Brewers call up top catching prospect Quero; Vaughn (broken hamate bone) to IL
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MILWAUKEE -- First baseman Andrew Vaughn fractured the hamate bone in his left hand on Opening Day and needs surgery, the Brewers announced Saturday, prompting a promotion to the Majors for top catching prospect Jeferson Quero for what would be his Major League debut.
Summoning Quero will give the team another right-handed hitter. It also provides the flexibility to use veteran Gary Sánchez at first base when needed in place of Vaughn, who will undergo surgery on Monday in Milwaukee, to be performed by Dr. Tony LoGiudice. Vaughn's expected recovery time is 4-6 weeks.
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The injury occurred when Vaughn was jammed during an at-bat in the Brewers’ 14-2 win over the White Sox on Opening Day.
Venezuelan journalist Daniel Álvarez-Montes was first to report the promotion of Quero, 23, who is the Brewers’ No. 8-ranked prospect per MLB Pipeline. He ranked among MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 overall prospects as recently as last year, but fell after missing all of 2024 with a major shoulder injury that required surgery, then missing more time in '25 with a hamstring injury.
Quero was the Opening Day catcher for Triple-A Nashville on Friday night and went 0-for-2 with a walk in a rain-shortened, 6-4 loss. Quero was the batterymate for Sounds starter Robert Gasser, who struck out 11 in a stellar, 5 2/3-inning start.
Vaughn’s injury is the second unexpected blow to the Brewers’ health in the first 48 hours or so of the regular season. They placed outfielder Jackson Chourio on the 10-day IL the morning of Opening Day with a fractured left hand, an injury originally suffered while playing for Venezuela ahead of the World Baseball Classic.