Proposed Brewers trade candidate highlights Milwaukee’s tough position this offseason

Coming off of yet another postseason berth that resulted in disappointment, the Milwaukee Brewers are right in the middle of what's going to be an important offseason. The club has multiple spots around their roster in need of an upgrade, but so far they've done nothing but subtract from last year's 93-win team.

The Brewers are forever going to be a team that spends as little money as possible in the free-agent market, which puts a lot of pressure on their prospects and the front office themselves to competently maneuver their way through the trade market.

In a recent piece penned by Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report, Brewers prospect Tyler Black - Reviewing the Brew's No. 2 prospect in our midseason rankings - was named as a prospect he believes could be the centerpiece of a trade this offseason.

While Black has a ton of value and an imperfect fit on the 2025 Brewers roster, the fact that he's trade bait alone highlights a pretty dark truth about the Brewers and their immediate future.

Brewers prospect's trade buzz highlights deep organizational issue

The fact that the Brewers refuse to pony up and spend big on free agents means that they're forcing themselves to upgrade via trade rather than simply spending the money their ownership has in their pockets. This is a tale as old as time, and it doesn't seem that the organization is realizing that just yet.

It's worth circling back to, though, that Black is an outstanding trade chip and should be dangled in talks. The 24-year-old went 10-for-49 (.204) in his first 18-game cameo in the big leagues this past season but his performance coming up through the minor leagues painted a much more complete picture about who he is as a player.

Black, the Brewers' first-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft, possesses a ton of gap power and raw power that's come along nicely as he's developed. He's an extra-base hit machine who can steal bases with the best of them and draw a ton of walks at the same time. He does an excellent job of drawing walks and then immediately keeping the pitcher and catcher on their toes as soon as the next at-bat starts.

The one major thing holding Black back is his role on defense. He initially began his pro career strictly as a second baseman, but the Brewers have given him playing time at the infield corners as well as left and center field to try and find him a long-term home. His questionable range and so-so throwing arm make him defensively limited, so it remains to be seen where exactly he ends up.

Black is a strong hitter, and that's what's going to hold up his value and attract interested parties. There are always teams that believe they can be the one to unlock some untapped potential in prospects like Black, so it's not going to be a shock to see the Brewers move on this winter. It's just a shame that it had to come to this and that they can't upgrade their roster in any other way.

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