Keon Broxton

Brewers Notes: Outfield, Vogt, Nelson, Braun, Aguilar

By Steve Adams | February 28, 2018 at 8:04pm CDT

Much has been made of the Brewers’ crowded outfield and the potential need to trade someone from that mix, but manager Craig Counsell doesn’t see it that way. Speaking to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick, Counsell described a rotation of Ryan Braun, Lorenzo Cain, Christian Yelich, Domingo Santana and Eric Thames between the three outfield spots and first base that could still get everyone from that quintet ample playing time. “If you split it evenly with five guys, that’s 560 [plate appearances] apiece,” Counsell explained, using a rough guideline of about 2800 PAs over the four positions. “With injuries and everything, we’ll find a way. Some guys will get 500, and some will get 600, but it will work out.” Of course, the Brewers also have Keon Broxton and Brett Phillips on hand, though each has minor league options remaining and could be used as a high-quality depth piece (or a trade candidate — either over the next month or later this summer).

Here’s more out of Milwaukee…

Catcher Stephen Vogt has been diagnosed with a shoulder strain and will miss the next two to three weeks of Spring Training games, per Tom Haudricourt and Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. He’ll also be shut down from throwing for a week. As Haudricourt and Rosiak note, the injury could have significant repercussions for Vogt and could very well impact the Opening Day roster. Vogt’s $3.05MM contract, like the vast majority of arbitration contracts, isn’t fully guaranteed. The Brewers could theoretically cut him and be on the hook only for 30 to 45 days of termination pay between now and Opening Day. Vogt is competing with Jett Bandy to serve as the backup to Manny Pina this season, and Bandy is out of minor league options, meaning he’d be exposed to waivers or traded if he doesn’t make the Opening Day roster.
Also via Haudricourt and Rosiak, Brewers ace Jimmy Nelson is still limited to throwing from flat ground and won’t get onto a mound until after the season starts. The team isn’t giving any sort of firm timeline on when Nelson can be expected to return to the big league club, though the report posits that a return around the All-Star break is plausible for Nelson, who underwent shoulder surgery last September after suffering an injury when diving back into first base.
Braun got his first work of the spring in at first base and saw plenty of action in today’s game, writes MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. “There were runners on base quite a bit, so he was holding runners, getting a feel for that,” said Counsell. “He had a pick in the second inning. He had to get in the cutoff position on a couple of different plays. I would say it was a real positive experience for the first day. Some things to put through his head that he can check off the list as experiences.” As McCalvy points out, the Braun experiment at first base will impact more than just the outfield rotation; Braun seeing more action at first could also have a direct impact on Jesus Aguilar’s role with the club, though it’s not year clear how the Brewers will sort out their considerable depth. Aguilar, like Bandy, is out of minor league options, thus further muddling the scenario.

Keon Broxton Has Minor League Option Remaining

By Connor Byrne | January 28, 2018 at 11:41am CDT

Contrary to popular belief, Brewers center fielder Keon Broxton is not out of minor league options, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Because Broxton spent fewer than 20 days in the minors in 2017, he did not burn his final option year, McCalvy reports (Twitter link).

This normally wouldn’t be a particularly newsworthy development, but it’s interesting in Broxton’s case because he has come up as a trade candidate this offseason. Thanks in part to the Brewers’ acquisitions of fellow outfielders Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich this week, an out-of-options Broxton very easily could have found himself in another organization by the start of the season. While that still might be the case, the Brewers do have the chance to keep the soon-to-be 28-year-old around as minor league depth. If he remains a Brewer, earning a big league role at the outset of the season could be difficult with Cain, Yelich, Domingo Santana, Ryan Braun and Brett Phillips also in the fold (though Santana’s popular in the rumor mill, too).

Broxton emerged on the big league scene in 2016, overcoming a 36.1 percent strikeout rate to slash .242/.354/.430 with nine home runs and 23 stolen bases over 244 plate appearances. He also graded well in the grass, with nine Defensive Runs Saved and a 5.4 Ultimate Zone Rating. All said, Broxton was worth 2.1 fWAR that year, which was a boon to a Milwaukee club that essentially stole him from the division-rival Pirates in a December 2015 trade.

