Jesus Aguilar Forced Brewers’ Hand

MILWAUKEE—Every spring, it’s a common refrain among new players in a team’s training camp.

“I just want to make the decision hard for them.”

In other words, the new player wants to make it tough to be cut at the end of camp. In the case of Jesus Aguilar, he didn’t make it tough for the Brewers to cut him. He made it impossible.

Claimed on waivers from Cleveland a couple of weeks before camp opened, Aguilar, 26, was considered a long shot to make the club. He’s a first baseman only and the Brewers had signed Eric Thames to a three-year deal early in the offseason to man that position.

But Aguilar took the camp by storm, slugging home runs seemingly at will. He led the club with seven home runs and 19 RBI with a remarkable slash line of .452/.521/.855. Basically, the Brewers had no choice but to keep him.

“I’m just very happy,” Aguilar said after getting the news that would be on the 25-man roster. “I did my work and the team took notice. Now, I’m part of the team.”

Aguilar never had a real chance to make the big league roster in Cleveland, despite three impressive run-production years at Triple-A Columbus.

In 2016, he led the International League with 30 homers and 92 RBIs.

“We said all spring, ‘Prove to us you belong on the team,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. “He had a spring where he earned a spot on the team.”

Aguilar was out of minor-league options but putting him on waivers was never a consideration for the Brewers. In fact, he performed so well in camp, Counsell began giving Thames time in the outfield to allow Aguilar to make starts at first base.

That’s what you call making an impression.

“The challenge now is to find a role for him as we get started, and I think it’s important that we do,” Counsell said.

MICROBREWS

• Outfielder Lewis Brinson dislocated his left pinky finger sliding into second base in the first game of the season at Triple-A Colorado Springs. He missed about a week, but hit well upon his return.

• Outfielder Corey Ray, held back in extended spring training to make sure he was fully recovered from minor knee surgery, was activated at high Class A Carolina on Easter Sunday.

— Tom Haudricourt covers the Brewers for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel