PHOENIX -- Milwaukee shortstop Willy Adames grew into his power after reaching the Major Leagues, and his defense has taken similar steps into the upper echelon.

As Adames prepares for his fourth season with the Brewers in the final year of his current contract, he said he is set on maintaining the same level of two-way consistency while doing what he always does -- staying in the moment and winning games.

“I don’t think it changes anything,” Adames said of entering his walk year.

“Obviously I want to perform and help the team to win. I feel like that hasn’t changed, because that’s what I’ve been trying to do since I got to the big leagues: Put up numbers and try to help the team win. That’s my mentality.”

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Adames, 28, has been among the most productive shortstops in the Majors since his breakout 2019 season with Tampa Bay, when he hit 20 homers in his first full year.

Only Francisco Lindor (117) and Corey Seager (116) have more homers among shortstops in the last five seasons, and along the way they became two of the highest paid shortstops in the game.

Lindor is in the third year of a 10-year, $341 million contract extension signed after he was traded to the Mets in 2021. Seager signed a 10-year, $325 million free-agent deal with Texas after the 2021 season with the Dodgers.

While a bright future beckons whether Adames stays in Milwaukee or moves on, he said he will be the same player who has been an integral part of two NL Central championship teams since being acquired in May 2021.

“I’ll try to be myself,” Adames said. “I can’t try to do too much, because then I’ll have a messed-up year. Whatever happens, happens. I’m just going to try to have fun and enjoy the game.”

Brewers manager Pat Murphy understands the challenge players in Adames’ situation can face.

“You’re in your last year before free agency, and you know what you have to do. It’s not about numbers. It’s about mindset,” Murphy said.

“Willy needs to fight to be present. He already is a good player. He’s already going to get paid. He can do virtually anything this year. He’s the type of guy who is going to live right, do right. He just has to be present in his shoes right now, and if he does that, he rolls.”

Murphy has seen that player in his previous six seasons as the Brewers bench coach.

“He wants to compete,” Murphy said. “He wants to be out there. He wants to be in the spotlight. He wants to be in the big situation. The fact that Willy wants it, and continues to want it, and keeps coming back for more, that shows you who he is.

“He’ll get through this. The mental pressures, or whatever you want to call them, that come with this year, he’s going to overcome.”

Adames has been among the best defensive players in the Majors the last two seasons, with a +26 outs above average in that span. His +16 OAA last season tied for second in the Majors behind Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson.

“You just want to be the best version of yourself in every part of the game,” Adames said, “and I take a lot of pride in my defense. I try to be better every day and work on the things to make me better.”

Part of that drive, he said, comes from early critiques that he would have to move off shortstop.

“In my early years, people thought I was going to be a third baseman,” he said. “I think that kind of motivated me to try to be better and stay at my position, because I love playing shortstop.

“I enjoy playing there. You are kind of like the captain of the infield. You are engaged in every play. Every play you have to be somewhere. I love that about shortstop, that you have to be engaged every pitch and you have to be in every play.”

Adames saw his name involved in trade speculation in the offseason, which could have been another challenge. He said he was unfazed.

“Those are things I can’t control,” he said. “I was just focused on getting myself in the best shape I can be to play the most games that I can. If a trade happens, it happens, I can’t control that. But as of right now, just focused on being here with the boys and enjoy every day here with the boys.”