Zack Brown

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #10 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: The Brewers expected big things from Brown at Triple-A San Antonio after he won the organization's minor league pitcher of the year award in 2018, but he struggled with the introduction of the new ball to Triple-A and logged a 5.79 ERA with a rising walk rate and declining strikeout rate. Instead of getting his feet wet in the majors as expected, Brown lost confidence in his stuff and received a “time out” to regroup.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: At his best, Brown features a three-pitch mix and keeps his stuff deep into games. He uses both sides of the plate with a 92-95 mph fastball and goes to his two-seamer to induce weak ground balls. Brown mixes in a plus curveball when ahead in the count, keeping hitters off his hard stuff and inducing lots of swings and misses. He also has good feel for a promising changeup that also keeps opponents off his fastball. Brown struggled more with his command last season, but the Brewers like the way he competes on the mound and, when he's right, attacks the strike zone.
  
  THE FUTURE: It remains to be seen if Brown can remain a starter or is better suited for a relief role with his fastball and breaking ball. After struggling at San Antonio, he'll be sent back there to get squared away.
• 
  Ranked Milwaukee Brewers #5 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Brown fell in the 2016 draft after a miserable 2-11, 6.08 junior year at Kentucky, but the Brewers stayed with him and signed him for just over $400,000 in the fifth round. After conquering the Class A levels in 2017, he broke out with Double-A Biloxi in 2018, going 9-1, 2.44 and winning Southern League pitcher of the year.
  
  Scouting Report: Brown has made huge strides commanding his three-pitch mix, allowing him to produce his best results as a pro and maintain his stuff deep into games. He throws his fastball in the 92-95 mph range and hits both corners of the plate while also using a two-seamer to induce a ton of ground balls. Brown began using his curveball more as a pro and it has been his best pitch at times, growing to plus and keeping hitters off his hard stuff. He also developed a better feel for an average changeup, which also made his fastball play more. In short, Brown became a pitcher rather than a thrower, and the Brewers love the way he competes and attacks the zone.
  
  The Future: Brown is firmly on the Brewers' radar after winning the Brewers' minor league pitcher of the year award. He will open 2019 at Triple-A as a starter and could make his major league debut as a reliever, much like Josh Hader and Corbin Burnes.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #125 prospect in 2016 draft
  A 38th-round selection of the Cubs in 2013, Brown opted to take his talents to Kentucky, where he's established himself as a starting pitching prospect. Brown rose to prominence during his sophomore year, when he anchored the Wildcats' rotation, posting a 3.48 ERA over nearly 100 innings. This year, Brown's stuff has held up, but he's struggled to throw quality strikes, missing his spots and being squared up often, leading to a 2-10, 5.70 season in mid-May. The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder has a high-tempo delivery and sometimes struggles with his timing, leading to his arm being either late or early. When he's right, however, the stuff coming out of his hand is electric. With a fastball that routinely sits at 91-94 and can sit even higher on the right night and a power curveball, Brown has a chance for two plus pitches. The team that takes him will likely aim to develop him as a starter because his excellent athleticism could enable him to make the necessary adjustments to succeed in that role. If he doesn't find consistency in his delivery, he could be a two-pitch reliever.
• Ranked #385 prospect in 2013 draft
  The best high school pitching prospects in Indiana this year are lefthanders. Trey Ball will be a first-round choice, Danny Ayers could go in the top five rounds and Joshua Rogers might have as well before he had Tommy John surgery in April. The top righthander is Brown, who's unlikely to give up his commitment to Kentucky to turn pro. Though he's not big at 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds, he has a quick arm that delivers 87-92 mph fastball and spins quality curveballs. He needs to get stronger to maintain his delivery deeper into games. His high arm slot may not be conducive to better than average command and control.

• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Brewers expected big things from Brown at Triple-A San Antonio after he won the organization’s minor league pitcher of the year award in 2018, but he struggled with the introduction of the new ball to Triple-A and logged a 5.79 ERA with a rising walk rate and declining strikeout rate. Instead of getting his feet wet in the majors as expected, Brown lost confidence in his stuff and received a “time out” to regroup.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: At his best, Brown features a three-pitch mix and keeps his stuff deep into games. He uses both sides of the plate with a 92-95 mph fastball and goes to his two-seamer to induce weak ground balls. Brown mixes in a plus curveball when ahead in the count, keeping hitters off his hard stuff and inducing lots of swings and misses. He also has good feel for a promising changeup that also keeps opponents off his fastball. Brown struggled more with his command last season, but the Brewers like the way he competes on the mound and, when he’s right, attacks the strike zone.
  
  THE FUTURE: It remains to be seen if Brown can remain a starter or is better suited for a relief role with his fastball and breaking ball. After struggling at San Antonio, he’ll be sent back there to get squared away.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Brewers expected big things from Brown at Triple-A San Antonio after he won the organization’s minor league pitcher of the year award in 2018, but he struggled with the introduction of the new ball to Triple-A and logged a 5.79 ERA with a rising walk rate and declining strikeout rate. Instead of getting his feet wet in the majors as expected, Brown lost confidence in his stuff and received a “time out” to regroup.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: At his best, Brown features a three-pitch mix and keeps his stuff deep into games. He uses both sides of the plate with a 92-95 mph fastball and goes to his two-seamer to induce weak ground balls. Brown mixes in a plus curveball when ahead in the count, keeping hitters off his hard stuff and inducing lots of swings and misses. He also has good feel for a promising changeup that also keeps opponents off his fastball. Brown struggled more with his command last season, but the Brewers like the way he competes on the mound and, when he’s right, attacks the strike zone.
  
  THE FUTURE: It remains to be seen if Brown can remain a starter or is better suited for a relief role with his fastball and breaking ball. After struggling at San Antonio, he’ll be sent back there to get squared away.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: The Brewers expected big things from Brown at Triple-A San Antonio after he won the organization's minor league pitcher of the year award in 2018, but he struggled with the introduction of the new ball to Triple-A and logged a 5.79 ERA with a rising walk rate and declining strikeout rate. Instead of getting his feet wet in the majors as expected, Brown lost confidence in his stuff and received a “time out” to regroup.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: At his best, Brown features a three-pitch mix and keeps his stuff deep into games. He uses both sides of the plate with a 92-95 mph fastball and goes to his two-seamer to induce weak ground balls. Brown mixes in a plus curveball when ahead in the count, keeping hitters off his hard stuff and inducing lots of swings and misses. He also has good feel for a promising changeup that also keeps opponents off his fastball. Brown struggled more with his command last season, but the Brewers like the way he competes on the mound and, when he's right, attacks the strike zone.
  
  THE FUTURE: It remains to be seen if Brown can remain a starter or is better suited for a relief role with his fastball and breaking ball. After struggling at San Antonio, he'll be sent back there to get squared away.