Milwaukee Brewers: Top-5 First Basemen in Team History
The history of the Milwaukee Brewers is not littered with Hall of Fame names like the Yankees or the Red Sox.
However, there have been some really good players that have suited up for the Milwaukee Brewers through the years. In celebrating the emergence of Jesus Aguilar during this season, we’ll take a look at the Top-5 first basemen in team history. First, let’s take a look at Aguilar’s performance with the Brewers.
Looking at last season
Aguilar fell victim to a roster crunch while with the Cleveland Indians leading into the 2017 season and wound up being placed on waivers. Brewers general manager David Stearns, being the brilliant team builder that he is, claimed Aguilar. The first baseman made his first career Opening Day roster with The Crew heading into last season and hasn’t looked back since.
Aguilar hit .265 with 16 home runs and 52 runs batted in. Those numbers by themselves aren’t anything special. However, when you consider Aguilar was a part-time player who more often than not came in for pinch hitting opportunities, those numbers are impressive.
He played in 133 games hitting 15 doubles with a .331 on-base percentage in 311 plate appearances. When manager Craig Counsell needed a bat late in a big game, Aguilar usually delivered when called upon. That was only a glimpse of what Aguilar is capable of as he has continued to build off of that momentum during this season.
Looking at this season
Once again, Aguilar was right in the middle of another roster crunch during Spring Training. However, this time Aguilar had already proven he’s a legit MLB hitter. Milwaukee found a way to carry four full-time outfielders and three first basemen into this season.
Early injuries in the outfield made this decision pay off and also opened the door for Aguilar. The 28-year-old seized his opportunity and has forced his way into the starting lineup on a regular basis.
Aguilar has a solid .280 batting average with 29 home runs and 87 runs batted in. Although he has 102 strikeouts already, he has also worked 46 walks and has a .365 on-base percentage. As good as those numbers are, that’s just the beginning.
Aguilar has 48 total extra-base hits and an extraordinary .951 on-base plus slugging percentage. There have been many times during this season that Aguilar has carried the Milwaukee Brewers and there’s no telling where this team would be without him.
As sad as this sounds, if Aguilar can put together a few more seasons like this one, he could find himself among the best first basemen in franchise history. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at the current Top-5 first basemen in Brewers history.
5- John Jaha (1992-98)
Nothing against John Jaha, but his name this high on the list goes to show the dearth of quality first baseman throughout the years for the Milwaukee Brewers. Although unspectacular, Jaha put up decent numbers during his time in Milwaukee from 1992-98.
The former 14th rounder toiled in the Minor Leagues for seven and a half seasons before earning his first chance with The Crew during the 1992 season. He played in just 46 games and mustered only two home runs during that season. He also amassed 30 in 152 plate appearances and didn’t do much to stand out.
However, he began to put things together at the plate over the next three seasons hitting .272 with 51 home runs and 174 runs batted in. The problem is that Jaha struggled to stay in the lineup playing more than 88 games just once during those three seasons.
The 1996 season was a different story for Jaha. He played 148 games and hit an even .300 with a .398 on-base percentage. Jaha also found his power stroke hitting a Brewers career-high 34 home runs with 118 runs batted in.
However, that is where the good stops with Jaha as he was barely a factor during his final two seasons in Milwaukee. He played in just 119 games combining to hit only 18 home runs during the 1997-98 seasons before his time was up in Brew Town.
Unfortunately, this also coincided with some rough years in Milwaukee Brewers history. Jaha played for one team with a winning record and that was in ’92 so he barely even played on that team.
He hit .268 while playing in 639 games during his Brewers career. Jaha had 366 runs batted in and his 105 home runs rank 17th in Brewers history.
That my friends is how we kick off this list. Now, we’ll take a look at a home run hitting former fan favorite.
4- Richie Sexson (2000-03)
In the year 2000 (using my best Conan O’Brien voice), the Milwaukee Brewers swung a blockbuster deal with the Indians trading Bob Wickman, Steve Woodard, and Jason Bere. The highlight of the Brewers return was slugging outfielder/first baseman Richie Sexson.
Wickman was an All-Star during that summer while Woodard would go on to be productive for the Tribe. Sexson on the hand made a huge impact in the Cream City during his brief time in town. In the end, this trade worked out really well for the Brewers.
Sexson played in 57 games for The Crew during the 2000 season and made an immediate impact. He hit 14 home runs, 28 extra-base hits overall, with 47 runs batted in. Although Sexson had 63 strikeouts, a sign of things to come, he also walked 34 times and had a .398 on-base percentage.
His first full season with the Milwaukee Brewers quickly transformed him into a fan favorite. The 6’8″ tall slugger gained a reputation for his power hitting moonshots night after night. During a dark time in franchise history, Sexson gave Brewers fans a reason to be excited.
He hit .271 with 45 home runs and 125 runs batted in during the 2001 season. He struck out an astounding 178 times while drawing 60 walks. He did have an impressive .342 on-base percentage showing that he was more than just a home run hitter.
The former 24th rounder hit a solid .276 during his three-plus seasons in Milwaukee. He mashed 133 mammoth home runs while amassing 421 runs batted in. His career in the Cream City was brief but impressive.
That brings us to another player who spent a brief, but impressive, time in Milwaukee.
