Brewers Lose 27-Year-Old Speedster To Rockies In Free Agency

Is there a scenario where the Brewers regret letting him go?

Jul 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; General view of a players cap and glove of the Colorado Rockies during the ninth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Speed is part of the identity of the Milwaukee Brewers, and that extended to the Triple-A roster this past season.

The Nashville Sounds had two players steal 40-plus bases for them this season, and a third player who joined halfway through the year wound up with 40 in total. That third guy was outfielder Drew Avans, a 27-year-old who came to the Milwaukee organization in June after being claimed off waivers from the Athletics.

Avans played just one major league game for the Brewers before being designated for assignment, but his total body of work in 2025 prompted a new team to give him a look on a minor-league deal for the upcoming season.

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Drew Avans signs with Rockies for 2026 spring training

After electing free agency at the end of his season with the Brewers, Avans signed a minor-league deal with the Colorado Rockies, according to the transactions log on his official roster page. The deal was dated Nov. 14, though it wasn't reported anywhere until several days later.

In 52 games for Nashville, Avans slashed .251/.329/.367, stole 24 bases, and was caught only three times. He's not a power hitter (eight home runs in 100 total minor league games this year), but he has decent on-base skills, and his speed figures to be a weapon on defense as well.

The Rockies always need speed in their outfield, because Coors Field has the most surface area of any ballpark in the majors, and Colorado's path to victories in the future will be stacking up a lot of triples on offense while limiting them on defense.

Of course, the Rockies also won just 43 games this season, so it could be a while before they're a serious threat to the Brewers and any of their National League counterparts. To a fringe player like Avans, though, Colorado's futility represents opportunity, as a good showing in spring training could lead to a major league roster spot sometime early in the year.

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