Milwaukee Brewers Top 5 Major League Trade Chips

Brewers president David Stearns has never been afraid to trade from his big league roster in the past in order to improve the team. If he chooses to do so again once the lockout ends, there are a few candidates that might make some sense to move.

Last year, Stearns dealt from his big league roster when he sent relievers Drew Rasmussen and J.P. Feyereisen to Tampa Bay for shortstop Willy Adames. He also sent Jackie Bradley Jr.back to Boston for Hunter Renfroe just minutes before MLB’s lockout began.

Stearns hasn’t been able to make any more moves with this roster since the lockout started, but once it comes to an end, the transaction freeze will lift and executives can make trades and free agent signings once more.

While it’s far from a guarantee Stearns will make another trade before Opening Day, you can certainly never count that out from him. If he does trade someone from his big league roster, there are a couple of trade chips that stand out. While Stearns isn’t necessarily looking to trade any of them, he would be willing to deal them for the right price if it pops up.

These five players are the biggest and most likely major league trade chips the Milwaukee Brewers have.

Brewers top trade chips #5: 1B Keston Hiura

Keston Hiura‘s trade value has never been lower than it is right now. He was a Top 10 pick in the 2017 draft, a hotshot prospect that rose quickly through the minor league system and hit extremely well at every stop. He made his MLB debut in 2019 and was successful.

Then he slumped a little in 2020, but still led the team in home runs. Then, he completely fell off in 2021 with a season-long slump. He looked nothing like the hitter that debuted in 2019, or raked at every level in the minors, or was worthy of a top 10 pick in the draft. He looked lost at the plate.

Because of his struggles, the first base position is a major question mark heading into 2022. Rowdy Tellez could handle the position, and Hiura could as well, if he gets back on track offensively. The Brewers may want to simply upgrade the position.

If the Brewers do acquire another outside addition, it would probably be best for Hiura to be traded to a different team. While Stearns isn’t looking to move Hiura, he is still a trade chip and he still has the talent that other teams have seen and they’re going to want to buy low on Hiura in the hopes they can be the ones to get him back on track.

Stearns will not simply give Hiura away for pennies on the dollar, not yet. With new hitting coaches Ozzie Timmons and Connor Dawson on staff, they’re going to want to see if they can get Hiura to right the ship. They’ve invested so much in Hiura. However, if another team gives Stearns an offer he can’t refuse that includes Hiura, a change may happen.

Brewers top trade chips #3: LHP Eric Lauer

The Milwaukee Brewers acquired Eric Lauer in November 2019 in a four player swap with the San Diego Padres. That trade also brought Luis Urias to Milwaukee while sending Trent Grisham and Zach Davies to San Diego. In 2020, Lauer struggled mightily. In 2021, Lauer improved greatly and established that’s he capable of being a starter.

Lauer was the sixth man in the rotation for a large chunk of the year. He finished the season with a 3.19 ERA in 24 appearances with 20 of them being starts. With Brett Anderson being a free agent, Lauer’s the leading candidate to slot into the 5th spot in the rotation. However, Aaron Ashby and Ethan Small are right behind him.

The Brewers do love Ashby and Small and will want to give them opportunities in the rotation. That makes a guy like Lauer a bit easier to trade, especially considering Lauer is now entering arbitration.

Lauer is projected to earn $2.7MM this year while those young guys will get league minimum. He has three years of team control left, which is still incredibly valuable to the Brewers and other teams. But if they want to clear room, moving Lauer does make some sense. Both Ashby and Small are left-handed, just like Lauer, so the Crew would still have at least one left-hander in the rotation should he get dealt.

Lauer’s left-handedness also adds to his value to other teams, and another team could be motivated to give maximum return for Lauer coming off a strong season and adding a solid southpaw to their rotation.

Milwaukee acquired Lauer because they felt he was an ascending player and they wanted to get him before his value rose even further, and now his value has continued to rise. If they decide to move Lauer, they would be getting a positive return on their investment.

Brewers top trade chips #2: RHP Adrian Houser

Between the two non-big three options currently in the Brewers rotation, Adrian Houser might be the most likely one to get traded. The top three options, Burnes, Woodruff, and Peralta, are all right handed. So is Houser. Meanwhile, the other three options down the line, Lauer, Ashby, and Small, are all left-handed.

By moving Houser, the Brewers can balance their rotation between lefties and righties while also improving other parts of their roster. There’s a very real possibility we see Houser get moved because of this roster logjam and where the team’s remaining needs lie.

They don’t have to, though. Stearns certainly isn’t desperate to move Houser like he was with Jackie Bradley Jr.prior to the lockout.

Houser has three years of control remaining, which is incredibly valuable, and he’s an established big league starter. He posted a 3.22 ERA in 142.1 IP last year and should be a solid No. 2 or No. 3 starter in most rotations. He’s the No. 4 guy in Milwaukee only because the top three are so dang good.

Houser’s sinker is one of the best ground ball-inducing pitches in baseball right now. Houser had a staggering 59% ground ball rate in 2021. With baseball’s trend towards hitting fly balls and shooting for home runs in recent years, ground ball pitchers are extremely valuable.

While that’s also extremely valuable for the Brewers given the home run tendencies of American Family Field, other teams will value his ground ball ability as well and they’re going to be willing to pay for it.

Ashby is ready and Small is going to be ready at some point this season. While they can stick them in the bullpen in the short term, the Brewers are going to need to clear room in the rotation for them at some point. Moving Houser or Lauer makes sense and they would bring back a good return.

Houser’s value is probably not going to be higher than it is right now. Selling high on Houser is a real possibility for David Stearns.

Brewers top trade chips #1: LHP Josh Hader

Once again, the Brewers top big league trade chip is Josh Hader. Rumors have circled around the Brewers trading Hader for the last couple of years. Is this finally the year they move him?

Josh Hader’s trade value is only going to continue to decrease as his contractual control continues to whittle down. He has two years left before free agency and the Brewers want a haul. They deserve a haul for Hader.

Devin Williams is the heir apparent at closer so they’ll be covered at Hader’s position if they move him. Reports have the Brewers looking for a mix of big league talent and prospects in return for Hader, which would help boost the roster in the short term and the long term.

Hader would bring back the most of any player the Brewers would theoretically be willing to part with and as such is the top trade chip on this list.

A trade of Hader isn’t necessarily likely, especially given how the market reportedly feels on Stearns’ asking price and how ridiculous it is. However, it only takes one team to meet that crazy high asking price to get a deal done.

For as long as Hader remains a Brewer, he’s likely to top the list of big league trade chips until he actually does get traded or until he reaches free agency, where the Brewers would lose him for nothing more than a draft pick in return. An extension to keep Hader in Milwaukee appears unlikely.

Considering the Brewers plan on contending each of the next two seasons, they aren’t going to be trading their closer mid-season, so it’s the offseason or not at all for a Hader trade. Perhaps with how long the lockout is lasting has impacted Stearns’ ability or willingness to move Hader this winter. When this lockout ends, spring training is going to start shortly thereafter, which doesn’t leave much time to let the market play out.

Whether he moves or not, Josh Hader is the biggest big league trade chip the Brewers have. He’d bring back a haul if Stearns can get it, but that’s a big if.