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  • MLB Draft Notes

    Notes about the coming MLB Draft or draft picks go here.

    5 rumors in this category

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The Milwaukee Brewers don't often swing and miss with draft picks, but they did with one high-profile selection.

      Right-handed starter Aidan Knaak announced on Instagram on Monday that he was returning to Clemson for his senior season, a blow to the Brewers, who had selected him in the fifth round. Knaak's decision also had an effect on the Brewers' bonus pool as his slot value of $425,400 was subtracted from their available money, which was $8,042,900 to begin with.

      Knaak was the 117th-ranked prospect by Baseball America and 210th by MLB Pipeline when he was taken by the Brewers with the 163rd pick of the draft.

      Players had until Monday at 4 p.m. CT to sign.

      However, Knaak was not the only draft pick the Brewers did not sign. Of their 20 selections, the Crew brought 17 into the fold. The two others who did not decide to begin their pro careers now are 14th-round left-hander Daunte Bell of Milliken High School in Long Beach, Calif., and 16th-round right-hander Bradyn Havard of George County (Miss.) High School. Bell has a college commitment to Houston and Havard to Pearl River Community College.

      Here is a rundown of the Brewers' draft picks and their signing bonuses as reported by Baseball America:

      1. Trey Ebel, SS, $2,800,000
      2. Sawyer Strosnider, OF, $2,100,000
      3. Kyle Jones, OF, $675,000
      4. Julian Garcia, RHP, $1,497,500
      5. Aidan Knaak, RHP, did not sign
      6. Ryan Oshinskie, RHP, $222,500
      7. Grant Hill, RHP, $200,000
      8. Kellan Tom, 1B, $175,000
      9. Chase Mora, RHP, $5,000
      10. Andrew Gaines, RHP, $5,000
      11. Gavin Perry, RHP, $150,000
      12. Marcus Kruzan, RHP, $150,000
      13. Carson Hart, OF, $380,000
      14. Daunte Bell II, LHP, did not sign
      15. Keaton Maiorana, RHP, $230,800
      16. Bradyn Havard, RHP, did not sign
      17. Chance Ruby, SS, $150,000
      18. Brady Smith, RHP, $150,000
      19. Sam George, LHP, $100,000
      20. Carsten Sabathia III, 1B, $50,000

      Players drafted in Rounds 11 to 20 did not count toward the Brewers' bonus pool unless they surpassed $150,000. For example, Maiorana, the 15th-round pick, signed for $230,800, but only $80,800 counted toward the bonus pool. Teams are allowed to surpass their bonus pool by 5% with a financial penalty of a 75% tax on the overage. According to Brewer Fanatic's Draft Tracker, the Brewers went $50,400 over their allotment.

      Steve Drumwright

       

      Having already saved cash on all of their other signings in the first 10 rounds of the MLB Draft, the Milwaukee Brewers used some of that surplus on their second- and fourth-round selections.

      TCU center fielder Sawyer Strosnider signed with the Brewers for a bonus of $2.1 million, more than the slot value of $1,353,100, while California high school right-hander Julian Garcia received a bonus of $1.5 million, above the $585,700 slot vale.

      Per Brewer Fanatic's Draft Tracker, the Brewers used up most of the savings they had achieved on deals with six of their other picks in the first 10 rounds. Those deals leave the Brewers with $560,400 to give to other draft picks. Only two of their picks in the top 10 rounds have yet to sign: Clemson right-hander Aidan Knaak and Alabama high school right-hander Grant Hill.

      There were some questions about Strosnider's hitting ability caused him to fall from a probable first-round selection to the Brewers' pick at No. 66 overall.

      After putting up a slash line of .350/.420/.650 with 11 homers and 51 RBIs en route to being named Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year in 2025, Strosnider followed that up with a .273/.415/.590 mark with 13 homers and 47 RBIs this spring. He does have the skillset to remain a center fielder, but also possesses an arm that would be suitable in right field.

