Hiura's Future Position?

[balsamlaker]

What is Keston's future position? Second base is not working. Can he play first? Is he just a DH? He continues to struggle on defense, especially on plays to his right. I know analytics say defense does not matter much, but the Brewers without Cain have a lot of poor defensive players all around the diamond.

[markedman5]

Don’t think defense was the biggest problem this season for Brewers. With Cain back they will have a quality defensive outfield.....Catcher has been fine.....SS fine.....we will have some new players next season but your statement about having poor defensive players around the diamond didn’t seem accurate to me.

 

Hiura was really the only weak link......other then Braun in right field. Garcia played out of position which he won’t have to do next season.

 

His main issue was throwing ......’thought he made some improvements with the glove this season.

 

Bottom line if he hits he can play 2nd.......if he doesn’t you sure don’t want him at first or DH.

[balsamlaker]

Yelich is also very weak in the field. The catchers did a nice job this year, especially pitch framing, and Urias wasn't bad at third. Arcia tends to make a flashy play here and there making you think he is better than he actually is.

[Lathund]

I think he can stick at 2B tbh. Reason I say that is that physically he's fine there. He's a decent enough athlete, range is good enough, hands too for the most part. Neither aspect is great, but good enough. Issue is throwing. I'm not even saying arm; because while he'll never have a strong throwing arm, it's again strong enough to survive at 2B. Problem is more "yip-like" than anything else; so many of his mistakes are the easy throws, the ones where he has plenty of time. While I've seen him make accurate throws to complete double plays just fine. So I don't know if it's psychological, or some kind of mechanical issue where he overthrows (Missed throws usually seem to miss on Hiuras glove-side).

 

Don't get me wrong, I still think the best we can hope for is "below average". Which is fine if he hits enough, which I believe he can. I don't know what the issue is with the missed throws, just that it's not a matter of not having the physical ability to do it. Brewers must believe it's fixable as well or he wouldn't be out there. Worth keeping in mind that he still only has less than one season worth of 2B play in the minors, and less than a season worth in MLB. Didn't play a lot of 2B in college either.

 

So in my opinion you give him more time at 2B. If there are signs of improvement, keep him there. If there has been no improvement this time next year, then consider where else he might fit (and the future of the DH should be settled before 2022, if not sooner). Despite how poor the defense was at time, it was still the offense that concerned me this year. I'm still high on Keston, but that whiff rate needs to come down... With that bat speed he shouldn't be missing that much. And it's not as if he's getting close and fouling off a lot of pitches, he just straight up misses.

[TURBO]

Hiura isn't big enough to play 1B.

 

Yes, Prince Fielder wasn't big either, but that was his natural position, and he held his own most of the time.

[TURBO]

Yelich is the guy they should be grooming for 1B.

[tmwiese55]

He's fast and athletic. I think you give 2B another year as it is a huge advantage to have a good hitter there if you can. But down the line due to being fast and athletic couldn't LF be an option? I know Yelich is there now but as was just said he isn't exactly a world beater out there so maybe he can get moved to 1B in the next few years and for when he ages.

[pacopete4]

Yelich is the guy they should be grooming for 1B.

 

I agree. This could the position fixed the easiest if he works there.

[balsamlaker]

If I remember right, Yelich was a first baseman in high school and the Marlins had even talked about moving him to first.

[MrTPlush]

I’m not saying Hiura is a slug, but to hype him up as fast and athletic is really stretching it. I’m guessing he is probably average speed wise and his reaction time at 2B isn’t all that impressive either.

 

While his throws are by far his worst defensive problem his decision making, double plays, and fielding the baseball are all average at best. His defense is just not pretty. I have little confidence he could dig balls out of the dirt at first, nor should we want a 1B the size of a smurf to throw to.

 

Not to mention, what value does Hiura even provide at a different position? Strikeout prone first basemen that can’t play good defense are already worthless. The only place they can ever seem to find a job is the Milwaukee Brewers.

[tmwiese55]

Yea I just kind of mean you'd like to find a way to not use the DH spot on a guy who's not big and slow and/or old. I wouldn't say he's on the top end of athleticism either. A young in shape guy with at least normal speed/athleticism you'd like to find a way to get in the field.

