4 Mock Trades That Would Make for a Perfect Brewers Deadline

Trade season is officially upon us. The deadline is less than a week away, which means there will be plenty of moves between now and then as contenders fortify their rosters and sellers capitalize on their most valuable trade assets.

One of those contenders is the Milwaukee Brewers, who boast the second-best record in MLB and are once again in a premier position to make a deep postseason run.

Last week, I broke down how they might approach the upcoming trade deadline and discussed what their biggest roster needs might be. Today, we’ll dive into a handful of mock trades designed to address those holes.

Generally speaking, the Brewers tend to keep their cards close to the vest and are reluctant to part with prospect capital. They’ve been in this same position in previous seasons but have elected not to swing a blockbuster trade.

It remains to be seen whether they’ll stray from that philosophy at this year’s deadline or remain content with the group they already have in house.

But if the front office decides a blockbuster move is necessary, they have the farm system to pull off a deal for some of the most coveted trade assets on the market. Here are four mock trades that would make for the perfect Brewers deadline as they build toward a championship run.

Trade One: A Repeat of 2008?

Brewers Get: LHP Tarik Skubal

On July 7, 2008, the Brewers pulled off the biggest trade in franchise history, acquiring CC Sabathia from Cleveland to propel the team to a historic run to the postseason.

Nearly 20 years later, perhaps the ball club would entertain a Sabathia-esque move and bring in the best pitcher in Major League Baseball.

It remains to be seen how likely it is that the Tigers actually trade Skubal, but if there is one team that could blow Scott Harris away with an offer, it might be the Brewers.

Tarik Skubal is coming off back-to-back AL Cy Young Awards, so there isn’t much that needs to be said about how he could impact Milwaukee’s run down the stretch. Pairing him with Jacob Misiorowski would create the most dynamic and electric one-two punch in baseball. It’s a duo capable of leading a team to the mountaintop.

Knowing that, and knowing nearly every contender would be interested in his services, the asking price will be steep. Given that he’s a rental and the Brewers would also be taking on a healthy chunk of his salary, it would be a move well outside the organization’s comfort zone.

At the same time, if Skubal is the key to delivering the organization’s first World Series championship — and he very well could be—isn’t that price worth paying?

If there was ever a time to part with a significant prospect haul for a rental, this is it, and Skubal is the pitcher to do it for.

Tigers Get: 3B Andrew Fischer, OF Josiah Ragsdale, RHP Coleman Crow

Andrew Fischer is one of the premier breakout power bats in all of Minor League Baseball this season and is, without a doubt, the prized prospect in this return.

Fischer is hitting a home run seemingly every other game at the moment. Since getting the bump to Double-A, he has 12 homers and 23 RBI in 31 games. Overall, the 22-year-old is slashing .282/.420/.668 with a 1.088 OPS and a 166 wRC+ across 381 plate appearances between High-A and Double-A. He has an astounding 32 home runs and 73 RBI, firmly establishing himself as one of the premier power hitters in the minor leagues this season.

At the same time, there are well-documented whiff concerns, which are the biggest reason he missed out on the recent Top 100 update. He’s striking out over 33% of the time between High-A and Double-A, and while that matters less when he’s posting an OPS north of 1.000, it’s still worth noting.

The bat is tantalizing, and the power potential is significant. There may not be a prospect outside the Top 100 with more intrigue, making Fischer the ideal headliner for this package. The Brewers wouldn’t have to part with one of their top five prospects, while the Tigers would land a bat with legitimate middle-of-the-order upside.

Josiah Ragsdale was a seventh-round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, and he has done nothing but rake since entering the organization. After batting .327 with a .975 OPS in 60 games at High-A this season, Ragsdale earned a promotion to Double-A Biloxi and has arguably been even better.

In 20 games at Double-A, Ragsdale owns an OPS north of 1.000 with a 179 wRC+. He has also stolen 31 bases in 80 total games this season while adding 14 home runs, 21 doubles, and three triples. The 22-year-old outfielder just continues to improve and would be a nice addition for Detroit.

As a borderline top-15 prospect in the system, Ragsdale has enough intrigue to sweeten the package but likely isn’t someone the Brewers view as untouchable.

Coleman Crow has made a handful of big-league starts this year despite dealing with injuries, but he has looked like a capable MLB starter when called upon. His breaking ball is his calling card, and that pitch alone makes him an intriguing development project for Detroit.

With the amount of pitching the Brewers have at their disposal in both the majors and upper minors, Crow isn’t someone who necessarily has a long-term home in Milwaukee’s rotation, but he’s a controllable, MLB-ready arm the Tigers could plug in right away.

