Brewers forgotten minor league signing could put pressure on Joey Ortiz this spring

Losing Willy Adames in free agency was always going to have painful consequences, but ranking fifth-worst in all of baseball in shortstop production (76 wRC+) was not exactly what the Milwaukee Brewers had in mind.

The biggest factor in that offensive downturn was Joey Ortiz, who hit a paltry .230/.276/.317 (67 wRC+) with just seven home runs in 506 plate appearances last season. He's never been known as a middle-of-the-order threat, but contributing just 26 extra-base hits and a 5.3% walk rate really sunk the bottom-third of the Brewers' lineup in 2025.

Despite that, the team appears to be gearing up to give Ortiz another shot at the starting job in 2026 as reported by team insider Adam McCalvy on Monday, thanks to his excellent defense and baserunning. Given the state of the shortstop market (Isiah Kiner-Falefa is the best non-Bo Bichette option), that may not be the worst idea.

However, what if I told you the team already signed another shortstop who could give Ortiz a run for his money in spring training?

Can Eddys Leonard break camp with the Brewers in 2026?

The Brewers signed Eddys Leonard shortly after the Braves let him walk in minor-league free agency in November, handing him a non-roster invite to spring training as well.

He's been a journeyman over the past half-decade, though you only have to go back to 2022 to see a time when he was considered a legitimate prospect, ranking eighth in the Los Angeles Dodgers' loaded farm system.

The 25-year-old has had some big seasons in the minors, such as 2021 (145 wRC+, 22 home runs in 107 games) and 2023 with the Tigers' Triple-A affiliate (129 wRC+, .904 OPS). Even this past season in the Braves' system, Leonard hit 20 home runs, stole 11 bases, and struck out less than 20% of the time. For someone who has yet to make his MLB debut, he's got some impressive numbers at the highest level of the minor leagues.

Plus, he's very versatile, having played all four infield positions in 2025. He's generally considered a shortstop first and foremost, but that he has experience at the corners and second base only bodes well for his chances of making the Brewers' active roster.

Now, Ortiz does provide quality speed on the basepaths (25 steals over the past two seasons) and excellent defense in the field (12 Outs Above Average at shortstop this year), which are skills the Brewers value highly. And it was only one year ago that he managed a 105 wRC+ behind a .159 ISO, suggesting that there's still some untapped upside in his bat.

But there's a reason the Crew have been seeking an upgrade at shortstop this offseason — having a black hole in the lineup is hard to cover for, no matter how good the defense. Leonard is far from a proven commodity, but you don't have to squint too hard to see a valuable role player who can fill in for any struggling infielders.