The Brewers are adding another layer to their outfield depth chart, signing Jacob Hurtubise to a minor league deal earlier this week. The 28-year-old outfielder has been assigned to Triple-A Nashville and, notably, wasn’t extended an invite to big league spring training-at least for now.
Hurtubise’s path to this point has been anything but conventional. He wasn’t drafted out of college, but the Reds saw enough in him to bring him aboard as a free agent in 2020.
Since then, he’s carved out a journeyman’s resume-brief flashes in the majors, a handful of transactions, and a relentless drive to keep the dream alive. He’s appeared in 41 big league games, all with Cincinnati over the past two seasons.
But after being designated for assignment in June, his 2023 turned into a whirlwind: claimed by the Mariners, outrighted and released, then picked up by the Astros on a minor league deal before being released again in September.
Now, he’s getting a fresh shot with another NL Central club. The Brewers, even after trading Isaac Collins to Kansas City earlier this offseason, still have a fairly crowded outfield picture.
The starting trio of Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, and Sal Frelick is locked in, with Blake Perkins likely holding down the fourth outfield spot. But behind that group, there’s a pack of depth pieces-including Akil Baddoo, Brandon Lockridge, and Greg Jones-vying for a potential bench role.
Hurtubise joins that mix, and while he does have a minor league option remaining, his lack of positional versatility could make it tougher to crack the big league roster. Milwaukee has typically favored players who can move around the diamond.
That said, Hurtubise brings a very specific skillset to the table-one that could still hold value in the right situation. He’s a true outfield-only defender, but he’s played all three spots and brings plus speed and baserunning instincts.
Over his minor league career, he’s swiped 130 bases in 153 attempts, a success rate that speaks to both his speed and his smarts on the basepaths. Offensively, his game is built around getting on base.
At the Triple-A level, he’s slashed .260/.411/.324 across 576 plate appearances-an OBP north of .400 is nothing to sneeze at, even if the slugging is light.
The challenge, of course, is translating that approach to the majors. In his limited MLB sample-just 83 plate appearances-Hurtubise has hit .167/.291/.212.
It’s a small sample, but it underscores the gap between Triple-A production and big league success. Still, his ability to get on base and create havoc once he’s there could make him an intriguing option as a late-game pinch-runner or defensive sub, especially if injuries or roster shuffling open up a spot.
For now, Hurtubise will report to Nashville and wait for his next opportunity. He’s not the flashiest name in the Brewers’ system, but he’s the kind of player who can quietly make a difference over the course of a long season-especially if he can bring that elite OBP and base-stealing prowess to the big league level.