Trade Two: Brewers Acquire Frontline Ace From the Twins

Brewers Get: RHP Joe Ryan

Joe Ryan was firmly in the AL Cy Young conversation before his latest outing, when he allowed eight earned runs and six home runs to the Guardians, raising his ERA from 2.85 to 3.38. Even so, Ryan is a frontline-caliber arm who would make for an outstanding No. 2 in Milwaukee’s rotation.

Like Miz, Ryan releases the ball from a low slot. His 24-degree release angle is one of the lowest in Major League Baseball and a major reason for his success. Ryan’s four-seam fastball, which ranked among the top 10 in MLB with a +17 run value last season, generates more than 13 inches of arm-side run to go with 13.5 inches of induced vertical break.

That combination, paired with his release angle, is a big reason why his fastball has remained one of the best pitches in baseball year after year.

Four of Ryan’s six pitches have a positive run value this season, and he mixes his arsenal well behind the four-seamer. He is one of the premier strike throwers in the game, posting a 5.3% walk rate that ranks in the top seven percent of MLB. While he doesn’t have an abundance of postseason experience, he’s as reliable as they come, and the Brewers would have no hesitation handing him the ball for Game 2 of a playoff series.

The kicker is that Ryan comes with another year of team control after this season, which is why the prospect package is more substantial and why he ranks No. 3 on Just Baseball’s Top 50 Trade Block Players. The added control raises the acquisition cost, but it also gives the Brewers another frontline starter to pair with Miz through at least 2027.

This feels like a risk the Brewers could legitimately be willing to take. Either Ryan helps them compete again in 2027, or they could always flip him this offseason to replenish the farm system.

Twins Get: OF Braylon Payne, RHP Bishop Letson, 1B Blake Burke

This is a steep price, but for all the aforementioned reasons, it would likely be the cost of acquiring Ryan.

Braylon Payne was the team’s first-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, entering pro ball as a raw but toolsy athlete. After a modest 2025 season in Low-A, Payne has taken a promising step forward, posting a 136 wRC+ and .958 OPS as a 19-year-old in High-A.

Payne’s speed is his best tool, swiping 31 bags in 77 games last season and already racking up 21 steals in 63 games this year. His power has also taken a noticeable leap, doubling his ISO while increasing his slugging percentage by nearly 200 points from last season. He’s already launched 18 home runs to go with 15 doubles.

Payne was on the outside looking in on Just Baseball’s Top Brewers Prospects list, but his stock is rising quickly. The hit tool remains a bit of a concern, but with his combination of speed, defense, and emerging power at such a young age, he has an enticing ceiling and a solid headlining piece.

Bishop Letson was a name many around the industry were high on entering the season, viewing him as a potential Top 100 prospect as the year progressed. While it hasn’t been the breakout campaign many envisioned, the talent is still there to dream on what he could become.

After posting a 1.69 ERA across 37.1 innings at High-A last season, Letson’s year was cut short by injury. The results haven’t been as strong this season, as he owns a 4.28 ERA across 16 starts at Double-A. His strikeout rate has dipped while his walk rate has climbed, but context is important considering his age and the jump in competition.

Still, at just 21 years old, Letson has the talent to develop into a middle-of-the-rotation starter. He has a legitimate case as the Brewers’ top pitching prospect, but for a year and a half of Ryan, that’s likely the caliber of talent it would take.

Blake Burke is the Brewers’ top first base prospect and would be the final piece of the package. The Brewers’ Competitive Balance Round A selection in the 2024 MLB Draft, Burke has also put together an impressive season at Double-A. In 84 games, he has launched 26 home runs while posting a .324 ISO, a slugging percentage just shy of .600, a .960 OPS, and a 143 wRC+.

Burke is a borderline top-10 prospect in Milwaukee’s system and would likely rank inside the top 10 of many other organizations. His power is what drives his value, so he’ll need to continue slugging to be an impactful big leaguer, but he’s taken encouraging steps forward with each passing season.

It’s a rich package, but it’s going to take a package like this one to pry Ryan away from Minnesota.

Trade Three: Adding the Best Closer in Baseball to an Already Strong Bullpen

Brewers Get: RHP Mason Miller

Let’s get crazy.

This is a trade that Paul Hembekides proposed on The Just Baseball Show last week, and it’s a deal I haven’t been able to stop thinking about.

AJ Preller traded the No. 4 prospect in baseball, Leo De Vries, at last year’s trade deadline to acquire Mason Miller, so if he’s going to move him again, you better believe the asking price will be enormous.

The Brewers may be one of the only organizations in baseball capable of meeting Preller’s demands.

