New Brewers prospect Jett Williams brings versatility to the table, with some serious OBP skills, power, and speed and experience at shortstop, second base and center field. His versatility and upside are why the Brewers wanted him, but they make him an (almost) immediate threat to the playing time of some of the team’s incumbents.
Williams might start the season in the minors, but he should be ready to play in the big leagues sometime this year. The Brewers usually keep all 13 allowed pitchers, so after accounting for the nine starters each day, they have just four spots for bench players, one of which will be held by the backup catcher. So, which Brewers could be bumped off, should Williams seize a job—be it off the roster, or out of the regular mix?
Andruw Monasterio
Monasterio has been an unsung cult hero for the Brewers since he came up in 2023, including being Brewer Fanatic’s top rookie that year as the team’s primary third baseman down the stretch. Since then, he’s been one of the top options off the Brewers bench, playing all four infield positions adroitly. His playing time has been sparser the last two seasons (251 at-bats total in 2024 and 2025, compared to 282 in 2023). Williams brings a similar type of versatility and a more potent bat. Monasterio is eligible for arbitration after this season, and while he’s solid, his time may be running out. It’s possible for Monasterio and Williams to coexist on the 26-man roster, and even on the same bench, but it sure seems unlikely.
Joey Ortiz
Ortiz will get a shot to redeem himself after a horrid 2025 at the plate. His outstanding defense at short kept him in positive WAR territory, per Baseball Reference, but the leash will be justifiably short. He could lose out (directly or indirectly) to Williams if the offensive struggles continue. The direct path is Williams taking over at shortstop, though few see him as a shortstop in the majors. Indirectly, Williams could take over second base as Brice Turang slides to the other side of the keystone, displacing Ortiz.
Blake Perkins
Perkins has been the Brewers’ fourth outfielder since the 2024 season. He’s a pesky switch-hitter with some speed, a little pop, and Gold Glove-caliber defense. He’d be a competent starter on some teams, but in Milwaukee, he’s backing up Garrett Mitchell—which could still mean a lot of playing time—and jostling with Jackson Chourio. Williams has more pop, and also plays a pretty good center field, which could edge Perkins out of Milwaukee.
Garrett Mitchell
Mitchell has a dynamic bat, excellent speed, and is a skillful defender when he’s on the field. The big problem for Mitchell is a series of injuries that have kept him off the field for large portions of the past three seasons, meaning a lot of his service time has come on the injured list. Another injury that costs Mitchell significant time in the offseason, and Williams could take over, providing the same dynamism, albeit as a right-handed hitter.
Brandon Lockridge
For Lockridge, it’s not about being on the major-league roster; that is not his biggest worry. The Brewers’ 40-man roster is also quite crowded, and if and when Williams is added, it could squeeze Lockridge. Williams is the team’s seventh non-roster invite, joining Eddys Leonard as an infielder, but he also plays a competent outfield, and his bat is more dynamic than Lockridge’s. Depending on injuries and offensive performance, Lockridge could be the odd man out for the Brewers, even though they appear to like him quite a bit.
Which player do you think should be the most nervous about Jett Williams’ arrival? Let us know in the comments below!