Milwaukee Brewers: Which players should get contract extensions?

Keston Hiura

Keston Hiura hasn’t played an inning above Double-A, but it still makes sense to offer him a contract extension once he gets called up to the Majors.

While Hiura had the most polished bat in the 2017 amateur draft, there were serious concerns about his glove and his throwing arm. He’s addressed most of those concerns, and certainly looks like he’s the future at second base for the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Chicago White Sox just signed top prospect Eloy Jimenez to a six-year deal worth $43 million that buys out all of his years under team control and arbitration. He also has a pair of club options that extend his deal through the 2026 season.

The Milwaukee Brewers could make Hiura a similar offer that would buy out his years of team control and arbitration, and allow him to earn a salary more befitting a player of his ability in his first few Major League seasons.

While the deal comes with risk that Hiura won’t pan out, it’s a calculated move that would prevent the team from massive payouts in arbitration that Hiura could get.

An extension for Hiura would have to be six years with an average annual value of at least $5 or $6 million.