Unfortunately for Broxton and the Brewers, he went backward in 2017. While Broxton was a 20-20 player, finishing with exactly that many HRs and 21 stolen bases, he increased his already high K rate to 37.8 percent and hit a meager .220/.299/.420 across 463 PAs. Additionally, Broxton drew poor defensive marks according to DRS (minus-7) and UZR (minus-2.1), though Statcast’s Outs Above Average metric ranked him among the game’s best outfielders.

In the midst of his struggles last year, the Brewers sent Broxton to the minors in July. Because it was such a short-lived demotion, he could head back to Triple-A Colorado Springs this year if the Brewers don’t trade him. Broxton would likely have value in a deal, though, considering his upside and team control. He’s under wraps through the 2022 campaign and won’t be eligible for arbitration until at least next offseason.

Brewers Still Seeking Rotation Upgrades, Could Deal From Outfield Surplus

By Steve Adams | January 26, 2018 at 9:26am CDT

The Brewers are the talk of Major League Baseball at present, having pulled off a blockbuster trade to acquire Christian Yelich and agreed to a five-year deal with Lorenzo Cain in a span of mere hours. Milwaukee is hardly done for the offseason, though, and reports from Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter link) and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription link) highlight the various avenues they can take toward further improvement.

Milwaukee is shopping outfielders Domingo Santana and Keon Broxton as it looks for an upgrade to its rotation, according to Nightengale. Rosenthal suggests a bit more softly that the Brewers are open to offers on Santana but aren’t eager to trade him, hoping instead to at times run out an outfield of Yelich, Cain and Santana. The organization has discussed the idea of utilizing Ryan Braun at first base on occasion, Rosenthal adds. While Yelich, Cain, Santana, Braun and Eric Thames make five players for four spots, though certainly that depth wouldn’t be a bad thing for the Brewers to carry into the 2018 season.

Broxton, it seems, is something of an odd man out following yesterday’s acquisitions. The 27-year-old served as the Brewers’ primary center fielder in 2017 and hit .220/.299/.420 with 20 homers and 21 steals through 463 plate appearances. Broxton, though, also struck out at a staggering 37.8 percent clip and delivered mixed results in the outfield. Both Defensive Runs Saved (-7) and Ultimate Zone Rating (-2.2) considered him below average, whereas Statcast’s Outs Above Average metric credited him at +9 outs, ranking him among the game’s 15 best overall outfielders.

Broxton certainly has his warts, but the 27-year-old is controllable through the 2022 season and won’t even be arbitration-eligible until next offseason at the earliest (when he’s likely to be a Super Two player). In many regards, he fits the criteria of what the Giants are looking for in a minimum-salary center field option. He’s also out of minor league options, so if he’s not going to play a role on the Brewers in 2018, he figures to be traded.

Santana, meanwhile, is controlled through the 2021 season and is coming off an excellent season in which he batted .278/.371/.505 with 30 homers and 29 doubles. His superior production in 2017 would assuredly make him a costlier asset in trade talks with the Brewers, though he’s also a vastly superior asset for the Brewers when attempting to pry a big league starter away from clubs in trade talks.

Brett Phillips stands out as another potentially available outfielder currently in the Brewers’ mix. The 23-year-old hit .276/.351/.448 with four homers and five steals through 98 PAs as a rookie this past season, though like Broxton, he struggled with a sky-high strikeout rate (34.7 percent). The strikeout woes weren’t limited to that brief MLB exposure, either, as Phillips whiffed at a 29.9 percent clip in the minors, too. He also posted BABIP marks north of .400 in both the Majors and Triple-A in 2017, suggesting that his production was somewhat overstated. Nonetheless, the former top prospect should draw interest, as he’s controllable all the way through 2023 and does have minor league options remaining.

