Jeremy Nygaard

Mock Draft Season is upon us. We're still a solid seven weeks from having any clarity, but it's always fun to start to speculate. Last year's draft got crazy early. Even crazier than normal when you consider two pitchers went in the Top 7 and barely anyone saw a pitcher going in the Top 15. Other players fell to teams who were elated to take someone they never thought they'd have a chance to select. 1.) Pirates – Dylan Crews, OF, LSU - Arguably the best hitting prospect since Bryce Harper, Crews should be a no-doubt pick for Pittsburgh. 2.) Nationals – Paul Skenes, RHP, LSU - This is the highest Washington has drafted since having back-to-back first overall picks in 2009 and 2010. Skenes is the best pitcher available by a relatively wind margin and the Nationals would be wise to add such a highly regarded prospect. 3.) Tigers – Walker Jenkins, OF, North Carolina prep - Remarkably, this is going to be the fifth year out of the last six that the Tigers have had a top five pick. And they have very little to show for it. They’ve missed on both high school and college pitchers. They’ve had a little more success recently with prep hitters and Jenkins is the highest-ceiling hitter available. 4.) Rangers – Wyatt Langford, OF, Florida - The Rangers have went the collegiate route the last four years and the SEC in three of those four years. Langford fits the bill and is more than deserving of being picked here… or higher. 5.) Twins – Max Clark, OF, Indiana prep - There are certainly reasons and rumblings why the Twins would go a different direction here. But, at this point, it’s more of a “just make the easy choice” and that’s whichever of these top five names are available. The Twins have definitely been a college-bat lean recently. Langford would likely be preferred. Is this too early for Teel? Gut says yes (in late May anyway). 6.) A’s – Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF, Vanderbilt - The A’s are a mess and a team I’ve never been able to peg down - which is ok because they’ve struggled to hit on first-round picks. Bradfield has game-changing speed and the A’s have the third most stolen-base attempts in the league. Bradfield can help with that. 7.) Reds – Kyle Teel, C, Virginia - With the exception of Nick Lodolo in 2019, the Reds have gone hitter each year dating back to Hunter Greene in 2017. Either Chase Dollander or Rhett Lowder would make sense here too. 8.) Royals – Rhett Lowder, RHP, Wake Forest - It’s hard to really see a trend with the Royals. They’ve taken from each of the four demographics in the first round the last four years. Lowder has done well for himself and is the second college pitcher drafted here. 9.) Rockies – Chase Dollander, RHP, Tennessee - I’ve long believed the Rockies best chances to add difference-making pitchers come in the draft. Dollander hasn’t lived up to the preseason hype, but he’s still a Top 10 pick. 10.) Marlins – Jacob Gonzalez, SS, Mississippi - The Jacob Berry selection last year was a head-scratcher to me. This would be a chance to get it right. 11.) Angels – Jacob Wilson, SS, Grand Canyon - A small-school hitter is one of the few things the Angels have done well in identifying in the draft lately. 12.) Diamondbacks – Arjun Nimmala, SS, Florida prep - Consider me someone who thinks Nimmala breaks into the Top 10. Arizona has gone the prep route in four of the last five years. 13.) Cubs – Tommy Troy, SS, Stanford - Maybe he doesn’t stick at shortstop, but the bat plays at second base. There’s a mix of players here would could go anywhere in the next 20 picks so it’s going to be a lot of mixing team preference with price tags. 14.) Red Sox – Colin Houck, SS, Georgia prep - Houck seems to be doing well for himself as the draft gets closer. And the Red Sox have gone this route recently. 15.) White Sox – Hurston Waldrep, RHP, Florida - It seems like it’s always college pitchers for the White Sox. 16.) Giants – Bryce Eldridge, 1B/RHP, Virginia prep - Maybe too high for Eldridge, but they may have reached for Reggie Crawford last year too. 17.) Orioles – Noble Meyer, RHP, Oregon prep - The Orioles are in a good position to add to their depth of prospects and here the top-rated prep pitcher falls into their lap. 18.) Brewers – Matt Shaw, SS, Maryland - The profile of a hitter who probably can’t stick at shortstop and his last name is Shaw. Sure seems to fit with the Brewers. At this point in time it becomes a “here are some other guys I think go in the first round.” 19.) Rays – Thomas White, LHP, Massachusetts prep 20.) Blue Jays – Brayden Taylor, 3B, TCU 21.) Cardinals – Kevin McGonigle, SS, Pennsylvania prep 22.) Mariners – Blake Mitchell, C, Texas prep 23.) Guardians – Jack Hurley, OF, Virginia Tech 24.) Braves – Brock Wilken, 2B, Wake Forest 25.) Padres – Aidan Miller, 3B, Florida prep 26.) Yankees – George Lombard Jr., SS, Florida prep 27.) Phillies – Colt Emerson, SS, Ohio prep 28.) Astros – Chase Davis, OF, Arizona 29.) Mariners – Nolan Schanuel, 1B, Florida Atlantic 30.) Mariners – Colton Ledbetter, OF, Mississippi State View full article

