Brewers' projected World Series roster highlights organization's recent emphasis on player development

The Milwaukee Brewers' World Series roster is not yet finalized. Notably, the team is still considering whether or not to include veteran right-hander Brandon Woodruff, who has been kept off a big-league mound since July 4 due to an anterior capsule injury in his right shoulder, on their World Series pitching staff. Woodruff, who reportedly threw a 23-pitch live at-bat session on Tuesday, is doing everything he can to return for the Fall Classic and make his first postseason appearance since 2021, but with the franchise's first-ever title on the line, it's by no means an easy decision for the Brewers' brass.

If Woodruff is included on the Brewers' 26-man World Series roster, it will likely be in place of either Kyle Harrison or Chad Patrick, two pitchers who were members of both the NLDS and NLCS rosters but didn't make an appearance in either of the first two rounds of the postseason. Regardless of whether or not Woodruff is ultimately included on the Milwaukee's World Series roster, the group of 26 players that will try to deliver the Brewers' first title in franchise history is a representation of the team's recent commitment to player development.

Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline recently published an article, which is free to read over at MLB.com and linked below for your convenience, breaking down how the Brewers and Rays constructed their respective projected World Series rosters. Unsurprising, given the way Milwaukee and Tampa Bay's front offices do business, is the lack of free agents on each roster.

As clearly outlined in Callis' piece, the Rays have just five players who they acquired via free agency on their projected postseason roster, and the Brewers have exactly one. Technically, though not included on Callis' projection, Woodruff would also qualify as a free agent acquisition since the reason he's currently a part of the Brewers' organization is the free agent contract he signed back in February of 2024, which was followed by him accepting the qualifying offer last fall.

Savvy trades, sharp scouting key to construction of this year's World Series rosters

Whether or not Woodruff is included on the Fall Classic roster, the point stands: the Brewers have constructed a World Series roster essentially without the use of the free agent market. After all, the only free agent included in Callis' World Series roster projection is backup catcher Gary Sánchez, who has exactly one plate appearance (though it was a key one in Game 2 of the NLDS) in the postseason. Callis' article therefore reveals just how key the Brewers' recent emphasis on player development has been in building this year's NL-pennant-winning roster.

Brewers' projected World Series roster is overflowing with "home-grown" talent

Of the 26 players expected to be on the Brewers' World Series roster -- which Callis believes will be the same 26 that were on the NLDS and NLCS rosters -- seven have come via the draft, three were signed on the international free agent market, 15 were acquired via trade, and one (Sánchez) was signed on MLB's free agent market. While the 10 players that Milwaukee acquired before their professional careers started certainly highlight the organization's excellence in player development, so too do many of the Brewers' trade acquisitions. Player development doesn't stop when players reach the big leagues, and as evidenced by players like Jake Bauers, Andrew Vaughn, and Trevor Megill, the Brewers' ability to develop established big-leaguers is just as impressive as their ability to develop prospects.

It's a reality born out of necessity for the Brewers -- given the team's financial constraints, ownership can't afford to construct their roster out of free agents like their big-market counterparts. As a result, the Brewers have wisely directed their attention to an aspect of the organization where their money goes farther than it does on the free agent market: player development. Whether it be constructing a brand-new state-of-the-art facility in the Dominican Republic, investing in their coaching staffs throughout the organization, or maintaining one of the biggest front office analytics departments in baseball, the Brewers understand that a dollar spent in player development often yields more long-term value than a dollar spent on the free agent market. Such an awareness is what has led the Brewers to build a World Series-caliber roster with just one major league free agent.

From drafting Brice Turang, Jacob Misiorowski, Logan Henderson, Cooper Pratt, Aaron Ashby, Sal Frelick, and Garrett Mitchell, to signing Jackson Chourio, Abner Uribe, and Luis Lara on the international free agent market before their professional careers began, to the many trades Milwaukee made for players who ended up finding more success in their organization than they found elsewhere, the Brewers' projected World Series roster is a testament to the forward-thinking investments the organization made into player development.

Knowing they couldn't construct a roster like the Los Angeles Dodgers or New York Yankees do, the Brewers sought out creative ways to compete in a system that was rigged against them. An investment in player development was one of those creative solutions, and now it's paying dividends.

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