While the Brewers’ now considerable outfield surplus makes the possibility of a trade fairly obvious, the team could also still pursue starters on the free-agent market. Rosenthal characterizes a signing of Yu Darvish or Alex Cobb as unlikely, though the market for starters has been stagnant to the point that nearly every lower-tier option remains available for the Brewers to explore.

Brewers Reportedly Interested In Lorenzo Cain, Open To Trading Current Outfielders

By Steve Adams | January 4, 2018 at 11:27am CDT

The Brewers possess a wealth of young MLB-ready options in the outfield, but Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports (subscription required and recommended) that Milwaukee has nonetheless expressed interest in Lorenzo Cain, who has been a “frequent topic of conversation” for Brewers officials this winter.

Milwaukee has Ryan Braun, Keon Broxton and Domingo Santana currently aligned in the outfield, with 23-year-old Brett Phillips also factoring prominently into the mix and top prospect Lewis Brinson looming in Triple-A. One possible outcome, according to Rosenthal, is that the Brewers could deal from their current outfield depth to add a controllable rotation option and make room for Cain. He’s not the only one to report on such a possibility as of late, either; Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle tweeted yesterday that Milwaukee is open to dealing Broxton or, for a much more significant haul, Santana.

Of the incumbent group of outfielders, any of Broxton, Brinson, Santana or Phillips would figure to draw plenty of interest, though the Brewers showed no inclination to make Brinson available at the non-waiver trade deadline. Each of that group is controllable for either four (Santana), five (Broxton) or six (Brinson, Phillips) full seasons.

Broxton has a penchant for strikeouts and is OBP-challenged as a result, but he’s coming off a 20-homer, 20-steal season with the potential to be an asset on defense. While Defensive Runs Saved (-7) and Ultimate Zone Rating (-2.2) were down on his glove in 2017, Statcast’s Outs Above Average metric pegged him at +9, thus placing him among the game’s best outfielders, and his excellent speed gives him plenty of range in center.

Santana is fresh off a strong .278/.371/.505 slash and 30 homers, though he’s best suited for corner outfield duty (despite some experience in center). For a team seeking an offensive boost in right or left field, he’d be an extremely appealing target, but his controllable nature and strong 2017 play are undoubtedly the reasons that Schulman suggested Santana would require parting with “a ton” in any trade.

As for Brinson and Phillips, both are capable of manning center field and both have at various points been considered among baseball’s very best prospects. Brinson currently holds that distinction in the eyes of many after hitting .331/.400/.562 in Triple-A last year, though he struggled mightily in 55 MLB plate appearances. Phillips’ star has faded due to an alarming strikeout problem (29.8 percent in both Double-A and Triple-A, 34.7 percent in the Majors). He still managed to post strong numbers in Triple-A and in the Majors last year, though both of those batting lines were fueled by BABIPs north of .400.

A trade of Braun doesn’t seem especially likely given that he’s owed $72MM over the next four seasons (including a $4MM buyout on a 2022 option and $18MM in deferred salary) and can veto any trade thanks to his 10-and-5 rights.

Signing Cain, who rejected the Royals’ qualifying offer, would cost the Brewers their third-highest selection in the 2018 draft as well as the slot money that comes with that pick. (That would be their selectionin Competitive Balance Round B, which is currently No. 74 overall.) That’d obviously represent somewhat of a deterrent, though the Brewers may look at signing Cain and addressing their rotation via trade as a means of more financially palatable course of action than signing Jake Arrieta, Alex Cobb or Lance Lynn (each of whom would also require the forfeiture of that pick after rejecting their own QOs).

Milwaukee has been tied to virtually every top starter on the market to varying degrees, ranging from Arrieta and Lynn earlier in the offseason to Cobb shortly before the New Year. If GM David Stearns and his staff have deemed asking prices for free agency’s most meaningful rotation upgrades too sizable, there’s logic to spending on Cain and then utilizing organizational depth to fortify the starting corps. That, of course, assumes Cain can be had at a more reasonable price point. Ultimately, the possibility of adding Cain and addressing the rotation via trade is likely just one of many avenues that the Brewers are exploring at present as they seek to remain competitive in a strong NL Central division.

