Before we jump into the roster prediction at the end of this notebook, let me bring you a few content updates and conversations I’ve had this week with the team.
On the content front, thank you for the many kind words I’ve received on our elevated coverage this spring. If you’ve missed any of it, I encourage you to follow my social feeds: both my instagram and my X feed.
You may notice no Brewers Weekly the next two Thursdays, but we have plenty to come leading into and on Opening Day. We are currently re-engineering Brewers Weekly to be more of a YouTube-first podcast than a talk radio program. Ultimately, I believe this will allow us at WTMJ to better deliver coverage as the Home of the Brewers. The first of those new shows will be aired once the season begins.
JAKE BAUERS
The Brewers very quietly had strong production from three different players at first base, and Jake Bauers ended the year the strongest of the bunch. Most of the season featured Rhys Hoskins and Andrew Vaughn coming out of nowhere, but it is easy to lose track of Bauers between bookended months from the aforementioned first basemen.
First, it was Hoskins peaking at .300 in May. Even while the Brewers were struggling to find their footing into May, it was Rhys carrying the offense leading the club with an .849 OPS in the first 55 games.
Vaughn’s final 64 games (and postseason) drew comparisons to Lou Gerhig and Wally Pip while Hoskins was on the injured list. Vaughn hit .308 as a Brewer and an .859 OPS then clocked two homers in the NLDS against the Cubs.
But it’s the middle part of the season that brings us back to Bauers. The lefty was to be a versatile piece off the bench while Hoskins was rolling offensively. But suddenly, Hoskins was leaking oil and Bauers was fighting his left shoulder.
“We all want to play, we don’t want to be hurt, and sometimes it’s tough to admit to yourself when it’s really impacting you on the field,” Bauers said. The lefty went from fighting to make the team as a non-roster invitee to just 7-for-his-last-64 before going on the injured list.
Bauers going on the IL was perfectly timed with the rise of Vaughn, giving Jake the chance to get healthy. When he did return, Bauers hit .321 with a .933 OPS over his final 26 games. Then he even added four more hits and a walk in the postseason.
He finally felt normal during his rehab assignment in August, clocking three homers in five games. “I was comfortable controlling my body throughout my swing, got some good results, got back up to the big leagues and kept everything rolling,” Bauers said.
Now to this camp, Bauers is 9-for-17 with three homers to lead the club. He’s even sprinkled in three stolen bases to keep his legs sharp. “I feel ready for sure, just keeping things simple … see the ball, hit the ball.”
If it was that easy, everyone would do it.
DAVID HAMILTON
The utilityman is more than just a guy that can play multiple positions. Maybe we’re used to that “Swiss Army knife” style of Andruw Monasterio, Jace Peterson, or Hernán Pérez of having an equipment bag with more gloves than a Wilson rep. The Brewers are challenging that notion while projecting to use David Hamilton as their utilityman for the 2026 season.
By the eye test, Hamilton is a perfectly solid second baseman and the numbers agree. He’s always been a positive defender in the eyes of outs above average (OAA) and defensive runs saved (DRS). The problem is the Brewers are very clearly occupied at second with Brice Turang – so Hamilton is learning more of third base this spring and a sprinkling of shortstop.
“I feel like I’ve played most of the games at third, so that’s definitely helped out because I’ve never really played there before,” Hamilton said. “I think it’s just getting in the game and getting used to the live reps. You can take as many ground balls as you want, I mean it definitely helps, but I think the real thing is getting in the game, getting live action, and seeing the ball off the bat,” the Texan continued.
He has made six spring starts at third base and four more at short. As for the challenges he is facing at the position, it’s a whole new angle. “It’s really just the reads off the bat. I feel like everything’s hit a lot harder than it is. I guess it’s just like the angle of the swing… But I’m getting more comfortable,” Hamilton said.
But the reason he is a different utilityman than the past is his best tool: his speed. He has 57 career stolen bases in only 550 plate appearances. Furthermore, of those 57 steals, 12 of them have come as a pinch runner.
“I mean it’s no secret, when I get on [base], I’m trying to go,” Hamilton said with a smile. He’s only been caught 11 times in his career. “It’s really about picking the best moment … I’m a distraction while I’m on base anyway, so if I don’t end up going, maybe the pitcher is a little bit more worried about me than the hitter and that benefits our team.”
