderson.
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Looking at the next tier of Milwaukee Brewers prospects as voted on by Brewer Fanatic contributors, we look at players ranked 11-15. How much does pigeonholing Blake Burke into a first baseman limit his upside and impact his ranking? Discussed in this video are Brock Wilken, Blake Burke, Luke Adams, Josh Adamczewski, and Luis Lara. View full video
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Looking at the next tier of Milwaukee Brewers prospects as voted on by Brewer Fanatic contributors, we look at players ranked 11-15. How much does pigeonholing Blake Burke into a first baseman limit his upside and impact his ranking? Discussed in this video are Brock Wilken, Blake Burke, Luke Adams, Josh Adamczewski, and Luis Lara.
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Brewer Fanatic contributors have voted and ranked the top 20 Milwaukee Brewers prospects headed into the 2026 season. Does Craig Yoho's upside as a high-leverage reliever keep him out of the top 20? Players discussed are JD Thompson, Brady Ebel, Craig Yoho, Tyson Hardin, and Braylon Payne. View full video
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Brewer Fanatic contributors have voted and ranked the top 20 Milwaukee Brewers prospects headed into the 2026 season. Does Craig Yoho's upside as a high-leverage reliever keep him out of the top 20? Players discussed are JD Thompson, Brady Ebel, Craig Yoho, Tyson Hardin, and Braylon Payne.
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Despite having five starters penciled into the rotation for 2026, the Milwaukee Brewers could get creative with a newly acquired reliever. At the very least, it sounds like the fifth rotation spot could be up for grabs throughout spring training. Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting that the Milwaukee Brewers could use recently acquired Angel Zerpa as a starter. In his article, Brewers president of baseball operations, Matt Arnold, was quoted as saying, "We have some scouts that think he can do it. He has done it in the past." Zerpa, recently acquired via a trade with the Kansas City Royals, progressed through the minor leagues primarily as a reliever, though in five seasons with the Royals only made eight starts. In 2025, Zerpa pitched 64 2/3 innings, posting a solid 3.86 FIP despite a low 13.1% K-BB rate, due to an elevated walk rate. As a southpaw, he's particularly effective against left-handed hitters who carried a .288 wOBA last season, whereas righties had a .360 wOBA. For more on Zerpa's arsenal and development, check out Jack Stern's dive into his repertoire. Zerpa, 26, just entered his first year of arbitration and is controllable through 2028. Do you think the Brewers should test him in the starting rotation or leave him in the bullpen? Let us know in the comments! -
Despite having five starters penciled into the rotation for 2026, the Milwaukee Brewers could get creative with a newly acquired reliever. At the very least, it sounds like the fifth rotation spot could be up for grabs throughout spring training. Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is reporting that the Milwaukee Brewers could use recently acquired Angel Zerpa as a starter. In his article, Brewers president of baseball operations, Matt Arnold, was quoted as saying, "We have some scouts that think he can do it. He has done it in the past." Zerpa, recently acquired via a trade with the Kansas City Royals, progressed through the minor leagues primarily as a reliever, though in five seasons with the Royals only made eight starts. In 2025, Zerpa pitched 64 2/3 innings, posting a solid 3.86 FIP despite a low 13.1% K-BB rate, due to an elevated walk rate. As a southpaw, he's particularly effective against left-handed hitters who carried a .288 wOBA last season, whereas righties had a .360 wOBA. For more on Zerpa's arsenal and development, check out Jack Stern's dive into his repertoire. Zerpa, 26, just entered his first year of arbitration and is controllable through 2028. Do you think the Brewers should test him in the starting rotation or leave him in the bullpen? Let us know in the comments! View full rumor
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For the second time this week, the Milwaukee Brewers have lost a member of their coaching staff. The first move involved associate head coach Rickie Weeks shifting into a scouting role. The second announcement has the hitting coach leaving the organization. David Lesky of Inside The Crown is reporting that Connor Dawson is being hired as the Kansas City Royals' hitting coach. He had been with the Brewers for the previous four seasons. Dawson, who grew up near Kansas City, is making a lateral move to return to his hometown team. The Brewers' offense flourished under his watch, ranking among the best run-producing teams in the league despite limited standout performances. Especially in 2025, the offense had the second-best walk-to-strikeout ratio in baseball. In addition to being analytically minded, Dawson knows that life is bigger than baseball. Stringing together quotes from prior interviews, Dawson shared his philosophy, stating, "The thing I talked about the least with players and coaches is a swing. The thing I talked about the most is how we connect with players. That's what matters, the people matter." He brings that philosophy to a young team that was one of the lowest-scoring teams in baseball. How do you think the Brewers will react to his loss? -
