One day after trading the face of their franchise and two other well-regarded veterans, and mere hours after trotting out a losing lineup in San Diego bereft of any big names, the Milwaukee Brewers made a notable move early Tuesday morning to add intrigue and excitement – as well as a glimpse of their hopeful future – to their retooling club.

Following the trades of All-Star catcher Jonathan Lucroy and their backend bullpen duo, the Brewers called up prized shortstop Orlando Arcia, who will make his major-league debut Tuesday night against the Padres. Arcia, the organization’s top prospect and one of the minors’ best fielders, will start at his natural position, moving incumbent shortstop Jonathan Villar – MLB’s leader in stolen bases – to third base.

After his team fell 7-3 at Petco Park on Monday night, manager Craig Counsell told reporters there that it was "time to get (Arcia) started" and "we’re hopeful it gives him good experience going into next year." With 58 games remaining this season, Counsell said adding Arcia would be "a little shot in the arm for us, a little boost for us, as well."

In dealing Lucroy and closer Jeremy Jeffress to the Rangers and setup man Will Smith to the Giants on Monday before the MLB trade deadline, the Brewers received three highly ranked prospects, a player to be named later and a journeyman catcher with some big-league experience. It was a hefty haul of the sort of young, controllable talent Milwaukee has been trying to stockpile and develop since the club changed direction a season ago.

The decision to promote the 21-year-old Arcia, then, seems somewhat counterproductive to that process. Most of the players general manager David Stearns has acquired have been at the Single-A and Double-A levels, suggesting a later return-to-contention date, perhaps in three years, rather than two. Further, Arcia comes up having slumped offensively – especially over the last two months – during his first Triple-A season, batting .267 with eight home runs, 53 RBI and 15 steals in 100 games at hitter-friendly Colorado Springs.

Stearns has made sure not to offer any timelines or expectations for the Brewers’ rebuilding plans. He’s reiterated his aim is to amass as many high-potential players as possible and continue stacking "solid decisions atop of solid decisions" to get back to being a consistent winner.

"I don't know if we necessarily pick out finite milestones," Stearns said Monday. "We believe that today's decisions will help us get there."

Clearly, the Brewers also believe enough in Arcia – not only for the future, but in the present – to make the decision to begin his major-league service and start his free agency clock now, rather than further delay it.

The move shifts Villar – who’s become one of baseball’s best leadoff hitters but is among its worst defensive shortstops and has a team-high 17 errors – to a position where his slap-and-speed offense isn’t as valuable. Milwaukee doesn’t have a primary third baseman and has used six different players there this season. One of those has been Hernan Perez, who’s come on at the plate the last month but still struggles in the field and will now be more of a utility player.

Villar’s .293 batting average, .376 on-base percentage and .430 slugging percentage – not to mention his 39 stolen bases – will look very different at third base than shortstop, though he’ll likely stay in the leadoff spot. Arcia projects as an above-average No. 2 hitter, at least, one who makes consistent contact and has great speed.

The Brewers’ minor-league player of the year in 2015, when he hit .307 with eight homers, 69 RBI and 25 steals at Double-A Biloxi, Arcia has a career slash line of .282/.339/.404 in 540 minor-league games. His gift with the glove is undeniable; he possesses excellent range and a canon of an arm at short, where he'll be a plus immediately.

"The reports were (Arcia) was absolutely outstanding defensively," Counsell said. "He didn't have the season he had last year but we feel like he's ready to handle big-league pitching. And the big thing is, you need experience. You need to face big-league pitching."

At the very least, calling up a consensus top-15 overall prospect makes Milwaukee a lot more interesting. A much-hyped player for the past few years – he attended the Brewers On Deck event in January and was one of the most popular among fans – Arcia should put a more people in the seats at Miller Park and eyes on the TV broadcasts, even as he learns the ropes.

Counsell said Villar was disappointed about the switch, and the manager understood. He added, "Orlando’s a shortstop, and he’s a really good shortstop. 

"I think this improves us. I don't know that third base is going to be (Villar's) permanent position, but on this team, it's where we need him to play."

Though the deadline has passed, things could still change because the Brewers are probably not done dealing. Teams are allowed to make trades, but the players must now pass through league waivers. Candidates for waiver-required trade include relievers Carlos Torres and Blaine Boyer, starter Junior Guerra and first baseman Chris Carter.

It’s anyone’s guess whether Stearns, who dealt Aaron Hill to the Red Sox last month, will try to move more veterans. Outfielder Ryan Braun is having a strong season, but, in the first year of a five-year, $105 million extension, he’s got an onerous contract, as well as damaging injury history.

On Monday, in exchange for Smith, the Brewers acquired from the Giants 21-year-old pitcher Phil Bickford, San Francisco’s top prospect, and catcher Andrew Susac, who was assigned to Colorado Springs. And just before the deadline, they traded Lucroy and Jeffress to Texas for outfielder Lewis Brinson and pitcher Luis Ortiz, the Rangers’ second- and third-ranked prospects, respectively, as well as a player to be named later.

After Arcia’s promotion, Brinson becomes the organization’s No. 1 prospect, with Ortiz fifth and Bickford sixth, vastly improving the Brewers’ farm system and outlook. And on Tuesday night at 9:10 p.m. CT in San Diego, a huge part of Milwaukee’s minor-league optimism will meet his major-league reality.