Brewers: 3 Qualifying Offer Free Agents Milwaukee Should Pursue

Brewers Qualifying Offer Free Agent Target #2: Chris Taylor

What do the Milwaukee Brewers love most when it comes to position players? That’s right, versatility.

Who is the most versatile free agent position player among this group? That would be one Chris Taylor.

Just this past year, Taylor played all three outfield positions as well as second base, shortstop, and third base. On top of that, he hit .254 with 20 homers, 13 stolen bases, and a 110 OPS+ this year while earning an All Star nod. Craig Counsell would LOVE to have a player like Taylor at his disposal.

Given the current construction of the Brewers roster, the most likely spot Taylor would fit would be right field, the position vacated by Avisail Garcia. All his other positions have players entrenched at them already, but Taylor could certainly fill in if any of them got hurt or needed a day off.

The 31 year old Taylor has been a valuable member of the Dodgers the past several seasons. He brings a combination of power, on-base ability, and defensive versatility. Plus, he’s had some clutch moments for LA over the years, including this postseason.

Since Taylor is on the wrong side of 30 and doesn’t really have a singular, everyday position, that could hinder his contract expectations this winter. He may not be able to beat the $18.4MM salary on an Average Annual Value basis, but in a multi-year deal, he’ll certainly earn plenty and get some long-term security.

With Milwaukee, Taylor could move around, but have a mostly regular home in right field, at least for right now. That could change in future years.

We’ll see if Taylor accepts or rejects the QO from Los Angeles, the organization that turned him into an All Star, but if he’s on the market, he’s the type of guy the Brewers are likely to pursue.

Brewers Qualifying Offer Free Agent Target #3: Michael Conforto

The New York Mets 28 year old rightfielder had a down season in 2021, hitting just .232 with 14 homers, a .729 OPS, and a 101 OPS+, far below his usual numbers. Over his seven year career, Conforto has averaged a .255 BA, 28 homers, a .824 OPS, and a 124 OPS+ per season.

After a season like that, Conforto should be a candidate for a one year, prove it deal this offseason, similar to what the Brewers did with Yasmani Grandal, who signed a one year contract after rejecting a QO.

Conforto would probably cost about the same as Grandal did, and then he could re-enter free agency next winter as a 29 year old, still on the right side of 30 and in prime position to land a big contract if he returns to his previous productive levels.

Conforto does have Scott Boras as his agent, so he certainly will not come at a discount. Brewers owner Mark Attanasio has worked with Boras plenty of times before and the Brewers have come to deals with plenty of Boras clients.

For Milwaukee, this might work out well. With the Brewers having several outfield prospects in the pipeline that should be ready in another year, a stopgap option of Conforto would be a great upgrade, especially if he returns to form.

However, this likely only works as a target on a one-year deal. The Brewers aren’t likely to go for the long-term contract with Conforto, especially coming off the year he had this year.

If David Stearns is going to sign a player who was given a Qualifying Offer this winter, it’s likely to be one of these three players. All three would make sense on the Brewers roster for various reasons. The only matter is money and how much the Brewers can afford to pay them.