Drafting pitchers is fraught with risk. It's also the most important position on a baseball team. The pitching position is, in most people’s opinions, the most important position on a baseball team in terms of having both quality and depth. Yet, the term “there is no such thing as a pitching prospect (TINSTAAPP)” is one that is used quite frequently. What you see as a high schooler or collegiate pitcher isn’t always what you get as a professional. Cases in point: Danny Hultzen was drafted second overall in the 2011 draft out of Virginia as one of the “safest” pitchers in recent memory. He made a six-game cameo in the majors and is out of baseball. Mark Appel is another great example of a sure thing being less than that. Brendan McKay was going to rival Shohei Ohtani as a two-way player. He briefly made the majors in 2019. These are only a handful of the hundreds examples that can be used. High school pitchers are even more of a mixed bag. And therein lies the rub. Teams need great pitchers and teams need a lot of pitchers. Yet drafting a pitcher can prove fruitless. The term “personal cheeseball” (better represented by #personalcheeseball) originated over twenty years ago in the Baseball America offices when former writer and current Twins scout John Manuel started using it as “shorthand for a personal favorite that does not reflect the popular consensus.” And that’s what you’ll see here. In the first five installments, we covered players from the midwest, catchers, shortstops, third baseman and outfielders. Today, we’ll look at some pitchers. And, again, as a warning, my radar isn’t reflective of any single team’s preferences or draft board. It would be really easy to just devote the next five minutes of reading to write-ups about Paul Skenes, LSU’s ace who could go as high as #2 overall and could be helping an MLB rotation in relatively short order. It would also be easy to write about the consensus top prep, Noble Meyer, the Oregon kid committed to stay in state and play for the Ducks, but much more likely to begin his pro career after going in the first round. But let’s look at some pitchers who are flying lower on the radar who may have a chance to make a big impact later. Kiefer Lord, Washington: Despite being far out west, there’s a midwest connection in that Lord transferred from a small D3 school in Minnesota. And he has been on an upward trajectory. The tough part about drafting anyone who has really improved their stock over a short period of time is that you can either take them while they’re still climbing (great!), as their progress starts to plateau (good) or right before they come back down to earth (bad). The track-record here is recent, but the velocity has risen and the secondaries have flashed. Joe Whitman, Kent State: A lefty equipped with a high-spin slider, Whitman throws in the mid-90s but lacks the third pitch to project him as a starter. There might not be a ton of projection left, but there’s enough present ability to potentially be a Day 2 pick. Jason DeCaro, New York HS (committed to North Carolina): DeCaro is unique in that he recently reclassified so there is going to be less scouting done on him and that he is extremely young (he just turned 17). He’s got a great pitcher’s build already (6’ 4”, 205), but there is plenty of development yet to come. Josh Knoth, New York HS (committed to Ole Miss): Knoth is going to be highly sought-after potentially on Day 1 but definitely early on Day 2 if he has any desire to go professional. In addition to increased velocity, Knoth has a curveball with freaky high spin rates. And if that’s not enough for the analytical crew to fall in love with, he also doesn’t turn 18 until August. Knoth could certainly go the route of college and be drafted in three years, but there’s too much helium here to think that’s the most likely scenario. Travis Sykora, Texas HS (committed to Texas): Sykora is a big-bodied righty with a really big fastball. The hardest-throwing prep in the draft is old for his grade and could be drafted again in two years if he goes to Texas. There are plenty of cautionary tales about players throwing 100 mph in high school. Sykora could be the next… or he could be the next big thing. And everything is bigger in Texas. Next up we will have our first mock draft of the season and later in the series we will take a look at more pitchers. There are plenty of others that could have been listed here. This isn’t to say anyone is or isn’t going to be a good draft or baseball prospect. If you have your own local #personalcheeseball, leave in the comments! View full article