Giants Among Teams Showing Interest In Domingo Santana

By Jeff Todd | December 10, 2017 at 8:34am CDT

SUNDAY: The Giants also have interest in Broxton, per Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link). After breaking out during an abbreviated 2016 campaign, Broxton took steps backward last season, hitting .220/.299/.420 across 463 PAs and earning poor marks in center field (minus-7 Defensive Runs Saved, minus-2.2 Ultimate Zone Rating). The soon-to-be 28-year-old still managed to rack up 20 homers and 21 stolen bases, however, and comes with five years of team control.

FRIDAY: The Brewers are “getting hits” on quite a few outfielders, according to a report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (Twitter link). That includes Domingo Santana, who has been pursued by teams including the Giants.

It’s hardly surprising to hear that rival organizations are prodding the Brewers to move an outfielder. The team has numerous talented players that fit several different profiles. Veteran Ryan Braun is unlikely to be traded, per the report, due at least in part to his no-trade rights. But with a few other roster needs and other areas to upgrade, it’s certainly reasonable to think that Milwaukee is amenable to considering a move involving some of its other outfielders.

Santana is likely the most valuable player of the bunch. He’s just 25, is controllable for four more seasons (one of them at the league minimum), and is fresh off of a season in which he posted a .278/.371/.505 slash with thirty home runs in 607 plate appearances. If the team prefers to keep the established asset, it might consider swaps involving Keon Broxton, Lewis Brinson, or Brett Phillips, each of whom could conceivably be a long-term answer in center field for the Brewers or another team.

Of course, that doesn’t mean the Brewers are offering up any bargains. As Brewers GM David Stearns told MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy today (Twitter link), the club is not exactly anxious to pare back its depth and can still option Brinson and/or Phillips. There’s no question whatsoever that Santana, among others, would only be dealt if the Brewers felt they were receiving compelling value — likely, in a manner that would allow the team to improve both now and in the future. Milwaukee is most clearly in need of starting pitching.

Santana makes for an interesting target for the Giants, who could also compete with the Cardinals for the best outfielders on the free agent and trade markets after being spurned by Giancarlo Stanton. San Francisco is clearly working through a variety of possibilities now that the Stanton deal won’t be happening. Rosenthal also notes that San Francisco has maintained its interest in free agent outfielder Jay Bruce, and MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand tweets that the same holds true of Lorenzo Cain.

NL Notes: Broxton, Marlins, Garcia, Reed, Dodgers

By charliewilmoth | July 22, 2017 at 12:40pm CDT

The Brewers have announced that they’ve optioned center fielder Keon Broxton to Triple-A Colorado Springs, clearing a roster spot for infielder Eric Sogard to return from the disabled list. It’s been a frustrating season for Broxton, who’s batted just .218/.294/.430 (albeit with 14 home runs and 17 steals) and whiffed 124 times in 326 plate appearances. That performance followed a promising 2016 stretch run that led to a fair amount of offseason hype. The move should create additional playing time for rookie Brett Phillips, who has bounced back and forth between Colorado Springs and the Majors since early June. Here’s more from the National League.

Tagg Romney has left the Jeb Bush / Wayne Rothbaum group currently bidding to buy the Marlins, FanRag’s Jon Heyman writes. The group’s chances of landing the Marlins are now unclear — Romney’s financial commitment to the project was limited, but he had ties to a number of those involved in the group, including former players Tom Glavine, Dave Stewart and Al Leiter.
Interest in Braves starter Jaime Garcia appears to be intensifying after he whiffed four batters and allowed three runs and one walk in seven innings in Los Angeles yesterday, ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick tweets. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand adds (also via Twitter) that there are as many as eight potential trade suitors with varying levels of interest. Yesterday, Garcia appeared to be headed to the Twins, but that deal was scuttled due to a medical issue with a prospect the Braves would have received in return.
The Dodgers are considering trade scenarios involving Mets reliever Addison Reed, ESPN’s Buster Olney tweets. Reed has already been linked to any number of teams, including the Brewers, Red Sox and Yankees. He’s collected 16 saves with the Mets this season but obviously would be highly unlikely to displace Kenley Jansen in Los Angeles, likely complementing him in a late-inning role. Reed has a 2.35 ERA, 9.2 K/9 and a terrific 1.2 BB/9 in 46 innings this season, after which he’ll be eligible for free agency.

