Michael Trzinski

Image courtesy of © William Purnell-Imagn Images Even though Opening Day 2026 is 80 days away, with the flip of the calendar, the temptation to start sketching out what the Milwaukee Brewers will look like in late March has begun to build. Just over a month ago, we published the first version of our projection of the Brewers' Opening Day roster. Here is an update of that projection for the team that takes the field on March 26 against the Chicago White Sox, at Uecker Field. PITCHERS Starting Rotation (5) Freddy Peralta Brandon Woodruff Chad Patrick Jacob Misiorowski Quinn Priester Ideally, of course, each member of this group would stay healthy and perform well enough to make 30 starts. Reality is the antidote for such delusions, though, and the Brewers have realities both behind and before them that figure to shake up the rotation at some point. Peralta is high on the pundits' list of stars most likely to be traded, but he is still in the Brewers fold. Woodruff returned from a year and a half on the shelf in dominant fashion, but landed on the injured list again with a lat strain in September. Presumably, he's back in full health right now, but next season will be a new test of the staying power of his shoulder. Patrick made 23 starts and pitched well enough to earn down-ballot NL Rookie of the Year votes. Misiorowski looked like the Rookie of the Year candidate at one stretch, and has the highest upside of any Brewers pitcher. Priester and his revamped arsenal slot solidly back into the rotation for 2026, after he staked a sturdy claim there in 2025. If one or more of these five falter, the Brewers have exceptional depth to buttress the rotation. Tobias Myers is the most experienced in that group. Logan Henderson dazzled in his brief opportunities with the parent club, and if he's healthy, he could be every bit as good as Patrick or Priester. Robert Gasser made two starts but spent a lot of time on the injured list. In his return from Tommy John surgery, Coleman Crow made 12 starts at two levels, striking out batters at a rate of 32%, though he didn't find his way to the 40-man roster until the end of the season. All of their key starter prospects have minor-league options remaining, so if neither transactions nor injuries blow a hole in the side of the ship, this group can wait at Triple-A Nashville for a while. Only Myers and Crow are candidates to do much work in relief for the team. V 2.0 changes: NONE. Bullpen (8) Grant Anderson Aaron Ashby D.L. Hall Jared Koenig Trevor Megill Abner Uribe Rob Zastryzny Ángel Zerpa On December 14, the Brewers traded Isaac Collins and Nick Mears to the Kansas City Royals for the left-handed Zerpa. In theory, Zerpa replaces Mears in the bullpen, but the Brewers have mentioned that Zerpa could be a candidate for the starting rotation. We will have to see how that shakes out. The group listed (except newcomer Zerpa) pitched about two-thirds of the 634 2/3 innings Brewers relievers spent on the mound last year; expect to see more of the same. With five lefties and three righties in the pen, manager Pat Murphy has the flexibility to match up with opposing batters. Only Koenig and Uribe stayed healthy all year, and each of them wore down as the season progressed. As is true with the starters, the organization boasts good depth in the upper levels of the minors. There's another bullpen's worth of credible big-league hurlers beyond the group above. Craig Yoho, Easton McGee, and Sammy Peralta would be the frontrunners in that group. V 2.0 changes: Mears out, Zerpa in. CATCHERS (2) William Contreras Jeferson Quero Quero will probably get his first shot in the big leagues, as the backup to the workhorse and lineup centerpiece that is Contreras. When Contreras is your starter behind the plate, the backup matters less than it does on most teams. Marco Dinges is probably the next-best backstop in the organization not named Contreras or Quero, but he is about two years away. V 2.0 changes: NONE. INFIELDERS (6) Andrew Vaughn (1B) Brice Turang (2B) Caleb Durbin (3B) Joey Ortiz (SS) Jake Bauers (1B-OF) Andruw Monasterio (INF) Tyler Black and Anthony Seigler are both on the 40-man roster, but neither will make the Opening Day roster, barring something unforeseen. Vaughn and Bauers figure to hold down first base, while Turang, Ortiz and Durbin are entrenched (for now) at the other positions on the dirt. Monasterio's role will be filling in for and backing up all three, unless and until more moves come. V 2.0 changes: NONE. OUTFIELDERS (5) Sal Frelick Jackson Chourio Christian Yelich Blake Perkins Garrett Mitchell Brandon Lockridge, Steward Berroa, and free-agent signee Akil Baddoo are all on the 40-man, but this quintet has the inside track. Lockridge and Berroa might be waived at some point to free up roster spots. Mitchell could be in his make-or-break season; injuries have derailed his last three campaigns. Frelick has played in center and in right, and the phenom Chourio played every outfield spot last year. The question about the team's superstar-in-training is where he's best suited to play. Our Jack Stern wonders if center field might be the spot for Chourio. Yelich can play left in a pinch, but his best defensive days are behind him. Perkins and Mitchell will battle for playing time in center, and if Mitchell is healthy, Chourio could be back in left field almost full-time. V 2.0 changes: Collins out, Baddoo in. A lot can happen over the next two months. The Brewers could add or subtract more players through free agency or trade. This version of the projected Opening Day roster could very well change, but it doesn't need to. Even this version of the roster is a clear favorite to win the NL Central next season. What do you think about this 26-man group? Am I missing anybody? Who is on your projected card? Feel free to start a conversation in the comments section. View full article

