Caleb Durbin’s Grit-Fueled Rookie Season Was Pure Brewers Baseball
If you’re looking for a player who perfectly captured the spirit of the 2025 Milwaukee Brewers, look no further than Caleb Durbin. A 14th-round pick out of a Division III program, Durbin didn’t come into the league with fanfare.
He didn’t have the pedigree, the size, or the power numbers that typically turn heads. But just like the Brewers - a team that consistently punches above its weight in the smallest market in baseball - Durbin made his mark by doing the little things right and showing up when it mattered most.
And in 2025, he didn’t just show up - he showed out. Durbin’s rookie campaign was a testament to perseverance and performance, culminating in a run as a finalist for the National League Rookie of the Year. Even though he was traded to the Boston Red Sox earlier today in a deal that brought Milwaukee two young, controllable arms in Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan, Brewers fans won’t soon forget what Durbin brought to the table.
Let’s take a look back at the moments that defined Durbin’s memorable rookie season in Milwaukee - a year that might’ve started quietly, but ended with a bang.
4. Holding His Own in the NLCS
The Brewers' 2025 playoff run ended with a tough sweep at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS, but Caleb Durbin was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise rough series. While the rest of Milwaukee’s offense struggled to get anything going against a dominant Dodgers pitching staff, Durbin managed four hits in 13 at-bats, including three for extra bases. He added two stolen bases and posted a sharp .308/.357/.615 slash line across the four games.
It wasn’t just the stat line - it was the way he competed. In the biggest series of the year, against one of the league’s top teams, the rookie didn’t shrink.
He stayed aggressive, stayed disciplined, and gave the Brewers a fighting chance in games where offense was hard to come by. That kind of poise under pressure is rare, especially from a first-year player.
3. An Energizing MLB Debut (April 18, 2025)
When Durbin got the call to the big leagues in mid-April, the Brewers were in need of a spark. Third base had been a revolving door early in the season, with Oliver Dunn and Vinny Capra struggling to find their footing. Enter Durbin - and right away, he made an impact.
In his debut, a 5-3 win over the Athletics, Durbin went 2-for-4 with a pair of soft singles, but it wasn’t just the hits that stood out. He showed smart instincts on the bases and made a couple of slick plays at the hot corner. It was a glimpse of the all-around game that would become his calling card - not flashy, but fundamentally sound and always competitive.
It took a few weeks for Durbin to fully lock down the everyday role at third, but that first night gave Brewers fans a taste of what was to come.
2. Walk-Off Winner vs. Washington (July 12, 2025)
By mid-July, the Brewers were riding one of their hottest stretches of the season. After sweeping the Dodgers and taking the opener against the Nationals, they found themselves in a tight one in Game 2 of the series - and that’s when Durbin delivered one of the biggest swings of his rookie year.
Down two runs in the bottom of the ninth, the Brewers rallied. A Jackson Chourio single, a Christian Yelich walk, and an Andrew Vaughn double tied things up.
Andruw Monasterio came in to run for Vaughn and moved to third on a groundout. With one out and the winning run 90 feet away, Durbin stepped in.
He didn’t try to do too much. He just put the ball in play - a sharp grounder that snuck past a diving Daylen Lile.
Monasterio scored. Brewers win.
Walk-off.
It was a classic Durbin moment: clutch, composed, and exactly what the team needed.
1. First-Pitch Walk-Off Homer vs. Padres (June 7, 2025)
This was the moment that truly stamped Durbin’s name into Brewers lore.
Milwaukee had been building momentum in early June, climbing back above .500 and stringing together a solid stretch of series wins. After a tough loss to San Diego in the opener of a weekend set, the Brewers were in position to even the series - until the Padres tied it up with a two-run double in the top of the ninth.
Leading off the bottom half of the inning, Durbin didn’t wait around. He saw a 98 mph fastball from David Morgan - elevated, but hittable - and jumped all over it.
The ball soared into the Brewers’ bullpen in left field, caught by none other than DL Hall. Just like that, walk-off homer.
Game over.
It was only the second home run of Durbin’s young career, but it couldn’t have come at a better time. The rookie didn’t just win the game - he electrified the crowd and gave the Brewers another jolt of belief during a critical stretch of the season.
A Rookie Season Built on Grit and Growth
Caleb Durbin’s 2025 season wasn’t about jaw-dropping numbers or highlight-reel moments every night. It was about consistency, resilience, and seizing the moment. He played the game with the kind of edge and energy that fits perfectly in Milwaukee - a city and a team that’s used to being underestimated.
Now, with Durbin heading to Boston, the Brewers turn the page and look toward the future with two promising arms in the fold. But make no mistake: Durbin’s rookie year was special, and his time in Milwaukee left a mark.
He may be wearing a different uniform in 2026, but for Brewers fans, Caleb Durbin will always be remembered as the kind of player who never stopped proving people wrong - and never stopped competing.