Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Caleb Durbin (21) hits a two-run single during the second inning of their National League Division Series game against the Chicago Cubs Saturday, October 4, 2025 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Brewers Trade Addition Getting Buzz as Caleb Durbin's Replacement

Originally posted on Milwaukee Brewers on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Feb 17, 2026 5:28 PM ET

The Milwaukee Brewers swung a pair of trades to kick off their offseason that sent Isaac Collins to the Kansas City Royals and Freddy Peralta to the New York Mets.

But they weren't done there. They opted to trade third baseman Caleb Durbin, alongside two other infielders, to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Kyle Harrison, David Hamilton, and Shane Drohan. This deal left the Brewers without a starting third baseman, which is an issue that the team needs to figure out in spring training.

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Just Baseball's Joey Peterson recently suggested the Brewers could replace Durbin with the aforementioned Hamilton, who was acquired in the deal that sent Durbin to Boston.

David Hamilton could replace Caleb Durbin at third base

"Newcomer David Hamilton could also be in the running for reps at third base, although he has just over an inning of work at third base in his professional career. The Brewers value him for his defensive versatility and his baserunning, so even if he isn’t the everyday starter, there is a good chance he gets at-bats one way or another at third base in 2026," Peterson wrote. "Hamilton is far from an offensive weapon, as he sports a career wRC+ of just 77 across 204 MLB games.

"His best big-league season came back in 2024 when he was a slightly-below league-average hitter by wRC+ (94), but he did manage to rack up 1.6 fWAR in 98 games while stealing 33 bases and hitting nearly .250. That’s the version of Hamilton the Brewers are hoping to get in this deal."

Hamilton isn't a flashy answer, but he could be a solid choice for the short-term future. The Brewers seemingly like the way he plays the game, which is huge for the culture in Milwaukee.

Jett Williams is likely the long term answer in the infield in Milwaukee, but he might not be ready yet. As a result, using a platoon of Hamilton and Luis Rengifo would work fine. It wouldn't be the best possible answer for the Brewers, but it would work for right now.

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

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