Maybe Rowdy Tellez?

Okay Jack, for your next piece, explain what some of those esoteric positions entail...lol.

I need a beer...

Good piece, Jason! The Brewers are a small-market team and as such, have a tendency to keep their wallet in the back pocket. And the fact that they have been doing quite well in the standings lately means they will continue to do so. A difference might come if the Brewers slip to the 80-win level (or below) for a couple years. That could mean that their internal player development and/or the pitching and catching labs are producing failing results. At that point, do they step into the free agent market in a serious way? Maybe. Probably. Who knows?

For the last year, I have been working on the Player Project for the Brewers, writing small 'Wiki-type' bios for past Brewers players. To date, we have about 150 players completed. After the end of the 2025 season, 1,075 players have competed in at least one game for Milwaukee. Unfortunately, the traffic for those bios has been a smidge on the slow side, so we are temporarily halting work on the Player Project bios. That said, I am a huge fan of Brewers history and would like to share it with our readers. What kind of history would you like to see on BF? Memorable games? More about players? I like baseball history. I have published one dozen SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) bios on players, including former Brewer Roger Miller, long-time minor league manager Dave Machemer, and also have an upcoming bio scheduled for Brewers announcer Tim Dillard. I want to keep providing history for the Brewers. Let us know what you would like to see!

Especially if 'King Tuck' doesn't re-sign with them. And I am not certain that 'Opie' (PCA) can match his 2025 stats. He got off to a really hot start and then petered (pardon the pun) out.

