The Milwaukee Brewers jumped into a three team, nine player trade by giving up an outfield prospect they had in the organization for just a couple of months to snare a catcher they hope can become their long term starter, along with two more arms to the pitching staff. Newly promoted President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Matt Arnold has acquired 24 year old William Contreras from the Atlanta Braves along with right handed pitchers Justin Yeager from Atlanta and Joel Payamps from Oakland. The only player the Brewers gave up in the deal involving the A’s and Braves was outfielder Esteury Ruiz, their speedy, 8th ranked minor league prospect who was a throw in from the Josh Hader deal to the San Diego Padres at the 2022 trade deadline.
Contreras broke in with Atlanta in 2021, appearing in 56 games, hitting 8 home runs. Last year, he was behind the plate for 97 games and his home run total swelled to 20, with 45 runs batted in while hitting .278 (which would have been a team leading average in Milwaukee last year). He was also selected as a National League All-Star reserve in his breakout season. The Brewers say they’ve had their eye on Contreras for a while and they’ll have him for a while, holding contract control for the next five seasons. He’s the brother of Chicago Cubs starting catcher Wilson Contreras. The Brewers were in the market for a backstop with free agent Omar Narvaez departing as a free agent with veteran Victor Caratini in reserve. Arnold said Monday the Brewers love William’s bat and they’re confident they can coach up improved defensive play just as they have done in the past with the likes of Narvaez, Yasmani Grandal and even Manny Pina who became a part of the deal. Pina, who backed up Contreras in Atlanta last year, playing in only five games, was sent to Oakland as the A’s gave up their star catcher Sean Murphy to the Braves. The Athletics also received three Atlanta pitching prospects in left handed Kyle Muller and right handers Freddy Tarnuck and Royber Salinas.
The two pitchers Milwaukee received are expected to compete for bullpen jobs next spring. Yeager was in Atlanta’s minor league system while Payamps, 28, joins his 7th team after appearing in 41 games for Oakland last year.
This is the second significant deal orchestrated by Arnold who earlier this month sent Kolton Wong to Seattle for veteran outfield Jesse Winker and infielder Abraham Toro.