We’re moving to the outfield in this week’s #PersonalCheeseballs installment. We’ve looked most recently and players who project to play the left side of the infield. The outfield group can certainly be an eclectic group. There will be your burners at centerfield. The group that is athletic enough to play shortstop, but are either so fast or slightly-built that they are best suited for the middle of the outfield. You’ll have your really big-bodied corner outfielders that still move well enough to have a chance to stay in the grass (before moving to first base). There’s also the group that has played in the dirt but probably needs to be moved down the defensive spectrum. And, of course, there is a group of just really good outfield prospects who may sort of fit into one of those categories… or just be a really good baseball player who plays best in the outfield. The term “personal cheeseball” (better represented by #personalcheeseball) originated over twenty years ago in the Baseball America offices when former writer and current Twins scout John Manuel started using it as “shorthand for a personal favorite that does not reflect the popular consensus.” And that’s what you’ll see here. If the first four installments, we covered players from the midwest, catchers, shortstops and third basemen. Today, we’ll look at some outfielders. And, again, as a warning, my radar isn’t reflective of any single team’s preferences or draft board. Enrique Bradfield, Vanderbilt: Bradfield isn’t the highest-ranked college outfielder. Or even the highest-ranked SEC outfielder (or second for that matter). But he’s the fastest. He’s a safe bet to have a long major league career, but there’s a floor for any prospect who may not ever develop power and has an arm better suited for left field. But if that floor is Billy Hamilton - and I’d buy Bradfield’s hit tool over Hamilton’s any day - that’s still a very usable player. Will Gasparino, Harvard-Westlake HS, California (committed to Texas): A big (6-6) above-average runner will turn heads. Sprinkle in some power and a father with a background in baseball and Gasparino will have plenty of people’s full attention. There is so much to like about the son of the Dodgers scouting director, but there are also plenty of questions about the hit tool. Plus, a hand injury over the winter limited the views people could get of him. But the potential is there… so, like Gasparino, maybe you take a swing for the fences. Parker Picot, Rochester Adams HS, Michigan (committed to Alabama): This young, super athletic outfielder who also plays quarterback for his football team has plenty of untapped potential. It might be difficult to keep from the SEC - and could really help his stock in three years - where the currently 17-year-old could skyrocket with a singular focus and college coaching. Kyle Henley, Denmark HS, Georgia (committed to Georgia Tech): If you’re a fan of Bradfield, then you’re also a fan of Henley. He’s got elite speed which translates to the outfield, but hitting is a question mark. If you believe he can be a productive hitter, the sky’s the limit. JonJon Vaughns, UCLA. Vaughns is a unique collegiate two-sport athlete playing baseball and football. But even more unique that it’s as an outfielder/linebacker! Maybe Vaughns doesn’t go the baseball route. I’d simply suggest, in a 20-round draft, you could find a spot to take a chance on a stud athlete with raw tools. Next week we will take a look at some pitchers, though there will be a second installment of pitchers later in the process as well. There are plenty of others that could have been listed here. This isn’t to say anyone is or isn’t going to be a good draft or baseball prospect. If you have your own local #personalcheeseball, leave in the comments! View full article

We’re moving around the infield in this new #PersonalCheeseballs installment. After looking at shortstops this week, we’ll be be focusing on third basemen. Or at least, those who project to play third base as professionals. Like last week, with shortstops who end up moving off the position, third base is more of the same. The difference, of course, is that a move off third base is a move even further down the positional totem pole, which likely ends at first base. The term “personal cheeseball” (better represented by #personalcheeseball) originated over twenty years ago in the Baseball America offices when former writer and current Twins scout John Manuel started using it as “shorthand for a personal favorite that does not reflect the popular consensus.” And that’s what you’ll see here. If the first three installments, we covered players from the midwest, catchers and shortstops. This list will look at projected third basemen. And, again, as a warning, my radar isn’t reflective of any single team’s preferences or draft board. You will notice the position is heavier on the college side, but that’s because of the aforementioned defensive totem pole. Most college third basemen were likely high school shortstops. Most high school third basemen find a new defensive home. Mac Horvath, North Carolina: I was asked why Horvath didn’t make the local list. It’s possible that his exclusion really fired him because he’s been on a heater lately. Just a few weeks removed from an 8-RBI game, Horvath currently has a .312/.418/.726 slashline plus great speed and should now likely hear his name called on Day 1. LuJames “Gino” Groover III, North Carolina State: Groover began his collegiat career at Charlotte before transferring to NC State after a prep career in Georgia. After a slow start to his junior season, he’s been on a tear. After starting his season on a 6-for-30 slump, he’s hit 52-for-140 (.371). Though he’s showing slightly less power than last year, he’s drawing walks almost twice as frequently as