Milwaukee Brewers MLB Draft History And Projections

Image credit: Mitch Haniger (Getty Images)

As we approach the 2018 MLB Draft on June 4, we’ll break down each major league team’s recent draft history, picking out tendencies where applicable, highlighting the team’s 2018 draft pool and also touching on the organization’s most successful recent draft picks.

Additionally, each team is listed with potential draft targets. These players either fit the typical modus operandi of the organization or are players who have been specifically linked or rumored as fits with a team throughout the spring. Baseball America will continue to add and subtract players from the potential draft target section as we continue to gather information in the final weeks leading up to the draft. Players are listed with a line of skinny to get a quick idea of who they are, but our full scouting reports will give a more complete picture of a player.

It’s also worth pointing out that while in some cases a team might appear to have a clear tendency with certain demographics (i.e., high school pitchers or college hitters), the sample we are looking at is small enough that teams could simply be following a best player available strategy and the results are showing something that’s not an overarching scouting philosophy. It’s more likely that tendencies can be discovered at the extremes, rather than slight apparent preferences in the last five years.

Here is a breakdown of the recent MLB Draft history of the Milwaukee Brewers:

General Manager: David Stearns (Since 2016)
Scouting Director: Tod Johnson (Since 2017)
2018 Bonus Pool (Rank): $6,611,900 (25th) 

2018 MLB Draft Order:

1st Round: 21st

2nd Round: 60th

Supplemental 2nd Round: 73rd

4th-40: 21st in each round.

First Round Picks Since 2013:

2017: Keston Hiura (9th)

2016: Corey Ray (5th)

2015: Trent Grisham (15th)

2014: Kodi Medeiros (12th)

Best Recent Pick (2010-2017 Drafts):

OF Mitch Haniger (Supplemental 1st, 2012). The Brewers haven’t pulled a lot of big league regulars out of the draft this decade, but Haniger, who they traded to the Diamondbacks for Gerardo Parra in 2014, has established himself as a productive everyday outfielder for the Mariners after a second trade.

Recent Tendencies (Last Five Years/Top Five Rounds):

The Brewers have taken 15 college players and 14 high school players at the top of the draft since 2013, but they are still tied for selecting the 6th-most prep players when it comes to percentage taken (48.3 percent), along with the Marlins.

Positionally, Milwaukee is split as well, taking 15 pitchers (51.7 percent) and 14 hitters (48.3 percent) in the top five rounds since 2013.

The Brewers have had three scouting directors in charge of drafts since 2013 with Bruce Seid in charge of the 2013-14 drafts, Ray Montgomery in 2015-16 and Tod Johnson calling the shots for the 2017 draft. There’s no discernible trend that any of the three have shown, though Johnson’s 2017 draft class was heavier on high school prospects than either of Montgomery’s drafts, despite taking Hiura with the team’s first pick.

Potential Draft Targets:

 

1B/3B Triston Casas — Casas has plus-plus raw power and an advanced, patient approach at the plate with surprising athleticism in the infield

SS Jeremy Eierman — A tooled-up college shortstop with a plus arm, Eierman also possesses plus speed and plus power

 

P Logan Gilbert — Gilbert has a heavy fastball that plays up with elite extension, and more projection remaining than other college arms

 

P Ethan Hankins — Previously the top prep player in the class thanks to a potential 80-grade fastball, Hankins has been slowed by injury but is trending in the right direction

SS Nico Hoerner — Hoerner might have to move off of shortstop for second base, but he’s hit in the Pac-12 and wood-bat leagues

P Jackson Kowar — Lean, wiry and with a good frame, Kowar has an above-average fastball and plus changeup

 

OF Trevor Larnach — A powerful corner outfielder, Larnach has finally started tapping into his juice more regularly this spring

 

C Noah Naylor — The younger brother of Josh Naylor, Noah is more hit over power with exceptional barrel awareness and a track record against professional arms

P Kumar Rocker — Big, physical and imposing, Rocker has loud pure stuff, including a fastball up to 98 mph and a breaking ball that falls off the table

P Ryan Rolison — A high-floor college lefthander, Rolison shows a three-pitch mix including a fastball up to 96 mph with good life

SS Brice Turang — An athletic, lefthanded-hitting shortstop with plus speed and great feel for the barrel, Turang is more polished than most preps

 

P Ryan Weathers — The son of David Weathers, Ryan is a polished lefty with solid control of a heavy fastball and an improving curveball

 

P Cole Wilcox — A projectable 6-foot-5 Georgia righty with a fastball up into the mid-90s and a sharp slider that has gotten sharper this spring