X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Milwaukee Brewers - 2017 Fantasy MLB Team Preview and Outlooks

As we wrap up our MLB team previews, it's time to preview one of the young, upcoming teams in the National League with the 2017 Milwaukee Brewers Team Outlook.

The Brewers finished last season 73-89, but are a team that should be on the rise despite a relatively quiet offseason.

We'll take a look at the team's notable additions, losses, offense, pitching and prospects. Remember, nobody gets you prepared for the upcoming season like RotoBaller!

Be sure to check all of our preseason fantasy baseball rankings for Roto, Points, H2H, dynasty, best ball, prospects and more:

 

Offseason Moves

Key Additions: Jett Bandy, Eric Thames, Neftali Feliz, Travis Shaw

Key Departures: Chris Carter, Tyler Thornburg, Martin Maldonado

The Brewers are still in rebuild mode, even though they aren't the youngest team around, so there wasn't much money flying off the table at free agents this offseason. Their most notable addition came from the Korean League in the form of ex-MLB player Eric Thames. They hope he will fill the power void at first left by NL HR champ Chris Carter, who found few suitors on the free agent market before settling on a one-year deal with the Yankees.  They also flipped catchers, opting for Jett Bandy instead of Martin Maldonado in order to get younger at the position. Bandy has very modest offensive upside, but Maldonado had already proven he wasn't going to do much with Major League pitching with a .217/.299/.342 career slash. The biggest move the Brew Crew made was sending reliever Tyler Thornburg to Boston in exchange for three players. Travis Shaw should become the regular third baseman. With Thornburg dealt, just like Jeremy Jeffress and Will Smith last season, Feliz may start the year as the closer.

 

Hitting Overview 

Ryan Braun is still the star here and he has remained consistent over the past couple of seasons. In fact, his homer total (30) surged to its highest point since 2012, just before his PED scandal broke. It's encouraging to see that he can still produce near-elite power totals along with a .305/.365/.538 line, although some caution should be taken here as his FB% is actually declining. Nevertheless, he is still worthy of being a #1 outfielder on any fantasy team. The rest of the Milwaukee outfield is rife with untapped potential. Keon Broxton is a popular breakout candidate this year after finishing his rookie year with nine homers and 23 steals in just 207 at-bats. Domingo Santana projects as more of a power prospect, but has only hit .239 with 19 HR and 58 RBI in less than a season's worth of plate appearances. Both Broxton and Santana are worth late-round picks.

The infield is less appealing, with the Brewers relying on new additions Travis Shaw and Eric Thames to man the corner spots. Thames is a popular sleeper this season, but will have to prove he can readjust to Major League hitting after four years overseas. Orlando Arcia is a defensive-minded shortstop who doesn't necessarily warrant rostering in most leagues. Hernan Perez was a sneaky source of steals off the waiver wire last season, but will remain in a utility role, limiting his value. The lone bright spot is last year's super-value player, Jonathan Villar, who will shift to second base. He is being drafted in the second round on average and will need to keep his stolen base total above 50, along with 15-20 homers once again in order to provide adequate return.

 

Pitching Overview

On paper, Milwaukee's rotation looks better than it really is. The "ace" of this staff is Matt Garza, who posted solid ratios in his 20s, but has put up ERAs of 5.63 and 4.51 the last two injury-riddled seasons., making him mainly an NL-only option. Junior Guerra and Zach Davies were valuable free agent pickups in 2016, with Guerra  finishing a surprisingly effective rookie campaign at the age of 31. Neither proved to be a good source of strikeouts, however, leaving them as deep-league options. Wily Peralta and Jimmy Nelson have yet to live up to their potential and are not fantasy-relevant in any way.

After trading away most of their bullpen, the Brewers will look to Neftali Feliz to close games initially. He was effective as a setup man in Pittsburgh last season, striking out 10.2 per nine innings. He doesn't possess ideal control for a closer, however, and was susceptible to the long ball last year (1.7 HR/9). Corey Knebel or Michael Blazek are likely to be the next in line for saves.