Frankly, Miller’s fit in Milwaukee hardly needs any additional selling. He’s the best closer in baseball, bar none, and adding him to any bullpen immediately changes the entire dynamic of a pitching staff. The Brewers already have one of the league’s best bullpens, and adding Miller would be the finishing touch, giving them arguably the best quartet of relievers in baseball with Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, Aaron Ashby, and Miller.

Sure, the package is hefty, which we’ll dive into in just a moment, but it’s important to remember that Miller comes with three more years of team control after this season. Would Milwaukee keep him for all four years? Probably not. But there’s a very good chance that if the Brewers decide to trade him down the road, he would still command a significant return and allow them to recoup much of what they gave up to acquire him.

The point is that this idea might seem outlandish at first glance. But Miller essentially turns nine-inning games into eight-inning games with how dominant he is. That has an enormous impact not only on the rest of the bullpen, but also on how Pat Murphy can manage his pitching staff. For a manager who tends to shy away from letting his starters face a lineup for a third time, having Miller shorten games would be an enormous advantage.

Is it likely? No. But it’s exactly the type of move that could put the Brewers over the top. And among all these mock trades, it’s the one that would be the most calculated risk.

Padres Get: OF Josh Adamczewski, OF Braylon Payne, RHP Bishop Letson, OF Sal Frelick

There’s a world in which Josh Adamczewski and Braylon Payne are top-five prospects in many other farm systems, yet they’re on the outside looking in for Milwaukee. That’s a testament to just how deep the Brewers’ system is.

Adamczewski has been one of the Brewers’ biggest breakout prospects this season. He doesn’t have an imposing frame at 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, but he has such an efficient left-handed swing that he gets to his power with ease.

In 80 games across High-A and Double-A, Adamczewski is slashing .315/.434/.552 with an OPS near 1.000, a 154 wRC+, and 14 home runs. He’s walking nearly as often as he’s striking out, giving him one of the more balanced offensive profiles in the organization.

He’s primarily settled into left field this season, where he projects as a fine defender despite a below-average arm. There’s still pressure on the bat to carry his profile, but he’s taken a significant step forward at just 21 years old.

Pair him with Payne and Letson, whose value was discussed in detail in the Joe Ryan mock trade, and the prospect capital in this deal becomes substantial.

The Brewers would also include outfielder Sal Frelick, who has been the club’s starting right fielder since making his debut in 2023.

Frelick is a quality major league outfielder who does a lot of things well. He’s consistently provides strong defense, runs the bases intelligently, and embodies the type of player every contender wants. It’s been a difficult season offensively, but after what he showed in 2025, there’s little doubt he can still be a valuable contributor on a playoff-caliber club.

That said, while the Brewers aren’t actively shopping Frelick, this deal would open the door for recently extended Luis Lara to take over as the everyday right fielder, which may be the organization’s ideal long-term plan.

The fit in San Diego is a bit tricky with Jackson Merrill in center field and Fernando Tatis Jr. entrenched in right, but Gavin Sheets is entering his final year of arbitration next season, while Frelick remains under team control through 2029.

This package features three highly intriguing prospects along with an established major league outfielder. At the very least, it’s enough to get AJ Preller to pick up the phone and seriously consider the deal, and it’s the kind of calculated gamble Matt Arnold just might be willing to make.

Trade Four: Who Doesn’t Love a Reunion?

Brewers Get: RHP Freddy Peralta, LHP A.J. Minter

Baseball has a way of writing some funny stories. Except this mock trade isn’t just for amusement — it makes sense for both parties.

There’s no two ways around it: Freddy Peralta has had a nightmare season in Queens. After finishing fifth in NL Cy Young voting with the Brewers last season, Peralta is having his worst year since transitioning into a full-time starter in 2020.

Peralta has long been one of the best strikeout artists in the game, but he’s currently punching out a career-low 8.95 hitters per nine innings, fueled by a significant drop in his overall whiff rate and a career-high zone-contact rate.

But does anybody really doubt the Brewers’ ability to help Peralta turn his season around? If so, they should proceed at their own risk.

It goes without saying, but there is an extreme level of familiarity from both perspectives. For Peralta, frankly, he may need a fresh start. He understood the weight of coming to New York and leading a staff with World Series aspirations, along with the importance of a strong walk year ahead of free agency. Unfortunately, things haven’t gone according to plan for either him or the Mets.

But that doesn’t mean he can’t still be an effective arm in a city he called home for eight seasons and where he was one of baseball’s most consistent producers year after year. For Milwaukee, familiarity is exactly what it needs right now.

With Brandon Woodruff out for the rest of the season, the Brewers need a Robin to Jacob Misiorowski’s Batman. While Peralta likely won’t replicate the 2.70 ERA he posted last season, if he can return to being the mid-3.00s pitcher he was in the years prior, that could be more than enough to fortify the top of Milwaukee’s rotation.

