OUTFIELDERS
Ryan Braun, LF – Braun had his worst full season since 2014, when he was plagued all year by a serious thumb issue. He missed more than a month in the first half with a strained left calf, and was plagued by other aches and pains after the break. He hit into some tough luck in the early months but not so much in the second half (.785 OPS). Hitting in the third spot in the order, Braun had many chances to impact games without doing so, batting a mere .207 with runners in scoring position with a .688 OPS. He always has hit when healthy but has become more fragile in his 30s and manager Craig Counsell gave him more days off. He played in only 104 games, his lowest total other than 2013 (61 games), when he was suspended for the final two months. Braun, who turns 34 in November, has three years and $57 million remaining on his contract, and has full veto power over trades. If he is going to partially block the advent of the organization’s promising young outfielders, he must make an impact. Grade: C-minus Keon Broxton, CF – Which player is Keon Broxton? The one who became just the eighth player in franchise history to record a 20-homer, 20-stolen base season? Or the one who was prone to lengthy slumps, struck out 42.3% of the time and was largely replaced as the regular centerfielder over the final few weeks by rookie Brett Phillips? That’s what the Brewers’ brain trust will have to decide this off-season, with not only Phillips but also top prospect Lewis Brinson waiting in the wings. Broxton struck out 175 times, fourth-highest in the NL, and batted .220 overall with a .299 on-base percentage, unacceptable numbers. At 27, it might be time for the team to sell high on Broxton’s potential as a speedy centerfielder with power. Grade: C-minus Brett Phillips, CF – Phillips became a viral sensation in 2016 because of his crazy laugh. In 2017, he became a bona fide keeper for the Brewers – first putting together arguably the best season by any Milwaukee minor-leaguer at Class AAA Colorado Springs and then by making a difference down the stretch with the Brewers. Phillips flashed decent power with his left-handed bat, and if one goes by StatCast, he might already have the best outfield arm in the majors. He had four stints with the Brewers and made 14 of his 24 starts in center in September, finishing at .276 with four homers and 12 RBI. Grade: B-minus Domingo Santana, RF – If there were any doubts that Santana was a keeper in the rebuild, he did his best to squash them. After arm injuries limited him to 77 games in 2016, Santana broke out by setting career highs in every category. His 151 games played, 85 RBI, 73 walks and .875 OPS ranked second on the team, and his 30 homers ranked third. Santana, who at times can be too passive at the plate, led the Brewers with 178 strikeouts but still managed to post a .371 on-base percentage – tops among the team’s regulars. While many of the regulars fell off at the plate after the all-star break, Santana did not (.868 OPS). He was particularly good over the final weeks (1.046 OPS in September). Defensively, Santana can be frustrating for fans because, on occasion, he appears to not be hustling to get to balls. But that is more due to his loping gait, because the coaching staff says it isn’t a lack of effort. Grade: B-plus