One MLB Comeback Candidate Makes Plenty of Sense for Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers aren't a team that tends to go out and spend heavily in free agency. Instead, the Brewers grow from within and tend to make strategic moves to build out the roster on a budget.

Clearly, the Brewers' strategy has worked in recent years. The Brewers have won four straight National League Central titles and took home the 2026 World Series title. Milwaukee knows what it's doing. This winter, it will likely be more of the same. We'll see lower-level investments, but the Brewers' progress will depend more on the young guys already in the organization and whether top prospects, like Andrew Fischer, can make the jump to the majors in 2027.

With the offseason really kicking off, Milwaukee should be looking around the market for buy-low targets and one that should have the front office's attention is speedster Adalberto Mondesi. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, Will Sammon and Katie Woo reported that Mondesi is attempting a big league comeback this winter.

"Despite last appearing in a game in 2022, infielder Adalberto Mondesi is attempting a comeback," Sammon, Rosenthal and Woo wrote. "Mondesi, 31, recently started playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic. Over the past few years, lower-body injuries played a role in derailing his career."

The Brewers Should Give The Speedster A Chance

Apr 22, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Adalberto Mondesi (27) tags second base for the force out on Seattle Mariners third baseman Eugenio Suarez (28) during the eighth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

For a team to land Mondesi, it likely wouldn't take anything more than a minor league deal. The Brewers should oblige. The Brewers' farm system is among the best in the business and Milwaukee prides itself on its development apparatus down in the minors. If there is a team that could get Mondesi back to being an impact player, it would be the Brewers.

What makes Mondesi stand out is his speed. In 2018, Mondesi stole 32 bases in 75 games. In 2019, he stole 43 bases and led the league with 10 triples in 102 games played. In 2020, Mondesi led the league with 24 stolen bases in 59 games played. Unfortunately, injuries have derailed his playing career. He's a seven-year big league veteran, and yet he has topped 100 games in a season just once and he hasn't played in a big league game since 2022.

When it comes to Mondesi, taking a flyer on him wouldn't be betting on the 31-year-old fully returning to form and being a starting middle infielder of the future. Instead, it would be because of his speed potential and the impact he could have on the base paths. Think back to the playoffs, for example. David Hamilton had a massive impact thanks in large part to his legs. If Mondesi looks anything like he did before injuries derailed him, his speed is something that would play off the bench as a pinch runner or as a depth infielder.

With Mondesi not playing in the majors since 2022, it would very likely just take a minor league deal to bring him in. Plus, he could easily start the 2027 season down in Triple-A as well. But there's upside and the Brewers should check in.

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