Tyler Black

Organization Prospect Rankings

• Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #4 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/Medium
  
  Track Record: Black was an on-base machine at Wright State, where he hit .383/.496/.683 in 2021, when the Brewers drafted him 33rd overall. His first full season in 2022 ended after 64 games when he fractured his scapula while making a diving catch in center field. He returned in 2023, spending most of his time at third base and posting the highest OPS of any prospect in the organization with at least 200 plate appearances.
  
  Scouting Report: Black has elite plate discipline and consistently works himself into favorable counts and piles up walks. His lefthanded swing starts with a high, hanging leg kick and he’s typically on time, leading to a high contact rate. Black keeps his hands inside the ball well with a tight barrel turn, allowing him to cover the inner third of the plate while maintaining an all-fields approach. He’s a good low-ball hitter, though he had trouble making contact with fastballs up in the zone. Black showed more power in 2023, though it’s still fringe-average raw power that mostly comes to his pull side. Black is a good athlete, a plus runner and a smart, aggressive baserunner who gets good jumps, leading the organization with 55 stolen bases. Black has long been an offensive-oriented player trying to find a position. Primarily a second baseman in college, he played mostly second base and center field in 2022, then became a primary third baseman in 2023. While he made progress during the season, he’s a below-average defender there with a fringe-average arm, limited range and footwork that needs improvement. He got time at first base as well.
  
  The Future: Black’s hitting polish should allow him to make his major league debut early in 2024, potentially as Milwaukee’s starting third baseman. He’s a potential league-average regular, with more upside if he can tap into more power or improve his defense.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Field: 40 | Arm: 45
• 
  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #8 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: At Wright State in 2021, Black hit.383/.496/.683 with 39 walks and 25 strikeouts and became the 33rd overall pick in the draft. He showed off his on-base skills in his first full season with High-A Wisconsin in 2022 until July, when he made a diving catch in center field and fractured his scapula, ending his regular season. He went to the Arizona Fall League but that too ended prematurely when he broke his thumb sliding into second base.
  
  Scouting Report: Black is the most disciplined hitter in the Brewers' farm system. He's extremely patient, works deep counts and rarely chases outside the strike zone. With a setup at the plate reminiscent of fellow Canadian Joey Votto, Black makes frequent contact with a quick swing. He keeps his hands inside the ball well and maintains an all-fields approach, enabling him to turn on balls inner third or use the opposite field when pitchers attack him away. Black's swing path is geared for low-trajectory line drives and there are times when he could try to be more aggressive trying to swing for extra-base damage, but his power ultimately grades as below-average. Black is an offensive-oriented player in search of a defensive home. He's a good athlete and a slightly above-average runner whose footwork, range and below-average arm make him below-average at second base. He also plays center field and should continue to see time in the outfield. But at any position he's probably always going to be below-average. Black also had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder in 2020, so his durability bears monitoring.
  
  The Future: If Black can squeeze out more extra-base juice and become an adequate defender somewhere--or possibly a bat-first utility player--he has the components to be an everyday player with high on-base percentages. He should move up to Double-A Biloxi in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 40. Speed: 55. Fielding: 40. Arm: 40
• 
  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #5 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Black was the Horizon League freshman of the year in 2019 and, after the 2020 season shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, returned in 2021 to hit .383/.496/.683 with more walks (39) than strikeouts (25) for Wright State. Many scouts considered him one of the best hitters in the 2021 draft, and the Brewers selected him 33rd overall and signed him for $2.2 million. Black reported to Low-A Carolina after he signed and showed a patient approach, but he looked fatigued and out of rhythm at the end of a long year.
  
  Scouting Report: Black manages his at-bats well with a keen eye for the strike zone. He doesn’t chase much and makes consistent, quality contact when he does swing. Black starts his swing with a big leg kick, then whips his hands through the zone quickly. He stays inside the ball well, enabling him to handle good pitches on the inner third and use the whole field. He has a particular knack for driving pitches down in the strike zone. Black’s strengths lie mostly in his on-base skills, but he has a chance to develop average power. Black is athletic—he also played football and hockey in high school—but he is a rough defender with clunky footwork and below-average range at second base. He’s an average runner with a below-average arm after he had right shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum in 2020.
  
