3 early extensions the Brewers should try to sign right now after recent frenzy

Spring baseball is special for several reasons. First, it marks the return of America’s pastime, bringing fresh excitement and hope to fans everywhere. Second, it’s also the season when contract extensions often take place, offering stability for players and a sense of long-term confidence for the fan base.

Within the month of April, we have seen veteran players like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Ketel Marte, and Garrett Crochet sign massive extensions. Additionally, younger players like Jackson Merrill and rookie Kristian Campbell have received big paydays. This adds to Cal Raleigh and Lawrence Butler inking extensions during Spring Training.

This recent wave of contract extensions may be tied to teams, players, and agents closely monitoring the market and sensing that now is the right time to strike a deal. With a potential lockout looming after the 2026 season, and major issues like payroll structure and a possible salary cap expected to be central to negotiations, there’s a growing urgency to secure long-term agreements before the landscape potentially shifts.

With that in mind, should the Brewers take note of the current extension trend and consider locking up some of their own talent? It’s certainly worth exploring. If Milwaukee is weighing its options, here are three players the team should strongly consider extending.

Three players the Milwaukee Brewers should try to extend right now

SP Freddy Peralta

Back in 2020, Freddy Peralta signed a five-year, $15.5 million deal with the Brewers. At the time, this gave Peralta financial security through his arbitration years that included two additional club options, valued at $8 million apiece. Peralta has one more club option remaining for the 2026 season, but now is the time Brewers' Senior Vice President and General Manager, Matt Arnold, should highly consider exploring ways to keep him in Milwaukee through his physical prime years, especially considering the lack of proven rotation options that the team has under contract beyond the 2025 season.

2B Brice Turang

Following a tremendous sophomore season consisting of 50 stolen bases and a Platinum Glove award, Brice Turang is the exactly the type of ballplayer that the Brewers want in their organization. One way Milwaukee could reward him is with a contract extension. Turang is approaching his first arbitration year, so why not bypass that by giving him a guaranteed deal in the 4-5 year range with some options attached at the end? As a second baseman, this wouldn't be a hefty extension, as he would likely accept a contract in the $8-10 million average annual value range.

SP Tobias Myers

The Brewers are no strangers to signing younger pitchers to contract extensions, evidenced by Peralta in 2020 and Aaron Ashby in 2022. Tobias Myers, a standout rookie from a season ago, could be next in line. A deal now would give Myers financial security going forward while also allowing Milwaukee to stay ahead of the rising cost of starting pitchers.

As the landscape of Major League Baseball continues to shift, with looming labor negotiations and rising player values, the importance of proactive roster management has never been greater. For the Brewers, extending key pieces now could not only provide cost certainty but also help keep them a sustainable contender for years to come. If Milwaukee wants to stay ahead of the curve, locking up some of this talent sooner rather than later might be the smartest move they make.