When the Milwaukee Brewers nabbed Garrett Mitchell from UCLA, they had visions of a dynamic outfielder who could do it all – power, speed, the works.

Injuries have been a nagging presence in Mitchell’s career, holding him back from that five-tool potential.

But when he’s healthy, like in the latter half of last season, he shows flashes of becoming exactly what the team hoped for.

Since his late-season debut in 2022, Mitchell has been a spark plug, invigorating the Brewers’ offense with his playmaking abilities.

The 2023 season seemed lost following a mid-April shoulder injury, sidelining him until the third month of 2024. It wasn’t until July 1st that Mitchell made his return.

While the road back was gradual, he quickly found his rhythm, highlighted by a heroic, go-ahead home run in Game 2 of the Wild Card series.

Reflecting on his journey, Mitchell said after Game 2, “I know I’ve put in a lot of work to get back here and be in this situation.

But without my family, my friends, my teammates, that continued push to keep going, it makes you want to show up to the ballpark every day and work your butt off.”

With 2025 on the horizon, the Brewers are counting on a full season of Mitchell’s electric contributions.

The impending free agency of Willy Adames casts a shadow of uncertainty on the Brewers’ lineup as they face the dilemma of replacing his hefty production.

An unlikely return means Milwaukee will potentially lose a player who clocked 32 homers and drove in 112 RBIs. Options like Joey Ortiz and Brice Turang could man the shortstop position, but their offensive production is yet to reach those power-packed heights.

Turning to the external market seems improbable given the Brewers’ historical reluctance for big ticket signings like Alex Bregman.

Making a trade would mean parting with prized young talent to secure a 30-homer hitter. Instead, the team appears poised to depend on internal growth to fill the void left by Adames.

Central to that plan is Garrett Mitchell. He stands out among the younger hitters, offering that tantalizing power needed to compensate for Adames’ exit.

Though previous seasons limited his at-bats and development, accumulating three solid months of consistent hitting has set the stage for a breakout. “He’s capable, you know, we’ve been waiting for this.

He’s very capable…he’s showing signs of coming into his own,” remarked manager Pat Murphy on Mitchell’s development throughout the season.

Mitchell ended 2024 with a batting line of .255/.342/.469, including eight homers and an impressive .812 OPS over 196 at-bats. Stretch those numbers over a full 600 at-bat season, and we’re talking about 24 to 25 potential homers. Toss in his 11 swiped bases in those limited appearances, and Mitchell’s speed also becomes a formidable weapon on the base paths.

Put him alongside Adames’ .251/.331/.462 from the same season – even though Adames had significantly more at-bats – and the potential for Mitchell to match those averages is evident.

As the Brewers eye their quest for a three-peat as NL Central champs in 2025, Mitchell’s ongoing growth will be crucial. Despite debuting in 2022, Mitchell has a relatively small sample size of 324 major league at-bats, compared to Turang’s nearly 1,000.

Banking on his rising star potential, the Brewers might just have their answer to the offensive void that Adames’ departure could create.

The stage is set, and all eyes will be on Mitchell to see if he can light up center field and the scoreboard alike.