To make room for Wong, who agreed to an $18 million, two-year contract earlier this week, the Brewers will shift Keston Hiura from second base to first base. The Brewers just signed free-agent second baseman Kolten Wong (a two-time Gold Glove winner for the St. Louis Cardinals) for the next two seasons, with an option for a third year. We understand that there are going to be mistakes. PHOENIX — With six weeks of work under his belt, Keston Hiura feels more than ready to take on the challenge of playing first base for an entire season. Bold predictions, MLB power rankings and names to know for all 30 teams, The five players who could pass Mike Trout as MLB's best player ... this season. Hiura is moving from second base to first base after the Brewers finalized a multiyear deal with two-time Gold Glove Award winner Kolten Wong. Wong's career statistics at American Family Field, formerly known as Miller Park, include a .308 batting average, .373 on-base percentage and .482 slugging percentage in 57 games. The Brewers signed 2B Kolten Wong last Friday and current starter Keston Hiura will shift to first base. Especially if it meant adding Wong to Milwaukee’s roster. To make room for back-to-back Gold Glove-winner Kolten Wong, the Milwaukee Brewers will shift Keston Hiura from second base to first base. 2B Keston Hiura assigned to Biloxi Shuckers from Carolina Mudcats. He got one from Nestor Corredor, the former Brewers Minor League manager who was added to the big league coaching staff this winter as a bullpen catcher. RELATED:First base has been revolving door for Brewers, but Keston Hiura gets chance to stop the spinning BOX SCORE: Brewers 8, Cubs 3 Hiura, a … He assigned to the Arizona Brewers of the Rookie-level Arizona League, and later batting .435 with four home runs, 18 … Career. Keston Hiura MLB career and news. The club views it as win-win, since Wong fortifies its up-the-middle defense and Hiura, a good hitter who’d struggled with throws, fills the club’s hole at first. Moving Hiura to first base keeps his bat in the lineup. Keston Hiura, of course, broke into the Majors as a second baseman. "When we've had our most successful seasons here, we've had very good defensive teams, and that's something that is a focus of ours. “He's up for this challenge,” Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns said. • Hot corner hot topic after Wong joins Crew. It's something we think we can and should accomplish, and this move allows us to move in that direction.''. Hiura attended Valencia High School in Valencia, Santa Clarita, California. ... his middle-of-the-order hitting profile projects to more than make up for any deficiencies with the glove. 2020 was a difficult season for Keston Hiura. "It's going to be a challenge, but I'm ready to take it on head-on and give my best effort toward it," Hiura said. Hiura has had an injured elbow since college (University of California Irvine Anteaters) and could be facing Tommy John surgery at some point. He has 32 homers in 531 career at-bats. ... a two-time Gold Glove winner -- brings a significant defensive upgrade to the middle infield for Milwaukee. But the Brewers believe Hiura can thrive at first base. Newly acquired utilityman Daniel Robertson has 81 games of major league experience at that position. Hiura couldn’t rule out that he played first base in a pickup game during his childhood, but he knew for sure he’d never manned the position in competition. The Associated Press contributed to this report. We are also exploring external acquisitions. MILWAUKEE -- The first baseman’s mitt arrived Friday, the same day Keston Hiura learned his position switch was officially a go. Wong, a Gold Glove winner each of the last two seasons with St. Louis, represents a defensive upgrade over Hiura at second base. “Both [Brewers manager] Craig [Counsell] and I have spoken to him. “You put him in our lineup and automatically our team is that much better,” Hiura said. Hiura is moving from second base to first base after the Brewers finalized a multiyear deal with two-time Gold Glove Award winner Kolten Wong. "He's going to have exceptional range for a first baseman. Cain opted out after playing just five games last season. "When you put [Wong] in our lineup, automatically our team's that much better. I don't know whether we'll get anything over the finish line there, but we are exploring it.''. I have a lot of confidence playing in that field.''. Stearns believes the Brewers will upgrade their overall defense by shifting Hiura to first base and putting Wong at second while having 2019 Gold Glove-winning center fielder Lorenzo Cain for a full season. “This doesn't completely close Keston off from second base with the right matchups or later in his career. Hiura is taking over first base this season after the Milwaukee Brewers signed free agent second baseman and two-time Gold Glove Award winner Kolten Wong to a two-year, $18 million contract. “It’s going to be different, it’s going to be a challenge,” said Hiura. It's a grinding team, a team that just goes out there and competes every single day. Brewers' Keston Hiura: Shift to first base confirmed. Brewers to shift Hiura to 1B after adding Wong . Keston Hiura’s xBA versus breaking pitches from 2019 to 2020 went from .259 to .200 xBA and against offspeed, went from .257 to an ugly .103 xBA. Enjoy some of his home runs from 2019! But for now, it fits best with our team at first, and he understands that.”