[pacopete4]

If no DH, we should be looking to shop to an AL team. He'll never have great value to an NL team because he has a rag arm. If we have DH, you almost go down the road of making him that full-time and find yourself a good 2-bagger that is not named Sogard, Eric.

[Oxy]

I expected him to be much worse than he actually was this year. If his hitting can return to 2019 levels, then he can play 2B for me. If he is actually the 2020 hitter going forward then he won't be in the league long.

[djoctagone]

david stearns weighed in on the defensive future of keston hiura . . .

[Eye Black]

It obviously isn’t ideal to have to move a mid-20’s player down the defensive spectrum, so I think they’ll give it as long as possible before they seriously consider moving him there long-term. I do think he’ll play there at least a few games a year moving forward, and I think he’d be fine at 1B. I don’t really understand the “too small” crowd. Sure in youth baseball having a big target to throw to can be beneficial. In MLB there really isn’t a big advantage to having a 6’2” first baseman over a 6’0” first baseman.

 

Curious what people think Hiura’s height is? He’s listed at 6’0”. I wouldn’t be shocked if that’s inaccurate, but I don’t think he’s shorter than 5’11”. He’s surely no shorter than Jedd Gyorko (5’10”) who just played there to end this season. As was mentioned, Prince Fielder played the position at 5’11”.

 

Among current first baseman there are several at the listed height of Hiura or shorter including Carlos Santana (5’11”), Danny Santana (5’11”), Yuli Gurriel (6’0”), and Max Muncy (6’0”). Looking at some of the greatest first baseman of all time, other notable Hiura height or shorter first baseman include John Kruk (5’10”), Steve Garvey (5’10”), Dick Allen (5’11”), Pedro Guerrero (5’11”), Harmon Killebrew (6’0”), Don Mattingly (6’0”), Keith Hernandez (6’0”), Rafael Palmeiro (6’0”), and Jeff Bagwell (6’0”). Even really short players like Matt Stairs (5’9”) and Ronnie Belliard (5’8”) played some games at first base during their careers. I don’t think height will be the ultimate determinate of whether or not Hiura plays first base.

[MrTPlush]

Keston Hiura is going to play 2B until there is a NL DH...then I imagine he will play between 2B/DH.

 

Even if the DH doesn’t come next year to stay, when is the next CBA? DH isn’t far off regardless.

[TURBO]

Keston Hiura is going to play 2B until there is a NL DH...then I imagine he will play between 2B/DH.

 

Even if the DH doesn’t come next year to stay, when is the next CBA? DH isn’t far off regardless.

 

I agree with this.

 

He is a 2B.

[Eye Black]

Bump since it appears the answer at the moment is indeed first base.

[PeaveyFury]

Didn't think the correct answer just a few months later could end up being 2B.... on a different team.

[umphrey]

Just checking stats, last year he would have been the 23rd ranked 1B out of 26 qualified, offensively

[TURBO]

Just checking stats, last year he would have been the 23rd ranked 1B out of 26 qualified, offensively

 

I don't think you can count last year... What would he have been in 2019 with his 2019 stats?

[brewerfan82]

Just checking stats, last year he would have been the 23rd ranked 1B out of 26 qualified, offensively

 

I don't think you can count last year... What would he have been in 2019 with his 2019 stats?

In 2019 his wRC+ of 140 would have put him 3rd out of 21 qualifiers, just after Alonso (143) and Rizzo (142), and ahead of Freeman (138), Santana (136), and Olson and Bell (both 135).

[TURBO]

Just checking stats, last year he would have been the 23rd ranked 1B out of 26 qualified, offensively

 

I don't think you can count last year... What would he have been in 2019 with his 2019 stats?

In 2019 his wRC+ of 140 would have put him 3rd out of 21 qualifiers, just after Alonso (143) and Rizzo (142), and ahead of Freeman (138), Santana (136), and Olson and Bell (both 135).

 

Woa!

 

I hope that Hiura returns for 2021!

[brewmann04]

Hiura defense at second is a concern but at first i will be more worried. Sign Jedd next

[djoctagone]

hiura's future position is first base.