The Milwaukee Brewers are still in the thick of contention despite a cash-poor front office and the constant bleeding of talent. Pat Murphy deserves a ton of credit. So does GM Matt Arnold, who works spectacularly within the strict confines of ownership mandates to keep a winning team on the field. That starts by excelling on the margins and keep the farm system strong.
Milwaukee added to its talent pipeline in the 2025 MLB Draft, starting with first-round pick Andrew Fischer out of Tennessee. A talent infielder who can split time between the corners, Fischer was among the very best power hitters in college baseball last season. And, at 21 years old, he's an accomplished player with a short runway to MLB.
Given his limitations as a defender, Fischer projects mostly as a first baseman in the big leagues. The slugging lefty figures to shoot through the Brewers farm system in no time, which means Milwaukee needs to start thinking about clearing a roster spot. That could mean the end of the line for Brewers fan favorite Rhys Hoskins.
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Andrew Fischer could push Rhys Hoskins out the door for the Brewers
Fischer, the 29th-ranked prospect in the draft at MLB Pipeline, set the freshman home run record at Duke and then built on that success with stints at two SEC schools, Mississippi State and Tennessee. In his junior season, Fischer cleaned up his approach and swatted 25 home runs in addition to drawing 63 walks. He is also publicly bandying Bryce Harper comparisons.
"I’m working on my swing in the cage, so I’m trying to hit like Harper as much as I can,” Fischer told MLB.com. “Obviously he has different rhythm in the box and a different approach sometimes, but how could you not watch a guy like that?"
If Fischer can continue to improve his plate discipline without sacrificing his all-fields power, it won't take long for him to emerge on the MLB radar. Which leads us to Hoskins, a fan favorite in Milwaukee who has long felt like a trade deadline casualty. Especially with the recent breakthrough of Andrew Vaughn, who looks like the perfect stopgap to carry Milwaukee's first base mantle until Fischer is up to speed.
Rhys Hoskins feels like a trade deadline mover
Hoskins' contract includes an $18 million mutual option for next season, so he's effectively an expiring contract. The 32-year-old remains productive — .242/.340/.428 splits with 12 home runs in 269 at-bats this season — but he's on the decline and injuries continue to rear their head. He's currently slated to miss roughly six weeks with a thumb injury.
The Brewers are not going to keep Hoskins around beyond this season. That much is clear. So, with him hurt and both immediate and long-term replacements already in the organization, a trade becomes borderline inevitable. It would be malpractice not to squeeze a few quality prospects out of a contender in need of pop at first base. Hoskins has put together big moments in the playoffs before. Plenty of teams with World Series aspirations will take interest.
Meanwhile, the Brewers can install Vaughn in the interim while bringing Fischer through the minor league system at a rapid pace. Hoskins is beloved in Milwaukee, as he was in Philadelphia beforehand, but all good things must end eventually.