For the second time this week, the Milwaukee Brewers have lost a member of their coaching staff. The first move involved associate head coach Rickie Weeks shifting into a scouting role. The second announcement has the hitting coach leaving the organization. David Lesky of Inside The Crown is reporting that Connor Dawson is being hired as the Kansas City Royals' hitting coach. He had been with the Brewers for the previous four seasons. Dawson, who grew up near Kansas City, is making a lateral move to return to his hometown team. The Brewers' offense flourished under his watch, ranking among the best run-producing teams in the league despite limited standout performances. Especially in 2025, the offense had the second-best walk-to-strikeout ratio in baseball. In addition to being analytically minded, Dawson knows that life is bigger than baseball. Stringing together quotes from prior interviews, Dawson shared his philosophy, stating, "The thing I talked about the least with players and coaches is a swing. The thing I talked about the most is how we connect with players. That's what matters, the people matter." He brings that philosophy to a young team that was one of the lowest-scoring teams in baseball. How do you think the Brewers will react to his loss? View full rumor
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The Milwaukee Brewers' offseason has already gotten off to a fast start. The organization has made or been informed of multiple option decisions, and yesterday tendered a qualifying offer to Brandon Woodruff. They also announced changes to the coaching staff and the organization. Per a post from their official X account, Rickie Weeks will transition to a Special Assistant - Baseball Operations and Domestic/International Scouting. He served as the team's associate manager over the last two seasons. In a statement, Brewers President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Matt Arnold said, "This new role is an opportunity for Rickie to advance his career and broaden his experience, building off what he has accomplished already as a player, coach, and baseball operations executive." Weeks will now adjust his focus to evaluating draft-eligible and international players. He will also work with the Ops team to assess and recommend changes that impact on-field competition. It is not expected that the now vacant associate manager role will be filled. How do you think Weeks will impact that scouting department? Let us know in the comments! -
The Milwaukee Brewers' offseason has already gotten off to a fast start. The organization has made or been informed of multiple option decisions, and yesterday tendered a qualifying offer to Brandon Woodruff. They also announced changes to the coaching staff and the organization. Per a post from their official X account, Rickie Weeks will transition to a Special Assistant - Baseball Operations and Domestic/International Scouting. He served as the team's associate manager over the last two seasons. In a statement, Brewers President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Matt Arnold said, "This new role is an opportunity for Rickie to advance his career and broaden his experience, building off what he has accomplished already as a player, coach, and baseball operations executive." Weeks will now adjust his focus to evaluating draft-eligible and international players. He will also work with the Ops team to assess and recommend changes that impact on-field competition. It is not expected that the now vacant associate manager role will be filled. How do you think Weeks will impact that scouting department? Let us know in the comments! View full rumor
