Milwaukee Brewers: 3 Positions to upgrade at Winter Meetings

The Milwaukee Brewers have a very deep roster, but there are still positions that they need to solve before Spring Training starts. All three of these situations are likely to get addressed at the upcoming Winter Meetings.

The Winter Meetings are essentially a massive job fair for baseball teams. Starting on December 10th and running through December 14th, almost everyone in baseball is after a job or a promotion.

Interns looking to get hired full-time are passing out resumes. College students looking to become interns are also passing out resumes. Oh, and Major League teams also meet to discuss roster moves.

The Milwaukee Brewers have very few obvious holes. They’d like to find an ace to lead their rotation, but that’s a goal that will likely take most of the off season to solve.

We’ve identified three positions that the Brewers can upgrade in the next week with a few phone calls.

2. Second Base

The Milwaukee Brewers depth chart at second base looks odd right now. Utility man Hernan Perez is the de factor starter with Tyler Saladino and Mauricio Dubon listed behind him. Top prospect Keston Hiura is also waiting in the wings to assume the every day job at second base when he’s ready.

The Brewers would like to find a short-term upgrade to second base to allow Hiura or Dubon to take over the job over the long haul. A short term deal for a veteran is the preferred option right now, and there are a few choices available.

Ian Kinsler is 37 years old, and looking for a shot at another ring. The Milwaukee Brewers make sense as a destination for the veteran second baseman, and, based off his 2018 season, Kinsler still has some gas left in the tank. He posted a 2.3 WAR last year with a .240/.301/.380 slash line. He also posted double-digit steals and homers.

Josh Harrison is also on the market, but he would likely require a multi-year commitment. The good news with Harrison is that he’s capable of handling other positions, so a multi-year deal for him could fit. He could play second base while the Brewers wait for Hiura or Dubon, and then transition to a utility role when the team is ready to call up one of their second base prospects.

Jed Lowrie, Yangervis Solarte, and Asdrubal Cabrera could also make sense for the Milwaukee Brewers at second base. There are a ton of options right now, but the Brewers can find a solution at the Winter Meetings.

1. Catcher

The Milwaukee Brewers need to find an every day catcher.

Manny Pina and Erik Kratz are better suited to reserve roles. It’s unclear if Jacob Nottingham is the long term answer behind the dish. There are a few options in free agency and on the trade market that the Brewers should explore.

Miami Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto is the obvious prize that any team would love to secure, but he’s going to require a massive return. The Milwaukee Brewers have shown that they’re willing to flip prospects if they can upgrade their 25-man roster. The Brewers should have enough in their system to pry Realmuto from the Marlins, but it’s unclear if they really want to go all in. The team has been linked in just about every rumor or news update, so it’s clear that there is a connection. However, this deal may take a little longer than next week to come to fruition.

If the Brewers don’t jump into a move for a catcher next week, that could mean that they’re chasing a larger deal for Realmuto.

Yasmani Grandal, Wilson Ramos, Devin Mesoraco, and Matt Wieters are all current free agents, and could find a home in Milwaukee.

Grandal is the top option on the free agent market at catcher, and he’s sure to come with a large contract. If the Brewers make a move for Grandal, they’ll be limited in what they can do to find an ace. Any other large free agent contracts are likely out, and a trade for a big contract probably won’t happen.

Ramos is a bit more cost effective, and Mesoraco and Wieters are likely looking for one-year deals to boost their value.

There’s also the possibility of a reunion with Jonathan Lucroy or Martin Maldonado. Lucroy offers an offensive upgrade at catcher, while Maldonado is one of the best defenders in the game.

In addition to the names listed here, Milwaukee Brewers GM David Stearns is also known for flying under the radar. Last year, the Christian Yelich deal didn’t come out until just before it was announced. There was an early link to Lorenzo Cain during the last off season, but the deal didn’t leak ahead of time. It’s Stearns’ job to look for deals that aren’t nearly as obvious as the moves discussed on blogs and in the press, and he does it well. It’s entirely possible that he’s ‘in’ on names at all three positions that have been overlooked.