Brewers First Baseman Latest to Unexpectedly Step Into Big Role for the Team
In early June, the Milwaukee Brewers found themselves in a bit of a conundrum. They were planning to call up top pitching prospect Jacob Misiorowski, but to do so meant moving someone from the rotation. The choice ended up being Aaron Civale.
Advertisement
The choice made sense. Civale was the worst performing member of the rotation, so he was told he would be shifting to the bullpen. It wasn't a shocker, then (outside of it being so public) that he wound up requesting a trade.
The Brewers didn't have much leverage in the matter seeing that Civale was a rental with an ERA around 5.00, so anything they got in return for him would have to do. They ended up striking a deal with the White Sox and received 'failed' first round pick Andrew Vaughn.
Vaughn, a first baseman, was the third overall pick by Chicago back in 2019. But after parts of five seasons in the majors, he had mostly disappointed and been relegated to the minors. The Brewers brought him in hoping to tap into that potential and turn his career back around.
Vaughn performed well at Triple-A Nashville while awaiting his next shot at the big leagues. He finally got it this week and immediately capitalized.
Advertisement
First baseman Andrew Vaughn made his presence known right away for the Brewers.
After a tag play on an errant throw caused starting Brewers first baseman Rhys Hoskins to wind up with a sprained thumb, it was announced that he would be out for around six weeks. That paved the way for Vaughn's Milwaukee debut against the Dodgers on Monday.
Vaughn announced his arrival with authority. With two on and two out in the bottom of the first against L.A. All-Star Yoshinobu Yamamoto, he ambushed a 2-2 pitch above the zone for a three-run bomb that set the tone for a dominant 9-1 Brewers win.
The 27-year-old would pick up another hit and RBI in a 3-1 victory the following day before sitting the series finale. However, he would enter the game in the bottom of the ninth with the Crew down and deliver a game-tying RBI. The Brewers would eventually win 3-2 in 10 innings to complete the sweep.
Advertisement
Vaughn's start with the Brewers has gone just about as well as a player could imagine. It also is another example of a player contributing in a much bigger way than anyone expected.
Both on the field and on the mound, the Brewers have had unexpected players step up in huge ways.
If I were to ask you before the season which primary Brewers outfielder would have the highest OPS as of July 10, how many guesses would it take you to get to the correct answer: Isaac Collins? Would you have even remembered he was a possible option?
Sure enough, after picking up a hit, a walk, and a steal in the final game of the Dodgers series, it's Collins leading the team's outfield unit with a .776 OPS on the season. He also sits second on the team overall behind just DH Christian Yelich.
Advertisement
Not bad for a Rule 5 minor league draft pick.
Collins' chances of making the Opening Day roster were originally iffy considering the outfield depth that the team was supposed to have. However, a late spring injury to Blake Perkins opened the door for him to be the backup outfielder to start the season.
Then in late April, starting center fielder Garrett Mitchell went down with another long-term injury which resulted in more starts for Collins in left. The more playing time he got, the more he showed how much he deserved to be a major leaguer.
Collins not only has done well at the plate with a .270/.370/.405 slash line, but he has excelled in the field as well. Among left fielders with at least 400 innings played, he is tied for fifth in MLB with five defensive runs saved and first with seven outs above average.
Advertisement
Over on the pitching side, the Brewers did the best they could to load up on starting depth to avoid scenarios from previous years where injuries ravaged the rotation. And yet, they still ended up tapping into that depth way earlier than they planned to.
One player that fans likely didn't expect to see so much on the mound was rookie Chad Patrick. Instead of being a spot starter at best like many probably imagined, he made the Opening Day roster and then made his first start in the fifth game of the year against the Royals on April 1.
Patrick put up a good showing, throwing 4.2 scoreless outings on three hits and three walks while striking out five. More importantly, it helped give the Brewers their first win of the season.
As the season went on, Patrick continued to get better. By the end of May, he was sitting at 3-4 with a 2.97 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, and a .246 batting average against. His name was also being floated around as a dark horse contender for NL Rookie of the Year.
Advertisement
A more rough month of June plus the long-awaited return of starter Brandon Woodruff has since squeezed Patrick out of the rotation and back to the minors. His performance showed, though, that he's likely to be a big part of Milwaukee's future, both this year and beyond.
Every season sees players come out of seemingly nowhere to contribute for a MLB team. Without the contributions of the above three, it's hard to imagine where the Brewers would be at this point in the season.
