Milwaukee Brewers Top Catching Prospect in Camp, Improving After 2024 Season Lost to Injury

Jeferson Quero, the No. 43 prospect in baseball, says he is '75-80%' recovered from surgery to fix torn labrum on his throwing shoulder.

Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jeferson Quero against the Los Angeles Angels during a spring training game at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Arizona, on Feb. 27, 2024 | Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy provided some very good news Wednesday, telling reporters at spring training in Phoenix that catcher Jeferson Quero is poised to return from injury this spring.

Quero, ranked by Baseball America as the No. 43 prospect in the game, missed all but one game of the 2024 season after he hurt his right (throwing) shoulder by diving head-first back into first base. The injury occurred in his first game of the season for Triple-A Nashville, and he wound up undergoing surgery to replace a torn labrum.

The injury occurred after Quero’s only plate appearance of the season.

Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported Wednesday that Quero estimated he is “75-80%” recovered from the injury.

Pat Murphy provided a positive update on catching prospect Jeferson Quero, saying that he expects him to be playing in games at some point this camp.

Quero estimated earlier today he's at "75-80%" physically right now.

— Todd Rosiak (@Todd_Rosiak) February 12, 2025

It was the second torn labrum surgery for Quero, who had the first on his left shoulder in 2021, according to Baseball America.

Quero, 22, is a 5-foot-11, 215-pound prospect. In 90 games at Double-A Biloxi in 2023, he hit .262 with 16 home runs and 49 RBIs. Behind the plate, he threw out 35% of runners attempting to steal and had a .988 fielding percentage.

For his efforts behind the plate, Quero won the minor league Gold Glove at catcher in 2023  – an award given to just one player per position in the minor leagues. That’s 120 teams.

Cam Castro, the Brewers vice president of player development, told Baseball America earlier this month that the team wasn’t about to rush him back from injury.

“I think the No. 1 thing in terms of trusting anything after an injury is time and preparation,” Castro said. “You’ve given this thing adequate time, and you prepared for this moment and relying on those two things.

“We didn’t rush through the calendar. We did this thing responsibly.”

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