The Milwaukee Brewers have been chasing stability at first base ever since Prince Fielder left town after the 2011 season. And when we say chasing, we mean a revolving door of starters-11 different Opening Day first basemen in 11 years.
That’s not a stat you want to lead the league in. Rowdy Tellez brought a little continuity in 2022 and 2023, and Rhys Hoskins took over in 2024 and 2025.
Now, it looks like Andrew Vaughn is next in line to try and lock down the position in 2026.
Over the past decade-plus, Milwaukee has tried just about everything at first-veterans, prospects, short-term rentals. Some flashed briefly, others barely made a dent before moving on. One of those short-lived experiments was Tyler Austin.
Austin’s stint with the Brewers was brief-just 17 games in 2019. He posted a .200/.370/.450 slash line with a homer and four RBIs.
Solid on-base numbers in a small sample, but it wasn’t enough to stick. That turned out to be his last appearance in the big leagues-at least for a while.
Since then, Austin has taken his talents overseas and found a second wind in Japan. Playing for the Yokohama BayStars, he put together an impressive run, slashing .287/.372/.554 and reestablishing himself as a legitimate power threat. Now, at 34, he’s getting another shot at Major League Baseball.
Austin has signed a one-year major league deal with the Chicago Cubs, giving him a chance to return stateside and contribute in a new role. While he was once a top prospect in the Yankees system, his MLB journey has been anything but linear. But his production in Japan-.293/.377/.568 over the past five years-shows he’s still got something in the tank.
The Cubs aren’t exactly hurting for first base production. Michael Busch, who’s under club control through 2029, is coming off a strong season where he hit .261 with 34 home runs and 90 RBIs.
So, Austin isn’t walking in as a starter. But he could be a valuable depth piece, especially with his experience and power potential from the right side.
There’s also a layer of familiarity here-Craig Counsell, now managing the Cubs, was at the helm in Milwaukee during Austin’s brief time there. That connection could help ease the transition and give Austin a clearer path to carving out a role, even if it’s off the bench or in a platoon situation.
At this stage in his career, Austin isn’t looking to be the face of the franchise. But for a Cubs team that’s building toward contention, having a veteran bat with international success and a strong clubhouse presence could be a sneaky good move.