Article: 5 Options for the Brewers with the 17th Pick in the 2024 MLB Draft

[Jamie Cameron]

We're just a few weeks from the 2024 MLB Draft. Who might the Brewers take at 17th overall? We dig in on five great options.

Image courtesy of © Mitch Alcala/For The Oklahoman / USA TODAY NETWORK

It’s time to get weird. We’re only a couple of weeks out from the 2024 MLB Draft, so we’re going to highlight some potential targets for the Brewers at pick 17th overall.

This is a tough exercise at the best of times. This year, it might be impossible. After the first 10 picks, the first round promises to be an overwhelming mess. We could make an argument for many more players than we have time to cover. Let’s do our best anyway. Instead of looking at these articles as predictive in any way, I’d rather folks view them as a talent barometer. Here’s an overview of the caliber of talent and some of the names the Brewers might target at pick 17.

It should go without saying that if any of the consensus top-10 names fall to 17, I’d think the Brewers would have to consider them. I’d think college hitters like Nick Kurtz, James Tibbs, Seaver King or Cam Smith would appeal to the Brewers, or even prep shortstop Bryce Rainer. Of that group, only King and Smith feel like they have a shot to be around at 17. Here’s some names they might consider, in the order they currently appear on the MLB Draft Consensus Board.

Carson Benge, OF, Oklahoma State (15)
Benge played as a two-way player at Oklahoma State. Despite a fastball that he cranked up to 97 mph, he'll be drafted as an outfielder. Benge has an exciting offensive toolkit led by good bat speed that produces consistently high exit velocities. This is paired with a chase rate under 20% and a contact% over 80%, a potent combination. The thorn in Benge's side in 2023 was a very high ground ball rate that he'll need to clean up in 2024 in order to properly leverage the rest of his offensive skills.

Benge has average speed, a plus arm, and above average glove that should lend itself to a really solid right-field profile defensively. It's been a strong 2024 offensively. Benge hit .335/.444/.665 (1.109) with 18 home runs, 24 doubles, 49 walks and 51 strikeouts through 61 games. He's firmly a middle of the first round prospect, for me.

William Schmidt, RHP, Catholic HS, LA (17)
At 6'4, 185 pounds, there's a ton of projection left on a wiry frame. It's a little bit of an effortful delivery, but Schmidt absolutely has starter traits. He has an above average fastball that's already taken a velocity jump at the beginning of 2024. It sits 92-94 mph but has grabbed as high as 98 mph with late life.

Schmidt's best pitch is his curveball. It's maybe the best prep breaking pitch in the class. He throws it in the high-70s-low 80s and it has hammer downward action that drops away from hitters, regularly hitting spin rates of over (3,000rpms). Schmidt has also shown a feel for a changeup with good fade, although he's needed it sparingly to date.

Schmidt has all the physical attributes you look for in a prep starter (high waist, long limbs etc.) and his ability to spin the ball might be a separator for him come July.

Brody Brecht, RHP, Iowa (18)
Brecht is an exceptional athlete with an incredibly quick arm who has added some deception to his delivery by shortening his arm stroke in his time at Iowa. The stuff is 'Skenesian', headlined by a fastball that averaged 97.5 mph in 2023. He cranks it up to 101 mph, but it sits in the high 90s in games, with plenty of run.

Brecht's best secondary offering is a diabolical slider that he throws leveraging two different shapes, one with more bite, and the other with more sweep. It has the potential to be a double plus pitch and generates a ton of whiffs. Brecht has also added a splitter, which is newer in his arsenal, and thrown a curve, although less frequently than the FB/SL one-two punch.

Entering 2024, Brecht's Achilles heel was control and command, with consistent strike throwing having proven a challenge. He walked 61 in 77 innings in 2023 for the Hawkeyes, and there's significant reliever risk to the profile unless that improves as a pro. Brecht did reduce the number of free passes in 2024, going from 7.1 BB/9 to 5.6. It's tantalizing arm talent, but also feels like one of the widest potential range of outcomes of any first round pick.

Malcolm Moore, C, Stanford (22)
Moore was one of the better prep bats in the 2022 class and one of the highest ranked players not to sign. Moore made it to campus at Stamford and will be extremely young for the class (20) as a draft eligible sophomore in 2024.

Moore had an extremely unusual setup at the plate that he has simplified this season. However strange his operation was, it was effective in his freshman season in Palo Alto, to the tune of 15 home runs and 20 doubles. Moore’s approach and swing decisions have improved in 2024 and he has walked more this season. He has excellent bat to ball skills but seems to have suffered some bad batted ball luck.

Moore has an OK 2024 offensively. Some bad batted ball luck contributed to numbers which don't tell the entire story of his season. He maintained the pop (.967 OPS, 16 home runs), while increasing his walk rate and decreasing his strikeout rate.