Brewers Notes: Villar, Broxton, Jungmann

By Steve Adams | April 6, 2017 at 9:03pm CDT

Melvin Roman, the agent for Brewers infielder Jonathan Villar (among others), said today on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (Twitter link) that Villar is “willing to bet on himself and go year-to-year unless they approach us with a contract that makes sense.” Villar reportedly rejected an extension this offseason that would’ve guaranteed him around $20MM. While it’s difficult to dissect that offer without knowing the exact amount and length, there are several instances of players in Villar’s service class securing quite a bit more.

Jason Kipnis, Matt Carpenter and Rougned Odor each signed in the vicinity of $50MM. The Brewers could rightly argue that Villar doesn’t have the track record that any of those three players did upon signing, of course, though Roman could cite Jose Ramirez’s $26MM deal and Villar’s superior power/speed numbers in arguing for a larger sum. Or, the two sides could go the route that the Twins went with Brian Dozier when he signed a four-year, $20MM deal that locked in his arbitration salaries but didn’t extend the club’s control. That’s all just a quick and rudimentary look at some recent comps, with the greater takeaway perhaps being that Villar isn’t inclined to take an especially club-friendly deal at the risk of short-changing himself.

Central Notes: Tigers, Cabrera, Carrasco, Brantley, Broxton, Brewers, Twins

By Jeff Todd | March 17, 2017 at 10:43pm CDT

The Tigers are continuing to scan the market for center field upgrades, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. Detroit has been looking around for more options throughout camp, though perhaps the time isn’t quite ripe to make a move with other organizations holding onto their depth until their own situations are resolved. Rosenthal notes that JaCoby Jones has shown most impressively thus far among the in-house competitors with a .346/.393/.615 batting line. Alex Presley has also hit well this spring, though he has spent most of his time in the majors in a corner spot, while fellow competitors Tyler Collins and Mikie Mahtook have each struggled at the plate in game action.

Here’s more from the central divisions:

Miguel Cabrera left yesterday’s WBC action with back tightness, but Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said he’s not concerned with his star’s health, as Evan Woodberry of MLive.com reports. Team Venezuela skipper Omar Vizquel, who’s also a member of the Detroit coaching staff, notified Ausmus that it’s nothing more than a minor issue.
The Indians received positive health updates on two critical players, as MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian reports. Carlos Carrasco is ready to begin throwing again, with the organization expressing optimism that his elbow soreness was little more than a blip. Meanwhile, outfielder Michael Brantley “feels good” after a five-inning appearance on the minor-league side of camp. His shoulder health remains a major variable for the defending American League champs.
The Brewers pulled center fielder Keon Broxton from the team’s game today after he experienced soreness in his surgically repaired wrist, as Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports (Twitter links). Fortunately, though, it’s just a minor bone chip that’s said not to represent a significant concern. Broxton impressed in his limited time in the bigs last year and is hitting a scorching .395/.489/.737 in 14 games this spring, so the club is undoubtedly relieved that it can still look forward to a full season from the 26-year-old.
Of course, the Brewers are also hoping that another wave of young outfielders will push Broxton and others before long. The organization plans to field a Triple-A outfield of Lewis Brinson, Ryan Cordell, and Brett Phillips, Haudricourt further writes. That’s at least somewhat surprising in the case of Phillips, Haudricourt notes, given his rough 2016 campaign at Double-A.
Twins GM Thad Levine spoke with MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand about a variety of topics in his first spring with his new organization. He says the Twins are hoping to avoid the lengthy rebuilding processes that some other organizations have pursued in recent years, citing the “wealth of young talent” the club will field at the major league level. The 103-loss 2016 campaign was something of an anomaly, he suggests, given the talent level. While the hyped Minnesota position players are well known, Levine also suggests there’s some cause for optimism in the pitching staff. He suggests there’s “some burgeoning pitching talent” on hand and also notes that he expects better health — and results — from Phil Hughes and others. There’s plenty more to digest from the interview for the Twins’ faithful.