       

      Steve Drumwright

      With a short window in which to sign their draft picks, the Milwaukee Brewers have four more secured.

      A day after signing first-round selection Trey Ebel to an underslot bonus, third-round pick Kyle Jones and three other of their top 10 choices have their deals done, according to Baseball America. Ebel signed for $2.8 million, with the assigned slot value for the 21st overall pick at $3,696,000.

      Kyle Jones, a speedy center fielder who hit leadoff for Florida this spring, received a signing bonus of $675,000, slightly under the slot value of $770,600. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Jones slashed .317/.418/.478 with 27 stolen bases for the Gators.

      The Brewers also came to terms with their eighth-, ninth- and 10-round selections, all for underslot.

      Corona Del Sol (Ariz.) High School first baseman Kellan Tom, picked in the eighth round, received a $175,000 bonus, coming in under the $220,400 value. Ninth-rounder Chase Mora, a right-hander out of Texas State, and 10th-rounder Andrew Gaines, a right-hander from St. Joseph's, each got bonuses of $50,000. The slot values for those two picks were $202,500 and $191,900.

      Combined with sixth-rounder Ryan Oshinskie, a right-hander from Brown who inked for $222,500 on Friday, the Brewers have signed six of the 20 draft picks, all in the first 10 rounds. The reported bonuses for those six checks in at $3,882,500, which is a savings of $1,532,100. The Brewers' bonus pool is $8,042,900, leaving them plenty of flexibility with their remaining draft selections.

      Picks in the 11th to 20 rounds can receive up to $150,000 without counting against the bonus pool. Draft picks have until July 27 to sign.

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The Ebel brothers are officially Milwaukee Brewers teammates.

      Infielder Trey Ebel, the first-round pick (25th overall) by the Brewers in last weekend's MLB Draft, has signed with the Crew. MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis reported that Ebel signed for $2.8 million. That pick had an assigned slot value of $3,696,000, so the Brewers can use that nearly $900,000 on other picks.

      Ebel joins brother Brady Ebel, who was the 32nd overall pick in last year's draft and is now at High-A Wilson. Both played together at Corona on the same team as Pittsburgh Pirates prospect Seth Hernandez. The Ebels' father, Dino, is the thrid-base coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

      The Brewers also reportedly signed sixth-round selection Ryan Oshinskie, a right-hander out of Brown. Baseball America has Oshinskie signing for $222,500, an underslot deal. His slot value was $333,200.

      Like his brother, the 17-year-old Trey Ebel worked hard to become a top prospects. He has a good eye for the strike zone and had a career slash line of .345/.453/.596 with 12 homers and 77 RBIs. He walked 39 times, while striking out just 34.

      The 21-year-old Oshinskie broke out last summer during the Cape Cod League, with a 1.93 ERA and striking out 38 while walking seven.

      Ebel and Oshinskie are the only signed draft picks thus far.

       

      Spencer Michaelis

      The Milwaukee Brewers selected Aidan Knaak at pick No. 163 in the 2026 MLB Draft. Knaak is a right-handed pitcher out of Clemson. The slot value for the pick is $425,400, and the Brewers will likely be looking to sign Knaak for slot or below. 

      Knaak was ranked 210th on the MLB Pipeline board. He is known most for his changeup, which grades out as a 60-grade pitch, and is a pitch he manipulates the shape and velocity of. Beyond the changeup, Knaak throws a four-seam fastball with some late life, above-average carry, and has been up to 96 MPH, while sitting more in the 92-93 range. There's an upper-70s curveball, as well as a gyro slider in the mid-80s, though he does not generate much spin on the breaking balls.

      Knaak got off to a tremendous start in his college career, but his draft value slipped this season when he pitched to a 5.81 ERA, though he still struck out 88 batters in 57 1/3 innings. The Brewers are likely looking to buy low on a talented arm here, with some untapped potential left.

       

       

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