Austin Tatious

Jacob MisiorowskiJeferson QueroCooper PrattRobert GasserTyler BlackMike BoeveBrock WilkenYophery RodriguezLogan HendersonBishop LetsonBlake BurkeBryce MeccageEric BitontiBraylon PayneLuis PenaJosh KnothLuke AdamsK.C. HuntLuis LaraJesus Made

Balakay!

Joseph thanks for the write up on Black’s defense. Sounds like he got some good jumps. Regarding the arm, if it’s adequate in left, we might have something. The reason I asked in another thread is whether he is another outfielder potentially for our long term planning. Speaking for myself, out of the young OF, the two guys I’m locked in on are Chourio and Mitchell. If Black can play left then that’s interesting. The one guy I could see moving, if Black is for real in left, is Frelick. Frelick has nice potential as a top of the order type of bat and he’s credible as an outfielder. I like him. But Black’s emergence could create a redundancy that allows for a trade from strength.

Bishop Letson. If he would have gone to college he’s tracking like he would be a first round pick.

Joseph, what have you seen with Tyler Black as an outfielder? Tracking the ball, arm strength, etc. I know they’ve been running him in center but even if he goes to LF, that would be a plus IMO.

Yes, please!

I like the move. I don’t think this was a typical deadline move to fill a deadline need, but rather taking the opportunity to access a controllable live arm.

I would also vote to go to 30 as the MLB lists do. Those last five spots are too compressed IMO

I submitted mine but I couldn’t find a way to enter KC Hunt. I would have included him.

To me, Chris Livingston looks like a young guy who can get into the rotation but he’s got to get the chance. I love how he plays. Competitive, sticks his nose in there, plays team ball. He can rebound. Tough kid. He brings an edge that we are always looking for. I get that he’s young but we can use him and start working him towards getting experience.

Very random thoughts on the draft FWIW: 1. I like the emphasis on young pitching. I see it as a numbers game. In the international market, for what it’s worth, most of our top signees have tended to be position players and this is a good way to balance it with young pitchers. 2. With Letson, Knoth and others last year, we just added a bunch of more young pitchers. Let’s hope we sign most. The numbers game may allow for us to have a few bubble up and become major leaguers. 3. I trust Tod incredibly. As everyone knows, he’s an analytics guy who literally came from the tech world. His 2023 draft was masterfully handled with the way he maneuvered the money to get lots of high upside guys. How many actually make it remains to be seen but you’ve got to love at least a half dozen guys coming out of the draft. 4. Regarding Payne, I see it as coming down to his hit tool. As a high schooler, we will have to wait and see. Admittedly, I put zero research on him before the draft like I did with other guys, but I’m in a trust Tod mode. 5. I happened to see Corey Ray play at Louisville and I don’t see the comp to Payne. Ray obviously had a poor hit tool and wasn’t even a true center fielder. He was the one guy in the top ten I really didn’t want. That draft ended up being a colossal failure overall but we never gave ourselves a chance. After having a really bad year on the field, you’d like to reward yourselves with a promising draft pick and the organization didn’t do that. With Payne, our analysis is better now. If his hit tool comes around, maybe he’s a Vince Coleman leadoff guy who wreaks havoc. If not, there’s at least a thoughtful process at work. 6. This isn’t like prior drafting regimes. The late Bruce Seid and Ray weren’t at Tod’s level as scouting directors. Doug did some good things but he’d come to the media and talk all about our “projectable” tall starting pitcher draftees. Jungmann, Bradley, Eric Arnett. Beyond them, how about Coulter and Kodi. Lot of first round picks squandered with an overly simplistic methodology. The way our analytic leadership handles it now, they are looking at data such as spin rates, movements along planes etc. That gives me more confidence. 7. It’s not like the draft in football. The pick number is really about the money attached to the slot. You have to look at the draft holistically and see how the whole class looks. The Brewers famously played the numbers game last year. It might not be the case every year, right. If you love your organizational depth you may not be worried. But right now they are obviously adding numbers on younger pitching. 8. The evaluation process is more complicated in baseball. The difference between college or high school versus the majors might as well be different sports. If you can hit pitching at a lower level, it is hard to project because you’re looking at far different pitching. Lots of guys can mash up to even AAA and that’s it. 9. I liked the Burke pick. I didn’t get the negativity. Good power, good leader and he’s not a strikeout machine. I’d say he’s got a chance and I’m happy we went after that profile. If anything, I don’t think we’ve done it enough. Coming into the draft his comp reminded me a bit of AJ Reed who came to the Astros also out of the SEC, from Kentucky. He faltered at the major league level so hopefully Burke fares better.

Can’t say I know anything about Payne but if he’s got a superior hit tool, it could work. I think they wanted to add prospects on the younger side since we have so many young MLBers to space it out. I liked Benge but maybe all he is a Hunter Renfroe who was drafted around the same area if memory serves. I am a huge Tod Johnson fan. This is a guy who gives us an edge after a decade of lackluster drafting. The way he played it in 2023 gives him a lot of credibility for the strategy right now. I hope we do well here next since this will finalize the Burnes package. I hope we get a top prospect to enhance that trade when we look back on it.

If it’s someone with a bit of control, I would look at various deals including one or two of Frelick, Wiemer, Black, C Rod, maybe Wilken. Not dealing Hendu, Mis, Quero, Mitchell, Boeve. Pratt is untouchable If it’s a rental, the list of no-gos expands.

His shoulder is obviously not back up to strength yet. Can’t judge him based on his shoulder not being there yet. We will know a lot more this time next year.

I will be surprised if the Brewers move on from Bauers any time soon. Yes, his hit tool is atrocious but Murphy and management seem to like him more than the fan base does. He brings position versatility and run production. The amount of playing time he gets tells you how much Murphy likes him.

Better hit tool and far more athleticism. He can make things happen on the basepaths.

Agree. Still need to tighten the command.

Have they announced whether Blalock will start?

Man, Trevor Rogers has really fallen off a cliff. He seemed to be promising at one point.

Jacob MisiorowskiJeferson QueroTyler BlackRobert GasserBrock WilkenMike BoeveLuis LaraCooper PrattJosh KnothYophery RodriguezEric Brown JrLogan HendersonErnesto MartinezCarlos F RodriguezJuan BaezBradley BlalockBishop LetsonLuke AdamsDylan O'RaeEric Bitonti

Thanks. He’s one of my favorite prospects. A couple of years ago I really wanted Colson Montgomery out of high school from Indiana. I think Pratt can be that type of prospect.

@Joseph Zarrhow would you rate Pratt’s approach at the plate? I think literally every clip of him that I’ve seen is a dead pull. Is he going the other way too? He’s obviously got talent but how sophisticated is his approach?

I think the arrangement and setup of the forums are totally fine. My favorite forum is the minor league forum. Tremendous contributors there who I greatly appreciate. The tone of the main forum isn’t my thing. Too much snarkiness so I stay away a lot. If someone doesn’t like your view, a lot of posters go into smartest man in the room mode or try to manufacture a phony gotcha. It’s loathsome and I am sure I am not the only one driven away by that.

How long before Gasser is ready? I may have missed it if he’s been pitching at Nashville. I know he had bone spurs in his elbow in March.

Bishop Letson, Bradley Blalock….very exciting on the pitching front.