Jacob Nottingham

Nottingham played sparingly for the Brewers in both 2018 and 2019, but he finally got a chance to play semi-regularly late last season after Manny Pina went out with a knee injury. Nottingham did not make much contact, but he did show some pop and averaged nearly an RBI per game. He was injured in the postseason, though, and after trying to recover via rest and rehab, he ultimately underwent thumb surgery in late December. It's not clear how long he will be out, but even when he returns to the field his swing could be affected for a while. He could snag a spot on the big-league roster when he recovers, but with Pina and Omar Narvaez still around, he'd likely only fill a part-time role at best.

Nottingham was called upon for nine games by the Brewers last season, going 4-for-20 in his first major-league at-bats. In a larger 50-game sample at Triple-A Colorado Springs (shortened by an intercostal strain and a wrist fracture), the backstop hit an impressive .281/.347/.523. The thin Colorado air and a .367 BABIP undoubtedly helped prop up those numbers, but even scaled back a bit the performance would still be adequate for a catcher. Contact issues are a problem, as he struck out 30.1% of the time in Triple-A, and he doesn't have a great defensive reputation, so his big-league future will likely rest on his power and his arm. Backup at-bats may be available in Milwaukee at some point this season, and he'll have a friendly home park in which to show off his power if he does earn playing time.

Nottingham is just one of the many former Astros acquired by Brewers general David Stearns, who arrived in Milwaukee via Houston's front office in 2015. It's easy to see why Stearns was enamored enough to give up Khris Davis's big bat to acquire Nottingham from the Athletics. Nottingham, blessed with a football player's body, has power to all fields while flashing a good enough arm and glove to be a decent major league catcher. Unfortunately, elevation to Double-A Biloxi did not treat him well. Nottingham struck out 138 times in just 112 games and managed just 11 home runs compared to the 17 he hit in 2015. It's important to keep perspective, though. At just 21, Nottingham was about three years younger than his typical opponent at Double-A last season, and he has plenty of time to work out the kinks in his swing.

The 2013 sixth-round pick of the Astros was acquired by the A's in the trade that sent Scott Kazmir to Houston and then traded to the Brewers in the offseason for Khris Davis. The right-handed hitting catcher had a breakout minor league season in 2015. According to scouts, Nottingham possesses above average raw power, and A's general manager Billy Beane said Nottingham has the potential to develop into a middle-of-the-order hitter. He will be only 21 in April, likely starting the year in Double-A. With Jonathan Lucroy set to become a free agent at the end of the year, Nottingham is clearly the Brewers' catcher of the future and one of the top backstops to own in dynasty leagues.