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While some Major League Baseball teams have transitioned to a direct-to-consumer model, the Milwaukee Brewers will stick with the regional sports network (RSN) model for at least one more season. Adam McCalvy of MLB.com is reporting that the Milwaukee Brewers extended their agreement with Main Street Sports, which owns FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin. This will be the Brewers' third season on the network. While the product offered by MLB helps market fans avoid blackouts, RSN deals typically generate more revenue for teams. It's worth noting that there were plans for the team to be broadcast by MLB following the 2024 season before they reversed course and agreed to a deal with the network. While it's unknown how long the deal will run, Rob Manfred has targeted 2028 as a date to make sweeping moves with baseball's local television contracts. It is unlikely this Brewers' contract goes beyond the 2027 season, at most. Sentiment on X seems generally negative toward the announcement, specifically citing major issues with the app. What has your experience been with the network and its app? -
While some Major League Baseball teams have transitioned to a direct-to-consumer model, the Milwaukee Brewers will stick with the regional sports network (RSN) model for at least one more season. Adam McCalvy of MLB.com is reporting that the Milwaukee Brewers extended their agreement with Main Street Sports, which owns FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin. This will be the Brewers' third season on the network. While the product offered by MLB helps market fans avoid blackouts, RSN deals typically generate more revenue for teams. It's worth noting that there were plans for the team to be broadcast by MLB following the 2024 season before they reversed course and agreed to a deal with the network. While it's unknown how long the deal will run, Rob Manfred has targeted 2028 as a date to make sweeping moves with baseball's local television contracts. It is unlikely this Brewers' contract goes beyond the 2027 season, at most. Sentiment on X seems generally negative toward the announcement, specifically citing major issues with the app. What has your experience been with the network and its app? View full rumor
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The Milwaukee Brewers saw catcher William Contreras's production dip a little bit in 2025 due to a broken left middle finger. The finger had actually been broken since 2024, though no announcement was made until May of 2025. Brewers President of Baseball Operations Matt Arnold provided an update, stating Contreras had "minor" surgery to repair his broken left middle finger. He's going to be sidelined for five to six weeks, but should otherwise be healthy by the time pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training. Despite the dip, Contreras was still productive at the plate, sporting a 113 wRC+ over 659 plate appearances. He has 17 home runs and has stolen six bases as well. While those numbers are impressive considering the importance of your left hand for a right-handed batter, his most impressive feat may be that he played in 150 games, only second to J.T. Realmuto. Yesterday, the Brewers declined his $12 million option (earning Contreras a $100K buyout), meaning the two sides will go through arbitration again this season. The move is expected to save the Brewers less than $1 million, as MLBTR projects Contreras to make $11.1 million via arbitration. You have to wonder how that sits with Contreras, given the sacrifices he made for the team—is saving a few hundred thousand worth it with your superstar catcher? Let us know your thoughts in the comments! -
The Milwaukee Brewers saw catcher William Contreras's production dip a little bit in 2025 due to a broken left middle finger. The finger had actually been broken since 2024, though no announcement was made until May of 2025. Brewers President of Baseball Operations Matt Arnold provided an update, stating Contreras had "minor" surgery to repair his broken left middle finger. He's going to be sidelined for five to six weeks, but should otherwise be healthy by the time pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training. Despite the dip, Contreras was still productive at the plate, sporting a 113 wRC+ over 659 plate appearances. He has 17 home runs and has stolen six bases as well. While those numbers are impressive considering the importance of your left hand for a right-handed batter, his most impressive feat may be that he played in 150 games, only second to J.T. Realmuto. Yesterday, the Brewers declined his $12 million option (earning Contreras a $100K buyout), meaning the two sides will go through arbitration again this season. The move is expected to save the Brewers less than $1 million, as MLBTR projects Contreras to make $11.1 million via arbitration. You have to wonder how that sits with Contreras, given the sacrifices he made for the team—is saving a few hundred thousand worth it with your superstar catcher? Let us know your thoughts in the comments! View full rumor
