Brewers Reportedly Attended Yoenis Cespedes’ Free Agent Showcase

Leave no stone unturned. That’s been the modus operandi for Brewers president of baseball operation David Stearns since getting the top job in Milwaukee back in 2015.

He’s continued that philosophy to this day as Stearns does his due diligence on just about everyone, including free agent and former All-Star Yoenis Cespedes.

Cespedes hosted a showcase in Florida for interested teams and according to Ken Davidoff of the New York Post, the Milwaukee Brewers did have a scout in attendance.

Per the report, the 35 year old Cespedes looked healthy and still could hit the big fly as well as play the outfield pretty well. He was in left field for the showcase but still has a strong enough arm for right field if necessary. According to scouts, he’s still an athletic freak with a lot of potential to dream on if he can stay healthy. Ankle and heel injuries have derailed his career in recent years.

Could the Milwaukee Brewers sign Yoenis Cespedes to a contract, or is this just background work?

This is another instance where having the DH in the NL would be really nice right now. If they had that, Cespedes would be able to find some more regular at-bats in a Milwaukee uniform. However, since that’s not available, Cespedes would have to play the field.

Still, this could be more than just due diligence on the part of the Brewers front office. Cespedes is a few years removed from his peak years in the big leagues, but he could serve as a solid fourth outfielder on this Brewers roster and be a big bat off the bench.

It’s no secret that the Brewers aren’t thrilled with their current fourth outfielder options. They’ve had Tyrone Taylor and Corey Ray this whole time, yet in the last six months they’ve added Billy McKinney, Tim Lopes, and most recently Derek Fisher.

McKinney and Fisher are out of minor league options and haven’t shown any success at the big league level thus far in their careers. Cespedes, meanwhile, has been successful at the big league level, even though it’s been a while since he’s dominated.

It’s a lottery ticket, but getting Cespedes on a minors deal with an invite to big league camp could be worth it to see if he can find some part of the player that was so successful for a number of years in the big leagues. He’s a big talent with an even bigger personality, and it’s also important to know if his personality can mesh with the clubhouse culture the Brewers have.

If Cespedes can be a personality fit in the clubhouse and is willing to accept a bench role, he’d be a great bat to add to this Brewers team. Not too long ago, the idea of Cespedes joining the Brewers on such a deal would sound crazy, but it’s a realistic possibility today, and that’s why Stearns leaves no stone unturned.

If given the choice between Fisher, McKinney, Lopes, Taylor, and Cespedes as the backup outfielder in Milwaukee, Cespedes is clearly the most talented player of that group.