4 under-the-radar contract extension candidates Brewers should consider paying this offseason

On the heels of winning their first World Series title, the Milwaukee Brewers presumably have money to spend. Though the uncertainty of the 2027 campaign may discourage spending to some extent, the added revenue from the Brewers' World Series run has fans wondering how the organization will spend it.

With one of the weakest free agent classes in recent memory on the market this offseason, the Brewers, who don't typically make extensive use of the free agent market anyways, are unlikely to be filling the few holes on their 2027 roster with expensive veteran stopgaps. Rather, the Brewers are more likely to spend money on their own players -- the ones who delivered the franchise its first World Series title and remain in their prime of their careers.

Players like Brice Turang and William Contreras have already been cited as dream contract extension candidates for Brewers fans this winter. However, both Turang, who has three years remaining before free agency, and Contreras, who is a free agent after the 2027 season, will command rather expensive salaries that likely aren't in the Brewers' budget regardless of the organization's postseason earnings.

Therefore, the Brewers may explore a few under-the-radar contract extensions with their added funds, ones that may not be as flashy as a Turang or Contreras deal, but could have just as significant of an impact.

4 less obvious extension candidates Brewers should consider giving multi-year contracts to this offseason

1. RHP Logan Henderson

During his head-turning 2026 season, 24-year-old right-hander Logan Henderson proved he has what it takes to be an effective major league starter. The rookie right-hander tossed nearly 100 innings (98.1) across 18 starts and posted a stellar 2.47 ERA en route to establishing himself as the No. 2 option behind ace Jacob Misiorowski. Henderson started Game 2 of each of the Brewers' three postseason series and figures to be a key part of Milwaukee's rotation for the foreseeable future.

With a full season in the books, Henderson is at the same point in his career that both Freddy Peralta and Aaron Ashby were when they signed their respective five-year contract extensions. The Brewers signed Peralta to a five-year, $15.5 million contract in February of 2020 and locked Ashby into a five-year, $20.5 million two years later. Both contracts included a pair of club options on the back end, which is where the Brewers have benefitted and will benefit the most. When Peralta should have been making $20-25 million on the free agent market, the Brewers were paying him $8 million.

A comparable contract for Henderson makes sense. Say, five years, $25 million with two club options for $12 million on the back end of it. The Brewers would be buying out Henderson's arbitration years, giving the young right-hander financial security regardless of how he performs or his health, in exchange for two club options that give them a good deal if Henderson continues to perform how they expect him to.

2. LHP Kyle Harrison

25-year-old southpaw Kyle Harrison certainly didn't end the 2026 season the way he hoped to. Despite being a member of all three 26-man postseason rosters the Brewers constructed, Harrison didn't pitch during his team's World Series run. Harrison's lack of use in October was the result of a shaky return from the IL in August and September. After dealing with a bout of forearm tightness in July, Harrison wasn't the same pitcher when he returned and couldn't find the solution to his inconsistency.

However, Harrison's dominant first half of the 2026 campaign can't be ignored. Harrison, who Milwaukee acquired from the Boston Red Sox back in February, was among the most dominant left-handers in the game during the first two months of the season. He backed it up with strong underlying metrics, a clearly improved fastball, and excellent command.

Since his effectiveness slipped at the end of the season, and there's uncertainty about which how he will perform moving forward, the Brewers could theoretically "buy low" by extending Harrison now. If they trust the first-half breakout they saw from Harrison, a similar five-year, $30 million deal with a pair of club options could end up working out very well for the Brewers. Harrison otherwise has four years of team control remaining, but the Brewers could have him in Milwaukee through his age-32 season with a comparable deal to the ones they gave Peralta and Ashby.

3. CF Garrett Mitchell

Brewers fans finally got to see what a full season of Garrett Mitchell can look like, and it's safe to say it was encouraging. The Brewers' 2020 first-round pick, who dealt with a frustrating string of injuries through his first four seasons in MLB, posted 3.5 bWAR (Wins Above Replacement), racked up 30 doubles and 11 homers, maintained a 112 OPS+, and came up clutch in the postseason.

Mitchell is entering into his second season of arbitration eligibility, in which he's projected by MLB Trade Rumors to make $2.7 million. If he puts together another strong season in 2027, that salary will jump to $7-8 million for Mitchell's current final season of team control in 2028. So let's say Mitchell makes $10 million over the next two seasons and then hits the free agent market where he brings in a salary in the $15-18 million range. Mitchell's injury history may instead have him intrigued by the guaranteed money of a multi-year contract that isn't impacted by health like the arbitration system can be.

Something along the lines of a three-year, $21 million extension with two club options for $15 million on the end is the range the Brewers should be considering for a Mitchell extension. Such a deal would potentially keep Mitchell in Milwaukee through his age-32 season. Certainly, Mitchell's injury history should have the Brewers cautious about agreeing to a long-term deal with the talented center fielder, but if that factor is baked into the contract, Milwaukee's front office may consider locking up Mitchell on a modest deal.

4. LHP Robert Gasser

Postseason hero Robert Gasser hit his stride at the perfect moment during the 2026 campaign. The 27-year-old southpaw rode a late-season hot streak into October, which culminated in a record-breaking World Series outing in which Gasser faced the minimum across six innings in Game 3. Perhaps that strong final stretch, during which Gasser proved the potential Milwaukee's front office saw when they acquired him in the Josh Hader trade, is not gone, will encourage the Brewers to give Gasser a guaranteed contract.

Gasser is under team control for four more seasons but may command a comparable deal to his rotation colleagues (Henderson and Harrison above) due to his age and injury history. Gasser is several years older than Henderson and Harrison, and with a Tommy John surgery on his resume, could be more receptive to the idea of a salary certainty. Something along the lines of five years, $22 million, with a pair of club options at the end is probably as far as the Brewers would be willing to go with Gasser, but that would theoretically keep him in Milwaukee through his age-34 season.

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