Brewers Sign Former Reds 28-Year-Old to Boost Outfield

It's a frantic week for minor-league signings, and the Milwaukee Brewers are getting in on the fun.

The Brewers feel good about their starting outfield of Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, and Sal Frelick. But Mitchell has been injury-prone through the years, and Chourio missed time as well, so the club has been working on the depth chart for spring training after trading away Isaac Collins in December.

On Tuesday, the Brewers signed 28-year-old outfielder Jacob Hurtubise to a minor-league contract, per the official transactions log. Hurtubise had not been added to the Brewers' list of non-roster invitees as of early Wednesday afternoon, but it's hard to imagine he wouldn't be at major league camp.

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What Hurtubise brings to Milwaukee

Mar 27, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds pinch hitter Jacob Hurtubise (26) scores on a RBI single hit by outfielder TJ Friedl (not pictured) in the ninth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Hurtubise was once an undrafted free-agent signing for the Cincinnati Reds out of Army in 2021. He did well to get himself to the majors by 2024, playing 29 games for the Reds that season, then 12 last year.

In his brief stints in the majors, Hurtubise has batted .167 with a .503 OPS. He's still looking for his first major league home run, and he's only hit 11 of those in over 300 games in the minors, so power would presumably never be a big part of his game if he stuck at the big-league level.

The Brewers love athleticism from their outfielders, and Hurtubise fits that mold. He's racked up 130 stolen bases in parts of five seasons in the minors, and in a very small major league sample size, he has a fielding run value of one in left field.

After the Reds designated Hurtubise for assignment last season, he had brief stints with the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros organizations, but never made either club's big-league roster.

Realistically, the Brewers are probably expecting Hurtubise to start the year in Triple-A alongside fellow newcomer Jordyn Adams and a few others, then potentially earn a call-up if someone gets injured again. Milwaukee also has Blake Perkins as the projected fourth outfielder.

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