The Milwaukee Brewers have not yet finalized their Opening Day roster, but as the regular season approaches, they are making certain moves that indicate what their plans are more clear. For example, veteran outfielder Mark Canha, who was with the team in Spring Training on a minor league deal, was traded to the Kansas City Royals after the team informed him they would not guarantee him a roster spot.
On Saturday, it was reported that Rule-5 draft pick Connor Thomas, whom Milwaukee stole away from the St. Louis Cardinals, had been informed that he had made the Opening Day roster. If he had not, the Brewers would have had to return him to the Cardinals.
With more and more roster spots being taken, there becomes less and less room for the other veterans that joined the team on minor league contracts this winter. One of them, though, believes he should be on the team.
Jake Bauers Believes He Should Make the Milwaukee Brewers Opening Day Roster
Jake Bauers spent the 2024 season with the Brewers, playing left field and first base while hitting .199/.301/.361 with 12 home runs, 43 RBI, and 13 stolen bases. While Milwaukee decided not to tender him a contract after the season, they did bring him back on a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training.
And he believes that he has done enough this year to warrant a spot on the roster again. Per Brewers insider Adam McCalvy, Bauers said:
“Though they know me, I feel like in this camp I found a little bit of an extra gear. Maybe I showed a skill set that the industry didn’t necessarily think I could do in terms of taking some shorter swings, going the other way, not striking out. And also mentally, I think I found a nice pocket with that and have been able to carry that through the whole camp.
“Whatever happens, I’m happy with what I did the last month and a half. Obviously, I’m a little bit biased, but I think I earned a spot here.”
And, to be fair, Bauers’ numbers this spring back up his stance. In 13 games, he is hitting .281/.361/.594 with four doubles, two home runs, eight RBI, and two stolen bases.
As he notes above, Bauers hasn’t struck out much either. He has six strikeouts compare to four walks so far this spring. Last season, in 116 games, he struck out 118 times and drew just 39 walks.
If his plate discipline really has improved that much, he will be the perfect left-handed hitting backup first baseman to right-handed slugger Rhys Hoskins.
| Season | Age | Team | Lg | WAR | G | PA | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | OPS+ | rOBA | Rbat+ | TB | GIDP | HBP | SH | SF | IBB | Pos | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 22 | TBR | AL | 0.5 | 96 | 388 | 323 | 48 | 65 | 22 | 2 | 11 | 48 | 6 | 6 | 54 | 104 | .201 | .316 | .384 | .700 | 94 | .305 | 92 | 124 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 37/DH9 | |
| 2019 | 23 | CLE | AL | -0.7 | 117 | 423 | 372 | 46 | 84 | 16 | 1 | 12 | 43 | 3 | 3 | 45 | 115 | .226 | .312 | .371 | .683 | 78 | .297 | 75 | 138 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7D3/H | |
| 2021 | 25 | 2TM | AL | -0.3 | 115 | 315 | 282 | 27 | 59 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 19 | 6 | 1 | 30 | 78 | .209 | .290 | .277 | .566 | 60 | .268 | 64 | 78 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3H97/D | |
| 2021 | 25 | CLE | AL | -0.1 | 43 | 113 | 100 | 7 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 27 | .190 | .277 | .280 | .557 | 55 | .262 | 61 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3H | |
| 2021 | 25 | SEA | AL | -0.2 | 72 | 202 | 182 | 20 | 40 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 51 | .220 | .297 | .275 | .572 | 63 | .272 | 66 | 50 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 97H3/D | |
| 2023 | 27 | NYY | AL | -0.9 | 84 | 272 | 242 | 28 | 49 | 15 | 0 | 12 | 30 | 3 | 2 | 27 | 95 | .202 | .279 | .413 | .693 | 87 | .301 | 86 | 100 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 973H/D | |
| 2024 | 28 | MIL | NL | -0.4 | 116 | 346 | 302 | 45 | 60 | 9 | 2 | 12 | 43 | 13 | 1 | 39 | 118 | .199 | .301 | .361 | .662 | 83 | .300 | 80 | 109 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3HD9/71 | |
| 5 Yrs | -1.9 | 528 | 1744 | 1521 | 194 | 317 | 69 | 5 | 51 | 183 | 31 | 13 | 195 | 510 | .208 | .302 | .361 | .662 | 81 | .295 | 79 | 549 | 10 | 13 | 2 | 12 | 2 | 37H9D/1 | ||||
| 162 Game Avg | -0.6 | 162 | 535 | 467 | 60 | 97 | 21 | 2 | 16 | 56 | 10 | 4 | 60 | 156 | .208 | .302 | .361 | .662 | 81 | .295 | 79 | 168 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | |||||
| CLE (2 Yrs) | -0.8 | 160 | 536 | 472 | 53 | 103 | 19 | 1 | 14 | 49 | 3 | 4 | 57 | 142 | .218 | .305 | .352 | .656 | 73 | .289 | 72 | 166 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 37DH | ||||
| MIL (1 Yr) | -0.4 | 116 | 346 | 302 | 45 | 60 | 9 | 2 | 12 | 43 | 13 | 1 | 39 | 118 | .199 | .301 | .361 | .662 | 83 | .300 | 80 | 109 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3HD9/71 | ||||
| TBR (1 Yr) | 0.5 | 96 | 388 | 323 | 48 | 65 | 22 | 2 | 11 | 48 | 6 | 6 | 54 | 104 | .201 | .316 | .384 | .700 | 94 | .305 | 92 | 124 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 37/DH9 | ||||
| NYY (1 Yr) | -0.9 | 84 | 272 | 242 | 28 | 49 | 15 | 0 | 12 | 30 | 3 | 2 | 27 | 95 | .202 | .279 | .413 | .693 | 87 | .301 | 86 | 100 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 973H/D | ||||
| SEA (1 Yr) | -0.2 | 72 | 202 | 182 | 20 | 40 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 18 | 51 | .220 | .297 | .275 | .572 | 63 | .272 | 66 | 50 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 97H3/D | ||||
| AL (4 Yrs) | -1.5 | 412 | 1398 | 1219 | 149 | 257 | 60 | 3 | 39 | 140 | 18 | 12 | 156 | 392 | .211 | .302 | .361 | .663 | 80 | .293 | 79 | 440 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 379HD | ||||
| NL (1 Yr) | -0.4 | 116 | 346 | 302 | 45 | 60 | 9 | 2 | 12 | 43 | 13 | 1 | 39 | 118 | .199 | .301 | .361 | .662 | 83 | .300 | 80 | 109 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3HD9/71 | ||||
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