Could this new Brewers infielder be primed for a 'quantum leap' in 2026?

PHOENIX -- Brewers manager Pat Murphy has revealed his semi-annual prediction for the player poised to take a “quantum leap” in the coming year.

It’s David Hamilton, the 28-year-old infielder acquired along with a pair of pitchers from the Red Sox in the pre-Spring Training trade that sent the Brewers’ whole depth chart at third base to Boston. Hamilton then tallied two hits and stole his first base of the spring in a 9-7 loss to the Reds at American Family Fields of Phoenix.

"He's got so much ability in there, and he's got experience, and he might be a utility player but I think he can be really good for us. I think he can take his offensive game to a whole other level.”

Murphy’s first quantum leap candidate was Brice Turang in 2024, Murphy’s first year as manager. Turang was coming off a .585 OPS and 1.5 bWAR in 137 games as a rookie in ‘23, and pushed his production to a .665 OPS and 4.7 bWAR while winning the NL’s Platinum Glove Award.

In ‘25, Murphy wasn’t as direct in terms of predicting a full-blown “quantum leap,” but spent the spring talking up the future of Caleb Durbin, the undersized infielder acquired from the Yankees in the Devin Williams trade. Durbin didn’t make the Opening Day roster but was in the Majors by the end of April and finished third in NL Rookie of the Year Award balloting.

The Brewers shipped him off to Boston in the trade that landed Hamilton with pitchers Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan, and now Murphy is back in the prediction business. Playing time could be the biggest impediment to a true quantum leap; Hamilton’s most likely path to the Opening Day roster is a timeshare at third with Luis Rengifo and as the backup shortstop.

Hamilton would also have to hit. In 204 games in the big leagues for Boston over the past three seasons, the left-handed hitter has produced a .222/.283/.359 slash line with 57 stolen bases.

“There’s so much in there offensively,” Murphy said. “We’ve got to get it out of there. It’s not going to be easy. You can’t change habits just like that. … It’s more about what he’s looking for at the plate, how he sees himself as an offensive player. It’s a whole awareness of who he can become.”

Cautious build-up for pitchers
With a week of Cactus League games in the books, the Brewers are finally starting to deploy all of their key pitchers. The particularly cautious approach has been very much by design, coming off a run to the NLCS last year, even if Murphy concedes it could hamstring the Brewers a bit early in the regular season.

Reliever Jared Koenig made his first Spring Training appearance on Saturday against the Royals. Chad Patrick is scheduled to start Sunday at the Royals, and Jacob Misiorowski is slated to start Tuesday against Great Britain’s entry to the World Baseball Classic.

At the same time, Brandon Woodruff is scheduled for three “ups” in a simulated game on Sunday, and Quinn Priester will follow on Monday’s off-day or when the Brewers return to action Tuesday. Both are taking it slow after Woodruff (lat injury) and Priester (sore right wrist) finished last season on the medical report.

That leaves just reliever Trevor Megill and newly-acquired starter Harrison among those yet to appear in a Cactus League game. Both have pitched simulated games, however.

"We played 19 more [days]" than most teams in 2025, Murphy said. "That's going to take a toll, especially on young guys. The rate of injuries in the pitching world right now in Spring Training is, like, multiples of a normal year. So we’re not taking any chances. …

“We’re just kind of putzing along in the pitching thing, and that could take a toll on us early. But health is more important right now.”

Classic participants depart
Outfielder Jackson Chourio, catcher William Contreras and reliever Angel Zerpa (Venezuela), Brice Turang (USA), Joey Ortiz (Mexico) and reliever Rob Zastryzny (Canada) all appeared in the box score on Saturday before departing camp to join their respective nations for the World Baseball Classic.

Reliever Abner Uribe, first baseman Tyler Black (Canada) and pitcher Carlos Rodriguez (Nicaragua) round out the nine members of Milwaukee’s big league camp who are departing for the tournament.

The trickiest absence from the Brewers’ point of view will be Contreras, considering the youth of Milwaukee’s staff and the importance of building rapport between pitcher and catcher. But Murphy and his staff planned for that.

“It’s a point of emphasis for us. He’s got to get familiar with those young guys,” Murphy said. “You can only push him so far, you know? He’s a quick study. It was more for him, but he responded to it.”