Brewers select Isaac Collins – MLB transfer rumors

The Brewers announced this morning that they have selected the infielder/outfielder's contract Isaac Collins. In corresponding movements, outfielder Brewer Hicklen was sent to Triple-A and Outfielder Christian Yelich was placed on the 60-day injured list.

Collins, 27, was drafted in the ninth round by the Rockies in 2019 and has yet to make his major league debut. The Brewers picked him up from Colorado in the minor league phase of the 2022 Rule 5 Draft, and he spent the past two seasons in the upper echelons of Milwaukee's minor league system. In his first full season in Triple-A this year, he's pitched well, posting a .273/.386/.475 slash line in 500 plate appearances. He's complemented that solid plate performance with impressive baserunning (24 steals in 29 attempts) and the versatility to play second base, third base and anywhere in the outfield.

Now that the regular season is winding down, he'll have the opportunity to prove himself in the major leagues with the Brewers. Milwaukee doesn't have to worry about the playoffs, as their ten-game lead over the Cubs and Cardinals is virtually unassailable at this point. However, the club still has something at stake, as they are three games behind the Phillies and Dodgers, who have a bye in the Wild Card round of the playoffs. Still, the Brewers' lead in the race for the NL Central and the addition of 28 players to their roster in September gives the club an opportunity to expose potential future major league performers while bolstering their overall strength.

Hicklen makes room on the club's roster for Collins. The 28-year-old outfielder played briefly with the Royals in the major leagues in 2022, but his time with the Brewers this year was his second foray into the major leagues. Hicklen's .247/.364/.484 slash line at the Triple-A level isn't all that different from Collins', and his slightly less valuable offense is more or less offset by a fantastic 42-for-47 record on the basepaths this year at Triple-A. That said, replacing Hicklen on the roster with Collins offers the Brewers an opportunity to bring a hitter with similar skills to the roster who can handle the infield alongside Andruw Monastery and if necessary as temporary workers in the outfield.

As for Yelich, his placement on the 60-day IL is hardly surprising, as his season ended with back surgery last month. The 32-year-old had his best offensive season in years when he was healthy enough to take the field this year, posting a .315/.406/.504 batting average in 73 games and stealing 21 bases in 22 attempts. He is currently expected to be ready to return to the club's middle lineup in time for the 2025 season.