Brewers Grab a Pair of Former Astros First Basemen

(Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)

The Brewers added two former Astros’ first basemen in Jon Singleton and Tyler White to minor-league deals.

The Houston Astros finally paid off a costly contract with Jon Singleton in 2021, but while out of Major League Baseball since 2015, the former top prospect is back in a major-league in organization.

The Milwaukee Brewers inked Singleton to a minor-league deal on Thursday, as he collected over $10 million from the Astros since 2014. The first baseman only played one season at the major-league level with Houston, while eventually being released following the 2018 season and a 100-game suspension.

Singleton has since played in the Mexican League for the Diablos Rojos del México, where he slashed .321/.503/.693 in 46 games in 2021. The 30-year-old used to be a strikeout machine, but in 2021, he almost mirrored his strikeouts to walks with about 50 apiece. The right-hander has some power back in his swing and is getting a second chance in the Milwaukee system.

Tyler White is also back with a major-league organization as the Brewers signed the 31-year-old to a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training, Robert Murray reports. White was in the Blue Jays’ organization in 2021, but the first baseman hasn’t played in the Major Leagues since 2019.

White’s versatile days are probably behind him, but he could still battle for infield depth for the Brewers in 2022. The right-hander last saw time in Houston in 2019, after the Astros traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Andre Scrubb.

Scrubb has since been outrighted off the 40-man roster and remains in Triple-A Sugar Land, after a ’21 season riddled by injury.

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Other former Astros are taking a change of scenery in 2022 as well with Tim Federowicz announcing his retirement. The former catcher will now manage the Triple-A Tacoma Rainers, who play the Sugar Land Skeeters.

Also, another former catcher, Jacob Nottingham, continues to bounce around organizations, after signing with the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday. The former Astros’ farm hand was traded for Scott Kazmir in 2015.