Braden Shewmake Elects Free Agency

The Brewers announced that infielder Braden Shewmake, who was designated for assignment last week, cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A Nashville. He then exercised his right to reject the assignment and elect free agency, per Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Milwaukee acquired Shewmake from the Astros earlier this month in a cash deal. It was a few days after David Hamilton hit the injured list with a strained left hamstring. Once Hamilton was able to come off the IL, the out-of-options Shewmake was nudged off the roster. This is the second outright of Shewmake’s career, giving him the right to elect free agency for the first time.

He should be limited to minor league offers. Presumably, if any club were willing to give him a big league job, he would have been claimed. Perhaps some trade deadline moves will open up playing time, depending on who is moved in the coming days.

Shewmake is a former 21st overall pick but he hasn’t developed offensively, which leaves him as a speed-and-defense infielder. Statcast credits him with 73rd percentile sprint speed this year. He has split his time between shortstop, third base and second base. But he has a .196/.206/.320 line in 162 plate appearances. His Triple-A output has been better but still not good. He has a .240/.305/.382 line in 1,225 plate appearances at that level.

The lackluster performance has caused him to exhaust his options and move into journeyman territory. Atlanta traded him to the White Sox a few years back. The Sox put him on waivers after 2024, which led to claims by the Royals and Yankees. The Yanks got him through waivers in February of this year. Since that was his first career outright and he was well shy of three years of service time, he had to accept it. He was then traded to the Astros and spent a bit of time with that club before being designated for assignment, which led to his aforementioned trade to the Brewers. There is clearly some interest around the league, so Shewmake will now suss out his opportunities.