I had thought a change might be afoot in Milwaukee this weekend when Mike Moustakas started at third base in all three games against the Chicago Cubs. Moustakas, a third baseman by trade, has been the Brewers' primary starter at second this season -- with Travis Shaw taking the hot corner. Shaw has been a tremendous disappointment thus far and has been producing at almost a full game below replacement level. In an attempt to get the most production out of their lineup, the Brewers look like they will move Moose back to third, as second base prospect Keston Hiura is on his way to the show.
What he can do
Simply put, Hiura is a hitter. He was arguably the best pure hitter in the 2017 draft. There were concerns about possible Tommy John surgery and defensive limitations, but his bat is so good that he was still taken No. 9 overall -- and by a National League team, no less. He is an easy 60 with the hit tool (or a 65 if you're into half grades). He has shown more power this year, which coincides with a move to the Pacific Coast League. That said, even without that environment, he probably grades out at 60 power, too. The lack of strong defense actually works in favor of fantasy managers since a .300-hitting second baseman with the ability to hit 20-plus home runs just landed on the market -- and errors don't cost you in fantasy.
What to expect
Did I mention Hiura is a hitter? All that contact leaves little room for walking, so his on-base percentage will be highly dependent on his average. The good news is, unlike some contact-based hitters, his average will not be hollow. Instead, it will be filled with extra-base hits. Those extra-base hits mean run-producing and run-scoring opportunities -- especially if he ends up near Christian Yelich at the top of the lineup. Hiura is a mature hitter, so I think he can produce very quickly, if not immediately. There is always room for an adjustment period. That said, hitters typically find ways to hit, and I think I may have said this before: Hiura is a hitter.