3 former Brewers who are still seeking jobs as 2024 spring training approaches

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Free agency sometimes isn't all it's cracked up to be. For some players, it's a coveted way to see what you're worth on the open market and get the most amount of money you can in your next contract. For others, it's a struggle to find an opportunity to play next season.

As pitchers and catchers get ready to report to spring training and the preparation for the 2024 championship season gets underway, several former Brewers players who were beloved in Milwaukee are still languishing on the open market, seeking a job for this season.

There are various reasons for all of them, but these three former Brewers are still free agents as spring training gets started across the league.

1. RHP Brandon Woodruff

This is sure to change soon enough, but Brandon Woodruff is still a free agent. The Brewers non-tendered him after they found out he'd need shoulder surgery that would keep him out for likely all of 2024, his final season of team control. Knowing he can't be counted on to help anyone this year, even a pitcher as talented as Woodruff hasn't been signed.

The reason being that whichever team signs Woodruff would have to keep him on their 40 man roster all offseason until the 60 day IL opens, which happens as soon as spring training begins. That means that once pitchers and catchers report, a team can sign Woodruff and put him on the 60 Day IL immediately, so they don't have to DFA a healthy player that can help the team in 2024.

Every team in the league would love to have a player like Woodruff on their team, and several will likely be looking to sign him to a backloaded two year contract, helping him rehab through his surgery for a low price and hoping he returns to form in 2025.

It's been reported that the Mets and former Brewers GM David Stearns have had interest in Woodruff this offseason, which would make a lot of sense as a landing spot. The Mets are retooling and planning for being competitive again in 2025, so he fits their window plus the familiarity between Woody and Stearns. The Brewers also have not closed the door on Woodruff and could also look to bring him back.

Woodruff is still unemployed, but that won't last long as soon as teams are able to stash him on their 60 day IL.

2. DH Keston Hiura

Keston Hiura was a somewhat polarizing figure in the Brewers fanbase. A former first round pick, Hiura arrived in 2019 with incredible hype and praise. His pure hitting ability was exciting those in the front office and he had plenty of power as well. His rookie season went as well as hoped, but it was all downhill from there.

Hiura slumped in 2020 then struggled hard in 2021, losing his everyday job and never really getting it back, yo-yoing between Triple-A and the big leagues and never finding a rhythm. Then-manager Craig Counsell pigeonholed Hiura into a platoon role as a right handed bat facing lefties, but Hiura struggled against lefties and was much better against righties. His reverse splits and poor defense didn't help him break Counsell's lineup.

Coming into 2023, Hiura was out of options, and was DFAed. He was outrighted to Triple-A where he spent the entire season, destroying the International League with a .308/.395/.565 slash line, 23 homers, and 77 RBIs in 85 games.

Hiura elected free agency at the end of the season and despite his strong numbers in the minors, he's still without a team heading into 2024 spring training. Hiura is a defensive liability that is limited no matter where you put him in the field. That makes him a tough fit on a big league roster considering his struggles at the plate the past few years in the big leagues.

Hiura's going to be looking at minor league deals in all likelihood, especially at this point in the calendar. His hope is to get into a camp somewhere and hit his way onto the roster. He's proven he's better than Triple-A, but hasn't proven he can succeed in the big leagues. It's a tough spot to be in but a rebuilding team could take a flier on a minors deal and hope Hiura can find the form that made him a Top 10 pick all the way back in 2017.

3. LHP Eric Lauer

While Lauer may not have been a fan favorite much in 2023, there was a time that Lauer was one of the more productive arms in a loaded Brewers rotation. Lauer had some good years in 2021 and 2022 before struggling last season.

A mysterious injury seemed to be affecting his performance and the Brewers even took him off the field for a while to figure things out in the pitching lab. Despite returning to Triple-A, Lauer didn't exactly return to the form he had the previous few seasons. He earned a late season start in his return to the majors, but it didn't go well and he was outrighted after the season. Lauer elected free agency.

He's been searching for a new team, holding a showcase and there were several teams showing interest, including the Pirates and Padres, the latter of whom the Brewers originally acquired him from. Still, he remains unsigned as spring training approaches.

Given his poor performance last season, Lauer is likely looking at a minor league deal wherever he goes. The reports of interest means he likely will latch on with someone soon here as a depth rotation option that could battle for a spot or be called upon later in the season.

Lauer was known for being a quirky lefty with odd sayings and names for his pitches, calling his fastball a "zoomball", among other things. Lauer's going to try to be zooming once again with a new team, as soon as he finds one.

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