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As we gear up for the 2025 season, the Milwaukee Brewers seem to have one less thing to worry about\u2014their catching lineup. With William Contreras solidifying his spot as the go-to catcher, the main puzzle the Brewers face is who will back him up on those rare days he\u2019s not behind the plate.<\/p>\n
Last year, the Brewers led the entire league with a whopping 4.1 wins above replacement from their catchers, leaving the Phillies and Dodgers chasing their tail feathers. A big slice of this success pie belongs to Contreras, who alone contributed 4.9 WAR, even when some of his standout performances came at different positions.<\/p>\n
Moving into 2025, Contreras, entering his first arbitration year and a free agent by 2028, seems to be the consistent force the Brewers can bank on. Eric Haase is also stepping into arbitration, with an estimated salary bump on the horizon, while Gary S\u00e1nchez might be looking at the exit due to that often-overlooked $4 million mutual option for the season.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s play it simple\u2014if S\u00e1nchez opts to move on and Haase irons out his arbitration deal, the Brewers have themselves a steady duo. Expect Contreras to don the catcher\u2019s mitt for about 120 games, just like last season, while Haase handles the remaining 40. However, considering the Brewers\u2019 strategy of alternating between three catchers for a significant chunk of last year, don\u2019t be surprised if they keep a trio rotation in 2025.<\/p>\n
Jeferson Quero, one of Milwaukee\u2019s top prospects, is ready and raring for his shot at the majors after missing out in 2024 due to a shoulder injury. If Quero stays in top shape, he\u2019s a name to watch for a potential upgrade defensively, thanks to his MilB Gold Glove win in 2023 with Double-A Biloxi.<\/p>\n
Offensively, Quero\u2019s minor league numbers\u2014hitting .278\/.350\/.445 with 28 home runs and 114 RBIs over a span of four seasons\u2014make him a promising prospect. His defensive stats offer some sparkle too, converting 32% of catch-stealing attempts.<\/p>\n
Another name in the shadows is Francisco Mej\u00eda, who enjoyed a solid season with Nashville, hitting .274\/.348\/.428. However, he\u2019ll need to sign back onto the roster if he hopes to make an impact in the big leagues.<\/p>\n
Looking outside of the current roster, the market is peppered with names like Kyle Higashioka and Travis d\u2019Arnaud. Then, there are familiar faces such as Yasmani Grandal, Omar Narv\u00e1ez, and Mart\u00edn Maldonado, though the latter duo faced struggles last year, and Grandal, at 36, isn\u2019t getting any younger.<\/p>\n
As we said, Milwaukee is sitting pretty with Contreras handling business behind the dish. Yet, the Brewers\u2019 front office, led by Matt Arnold, will need to nail down who they\u2019re pairing up with Contreras for the upcoming season. It\u2019s this decision that could well define their defensive strategy in 2025.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As we gear up for the 2025 season, the Milwaukee Brewers seem to have one less thing to worry about\u2014their catching lineup. With William Contreras solidifying his… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":101,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-99","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n