Moore is a question mark behind the plate. A solid arm is offset by the need to refine his blocking, receiving, and footwork. Moore has the offensive profile to stick in the first round regardless of defensive position, but if he can develop his catching skills, he has a chance to provide really good value.

Kaelen Culpepper, SS, Kansas State (32)
Kaelen Culpepper is an exceptional athlete who has shifted defensively from 2B/3B to SS in his junior season at Kansas State. With a strong offensive performance in 2024, he could provide a jolt to a weak draft demographic that's usually coveted (college SS).

At the plate, Culpepper has a strong overall skill set. He generates good bat speed, although a flatter bat path hasn't produced much loft to date. Additionally, he has good contact skills, solid plate discipline, although he does expand the zone a little too much at times.

Culpepper has had a solid 2024 season in which he’s walking more and has amassed 32 extra base hits in 61 games, in addition to 17 stolen bases. Defensively, it's a plus arm, with good defensive actions and athleticism. Regardless of whether Culpepper ends up sticking at SS as a pro, or slides over to 2B or 3B, it should be an above average defensive profile.

Culpepper made some mechanical adjustments to his swing that helped him catch fire at regionals, hitting a home run off Hagen Smith and hitting for the cycle in the process. This is a solid all around college hitting profile.

Honorable Mention: Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Kentucky (29)

Whom do you want to see the Brewers take at 17th overall? Join the discussion with a comment below.

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[SF70]

Benge for me. Potential future power bat LHH RF, gotta go with him here if he’s available unless the team wants to save money on the first pick to stash for later like last year.

This draft, impact is more important than depth so I’d like to see an impact bat taken at 17.

[balsamlaker]

It will be interesting to see the first couple of picks for the Brewers and how that financially will shape the draft.  Is there a group of college hitters they like that they can get one at at least a slight discount, as I would expect that Tibbs, C. Moore, C. Smith, King, and Benge are probably all around slot.  If you can't get underslot at 17, can you take a HS pitcher at 33?  There are probably 6-8 high school pitchers that you might be able to get near '33 slot'.

[nate82]

Culpepper is probably the only under slot at 17 I would consider for the Brewers.  Cam Smith is the player you want to drop and hopefully makes it to the Brewers but that would take an over slot deal for him. 

[balsamlaker]

With just over a week to go, we are probably looking at Benge or C. Smith at a 'slot deal', hoping for King or Waldschmidt to take a (slight) underslot deal, or Cijntje or one of the college catchers on an 'underslot'.  There are likely 12-13 locks to be gone by 17 and I don't see the Brewers going for the toolsy Honeycutt.

[BrewerFan]

On 6/28/2024 at 12:04 PM, SF70 said:

Benge for me. Potential future power bat LHH RF, gotta go with him here if he’s available unless the team wants to save money on the first pick to stash for later like last year.

This draft, impact is more important than depth so I’d like to see an impact bat taken at 17.

Benge looks and sounds a bit like Yelich. That swing, the high exit velo, low chase rate, but high GB%...

I'm all for the high upside pitcher though. Roll the dice, take a guy like Brecht or Schmidt. Lower hit rate, but just that type of raw talent, velo and spin rates...I trust the Brewers ability to develop. 

I'm a bit envious of the Pirates 1-2 combo of Skenes and Jones. Adding another arm with TOR type upside with the slew of arms we've got, that'd be my preference. 

[SF70]

57 minutes ago, BrewerFan said:

Benge looks and sounds a bit like Yelich. That swing, the high exit velo, low chase rate, but high GB%...

I'm all for the high upside pitcher though. Roll the dice, take a guy like Brecht or Schmidt. Lower hit rate, but just that type of raw talent, velo and spin rates...I trust the Brewers ability to develop. 

I'm a bit envious of the Pirates 1-2 combo of Skenes and Jones. Adding another arm with TOR type upside with the slew of arms we've got, that'd be my preference. 

I’m going with the less risky pick in Benge. They find potential TOR talent later in the draft (Burnes-Woodruff) and are able to develop them into #1 starters. Ashby was another on his way but for blowing out his shoulder.

Benge has power potential that just needs tapped into, and I think he gets there, eventually, just like Yelich got there.

This team needs power bats, especially OF power bats and at worst, Benge has plus RF defense as a floor and can hit, buying him time to get to that power.

[snoogans8056]

On 7/5/2024 at 3:11 PM, balsamlaker said:

With just over a week to go, we are probably looking at Benge or C. Smith at a 'slot deal', hoping for King or Waldschmidt to take a (slight) underslot deal, or Cijntje or one of the college catchers on an 'underslot'.  There are likely 12-13 locks to be gone by 17 and I don't see the Brewers going for the toolsy Honeycutt.

