3 recently traded Brewers prospects who are off to slow starts with their new teams

Part of the Milwaukee Brewers’ sustained success over the years has come from their ability to retain the core prospects and young players they view as foundational pieces for the future, even while consistently adding impact talent at the trade deadline.

Throughout the eras led by David Stearns and Matt Arnold, the organization has largely avoided making reckless “all-in” moves, and as a result, the Brewers have done a strong job limiting the number of prospects they trade away who later develop into major stars elsewhere. Strong examples of this cautious approach can be seen by looking at three prospects the Brewers traded within the last year, all of whom are currently off to slow starts with their new organizations.

Early returns suggest the Brewers came out ahead in each of these three trades

1. RHP KC Hunt (Traded to Rays for RHP Jake Woodford - 3/24/2026)

The Brewers quietly traded right-hander KC Hunt to the Tampa Bay Rays, a frequent trade partner of theirs, back in March of this year in exchange for pitcher Jake Woodford, who remains on Milwaukee's active roster as a long relief option in their bullpen. Prior to the trade, Hunt had gathered some attention following a 2.03 ERA season in 2024 with 102 innings pitched after which he was named the Brewers' co-Minor League Pitcher of the Year with reliever Craig Yoho. However, Hunt's ERA jumped up to 4.45 ERA during his 2025 campaign in Double-A

Despite his ERA more than doubling last year, Hunt remained an intriguing prospect in the Brewers farm system. However, with a crowded group of starting pitchers in Double-A and Triple-A, the Brewers could afford to part ways with Hunt, and it appears they did so at the right time. Through 23.2 innings for the Rays' Triple-A team, the Durham Bulls, Hunt has allowed 18 earned runs, equating to a 6.85 ERA. He's given up five homers and opposing hitters are batting .277 against him. The Rays are betting that Hunt can tap back into the success he showed in 2024, but it's been a struggle thus far for the 25-year-old right-hander.

2. INF Jadher Areinamo (Traded to Rays for C Danny Jansen - 7/28/2025)

Of the prospects the Brewers traded away recently, infielder Jadher Areinamo was widely regarded as the most talented. Before the trade, he consistently ranked among the organization’s top 30 prospects across numerous scouting outlets. Throughout his minor league career, Areinamo regularly hit for a high batting average, including two seasons batting above .300, while also showcasing speed on the basepaths, highlighted by a 32-stolen-base campaign. Prior to being dealt, he was also beginning to tap into more power, further raising his long-term upside.

However, Milwaukee ultimately dealt him to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for catcher Danny Jansen, who is no longer with the Brewers. As expected, Tampa Bay added Areinamo to its 40-man roster, seeing as he was Rule 5 Draft eligible this past winter, but through his first 25 games at Double-A this season, he has struggled to a .180/.239/.430 slash line with just one stolen base. That said, he did get off to a delayed start after suffering a hamstring injury during spring training, so there is still reason to believe he could turn things around as the season progresses.

3. SS Jorge Quintana (Traded to Padres for OF Brandon Lockridge - 7/31/2025)

Last July, teenage prospect Jorge Quintana was included in the Brewers’ trade package to the San Diego Padres. The deal also sent Nestor Cortes out of the organization and brought outfielder Brandon Lockridge to Milwaukee. In the short term, the Brewers have clearly come out ahead in the trade, as Lockridge has provided meaningful contributions while Cortes struggled to stay healthy in San Diego before undergoing offseason surgery. The veteran southpaw remains a free agent to this day. Meanwhile, Quintana is also off to a slow start in his new organization.

In Low-A this season, Quintana owns a .222/.305/.286 slash line across 34 games played. Those numbers are fairly in line with what he produced while in Milwaukee’s system, although his power production has dipped slightly so far this year. At the moment, it is easy to imagine the Brewers feeling comfortable with the trade, as Quintana has yet to show signs of developing into the type of high-end prospect that Milwaukee intially expected him to be. However, at just 19-years-old and already the No. 5-ranked prospect in the Padres organization, there's still plenty of time for Quintana to develop into an impact player.

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