Evaluating Brewers' 2023 Draft Class: One Big Hit, Two Traded Relievers, And More On The Way

[Harold Hutchison]

Image courtesy of Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

The 2023 draft has already led to some big wins for Milwaukee in the 2026 season. The team found its shortstop for the next decade, and they were able to flip two young relievers whom they took that year for help for this year's pennant run.

Here’s what should have the competition frightened: The Brewers could have a whole lot more contributions from this draft still to come. After all, it’s only been three years. This draft could end up as one of the more productive ones ever, despite a couple of picks that may or may not have been maximized. Let’s review the results so far:

The Big Hit: SS Cooper Pratt

Pratt received an eight-year, $50 million contract after three games at Triple-A Nashville, despite the presence of Jesus Made and Luis Pena in the system. He'll be sticking around for a long time at shortstop. Pratt, a sixth-round pick who got big money to enter the Milwaukee organization, not only showed outstanding defense (with a solid set of contact skills, OBP skills, and baserunning ability), but looked very much like a clubhouse leader in the making. The only question is whether he'll develop more power.

Could’ve Been (Pitcher): RHP Craig Yoho and LHP Mark Manfredi (tie)

Yoho had a rough debut in 2025, but was looking to be a solid contributor for the Brewers in 2026. He never quite clicked, being a square peg despite his electric stuff. The Brewers dealt him and Blake Perkins for catcher Bo Naylor. It remains to be seen whether the return for Yoho will be substantially better than what he could have provided as a late-inning reliever for the Brewers.

Manfredi’s what-if isn’t so much about whether the Brewers got quality—Antonio Senzatela has helped their bullpen remain potent and deep down the stretch and into October. It’s the fact that the Brewers will (probably) see Senzatela walk with no compensation, as opposed to having multiple years of Manfredi as a lefty option out of the pen.

Could’ve Been (Hitter): 3B/1B Brock Wilken

Wilken was looking like a nice find as the team’s first-round pick in the draft, but he’s struggled since returning from multiple facial fractures in 2024. While he draws tons of walks and crushes the ball when he makes contact, he’s also racked up huge strikeout totals. He’s arguably behind Luke Adams as a right-handed corner infield option at the moment—an outcome that would have been almost unthinkable two years ago.

Rapid Riser (Hitter): OF/2B Josh Adamczewski

Pratt may only be the first of many contributors to emerge from this draft, and he may not even be the biggest steal. Josh Adamczewski’s always been seen as a plus hitter, but he leveled up in 2026 with a move to the outfield. His biggest problem: There are many other outfield prospects in the pipeline, some of whom provide much better defense. It sure looks like his bat will be the highest-floor one in the bunch, though.

Rapid Riser (Pitcher): RHP Josh Knoth

Knoth reached Double-A Biloxi in 2026, and he’s looking like a contender to be the next great Brewers pitching prospect. Knoth missed 2025, but he more than made up for it with a rapid rise in 2026, and he could be knocking on the door the way Jacob Misiorowski did in 2025. (No, he won't be that level of hurler. But he still has a high ceiling.)

Still Percolating (Hitters): UT Mike Boeve and 3B/1B Eric Bitonti

The skill of Milwaukee’s scouting department and the success they’ve had in drafting players means that prospect status can be more volatile than a season of Project Runway: One year, a prospect may be in the Brewer Fanatic Top 20, but the next, they’re out, through no fault of their own. Both Boeve and Bitonti are solid prospects by any measure and would be productive assets for the Brewers. But can they push past Blake Burke and Andrew Fischer? It's a tall order.

Still Percolating (Pitchers): A Bunch

Bishop Letson, Tate Kuehner, Brett Wichrowski, Bjorn Johnson, Ryan Birchard, and Jason Woodward all have shown some serious flashes of talent. This is where the Brewers could become a very scary organization: The Brewers may move some of these pitchers to the bullpen, where they could become dominant factors.

The 2023 draft wasn’t so long ago. The Brewers have a lot of good players in that pool who could still contribute to the team. The only question is how they'll do so.

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[thammondwis]

Since Made is regarded as the number one minor league prospect in many rankings I've seen and also plays SS, who is the future SS for the Brewers (Made or Pratt).  And what do you do with the other.  Move to another position (if so where) or trade?

[sveumrules]

56 minutes ago, thammondwis said:

Since Made is regarded as the number one minor league prospect in many rankings I've seen and also plays SS, who is the future SS for the Brewers (Made or Pratt).  And what do you do with the other.  Move to another position (if so where) or trade?

I would guess that Pratt stays at SS and Made moves to 3B, maybe as soon as opening day next year if Jesus is interested in signing a pre-debut extension in the ballpark of Kevin McGonigle (8/$150M) or Konnor Griffin (9/$140M).

If the Brewers brain trust thinks Made is a better defensive option at SS, then Cooper has all the tools to be a plus defender at 3B too.

[jay87shot]

31 minutes ago, sveumrules said:

I would guess that Pratt stays at SS and Made moves to 3B, maybe as soon as opening day next year if Jesus is interested in signing a pre-debut extension in the ballpark of Kevin McGonigle (8/$150M) or Konnor Griffin (9/$140M).

If the Brewers brain trust thinks Made is a better defensive option at SS, then Cooper has all the tools to be a plus defender at 3B too.

I think we could possibly run into a situation next year that if Made and Joey both hit well to start the year that maybe Made just kind of takes David Hamilton's utility spot like mid-season and they just rotate Made between 3B, SS, 2B and DH. 

[sveumrules]

2 minutes ago, jay87shot said:

I think we could possibly run into a situation next year that if Made and Joey both hit well to start the year that maybe Made just kind of takes David Hamilton's utility spot like mid-season and they just rotate Made between 3B, SS, 2B and DH. 

Definitely a possibility, but if all of Turang, Made, Pratt, and Ortiz are on the roster at the same time I'd guess that Jesus would get more of a fixed spot and Joey would be the one bouncing around.

[thammondwis]

24 minutes ago, sveumrules said:

Definitely a possibility, but if all of Turang, Made, Pratt, and Ortiz are on the roster at the same time I'd guess that Jesus would get more of a fixed spot and Joey would be the one bouncing around.

Makes some sense, but I'll throw another possible wrench in with Fischer.  Seems like Made and Fischer are probably the most likely to get promoted next year??

It would be interesting to see how an INF roster of Vaughn, Turang, Pratt, Joey, Made, and Fischer works out.

[sveumrules]

3 minutes ago, thammondwis said:

Makes some sense, but I'll throw another possible wrench in with Fischer.  Seems like Made and Fischer are probably the most likely to get promoted next year??

It would be interesting to see how an INF roster of Vaughn, Turang, Pratt, Joey, Made, and Fischer works out.

Fischer made a total of 18 errors in only 84 games at 3B this year, then played his last 34 games exclusively at 1B/DH to close the season.

Given how much the Brewers value defense, I'd guess Andrew ends up as more of a primary 1B/DH with some occasional 3B sprinkled in than a guy they view as an everyday 3B with legit fielders like Pratt, Made, and Ortiz in the mix.