Predicting the Brewers' Triple-A Opening Day starting lineup in 2026

While many Milwaukee Brewers fans have March 26 circled as Opening Day -- an incredibly important date on the baseball calendar -- those who follow the team’s affiliates or players beginning their respective seasons have other key dates marked as well.

At the Triple-A level, the Nashville Sounds open their 2026 season a day after the Brewers, on March 27. Milwaukee’s Double-A affiliate, the Biloxi Shuckers, begins play on April 3, while the High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers start on April 2. The Wilson Warbirds, formerly the Carolina Mudcats, now relocated to a new city and ballpark, also get underway on April 3.

With Opening Days for the Brewers and Sounds less than a week away, their respective rosters are starting to take shape. Here, we take a look at what Nashville manager Rick Sweet's (pictured above) Opening Day lineup could look like.

Predicting the Milwaukee Brewers' Triple-A Opening Day starting lineup in 2026

Potential Nashville Sounds 2026 Opening Day Lineup

1. LF Tyler Black (L)

Thanks to a patient approach at the plate and an advanced understanding of the strike zone, Black is an on-base machine who is also a threat to run on the basepaths. He's drawn at least 50 walks and stolen 20 bases each of the past three seasons, making leadoff a natural fit for him. Finding a consistent defensive home has been a struggle for Black throughout his professional career, but after playing 38 games in left field for the Sounds last year, and two more for the Cactus Crew this spring, it appears the corner outfield is where the Brewers see the former first-round pick lining up this year, especially with several other first-base options in Nashville.

2. 2B Jett Williams (R)

Williams is also a good leadoff candidate, but with a history of multiple double-digit home run seasons and typically hitting for a high batting average, having him in the two-hole after Black makes more sense. The Brewers' No. 3 prospect, who can play both middle infield positions and the outfield, appears likely to see most of his playing time at second base in Nashville. However, expect Williams to bounce around the diamond for the Sounds, to maintain his defensive versatility, which will help his chances of making an early-season MLB debut.

3. CF Blake Perkins (S)

Perkins is essentially the next man up after just narrowly missing out on the Brewers' Opening Day roster. He's proven that he can be a productive big leaguer over the past two and a half seasons, combining an elite glove in center field with a serviceable bat. The Brewers will want Perkins to get plenty of opportunities in Triple-A as he looks to sharpen his offensive game, which hasn't quite looked the same since his shin injury last year. Therefore, expect the 29-year-old outfielder to hit somewhere near the top of the Sounds' Opening Day lineup.

4. 1B Brock Wilken (R)

Hitting cleanup is Wilken, who easily has the most power on the team. In just 79 games last year, he mashed 18 long balls, meaning if he logs a full season, he could be a 30-home run candidate. The Brewers drafted Wilken in the first round of the 2023 draft as a third baseman, but lately, the organization has been trying him out at first. With plenty of infielders rising through the Brewers' farm system, many of whom can play third base, it's certainly a possibility that Wilken's long-term defensive home is at the cold corner.

5. C Jeferson Quero (R)

Quero gathers a lot of attention for his defense, but he's actually quite the batsman as well. He has a career .806 OPS in the minors, and each of his last three healthy seasons, he has hit at least 10 home runs, while hitting for a respectable .276 batting average. At one point in the offseason, Quero looked like he might open the season as William Contreras' back-up on the big-league roster, but it became more apparent as the spring season went on that the former top prospect still needs a touch more development in the minor leagues. That said, after Reese McGuire was released by the Brewers over the weekend, Quero now looks to be third on the catching depth chart behind Contreras and Gary Sánchez.

6. DH Luke Adams (R)

The Brewers' No. 13-ranked prospect, Adams, isn't guaranteed to start the year in Triple-A, but it's more than likely he will. If he does open the season with the Sounds, the organization will want Adams to see consistent opportunities, which will be aided by the fact that Adams can play both first and third base. Questions remain about his defensive abilities at the hot corner, but expect Adams and Wilken to rotate in at each of the two corner infield positions while also seeing plenty of at-bats as Nashville's designated hitter.

7. RF Luis Lara (S)

The Brewers have a pair of minor league free agent signings in Greg Jones and Jacob Hurtubise that are likely to factor into the Sounds' outfield mix, but No. 12-ranked prospect Luis Lara needs to have a spot in the starting lineup. A minor league Gold Glover, Lara is one of the best defensive outfielders in the organization. Ironically, one of the few better than him, Perkins, will likely be his teammate at the start of the season, which is why Lara gets pushed to right field. In addition to being an elite outfielder, the switch-hitting Lara led the Southern League in doubles last year with 32.

8. SS Cooper Pratt (R)

The Sounds incumbent shortstop, Freddy Zamora, will no doubt see some time at the position in 2026, but in terms of who will be Nashville's "everyday" shortstop, it's Cooper Pratt without a doubt. Pratt is the organization's No. 4-ranked prospect, and after a full season with the Biloxi Shuckers in 2025, he's ready to move within one step of the big leagues at the start of the 2026 campaign. There's not a single concern with Pratt's glove, but his bat was inconsistent in the pitcher-friendly Southern League last year. That said, an .842 OPS in August shows Pratt improved as the season went on, which bodes well for his promotion to Triple-A.

9. 3B Eddys Leonard (R)

Leonard is new to the Brewers' organization after spending time in the Atlanta Braves system last year. The infielder brings solid power -- he hit 20 home runs a year ago -- but doesn’t produce a high batting average or reach base at an elite rate. Even still, with the ability to play all four infield positions, Leonard could be one of the first names called up to the big leagues if an early-season injury happens and someone like Pratt or Williams isn't quite ready for their debut. As a result, the Brewers will want Leonard to see plenty of opportunities in the field at the Triple-A level to keep him sharp for a potential call-up.

Lineup:

1. LF Tyler Black (L)
2. 2B Jett Williams (R)
3. CF Blake Perkins (S)
4. 1B Brock Wilken (R)
5. C Jeferson Quero (R)
6. DH Luke Adams (R)
7. RF Luis Lara (S)
8. SS Cooper Pratt (R)
9. 3B Eddys Leonard (R)

With a 28-man roster, instead of the 26-player one that teams are limited to at the big-league level, the Sounds can roll with a five-player bench that is likely to include Zamora, Jones, Hurtubise, Ethan Murray, and either Ramón Rodriguez or Darrien Miller, one of whom will be Quero's partner in the catching room. It's an incredibly talented Triple-A roster, which bodes well for the Brewers when injuries inevitably pop up. And who knows? Maybe by the end of the season, Jesús Made or Andrew Fischer will find their way into Nashville's starting nine.