This is pretty much my list too. Benge, Waldschmidt, or one of the catchers.

Go nuts after that.

[balsamlaker]

If you want one of the top three catchers, you probably have to give them an underslot deal at seventeen (17), as I don't know if any of them make it to 34. 

[patrickgpe]

It goes against the Brewers mo but I do like Brecht at 17. 

[brewmann04]

You know I am a fan of never having enough arms. 

[biedergb]

I secretly hold out for Brecht. Well I guess it’s not a secret anymore.

[patrickgpe]

24 minutes ago, biedergb said:

I secretly hold out for Brecht. Well I guess it’s not a secret anymore.

I think the brewers can help his secondary pitches. He seems like a prime candidate for us 

[balsamlaker]

I suspect we will see a heavy dose of pitchers and outfielders this year.

[brewmann04]

I want Brecht 

[LouisEly]

Of those who realistically expect to be there, my preferences are:

1. Carson Benge
2. Brody Brecht
3. Ryan Sloan (so long as he's under $5M)

I have a feeling that someone a few slots above the Brewers is going to take the less risky Benge at an underslot deal.  Really tempted by Sloan; HS pitchers are the biggest risk, but he seems physically mature already and seems to have an advanced feel for the cutter and changeup and working the entire zone.  Coming from central IL, he's probably pitched in colder weather.

[sveumrules]

First FanGraphs mock has is taking Seaver King at #17…

“The Brewers aren’t scared off by a lack of prototypical size (Eric Brown Jr., Robert Moore, Dylan O’Rae, etc.), which is the only thing King lacks. Milwaukee has also been more open to letting guys try to move up the defensive spectrum, which would ideally happen for King, who played mostly third base at Wake. This is the first spot Kaelen Culpepper’s name has surfaced. Carson Benge has also been mentioned here and at the next two picks.“

Of the names mentioned in the article Moore (#14) was already off the board with Benge (#19), Schmidt (#20) and Brecht (#22) all mocked right after the Brewers pick.

[balsamlaker]

Culpepper could be the pick if they are looking to go well under slot.

[Oxy]

On 7/8/2024 at 7:27 PM, brewmann04 said:

You know I am a fan of never having enough arms. 

Clearly then you are hoping for Cijntje, since he has two of them....not unlike other pitchers, but so un-like other pitchers...

[LouisEly]

21 hours ago, sveumrules said:

“The Brewers aren’t scared off by a lack of prototypical size (Eric Brown Jr., Robert Moore, Dylan O’Rae, etc.),

He didn't exactly list three great reasons to do that (if even one).

[sveumrules]

34 minutes ago, LouisEly said:

He didn't exactly list three great reasons to do that (if even one).

Yeah. Frelick is probably the most successful of the lil guys we've drafted so far.

Not a draft pick, but Ortiz is listed at 5'9" on MLB.com.

Lara, Jadher, Baez, Nadal, now Juan Ortuno on DSL1 are other examples with varying degrees of success in the low minors, though they were all international signings obviously.

[Matt]

ESPN has the Brewers taking Benge in today's mock. 

17. Milwaukee Brewers

Carson Benge, RF, Oklahoma State

The Brewers are all over Benge and he'll go in the next four picks or so if he doesn't go here. Gillen, Waldschmidt and Cijntje have also been mentioned.

[StearnsFTW]

Put me down for Benge as well.

 

Warning:  the last time the Brewers drafted the guy I wanted in the first round was Eric Arnett.

[Matt]

Baseball America weighs in this morning. 

17. Brewers — Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Kentucky

In recent years, the Brewers have targeted college hitters who make strong swing decisions in the first round, and Waldschmidt certainly checks that box. He’s a polarizing player in the industry, though many analytically-inclined teams who are picking in the 15-25 range seem quite high on him, and he keeps getting more and more buzz higher up the board.

I wonder if Honeycutt would be an option here because the Brewers have also taken some shots on riskier profiles with tools (Garrett Mitchell in 2020)). That said, none of their recent first-round hitters had the same contact questions that Honeycutt does. This could be one of the higher landing spots for Caleb Lomavita, as well, and potentially a fit for Malcolm Moore.

[brewcrewdue80]

If Brect isn't a top 8 pick I dunno what anyone needs to see to make him one. He won't be there when Brewers draft. Just compare the ease in the effort to throw that hard compared to Scmidt. With Skenes velo AS success, Brect is off the board earlier.

 

If the draft group isn't all that after 10.  I don't get the draft underslot.  They have the pool money to pay a top 10 who falls to them. Just please don't select a Catcher. How is it possible I read picking a Catcher in the MLB Draft early? 5th round or later and really international signing/draft is where you should.