Brewers 25-Year-Old Star Quietly Emerging as 3B Solution

The Milwaukee Brewers made a shocking trade earlier this offseason that sent Caleb Durbin and two other infielders to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Kyle Harrison, David Hamilton, and Shane Drohan.

While this traded landed them a solid return, it opened a massive void on the roster at third base. The Brewers have a few internal options to replace Durbin and they're likely going to explore each potential internal option.

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Just Baseball's Joey Peterson recently suggested the Brewers could replace Durbin by sliding star outfielder Sal Frelick back into the infield this season.

Sal Frelick could be a possible solution at third base

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick (10) throws in the outfield during spring training workouts Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at American Family Fields of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona. | Dave Kallmann / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Do the Brewers open the door to moving Sal Frelick to third base once again, an experiment they toyed with in spring training of last year? Arnold suggested on Monday that it is certainly a possibility," Peterson wrote. "This is likely the most far-fetched option on this list, but it’s not out of the question.

"Frelick is coming off a career year in 2025, posting 3.6 fWAR while hitting .288 with a 114 wRC+. Given that he is a lock to play Gold Glove-caliber defense in right field, subtracting his glove from the outfield would be a major risk. What’s more, moving him away from the position he has gotten so comfortable with could stunt his development as an MLB player. It would, though, allow all the puzzle pieces to fit together. If the Brewers believe that the outfield is Jett Williams’ the best path for success in 2026, then this route would allow him to get those reps."

This is a very intriguing idea for the Brewers to explore, but it might not make much sense.

Felick is one of the best defensive outfielders in the league right now and he's coming off back-to-back impressive defensive seasons.

But if Jett Williams is a better outfielder than infielder, this idea could make some sense. They could slide Frelick into third base if he plays the position well this spring. This would allow Williams to fit perfectly in the lineup as an outfielder.

It's a very intriguing idea, but it seems unlikely. The Brewers will likely explore every other internal option before trying Frelick at third base.

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