What to Know About Brewers New Infielder Jonathan Ornelas

The Milwaukee Brewers landed an intriguing infielder on Saturday ahead of their contest against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Before the contest, Milwaukee acquired veteran infielder Jonathan Ornelas from the Athletics in exchange for cash. In the process, the Brewers designated Jihwan Bae for assignment.

Welcome, Jonathan! https://t.co/CcFBtocdq7 pic.twitter.com/DyFjoExR9H
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) August 15, 2026

The Brewers Made An Intriguing Move

Aug 2, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics infielder Jonathan Ornelas (11) before the game against the Detroit Tigers at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Brewers fans got to see Ornelas in action right away on Saturday. He batted ninth and played second base in his Brewers debut. In the contest, Ornelas went 0-for-3

So, with that being said, who is Jonathan Ornelas and how did Milwaukee get him after the trade deadline? Let's dive in.

On the acquisition front, Ornelas was designated for assignment by the Athletics. Because he was on waivers, he was eligible to be moved.

The move made sense for the Brewers because they have been hurting in the infield recently. Brice Turang is banged up right now, although it seems like he's trending in the right direction. Cooper Pratt is on the Injured List right now. Third base has been up in the air, although Joey Ortiz has been very solid at the spot since he shifted over from shortstop. Bae got into the action for Milwaukee at second base, but the Brewers opted to move on from him for Ornelas.

Bae actually has more experience in the majors than Ornelas does. He has played in 167 games across five seasons in the majors. Ornelas has actually only played in 39 total games in the majors in four seasons, including Saturday's debut for Milwaukee. What makes Ornelas stand out is the fact that he has a little bit of pop in his bat from the right side of the plate. Bae is a lefty and has never hit more than eight home runs in a season throughout his professional baseball career — both in the majors and down in the minors.

On the other hand, Ornelas has upside in that respect. This season, he has already hit 11 total homers down in the minors in 81 games. In 2025, he hit 10 homers in 115 games down in the minors. In 2022, he hit 14 home runs in 123 games in the minors.

While Ornelas may not be someone who is going to be a key piece in the infield for a long time, he's just 26 years old, can play all over the infield and brings some power for the short term. That's positive in itself.

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