Keston Hiura, the former top prospect and infielder for the Milwaukee Brewers, had been the subject of trade rumors in recent days.
With the MLB trade deadline approaching, fans and analysts were curious to see if he would be moved to another team.
However, it appears that the Brewers were unable to find a trade fit for him.
Who is Keston Hiura?
Background Information on Keston Hiura
Keston Hiura is a professional baseball player who currently plays as an infielder for the Milwaukee Brewers in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was born on August 2, 1996, in Valencia, California and attended Valencia High School, where he played for the school’s baseball team.
Hiura continued his baseball career at the collegiate level, playing for the University of California, Irvine, where he was a standout player. In his sophomore season, he led the nation in batting average and was named a consensus All-American.
Career in the Mlb
Hiura was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the first round of the 2017 MLB draft and quickly rose through the ranks of the organization. He made his MLB debut in May 2019 and was considered one of the team’s top prospects.
In his rookie season, Hiura played in 84 games and had a batting average of .303 with 19 home runs and 49 RBIs. He finished in the top 10 for Rookie of the Year voting and was considered one of the best young players in the league.
However, Hiura struggled during the 2020 season, hitting just .212 with 13 home runs in 59 games. He also had a high strikeout rate and struggled defensively at second base, which led to the Brewers experimenting with him in the outfield.
Despite his struggles, Hiura remained a highly-touted prospect for the Brewers and was expected to bounce back in 2021. However, he continued to struggle and was eventually demoted to Triple-A Nashville in June.
In his time in Nashville, Hiura showed some promising signs, hitting .331 with 11 home runs in 49 games. However, he was unable to translate that success back to the major league level and was ultimately designated for assignment and outrighted to Nashville once again.
Overall, Hiura’s career in the MLB has been a mixture of success and struggles. Despite his potential, he has yet to establish himself as a consistent contributor at the major league level and will continue to work on improving his game in Triple-A.
The Trade Rumors
The Trade Rumors Involving Keston Hiura
Keston Hiura has been at the center of trade rumors since the trade deadline as the Milwaukee Brewers sought to bolster their pitching staff.
Hiura, who was once considered a top prospect in the Brewers’ system, struggled at the plate this season, hitting just .152 with a .542 OPS in 39 games.
Despite his struggles, Hiura’s name was reportedly linked to a number of trade discussions, and the Brewers were believed to be open to moving him if they could find a trade fit.
Teams Interested in Trading for Him
The Milwaukee Brewers reportedly had discussions with a number of teams about Hiura’s availability before the trade deadline.
The Pittsburgh Pirates were one team that was said to be interested in Hiura, but talks between the two sides never gained any traction.
The Miami Marlins were also reportedly interested in Hiura, but the Brewers were said to be seeking pitching in exchange, and the two sides were unable to come to an agreement.
The Likelihood of a Trade Happening
Despite the trade rumors surrounding Keston Hiura, no deal was ultimately struck, and he remains with the Milwaukee Brewers.
While the Brewers were believed to be open to moving Hiura, they may have been hesitant to sell low on the young infielder given his track record of success in the minor leagues.
Additionally, Hiura still has several years of team control remaining, which could have made him a valuable asset for the Brewers moving forward.
In the end, Hiura’s struggles at the plate this season may have made it difficult for the Brewers to find a trade fit that made sense for them, and they ultimately chose to keep him in the organization.
While Hiura’s future role with the team is unknown, he will have an opportunity to work on his game in Triple-A and try to regain the form that made him one of the top prospects in the game just a few years ago.
Clearing Waivers
When a player is placed on waivers, teams have the opportunity to claim him and take on his contract. If no team claims the player within a set time frame, typically 48-72 hours, he is said to have “cleared waivers.” This process can have significant implications for both the player and the team.
To “clear waivers” means that no team has claimed a player who has been placed on waivers. This means that the player remains with his current team and can be assigned to the minor leagues or kept on the major league roster.
The Process
Waivers are a mechanism used by teams to manage their rosters. When a player is placed on waivers, all other teams in the league are notified. Teams have a set amount of time to submit a claim for the player.
If multiple teams submit a claim, the player is awarded to the team with the lowest winning percentage in the league. If no team claims the player, he clears waivers and can be assigned to the minor leagues or kept on the major league roster.
Significance of Keston Hiura Clearing Waivers
Keston Hiura was a highly-regarded prospect in the Brewers organization and made his major league debut in 2019. However, he struggled at the plate in 2020 and was demoted to the minor leagues.
