The Brewers top 8 candidates for 2 spots in September roster expansion

September roster expansion isn't what it used to be. Teams could employ a 40 man active roster for the final month of the regular season back in the day. That meant fully stocked bullpens and seemingly endless bench bats for pinch hit opportunities or any matchup the manager wanted.

However, MLB cracked down and changed the rule a few years ago, allowing only a roster expansion from 26 up to 28 active players instead of a potential 40. Too many teams had uneven amounts of September call ups and September was a completely different set of rules than the rest of the season in the most important month.

While September roster expansion isn't as exciting as it used to be with the minor league promotions, the Brewers have such a deep roster in 2024 that picking just two players to get those extra spots is going to be tough. The maximum number of pitchers only moves to 14, so the two extra roster spots are going to go to one pitcher and position player.

There are several viable candidates deserving of getting those major league spots. Let's run through the options and then who seems likely to get the call.

Hitters

1B Tyler Black

Tyler Black has been up and down in the major leagues a couple of times this year. He's had a tough time finding consistent playing time at the big league level because of the presence of Rhys Hoskins and Jake Bauers at his primary position, first base. Black has played very well in Triple-A Nashville, hitting 12 homers with 17 stolen bases and an .830 OPS. He hasn't been as good in the big leagues but there's not much left for him to prove in Nashville.

OF Brewer Hicklen

The Brewers added Hicklen to the 40 man roster around the All Star Break. They didn't want to let another team take him on his minor league opt out but they haven't called him up to this point in the season. However, he's been fantastic in Triple-A, putting up a 20-40 season with 21 homers and 42 stolen bases with an .848 OPS. With Christian Yelich out for the season, an extra outfielder isn't a bad idea and Hicklen can add some power and speed off the bench.

OF Carlos D. Rodriguez

Another outfielder that could make a case for a September call up is Carlos D. Rodriguez. Rodriguez is not currently on the 40 man roster, and he would need to be added in order for the call up to happen, but he's also Rule 5 eligible this winter. Rodriguez would need to be added to the 40 man in November anyway to be protected from a seemingly likely selection anyway, so the Brewers could very well just add him now to get a look.

Pitchers

RHP Jacob Misiorowski

It seems the Brewers have been preparing Misiorowski for a September call up for some time. He was promoted to Triple-A Nashville a few weeks ago and moved to the bullpen in anticipation of a big league bullpen role this season. He's been his usual dominant self since that move. He's the Crew's top pitching prospect and a logical candidate for a roster spot. The big thing working against him is that he's not yet on the 40 man roster so an additional move would need to be made.

RHP Craig Yoho

Yoho has been just as dominant as Misiorowski all season. He's been in the bullpen the whole time though and was the Brewers 8th round pick just last year. Yoho's rise has been quick but he's proving that he's ready to be a legitimate big league bullpen arm and might be more ready than Misiorowski even. Yoho's miniscule 1.07 ERA across three levels is as impressive as his nasty changeup. He also would need a 40 man roster spot to get added.

LHP DL Hall

The Brewers called DL Hall back up for the doubleheader against the Reds on Friday and he was dominant, throwing seven shutout innings. Manager Pat Murphy gave him praise after the game and indicated that he's earned more starts. However, he was returned to Triple-A following the game, meaning he'd have to be called back up when rosters expand. Hall's performance makes it difficult for the Brewers not to call on him again soon.

RHP Enoli Paredes

Enoli Paredes was putting up some good numbers earlier this season before suffering an injury. He's been on the 60 day IL and out on rehab assignment. He's first eligible to return from the IL on September 1st and now that his rehab has been successful, he could simply be activated from the IL for the extra spot. The Brewers would still need to make a 40 man move to activate him, but Paredes can provide a boost to the bullpen.

RHP Elvis Peguero

Elvis Peguero was a big piece of this Brewers bullpen most of the season. However his struggles with inherited runners got him sent back down to the minors when a roster crunch presented itself. Since going down to Triple-A, Peguero has not allowed a run in his three appearances. The Brewers could easily call Peguero back to the bullpen if they believe he's performing better.

Predictions for Brewers September roster expansion

Brewer Hicklen and DL Hall

I think the two players the Brewers will select for their 27th and 28th active roster spots will be Hicklen and Hall. Hicklen has just been so good putting up numbers in Nashville and the Brewers clearly liked him enough to put him on the 40 man back in July and they're likely going to want to see what they have in him before they try to carry him on the 40 man through the offseason. Having a 5th true outfielder with Yelich out will also be a boost.

While the expectation for so long was that Yoho or Misiorowski will get the extra pitcher spot in September call ups, I think they'll be passed up for now in favor of DL Hall, who has earned a big league spot as well. It's a crowded pitching staff with everyone healthy, and Hall does not need a corresponding 40 man roster move.

One month to go in the regular season. The Brewers have the NL Central all but wrapped up, but they're chasing a first round bye and are in a tight battle. They'll need to put themselves in the best position possible with their roster to get that bye down the final stretch.