Quick Hits: Rockies, Brewers, Yankees, Mariners

By Connor Byrne | November 5, 2016 at 10:37pm CDT

Royals bench coach Don Wakamatsu is no longer in the running for the Rockies’ managerial job, reports Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com. Both the Rockies and Diamondbacks interviewed Wakamatsu, whose previous experience as a manager came with Seattle from 2009-10. Arizona ended up hiring Torey Lovullo, leaving Colorado as the majors’ only skipper-less team.

Here’s more from around baseball:

Tampa Bay police arrested Brewers center fielder Keon Broxton on a misdemeanor trespass charge Friday morning, per Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Broxton’s arrest came after the 26-year-old refused to leave the area of a fight. According to the police report, Broxton was “extremely intoxicated,” “hostile” and had “visible injuries to his face but declined medical attention.” Broxton got out of jail on $500 bond a few hours after his arrest and later issued a statement apologizing to the Brewers, their fans and law enforcement officials. “I will learn from this incident and I will certainly make better decisions moving forward,” he said (Twitter link via Haudricourt).
Yankees catcher Brian McCann could end up on the move via trade this offseason, but general manager Brian Cashman is bullish about keeping him as the team’s main insurance behind young star Gary Sanchez. “Based on his success the past season, Sanchez is the everyday catcher,’’ Cashman told George A. King III of the New York Post. “[McCann] can DH and catch a minimum of two games a week. We have two power-hitting catchers, one right and one left who hit 20 homers.’’ The Yankees highly value McCann, having reportedly asked the Braves for underrated center fielder Ender Inciarte or promising right-hander Mike Foltynewicz in return. Even if the Braves were amenable to giving up one of those players, McCann – who’s owed $34MM through 2018 – has a full no-trade clause and would have been able to veto the deal. “If we need to address something from the Yankees, they will let us know,’’ McCann’s agent, BB Abbott, told King via email. “Until then, we are allowing the club the space to run and build their club.’’
The Mariners concluded the 2016 season with a payroll near $150MM, a franchise record, and owner John Stanton told Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times he’s unsure if the club will spend more than that next year. However, Stanton would be open to a payroll increase if general manager Jerry Dipoto were to insist on one. “If Jerry came to us and said there was the one piece that I think we needed to be successful, I think we’d go out and get it,” said Stanton, who took over the Mariners in August. “I just hate to lose,” he added. The Mariners have now gone a league-worst 15 straight years without a playoff berth, though they did finish with a respectable 86-76 record this past season. Jason Martinez of MLBTR and Roster Resource estimates that the M’s have roughly $129MM committed toward next year’s team.

Keon Broxton Suffers Fractured Wrist

By Jeff Todd | September 16, 2016 at 3:30pm CDT

Brewers outfielder Keon Broxton will miss the tail end of the season after breaking his wrist today at Wrigley Field, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports on Twitter. Broxton was injured in a collision with the outfield wall.

It’s an unfortunate way to end what has been a promising campaign for the 26-year-old Broxton. Over 242 plate appearances, he owns a .238/.349/.427 batting line with nine home runs and 22 stolen bases. That’s quite a useful output for a player who draws rave reviews for his glovework in center field.

Long an intriguing prospect, Broxton had fallen out of favor as he failed to fully develop on the field despite evident tools and athletic ability. Though he posted solid offensive numbers in the upper minors over 2014-15, Broxton received only a brief MLB call-up with the Pirates — who had picked him up after the Diamondbacks lost patience.

Milwaukee has been rewarded thus far after taking a crack at unlocking Broxton’s talent in the winter swap that sent Jason Rogers to Pittsburgh. Rogers flat-out raked during his time at Triple-A this year, earning a well-deserved promotion. Now, so long as he is able to return to full health over the winter, it seems that Broxton will enter camp as the favorite to serve as the Brewers’ primary center fielder.

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