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The 2023 MLB trade deadline is August 1, and a team that has often been unpredictable in the trade market is the Milwaukee Brewers. Last season, the Crew traded away All-Star closer Josh Hader while leading the NL Central. The front office made the move to maximize the Brewers' championship window, but the team faltered down the stretch and missed the playoffs.
Milwaukee has won 13 of its last 19 games — including six of seven against divisional challengers the Cincinnati Reds — to retake the lead at the top of the NL Central. But a few key additions down the stretch would help the Brewers secure a playoff spot and possibly win a series or two in October.
The club's biggest need currently is hitting. Corner infielders Brian Anderson and Rowdy Tellez are both on the IL and have struggled when healthy, with batting averages in the low .200s and disappointing power numbers. The outfield has also offered very little offensively outside of Christian Yelich. Rookie Joey Wiemer has been streaky, Tyrone Taylor has not found his groove since returning from the IL, and Jesse Winker has one homer in 197 plate appearances.
With a number of top prospects performing well in the minor leagues this year, the Brewers could trade these players to bring in some much-needed bats ahead of the trade deadline.
Robert Gasser (LHP)
Acquired in the Josh Hader trade last year, Robert Gasser is currently the seventh-ranked prospect in the Brewers organization. Gasser has demonstrated glimpses of the ability that made him the centerpiece of the trade — notably nine strikeouts in seven shutout innings against the Charlotte Knights on May 31 — but has just five quality starts on the season to go with a modest 4.18 ERA.
With a low-90s fastball and an effective change-up, Gasser has proven swing-and-miss stuff, striking out 172 batters in 137 innings across three minor-league levels in 2022. The Brewers need hitting, and Gasser could be exchanged for a proven bat.
Tyler Black (3B/2B/OF)
While Milwaukee's number one prospect Jackson Chourio is receiving attention Biloxi for his tape measure bombs, Tyler Black is quietly putting together the best season at the plate of any player in the Brewers organization. Black has 14 homers, 44 RBI, and 45 stolen bases plus a .438 on-base percentage (career .421 OBP).
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You will be hard-pressed to find a minor league with better plate discipline or on-base ability than Tyler Black, making him the ideal Major League lead-off man.
Eric Brown Jr. (SS)
Eric Brown Jr. is in just his first full season of professional baseball but has already demonstrated a propensity for getting on base. Brown has a career OBP of .372 in 75 career minor league games, and while he does not have the same power that Tyler Black possesses, Brown is just as fast on the basepaths. The shortstop has 46 steals in his short time in the pros, having been caught on just five occasions.
His lack of arm strength might push Brown to second base, but the 22-year-old is a Major Leaguer in the making.
Ethan Small (LHP)
The 2018 draft pick has been around for a while, but a logjam of arms at the Major League level has kept the 26-year-old in Triple-A for the last three seasons. Ethan Small has been successful for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds, with a 3.71 ERA and 175 strikeouts across 167.1 innings. The issue for Small has been control. He is averaging 5.8 walks per nine innings this year and during his brief stops in the Majors, the lefty gave up eight walks in 9.1 innings.
Small has a great fastball-changeup combination, and while he probably will not break through with the Brewers, he is a useful bullpen option for an MLB club.
