Brewers fortify catching depth in trade for Danny Jansen

MILWAUKEE -- Make it back-to-back seasons that catcher Danny Jansen has moved at the Trade Deadline. This time, he’s moving home to Wisconsin.

Jansen, 30, is the pride of Appleton West High School, about 90 miles north of American Family Field and home of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, who were a Seattle Mariners farm team when Jansen’s family used to host the likes of Adam Jones in the early 2000s. Now, it's the home of the Brewers' High-A affiliate, and the former home of 21-year-old infielder Jadher Areinamo, who was ranked as Milwaukee's No. 24 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, who is heading to Tampa Bay in the trade.

TRADE DETAILS
Brewers acquire: Danny Jansen and cash
Rays acquire: Jadher Areinamo

The Brewers are also getting cash in the deal. In a corresponding move, catcher Eric Haase was designated for assignment.

“I don't live too far [from Milwaukee], so that's going to be something that my wife and I have never experienced as a family,” Jansen said. “I'm definitely excited to meet the new organization, and I've heard nothing but great things about them as well. I'm super grateful for my time here, and I'm excited for the next chapter as well.”

Drafted by the Blue Jays out of high school in 2013, Jansen has played in the Majors since ‘18 for Toronto, Boston and Tampa Bay, with a .703 OPS and 11 home runs in 73 games for the Rays this season.

He gives the Brewers some insurance at catcher behind starter William Contreras, who has started 88 of Milwaukee’s first 106 games behind the plate and went 2-for-4 with two runs scored in Monday's 8-4 win against the Cubs in the series opener, but has been playing through a fractured middle finger on his catching hand for most of the last two seasons.

The Brewers also recently learned that top catching prospect Jeferson Quero (No. 4 in Milwaukee's Top 30 list, No. 65 overall in MLB) would miss three to four weeks with an injury to his left (non-throwing) shoulder, which comes after he missed the start of this season with a hamstring injury just as he was returning from right shoulder surgery.

“It’s a hard day for the Brewers in some ways, because Haase, for two years, has been an incredible team member,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “When he plays, he helps us win. Any time we subtract a guy who’s been a leader in that clubhouse, too, it’s a really tough day. As great as the win is, as great as my children are, all the great things I have to be grateful for, it hurts, too.

“I don’t know Danny Jansen. I know his reputation. I know he’s a great player. And I trust our front office. I just do. They’re trying to make upgrades in every little area they can, so I trust them.”

Jansen signed a one-year, $8.5 million contract with the Rays last winter that includes a $12 million mutual option for 2026, making it likely he will be a free agent at year’s end.

“Finding out today, it's definitely an odd thing -- still being on the roster [for the Rays’ 4-2 win over the Yankees] and all that,” Jansen said. “But it's such a great group of guys here. Definitely, you never expect it or anything like that, so it took me a little bit.”

The Brewers signed Areinamo for $150,000 out of Venezuela in January 2021 and he’s been a solid performer each of the past two seasons for Wisconsin. He batted .297/.355/.463 with 11 home runs and 15 stolen bases in 94 games with the Timber Rattlers this season.