Brewers Designate Andrew Susac For Assignment

The Brewers announced that they’ve designated catcher Andrew Susac for assignment today in order to clear a spot on the roster for righty Matt Albers, whose previously reported two-year deal with the team is now official.

Susac, 27, was once one of baseball’s very best overall prospects, ranking in the Top 100 on multiple lists prior to the 2015 campaign and frequently appearing on the Giants’ organizational rankings. He went to Milwaukee in a 2016 swap that sent lefty Will Smith to San Francisco, though, and has struggled in both organizations over the past couple of seasons.

In 274 MLB plate appearances, Susac has batted just .232/.299/.396 with an alarming 82 strikeouts against 23 walks. He’s been more effective in his Triple-A career, hitting at a .247/.338/.425 clip, and strikeouts haven’t been nearly as much of an issue for him there. Durability, on the other hand, has been a major factor for the former second-rounder (Giants, 2011); Susac has appeared in more than 100 games just twice in a season, and he’s totaled just 142 games over the past two seasons combined. In his young career, Susac has already dealt with wrist, trapezius, finger and shoulder injuries on separate occasions.

With Manny Pina, Stephen Vogt and Jett Bandy all on the 40-man roster, the Brewers seemingly feel set on catching depth. It’s possible that Susac clears waivers and remains in the organization, though he does have a minor league option remaining, so he could hold appeal to another organization that is thin at the position.