Infielder Keston Hiura will not make the Milwaukee Brewers’ roster, according to general manager Matt Arnold, and the former first-round draft pick’s tenure with the organization is likely finished.
Hiura, 26, hit 19 home runs with a .938 OPS in 84 games as a rookie in 2019 but has struggled to match that production over the previous three seasons. His roster fate was sealed this spring when he batted .156 with a .447 OPS in 12 Cactus League games.
Because he is out of minor league options, Hiura would have to go through waivers in order to stay in the Brewers’ organization. The club is expected to search for a trade partner in order to deal the 2017 ninth overall pick out of UC Irvine.
Hiura batted .226 with a .765 OPS and 14 home runs with 32 RBIs in 80 games for the Brewers last season. In 284 career games over four seasons, he is a .238 hitter with a .771 OPS and 50 home runs with 132 RBIs.
Arnold also told reporters Friday that outfielder Tyler Naquin will not make the club. With Milwaukee this spring on a minor league deal, Naquin has 61 home runs and a .264 batting average over seven seasons with three clubs (Cleveland, Cincinnati, New York Mets).
–Field Level Media