Image courtesy of © Denis Poroy-Imagn Images The Milwaukee Brewers have made a few transactions this offseason, but Brewers fans are still waiting for the ‘big one.’ Off the field, general manager Matt Arnold was promoted to the position of president of baseball operations, as the Crew tries to fend off the risk that he departs for a top job in a larger market. On the field, the Brewers traded Isaac Collins and Nick Mears to Kansas City for lefty reliever Ángel Zerpa. The team also signed free-agent outfielder Akil Baddoo to a big-league deal. Pitcher Coleman Crow was added to the 40-man roster and will be part of this year's fallback plan if and when starting pitchers get hurt. Southpaw Sammy Peralta was selected off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels. Meanwhile, Rhys Hoskins, Jose Quintana and Danny Jansen have hit free agency, after the mutual options for 2026 in each of their contracts were turned down by one side or the other. Jansen has already signed with the Rangers; Hoskins and Quintana aren't expected to return. Let’s take a look at the rest of the National League Central and see how those teams look after their rosters have been slightly shuffled. Note: All WAR numbers are courtesy of Baseball-Reference. All contracts are big league deals. Chicago Cubs The Cubs have made several small moves, but haven’t made a big splash in the trade or free agent market so far. Additions: Signed RHP Jacob Webb to a one-year deal, with club option for 2027. 2025 WAR: 0.3 Signed INF/OF Tyler Austin to a one-year deal. 2025: played in Japan Re-signed LHP Caleb Thielbar to a one-year deal. 2025 WAR: 1.1 Signed LHP Hoby Milner to one-year deal. 2025 WAR: -0.6 Signed RHP Phil Maton to a two-year deal, with club option for 2028. 2025 WAR: 1.3 Re-signed LHP Shota Imanaga to a 2026 QO. 2025 WAR: 1.5 Re-signed RHP Colin Rea to a one-year deal, with club option for 2027. 2025 WAR: 0.6 Signed RHP Hunter Harvey to a one-year deal. 2025 WAR: 0.7 Subtractions: RHP Andrew Kittredge (sold to Baltimore). 2025 WAR: 0.6 RHP Brad Keller (free agent to Philadelphia). 2025 WAR: 1.4 LHP Drew Pomeranz (free agent to LA Angels). 2025 WAR: 0.9 RHP Michael Soroka (free agent to Arizona). 2025 WAR: 0.6 Still Out There: RHP Ryan Brasier, 2025 WAR: -0.2 INF/OF Willi Castro, 2025 WAR: -0.2 RHP Aaron Civale, 2025 WAR: 0.1 C Reese McGuire, 2025 WAR: 0.3 RHP Eli Morgan, 2025 WAR: -0.4 LHP Taylor Rogers, 2025 WAR: 0.4 1B Carlos Santana, 2025 WAR: 1.1 OF Kyle Tucker, 2025 WAR: 4.6 INF Justin Turner, 2025 WAR: -0.1 As always with the Cubs, pitchers come and go. It seems like manager Craig Counsell is drawn to former Brewers, like Hoby Milner and Colin Rea. Could Tyler Austin come back to the bigs and hammer left-handed pitching in his return from Japan? Can Shota Imanaga return to his All-Star form of 2024? The Cubs will challenge for the NL Central crown, but do they have enough to unseat the Brewers? Right now, that seems far-fetched, but they could have another big move or two in them. Cincinnati Reds The Reds have made a handful of moves, but not enough to change things significantly. It's status quo in the Queen City. Additions: Signed OF JJ Bleday to a one-year deal. 2025 WAR: -0.3 Re-signed RHP Emilio Pagán to a two-year deal. 2025 WAR: 2.0 Signed LHP Caleb Ferguson to a one-year deal. 2025 WAR: 0.9 Traded for OF Dane Myers. 2025 WAR: -0.1 Claimed C Ben Rortvedt off waivers (LA Dodgers). 2025 WAR: -0.5 Subtractions: RHP Lyon Richardson (DFA). 