Aug 4, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a Milwaukee Brewers hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the fourth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Brewers Sign 8-Year Veteran Catcher With Controversial Past

Originally posted on Milwaukee Brewers on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Jan 28, 2026 7:21 PM ET

The Milwaukee Brewers were the best team in baseball during the regular season last year, but they're going to be fighting an uphill battle to take that crown again this year. While teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets have taken massive steps forward this offseason, the Brewers have moved backwards in the present day.

Milwaukee traded Freddy Peralta to the New York Mets in exchange for a pair of talented prospects. In the long run, this deal is going to be worth more for the Brewers than holding Peralta would have been.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

The Brewers need to make some moves to improve their roster right now, but it's hard to imagine them making any more blockbuster moves. Instead, they opted to sign veteran catcher Reese McGuire to a minor league deal, per Brewers beat writer Curt Hogg.

Reese McGuire should be solid catching depth for the Brewers

McGuire has a controversial past that has followed him around for the last five or six years. When he was with the Toronto Blue Jays, he found himself in a bit of legal trouble stemming from an off the field incident.

Since then, he's been a solid catcher with a few different teams.

McGuire has spent time with the Blue Jays, Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago Cubs. Most recently, he posted a .226/.245/.444 slash line with the Cubs across 44 games.

For the Brewers, McGuire is likely going to start in the minor leagues, but he has a real chance to emerge as the team's backup catcher. While he may never be a star in the league, he plays well as a backup option for teams with a good starting catcher.

McGuire is a solid defender with a bat around league average for the position. Sometimes his OPS will drop below the league average mark as his on-base percentage struggles, but he's still a solid option from time to time.

This isn't a signing that's going to move the needle for the Brewers, but it certainly provides them with a slight upgrade in organizational catching depth.

This article first appeared on Milwaukee Brewers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: