Brewers Rumors: Could Adam Duvall Be A Free Agent Target?

The Milwaukee Brewers still could theoretically use a veteran depth option in the outfield as the roster currently stands heading into 2023. With most of the free agent market picked over, one player that stands out as a potential Brewers free agent target is Adam Duvall.

After the trade of Hunter Renfroe, the Brewers right field job is up for grabs. Joey Wiemer is the likely long-term plan for the position, but he's not yet on the 40 man roster and still has some developing to do in Triple-A. He may be ready during the 2023 season, but won't be ready to start the year. The current internal option to start Opening Day in right field is Tyrone Taylor.

Taylor struggled with regular playing time in 2022 and may be best suited for a 4th outfielder role rather than a starting job. The Brewers don't have anyone else on the big league roster with MLB experience as a right fielder.

Adam Duvall could be a solid buy-low free agent option to bridge the gap to the Brewers young outfield prospects.

Some of the surface numbers aren't pretty for Adam Duvall. At this point in the offseason, all the free agent options left are going to have their flaws.

Duvall is coming off a down 2022 season that ended prematurely due to a wrist injury. He hit just .213/.276/.401 with 12 homers and an 87 OPS+. He also struck out 32.1% of the time.

You may look at that and think that he's not what the Brewers need. As much as there's that potential downside, there's also potential upside with Duvall.

In 2021, Duvall slugged 38 homers and had a league leading 113 RBIs while winning a Gold Glove for his defense in right field. With Renfroe out of the picture, the Brewers aren't as strong defensively at that corner position as they were last year. Duvall would instantly improve that and has the potential to put up big power numbers from the right side of the plate. The Brewers could use another RHH outfielder and Duvall fits that bill.

Because Duvall is coming off an injury and a down season, the 34 year old is looking at a low cost one year contract for 2023 as he tries to rebound. The Brewers could certainly afford him at the price he's looking at.

If Duvall hits, then great, the Brewers found a productive bat for a reasonable cost and upgraded their team, allowing them to take their time with some of their outfield prospects. If Duvall doesn't rebound, then it would be easy to move on from him and give the playing time to the young prospects. It protects the Brewers a bit if the prospects such as Wiemer don't develop as planned early on in 2023.

He won't block any of the young guys, unless both Duvall and the prospects are playing extremely well, and even then the Brewers could easily call the young prospects up and find a way to divvy up playing time.

Duvall is a right handed power bat in the corner outfield, which fits a need for the Brewers. He won't cost much to sign, and could bring some upside. It's a low-risk, potentially high reward signing if they decide to pursue it.