  The Future: Black has the hitting potential to be an offensive-minded, everyday second baseman if he can be just an adequate defender. He will begin his first full season at one of the Class A affiliates in 2022.
  

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #81 prospect in 2021 draft
  Black was a talented three-sport athlete who played football, hockey and baseball back in Canada. He had a loud freshman season with Wright State in 2019, hitting .353/.469/.600 with more walks (38) than strikeouts (18). Black entered the 2021 season as a sleeper candidate after a disappointing 13-game stretch in 2020, because scouts believed in his hitting ability and strike-zone discipline. Black lived up to those expectations this spring, although he admittedly plays in an extremely hitter-friendly conference and home park. Black posted a .383/.496/.683 slash line with a career-best 13 home runs while continuing to manage the strike zone at an impressive rate, with 39 walks to 25 strikeouts. Black has a big leg kick to start his swing but keeps his hands quiet and steady in his load before firing through the zone with impressive hand speed. He has a pull-heavy approach, and this spring did a tremendous amount of damage on pitches on the inner third. Black has an offensive-driven profile and while he’s played both second and third this spring, scouts see him more likely winding up at second base at the next level. He’s a fringy runner and defender, with below-average arm strength after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder to repair a labrum tear in 2020. Teams who buy into his bat could take him somewhere in the second- or third-round range after a strong 2021 campaign.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #84 prospect in 2023

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: At Wright State in 2021, Black hit.383/.496/.683 with 39 walks and 25 strikeouts and became the 33rd overall pick in the draft. He showed off his on-base skills in his first full season with High-A Wisconsin in 2022 until July, when he made a diving catch in center field and fractured his scapula, ending his regular season. He went to the Arizona Fall League but that too ended prematurely when he broke his thumb sliding into second base.
  
  Scouting Report: Black is the most disciplined hitter in the Brewers' farm system. He's extremely patient, works deep counts and rarely chases outside the strike zone. With a setup at the plate reminiscent of fellow Canadian Joey Votto, Black makes frequent contact with a quick swing. He keeps his hands inside the ball well and maintains an all-fields approach, enabling him to turn on balls inner third or use the opposite field when pitchers attack him away. Black's swing path is geared for low-trajectory line drives and there are times when he could try to be more aggressive trying to swing for extra-base damage, but his power ultimately grades as below-average. Black is an offensive-oriented player in search of a defensive home. He's a good athlete and a slightly above-average runner whose footwork, range and below-average arm make him below-average at second base. He also plays center field and should continue to see time in the outfield. But at any position he's probably always going to be below-average. Black also had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder in 2020, so his durability bears monitoring.
  
  The Future: If Black can squeeze out more extra-base juice and become an adequate defender somewhere--or possibly a bat-first utility player--he has the components to be an everyday player with high on-base percentages. He should move up to Double-A Biloxi in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 40. Speed: 55. Fielding: 40. Arm: 40
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: At Wright State in 2021, Black hit.383/.496/.683 with 39 walks and 25 strikeouts and became the 33rd overall pick in the draft. He showed off his on-base skills in his first full season with High-A Wisconsin in 2022 until July, when he made a diving catch in center field and fractured his scapula, ending his regular season. He went to the Arizona Fall League but that too ended prematurely when he broke his thumb sliding into second base.
  
  Scouting Report: Black is the most disciplined hitter in the Brewers' farm system. He's extremely patient, works deep counts and rarely chases outside the strike zone. With a setup at the plate reminiscent of fellow Canadian Joey Votto, Black makes frequent contact with a quick swing. He keeps his hands inside the ball well and maintains an all-fields approach, enabling him to turn on balls inner third or use the opposite field when pitchers attack him away. Black's swing path is geared for low-trajectory line drives and there are times when he could try to be more aggressive trying to swing for extra-base damage, but his power ultimately grades as below-average. Black is an offensive-oriented player in search of a defensive home. He's a good athlete and a slightly above-average runner whose footwork, range and below-average arm make him below-average at second base. He also plays center field and should continue to see time in the outfield. But at any position he's probably always going to be below-average. Black also had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder in 2020, so his durability bears monitoring.
  
