5 Prospects the Brewers Might Focus on with the No. 33 Overall MLB Draft Pick

The Brewers are in a strong position entering the 2023 MLB Draft. In addition to having the 12th-largest bonus pool, north of $10.95 million, they have four top-100 picks, and three in the top 55. The 2023 Draft class is loaded with talent, one of the strongest in years. In the run-up to the Draft, we're going to share some names to watch at particular spots that give an indication of the caliber of talent that might be available for a particular pick. Today, we'll dig into the Brewers pick at 33 overall.

Yohandy Morales
Position: 3B, Age: 21, School: Miami, Height: 6’4, Weight: 210, B/T: R/R, Rank: 27 
‘Yoyo’ Morales is a third baseman who was on the map as a prep prospect in 2020 (when a shortened draft significantly cut into the number of prep prospects taken). He’s a former shortstop who has already outgrown the position and made the transition to third base, where his solid defensive actions and rocket of a right arm should allow him to at least be average defensively.

Morales’s offensive profile is high-risk, high-reward. Power is the carrying tool offensively. He’s put up plenty of exit velocities over 110 mph, and has easy plus power in game. He has 45 home runs in his first 670 or so college at-bats, with an improved 14-percent walk rate and a too-high 23-percent strikeout rate. If Morales can refine his approach further as a pro, he has a chance to be a dangerous and productive hitter; the power is legit.

Colton Ledbetter
Position: OF, Age: 21, School: Mississippi State, Height: 6’2, Weight: 205, B/T: L/R, Rank: 32 
Ledbetter is a transfer from Samford and an analytical darling who has a pretty wide variance on draft boards. He checks a ton of boxes offensively for a model-heavy team, led by an elite approach. He has an in-zone whiff rate of around 11 percent, combined with great EVs. At the plate, it’s a compact, very selective operation (he’ll need to be more aggressive at times as a pro), but there’s no glaring weakness on any portion of the plate or against a particular type of pitch.

Defensively, Ledbetter has solid outfield range and is at least an average runner. A fringy arm likely moves him to left field when he turns professional. Any questions about how he’d perform in the SEC have been put to bed. Ledbetter ran a 24 BB% throughout the season, along with an 18 K% and 12 home runs. It’s hit over power, but it’s still above-average power. Anyone who lands Ledbetter after pick 30 should be pleased with the value in a strong, well-rounded offensive profile.

Roch Cholowsky
Position: SS, Age: 18, School: Hamilton HS, AZ, Height: 6’1, Weight: 185, B/T: R/R, Rank: 33 
Cholowsky is a member of an impressive class of prep shortstops, whose profile currently favors strong defense and a good hit tool. Cholowsky is the son of a former minor leaguer and current scout. He’s currently committed to UCLA, and previously announced his intention to play both baseball and football there. (He plays quarterback.)

Unsurprisingly, his defensive profile benefits significantly from quarterback play. Excellent defensive actions and elite footwork, underpinned by a strong arm, make for a strong defensive profile that should stick at the position. Cholowsky has turned in plus run times, adding further defensive value in addition to that on the base paths. Offensively, it’s a solid, hit-over-power profile, although there’s projectability to drive the ball more as he fills out. Cholowsky can be overly aggressive with swing decisions, but the speed, defense, and strong hit tool provide an intriguing floor for anyone who can pry him away from a two-sport commitment. 

Juaron Watts Brown
Position: RHP, Age: 21, School: Oklahoma State, Height: 6’2, Weight: 180, B/T: R/R, Rank: 35
Watts Brown transferred to Oklahoma State after initially playing at Long Beach State. The headline? There’s great clay to mold. Watts Brown is a good athlete (standout everything in high school). His delivery is compact, with good repeatability. His arsenal is a four-pitch mix. He has a fastball that typically sits between 92-95 mph and plays well up in the zone, with good ride. His slider is his best secondary offering, with good downward tilt and the ability to land it for called strikes. It’s already a plus pitch. Watts Brown also throws a curveball that's more average, and a changeup with good fade that he doesn’t use much.

Watts Brown struck out an impressive 117 batters in 78 innings of regular-season work in 2023, although he walked 47 and had a significant blip in April where he lost control altogether. Still, he has four pitches with solid shapes as a platform. Any kind of added velocity to his fastball and refinement to his control could make him a really exciting pitching prospect.

Adrian Santana
Position: SS, Age: 18, School: Doral Academy, FL, Height: 5’11, Weight: 160, B/T: S/R, Rank: 37 
Santana is a defense- and run-first prep shortstop prospect who will stick at the position as a professional. Defensively, he has smooth actions, good hands, and a quick first step. This combines well with (at least) plus speed, to give him excellent range. A plus arm ties a bow on the package.

There are some question marks about what his offensive impact will be. He’s diminutive, at 5’11 and weighing 160 pounds, and while he has a good approach and smooth moves at the plate, setting him up to have an average to above average hit tool. He has some raw home run power from both sides of the plate, but this hasn’t manifested much in games yet, where it’s line drive power at best. If the hit tool continues to develop, Santana’s defense and speed will make him a valuable, versatile prospect.

Who are your favorite prospects mentioned? What are other names that intrigue you with this pick? Join our draft speculation in the comments below.