The Milwaukee Brewers‘ style of business can be frustrating and cold-hearted, but the results speak plainly. No other small-market team is better at navigating strict financial limitations; no team gets more bang for its buck when trading soon-to-be expensive free agents. The Freddy Peralta trade last winter, on the heels of a top-five Cy Young finish, is a perfect example of that.
This winter poses more complicated questions, however. All-Star catcher William Contreras is entering his final year under contract. He’s a great but imperfect player. Under normal circumstances, you’d expect the Brewers to trade him without a second thought. Fresh off a World Series title, however, it becomes harder to stomach such a consequential trade. Especially when Contreras was — rightfully — named MVP of the Fall Classic.
What should the Brewers look for in a William Contreras trade?
Milwaukee has the luxury of depth across the board. If the front office ultimately does decide to trade Contreras, it’s hard not to trust their vision — even if the optics of trading a World Series MVP to save money are, well, not great.
The Brewers’ developmental pipeline is second to none. Milwaukee has traditionally placed a premium on speed, IQ and defense, so expect prospects who check those boxes to rank high in their system. On the other hand, Milwaukee could definitely use more slugging in the heart of the order, especially in lieu of Contreras. So, if the Brewers decide to target a prospect with some pop, don’t be shocked. Even if that means sacrifices in terms of hit tool or defense, which can be workshopped under a strong minor league staff.
Contreras is on an expiring contract, so he won’t return the same outsized prospect haul as other popular trade candidates on multi-year deals, such as CJ Abrams, Zach Neto or even Hunter Goodman. That doesn’t mean the Brewers can’t poach a top-100ish prospect and more from a needy contender. Contreras’ postseason track record only increases the appeal, and Milwaukee has more leverage than usual given his elevated profile coming off of a dominant October run.
Which teams could be interested in William Contreras?
Philadelphia Phillies
The Phillies will probably take a more modest approach to improving at catcher. JT Realmuto still has two years and $30 million on his contract; he struggled at the plate last season, but he’s a beloved game manager and his production should perk up with more off nights. Should the Phillies decide to get bold, however, Contreras is the right-handed slugger their lineup currently lacks. Realmuto immediately becomes MLB’s most overqualified backup, but such is the price of contention.
Texas Rangers
Texas has tried and failed to settle the catcher position for years. Danny Jansen was barely replacement-level last season, while the Logan O’Hoppe trade was a proper bust. The Rangers have some solid right-handed bats in the lineup already, but Contreras adds an immediate 20-homer threat near the top of the order. He can protect Corey Seager better than Josh Jung or Brandon Nimmo, on balance.
New York Yankees
Austin Wells came alive in the playoffs, but he was an anchor around the Yankees’ neck all season, with a career-worst .624 OPS. It didn’t help that New York’s backup situation ranked among the worst in MLB. The Yankees were connected to big-name catchers like Hunter Goodman and Ryan Jeffers at the trade deadline. Dipping their toes back into that market this winter feels almost like a foregone conclusion.
Chicago Cubs
Carson Kelly is a free agent, which opens up the catcher position on the North Side. The Cubs made a lot of sense for Freddy Peralta last winter. That never came particularly close to happening. Even if the Brewers trading Contreras is strictly a business decision, trading him to their foremost division rival is probably a bridge too far. Chicago can and should call around, but file this under “highly improbable.”
Cincinnati Reds
Tyler Stephenson is another high-profile free agent at the catcher position, and he probably falls outside the Reds’ price range. Cincinnati certainly won’t have better luck trying to extend Contreras in 2027, so trading significant assets for a one-year rental is a questionable strategy. That said, more teams should just go for it. The Reds tried — and failed — to upgrade their lineup last winter. Contreras would meaningful depth and protection behind Elly De La Cruz. Cincinnati needs a bopper.
San Francisco Giants
Buster Posey is the GM in San Francisco; nobody ought to understand the benefits of an elite catcher more than he does. The Giants are pretty ambitious with their spending, and there’s no reason to believe Posey will pass on the chance to add a needle-mover via trade if re-signing Contreras long term is even a remote possibility. Whether the Giants should throw more fuel on this dumpster fire of a roster, with a thin farm system and substantial money tied up in multiple declining vets, is a fair question.
Which team can offer Brewers the best trade package for William Contreras?
This just feels like the logical outcome. New York can cherry-pick its favorite star catcher, but Contreras’ postseason resume and his infectious competitive spirit should put him near the top of that list. He brings certain intangibles the Yankees presently lack, with a disciplined plate approach and solid defensive metrics. Throwing the Contreras brothers into the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry is a fun subplot for the rest of us, too.
For Milwaukee, this is a chance to get Contreras out of the National League, without fear of facing him in a consequential game until the World Series. It’s a steep cost for New York; 19-year-old shortstop Dax Kilby is their No. 1 prospect, and 23-year-old pitcher Carlos Lagrange is ranked No. 3 in their farm system, per MLB Pipeline. It’s a lot, but such is the price of doing business for a World Series MVP. The Yankees, as much as any team, can plan on re-signing Contreras down the road.
Kilby would give the Brewers another top-ranked shortstop prospect. Cooper Pratt just made his debut this season, with a lucrative contract extension to boot. Jesus Made and Luis Pena — Milwaukee’s top-two prospects — are 19-year-old shortstops, both ranked considerably higher than Kilby among MiLB experts.
It’s fair to quibble with the potential over-indexing of a single position, but Made and Pena could both end up at different positions in the majors. That’s especially likely if Pratt keeps on his current trajectory. Made and Pena are both on more accelerated timelines, too. Kilby won’t touch the majors for a few more years. If Made and Pena both pan out and Milwaukee ends up trading Kilby down the road, so be it. That is its own kind of value.
Carlos Lagrange was sidetracked by an injury last season, but he’s the most talented farmhand in New York’s stable. Lagrange can consistently touch 100-plus on the radar gun, with strong secondary pitches to sprinkle in. He needs to prove his durability and tighten his command to become a dependable starter, but Milwaukee’s staff tends to get the best out of folks. There’s a world in which Lagrange becomes a fearsome No. 2 behind Jacob Misiorowski over the next half-decade. The juice is the worth the squeeze, methinks.
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