2025 WAR: -0.2 Still Out There: INF/OF Miguel Andujar, 2025 WAR: 0.8 RHP Scott Barlow, 2025 WAR: 0.7 OF Austin Hays, 2025 WAR: 0.8 RHP Zack Littell, 2025 WAR: 3.2 LHP Wade Miley, 2025 WAR: -0.1 RHP Nick Martinez, 2025 WAR: 2.3 LHP Brent Suter, 2025 WAR: 0.3 Bleday will join the left-handed mix in the outfield, but will likely be a platoon/fourth outfielder. Myers is the right-handed version of Bleday with less power. Pagán saved 32 games last year and returns to the closer role. Ferguson is likely to be the main southpaw in the pen, but is more of a LOOGY than a guy who can get both sides out. With the declined options, there are a few bullpen jobs up for grabs. Will the Reds re-sign one or more of the pitchers that had been cut free? Pittsburgh Pirates A few moderate-to-big names have flown across the Buccos’ transaction page so far this winter, including those involved in a three-way trade with Tampa Bay and Houston. Additions: Traded for 2B Brandon Lowe. 2025 WAR: 1.9 Signed 1B/OF Ryan O’Hearn to a two-year deal. 2025 WAR: 2.4 Signed LHP Gregory Soto to a one-year deal. 2025 WAR: -0.1 Traded for OF Jake Mangum. 2025 WAR: 1.6 Traded for LHP Mason Montgomery. 2025 WAR: -0.9 Traded for OF Jhostynxon Garcia. 2025 WAR: 0.0 Subtractions: RHP Colin Holderman (signed by Cleveland), 2025 WAR: -0.8 RHP Johan Oviedo (traded to Boston), 2025 WAR: 0.8 RHP Mike Burrows (traded to Houston), 2025 WAR: 1.5 SS Cam Devanney (released), 2025 WAR: -0.5 Still Out There: OF Alexander Canario, 2025 WAR: 0.5 DH/OF Andrew McCutchen, 2025 WAR: 0.1 OF Tommy Pham, 2025 WAR: 1.0 The Pirates traded away a couple of solid starters in Oviedo and Burrows, but got some pop on the offensive side with Lowe (31 homers this year) and O’Hearn (All-Star, 17 homers). Plus, even more importantly, they got the player with arguably the best nickname in baseball. Jhostynxon Garcia (pronounced JOES-tin-son) has the nickname ‘The Password.’ St. Louis Cardinals The Cardinals traded away pitcher Sonny Gray and catcher Willson Contreras to the Red Sox and gained a couple of young starting pitchers in return. New president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom hinted at a full rebuild, and this certainly confirms that. Additions: Traded for RHP Richard Fitts. 2025 WAR: -0.3 Signed RHP Dustin May to a one-year deal. 2025 WAR: -0.6 Traded for RHP Hunter Dobbins. 2025 WAR: 0.4 Re-signed C Yohel Pozo to a one-year deal. 2025 WAR: 0.2 Claimed RHP Zak Kent off waivers. 2025 WAR: 0.1 Subtractions: 1B/DH Willson Contreras (traded to Boston), 2025 WAR: 2.5 RHP Sonny Gray (traded to Boston), 2025 WAR: 1.4 OF/INF Garrett Hampson (released), 2025 WAR: -0.4 Still Out There: LHP John King, 2025 WAR: -0.3 RHP Miles Mikolas, 2025 WAR: 0.4 If the Cardinals' plan is to get younger, they certainly did that. In addition to Fitts, May, Dobbins, and Kent, the Cards also added pitcher Brandon Clarke, a top Red Sox prospect. Pozo joins a three-catcher mix for St. Louis, but they have high expectations for the Cards backstop. ‘El Birdos’ have been out of the mix in the National League Central for the last three years, but Bloom and company are hoping the influx of youngsters can change that. Are the Brewers going to be the 2026 favorites for the NL Central crown? Last year, the Cubs dealt for Kyle Tucker. Many pundits thought that was enough to get them to the front of the pack. How did that work for them? This year, no one has made the big trade or signing that could be a difference maker—at least, not yet. Do the Brewers have enough to claim their fourth consecutive NL Central title, or do you see another team that might be able to overtake them? Let us know in the comments. View full article

