Angels Sign Former Brewers Prospect to Minor League Contract

J.P. Hoornstra | Jun 11, 2024

Sep 3, 2022; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks' Alek Thomas slides in safely back to first base past the tag of Milwaukee Brewers' Keston Hiura at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Rondone-Arizona Republic / Joe Rondone / USA TODAY NETWORK

Continuing their season-long trend of giving second chances to former heralded prospects whose careers have fallen on hard times, the Angels have signed former Milwaukee Brewers and Detroit Tigers infielder Keston Hiura to a minor league contract.

Hiura, a Southern California native, previously starred on the diamond in Orange County with UC Irvine. Hiura's college stock was so high, the Brewers selected him with the ninth overall pick of the 2017 draft.

Hiura needed just two years to reach the major leagues. He batted .303 with 19 home runs in 84 games as a rookie, and appeared poised to become the Brewers' second baseman for years to come.

The abbreviated 2020 season saw Hiura take a major step back, however, as he slashed .212/.297/.410 and led the National League in strikeouts with 85 in only 217 at-bats. In 2021, Hiura hit .168 at the major league level and split the season between Milwaukee and Triple-A. By 2022, he was no longer an everyday player.

The Detroit Tigers signed Hiura as a free agent on Feb. 19 but released him last week after Hiura batted .232 in 49 Triple-A games.

Hiura will report to Triple-A Salt Lake to begin his Angels career. Now 27, Hiura's next major league game will be his first since Oct. 2022. In 938 major league at-bats, all with the Brewers, Hiura has a .238 average, 50 home runs and 132 RBIs.

The Angels have given second chances to several journeyman bounceback candidates this season, each with varying degrees of success: Aaron Hicks, Niko Goodrum, Willie Calhoun, Miguel Sanó, and Luis Guillorme, among others.