Brewers replace 2025 Rule 5 Draft losses with savvy high-upside signings

The Milwaukee Brewers saw a significant amount of talent leave their organization during the 2025 minor league Rule 5 Draft. Those departures included Hedbert Pérez, Nate Peterson, Garrett Spain, Zavier Warren, Caden Vire, and Hansel Rincón. Among that group, Pérez and Spain projected as everyday outfielders who could have opened the 2026 season in Triple-A, along with potentially Warren, who has logged considerable time in the outfield over each of the past two seasons.

In the wake of those losses, Matt Arnold moved quickly to restock the system, adding Akil Baddoo and Greg Jones. Baddoo landed a major league deal, while Jones signed a minor league contract, but both currently project as Triple-A outfielders to open the 2026 season, considering Baddoo has a minor league option year remaining, and the Brewers are likely to give Isaac Collins or Garrett Mitchell the first crack at the third starting outfield job. That projection also reflects the fact that the previously mentioned Rule 5 departures, along with 2025 outfielders Drew Avans, Daz Cameron, and Jimmy Herron, are no longer in the organization.

Milwaukee Brewers replace 2025 Rule 5 Draft losses with savvy high-upside signings of Akil Baddoo and Greg Jones

Of the two additions, Baddoo brings significantly more major league experience, having spent parts of five seasons with the Tigers. The bulk of that time came during his 2021 rookie campaign, when he reached the majors as a Rule 5 selection and posted 2.1 bWAR. Jones, by contrast, has just eight career plate appearances spread across two seasons.

That said, both Baddoo and Jones bring notable upside. Baddoo was a former second-round pick by the Minnesota Twins, while Jones was a first-round selection by the Tampa Bay Rays. Both are athletic players, with speed and stolen-base ability serving as key components of their games. Despite neither having a big presence in MLB a season ago, Jones is a former first-round pick, and Baddoo was taken in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft, meaning they each have a skillset that led another MLB organization to select them with one of their top draft picks.

Ultimately, these signings represent a solid first step in the Brewers’ effort to replace lost depth, as both players bring upside to the organization. While they may not be flashy moves, they could prove important down the line, especially after last season, when Milwaukee was forced to scramble for outfield help. In 2025, the Brewers turned to midseason additions like Cameron, Avans, Steward Berroa, and Brandon Lockridge, and while the latter two remain on the 40-man roster, it's likely Baddoo now outranks them on the organizational depth chart.