This is one of the few positions that we seem to have a solid knowledge of who is going to be patrolling. As it stands right now, all signs point as Ryan Braun continuing to make right field his own. However, that does not take away from the fact that people will be dueling it out during Spring Training to fulfill the backup role.
Many of the backups Milwaukee relied on last season have moved on to different endeavors, whether it be through trade, release, or free agency. Gerardo Parra, Logan Schafer and Shane Peterson are all players who received playing time but who will not be able to contribute as they are not with the team. With the Brewers emphasizing and putting the youth in the spotlight, many different options will receive the option to shine.
We have talked about a few of these players already, as most of them are versatile and pose the art of being able to play all three outfield positions. Out of those players, the one with a lot of experience in right field is Michael Reed. In the 2015 season at Triple-A Colorado Springs, Reed played 36 games, 31 of which he started in the outfield. He had a remarkable fielding percentage of .982, committing only one error.
Ramon Flores is another possible candidate that can be implemented as a utility outfielder. However, he has not had much experience game wise in right field, but time in Spring Training may expand his muscle memory there. With the Brewers likely working an array of different lineups throughout the season, there’s a very strong chance that Flores receives a chance in right.
As we hinted at on our left field piece a couple days ago, the theory behind moving Braun back to left field seems to make logical sense. He has more runs saved there than in right field, where he has been a burden when it comes to that single statistic. Nonetheless, the door remains open for Domingo Santana wherever it may be in the outfield.