The Milwaukee Brewers have added a familiar name to their catching depth, agreeing to a minor-league contract with veteran backstop Reese McGuire that includes an invitation to big league spring training.

The move provides the organization with experienced insurance behind starter William Contreras as camp approaches.

McGuire, who will turn 31 during the upcoming season, brings a lengthy resume despite never fully breaking through offensively at the major league level.

A former first-round pick, McGuire has appeared in parts of eight MLB seasons, spending time with multiple organizations and most recently suiting up for the Chicago Cubs in 2025.

With Chicago last season, he posted a .226 batting average with a .245 on-base percentage and a .444 slugging percentage across 140 plate appearances, production that was slightly below league average by advanced metrics.

Across his career, McGuire owns a .248/.293/.374 slash line in more than 400 major-league games. While his bat has remained inconsistent, his defensive reputation has kept him in demand as a backup option.

McGuire is regarded as a reliable receiver with solid framing skills, dependable blocking ability, and a serviceable throwing arm.

In 2025, he caught just under 26 percent of attempted base stealers, and his career caught-stealing rate sits north of 27 percent, reinforcing his value as a defense-first catcher.

From a roster construction standpoint, McGuire’s experience could prove important. With more than five years of major league service time, he would not be eligible for a minor-league option if he were to make Milwaukee’s Opening Day roster.

That reality suggests that the Brewers view him as a legitimate candidate to break camp as the club’s primary backup catcher.

The signing also has implications for Milwaukee’s top catching prospect, Jeferson Quero. Although Quero is already on the 40-man roster and widely viewed as the long-term successor behind the plate, the organization is unlikely to limit his development by casting him in a bench role at the major league level.

Instead, adding McGuire allows the Brewers to give Quero regular at-bats and defensive reps at Triple-A Nashville, where he can continue to refine his game after a league-average offensive showing in his first extended stint at that level last season.

While the Brewers could still explore additional veteran options before camp opens, McGuire currently stands as the most logical in-house choice to support Contreras in 2026, offering stability, experience, and dependable defense at a premium position.

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