Brewers Sign 25-Year-Old Speedster to Minor-League Deal

Will we ever see Mark Coley II in the majors for Milwaukee?

Apr 21, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; A Milwaukee Brewers hat and glove in the dugout during the seventh inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | David Reginek-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers added a new Double-A depth outfielder on Wednesday. According to the official transactions log, 25-year-old Mark Coley II signed with the Brewers and was assigned to the Biloxi Shuckers.

Coley was a 2023 17th-round draft pick for the Miami Marlins out of the University of Rhode Island. He played 225 games in the Marlins farm system before he was released on Friday. He was assigned to four Marlins affiliates in the span of the last month and did not appear in a game, so it was pretty clear that the organization didn't see a fit for him any longer.

Though nothing about Coley's profile screams "major league debut candidate," the Brewers clearly saw tools they liked. Let's dive into some of them to flesh out the merits of what appears to be a low-risk, minimal ceiling addition.

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What Coley brings to table in Milwaukee system

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

Coley's primary tool, at least according to what he's shown on the field, is speed. In the aforementioned 225-game sample with the Marlins, he stole 61 bases and was caught 11 times. He played 112 of his 206 games on defense in center field, another indicator that the Marlins saw him as. a player with the potential to make an impact with his legs.

Though his all-around numbers have been unspectacular, they also haven't been bad. Coley's slash line in the Marlins' system was .239/.344/.404. He clubbed 12 home runs in 113 games in 2024, but also batted .226, his lowest of three seasons.

Coley never played more than 37 games in a season at the collegiate level, and he only stole 13 bases in 100 games for URI. But the Marlins liked his .880 OPS and 14 home runs enough to take a late-round flier on him, and he started running much more often once he got to the minors.

Either the Brewers just felt like they needed some extra outfield help to shore up the depth chart in the upper levels of the minors, they thought there was something they could unlock in Coley's profile, or perhaps a bit of both.