The Milwaukee Brewers recently signed first baseman Rhys Hoskins to a two year, $34 million contract. The move came as a shock to many fans due to the fact the team has operated on a revolving door of first basemen since Prince Fielder left in January 2012. The shock was not that the Brewers brought in a new corner infielder, but rather that they spent that much on such a quality first baseman.
Over the last decade and a half, the Brewers have had twelve different first basemen. Some popular names stand out including Prince Fielder, Adam Lind, Jesús Aguilar, Eric Thames, and of course Rowdy Tellez. However, the only one who maintained success over multiple years was Prince Fielder. This inability to re-establish consistency at the position has been an Achilles heel for the Brewers; especially in the playoffs when offense is hard to come by.
The Brewers’ Investment in Hoskins
The addition of Rhys Hoskins looks to be the most promising attempt at fixing the issue at first since 2009, and the commitment the Brewers made financially proves that. According to Adam McCalvy, the Hoskins will be receiving $34 million over the next two seasons. That number could increase to $48 million if both sides agree on the mutual option for the 2026 season.
The @AP reported terms of Rhys Hoskins’ deal with the Brewers. Could range from $16M for one season to $48M over three seasons.
Per that report:
$12M salary in ’24
$18M salary in ’25 ($4M buyout if he opts out)
$18M mutual option for ’26 ($4M buyout)— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) January 26, 2024
This number is eye-opening for a lot of Brewers fans because they haven’t seen that big of a contract for a first baseman in Milwaukee since Prince Fielder’s $15.5 million contract in his final year of arbitration in 2011. This staggering revelation has led fans to wonder how much the team has invested at the position in recent years and why the front office has settled on paying small amounts on subpar players.
How Does Hoskins’ Contract Compare to Former Brewers First Basemen?
The Brewers have had more than their fair share of first basemen over the last fifteen years including fan favorites like Rowdy Tellez, Eric Thames, and Jesús Aguilar just to name a few. While it is important to roster fan favorites to drive community engagement, the main focus should be on-field production. Year after year, the Brewers find themselves cutting corners to save money when it comes to bringing in new talent. Here is a list of each Brewers 1st baseman (based on most games played at 1B) by year since 2010, and their yearly salary:
- 2010 – Prince Fielder – $9 million
- 2011 – Prince Fielder – $15.5 million
- 2012 – Corey Hart – $8.8 Million
- 2013 – Yuniesky Betancourt – $900k
- 2014 – Mark Reynolds – $2 million
- 2015 – Adam Lind – $4.5 million
- 2016 – Chris Carter – $2.5 million
- 2017 – Eric Thames – $5.33 million
- 2018 – Jesús Aguilar – $560k
- 2019 – Eric Thames – $5.33 million
- 2020 – Justin Smoak – $5 million
- 2021 – Daniel Vogelbach – $1.4 million
- 2022 – Rowdy Tellez – $1.94 million
- 2023 – Rowdy Tellez – $4.95 million
- 2024 – Rhys Hoskins – $12 million
Hoskins has the most expensive deal for a Brewers first basemen in over a decade. The risk is high, but Mark Attanasio himself was the one who bumped up the salary to a total of $34 million in order to get the deal done. To see that the owner is committed to investing in a winning player has to be a huge morale boost to Brewers fans who anticipated a tear-down this offseason.
High Expectations for the New Brewers 1st Baseman
Expectations are obviously very high for Hoskins in his first year in Milwaukee. If this investment pays off, it is likely that the Brewers could re-invest Hoskins following the end of his initial deal, or explore the potential free agent market in 2026. If the Brewers choose to explore free agency in 2026, they’ll be able to take a good look at future candidates like Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Ty France, or an old veteran like Anthony Rizzo or Jose Abreu.
For More Great Content
Follow me on Twitter at @BJarumbo and follow @WiSportsHeroics as well for more great Wisconsin sports content! To keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin Sports, click here!