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The Milwaukee Brewers have been busy making option decisions over the last two days. Yesterday, they exercised the option on Freddy Peralta, while declining Danny Jansen's option. Additionally, starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff informed the team that he would be opting out of his deal, making him a free agent. Today, they declined three more options: William Contreras, Rhys Hoskins, and Jose Quintana, per the team's official X account. Hoskins and Quintana are set to become free agents, while Contreras will be retained via arbitration. Hoskins was limited to 90 games in 2025 due to injury, but once available, he was a plus bat in the lineup. Across 328 plate appearances, he carried a .748 OPS with 12 home runs and two stolen bases. This resulted in a 109 wRC+, indicating he was 9% better than the average MLB player. The Brewers will pay him a $4 million buyout instead of a $16 million salary in 2026. Quintana, who was set to make $15 million in 2026, will receive a $2 million buyout after making 24 starts and sporting a sub-4 ERA. However, his 4.61 FIP and 7% K-BB suggested he wasn't as effective as his ERA would suggest. Though he is a solid innings eater and provides a veteran presence, FanGraphs Value metric estimated he was worth just $6.8 million in 2025. At 37 years old, he will look to find a major league deal with another club. Contreras is in his second year of arbitration and is projected to make slightly less than his $12 million option would have paid him. Do you think the club made the right call on Hoskins and Quintana? Would you like to see them bring either player back? Let us know in the comments! -
The Milwaukee Brewers have been busy making option decisions over the last two days. Yesterday, they exercised the option on Freddy Peralta, while declining Danny Jansen's option. Additionally, starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff informed the team that he would be opting out of his deal, making him a free agent. Today, they declined three more options: William Contreras, Rhys Hoskins, and Jose Quintana, per the team's official X account. Hoskins and Quintana are set to become free agents, while Contreras will be retained via arbitration. Hoskins was limited to 90 games in 2025 due to injury, but once available, he was a plus bat in the lineup. Across 328 plate appearances, he carried a .748 OPS with 12 home runs and two stolen bases. This resulted in a 109 wRC+, indicating he was 9% better than the average MLB player. The Brewers will pay him a $4 million buyout instead of a $16 million salary in 2026. Quintana, who was set to make $15 million in 2026, will receive a $2 million buyout after making 24 starts and sporting a sub-4 ERA. However, his 4.61 FIP and 7% K-BB suggested he wasn't as effective as his ERA would suggest. Though he is a solid innings eater and provides a veteran presence, FanGraphs Value metric estimated he was worth just $6.8 million in 2025. At 37 years old, he will look to find a major league deal with another club. Contreras is in his second year of arbitration and is projected to make slightly less than his $12 million option would have paid him. Do you think the club made the right call on Hoskins and Quintana? Would you like to see them bring either player back? Let us know in the comments! View full rumor
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Caleb Durbin Named Rookie of the Year Finalist
Matthew Lenz posted a topic in Milwaukee Brewers Talk
While the Milwaukee Brewers as a team didn't bring home any postseason hardware, one of their players may need to make room on their mantles for an individual award. The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) announced its award finalists on Monday, including Caleb Durbin as a Rookie of the Year finalist. Durbin appeared in 105 games primarily at second base and shortstop. He finished the year with a .785 OPS, including nine home runs, and totaled 48 runs scored. He also swiped 22 bases. Overall, Durbin registered a .345 weighted On-Base Average (wOBA), resulting in a 121 wRC+. Defensively, Durbin was credited with +5 Outs Above Average (OAA) at second base, which would have ranked 7th in baseball had he had enough innings to qualify. Do you think he will win the award? Let us know in the comments! View full rumor -
While the Milwaukee Brewers as a team didn't bring home any postseason hardware, one of their players may need to make room on their mantles for an individual award. The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) announced its award finalists on Monday, including Caleb Durbin as a Rookie of the Year finalist. Durbin appeared in 105 games primarily at second base and shortstop. He finished the year with a .785 OPS, including nine home runs, and totaled 48 runs scored. He also swiped 22 bases. Overall, Durbin registered a .345 weighted On-Base Average (wOBA), resulting in a 121 wRC+. Defensively, Durbin was credited with +5 Outs Above Average (OAA) at second base, which would have ranked 7th in baseball had he had enough innings to qualify. Do you think he will win the award? Let us know in the comments! -