. Milwaukee might not be done adding to its infield, as the Brewers don't have a clear-cut starting third baseman. Keston Hiura has played 143 major league games, ... Surhoff left Milwaukee as a free agent and he may very well have left his first baseman’s glove at County Stadium. FILE - Milwaukee Brewers' Keston Hiura, left, and Daniel Vogelbach work on fielding drills during a spring training baseball workout in Phoenix, in this Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, file photo. September 2, 2017: Wisconsin Timber Rattlers activated DH Keston Hiura from the 7-day disabled list. Wong batted .265 with a .350 on-base percentage, one homer and 16 RBIs in 53 games last season. April 3, 2018: 2B Keston Hiura assigned to Carolina Mudcats from Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Wong, a Gold Glove winner each of the last two seasons with St. Louis, represents a defensive upgrade over Hiura at second base. We believe he can do this. The Brewers stayed patient despite deficient defensive numbers because Hiura’s bat had the potential to make him a weapon at second base. To make room for back-to-back Gold Glove-winner Kolten Wong, the Milwaukee Brewers will shift Keston Hiura from second base to first base. However, with the signing of Gold Glove second baseman Kolten Wong, the Brewers will be moving Hiura to first base. Keston Hiura. He is not the only child of his parents and has a sibling, a sister named Lindsey Hiura. The Milwaukee Brewers have reshaped the right side of their infield after officially adding Gold Glove second baseman Kolten Wong on Friday. You've seen his bat from the left side. Luis Urias has played 31 games at third, though he has more experience at second base and shortstop. 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But Keston is going to grow through it, and ultimately we’re very confident that he’s going to be able to figure it out.” ADVERTISEMENT Stearns believes the Brewers will upgrade their overall defense by shifting Hiura to first base and putting Wong at second while having 2019 Gold Glove-winning center Lorenzo Cain for a full season. He's just a gamer in general as well. Hiura says he's ready to learn and is enthusiastic about having Wong at second base. And now, Keston Hiura is a big leaguer. "If this is our team, we do think we can fill that position," Stearns said. Milwaukee’s Keston Hiura couldn’t ever remember playing first base during a game in high school, college or the professional ranks before this year. That's OK. That revolving door will reach double figures this year with Keston Hiura slated to move to first base to accommodate free-agent signee Kolten Wong, a two-time Gold Glove … The Brewers have had a different Opening Day first baseman every year since Prince Fielder departed via free agency following the 2011 season. “But I’m ready to take it on.”. Expected stats as mentioned before in this article and all my other articles are again, a very good indication of what a … "That was kind of a big reason for me coming to Milwaukee,'' Wong said. Keston Wee Hing Natsuo Hiura (born August 2, 1996) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball (MLB). In Fielder’s stead came Mat Gamel in ‘12, Alex Gonzalez in ’13, Lyle Overbay in ’14, Adam Lind in ’15, Chris Carter in ’16, Eric Thames in ’17, Ryan Braun in ’18, Jesús Aguilar in ’19 and Justin Smoak in ’20. "We believe he can do this,'' Stearns said of Hiura. “It really changes the composition defensively of our entire team, and that's something that we also think is important. Milwaukee is making room for Wong in its infield by shifting Keston Hiura from second base to first base. Wong said he was somewhat surprised the Brewers showed interest in him because they already had 24-year-old Hiura, who batted just .212 and had an NL-leading 85 strikeouts last season but hit .303 and posted a .938 OPS as a rookie in 2019. Although Hiura batted just .212 with an NL-high 85 strikeouts last season, he hit .303 with a .938 OPS as a rookie in 2019. Keston Hiura – Age, Parents, Siblings. First things first: Hiura needed a mitt, and there isn’t time to break in a brand-new one with Spring Training about two weeks away. After blowing through Milwaukee’s Minor League system, Hiura hit 19 home runs in only 314 at-bats in 2019 (only Ryan Braun and Fielder hit more as Brewers rookies) before struggling in the shortened '20 season to a .707 OPS and a National League-worst 34.6 percent strikeout rate. Gold Glove second baseman. January 19, 2018: Milwaukee Brewers invited non-roster 2B Keston Hiura to spring training. Hiura said he couldn't remember ever playing first base in an official game at any level except "pickup games and some tournaments or whatever when I was a younger kid, maybe." "I know a lot of attention has been understandably placed on the offensive side of the ball, but one constant around some of the better teams in baseball is really solid, consistent defense,'' Stearns said. Keston Hiura collects two hits, scores run in Friday's doubleheader. Keston Hiura is about to find that out first hand. He has traditionally hit well in Milwaukee. He appeared in … '', Wong has earned Gold Glove honors each of the past two seasons, and Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns said he was "in our opinion, the best defensive second baseman in all of baseball.''