What Would An Ideal Draft For The Brewers Look Like?

Without further ado, it’s time to name names.

First Round, #18 Overall – 1B/LF Nolan Schanuel

Yes, he’s at #30 overall on the Consensus Big Board and might be seen as a reach. Yes, he primarily plays first base and could see action in the corner outfield, as opposed to premium up-the-middle positions. However, in this case, the reach is more than justified by virtue of his bat--most notably the strikeout-to-walk ratio. The Brewers offense is struggling and posting horrific numbers, and Schanuel could rocket through the system both by playing a position where the Brewers farm system is thin and by virtue of his elite talent. The Brewers have had a pattern of selecting “up the middle” players, but this year, it may be time to break that pattern for an elite bat.

Competitive Balance A, #33 Overall – C/1B/3B Raffaelle Velazquez

Yes, I’m ignoring shortstops and center fielders again, but like Schanuel, Velazquez is probably worth selecting on the basis of his left-handed power bat. He does play catcher. Yes, I know Jeferson Quero is in Double A and making a strong case for packing his bags for Nashville and that William Contreras will be in Milwaukee for a while, but Velazquez also offers versatility by being a solid player at four corner positions (1B, 3B, LF, and RF), and his bat could be an excellent fit for American Family Field.

Second Round, #54 Overall – SS Mitch Jebb, Michigan State

Jebb could be an excellent choice for the Brewers based on his high-contact left-handed bat, speed, and OBP skills. He’s seen action at shortstop and third base, but some scouting reports have him moving to the outfield. Second base might also be an option for him. At worst, he could be a bench asset who doesn’t embarrass himself at the plate, and he could move relatively quickly through the farm system, especially if Brice Turang doesn’t sort out his skills at the plate.

Third Round, #87 Overall – LHP Sean Sullivan, Wake Forest

A relatively soft-tossing lefty, Sullivan is racking up an astounding 15 strikeouts per nine innings for Wake Forest. Sullivan could rocket up the board and the Crew may want to consider a reach for Sullivan at #54 overall. The results and the breakout speak very loudly, and Sullivan could move up the system rapidly. With the Brewers facing the loss of Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and others in the rotation, Sullivan could be a good pick.

Fourth Round, #119 Overall – LHP Joe Whitman, Kent State

There are not a lot of write-ups on Whitman, but in this case, one reason for the Brewers to grab him is the number two. That number is how many home runs Whitman surrendered in all of the 2023 season for Kent State. He did that while still striking out 11.1 hitters per nine innings. Even though he might be a bit of an enigma, the stats point to Whitman fitting in well with the type of defense the Brewers have in Turang, Garrett Mitchell, Joey Wiemer, and other players.

Who do you want the Brewers to take with their picks among the first 150 in the MLB draft? Let’s have it out.

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