Milwaukee Brewers sign David Dahl to a minor league contract

The Milwaukee Brewers signed David Dahl to a minor league contract and assigned him to their AAA affiliate in Nashville. In a corresponding move, the Brewers have released Kevin Kramer.

Dahl was once a top prospect in the Colorado Rockies system. As a 21-year old in 2016, Dahl began his MLB career by slashing .315/.359/.500 in 237 plate appearances for the Rockies. Dahl looked like a budding star in the league, but injuries have taken their toll on him. While playing in the minors, he suffered a lacerated spleen during a collision in the outfield. Since coming to the majors, he has had a stress reaction in his rib cage, a broken foot, a low back sprain, an ankle sprain, and a right shoulder sprain that have essentially derailed his career. Although when he played, he had been pretty good, except of late. 2020 and so far in 2021, he has been a below average major league player.

David Dahl is still relatively young at 27. When Texas signed him in the offseason, they were hoping to get the player many think Dahl had the potential to be. Unfortunately for them, that did not transpire. The fact that the Rockies non-tendered him in the offseason also gives one pause.

Texas designated Dahl for assignment and no other team came forth to claim him. Dahl rejected outright assignment to the minors in favor of free agency. Dahl comes into the Milwaukee organization as a low-risk, high-reward opportunity. The Brewers are only on the hook for the prorated minimum for any time he spends on the big league roster. This gives the Brewers more depth in the outfield and from the left side of the plate. It also gives Brewers’ player development an opportunity to see what they have and whether they can help Dahl become the player he once had the potential to be.

Baseball statistics courtesy of Fangraphs