The Milwaukee Brewers are playing against Team Great Britain today in a scrimmage. The World Baseball Classic will be starting this week, with 13 Brewers players leaving the team to go represent their/their family’s home countries. With so many players away, it seems as if manager Craig Counsell has decided to experiment a little bit with the infield. Short stop Willy Adames will not be playing his usual position today. Instead, he will be playing second base while Brice Turang gets the start at short stop.
We play Great Britain today.
📻: https://t.co/Nvy2XgTrpf#ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/N6OUMwsOFB
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) March 8, 2023
Also of note, top prospect Jackson Chourio will be starting in left field and batting ninth.
The Milwaukee Brewers Need to Figure Out Who Will Be at Second Base in 2023
Kolten Wong manned second base for the Brewers in 2021 and 2022. However, he was traded to the Seattle Mariners earlier this offseason. His absence has left a question mark at the second base position, especially since Milwaukee opted not to pursue a pure second baseman in free agency.
That means that the team will have to fill the position from within. Luis Urias, who has played short stop, third base, and second base on the Major League level, is a viable option. So too is Turang, one of the club’s top prospects who has played short stop, second base, and center field in the minors. Other options include Abraham Toro, who was acquired as part of the Wong trade. Additionally, the Brewers currently list Mike Brosseau and Josh VanMeter on their depth chart at second base.
Has Willy Adames Ever Played Second Base?
In short, the answer is yes. In 570 Major League games, Adames has played 10 of them at second base. Those came back in 2018 when he was with the Tampa Bay Rays. He started eight of those ten games while finishing six of them. In 77 innings at the position, Adames committed one error and had a 98.1% fielding percentage. He had 52 defensive chances, logging 20 put outs and 31 assists and that error.
Adames does not have much Minor League experience at second base either. The only time he played the position on the professional level was in 2017 with Triple-A Durham of the Rays’ organization. He played 11 full games at second base that year, recording 18 put outs, 29 assists, and one error in 48 defensive chances.
How Does That Compare to Other Candidates’ Performance and Time at Second Base?
Below is a list of the players mentioned previously on the Brewers’ depth chart at second base along with their experience and fielding stats at the position:
- Brice Turang (minors): 389.1 innings (45 games), 192 defensive chances, 77 putouts, 114 assists, one error, 99.5% fielding percentage.
- Luis Urias: 807 innings (119 games), 377 defensive chances, 156 putouts, 217 assists, four errors, 98.9% fielding percentage.
- Mike Brosseau: 404 innings (62 games), 158 defensive chances, 60 putouts, 98 assists, zero errors, 100% fielding percentage.
- Abraham Toro: 901 innings (114 games), 379 defensive chances, 136 putouts, 236 assists, seven errors, 98.2% fielding percentage.
- Josh VanMeter: 830.1 innings (126 games), 385 defensive chances, 146 putouts, 230 assists, nine errors, 97.7% fielding percentage.
Of these Toro has the most experience and his fielding percentage is right at league average. However, Urias and Brosseau have had some defensive success at the position while producing at the plate at a higher rate than Toro. Of course, there is also Turang who has played the position well on limited chances in the Minors.
In any case, Counsell certainly has options, and good ones at that.
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