Brent Brewer Stats & Scouting Report

AB	1614
AVG	.241
OBP	.306
SLG	.351
HR	20

Full name Brent Edison Brewer
Born 12/19/1987 in Atlanta, GA
Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 198 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Sandy Creek
Drafted in the 2nd round (60th overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2006 (signed for $600,000).

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Scouts recall Brewer stepping out of a batting cage at last summer's East Coast Showcase to answer cell phone calls from college football recruiters. He was obviously distracted, as the swing and approach scouts previously saw was nonexistent. Brewer committed to Florida State to play wide receiver as well as baseball, but he rediscovered his stroke this spring and could find his way in the top five rounds. His pitch recognition and plate discipline have improved, but he has a pull approach and swings and misses frequently. When he squares balls on his barrel, he shows above-average power. Combine that with 4.2-second home to first times, and it's easy to understand why clubs are reluctant to write him off. Comparisons range from Brian Jordan to Reggie Sanders, though his choppy swing looks more similar to Greg Golson's presently. Brewer's hands are solid and he has enough arm for shortstop, but he's best-suited forcenter field.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

No one questions the athleticism of Brewer, who turned down a scholarship to play wide receiver and shortstop at Florida State after the Brewers gave him a $600,000 bonus in 2006. He has tremendous range at short, getting to balls that many players have no chance to field, and he has the strong arm a big league shortstop needs. He also runs well and has good strength, which should result in more homers as he gains experience. But here's the rub: Brewer just doesn't make contact often enough. In 449 at-bats at two Class A stops last season, he struck out 111 times. That's better than the 170 whiffs he accumulated the previous season, but Brewer still needs to improve his pitch recognition and stop swinging at pitches he can't hit. He also sacrificed power to make better contact, hitting nine fewer home runs. His defensive consistency has improved, with 35 errors in 2008, down from 48 the year before, but he still gets careless with his throws and must continue to work on the fundamentals. The Brewers actually were encouraged that he went from batting .213 at West Virginia to .251 at Brevard County, but he still has to prove that he can put his impressive tools to good use. Milwaukee hopes that will come as he gets more repetitions. He's a hard worker with strong leadership qualities, which will help, and he'll return to high Class A to improve on last year's performance.
Brewer has the potential to be the best all-around player in the system. He had a scholarship to play wide receiver for Florida State, but gave up football for a $600,000 signing bonus in 2006. The Brewers pushed him to low Class A for his first full season because they had confidence in his athleticism and determination. Brewer has well-above- average speed and athleticism, and plus power potential. He has tremendous range at shortstop and the strong arm to make plays from deep in the hole. Some scouts believe he profiles even better as a center fielder. Club officials love his leadership skills and work ethic. Lack of experience is Brewer's main shortcoming, and it shows. He topped the South Atlantic League with 170 strikeouts and led all minor league shortstops with 48 errors in 127 games. He needs to improve his discipline at the plate and his footwork in the field. He tries to do too much defensively at times and makes wild throws. The more he plays, the better he'll get. While J.J. Hardy and Alcides Escobar loom as large obstacles ahead of him, Brewer will play in high Class A Brevard County at age 20 in 2008.
How could Milwaukee pass on a draft pick with this last name? It was athleticism that sealed the deal to draft the multisport star, who was to play wide receiver and shortstop at Florida State. One of the top wide-receiver recruits in the country, he turned pro and gave up football for $600,000. As might be expected from an athlete sought by Bobby Bowden, Brewer has a long list of physical attributes: speed, strength, a good arm and great range at shortstop. But he's a raw baseball player, as evidenced by his 24 errors in 45 games in the Arizona League. Still maturing physically, Brewer eventually may have to move off shortstop. Scouts believe he could be an outstanding center fielder. The Brewers just want him to play and gain experience after dividing his loyalties during high school between baseball and football. As he matures and gets stronger, the Brewers believe he'll develop power. Brewer tried too many batting stances but finally found a comfortable approach, then continued to make strides in instructional league. He must work hard on his strike-zone discipline, increase his on-base percentage and take advantage of his speed. The Brewers expect this will come from a gifted athlete who will play the entire 2007 season at 19, presumably in low Class A.

Minor League Top Prospects

Aptly named for his organization, Brewer is a raw athlete who will need a while to become a baseball player, as opposed to an athlete playing baseball. A Florida State football recruit as a wide receiver, he has above-average raw power and speed, which he showed by drilling six triples and succeeding on all 10 of his steal attempts. Perhaps most encouraging, he showed aptitude to go with his tools, adjusting his swing and finishing the season by going 25-for-75 (.333). Brewer has the actions and enough arm to play shortstop, but he struggled with the increased speed of the professional baseball and made 24 errors in 33 games. One manager said he envisioned Brewer moving to center field sooner than later.