Jake Bauers, 1B
Player Data: Age: 31 (10/06/1995) B/T: L/L
2026 Traditional Stats: 578 PA, .266/.389/.474/.874, 127 H, 26 HR, 86 RBI
2026 Advanced Stats: 143 wRC+, 27% K%, 16.3% BB%, .339 BABiP, .371 xwOBA, 3.6 fWAR, 3.3 bWAR
Breakdown
Once considered a top-100 prospect in baseball, Jake Bauers contemplated retirement after the 2024 season. After reversing his decision, he put together a solid 2025, albeit mostly as a platoon bat. In 2026, Bauers became the Brewers’ everyday first baseman and put together by far the best season of his career. He set career highs in every offensive category, which included leading Milwaukee with 26 home runs. Bauers’ 143 wRC+ ranked seventh in the majors and second in the National League, trailing only Pete Crow-Armstrong. His 16.3% walk rate tied for the fourth-highest in the majors and he ranked 10th in the majors with 94 walks. Bauers’ .874 OPS was tied with Gabriel Moreno for the sixth-highest in the NL. Bauers kept his strong performance going in the postseason, winning NLCS MVP by going 4-for-14 with a homer and six RBIs in Milwaukee’s four-game sweep of the Dodgers. While his bat cooled off in the World Series, he recorded the final putout of the series to clinch the Brewers’ first title in franchise history.
Under the hood, Bauers’ breakout doesn’t seem like a fluke. His average exit velocity (92.1 mph), barrel rate (14%), hard-hit rate (51.9%), xwOBA (.371), chase rate (21.7%), walk rate (16.3%), xwOBAcon (.454) and bat speed (76.5 mph) all ranked in the majors’ 91st percentile or better. Bauers has always been a high strikeout bat, and 2026 was no different, though he also walked at the highest rate of his career and maintained a pristine chase rate. There was also no longer a need to platoon Bauers, as he posted a .901 OPS against lefties in 2026. He also got better as the stakes got higher, posting a rollicking 1.024 OPS in high-leverage situations. The biggest weakness for Bauers was his glove, as he posted -5 OAA at first base, which marks the second straight below-average season for him defensively. He also played 286 innings in the outfield, even posting a respectable 1 OAA in left field in a limited sample size (87 innings). Overall, 2026 was a resounding success for Bauers, and now he is primed to earn a hefty paycheck.
Contract
The Brewers tendered Bauers a qualifying offer, which is worth $23.15 million this offseason. MLB Trade Rumors expects the 31-year-old to accept that offer and remain in Milwaukee. 2026 was the first truly great season of Bauers’ career, but with a relatively weak free agent class, it isn’t too far-fetched to think a team would offer him a multi-year deal. However, the chance of that happening likely diminished now that he has a qualifying offer attached to him.
Recommendation: Worth Checking In
It’s no secret that the Mets need stability at first base, and Bauers is arguably the best first baseman on the free agent market. However, since he received a qualifying offer, the Mets would have to give up their second and fifth-highest draft selections, as well as $1 million in international bonus pool money. Heading into 2027, Jared Young is slated to be the Mets’ first baseman, who, like Bauers, is left-handed. Young took a big step forward in 2026 and will cost a fraction as much as Bauers. Additionally, the Mets got burned after taking a chance on a player coming off a career year last offseason, Jorge Polanco, which may deter David Stearns from going after Bauers. Polanco is still under contract as well, and figures to get some playing time at first base, too. Bauers would provide a spark to the Mets’ lineup, but they should only sign him if the price is right.