When it comes time to make these subjective/objective rankings, I don't think anybody is ever on the same page. Yes the subjective facts are the same, but the objective opinions will always differ. It Woodruff can stay healthy and make 30 starts, he deserves that #9 ranking. If he doesn't stay off the IL, he probably should be farther down the list.

Image courtesy of © Michael McLoone-Imagn Images This is part four of a five-part series about top Milwaukee Brewers player assets for 2026. Part 1: Players 21-25 Part 2: Players 16-20 Part 3: Players 11-15 Part 4: Players 6-10: 10. Caleb Durbin 2026 Season Age: 26 Controlled through: 2031 Jason's rank: 16 | Michael's rank: 9 | Steve's rank: 11 Durbin was acquired (along with Nestor Cortes) from the New York Yankees for Devin Williams last December and was added into the mix at third base as spring training began. When Vinny Capra and Oliver Dunn batted a combined .134 (9-for-67) for Milwaukee, Durbin was called up from Triple-A Nashville. He got a hit in his first big league at-bat, and the newest Brewer third sacker was found. Other than a slow month of May, Durbin was fairly consistent and finished the season with a batting line of .256/.334/.387, across 445 at-bats. Durbin hit lefties and righties equally (.717 OPS vs. LHP, .722 OPS vs. RHP) and showed a bit of power (11 homers) and speed (18 stolen bases). He was one of the few players to play well in the postseason, including 4-for-13 against Los Angeles in the NLCS. Defensively, Durbin posted a Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) number of +5, which placed him in the company of Gold Glovers Nolan Arenado (+6) and Matt Chapman (+5). His Outs Above Average (OAA) was +2, which was in the middle of the pack for third basemen. Durbin had a fine rookie year, and with little pressure on him to start the upcoming season, the Brewers should expect even more from him in his sophomore campaign. Caleb Durbin on his rookie season. 9. Brandon Woodruff 2026 Season Age: 33 Controlled through: 2026 Jason's rank: 23 | Michael's rank: 6 | Steve's rank: 6 Jason appears to be a little skeptical about Woodruff’s 2026 season, while the other two think that this season will be ‘business as usual’ for Big Woo. We all know what he can do, but the question is whether he can recover from the lat strain he suffered late last year—and avoid further injuries. Woodruff struck out batters at a higher rate than in 2023, increasing his K rate from 29.2% to 32.2%. He also changed his repertoire, using fewer fastballs (41% to 30%) while throwing more cutters and sinkers. His velocity dropped a couple ticks, but he found ample compensations for that shortfall. The righty accepted the qualifying offer (QO) of $22.025 million, and if he can have a successful season, he will be in line for a big raise in 2027. 8. Quinn Priester 2026 Season Age: 25 Controlled through: 2030 Jason's rank: 12 | Michael's rank: 12 | Steve's rank: 8 ‘The Reverend’ had a great stretch for Milwaukee last year, winning 12 straight decisions while pitching well enough that Milwaukee won 19 consecutive contests while he was on the mound. Priester came over from the Boston Red Sox in an April trade that much of ‘Bushville’ hated. Losing Yophery Rodriguez, John Holobetz, and a competitive draft pick for a seemingly fringy pitcher chapped the hides of many Brewer fans. However, when Priester started winning, he quickly became a fan favorite. He became a sinker, slider, cutter guy, throwing those three offerings a combined 89% of the time to great success. He improved his K rate from 15% to 20% and kept his groundball rate at 56%, a great thing when you have Turang-Ortiz-Durbin behind you. Priester has a pretty safe lock on a starting job in the rotation; he would have to fall apart in order to lose it. Quinn Priester reflecting on the 2025 season. 7. Sal Frelick 2026 Season Age: 26 Controlled through: 2029 Jason's rank: 15 | Michael's rank: 5 | Steve's rank: 9 Frelick starred in football, baseball, and hockey at Lexington High School in Massachusetts. Is it any wonder that the guy would dive for any ball or run through a fence to catch a fly ball? The lefty-swinging Frelick, aka ‘The Hit Collector,’ has become a fan favorite in Milwaukee, a smaller, faster version of ‘Stormin’ Gorman Thomas, a much-beloved Brewer from 40 years ago. Frelick has already won a Gold Glove in 2024 and challenged for a batting title in 2025. What more can he do? He set a career high with 12 home runs and 19 stolen bases, and smart money says he will better those numbers soon. In 2025, Frelick actually hit for a better average (.301) against lefties than against righties (.282), though all his power came against opposite-handed pitchers. Everyday play and some minor injuries made for a long season for Frelick, which might have been a big part of his less-than-stellar 1-for-14 showing against Los Angeles in the NLCS. One thing to know about Frelick: he will never give up. That is the kind of player that Milwaukee fans fall in love with. Sal Frelick's crazy twin killing in the NLCS. 6. Jesús Made 2026 Season Age: 19 Controlled through: TBD Jason's rank: 2 | Michael's rank: 7 | Steve's rank: 17 There is much discord in the rankings of this trio of BF scribes for the future Brewer infielder. All I know is that all three of us hope that he lives up to what all the scouts have projected for him. Made has moved quickly up the ladder, from Single-A to High-A to Double-A, all in one year. Made should start at Biloxi this year, and if history is any guide, will be at Triple-A Nashville before the year ends. Made has 60 grades for the hit, power, arm, and overall tools. Last year at three levels, he batted .285/.379/.413 across 453 at-bats. He has good line-drive power, as he stroked 28 two-baggers and showed his speed tool with 47 stolen bases. Currently ranked the fourth-best prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline, the 18-year-old phenom has an ETA of 2028 at ‘The Ueck,’ but if he keeps making progress like he has been, we could see him as early as September 2026 in a big-league uniform. Made's first home run in at Double-A Biloxi. Next up, Part 5 (1-5). Enjoy! Let us know how we are doing. Did we miss anyone? Somebody rated too high or too low? Start the conversation in the comments section below! View full article

