5 players you forgot played for the Brewers in 2025

It takes far more than 26 players to accomplish what the Milwaukee Brewers have this season. The active roster at any given time is simply a snapshot of who's healthy, who's in form, and what the team needs at the moment, but it doesn't represent the full picture of what it takes to make it through a grueling 162-game schedule.

The Brewers have been shuffling players in and out of the lineup and off and on their roster all season, relying on the impressive depth that Matt Arnold and the front office compiled this offseason. That depth continued to be reinforced as the season went on, as the Brewers swung several in-season trades to fill needs as they popped up.

With many different players contributing to the cause at various points of the season, it makes for a fun exercise to look back on all of the names that led the Brewers to where they are today. Given the fact that the Brewers’ opening series against the New York Yankees feels like 25 years ago, you are forgiven if a few of the names on the following list weren't at the front of your mind. However, it's important to acknowledge all of the players that bought into the Brewers' approach this year and contributed to the memorable season that has resulted.

1. RHP Elvin Rodríguez

It may feel strange to have the home Opening Day starter on this list, but Elvín Rodríguez likely isn't a name that many Brewers fans have thought of recently. An intriguing offseason pickup with a unique fastball shape, Rodríguez was expected to be a part of the Brewers' bullpen this season, but a swath of early-season starting pitching injuries thrust him into a starter's role, and one that led him to toeing the rubber in the Crew's first game at American Family Field this season.

His first start didn't go great; he allowed four earned runs in four innings pitched, and Rodríguez struggled to find his footing from there. Despite showing flashes of promise as a long reliever in mid-May, the 27-year-old right-hander just couldn't keep his spot on the Brewers' roster, spending most of his time down in Triple-A with the Nashville Sounds. Then, in early July, the Brewers designated Rodríguez for assignment to make room for another name on this list, Steward Berroa. Rodríguez initially landed in the Baltimore Orioles organization, but has since joined the Arizona Diamondbacks' minor league system.

2. INF Oliver Dunn

Had the Brewers faced a right-hander on Opening Day, it more than likely would have been Oliver Dunn manning the hot corner for them to start the season. Dunn and Vinny Capra formed a platoon at third base to start the season before Caleb Durbin was called up and snatched up the everyday role.

Dunn struggled to find consistency at the plate at the beginning of the season, and was sent down to Triple-A to regain his form. However, the struggles have continued in Nashville, and Dunn remains in Triple-A to this day. All in all, Dunn had just 36 at-bats for the Crew this season and posted an OPS of .427 to go along with just six RBI and one stolen base. There's still promise in Dunn's profile, but back-to-back seasons of disappointing results and the emergence of Durbin have clouded his future in Milwaukee.

Even still, the Brewers have Dunn to thank for a memorable torpedo bat squeeze bunt back in early April that propelled the team to a 5-1 win over the Detroit Tigers.

3. LHP Connor Thomas

It was a tough season for Connor Thomas, the Brewers' Rule 5 Draft selection who battled through injuries during the first two months of the season. What started as left elbow tendinitis eventually turned into a UCL tear after Thomas rehabbed and tried to return to the mound. The 27-year-old southpaw underwent surgery in early July and will remain in the Brewers' organization throughout his rehab process.

Prior to the injury, Thomas suffered a rough pair of outings on the mound, pitching to a 20.25 ERA and a 2.63 WHIP with five strikeouts in just 5.1 innings pitched. However, in both of those outings, Thomas provided multiple innings of relief out of the Brewers' bullpen in blowout losses, giving a day off to some of the team's other relievers.

4. OF Drew Avans

Back on June 8, the Brewers claimed outfielder Drew Avans off waivers from the Athletics, and it wasn't difficult to see why the Crew liked him; Avans fit the Brewers' model of finding undervalued players who offer value in areas other than at the plate. In other words, he's fast and is an excellent defender.

Avans got his shot with the Crew just a few days later, when the team placed then-fourth outfielder Daz Cameron on the paternity list. He appeared in just one game for the Crew, but collected an RBI in one of his three plate appearances. Avans has been playing for the Nashville Sounds down in Triple-A ever since, and his .777 OPS in Triple-A this season suggests that there's more than just wheels and a strong glove in his profile.

5. OF Steward Berroa

Back on July 9, the Brewers and Dodgers swung a trade in the middle of a game against each other. That trade sent outfield depth piece Steward Berroa to Milwaukee, and the Brewers immediately added him to their 40-man roster. Berroa is an interesting profile, possessing unique speed and defensive acumen, but it was difficult to see how he would get any playing time in Milwaukee without the most unlikely of circumstances occurring.

Well, in mid-August, those circumstances occurred. One day apart, the Brewers placed center fielder Blake Perkins on the bereavement list and left fielder Isaac Collins on the paternity list. Those moves opened up a very temporary spot on the active roster for Berroa. Berroa collected just five at-bats during his weekend with the Crew, and failed to collect a hit. However, his defense and speed were on full display as he both threw a runner out at the plate and stole a base in his two games in a Brewers uniform this season.

Berroa remains in the Brewers' organization, playing center field for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds most days, and could be an interesting name to look out for in the coming years if he can become closer to a league-average hitter at the plate.