More Unsigned Draft Picks

[Jim Goulart]

The 2005 draft was not only historically strong nationally, but fruitful for the Brewers overall -- Ryan Braun, trade chips Will Inman, Steve Garrison, and Michael Brantley, plus Taylor Green, Zach Braddock, Brock Kjeldgaard and even Brendan Katin's mashing minor league contributions. As you'll see below, this draft could have been truly tremendous.

 

2005 Draft:

 

Jemile Weeks, SS -- 8th round, subsequently drafted and signed by the Athletics in the 1st round, 2008

 

Rickie's little (and we do mean little) brother was indeed drafted as a shortstop, leading us to envision a Weeks-Weeks keystone combo. It's believed that Jemile's dad in particular was a very strong proponent of Jemile going to school (Miami), but word at the time was that the family would listen seriously to the Brewers' overtures.

 

As you're likely aware, the A's have been thrilled with Weeks despite his slow start in 2012 (major league stats, including a pretty dynamic rookie 2011 campaign, FYI the link above is for his minor league numbers.

 

OOPS! Not Brewerfan.net's finest moment

 

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Brent Allar, RHP -- 11th round, subsequently drafted and signed by the Orioles in the 14th round, 2006

 

Allar, a fireballing JUCO pitcher, who was compared to former Brewer reliever Mike DeJean at draft time, spurned the Brewers for TCU. Five minor league seasons in the O's system, spent mostly in the bullpen, produced more K's than innings, but lots of walks, too. Oddly, in his first three seasons, Allar appeared in 55 games, all in relief, and never earned a decision (0-0).

 

In the never-ending injury nexus of these dodge-the-bullet Brewer non-signees, Allar underwent shoulder surgey in '07. He granted this detailed interview prior to his final season in 2010.

 

Allar never reached AA. The Marlins selected Allar in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft, but released him prior to the 2011 season.

 

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Ryan Babineau, C -- 13th round, subsequently drafted and signed by the Diamondbacks in the 17th round, 2008

 

A high school catcher from California, Babineau went on to UCLA, where he was their starting catcher all three seasons. Injuries to both hips pretty much ruined his brief pro career, but you'll notice at his link above that after a 2011 away from the game, Babineau is now in independent ball. Still just 25, good luck to him going forward.

 

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Andrew Bailey, RHP -- 16th round, subsequently drafted and signed by the Athletics in the 6th round, 2006

 

Yes, that Andrew Bailey.

 

Minor league stats above, major league here.

 

At this point, I strongly suggest you visit my June 2010 article "Andrew Bailey So Close to Being A Brewer – and Other Tales from the 2005 Draft". Thanks!

 

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Tim Smith, OF -- 17th round, subsequently drafted and signed by the Rangers in the 7th round, 2007

 

Another unsigned Canadian (Ontario)!

 

Tim Smith also turned down the Mets in 2004, the year prior, 21st round.

 

Smith, a left-handed bat, posted ridiculous numbers in his freshman year at Midland College, a two-year school in Texas, as he set school records for batting average (.468) and on-base percentage. He also hit eight home runs and had 55 RBIs. Preliminary contract negotiations with the Brewers failed, and then his draft-and-follow chances with the Crew faded after offseason arm surgery.

 

But then Smith raked again in his second juco season, setting school career marks in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and stolen bases. We all thought for sure he'd be signed prior to the 2006 draft as a DFE.

 

The Brewers did add a last-minute DFE from the '05 class, but it wasn't Tim Smith.

 

The DFE's name? Taylor Green.

 

Smith is still plugging away in his 6th pro season, although he's with his third organization (Rangers to Royals via trade, now with the Braves as a minor league free agent), and was recently promoted to AA Mississippi (Southern League).

 

Tim Smith turns 26 in a couple of weeks, but has yet to see AAA despite solid numbers to this day.

 

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Jake Arrieta, RHP -- 26th round, subsequently drafted and signed by the Orioles in the 5th round, 2007

 

Yes, that Jake Arrieta.