. Kolten Wong boosts Brewers’ defense, Keston Hiura moves to 1B and more By Will Sammon Feb 5, 2021 24 Kolten Wong wasted no time looking the part. But Keston is going to grow through it, and ultimately we're very confident that he's going to be able to figure it out.''. It's something we think we can and should accomplish, and this move allows us to move in that direction.”, Hot corner hot topic after Wong joins Crew. The idea never translated to a game, however. He hit .358 with a .436 OBP, .559 SLG, seven home runs, and 41 RBIs over 53 sports, as a sophomore in 2016. It gives the team an infielder with Gold Glove defense and the ability to get hits and get on base, a quality the Brewers lacked on offense in 2020. The Brewers shifted Hiura to first base after signing second baseman Kolten Wong, the National League Gold Glove winner of the past two seasons, on Feb. 3 in a … Wong, a Gold Glove winner each of the last two seasons with St. Louis, represents a defensive upgrade over Hiura at second base. Position: Second Baseman Bats: Right • Throws: Right 6-0, 202lb (183cm, 91kg) . Listed at 6-foot even, the extra inches on the glove are a good thing. We believe he can be a very skilled first baseman with his skill set, and he's ready to do what he can. He struggled , slashing .212/.297/.410, with 13 home runs and an 87 wRC+ in the abbreviated season. Hiura said he already had borrowed an old first baseman's mitt from new bullpen catcher Nestor Corredor and played catch with it until he can get one of his own. Team: Milwaukee Brewers (majors) Born: August 2, 1996 in Valencia, CA us Draft: Drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1st round (9th) of the 2017 MLB June Amateur Draft from University of California, Irvine (Irvine, CA).. High School: Valencia HS (Valencia, CA) I know a lot of attention has been -- understandably -- placed on the offensive side of the ball, but one constant around some of the better teams in baseball is really solid, consistent defense. Wong is an instant upgrade defensively at second base over Keston Hiura, who has struggled to make throws with 32 errors in 130 games and is a well-below average defender by Baseball Savant’s Outs Above Average metric. Brewers manager Craig Counsell had discussed the possibility of giving Hiura some playing time at first base late last season, though it never actually happened. During last year’s shortened season, as Smoak and Logan Morrison struggled to produce, Counsell mentioned Hiura as a possibility for first base because the Brewers were deep in middle infielders. Brewers' Keston Hiura: Shift to first base confirmed. 1 player in baseball entering 2021? I felt comfortable playing there. And look, there are finer points of the position that will take time to adjust. When asked if that listed height was legit, Hiura joked, “You put the cleats on and I’m up there.”. MILWAUKEE -- The first baseman’s mitt arrived Friday, the same day Keston Hiura learned his position switch was officially a go. “Once or twice I went over there [before games] to get a feel for it, but it wasn’t anything too crazy,” Hiura said. The Brewers officially signed second baseman and two-time Gold Glove winner Kolten Wong on Friday. Just learning the footwork and getting some familiarity, just in case it would happen during the season.”. “It was more during batting practice, getting ground balls, getting throws from some of the guys. "When we've had our most successful seasons here, we've had very good defensive teams, and that's something that is a focus of ours. Keston Hiura’s birth took place on August 2, 1996, in Valencia, California, USA. Source: Brewers reach deal with free agent Wong, Way-too-early 2021 MLB starting lineup rankings, Let's predict 2021 MLB All-Star rosters for AL and NL. But also seeing from across [the field] how the Brewers play, how they go about their business and the type of team this is, it just fits my mold really well. The 30-year-old owns a career .261 batting average with a .333 on-base percentage. The Brewers are giving their top prospect Keston Hiura a shot at The Show. It's going to be a lot of fun to play with him.". Still, the idea wasn’t totally foreign. The club views it as In 2019, he ranked last among second basemen by this metric … "We have guys who can take it and run with it. Hiura, though, isn't closing the door to a return to second base later in his career, and said he was eager to learn from Wong, a finalist for the Rawlings Gold Glove Award each of the last three seasons, and a winner the past two years. MLB Rank Top 25: Who is the No. “We think this makes our team better,” Stearns said. "I just knew that that was a field where I really saw the ball well at. That in itself is a change for Hiura, who has played the middle infield all his life and is used to a much smaller glove. Moving Hiura to first base keeps his bat in the lineup. Keston Hiura went 2-for-6 with three strikeouts and a run scored in both games of Friday's doubleheader against the Cardinals. by RotoWire Staff ... a two-time Gold Glove winner -- brings a significant defensive upgrade to the middle infield for Milwaukee. 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