Keon Broxton

The most impressive part of Broxton's 2019 season may have been his no-look batting glove flip after a strikeout in late August which somehow hit the umpire in the face and earned Broxton a one-game suspension. Great shot, kid, that was one in a million. His performance inside the batter's box was entirely forgettable. Broxton went from the Mets to the Orioles to the Mariners, totaling 204 at-bats and striking out in more than half of them. The power seen from Broxton in prior years was absent and his efficiency on the basepaths took a hit (10-for-16). When you can't maintain a roster spot with the 2019 Orioles, you know things are bad. His defensive numbers worsened, though he was still a plus in the outfield. If Broxton wins a major-league job after signing with Milwaukee, it will be because of his glove, and it will be as a fourth or fifth outfielder.

Broxton was part of the 20-20 club in 2017, but after the additions of Lorenzo Cain and Christian Yelich, he saw limited time with the Brewers last year. His home runs and stolen bases were helpful for fantasy owners in 2017, but in real life, their value was offset to a large extent by a 37.8 K% and just an average walk rate, with Broxton grading out as 15% worse than league average by wRC+. His swing-and-miss issues were still prevalent on the farm in 2018 (35.6%), and in fact, Broxton wasn't even league average at the plate in 82 games at Triple-A Colorado Springs as a 28-year-old. He did provide value with his exceptional defense, but with no room for him in Milwaukee and no options remaining, he was dealt to the Mets. If Broxton can get a leg up on Juan Lagares, he should have stretches of relevance, but any success will likely be fleeting given all the strikeouts.

A player coming off a 20-20 season is usually looked upon favorably by his major-league team and fantasy owners. However, a 20-20 campaign that included a .220 batting average tempers enthusiasm. Broxton was one of only nine MLB players to hit at least 20 homers and steal 20 bases, but an ugly 37.8 percent strikeout rate eventually caught up to him. Broxton still would have had a chance to earn the starting center field job during spring training, but with the arrivals of Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain, Broxton is looking at a backup role at best. His speed-power combination is rare, and gives him ample value if he is seeing regular at-bats. However, barring a trade, his opportunities will be limited in Milwaukee's talented outfield.

Broxton opened the season 0-for-16 and was unceremoniously demoted to Triple-A Colorado Springs, where many Brewers fans forgot about him. But Broxton proceeded to decimate minor league pitching and earn his way back to Milwaukee for a very productive end of the season. From his callup in late May through the end of the season, Broxton mashed nine home runs and stole 21 bases in just 69 games. He also struck out an absurd 77 times, a 36.3 percent rate that will make it difficult for him to maintain even the .262 batting average he produced after his promotion. Still, with his ability to hit for power and run wild on opposing defenses, Broxton is too enticing to write off.

The former Arizona prospect debuted in 2015, appearing in seven games with Pittsburgh late in the season, mostly as a pinch-runner. He’s stolen 150 bases in parts of seven minor-league campaigns, but sports just a .253/.333/.410 career batting line. Strikeouts remain a major issue — he fanned 156 times in the minors last season — especially for a player with average power (at best), but his ability to draw a walk has allowed him to maintain relatively high OBP marks in recent years. An offseason trade to Milwaukee has provided Broxton with a much clearer path to major league playing time, given the Brewers' lack of a competent center fielder. He is the favorite to open the year as the starting center fielder in Milwaukee, making him a keen add at the end of drafts for owners looking for cheap speed.