The biggest question for the Milwaukee Brewers heading into spring training already has been answered: whether right-hander Freddy Peralta would be traded.
Indeed he was, shipped to the New York Mets on Jan. 21 in exchange for a pair of highly touted prospects in infielder-outfielder Jett Williams and right-hander Brandon Sproat.
Both newcomers will be in camp once the team convenes at American Family Fields of Phoenix, with the Brewers seeking to follow up on a highly successful 97-win season that included a third consecutive National League Central Division title.
The rest of the cast of characters remains largely the same from that 2025 group. Was trading Peralta the right move for Milwaukee?
Time will tell.
With pitchers and catchers scheduled for their first official workouts Feb. 12, here are five storylines to watch.
What will The Miz’s role be?
What a rookie season Jacob Misiorowski had in 2025. Recalled from Class AAA Nashville in early June for his major-league debut, the right-hander dazzled early, was named an NL all-star after making just five starts and then encountered the inevitable struggles a young pitcher goes through. Misiorowski, his workload strictly monitored, eventually landed on the injured list in late July and by the end of the regular season was moved to the bullpen, where he absolutely dazzled in three playoff appearances: 2-1 record, 1.50 earned run average, 0.83 WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched), 16 strikeouts, .163 batting average against in 12 innings. It’s logical to assume that The Miz will be given every opportunity to reclaim his rotation spot this spring, and with the wraps pulled further off it will be interesting to see how he performs. Misiorowski has shown he can dominate with his overpowering stuff – he threw multiple pitches of 104 mph in the postseason – so the task will be to continue refining his other offerings and mastering the strike zone as opposing batters make their inevitable adjustments. With other talents such as newly acquired Brandon Sproat as well as Chad Patrick, Logan Henderson and Robert Gasser – not to mention possibly Aaron Ashby or DL Hall – the Brewers will have options.
Can Brandon Woodruff pitch a full season?
It was a feel-good story to say the least when Brandon Woodruff made his long-awaited return from 2023 shoulder surgery last July 6 in Miami, striking out eight over six one-run innings in a victory. There were ups and downs in the 11 starts that followed, but the news that the veteran right-hander would again miss the postseason after being shut down with a lat strain was devastating. Against that backdrop, the Brewers extended a one-year, $22.05 million qualifying offer that Woodruff accepted in November, assuring him of a ninth year in a major-league uniform with Milwaukee, the same team that drafted him in the 11th round in 2014. Now, entering his age-33 season, Woodruff is undoubtedly aiming to make at least 20-something starts while logging triple-digit innings for the first time since 2022. His fastball was down a few clicks in 2025, but despite no longer being able to consistently overpower hitters like he once did, Woodruff nevertheless posted a career-best 11.6 strikeouts per nine innings, showing he can still be highly effective while pitching a different way.
Can Quinn Priester improve upon his magical 2025?
Of all the surprises in the Brewers’ magical 2025 season, Quinn Priester might have been at the top of the list. The 2018 first-round pick had flamed out with the Pittsburgh Pirates and had done little in limited time with the Boston Red Sox before the Brewers took a flier on him last April. It turned out to be a master stroke, as after some onboarding the right-hander developed into one of Milwaukee’s most reliable starters. The Brewers won 19 straight times he took the mound, from May 30 to Sept. 18, and Priester’s 55.7% ground ball rate helped him set career bests across the board with a 13-3 record, 3.32 ERA and WHIP of 1.24 with 132 strikeouts in 157⅓ innings (29 appearances, 24 starts). It was such a stellar body of work that he is going to have his work cut out for him to improve upon it. But that, of course, is the job of every major-league player, and Priester can no doubt do a better job of avoiding walks, generating more swing and miss and just in general refining his four-pitch mix. Still just 25 years old, the future is bright as can be for this rotation foundation piece.
Is this the year Brice Turang becomes a superstar?
Brice Turang’s incremental growth since debuting in the major leagues in 2023 leaves him on the precipice of becoming a full-fledged star in 2026, with his inclusion on Team USA for the upcoming World Baseball Classic the latest sign. Turang, who recently turned 26, already was tabbed the top defender in the National League and an accomplished base stealer when be put together his most impactful season yet at the plate in 2025 with a .288 average, 18 home runs, 81 runs batted in and an on-base plus slugging of .794. He started 67 games as Milwaukee’s leadoff batter (.274/10/35/.771) but his much-improved damage profile could make him a more regular option as a run producer in the middle of the lineup in 2026. Turang was again a finalist for the Rawlings Gold Glove Award at second base in 2025 despite having a down year defensively by his standards and was beaten out by the Chicago Cubs’ Nico Hoerner, but that’s certainly no sign of decline. Turang is clearly a player still on the upswing – he accounted for 5.6 Wins Above Replacement last year according to Baseball-Reference – and one of the faces of a Brewers team that continues to exceed expectations.
Will Joey Ortiz be better offensively?
Joey Ortiz’s first full major-league season at shortstop was a mixed bag, to say the least. Defensively, he ended up being one of the best in baseball with his 13 outs above average tying for 14th-most overall and fifth among shortstops (although he somehow finished at minus-2 defensive runs saved, another popular metric). Ortiz’s range was more than sufficient and he was good coming in on balls, although the strength of his throwing arm rated 20th. Offensively, 2025 was a mess for the 27-year-old as he hit just .230 with seven homers and 45 RBI in 149 games with an on-base plus slugging of only .593 – worst among qualified players. His defense and the fact the Brewers had no other true options at the position kept Ortiz’s job safe. That might not be the case this season, however, with the newly acquired Williams an accomplished shortstop in the New York Mets’ minor-league system to whom Milwaukee is expected to give a long look in spring training. Williams checks all the boxes physically and is coming off a season in which he hit 17 homers between the Class AAA and AA levels.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 5 questions facing the Brewers as they head into spring training
Reporting by Todd Rosiak, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
