Next Steps for Brewers, Prized Rookie Cooper Pratt

Aug 2, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt (12) during pregame warmup before a game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jon Endow-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Next Steps for Brewers, Prized Rookie Cooper Pratt

Originally posted on Milwaukee Brewers on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Aug 12, 2026 12:00 PM ET

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The Milwaukee Brewers are thinner in the infield right now than you'd expect.

Fortunately, the Brewers are just fine at first base right now. Jake Bauers and Andrew Vaughn have both had very solid seasons. Bauers is slashing .269/.374/.501 with an .876 OPS, 21 home runs, and 67 RBIs in 107 games played. Vaughn is slashing .301/.389/.471 with an .860 OPS, five home runs, 34 RBIs, and 16 doubles in 75 games. First base is a strength.

The rest of the infield is up in the air right now. Brice Turang sprained his thumb on Tuesday night and now the club is waiting for more information. Shortstop Cooper Pratt is currently on the Injured List due to a hamstring strain. Third base has been covered by Joey Ortiz and David Hamilton. Ortiz is banged up right now, but Hamilton is healthy. There have been questions about the position all season, and right now it's unclear how the club will fill the rest of the infield and whether that will impact third base further.

The Brewers Are Thin In The Infield

All in all, there are infield question marks for the club. When it comes to shortstop, it sounds like the Brewers are still a few weeks away from getting their young infielder back.

On Tuesday, MLB.com's Adam McCalvy reported that Pratt is expected to be sidelined until late August.

"Some Brewers injury notes: Anticipating Cooper Pratt being sidelined until late August with his hamstring strain," McCalvy wrote. "JoJo Romero's first bullpen yesterday went to plan; on track to begin a rehab assignment next week. Sal Frelick's return still pegged for mid August."

Pratt's last bit of action came on Aug. 8. Now, it sounds like he's a few weeks away from a return, at the very least. That's not the best news for a club is trying to win its fourth straight National League Central title. The Chicago Cubs are just four games back with two more series this season against Milwaukee.

Before Pratt landed on the Injured List, he was showing that he can contribute in the majors in a big way. He played in 44 games and slashed .272/.352/.368 with a .720 OPS, two home runs, 17 RBIs, 10 stolen bases and five doubles while playing elite defense at one of the most difficult positions in the game. Despite the small sample size, Pratt is actually 11th on the Brewers with 1.2 wins above replacement. Imagine if he were with the club all season?

Plus, he's already in the 86th percentile in baseball with four outs above average.

For the Brewers, they're going to have to wait at least two more weeks, or so, before seeing the young infielder back on the field. Soft tissue injuries are unpredictable, though. At this point, Milwaukee can only wait and see how the 21-year-old recovers.

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

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