 

Prospects Overview

The most notable members of the Milwaukee farm system are a pair of outfielders and starting pitchers. Lewis Brinson came over from Texas in exchange for Jonathan Lucroy last season and projects to be a star in the making. He had a slow start in Double-A last season, but mashed to the tune of .382 with four homers and 20 RBI in 89 at-bats in Colorado Springs upon being moved. Corey Ray was the fifth overall pick in last year's draft, but with just a year of A-ball under his belt, he is a ways off from joining the 40-man roster.

The staff may get a boost this season if Josh Hader can live up to his potential. A hard-throwing lefty who racks up huge strikeout numbers, Hader is worth consideration in dynasty leagues. Jorge Lopez was hit hard in his first two Major League appearances last season, as he was in Triple-A, but still has the talent to stay on fantasy radars as a long-term prospect.

 

Conclusion

Milwaukee isn't thought of as a team rife with fantasy talent, but that is slowly changing. The Brewers' starting rotation should be mostly ignored, but they could have one of the most talented outfields in the majors if things fall right. Braun and Villar are still the stars here, but both are candidates for regression and should be approached with a slight bit of caution in drafts.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Player Comparisons
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Al Horford9 hours ago

Back On The Injury Report
Derrick White9 hours ago

Off The Injury Report
TJ Friedl10 hours ago

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Aaron Gordon11 hours ago

Cleared To Face Phoenix
Michael Porter11 hours ago

Jr. Good To Go Wednesday
Nikola Jokic11 hours ago

Playing Against Phoenix
Jackson Chourio11 hours ago

Will Start In Right Field Friday
Jrue Holiday11 hours ago

Might Return On Thursday
Khris Middleton11 hours ago

Expected To Play On Thursday Night
Joel Embiid11 hours ago

To Return Soon?
Jamal Murray11 hours ago

Out Again On Wednesday
Rudy Gobert12 hours ago

Ready To Rock Against Pistons
LeBron James12 hours ago

Officially Active Against Memphis
Eduardo Rodriguez12 hours ago

Starts Throwing Program
Anthony Davis12 hours ago

Won't Play Against Grizzlies
Victor Wembanyama12 hours ago

Playing On Wednesday
Anthony Edwards12 hours ago

Will Play Against Detroit
Garrett Mitchell12 hours ago

Will Miss 6-8 Weeks
Aaron Nesmith12 hours ago

Back For Pacers Wednesday
Alec Burks12 hours ago

Remains Out On Wednesday
Chad Green12 hours ago

To Lead Closer Committee In Toronto?
Mitchell Robinson12 hours ago

Returns For Knicks Wednesday
Erik Swanson12 hours ago

Jordan Romano, Erik Swanson Officially Heading To Injured List
Kevin Gausman13 hours ago