Milwaukee has plenty of irons in the fire, but every arm in the rotation lacks significant postseason experience. Adding Peralta would not only alleviate some of the pressure on the Brewers’ young starters, but it would also give them the flexibility to potentially shift him into a valuable bullpen role during the postseason, similar to how the Crew utilized Chad Patrick last October.

The Mets need to recoup whatever value remains from Peralta, and he is arguably more valuable to the Brewers than any other organization in baseball given his success in Milwaukee and the connection he has built with the fan base.

Adding A.J. Minter to this deal is nothing to scoff at, either. The 32-year-old is in the midst of a strong season, posting a 2.45 ERA with a WHIP just over 1.00. His peripherals don’t jump off the page, and he doesn’t miss a ton of bats, but he checks many of the boxes the Brewers tend to prioritize.

He attacks the strike zone, leading all MLB relievers (minimum 20 innings) with a minuscule 2.3% walk rate, and he generates soft contact, posting an above-average hard-hit rate and average exit velocity.

What’s more, Aaron Ashby is currently the only southpaw in Milwaukee’s bullpen, with multiple left-handed relievers on the injured list. While DL Hall is working his way back, the Brewers could certainly use another lefty to shoulder some of the workload alongside Ashby.

In a lot of ways, this trade package makes a whole lot of sense for Milwaukee.

Mets Get: UTL Jett Williams, RHP Blake Holub

Now here’s where things get interesting. Remember that thing about reunions? Well, it wouldn’t end with Peralta.

Going back to New York would be Jett Williams, the top-100 prospect the Brewers acquired for Peralta this offseason, along with minor league pitcher Blake Holub.

Parting ways with Williams would be a significant decision, given that he was the prize of the initial package. There’s also an argument that he was the headliner of the trade when Peralta’s value was at its highest, so why would he headline a deal for half a season of Peralta while he’s in the midst of his worst campaign in years?

It’d be a fair counterpoint.

However, Williams will need to be added to the 40-man roster this offseason to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft, and the Brewers need to determine where his path to playing time exists at the major-league level. With recently extended Cooper Pratt occupying shortstop and playing at a high level, one potential avenue for Williams is already blocked.

Garrett Mitchell has become one of Milwaukee’s most important weapons this season, while Jackson Chourio and newly extended Luis Lara will continue receiving opportunities in the outfield. Not to mention Frelick, who, despite his down season, still holds an important role on this team.

Perhaps the answer is third base, but is that where Williams’ value is maximized? With reinforcements coming through the pipeline and Joey Ortiz’s turnaround since taking over at the hot corner, there’s a scenario where Williams simply doesn’t have an everyday role. On top of that, he hasn’t exactly forced the Brewers’ hand, as he’s been underwhelming in Triple-A this season.

This isn’t to say Williams won’t become a valuable major leaguer for a long time, because there’s a strong chance he will. But with the abundance of middle infield talent near the top of Milwaukee’s prospect rankings, Williams could be expendable at the right price. And who knows more about where Jett can be optimized than the organization that selected him in the first round back in 2022?

The fit for Williams returning to New York doesn’t need much explanation. It would ultimately come down to whether Matt Arnold would be comfortable undoing part of the trade he made this past winter. That answer won’t be known until the trade deadline comes and goes.

As for Holub, he’s been one of the more underrated arms in the Brewers’ organization over the last two seasons. The 27-year-old has taken a step forward in each season since joining the organization during the 2023-24 offseason.

After posting a 4.17 ERA in 2024, Holub lowered that mark to 3.70 in 2025 and has followed it up with a 2.35 ERA this season. Standing 6-foot-5, Holub consistently strikes out more than 10 hitters per nine innings out of the bullpen, has shown an improved ability to keep the ball on the ground, and has cut his walk rate in half from last season.

While those are encouraging signs, Holub is Rule 5 eligible and is nearing 28 years old in Triple-A. There’s a strong chance he could come up and provide valuable innings for the Brewers tomorrow, but Milwaukee has also done an exceptional job of developing players like Holub and constantly replenishing its bullpen depth.

Would it be ideal for the Brewers to part ways with Holub? No. But they would be adding Minter to slot behind Megill, Uribe, and Ashby in the bullpen, giving them another experienced postseason arm. Minter has also thrown 25 career postseason innings with a 2.88 ERA, something the Brewers could certainly use more of.

In order to acquire a pitcher of Peralta’s caliber — one capable of starting Game 2 of a playoff series — the Brewers would have to sacrifice significant value. If there’s one area of the organization where they can afford to do that, it’s minor league relief depth.