First baseman had huge homer in Milwaukee’s final postseason game but was non-tendered in November
The Milwaukee Brewers have signed first baseman Jake Bauers to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, per Adam McCalvy of mlb.com.
Jake Bauers is back with the Brewers. It’s a Minor League contract with an invitation to Major League camp.
— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) January 6, 2025
Bauers, who turned 29 right after Milwaukee’s postseason exit, was worth -0.4 bWAR in 2024 as a platoon option at first base, appearing in 116 games with a dismal .199/.301/.361 (83 OPS+) line, slugging 12 homers, driving in 43, scoring 45 runs, and stealing a career-high 13 bags.
Despite his poor overall numbers, Bauers nearly played hero in Milwaukee’s winner-take-all NL Wild Card game 3 loss to the Mets, hitting the first of back-to-back homers for the Brewers in the bottom of the seventh as they jumped to a 2-0 lead before Devin Williams allowed four runs in the ninth to sink the Crew.
Bauers also hit a walk-off single in the ninth inning of Milwaukee’s postseason-clinching win against the Phillies on September 18, driving in Jackson Chourio for the 2-1 victory (though the Brewers had technically clinched with the Cubs’ loss earlier in the day).
Bauers, who made $1.35 million last year, was non-tendered in early November and elected free agency. The financial terms of his MiLB deal have not yet been disclosed.