Baseball is only a few weeks away. Following the Rhys Hoskins signing, could the Brewers add an under-the-radar talent at the last minute before spring training?
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Well, January is almost over. Baseball is finally here! However, there are still plenty of huge names available in free agency. The Brewers undoubtedly made their greatest moves in January. The recent signing of Rhys Hoskins is confirmation of this. However, we cannot sleep in February.
While we were still discussing Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain signings in 2018, the Brewers signed Wade Miley to a minor-league contract a month later. We thought Hernán Pérez would be the starting third baseman in 2019, but the Brewers brought back Mike Moustakas on a one-year contract. We also thought Keston Hiura would play.
With a handful of solid players still awaiting signing, the Brewers can add one more player to a club that might benefit from an upgrade at different positions on the field. We’re not going to look at the big fish, such as Matt Chapman or Blake Snell. Here are five under-the-radar guys the Crew can target in the final second.
5. Tim Anderson, INF.
If any candidate requires a resilient season, look no further than former White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson. Prior to his disappointing 2023 season, the two-time All-Star had a batting average over.300 and an OPS+ of 100 for four consecutive seasons. In 2019, he led all of baseball with a.335 batting average, 18 home runs,
In 2023, however, he had a.245/.286/.296 hitting line, a -2.0 WAR, and a strikeout rate of 23.3%. While his numbers were not as impressive as his 2020 Silver Slugger-winning season, he would still have had the highest batting average among Brewers batters in 2023.
Last season, he was involved in an altercation with Cleveland Guardians’ José Ramírez, which was the result of months of frustration for both him and the squad. It didn’t help that the White Sox planned to rebuild after 2023. Anderson was due to make $14 million this season if Chicago had exercised their club option on him in November, but they instead released him into free agency.
This would provide competition and/or a platoon companion for Brice Turang. With the additions of Vinny Capra, Oliver Dunn, and Christian Arroyo, it does not appear that the team is sold on their rookie second baseman just yet. If the Brewers sign Anderson, Turang will face even more pressure.
Anderson signing with the Brewers might provide the team with a contact hitter. Even if Anderson does not fully recover, hitting above.270 would still be considered a success. Given how horrible things have become in Chicago, the most pressing concern may be how to fit into the clubhouse.
4. Brad Keller, RHP.
If the season began tomorrow, the starting rotation would most likely include Corbin Burnes, Freddy Peralta, Wade Miley, Colin Rea, and Aaron Ashby. However, we don’t know how much of an impact Joe Ross, Janson Junk, or Robert Gasser could have. However, the final two positions in the rotation could be up for grabs.
While it would be good to have Jordan Montgomery in the rotation, he is simply too expensive for the team. The same could be said for Micheal Lorenzen, who would be useful in any capacity a team might assign him. But what about Bradley Keller?
The long-time Royals starter was once considered the future of the Kansas City rotation, with a 9-6 record and
3. Eduardo Escobar (3B)
There were plenty reunion options for the Brewers at third base. Among them were Mike Moustakas and Jean Segura, both of whom would be intriguing under-the-radar prospects. In the end, we chose the one who had only been on the squad for two months.
Eduardo Escobar last appeared in a Brewers uniform in 2021, where he hit.268/.342/.458 in 48 games. He signed a two-year contract with the Mets and is now a free agent that no one is talking about.
Last season, Escobar had a dismal season, with a.613 OPS, six home runs, and 31 RBI. His strikeout percentage (25.2) and ground-ball percentage (43.2) were the greatest they’d been since rookie days.
2.Brett Martin, LHP
What do Dan Jennings, Alex Claudio, and Neal Cotts have in common? They all pitched for the Brewers. However, they were both left-handed pitchers signed late in the offseason. Each of these players had a significant impact on the team’s bullpen during that season.
1.Gio Urshela, third baseman
With infield free agents leaving the market in recent weeks, Gio Urshela is likely the best third baseman not named Matt Chapman on the market.
Urshela, like the previous inclusion on this list, is coming off an injury that forced him to miss the entire 2023 season. Prior to his hip problems, he was able to hit.299/.329/.374 over 62 games. This isn’t a fluke season, either, as he’s been hovering around the.300 batting average mark every year since 2019.