To Make Season Debut Sunday Or Monday
Dejounte Murray13 hours ago

Upgraded To Available
John Konchar13 hours ago

Downgraded To Out
Vince Williams13 hours ago

Jr. Misses Another Game On Wednesday
Giannis Antetokounmpo13 hours ago

Expected To Face The Pelicans
Gleyber Torres14 hours ago

Will Bat Leadoff On Opening Day
Mark Hubbard14 hours ago

Coming Off A Career Performance
Davis Thompson14 hours ago

Looking To Pay Off A Stellar Run Of Ball-Striking
Max Scherzer14 hours ago

Making Solid Progress
Akshay Bhatia14 hours ago

Coming Into Houston With Confidence
Thorbjorn Olesen14 hours ago

Still Trying To Find Footing On U.S. Soil
Patrick Rodgers15 hours ago

Fighting Inconsistencies Heading Into Houston
Malik Nabers15 hours ago

Shines At Pro Day
Carolina Panthers15 hours ago

Jadeveon Clowney Signing Two-Year Deal With Panthers
Jordan Lawlar16 hours ago

To Have Thumb Surgery, Out A Couple Months
Wyndham Clark16 hours ago

Battling Back Injury Ahead of Houston Open
San Francisco 49ers17 hours ago

Talanoa Hufanga Expected To Return At Training Camp
MLB17 hours ago

Braves And Phillies Rained Out On Thursday
Jayden Daniels17 hours ago

Raiders To Meet With Jayden Daniels
MLB17 hours ago

Mets And Brewers To Be Postponed Thursday
Tank Bigsby17 hours ago

Jaguars Want Tank Bigsby More Involved
Will Smith17 hours ago

Inks 10-Year Extension With Dodgers
Josh Reynolds17 hours ago

Signs Two-Year Deal With Broncos
Jon Berti19 hours ago

Yankees Acquire Jon Berti From Marlins
Kodai Senga19 hours ago

Throws Wednesday
Matt McLain19 hours ago

Undergoes Shoulder Surgery
Doug Ghim19 hours ago

Looks To Bounce Back At Houston Open
PGA19 hours ago

Cameron Davis Seeking Consistency Ahead Of Houston Open
Thomas Detry19 hours ago

A Gamble At Houston Open
Ryan Fox19 hours ago

Lacks Upside Heading Into Houston Open
Andrew Novak19 hours ago

Will Be Chalk At Houston Open
Josh Doan21 hours ago

Scores Twice In His NHL Debut
Filip Forsberg21 hours ago

Makes History In Big Comeback Win
Jamie Benn21 hours ago

Scores In Fifth Consecutive Game
Sidney Crosby21 hours ago

Collects Three Points Versus Carolina
Artemi Panarin21 hours ago

Continues Scoring Tear With Three Assists
Joey Daccord21 hours ago

Shuts Out Ducks
Sahith Theegala22 hours ago

Showing Consistency This Season
Wyndham Clark22 hours ago

Working Toward Star Status
Scottie Scheffler23 hours ago

Heads To Houston At His Best
Colton Cowser23 hours ago

Makes Opening Day Roster
Sam Ryder23 hours ago

Putting The Lights Out Of Late
Joel Dahmen23 hours ago

All Systems Go For Joel Dahmen In Houston
Kurt Kitayama23 hours ago

Ready For Houston Debut
Ben Griffin23 hours ago

Finding Form Heading To Houston
Yariel Rodriguez1 day ago

Optioned To Triple-A
Taylor Moore1 day ago

Continues Made-Cut Streak Heading To Houston
Adam Svensson1 day ago

Hoping For Consistency In Houston
Taylor Montgomery1 day ago

Looks To Bounce Back In Houston
Jordan Montgomery1 day ago

Diamondbacks Agree On One-Year Deal
Amon-Ra St. Brown1 day ago

Discussing Extension With Lions
Jared Goff1 day ago

Lions Discussing New Deal
J.K. Dobbins1 day ago

Cleared For Football Activities
Los Angeles Rams1 day ago

Tre'Davious White To Join Rams
Jon Gray2 days ago

Dealing With Stiff Neck
PIT2 days ago

Sam Poulin Recalled From AHL
Jack Quinn2 days ago

Could Return Wednesday
Scott Mayfield2 days ago

Undergoes Season-Ending Surgery
TOR2 days ago

Mitch Marner Skates On His Own Tuesday
Trevor Zegras2 days ago

To Return Tuesday
Justus Annunen2 days ago

Inks Two-Year Extension
Nick Chubb2 days ago

Expected To Start Load Running Next Month
Justin Verlander2 days ago

Throws Successful Live BP Session
D'Andre Swift2 days ago

Bears View D'Andre Swift As Receiving Weapon
Cordarrelle Patterson2 days ago

Signing With Steelers
Sam Howell2 days ago

Seahawks Believe Sam Howell Can Be A Full-Time Starter
Tennessee Titans2 days ago

