Brody Brecht Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Brody Brecht
Born 09/27/2002 in Ankeny, IA
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Iowa
Drafted in the CB-A round (38th overall) by the Colorado Rockies in 2024 (signed for $2,700,000).

View Draft Report

School: Iowa
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.8
BA Grade: 55/Extreme
Tools: Fastball: 65. Slider: 70. Changeup: 50. Control: 40.

It could be difficult to find a pitcher in the 2024 class with the pure arm talent, athleticism and upside to match Brecht. A former two-sport athlete who played wide receiver on Iowa’s football team, Brecht chose to focus exclusively on pitching during his junior year with the Hawkeyes. That led to his best season and a 3.33 ERA in 15 starts and 78.1 innings, with a 37.2% strikeout rate and career-low 14.2% walk rate. A 6-foot-4, 235-pound righthander, Brecht has a great pitcher’s frame and attacks hitters from a higher release point and three-quarters slot. His fastball sits in the 96-97 mph range and has been up to 101 with hard cutting action that has made his fastball both a miss and groundball-inducing pitch. He throws a high-80s slider more frequently than his fastball, and over the offseason worked to add multiple shapes to the pitch. One is a shorter gyro offering and the second a breaking ball with more sweep. Whichever variant he settles on should have double-plus upside given his feel to spin the ball at high velocities. Brecht also worked on a split-changeup that comes in around 90 mph and used the pitch more consistently in his arsenal this spring. Brecht’s below-average control is the huge question and creates significant reliever risk for him in pro ball. It also makes him a polarizing prospect. He’s improved slightly in each season, but his career 17% walk rate would represent an outlier figure for a first-round college arm.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme.

Track Record: A two-sport star at Iowa, Brecht played wide receiver for the Hawkeyes football team for two years before giving it up to focus on the diamond. In 2024, his draft year, Brecht had his best collegiate season. In 15 starts, he pitched to a 3.33 ERA with a 37.2% strikeout rate. Questions around Brecht’s command dropped him outside of the first 30 picks, but the Rockies selected the righthander with the 38th overall pick. Brecht signed for an over-slot bonus of $2.7 million and did not debut following the draft.

Scouting Report: Brecht is a fireballing righthander with questions around his command and below-average fastball shape. A talented athlete with a prototype starter’s build, Brecht looks the part on the mound. He mixes a mid-to-high-90s four-seam fastball, an upper-80s-to-low-90s slider, a split-changeup in the low 90s and a mid-80s curveball. Brecht’s fastball sits 96-97 mph and will touch 100 at peak, but it lacks consistent ride or heavy armside run. His best pitch is his upper-80s cut-slider which was his most thrown pitch during his junior season at Iowa. The pitch is an effective bat-misser and his best pitch when he needs a strike. Brecht’s split-changeup is a clear third pitch, but it made strides as a swing-and-miss pitch in 2024. Brecht will show a mid-80s curveball with more depth than his slider, but it was rarely used. Brecht’s command has long been a concern, particularly when it comes to landing his fastball in the zone. Whether Brecht can develop average fastball command will determine his ceiling.

The Future: Brecht is a high-powered righthander with a midrotation ceiling and relief floor. If he can develop command as a professional, he could rank among the top prospects in the game.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 65 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 70 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 40

Draft Prospects

School: Iowa Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.8
BA Grade: 55/Extreme
Tools: Fastball: 65. Slider: 70. Changeup: 50. Control: 40.

It could be difficult to find a pitcher in the 2024 class with the pure arm talent, athleticism and upside to match Brecht. A former two-sport athlete who played wide receiver on Iowa’s football team, Brecht chose to focus exclusively on pitching during his junior year with the Hawkeyes. That led to his best season and a 3.33 ERA in 15 starts and 78.1 innings, with a 37.2% strikeout rate and career-low 14.2% walk rate. A 6-foot-4, 235-pound righthander, Brecht has a great pitcher’s frame and attacks hitters from a higher release point and three-quarters slot. His fastball sits in the 96-97 mph range and has been up to 101 with hard cutting action that has made his fastball both a miss and groundball-inducing pitch. He throws a high-80s slider more frequently than his fastball, and over the offseason worked to add multiple shapes to the pitch. One is a shorter gyro offering and the second a breaking ball with more sweep. Whichever variant he settles on should have double-plus upside given his feel to spin the ball at high velocities. Brecht also worked on a split-changeup that comes in around 90 mph and used the pitch more consistently in his arsenal this spring. Brecht’s below-average control is the huge question and creates significant reliever risk for him in pro ball. It also makes him a polarizing prospect. He’s improved slightly in each season, but his career 17% walk rate would represent an outlier figure for a first-round college arm.