Brewers 27-Year-Old Star Predicted To Be Team MVP In 2025: 'Worked Maniacally'

Milwaukee's success starts and ends with him

Jul 20, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; A view of the Milwaukee Brewers logo as seen on outfielder Jesse Winker (33) against the Philadelphia Phillies in the sixth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

A lot of people are doubting the Milwaukee Brewers heading into the 2025 season.

Milwaukee has won back-to-back National League Central division titles and three out of the last four, but they lost superstar shortstop Willy Adames and veteran closer Devin Williams this offseason to the San Francisco Giants and New York Yankees, respectively.

Milwaukee’s stock is down due to the departures of Adames and Williams, but what evaluators seem to have forgotten is that Brewers catcher William Contreras — who is very much still on the roster — finished in the top five in NL MVP voting last season and was unquestionably the most valuable player for Milwaukee.

With the 27-year-old Contreras leading the charge, 21-year-old phenom Jackson Chourio trending towards MVP status of his own, and former MVP Christian Yelich returning from injury, the Brewers have much more star power than most give them credit for.

Contreras remains the center of Milwaukee’s solar system, though, which is why ESPN’s Adam McCalvy predicted on Tuesday that the backstop will once again be the Brew Crew’s most valuable ballplayer in 2025.

“Perhaps it’s Chourio’s time to take the mantle,” McCalvy wrote.

“But until someone proves otherwise, the Brewers’ most valuable player in every sense of that word is Contreras, who finished fifth in NL MVP balloting last season and worked maniacally all spring to position himself to move even higher.”

“Voters will judge him on his offensive statistics and WAR, but there’s another, more ethereal job ahead: Can Contreras help hold together a Brewers pitching staff that’s been hit once again by injuries and change?”

Contreras slashed .281/.365/.466 in 2024 to go along with 23 home runs and 92 RBI.

It’s scary to think that his best baseball might be ahead of him. That’s great news for the Brewers and bad news for everyone else in the National League.

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