striking out. It’s a toss-up where Groover ends up defensively. He doesn’t necessarily have the offensive power profile to fit in a corner, but third base is as good of bet as any. Kyle Karros, UCLA: It’s hard to ignore the son of a former big leaguer. It’s also hard to ignore a 6-5, 220-pound speciman. Karros hasn’t put up the power numbers that you may expect from such a large human, but he’s drastically improved his strikeout and walk numbers throughout his career and is currently sporting an OPS over .900. Bryson Ware, Auburn: Ware has kind of come out of nowhere after a relatively non-descript collegiate career. But in his senior season Ware has unlocked a ton of power (18 home runs in 170 at-bats) while reducing his strikeout rate and improving his walk rate. It will be interesting to see where he is drafted, considering he’s played his way up draft boards, yet will likely come at a discounted rate. Aidan Miller, Florida high school (committed to Arkansas): The lone prep on the list, Miller is well-known as a longtime U.S. National team player. He’s got a great bat that will fit the profile to play in any corner. Miller certainly has the arm to be a third baseman and despite an Arkansas commitment should be a pro later this summer as a first-round pick. Next week we will take a look at some outfielders, though there will be a second installment of outfielders later in the process as well. There are plenty of others that could have been listed here. This isn’t to say anyone is or isn’t going to be a good draft or baseball prospect. If you have your own local #personalcheeseball, leave in the comments! View full article

We’re back for another #PersonalCheeseballs installment. This time focusing on some shortstops, which may be the most interesting position as it usually includes premium athletes who could easily make a position-change. Many third and second baseman go through high school and/or college as shortstops. It’s not uncommon for a pro centerfielder to have spent many innings playing shortstop as he developed. The term “personal cheeseball” (better represented by #personalcheeseball) originated over twenty years ago in the Baseball America offices when former writer and current Twins scout John Manuel started using it as “shorthand for a personal favorite that does not reflect the popular consensus.” And that’s what you’ll see here. If the first two installments, we covered players from the midwest and catchers. This list will look at present-day shortstops. And, again, as a warning, my radar isn’t reflective of any single team’s preferences or draft board. Arjun Nimmala, SS, Florida prep (committed to Florida State): Nimmala is one of the highest-ceiling-but-comes-with-questions prospects in the draft and that’s evident by where you see him in different rankings. If you believe in the hit tool and that he can remain at shortstop, he’s a potential top 10 pick. If you have doubts about the hit tool or think he’s destined for a corner, those questions drop him down the board. Nimmala, who will still be 17 on draft day, has impressive raw power and an arm that will work on the left side of the infield. Antonio Anderson, SS, Georgia prep (committed to Georgia Tech): The Georgia prep-to-pro pipeline is alive and well and Anderson has a chance to be another success story from the southern hotbed. Those that don’t love his swing view him as a lesser project than those that do. The switch-hitter has plenty of power, but not a ton of speed. He’s a shortstop for now, but plenty of arm if a move to third base (or right field) is needed. Jose Luis Ortiz, SS, Puerto Rico prep (committed to Houston): Ortiz is a smooth defender with a cannon arm. The bat, well… that’s a different story. It just takes one team to believe they can develop the bat and that is a much easier task that developing a guy who can hit into a shortstop. Sam Antonacci, SS, Illinois JC (committed to Coastal Carolina): Antonacci will be a great value pick for someone. He’s a very good hitter and that’s his best tool, but there’s plenty else there to work with as well. If a team can get him out of his college commitment, they will be getting a solid prospect who could continue to develop. Braylen Wimmer, SS, South Carolina: Wimmer is the only four-year college shortstop on the list and is unique in that he’s back at South Carolina for his senior year and not signing as an 18th-round pick last year. Wimmer is a tall (6-4) shortstop and that doesn’t always work out, but it’s worked out so far this year in the SEC. He’s got some pop in his bat and has shown a much better eye at the plate. A team may overdraft him to pay him underslot, getting some financial wiggle room while adding an older, solid prospect. Wimmer has had some success against really good pitching too. Next week, we will take a closer look at third basemen, but not before you get a look at the initial Consensus Big Board. There are plenty of others that could have been listed here. This isn’t to say anyone is or isn’t going to be a good draft or baseball prospect. If you have your own local #personalcheeseball, leave in the comments! View full article