On the second day of the 2025- 2026 Major League Baseball off-season, the Milwaukee Brewers got a sense of what they have to work with ahead of the 2026 season. Adam McCalvy of MLB.com is reporting that the Milwaukee Brewers have exercised their team option, declined Danny Jansen's mutual option, and Brandon Woodruff has declined his mutual option. None of these decisions is overly surprising. Across 33 starts in 2025, Peralta pitched 176 2/3 innings, recording 204 strikeouts to surpass the 200-strikeout mark for the third consecutive season, joining an exclusive group in franchise history. Peralta finished the regular season with a strong 2.70 ERA, though his expected outcomes metrics suggest some regression moving forward with a 3.64 FIP per FanGraphs. His production led to his second All-Star selection and generated a 5.5 bWAR. He has an $8 million team option for 2026 and will be a free agent at season's end. The 32-year-old Woodruff returned to the Brewers rotation in 2025, logging 12 starts and 64 2/3 innings pitched. Woodruff finished the campaign with a strong FIP of 3.17 and an elite 26.9% K-BB% rate. Had both sides exercised the mutual option, Woodruff was set to make $20 million in 2026. Instead, he'll earn $10 million via a buyout and assuredly come out on top in whatever deal he signs via free agency. Jansen played 98 games for both the Tampa Bay Rays and the Brewers. He generated 14 home runs with 38 runs scored, resulting in an OPS of .720, a .318 wOBA, and a 103 wRC+ across the year. The Brewers will now be in the market for a backup catcher to relieve William Contreras. Do you think the Brewers should try to re-sign Woodruff or Jansen? Let us know in the comments! -
On the second day of the 2025- 2026 Major League Baseball off-season, the Milwaukee Brewers got a sense of what they have to work with ahead of the 2026 season. Adam McCalvy of MLB.com is reporting that the Milwaukee Brewers have exercised their team option, declined Danny Jansen's mutual option, and Brandon Woodruff has declined his mutual option. None of these decisions is overly surprising. Across 33 starts in 2025, Peralta pitched 176 2/3 innings, recording 204 strikeouts to surpass the 200-strikeout mark for the third consecutive season, joining an exclusive group in franchise history. Peralta finished the regular season with a strong 2.70 ERA, though his expected outcomes metrics suggest some regression moving forward with a 3.64 FIP per FanGraphs. His production led to his second All-Star selection and generated a 5.5 bWAR. He has an $8 million team option for 2026 and will be a free agent at season's end. The 32-year-old Woodruff returned to the Brewers rotation in 2025, logging 12 starts and 64 2/3 innings pitched. Woodruff finished the campaign with a strong FIP of 3.17 and an elite 26.9% K-BB% rate. Had both sides exercised the mutual option, Woodruff was set to make $20 million in 2026. Instead, he'll earn $10 million via a buyout and assuredly come out on top in whatever deal he signs via free agency. Jansen played 98 games for both the Tampa Bay Rays and the Brewers. He generated 14 home runs with 38 runs scored, resulting in an OPS of .720, a .318 wOBA, and a 103 wRC+ across the year. The Brewers will now be in the market for a backup catcher to relieve William Contreras. Do you think the Brewers should try to re-sign Woodruff or Jansen? Let us know in the comments! View full rumor
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Every year, MLB Trade Rumors releases a list of the most likely trade candidates for the offseason. In this season's edition, they named a total of 40 players, including Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher, as the 8th-best trade candidate. Across 33 starts in 2025, Peralta pitched 176 2/3 innings, recording 204 strikeouts to surpass the 200-strikeout mark for the third consecutive season, joining an exclusive group in franchise history. Peralta finished the regular season with a strong 2.70 ERA, though his expected outcomes metrics suggest some regression moving forward with a 3.64 FIP per FanGraphs. His production led to his second All-Star selection and generated a 5.5 bWAR. He has an $8 million team option for 2026 and will be a free agent at season's end. While the Brewers are known for flipping high-end assets for more controllable pieces (e.g., Corbin Burnes, Josh Hader, and Devin Williams), they bucked that trend with Willy Adames last offseason. Instead, they opted to keep the shortstop for the duration of his arbitration years and collected a draft pick when he was signed by the San Francisco Giants. However, the Brewers have the necessary pitching depth to at least gauge the market for Peralta. Do you think the Brewers should trade Peralta? Let us know what you think in the comments!