3- George Scott (1972-76)
George Scott had already made a name for himself in MLB before joining the Milwaukee Brewers before the 1972 season. He had one All-Star appearance and hit .260 with 105 home runs during his first six seasons while playing with the Boston Red Sox.
Scott played in 152 games collecting 629 plate appearances during the ’72 season. He hit 20 home runs, 48 extra-base hits overall, with 88 runs batted in. His presence in the lineup was important for a young franchise.
The Milwaukee Brewers played their first season in Milwaukee during the 1970 season. This franchise had experienced a lot of losses through those first few seasons and Scott was at least a name to draw fans in. Unfortunately, the team wouldn’t be able to get above .500 during any of Scott’s time with The Crew.
However, Scott did help to set a good example for the winning teams that were soon to come. He hit .283 with 115 home runs and 463 runs batted in during his five seasons in Brew Town.
Although he did strike out 529 times, Scott also worked 267 walks giving him a solid .342 on-base percentage. He also had 137 doubles and 19 triples to give him a .456 slugging percentage. His .798 on-base plus slugging percentage ranks 17 in Brewers history. As solid as he was offensively, his defense is the reason he’s ranked above Richie Sexson.
Scott was steady at first base with a .991 fielding percentage during his Brewers career. Although that number isn’t anything special, he did manage to win the Gold Glove award every season he played with The Crew.
The next two players are considered 1-A and 1-B to me personally. However, somebody has to be number one, so let’s see who’s number two.
2- Prince Fielder (2005-11)
Personally, I loved watching Prince Fielder during his career, especially while he was playing with the Milwaukee Brewers. His time in the Cream City coincided with a baseball renaissance and a revival of the fan base.
Drafted number seven overall by Milwaukee during the 2002 MLB draft, Fielder made his debut during the 2005 season. The Brewers went .500 during the ’05 season and that began one of the more successful stretches in team history.
Fielder played in just 39 games during the ’05 season hitting just two home runs. However, he struck out only 17 times in 62 plate appearances and showed signs of things to come.
He played a full slate of games (157) during the 2006 season and his star was only beginning to shine. Fielder hit 28 home runs while driving in 81 runs with a .271 batting average. He had a .347 on-base percentage and a solid .831 on-base plus slugging percentage. That was just the tip of the iceberg for Fielder.
He followed that up with a mind-blowing, single-season franchise record, 50 home runs during the 2007 season. He had a .395 on-base percentage to go along with an impressive 1.013 on-base plus slugging percentage. Fielder also hit .288 with 119 runs batted in and finished third in MVP voting while being awarded his first Silver Slugger Award.
Fielder hit .282 with 230 home runs and 656 runs batted in during his career with the Milwaukee Brewers. He made three All-Star appearances during his six-plus seasons. He also finished in the Top-5 of the MVP voting three times while winning two Silver Slugger Awards.
Fielder was a beast, the originator of “Beast Mode”, for The Crew and he helped propel this team to the postseason following the 2008 and 2011 seasons. Fielder is more than just the number two first baseman in Brewers history. He’s among the best to ever wear Brewer Blue and his time in Milwaukee will forever be remembered.
Now, to the player who beat out “Beast Mode”. We’ll be going back to the original glory days for this one folks.
1- Cecil Cooper (1977-87)
Cecil Cooper found his way to the Milwaukee Brewers in 1977. That was one year before the organization would record the first winning record in franchise history.
Drafted by the Boston Red Sox during the sixth round of the 1966 MLB draft, Cooper had an unspectacular run with the Sox. He hit .283 with 40 home runs while playing in 406 games between 1971-76.
The left-hander hit an even .300 with 20 home runs and 78 runs batted in during the ’77 season. However, the team lost more than 90 games marking the sixth staright season under .500 for The Crew.
In 1978 things turned around for the franchise and baseball truly was back in the Cream City for the first time since the Braves departure following the 1962 season. Cooper hit .312 for The Brew Crew but played in just 107 games as opposed to 160 the season prior.
More from Milwaukee Brewers
- Milwaukee Brewers missed opportunity to take control of the NL Central
- Milwaukee Brewers pitching faces tough schedule ahead
- Trade Deadline: Pirates, Cardinals, and Cubs for sale: Brewers, Reds wish list
- Grading Matt Arnold and the Milwaukee Brewers front office at the midway point of the season
- Reds, Pirates, Brewers, Cardinals, Cubs: The good, bad, and injured
The Milwaukee Brewers won 93 games and finished third in the American League East during the ’78 season. Things were finally starting to look up for this franchise and the team finished with a winning record during seven of Cooper’s eleven seasons with Milwaukee.
Cooper was a big contribitor to the first ever Brewers playoff team in 1981 and played a huge role in the 1982 AL pennant winning season. Sure, those teams had players like Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, and Rollie Fingers, but Cooper was just as important.
He hit. 313 with a career-best 34 home runs during the ’82 season. He also drove in 121 runs while striking out only 53 times while playing in 155 games. He was an integral part during the Brewers only World Series season.
Next. Looking at the Brewers Top-10 prospects. dark
As I mentioned earlier, Jesus Aguilar has a chance to join this club with a few more seasons like this one. The top of this list is definitely talented but Milwaukee hasn’t had very many great first basemen through the years.