Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras is having an incredible season at the plate. While leading the Brewers to the top of the NL Central, Contreras has quietly become one of the best catchers in the sport.
Contreras got some high praise ahead of the Brewers' nationally televised matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday from MLB Network insider Jon Morosi.
“[William Contreras is] quite simply the best hitting catcher in Major League Baseball right now,” Morosi said.
Morosi first mentioned Contreras' durability, pointing to how he's already eclipsed 90 games behind the plate and how difficult it is for a catcher to hit that well while consistently playing in the field. Morosi then spoke about some of Contreras' statistical accomplishments, like how he's leading all catchers in baseball with 131 hits, 49 extra base hits, 70 runs and a .820 OPS, and is second with a .285 batting average.
Without Contreras' production, it's hard to imagine the Brewers having anywhere close to the same level of success they've had up to this point.
William Contreras leading Brewers to the top of the NL Central
The Brewers are looking like locks to win the NL Central and make the postseason, currently 7 1/2 games ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals in the division. This is a big surprise for a team that had very low expectations heading into the season. After former manager Craig Counsell bolted to the division-rival Chicago Cubs, 2021 NL Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes was traded to the Baltimore Orioles and All-Star pitcher Brandon Woodruff was sidelined for the season with a shoulder injury, most expected the Brewers to take a step back in 2024.
However, under the leadership of new manager Pat Murphy, they've continued to dominate the NL Central and are on track to once again make the postseason. While some of the Brewers' young players like Sal Frelick, Brice Turang and Jackson Chourio have stepped up, Contreras is the biggest reasons why Milwaukee has had such a successful season. An All-Star for the second time in his career, Contreras is hitting .285/.358/.462 with 15 home runs and 69 RBI while helping manage a young and relatively inexperienced Brewers pitching staff.
The Brewers and their players often fly under-the-radar as one of the smaller-market teams in Major League Baseball. Seeing a player like Contreras getting the respect he deserves from a national outlet like MLB Network has to be a great feeling for the Brewers and their fans.
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