No team has stolen more bases in baseball since Pat Murphy took over in 2024. David Hamilton could be the latest speedster to provide value for the Crew.
OPENING DAY STARTER
The Brewers are yet to announce an Opening Day starter, but Murphy assured the media on Wednesday he’s not playing games withholding the name.
“I’ll give it to you as soon as I have it, why hide that?” Murphy said. He would add names to seriously monitor down the final two weeks of spring training: “I think you gotta look at [Kyle] Harrison, I think you gotta look at [Brandon] Sproat.”
We did learn on Thursday that Quinn Priester will be starting the year on the injured list. His visit to Dr. Pearl in Dallas revealed symptoms close to thoracic outlet syndrome, a nerve issue that generally causes numbness or discomfort down the arm. Murphy said Priester responded well to treatment and is scheduled to resume his throwing program this week, with a bullpen scheduled for next Saturday.
Murphy also added that while it is not cemented, the Brewers are currently planning on Brandon Woodruff being available in the first turn of the rotation, but not necessarily Opening Day. Woodruff will throw a simulated game on Friday on the backfields, where he is scheduled for three ups to continue to build his pitch count.
Woodruff has been built-up much slower than previous years, but has understood the process. “It’s a little bit different for me this year, but overall it’s been smart,” Woodruff said. “The club’s been great, great communication and just taking our time with it… Opening Day is a special day, but nobody’s gonna remember [it] after Opening Day,” Woodruff reiterated his goal of making it to the end of the season for the first time since 2021.
“They’re gonna remember September, October, and that’s what I want to be a part of at the end of the year.”
WBC THOUGHTS
Abner Uribe may have “squeezed the egg” a touch too tight on Wednesday night against Venezuela. He entered the ninth up 7-3, but walked three batters in a row – including Jackson Chourio and was lifted before the Dominican Republic prevailed 7-5.
“Great lesson for him, too geeked up,” Pat Murphy said Thursday. “Friends on the other team, it’s called divided attention: you’re not at the task at hand, you’re at everything else. The emotion of everything else. That’s the recipe for disaster,” Murph said. The D.R. now prepares for Korea on Friday night at 5:30 PM CDT.
Venezuela is moving on too, with three Brewers in tow: Jackson Chourio, William Contreras, and Angel Zerpa. Jackson and William are saving their hits for the knockout round, going a combined 1-for-19 in pool play. Zerpa appeared in three scoreless innings including three strikeouts.
Samurai Japan awaits Venezuela in Miami, first pitch is Saturday at 7:00 PM CDT. The defending champions, Japan, will be the home team after winning their pool at the Tokyo Dome.
How about Canada?! The northerners won Pool A in Puerto Rico with the host country also advancing. Tyler Black, Rob Zastryzny and former Brewer Abraham Toro are moving on to face Team USA in the quarterfinals in Houston.
Brice Turang awaits as one of the most consistent hitters in the tournament tied for the WBC-lead with four doubles. USA is the road team in Houston as they face Canada in the tournament portion of the classic – win or go home from now on. First pitch is Friday at 6:00 PM CDT.
But the story of Pool B is easily Team Italy going 4-0 in their games and an upset victory over USA. Andrew Fischer – the Brewers’ first round pick a year ago out of Tennessee – has been electric in the games he has played: 3-for-8 with a 2B and a HR. You may be profiling for a moment “wait, Fischer? How is that Italian?” Andrew grew up in New Jersey where his great-great-grandfather, Angelo Mazzeo, initially put down the family’s roots in the early 1900s.
ROSTER PREDICTION
Catchers (2)
William Contreras & Gary Sánchez
Infielders (6)
Jake Bauers, David Hamilton, Joey Ortiz, Luis Rengifo, Brice Turang, Andrew Vaughn
Outfielders (5)
Jackson Chourio, Sal Frelick, Garrett Mitchell, Blake Perkins, Christian Yelich
Starters (5, predicted opening rotation)
Jacob Misiorowski, Chad Patrick, Brandon Woodruff, Kyle Harrison, Brandon Sproat
Relievers (8, alphabetical)
Grant Anderson, Aaron Ashby, DL Hall, Jared Koenig, Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, Rob Zastryzny, Angel Zerpa
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