Brewers by position: Villar ready to make mark at second

PHOENIX - Of the multiple roster moves David Stearns has made in his year-plus tenure as the Milwaukee Brewers' general manager, the Nov. 19, 2015 trade for Jonathan Villar has had the most impact so far.

Acquired for minor-league pitcher Cy Sneed, Villar flourished in his first season with his new team. Starting first at shortstop before moving to third base and finally second, the Dominican Republic native was a rotisserie-league stud.

He played in 156 games with 152 starts. He hit .285 with 19 home runs, 63 runs batted in and a major-league-leading 62 stolen bases. He posted a .369 on-base percentage with an OPS of .826 as the straw that stirred the drink atop Milwaukee’s lineup.

The bar has been set high for 2017, no doubt. But the belief within the organization is that Villar has even more left in his tank as he supplants Scooter Gennett as the team’s everyday second baseman.

“He’s capable of doing a lot of things,” manager Craig Counsell said. “There’s not many players in the league that are capable of doing as much as he is.”

RELATED: Feliz provides needed experience closing games

CAMP REPORT: Peralta, Lopez throw batting practice

BY POSITION SERIES: SP | RP | C | 1B | LF | SS | 2B

RELATED: Brewers spring training dates, facts

Villar's 2016 season essentially consisted of three parts.

He opened the season as the starting shortstop – replacing Jean Segura, who had been traded to Arizona – while bouncing around the order until finally settling in as the leadoff hitter in mid-May. He then slid over to third base to accommodate top prospect Orlando Arcia, who was promoted from Class AAA Colorado Springs on Aug. 2, and then got a handful of looks at second base to close out the year.

A natural shortstop, Villar committed 17 errors in 108 games (104 starts) there compared to 12 errors in 42 games (40 starts) at third. He had no miscues in 11 games (eight starts) at second, and it's there where his immediate future lies with the Brewers.

Gennett was serviceable defensively in his 400-plus games at second base from 2013-'16, but Villar's explosiveness and athleticism should serve the Brewers well up the middle as he teams with Arcia to form a new double-play combination.

"Our hope is – and I really believe this – is this is the best position for him on the field," Counsell said. "He’s got some work to do there and he’ll enjoy that part of it – he always does. This is what’s going to happen.

"The ability for him to change a position is significant in itself. I think that it’s important, and we’re lucky that he does."

Villar, who had just over six total innings of experience at second base in the majors entering 2016, used most of his time playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic to acclimate himself to his new position. He said without equivocation he's much more comfortable at second than he was at third.

"I’m happy because second base is not too much – it’s the same, like shortstop," he said. "You see the catcher’s signs. You can move (based on) who’s hitting. It’s better when you play second base and we can see the signs."

The sign said 'go' for Villar on the base paths in 2016 as he became just the third Brewers player to lead the major leagues in stolen bases, joining Tommy Harper (73 in 1969) and Scott Podsednik (70 in 2004).

While his aggressive mindset was tailor-made for a leadoff hitter, he also made his share of mistakes. Villar was thrown out attempting to steal 18 times, which also led the majors, and several times his ill-fated attempts at trying to steal third short-circuited innings for the Brewers.

Villar was even benched once by Counsell in late July, the proverbial final straw after a series of base-running errors.

"That’s the game. If you get picked off or make an out, don’t worry," Villar said. "Next time, we can be a little bit more sure, because (the pitcher's) quick or something like that. Don’t be afraid of that."

While many fans took Villar's miscues as a lack of awareness – much as they did with Carlos Gomez in previous years – he actually is a devotee of video and works daily with first-base coach Carlos Subero, trying to glean any potential advantage he can on the base paths.

"We look at the pitcher, how he picks off, his move to the plate," Villar said. "Sometimes there is a difference. Ninety percent of the time, he throws with a different move between home plate and first base. We focus on how he throws to first base."

Added Counsell: "Jonny is a student. He is a guy that spends a lot of time trying to figure out how to get better."

Villar, who turns 26 on May 2, led the Brewers in at-bats (589), runs (92), hits (168), doubles (38), walks (79) and on-base percentage as well. Maybe the most surprising part of his game was the power he flashed, as his 19 homers were nine more than he'd managed in the exact same number of at-bats over his three years in Houston.

He became the sixth player in franchise history to produce a pinch-hit grand slam and the fourth player to homer from both sides of the plate, as well. He became the first player since Tampa Bay's Carl Crawford in 2009 to hit at least 15 homers and steal 60 bases in a season.

Can Villar hit 20 or more homers this season, allowing him to reach even more rarified air as far as power-speed combinations go?

"It’s possible. Be ready for that one," he said with a laugh. "I can, but I’m not focused on home runs right now. I’m focused on my game. My game is hit line drives, get on base."

Villar is one of several core players along with Hernan Perez, Domingo Santana and Travis Shaw who still has plenty of development to go and will be afforded every opportunity moving forward.

"When you’re capable of winning the game in so many ways, it’s tough to be a master of every single one the day you walk into the league," Counsell said. "Each of those skills are not going to develop at the same pace. But we know he can win games in all areas, and that’s why you’re patient with giving him the room to grow in each – defense, swinging the bat with power, running the bases.

"There’s room for growth in all of them, and I think he knows that."

In addition to Villar and Gennett (121 starts), Perez (eight) and Yadiel Rivera (eight) also logged time at second base in 2016. The Brewers have veterans Eric Sogard (435 major-league games, 274 starts at second base) and Ivan De Jesus Jr. (228, 33) in camp as non-roster invitees.

BY THE NUMBERS

6 Players to start a game at second base in 2016. They were: Scooter Gennett (121), Aaron Hill (16), Jonathan Villar (eight), Hernan Perez (eight), Yadiel Rivera (eight) and Jake Elmore (one).

.309 Villar's batting average in 2016 as a right-handed hitter (his natural side) against left-handed pitching. He hit .276 as a lefty against right-handers pitchers.

11 Home runs hit by Villar as a right-handed hitter; eight came from the left side.

.288 Villar's batting average while hitting leadoff in 2016. He also hit 17 homers, drove in 49 runs and posted a .369 on-base percentage and .836 OPS in the top spot.

29 Errors for Villar in 2016, which led the team. Gennett had the next most with 14.