Brewers release promising minor league infielder as major league depth is tested

When Milwaukee Brewers infielder David Hamilton landed on the IL with a hamstring strain back on July 7, fans thought they might finally get a look at offseason minor league free agent signing Eddys Leonard. However, the Brewers instead opted to have Greg Jones, who hadn't yet logged a major-league inning on the infield dirt, briefly replace Hamilton on the roster, before trading for infielder Braden Shewmake from the Houston Astros to temporarily fill the roster vacancy. Additionally, the Brewers were reportedly considering calling up top prospect Jett Williams for his MLB debut, but a minor wrist injury prevented that from happening.

It was a surprising series of moves, not only because of Jones' lack of infield experience and the fact that Shewmake was an external addition, but also because the Brewers seemingly had a strong candidate to fill in at the major league level waiting in Triple-A. Leonard, who joined the Brewers on a minor league free agent deal in November of last year, was slashing .287/.371/.502 with 12 homers and 14 doubles in Triple-A this season while logging time at all four infield positions and both corner outfield positions.

Leonard has been consistently strong throughout the 2026 season, and the fact that Milwaukee signed him at the very beginning of last offseason seemingly indicates that the front office was excited to add him to the organization. However, Leonard's opportunity with the Brewers' big-league club never came, and on Thursday, it was surprisingly reported that the Brewers had released Leonard from their organization.

Brewers release Triple-A infielder Eddys Leonard after passing on him multiple times during 2026 season

Leonard almost certainly had an upward mobility clause in his minor league contract that caused the otherwise surprising move from the Brewers. Milwaukee would have no other reason to release the promising 25-year-old infielder, who has yet to make his major league debut. However, if it was an opt-out-related move, the Brewers' decision to not promote Leonard in Hamilton's stead during the week leading up to the All-Star Break remains confounding. If the potential to lose the young infielder for nothing was on the horizon, why not promote him instead of Jones or Shewmake and see if his Triple-A success translated to the big-league level?

It's certainly possible the Brewers didn't trust Leonard's defense on the left side of the infield. Despite having plenty of experience at both shortstop and third base earlier in his career, since arriving in the Brewers' organization, Leonard has logged just 11 total innings on the left side of the infield. The fact that the Sounds elected to play Leonard mostly at second base and left field could indicate that his glove is not ready for the big leagues.

Leonard also posted a 31.4% chase rate in Triple-A this year, and though it didn't necessarily translate to a high strikeout rate (19.1%), it could have been an indication that the young infielder's success at the plate in MLB wouldn't have matched his minor league numbers. However, the rest of Leonard's offensive profile was sound, so it's unlikely his bat was the reason the Brewers didn't give him a chance.

Now a free agent, the 25-year-old Leonard will search for a clearer path to the big leagues. It's always possible he rejoins the Brewers on a new deal, but such an outcome feels unlikely given Milwaukee's reluctance to call him up to the majors.

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