I agree. The only problem is that this assignment was 'Four-dimensional' chess, but I only understand three-dimensional...

100% agree. The only problem is: which one is right?

I don't think that is a typo. Where would you put him, and why?

Damn, Jake, the Brewers should sign you as the 'Doctor of Spin-ology' and put you on staff! I know that would be a pay cut for you, but still...

One of the three (Pratt, Pena, Made) could wash out...it happens. Hopefully not here. Otherwise, there is the possibility of a position change. If trading one of them would net a big bat, it could be worth it. Time will tell...

I'm gonna steal this (more or less) from Nick Nelson of Twins Daily. He said it better than I could. The idea of this exercise is to take stock of the organization's talent through the scope of team-building. Our goal is to answer this question: Which current players in the organization are most indispensable to fulfilling the vision of building a champion? We account for age, contract, controllability, upside, etc. It's not strictly a ranking of trade value, because that would be more team-agnostic, whereas this list aims to capture a very Brewers-specific point of view. As such, players at areas of scarcity (i.e., catching) get elevated, while those at areas of abundance (i.e., relief pitchers) get downgraded a bit. Without more ado from afar, here is Part 2 of the Top Brewers Players Assets of 2025. Part 1: #21-25 20. Logan Henderson, RHP 2026 Season Age: 24 Controlled through: 2031 Jason's rank: 18 | Michael's rank: 17 | Steve's rank: 18 After moving up in the Brewers chain for four years, Henderson made his highly awaited debut in Milwaukee in 2025 and didn’t disappoint. He earned wins in his first three decisions and struck out batters at a rate of 33% while walking only eight percent. He suffered a flexor tendon strain in August and missed the balance of the season. Henderson features two plus pitches: a fastball in the 92-95 MPH range with over 17” of Induced Vertical Break (IVB), and a changeup that comes to the plate at 80-82 MPH and has an average of 18” of arm-side movement. He also throws a cutter and slider a combined 10% of the time, but he needs to work on those pitches. The right-hander is expected to be healthy coming into the 2026 season and is a frontrunner for a spot in the Brewers' starting rotation. Here are some of the highlights in Henderson's start against Washington on August 3, his last appearance of the season. 19. Jeferson Quero, C 2026 Season Age: 23 Controlled through: TBD Jason's rank: 11 | Michael's rank: 15 | Steve's rank: NR Quero returned in 2025 from the torn labrum in his right shoulder that sidelined him for all of 2024. He split time between the Arizona Complex League and Triple-A Nashville in 2025. Quero caught 34 games at Nashville and threw out only 19% of baserunners, dropping from 35% in his last full season. Opposing teams ran 50% more than they did in 2023; is the arm healthy? Although he had only 250 trips to the plate at Nashville, I feel he has little to prove in the minors. His batting mark of .255/.336/.412 shows a good eye and decent pop. He could benefit from learning nuances of the catching job from ‘Wild Bill,’ and short of an injury, slump, or significant free agent/trade at the ‘2’ spot, Quero should be the primary back-up behind the plate this year. Quero's three-run homer against Louisville in September 2025. 