3 players the Brewers could trade for prospects at the deadline

We are just 10 days away from the 2025 MLB Trade Deadline, and there's not a clear answer as to who the Milwaukee Brewers will add to their roster, should they choose to add anyone at all. Rumors have floated around about the Brewers exploring the third base market, but with both Caleb Durbin and Joey Ortiz playing well as of late, the need for an offensive upgrade on the left side of the infield is less apparent.

Regardless of whether or not the Brewers do elect to add a bat to their lineup in the next week and a half, they could be active on the trade market as sellers. I'm not talking about Josh Hader 2.0 — Brewers GM Matt Arnold practically confirmed that Freddy Peralta isn't going anywhere, which would be an equivalent move to the Hader trade in 2022.

However, the Brewers have depth that they could look to cash in on at the deadline. A point of emphasis since the David Stearns era began, which seamlessly transitioned into the Matt Arnold era, has been sustained success. That means trading redundant or easily replaceable players for prospects that can help the team remain competitive in the long run.

This season, the Brewers are better positioned than ever to cash in on their depth pieces and maintain their current roster, which has led them to the best record in the National League. Should they look to move a few players for prospects, here are three solid options.

1. Nestor Cortes

The Milwaukee Brewers’ starting pitching depth has been one of the storylines of the deadline. It began with big-market teams thinking they could fleece the Crew for their ace, Freddy Peralta, but it has become a situation where the Brewers' front office is well-positioned to get a huge return for one of their extra rotation pieces, given that they certainly don't need to trade any of them.

With Peralta, Jacob Misiorowski, Brandon Woodruff, José Quintana, and Quinn Priester all pitching very well as of late, and Logan Henderson, Tobias Myers, and Chad Patrick waiting in Triple-A for another chance at the big leagues, the Brewers certainly don't need the services of their major offseason acquisition, Nestor Cortes, when he returns from the IL in the next few days.

Even if the Brewers elect to trade Cortes, who is on an expiring contract, has a track record of success, and postseason experience — the perfect trade deadline candidate — and one of their starters goes down with an injury, the Brewers have the necessary arms to fill in at the major league level.

If they do look to move Cortes, keep an eye on three American League contenders: the Houston Astros, the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Detroit Tigers. The Brewers would probably prefer to trade Cortes out of the National League, and each of the three teams mentioned could use another middle-of-the-rotation starter.

2. Jake Bauers

Andrew Vaughn has only played eight games in a Brewers uniform, but in that time, he's displayed that he is still the player he was during his excellent 2022 and 2023 campaigns with the Chicago White Sox. He's taken the Brewers fan base by storm, and if he continues to hit through next week's trade deadline, the other options that the Brewers have at first base could become expendable.

With the addition of Vaughn to the roster, the Brewers’ former backup first-baseman, Jake Bauers, could be looked at as a trade candidate. Unfortunately, Bauers landed on the IL with a shoulder injury on Sunday afternoon, making it difficult for him to prove his value to the Brewers before the deadline. With the possibility of the Brewers adding a bat before next Thursday, it could be Bauers' roster spot that's in jeopardy.

Then the question becomes: what is Bauers' trade value? Despite the down season, Bauers clearly still has some pop in his bat. Pair that with an excellent glove at first base, an ability to man a corner outfield position, and a base running tool that is better than most first basemen, and there is still some value in Bauers' profile despite his 2025 batting average falling below the Mendoza Line.

It wouldn't be a huge return if Matt Arnold and company are able to get any return at all. But no one thought that the Brewers' front office would turn Aaron Civale into something of value, and just look at what Andrew Vaughn has done in his first two weeks with the team. Never discredit the Brewers' front office's ability to find value where seemingly none should exist.

3. Blake Perkins

This one would likely have the biggest impact on the Brewers' clubhouse and is also probably the least likely to occur. Perkins has become somewhat of a fan favorite in Milwaukee due to his incredible defensive ability in center field. However, with the emergence of Isaac Collins, who is also a plus defender in the outfield and brings with him an above-league-average bat, Perkins' spot on the roster when Sal Frelick returns is less clear.

If Garrett Mitchell was set to return prior to the end of the season, a trade from their current group of outfielders would have been more likely for the Brewers, but with Mitchell out for the rest of the season, the Crew is now just one injury away from having to dip into their Triple-A reserves to find their fourth outfielder. That said, Christian Yelich has been playing in the field more as of late, so even if the front office did choose to trade Perkins, the Brewers would still have outfield depth on their roster in Yelich, Collins, Frelick, and Jackson Chourio.

A roster crunch is certainly on the horizon for the Brewers when Frelick returns from the IL, which should come close to the trade deadline. It's unlikely, but to avoid that crunch, the Brewers could elect to trade an outfielder rather than send him down to Triple-A.