5. Pat Listach
Years as a Brewer: 1992-1996
I am contradicting myself a bit with this selection. Listach’s star did not burn for very long. But it was extremely bright when it did, just getting on the list with his transcendent 1992 season. He won the first Rookie of the Year award for the Milwaukee Brewers in a spirited competition over Cleveland Indians center fielder Kenny Lofton. Ryan Braun later would win the same award in 2007 in the National League.
Listach did not do his damage for an also-ran, either. He was the catalyst for a 92-win Brewers squad that finished in 2nd place in a loaded AL East. This was before the Wild Card, so the Toronto Blue Jays won the division and ultimately went on to win the World Series. This also marked the final year that Robin Yount and Paul Molitor would play together, just missing a chance at another postseason run.
The current Triple-A Manager in Tacoma for the Mariners organization came out of nowhere for the Brewers in ’92. He hit .290, stole 54 bases, and scored 93 runs. He never came close to replicating those numbers, mainly due to injuries. His troublesome knee sapped his speed and effectiveness, but Brewers fans will always remember his special season in 1992.