Article: 2024 Prospect Previews: Brock Wilken

[Jamie Cameron]

Selected with the 18th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Brock Wilken was one of a bevy of excellent college bats occupying the 15-40 range on the Consensus Board. After a strong professional debut in 2023, what can Brewers fans expect from Wilken in his sophomore season? The prospect preview series will detail the stories of several Brewers' draft picks from 2023, detailing their signing, skillsets, and expectations for 2024.

Image courtesy of Thieres Rabelo

Draft Context
It’s a testament to the depth of the 2023 MLB draft class that Brock Wilken was the consensus 22nd-best prospect. Wilken took a massive step forward from his sophomore season to his junior season at Wake Forest, developing into one of college baseball’s most formidable bats. In 2023, Wilken slugged .345/.506/.807 with 31 home runs and 69 walks in just 66 starts, albeit at a launching pad of a ballpark for his home games.

It’s worth revisiting how the 2023 pool of draftable talent became such an embarrassment of riches. The 2020 draft was shortened to five rounds due to COVID-19. Organizations had limited access to prospects, resulting in an inflated number of prep prospects going to college, with the majority draftable in 2023. Add that to a prep class full of excellent up-the-middle prospects, and 2023 looks like the strongest draft class since 2011 (in which 17 of the top 46 picks became MLB All-Stars).

Scouting and Signing
From an outside perspective, the Brewers had one of the most creative and best draft classes in 2023, buoyed by their creativity with their bonus pool and the number of high-caliber prospects they came away with. By highlighting their ceiling, one could draw a thorough line between most of their early-round picks (Knoth, Bitonti, Pratt). Wilken is the floor that made that haul possible.

As the Brewers' pick approached 18th overall, several interesting college bats were on the board. Enrique Bradfield Jr., the speedster out of Vanderbilt, went one pick earlier to the Orioles. Brayden Taylor and Chase Davis, two of the best college hitters in the class, were still available. The Brewers went with Wilken off the back of a monstrous offensive season with Wake in 2023.

The Brewers signed Wilken for $3.15 million, close to $1 million under slot. Those savings, combined with additional created by saving slot on Josh Knoth and Mike Boeve, created the space needed to lock up Eric Bitonti and Cooper Pratt, the 54th and 58th best consensus prospects, at picks 87 and 182 respectively. 

Wilken’s offensive profile is about his double-plus power. Wilken has a menacing, stooped stance at the plate. His swing produces excellent bat speed and is geared towards loft. Wilken was much improved against breaking pitches in his final season at Wake Forest, which, combined with a new-found selectivity at the plate, helped him access and maximize his power.

Defensively, Wilken has an easy plus arm and solid defensive actions, but slow foot speed and lateral movement may eventually move him off third base and onto first. His offensive profile will ameliorate that shift if it happens. Wilken’s ceiling will likely be determined by the hit tool and the quality of contact he can generate against better pitching.

2023 Performance and Expectations for 2024
I’d expect one of the best college hitters in the country to make short work of the lower minors after a debut, and Wilken did just that. In his longest stint at A+, he managed a .289/.427/.438 line with 32 Ks and 27 BB in 34 games. 

Wilken was given a brief taste of AA at the end of the season, which likely tees him up to start there in 2024. While Wilken maintained his excellent approach in his early months as a pro, one challenge he’ll have to mitigate at AA is his level of passivity. In his final season at Wake and early pro career, Wilken took a ton of pitches. As the quality of the opposing pitcher improves, this approach may result in him having two quick strikes against him and getting buried by the opposing pitcher’s best breaking stuff. Still, there’s plenty to be excited about with Wilken, with 30 home run upside and an offensive profile that will take him as far as his hit tool will.

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[jay87shot]

Hopefully he plays well enough to be ready to earn big league spot in 2025. I would make sure to get him some 1B reps this year, if Black can handle a switch to 1B would be in line. 

Only 5 HR in over 200 pa's if a bit disappointing but the overall results were great. Hopefully he can keep the strikeouts done as he climbs the ladder, if so I would love a mid-season AAA promotion with the chance at a September callup (especially if 1B/3B struggle this year).

[biedergb]

I do like the position player depth in the minors. At 1B - we have Black, Wilken E. Martinez and Adams.

Middle IF - Turang, Zamora, Brown Jr,, Boeve, Baez, Pratt

3B - Wilken, Boeve, Bitonti, Pratt

So like 10-12 players for the IF position at multiple levels. If 3-4 can become regulars that is great to go along with the OF depth.