18. Cooper Pratt 2026 Season Age: 21 Controlled through: TBD Jason's rank: 10 | Michael's rank: 16 | Steve's rank: NR Pratt’s batting numbers dropped off from 2024, but two things have remained constant: speed and defense. His combined 2024 batting numbers were .277/.362/.406, compared to last year’s .238/.343/.348. His stolen base number improved from 27 to 31 last season. With a Gold Glove already on his résumé and 60 grades for fielding and arm, defense is not a problem. Pratt is a line-drive hitter, but with his size (6-foot-3, 205 pounds), he should grow into his power. Once the face of Milwaukee’s future shortstop, he has been passed up by Jesús Made and Luis Peña. Those two are probably a year behind Prat, but are coming fast. Our own Telemachus opined that Pratt might be a trade chip in the future. Having too many players at the same spot is a good thing. Or is it? All things staying the same, Pratt should make his big-league debut sometime this season. A nice leaping grab by Cooper Pratt. 17. Aaron Ashby 2026 Season Age: 28 Controlled through: 2028 Jason's rank: 17 | Michael's rank: 20 | Steve's rank: 13 It seems hard to believe, but Ashby will be entering his fifth year as a Brewer in 2026. Last year, he was a major part of the mid-to-high leverage relief corps and set career highs with 43 appearances, three saves, 193 ERA+, and a 2.70 FIP. The Brewers have vacillated between using the left-hander as a starter or reliever, but smart money has Ashby in the pen, unless he is needed in the rotation in an emergency. Last season, Ashby used his sinker 40% of the time with a velo of about 96 MPH. The slider (23%), curve (16%), and change (18%) are all formidable weapons. Just to keep batters honest, he has a fastball that also arrives at about 96 MPH. Ashby will once again be a major part of the Brewers pen, either with multiple innings or as a late-inning guy if needed. Aaron Ashby strikes out Freddie Freeman in the NLCS. 16. Andrew Vaughn 2026 Season Age: 28 Controlled through: 2027 Jason's rank: 24 | Michael's rank: 11 | Steve's rank: 15 Last year was a ‘tale of two cities’ for Vaughn after playing in Chicago and later in Milwaukee. It was the best of times (.308/.375/.493 in Milwaukee), and it was the worst of times (.189/.218/.314 in Chicago). Vaughn slumped in August (.695 OPS) but rebounded in the last month of the season (.942 OPS). Like the rest of the Brewers, Vaughn struggled in the NLCS against the Dodgers, taking a 0-for-12 collar. Vaughn was a decent fielder according to FanGraphs, with a Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) of zero and an Outs Above Average (OAA) of +4 while playing for the Brewers. The powerful righty is expected to, at the very least, split the job with southpaw Jake Bauers. But a hot start by either one of them could put the other on the bench. Here's Vaughn robbing Max Muncy in the NLCS. Next up, Part 3 (11-15). Enjoy!! Let us know how we are doing. Did we miss anyone? Somebody rated too high or too low? Start the conversation in the comments section below! View full article

Hurricane Hazle!!!

What team? WiPH seems like so long ago.

At least he didn't say 'chopped liver.' 😎

My bad. I believe I wrote the Pirates preview before the 2025 campaign, so I should have remembered they had some decent SP depth. But sending out two pretty solid starters seems to be asking for trouble. Remember what happened to the Brewers last spring...

Yeah, Bader would be a nice add...