 

Looking back, Arrieta was not a big topic of discussion here in the summer of '05 in terms of whether the Brewers would sign him or not. Arrieta was tied at the hip, it seemed, to 11th round RHP Brent Allar, detailed above. They both attended two-year Weatherford College, both played for the McKinney Marshals in the Texas Collegiate Summer League (Arrieta posted sweet numbers), and then both went off to TCU.

 

Here's Arrieta's major league numbers (minor league numbers are linked above).

 

Arrieta flashes just enough occasional brilliance to make one wonder what could be if it all comes together consistently. Just on that oh-so-close potential alone, he should be considered "one that got away".

 

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Patrick Murray, 1B -- 31st round, subsequently drafted by the Phillies in the 45th round, 2006, and finally drafted and signed by the Phillies in the 34th round, 2010

 

When the Brewers drafted Murray out of a California high school, this was our own Patrick Ebert's note:

 

At 6'2", 250 pounds, Murray offers an intimidating presence at the plate, and exciting power potential as a right-handed hitter. While he played third base and catcher at the high school level, his footspeed probably limits him to first base. Despite his limited speed, he does show good footwork around the bag and has a very strong arm.

 

The Brewers chose to draft-and-follow Murray into juco ball, but a bout of mononucleosis sapped his power and likely soured the Brewers.

 

As noted above, the Phillies did not sign him after his first junior college season, but did when he finished up at Lewis and Clark College (Oregon).

 

Philadelphia released Murray after two middling seasons in the lower levels of their system, detailed at the link above.

 

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Chris Hopkins, OF -- 37th round, subsequently drafted (but not signed) by the Royals in the 44th round, 2007, and finally drafted and signed by the Blue Jays in the 24th round, 2008

 

Chris Hopkins was a very young (17 years old at the time) toolsy junior college selection for the Brewers, there was no chance he would be signed immediately, but he was followed into his second juco season. The Brewers (and/or Hopkins) passed, and he went on to Oregon State (not bad at all) for two seasons, signing as a senior with the Jays.

 

Hopkins was released after four weak seasons (career .219/.329/.277) in Toronto's system, wrapping things up in 2011, where he faced the Brewers' Manatees club in High-A.

 

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Jordan Lennerton, 1B -- 41st round, having been previously drafted by the Blue Jays in the 50th round, 2004, and finally drafted and signed by the Tigers in the 33rd round, 2008

 

Jordan Lennerton was one of seven (!) Canadian draft-and-follows for the Brewers out of the '05 draft (have we mentioned how much we miss the draft-and-follow process? If you need a primer on what DFE was all about prior to its 2007 elimination, click here.)

 

The Brewers followed Lennerton through his 2nd JUCO season in Texas (do all Canadian kids JUCO in Texas?), but Lennerton went on, like Chris Hopkins above, to Oregon State.

 

Now in his 5th pro season and getting his first chance at AA, Lennerton has had an amazingly consistent (compare his line at each level) nice minor league career thus far, particularly for a 33rd round pick. Never a big power threat, his left-handed stick and on-base skills could sneak him a cup of big league coffee at some point, although he's now in his age 26 season.

 

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Kyle Eveland, 2B -- 43rd round, subsequently signed by the White Sox out of independent ball, 2011

 

Jemile Weeks wasn't the only organizational little brother drafted by the Crew in '05, as Dana's sibling Kyle was a junior college middle infielder (thus right-handed, and much less "hefty" than LHP Dana).

 

When affiliated ball did not beckon, Kyle Eveland jumped into indy ball in 2009, and caught the eye of the White Sox. He spent all of 2011 in the ChiSox chain, but was released early this season, and immediately rejoined his former Traverse City (Michigan) independent squad.

 

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Fred Lewis, LHP -- 48th round, subsequently drafted and signed by the Yankees in the 47th round, 2010

 

Lewis was attending Daytona Beach Community College when the Brewers drafted him. He would eventually move on to Tennessee Wesleyan, a four-year school, and is in the midst of his 3rd pro season with the Yankees (now at low-A at age 25), working in middle relief. Loogy or not, Lewis has walked 52 in 73.3 pro innings, so his odds remain extra-long.

[Jim Goulart]

Milwaukee's 2006 draft produced short-time Brewer, then trade-chip Jeremy Jeffress, more trade components (for Felipe Lopez and C.C. Sabathia, respectively) in OF Cole Gillespie and RHP Rob Bryson, RHP Mike McClendon in the 10th round, and a few players (RHP's Evan Anundsen and R.J. Seidel, OF Lee Haydel) who are still around.

 

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Seven unsigned players from that draft went on to play pro ball:

 

Andrew Clark, 1B -- 18th round, subsequently drafted (but not signed) by the Cubs in the 31st round, 2009, and finally drafted and signed by the Rangers in the 13th round, 2010

 

The Brewers never came very close to pulling Clark away from his Ole' Miss commitment, although Clark would go to leave the school after his freshman year, transferring to Louisville, where he had a productive Big East career.

 

The 24-year-old split last season between Single-A Hickory and High-A Myrtle Beach for Texas, where he posted a .310/.430/.477 slash line with 28 doubles, 14 home runs, 83 walks, and 73 strikeouts.

 

Re-assigned to high-A to begin 2012, Clark voluntarily retired after two games.

 

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Scott Shuman, RHP -- 23rd round, subsequently drafted and signed by the Rays in the 19th round, 2009

 

The Tifton, GA high schooler basically indicated that he was going to visit Auburn University shortly after the draft, and if they were to offer him a scholarship, he would accept, and that's exactly what happened.

 

Shuman, now 24, posted 14 Midwest League saves in 2010, but has shifted to a middle relief role since; he's struggling in his first taste of AA in 2012, his 4th pro season.

 

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Marc Lewis, LHP -- 26th round, subsequently drafted and signed by the Marlins in the 20th round, 2007

 

Lewis had a solid junior season at Creighton University, one-plus year removed from Tommy John surgery. He decided to return for his senior year on a potentially very talented squad.

 

Lewis' lone year in pro ball is reviewable at his link above.

 

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Terrell Alliman, OF -- 28th round, subsequently drafted and signed by the Angels in the 43rd round, 2007

 

Only 17 when drafted, this Ontario, CN product was eligible to continue his secondary high school education in 2006-2007 and chose to do so.

 

The Angels released Alliman early in the 2011 season, which was his 4th in their system.

 

I'll always remember Alliman because the only photo we found for our draft thread at the time must have been from Little League.

 

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David Newmann, LHP -- 29th round, having been previously drafted by the Indians in the 25th round, 2004, and finally drafted and signed by the Rays in the 4th round, 2007

 

Newmann tore a knee ligament during 2008 Spring Training, sidelining him for the entire season, and didn't make his pro debut until 2009. High-A in '09, AA in 2010, Newmann voluntarily retired early in the 2011 season, so hopefully he invested his $250,000 signing bonus well.

 

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Clay Jones, C -- 36th round, subsequently drafted and signed by the Tigers in the 32nd round, 2009

 

Jones was a high school catcher (and football star) who was followed for a year by the Brewers through a juco season. Jones would eventually land at the University of Alabama. Staying at Tuscaloosa through his senior year, Jones had migrated to first base by the time the Tigers came calling.

 

Jones saw Midwest League action each of the past two years, and although MiLB.com still lists him as "active", that doesn't appear to be the case.

 

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Alex Koronis, RHP -- 40th round, subsequently drafted and signed by the Rays in the 11th round, 2009

 

The third pitcher from the 2006 draft to go on to be a Tampa draft pick...

 

Koronis was a Miami high schooler who chose to stay local and attend the "U", but didn't feel it was a perfect fit and he eventually moved to the University of Tampa.

 

So many of these players highlighted in this thread have had Brewer opponent ties through the Midwest, Florida State, and Southern Leagues, and Koronis is no different. He's currently at AA Montgomery, working in middle relief.

 

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We'll take a look at the 2007 draft class non-signees in the next phase of this project.