L'Jarius Sneed Agrees On Four-Year Contract With Titans
Dak Prescott2 days ago

No Indication A Deal Is Coming For Dak Prescott
Calvin Ridley2 days ago

To Have Big Role In Tennessee
Josh Jacobs2 days ago

To Be Used More In Passing Game
Brandon Saad2 days ago

Gets Another Goal In Monday's Loss
Logan Thompson2 days ago

Stretches Winning Streak To Three Games
Shea Theodore2 days ago

Maintains Good Scoring Form With An Assist
Brock Boeser2 days ago

Hits Goal No. 37
Cam Talbot2 days ago

Collects Fourth Consecutive Win
Anze Kopitar2 days ago

Records Fourth Straight Multi-Point Game
Oskar Sundqvist2 days ago

Suffers Knee Injury
Elias Lindholm2 days ago

Sits Out Monday
Jonathan Marchessault2 days ago

Bags Overtime Winner Monday
Pittsburgh Steelers2 days ago

Cameron Heyward Expected To Be Healthy For Training Camp
Zach Wilson2 days ago

Jets Could End Up Keeping Zach Wilson
Jarrett Stidham2 days ago

To Compete For Starting Job
Amanda Ribas3 days ago

Takes Decision Loss
Rose Namajunas3 days ago

Snaps Losing Streak
Edmen Shahbazyan3 days ago

Scores Vicious Comeback Knockout
AJ Dobson3 days ago

Knocked Out In The First Round At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla3 days ago

Gets Back On Track With Submission Win
Luis Pajuelo3 days ago

Submitted In UFC Debut
William Byron3 days ago

Dominates For Victory At COTA
Ty Gibbs3 days ago

Grabs Another Solid Finish At COTA
Chris Buescher3 days ago

Texas Native Chris Buescher Finishes Eighth At COTA
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Kyle Busch Confronts Christopher Bell Following A Top-10 Finish At COTA
Justin Haley3 days ago

Disqualified After Strong COTA Run
Martin Truex Jr3 days ago

. Rounds Out Top Ten At COTA
NASCAR3 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Worms Way Up To Sixth At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen3 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Comes Down to Earth After Mediocre COTA Run
Ross Chastain3 days ago

Ran Well at COTA as Usual Despite Late-Race Fade
Christopher Bell3 days ago

Furious Charge Falls Just Short at COTA
Tyler Reddick3 days ago

Scores Strong Finish of Fifth at COTA
Chase Elliott3 days ago

Finishes 16th at COTA After Lackluster Performance
Billy Quarantillo4 days ago

Suffers Submission Loss At UFC Vegas 89
Youssef Zalal4 days ago

Gets Submission Win In Return To The UFC
Cameron Saaiman4 days ago

Gets Knocked Out At UFC Vegas 89
Payton Talbott4 days ago

Scores KO Win At UFC Vegas 89
Justin Tafa4 days ago

Drops To .500 In The UFC
Karl Williams4 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Kyle Larson4 days ago

Is One Of The Optimal DFS Options For COTA
Denny Hamlin4 days ago

Should Denny Hamlin Be Rostered For DFS Lineups At COTA?
Kaz Grala4 days ago

Is A Serviceable DFS Play For COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Will Start 12th In First COTA Cup Start
Todd Gilliland4 days ago

Is A Sneaky DFS Play With Upside For COTA
William Byron4 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Is A Comfortable DFS Play For COTA
Tyler Reddick4 days ago

the Favorite to Win at COTA
Ty Gibbs4 days ago

Looking for First Career Win at COTA
Rose Namajunas6 days ago

Looks To Get Back In Win Column
Amanda Ribas6 days ago

Set For Main-Event Matchup
Edmen Shahbazyan6 days ago

In Dire Need Of Victory
AJ Dobson6 days ago

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 89
Fernando Padilla6 days ago

Seeking Victory In Third UFC Appearance
Luis Pajuelo6 days ago

Makes His UFC Debut
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF