The Milwaukee Brewers are actively considering trades involving their depth outfielders, with Isaac Collins and Blake Perkins emerging as the leading candidates for potential moves. According to reports from Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, the team is looking to capitalize on their surplus of outfield talent, particularly with the addition of a much-needed relief pitcher who possesses minor league options for added roster flexibility.
While Collins and Perkins may be on the trading block, standout prospect Jackson Chourio is firmly secure within the organization. The Brewers are also unlikely to entertain offers for Christian Yelich, who is under contract for an impressive $84.5 million over the next three years, including a buyout option for the 2029 season. Notably, Sal Frelick is generating significant interest but is expected to remain with the organization given he has four years of club control remaining. Both Frelick and Chourio seem to have two outfield spots locked, with Yelich expected to transition primarily into designated hitting duties while still occasionally playing left field.
This situation leaves one additional outfield spot up for grabs, which will likely be contested by Collins, Perkins, and former first-round pick Garrett Mitchell. Additionally, the Brewers have speedster Brandon Lockridge available as a fifth outfielder and recently signed Akil Baddoo to a split contract. With many of these players having minor league options, the Brewers aren’t under pressure to finalize a trade immediately but are willing to consider it for enhancements elsewhere in their roster.
Collins recently had a noteworthy season where he finished fourth in National League Rookie of the Year voting, displaying a strong performance with a batting line of .263/.368/.411 over 441 plate appearances. His stats included 22 doubles, three triples, and nine home runs, alongside 16 stolen bases and a solid walk rate of 13%. As Milwaukee’s primary left fielder, Collins also showed competence in defense, earning between two and three wins above replacement throughout the season. With five seasons under club control and no arbitration eligibility for two years, his future potential makes him a desirable asset, despite concerns regarding whether he can replicate his previous success.
On the other hand, Perkins, age 29, embodies the role of a classic fourth outfielder. He has a career batting average of .232 with a .314 on-base percentage, having accumulated 773 plate appearances. While he has notable speed and defensive skills, particularly as a center fielder, his offensive capabilities have been less impactful due to a tendency to strike out more than Collins. Perkins will be playing next season for near the league minimum and is under club control for four seasons, making him an appealing candidate for teams in need of center-field depth.
The Brewers’ strategy may also hinge on their evaluation of Garrett Mitchell, who is set to enter his age-27 season. A physically impressive player with speed and power, he has yet to fully demonstrate his potential at the MLB level, partly due to recurring injury issues. Mitchell’s history of injuries, which includes three consecutive seasons on the 60-day injured list, raises concerns about his reliability as a long-term solution in center field. If the Brewers believe in his ability to become their primary center fielder, it would shift Frelick and Chourio to the corner positions, likely making Collins the odd man out.
Conversely, if the Brewers are uncertain about Mitchell’s capacity to stay healthy and produce, they might position Frelick in center field while re-establishing Collins in left. This scenario would have Mitchell and Perkins vying for the fourth outfield role, with Perkins potentially still in consideration for trade. Overall, the Brewers find themselves in a unique situation, balancing the need for a strong outfield rotation with the potential for strategic trades to address other areas of their roster.
