Brewers' addition of veteran catcher could alter Jeferson Quero's MLB debut timeline

The Milwaukee Brewers have reportedly made a depth move at the catcher position as they supposedly have added veteran catcher Jorge Alfaro on a minor league deal with an invite to big league camp. This transaction has not yet been confirmed by the team, but it is believed to be legit as credible sources have reported the news.

At 31 years old, Jorge Alfaro has eight seasons of MLB experience. His last big league stint came in 2023 as he had short tenures with both the Boston Red Sox and Colorado Rockies. 2019 was arguably his best season as he hit 18 home runs and collected 57 RBI's in a Miami Marlins uniform.

Last year, Alfaro joined the Chicago Cubs on a spring training non-roster invitee deal, but he was released and ended up not playing affiliated baseball. This winter, he participated in the Dominican Winter League in which through 11 games he has collected 10 hits that includes two doubles, one home run, and eight RBI's.

Could the Brewers addition of Jorge Alfaro impact Jeferson Quero's MLB debut timeline?

Jeferson Quero, the Brewers top prospect in the organization, was added to the 40-man roster last off-season but he unfortunately sustained an injury to his right shoulder on Opening Day of the minor leagues. His shoulder ended up needing surgery to repair a torn labrum and he missed the entire season as a result.

Prior to the injury, Quero was a highly regarded defensive catcher, with his ability to cut down base runners being a key strength. It remains to be seen if he can return to the high level of performance he once displayed behind the plate. Much like pitchers rely on their shoulders, catchers depend on this vital body part as well to excel in their role, in which full recovery after surgery can sometimes span multiple seasons.

Given the fact that Quero has not played in a competitive baseball setting since the Fall of 2023, it's likely that he will need time to get back on track, both offensively and defensively. This alone could push back his MLB debut timeline to later in 2025, and the Brewers signing of Jorge Alfaro supports this.

Should anything happen to William Contreras or Eric Haase, one would expect Alfaro, or another non-roster invitee catcher such as David Garcia or Ramon Rodriguez, to be the preferred back up catcher options over Jeferson Quero early on in the season. Quero eventually will get a shot, but won't come until he's fully ready.

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