ESPN's Insider Has Ringing Endorsement For Brewers' William Contreras

The Brewers certainly are lucky to have Contreras...

Feb 14, 2025; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras (24) works out in the bullpen during spring training camp. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images / Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers have some seriously high-end talent.

Milwaukee somehow has become underrated despite winning the National League Central for two straight years and three of the last four campaigns. The Brewers weren't aggressive by any means this offseason, but they still have plenty of talent and should be considered the top team in the division.

One player who obviously stands out is catcher William Contreras. He's a two-time All-Star and had career-highs in home runs and RBIs in 2024 with 23 and 92, respectively. Contreras has been so good that ESPN's Buster Olney ranked him as the best catcher in baseball.

"No. 1. William Contreras, Milwaukee Brewers," Olney said. "When the Atlanta Braves traded Contreras to the Brewers, there was never a question about whether he would hit. He had already been an All-Star as a designated hitter with Atlanta in 2022, slugging 20 homers with a .504 on-base percentage. The great mystery was whether he would become serviceable defensively, and that has happened -- another example of how a catcher got better working within the Brewers' organization...

"Milwaukee's catchers rank first in the big leagues in fWAR since 2008, and its catcher value -- offense and defense -- has been worth about $38 million per season since 2010, according to Fangraphs. The Brewers' catchers have been particularly good, as a group, in framing."

The Brewers have some elite talent on the roster, and Contreras is one of the best overall players out there.

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