  The Future: If Black can squeeze out more extra-base juice and become an adequate defender somewhere--or possibly a bat-first utility player--he has the components to be an everyday player with high on-base percentages. He should move up to Double-A Biloxi in 2023.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 40. Speed: 55. Fielding: 40. Arm: 40
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Black was the Horizon League freshman of the year in 2019 and, after the 2020 season shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, returned in 2021 to hit .383/.496/.683 with more walks (39) than strikeouts (25) for Wright State. Many scouts considered him one of the best hitters in the 2021 draft, and the Brewers selected him 33rd overall and signed him for $2.2 million. Black reported to Low-A Carolina after he signed and showed a patient approach, but he looked fatigued and out of rhythm at the end of a long year.
  
  Scouting Report: Black manages his at-bats well with a keen eye for the strike zone. He doesn&#39t chase much and makes consistent, quality contact when he does swing. Black starts his swing with a big leg kick, then whips his hands through the zone quickly. He stays inside the ball well, enabling him to handle good pitches on the inner third and use the whole field. He has a particular knack for driving pitches down in the strike zone. Black&#39s strengths lie mostly in his on-base skills, but he has a chance to develop average power. Black is athletic—he also played football and hockey in high school—but he is a rough defender with clunky footwork and below-average range at second base. He&#39s an average runner with a below-average arm after he had right shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum in 2020.
  
  The Future: Black has the hitting potential to be an offense-minded, everyday second baseman if he can be just an adequate defender. He will begin his first full season at one of the Class A affiliates in 2022.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 50. Speed: 50. Fielding: 45. Arm: 40.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Black was the Horizon League freshman of the year in 2019 and, after the 2020 season shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic, returned in 2021 to hit .383/.496/.683 with more walks (39) than strikeouts (25) for Wright State. Many scouts considered him one of the best hitters in the 2021 draft, and the Brewers selected him 33rd overall and signed him for $2.2 million. Black reported to Low-A Carolina after he signed and showed a patient approach, but he looked fatigued and out of rhythm at the end of a long year.
  
  Scouting Report: Black manages his at-bats well with a keen eye for the strike zone. He doesn’t chase much and makes consistent, quality contact when he does swing. Black starts his swing with a big leg kick, then whips his hands through the zone quickly. He stays inside the ball well, enabling him to handle good pitches on the inner third and use the whole field. He has a particular knack for driving pitches down in the strike zone. Black’s strengths lie mostly in his on-base skills, but he has a chance to develop average power. Black is athletic—he also played football and hockey in high school—but he is a rough defender with clunky footwork and below-average range at second base. He’s an average runner with a below-average arm after he had right shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum in 2020.
  
  The Future: Black has the hitting potential to be an offensive-minded, everyday second baseman if he can be just an adequate defender. He will begin his first full season at one of the Class A affiliates in 2022.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Black was a talented three-sport athlete who played football, hockey and baseball back in Canada. He had a loud freshman season with Wright State in 2019, hitting .353/.469/.600 with more walks (38) than strikeouts (18). Black entered the 2021 season as a sleeper candidate after a disappointing 13-game stretch in 2020, because scouts believed in his hitting ability and strike-zone discipline. Black lived up to those expectations this spring, although he admittedly plays in an extremely hitter-friendly conference and home park. Black posted a .383/.496/.683 slash line with a career-best 13 home runs while continuing to manage the strike zone at an impressive rate, with 39 walks to 25 strikeouts. Black has a big leg kick to start his swing but keeps his hands quiet and steady in his load before firing through the zone with impressive hand speed. He has a pull-heavy approach, and this spring did a tremendous amount of damage on pitches on the inner third. Black has an offensive-driven profile and while he's played both second and third this spring, scouts see him more likely winding up at second base at the next level. He's a fringy runner and defender, with below-average arm strength after undergoing surgery on his right shoulder to repair a labrum tear in 2020. Teams who buy into his bat could take him somewhere in the second- or third-round range after a strong 2021 campaign.