This Brewers player's necessary bounce-back 2026 season is off to a promising start

Last year, the Milwaukee Brewers ranked third in the league in runs scored, trailing only the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, the only teams to top 800 runs. Their offensive success came from team cohesion and attention to the small details, generating runs consistently without relying heavily on the long ball.

Milwaukee managed to be this successful despite one outliner on the offensive side: Joey Ortiz. While his glove kept him on the field and in the lineup, Ortiz struggled mightily in his sophomore campaign, slashing just .230/.279/.317.

While 2026 marks a fresh start, Ortiz enters the season not only with a new look, a full beard, but with a refined swing designed to improve quality of contact and increase bat speed. Those are tools aimed at reducing the soft contact and excessive pop-ups that plagued him last year.

This spring, Ortiz has spent time away at the World Baseball Classic, representing Team Mexico, but the results at the plate are promising so far.

Joey Ortiz is kicking off his important 2026 season with a strong showing in Spring Training and the WBC

In the WBC, Ortiz played in all four of Mexico's games and was solid at the plate, going 3-10 with a double and two walks. During Cactus League play, he has been a completely different animal, posting an impressive slashline of .435/.519/.609 through his first eight games, good for an impressive 1.128 OPS.

Ortiz’s hot start is more than encouraging -- it’s crucial. The Brewers boast a crop of infield prospects eager to make their mark, and any prolonged slump could open the door for someone else to step in. Jett Williams is the most ready player who could replace Ortiz, but in years to come, Jesús Made, Luis Peña, and Cooper Pratt are all likely to force their way into the Brewers' infield picture.

For Ortiz, consistency at the plate will be key. His ability to maintain this early production could determine his role for the 2026 season, as the depth of the Brewers infield prospects would allow them to change directions at shortstop if he continues to be a liability at the plate.