Related: Pedro Martinez Gives High Praise of Brewers Rookie Sensation
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
28 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Dolphins sign former Raiders, Patriots cornerback Jack Jones to one-year deal
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins added needed help to their secondary on Saturday, signing cornerback Jack Jones to a one-year deal. Jones had 69 tackles, three interceptions— one returned for a touchdown — and 15 pass breakups in 16 starts for the Raiders last season. The Raiders released him earlier this year. A fourth-round draft pick by New England in 2022, Jones played two up-and-down seasons for the Patriots before being released and claimed off waivers by Las Vegas in 2023. Jones played in 24 games and started 19 for Las Vegas, intercepting five passes and returning three for touchdowns. He also found himself out of position several times and allowed opposing receivers to make big plays. His four defensive touchdowns are the second most in the NFL since he entered the league in 2022. The Raiders released him earlier this year. Miami was in the market for a starting-caliber cornerback after trading All-Pro Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers last month. The Dolphins this offseason added several cornerbacks that are expected to compete for roster spots. One, veteran Artie Burns, went on injured reserve this week after suffering a torn ACL on the first day of training camp. Also Saturday, the Dolphins waived cornerback Ryan Cooper Jr. ___ AP NFL:
Associated Press
30 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Dolphins sign former Raiders, Patriots cornerback Jack Jones to one-year deal
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins added needed help to their secondary on Saturday, signing cornerback Jack Jones to a one-year deal. Jones had 69 tackles, three interceptions— one returned for a touchdown — and 15 pass breakups in 16 starts for the Raiders last season. The Raiders released him earlier this year. A fourth-round draft pick by New England in 2022, Jones played two up-and-down seasons for the Patriots before being released and claimed off waivers by Las Vegas in 2023. Jones played in 24 games and started 19 for Las Vegas, intercepting five passes and returning three for touchdowns. He also found himself out of position several times and allowed opposing receivers to make big plays. His four defensive touchdowns are the second most in the NFL since he entered the league in 2022. The Raiders released him earlier this year. Miami was in the market for a starting-caliber cornerback after trading All-Pro Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers last month. The Dolphins this offseason added several cornerbacks that are expected to compete for roster spots. One, veteran Artie Burns, went on injured reserve this week after suffering a torn ACL on the first day of training camp. Also Saturday, the Dolphins waived cornerback Ryan Cooper Jr. ___ AP NFL:
NBC News
30 minutes ago
- NBC News
As Ichiro Suzuki becomes 1st Asian MLB Hall of Famer, Asian players share how he paved the way for them
For baseball fans across the country, outfielder Ichiro Suzuki's induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame this weekend is the capstone to a storied career of broken records. But for players of Asian descent, it's also a profound moment of recognition and visibility. Suzuki, who spent the majority of his 19 years in Major League Baseball with the Seattle Mariners, will be the first Asian player to be added to the historic hall in Cooperstown, New York. Asian and Asian Americans across the league spoke to NBC News, reflecting on their favorite Suzuki moments and how his performance on the field helped usher in a generation of players who sought to follow in his footsteps. 'He was a player who looked like me: Left-handed, played the outfield,' said Cleveland Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan, who's of Japanese and Chinese descent. 'It kind of gave me hope at a really young age to see that someone who looks like me, plays like me, is able to succeed at the highest level and, not only that, gain the respect of everybody in the league too.' Suzuki joins starting pitcher CC Sabathia and relief pitcher Billy Wagner as part of the class of 2025 to be inducted on Sunday. Other inductees include the late right fielder Dave Parker and first baseman Dick Allen, who died in 2020. Suzuki, who missed a unanimous selection by a single vote, began his U.S. career in 2001 as the first Japanese position player to join MLB. While he wasn't the first ever player from Japan to join the big leagues — pitcher Masanori Murakami played a short stint with the San Francisco Giants in 1964, and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo had a 13-year career in the States — Suzuki was by far the most successful. In his almost two decades in the league, Suzuki made a name for himself as an elite contact hitter and a defensive genius who was also known to ham it up for those who played with him and serve impeccable style. His career includes 10 All-Star selections, 10 Gold Glove awards and three Silver Slugger awards. His time in MLB contributed to more Japanese players exploring careers in the U.S. Kwan, a two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner in his own right, said growing up, it was critical for him to see a player who never hid his Japanese heritage, always embraced his background and took the field as simply himself. Suzuki's baseball IQ also made a lasting impression on the Guardians outfielder. When Suzuki was on the Miami Marlins in 2015, he faked out Joaquin Arias of the San Francisco Giants, keeping Arias from scoring on a double to the right-field wall. 'He was near the end of his career. … And even in his older age, he still had the baseball IQ to make it look like he was going to catch the ball, field the ball off the wall cleanly,' Kwan said. 'I just remember that at the end of his career he was still making an impact. That was special to me.' Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll said that as an Asian American who grew up in Seattle and frequently attended Mariners games, he was similarly in awe of Suzuki. Carroll, who's of Taiwanese descent, said he still remembers sitting in the right-field bleachers with his family as his mother snapped a photo of Suzuki striking his signature pose. 'That's one of my earliest memories. The photo I kept in my room as I was growing up and still have to this day,' Carroll said. Carroll, who in 2023 became the first Asian American MLB Rookie of the Year, said that all those years watching the Japanese trailblazer 'made me feel like maybe one day I could do it and play at that level,' he said. 'When kids grow up seeing someone who they can relate to in some way, it can inspire them and give them hope to do something big,' Carroll, a two-time All-Star, said. Suzuki previously told NBC News that he didn't set out to 'perform for Asians' but was more than aware that his performance would impact the group in addition to his home country of Japan. And he had to excel. 'As a player from Japan, as a guy that had led the league in hitting all seven years, and then coming over being a first position player, I knew that I would be judged. And Japan baseball will be judged on how I did,' Suzuki said. 'If I wasn't able to produce, then they would judge Japan baseball as being at a lower level. And so that pressure was there and that's what I had to carry.' Bryan Woo, an All-Star pitcher for the Mariners, admitted that as a player of Chinese descent from Oakland, California, he may not have been the biggest Seattle fan growing up, but he was a fan of Suzuki's. Woo said he was particularly struck by Suzuki's performance in the 2007 All-Star Game in San Francisco, during which he hit an inside-the-park home run. Suzuki, who was crowned MVP of that game, went 3-for-3 that night. And his dinger remains the only inside-the-park home run ever hit during an All-Star game. Woo said that these days, Suzuki, who still works for the Mariners as a special assistant to the chairman, continues to dispense his wisdom, ensuring that progress doesn't stop with his own playing career. 'Guys that have his career and his caliber don't have to do stuff like that, but people that do that go out of their way. That means a lot.' Woo said. Ultimately, Kwan said, Suzuki's place in the Hall of Fame is symbolic of a new era.
