Braun expects to be ready for Opening Day

Former National League MVP Ryan Braun is optimistic he'll be ready to slot into the Milwaukee Brewers' lineup by Opening Day, but as it currently stands, the slugger is just taking his time in recovering from offseason back surgery.

"I usually don't start hitting until January, so I'm literally a couple weeks behind where I'd usually be," Braun told reporters on Sunday. "But overall, I'm definitely encouraged by where I'm at."

With the Brewers' first full-squad workout scheduled for Feb. 25 and their first spring training games set for March 3, Braun doesn't expect to be at full health by the time those games roll around.

"I won't be 100 percent at the start of Spring Training, no," Braun said. "I think it will kind of be a gradual process to work my way back to 100 percent. But I feel pretty good. I don't foresee any reason that it wouldn't be ready for Opening Day, but until I get out there and start doing things at full speed, it's hard to say."

Braun underwent the surgery in early October after another productive season in Milwaukee, hitting .285/.356/.498 with 25 home runs, 84 RBIs, 24 stolen bases, and a WAR of 3.8, but the team surrounding the six-time All-Star is going to look mighty different entering the 2016 campaign.

"It's an interesting time for us," Braun explained. "I think it's an exciting time. It's weird to look around and see so many young guys, so many people that haven't been part of the organization over the last few years.

"But I think we have probably more potential young impact players than we've had in a long time, probably since I've been part of the organization. If you look at it from that perspective, it's exciting. But in the near term, certainly a lot of change and continuing transition, I think."

Milwaukee finished last season with a 68-94 record and have since traded Francisco Rodriguez, Adam Lind, Jason Rogers, and Jean Segura, while the team moves into a rebuilding phase.