After showing some improvement in the minors, he was called back up to the majors in 2021 but continued to struggle, prompting the Brewers to place him on waivers.
The fact that Hiura cleared waivers is significant because it means that no other team in the league was willing to take on his contract.
This suggests that other teams either think his struggles at the plate make him not worth the investment or that they believe the Brewers were asking for too much in return for him.
Additionally, clearing waivers allows the Brewers to keep him in the organization and potentially work on his development in the minor leagues without risking losing him to another team.
Clearing waivers is a common process in Major League Baseball, and the assigning of players to the minors, as well as salary caps, protected slots and various other factors determine if a team will choose to claim a player from waivers.
In Keston Hiura’s case, clearing waivers allows the Brewers to continue working with him to develop his skills and try to get him back to the form that made him a top prospect.
Outrighted to Triple-a Nashville
What It Means to Be Outrighted
When a player is outrighted, it means they have been removed from the 40-man roster and sent to the minor leagues.
Essentially, it’s a demotion to the team’s Triple-A affiliate. This is usually done when a team wants to free up space on their roster or when a player isn’t performing up to expectations.
Outrighting a player also exposes them to waivers, which allows other teams to claim the player and add them to their roster.
Triple-a Nashville
Triple-A Nashville is a minor league team affiliated with the Milwaukee Brewers. It’s part of the Pacific Coast League and is one level below the Major Leagues.
The team plays their home games at First Horizon Park in Nashville, Tennessee. Players on the team are often considered the next in line for a call-up to the Major Leagues, as they are some of the highest-ranking prospects in the organization.
Future Prospects for Keston Hiura
Keston Hiura was a top prospect for the Milwaukee Brewers, but has struggled at the Major League level in recent years. He was sent to Triple-A Nashville after being outrighted, which will give him an opportunity to work on his game and get back to form.
If he performs well in Triple-A, he could be called up to the Major Leagues later in the season. However, if he continues to struggle, the Brewers may have to consider other options for their infield.
Regardless of his performance, being outrighted and sent to Triple-A is a chance for Hiura to prove himself and work towards achieving his goals in the Major Leagues.
Where Did Keston Hiura Go?
Keston Hiura designated for assignment by Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers designated infielder Keston Hiura for assignment on May 23rd, 2021.
Keston Hiura clears waivers Hiura cleared waivers on May 31st, 2021, meaning no other team claimed him, and he remained with the Brewers organization.
Brewers assign Hiura to Triple-A affiliate in Nashville The Brewers assigned Hiura to their Triple-A affiliate in Nashville on June 1st, 2021.
Hiura’s struggles at the plate this season Hiura has struggled at the plate this season, batting just .152 with 1 home run and 5 RBIs in 39 games before being designated for assignment.
Future plans for Hiura and the Brewers The Brewers have stated that they want Hiura to work on his hitting at Triple-A and return to the major league club at some point in the future.
Why is Keston Hiura Not Playing?
Keston Hiura is not playing because he was designated for assignment by the Milwaukee Brewers. He was informed on Friday that he would not be on the Opening Day roster. As a result, he was dropped from the team’s 40-man roster on Monday.
Hiura has struggled in recent seasons after a strong rookie campaign in 2019. In 2020, he hit just .212 with a .631 OPS in 59 games. His struggles continued in spring training, where he hit .128 with 15 strikeouts in 39 at-bats.
The Brewers have depth in the infield, including second baseman Kolten Wong and first baseman Daniel Vogelbach. Hiura’s defensive struggles may have played a role in his demotion. The Brewers will have seven days to trade, release, or waive him.
Hiura will likely need to show improvement to earn another chance at the major league level.
Who Drafted Keston Hiura?
Keston Hiura was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers. This happened in the 2017 Major League Baseball draft. He was selected in the first round. He was the ninth overall selection. Hiura signed with the Brewers after being drafted.
They assigned him to the Arizona Brewers. This was a Rookie-level team in the Arizona League. After being assigned, Hiura batted well. His performance on the field was impressive. This led to his eventual promotion to the Major Leagues.
To Recap
Despite the trade rumors surrounding Keston Hiura, the infielder remains a member of the Milwaukee Brewers organization.
After clearing waivers, he was outrighted to Triple-A Nashville on Tuesday. It remains to be seen if he will work his way back to the majors with the Brewers or potentially be a trade piece in the future.
Either way, Hiura will continue to strive to improve and make an impact on the field.
