Contreras remains a leader on Milwaukee’s roster, with the depth closely matching 2024
Looking back at our catcher preview from 2024, the only real change for the Brewers is a swap of Gary Sánchez (now with the Orioles) for Jorge Alfaro, who the Crew added on a minor league deal this offseason.
Contreras has put together a pair of strong seasons since joining the Brewers, garnering enough MVP votes to finish 11th in 2023 and fifth in 2024, earning NL Silver Slugger Awards both seasons, and showing vastly improved defense when compared to his time with the Braves.
Beyond Contreras, catching options for the Brewers include Eric Haase, the aforementioned Alfaro, and prospect Jeferson Quero, who could make his MLB debut in 2025 after missing just about all of 2024 with a shoulder injury.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at Milwaukee’s catching options for 2025.
William Contreras
Contreras, who turned 27 in December, was the lone player for Milwaukee to not reach an arbitration agreement prior to the deadline in January. The Brewers ultimately came to a $6 million deal with him for 2025, which includes a $12 million club option for 2026 (which comes with a $100,000 buyout). If the team chooses to pay that buyout, they could still negotiate a contract during arbitration next offseason, as Contreras won’t hit the open market until the 2027-28 offseason.
In two seasons with the Brewers, Contreras has appeared in 296 games, compiling 8.6 bWAR with a .285/.366/.462 slash line. He’s hit 40 homers, driven in 170 runs, scored 185 runs, stolen 15 bases, and totaled 75 doubles. Already the leader of the offense, Contreras will likely shoulder an even heavier load with Willy Adames now donning a Giants uniform.
With the starting job already locked up, Contreras is projected to have another great season in 2025. Baseball Reference projects a .279/.358/.465 line with 21 homers, 77 RBIs, 84 runs, 32 doubles, and eight steals across 601 plate appearances.
Eric Haase
Despite entering his age-32 season, Haase is also in his first arbitration-eligible season. He’ll make $1.35 million in 2025 after earning $1 million in 2024. Prior to joining the Brewers, Haase appeared in parts of six seasons with the Tigers and Guardians, totaling 2.5 bWAR with a .225/.276/.391 slash line, 41 homers, 137 RBIs, and 113 runs across 323 games.
Haase had a huge spring for Milwaukee last year, hitting .395/.465/.868 with five homers, 14 RBIs, and 11 runs across 38 at-bats. He didn’t break camp with the major league squad but after clearing waivers, he started at Triple-A Nashville before being called up in May when Sánchez went down with an injury.
Haase ultimately appeared in 30 games for the Crew, totaling 0.4 bWAR with a .273/.304/.515 line as he hit five homers, drove in 14, scored 10 runs, and picked up 18 hits in 69 plate appearances.
With Sánchez gone, he’s projected to have more of an impact this year, with Baseball Reference projecting a .235/.286/.383 line with eight homers, 31 RBIs, 28 runs, and three steals over 264 plate appearances.
Jorge Alfaro
Alfaro, 32 this summer, is a former top 100 prospect, but he hasn’t had much success in the majors. He agreed to a minor league deal with a major league spring training invite this offseason.
He’s played in eight MLB seasons between the Phillies, Marlins, Padres, Rockies, and Red Sox. Across 496 MLB games, he’s hit .253/.302/.393 with 48 homers, 198 RBIs, 152 runs, 71 doubles, and 18 steals. He spent 2024 with the Tigres del Licey of the Dominican Professional Baseball League. Between the Rockies and Red Sox in 2023, he appeared in 18 games, hitting a dismal .146/.212/.292 with one homer, four RBIs, two runs, and four doubles across 52 plate appearances.
While it’s unlikely the Brewers will carry three catchers for Opening Day, there’s a chance Alfaro ends up at Triple-A as an option for the Brewers should Contreras or Haase miss time.
Jeferson Quero
Quero, still just 22, seems older given that we’ve been talking about him for two-plus years. He went down with a shoulder injury on opening day for the Nashville Sounds last year, finishing with a .000/1.000/.000 batting line as he walked in his only plate appearance.
He spent all of 2023 with Double-A Biloxi, hitting .262/.339/.440 with 16 homers, 49 RBIs, 47 runs, and five steals in 90 games while providing plus-plus defense as he won a Minor League Gold Glove and was selected as a representative for the Futures Game.
He’s likely to start 2025 with Triple-A Nashville and, depending on his recovery — which our own Adam Zimmer covered back in January — could make his MLB debut at some point this year.