Our draft coverage here at Brewer Fanatic rolls on. This week’s installment of #PersonalCheeseballs will feature looking at the catcher position. Catching prospects are always hard to peg down because potential catchers who have great bats often get moved to other positions. From time to time, you’ll watch an elite-hitting catching prospect stay behind the dish. Joe Mauer in the early 2000s. Adley Rutschman now. Bryce Harper was going to be the next big thing - and he’s mostly lived up to the hype - but many forget that he was a catcher until the moment he was drafted and the Nationals called him an outfielder. Teams want impact bats in the lineup. Teams also don’t want impact bats being drilled by foul tips and taking a beating while squatting behind a plate. It makes sense. Stepping down from my soapbox… The term “personal cheeseball” (better represented by #personalcheeseball) orginated over twenty years ago in the Baseball America offices when former writer and current Twins scout John Manuel started using it as “shorthand for a personal favorite that does not reflect the popular consensus.” And that’s what you’ll see here. The first installment we covered players from the Midwest. Today’s list will look at catchers. It’s entirely possible some of these players will not be catchers forever or at all professionally. And, finally, my radar isn’t reflective of any single team’s preferences or draft board. I think you’ll see it reflects some of my own preferences when it comes to drafting a backstop: young, versatile, athletic and left-handed hitters. Kyle Teel, Virginia: Teel has the combination of offensive and defensive skills that should have him under consideration to come off the board in the top half of the first round. Though he wasn’t drafted out of high school, it was by choice. Teel let teams know he was going to play at Virginia. The left-handed hitting catcher has improved his stock this year by striking out less and hitting for more power. Despite not performing very well with Team USA’s Collegiate team (.676 OPS) in 2021 or in the Cape last summer (.212 OPS), there’s just too much to like between the bat, the premium athleticism and the arm. Teel has a slighter frame, so that may cause some concerns, but somebody is going to like the rest way too much to let him fall. Blake Mitchell, Texas HS (committed to LSU): Everything about Mitchell screams “going to college” but the profile is going to lead to lots of draft rooms debating about whether or not they should meet his sure-to-be-high price tag. Mitchell is everything you want in a catcher and if things don’t work out there - ala Kenley Jansen - you still have a pitching prospect. If he’s signable, he’s a first-rounder and more than likely his new team’s top catching prospect. Cole Carrigg, San Diego State. There’s always a bonus for versatility - hello, Daulton Varsho - and maybe Carrigg can be next in line. If you’re placing bets, catching is not the favorite to be Carrigg’s future home, but it’s an option. Anyone who can look the part at shortstop or centerfield can slot in at any defensive position and Carrigg has that ability. He has caught and has the arm and athleticism to do so. There is less certainty that his offensive profile will develop enough to play a corner position, but with many teams valuing versatility, Carrigg is sure to climb some boards. Campbell Smithwick, Mississippi HS (committed to Ole Miss): Some guys get noticed on name alone. Like a Holliday or a Jones last year, for example. But Smithwick gets noticed because he has a name that sounds like he should be a movie star. Young and swinging from the left side, teams may have a hard time convincing Smithwick from leaving Oxford (where he goes to high school and plans to attend college), but the sweet swing and projectable defensive ability will give Smithwick two very good options. Jandaniel Gonzalez, Puerto Rico HS (committed to Indiana State): While it’s entirely conceivable the two aforementioned high school catchers end up in the SEC, Gonzalez is much more likely to turn pro. There’s a long way to go offensively with Gonzalez, so you’re talking very low floor despite his defensive package. Gonzalez is only 17, so there is definitely time to work the swing issues out. Next week, we will take a closer look at shorstops. There are plenty of others that could have been listed here. This isn’t to say anyone is or isn’t going to be a good draft or baseball prospect. If you have your own local #personalcheeseball, leave in the comments! View full article

With just under three months left before the 2023 draft gets underway, you’ll see an increase in coverage. Over the next 10 weeks, we’ll be doing a series called “Personal Cheeseballs” which will take a closer look at groups of potential draftees. The term “personal cheeseball” (better represented by #personalcheeseball) originated over twenty years ago in the Baseball America offices when former writer and current Twins scout John Manuel started using it as “shorthand for a personal favorite that does not reflect the popular consensus.” And that’s what you’ll see here. The first installment will cover players from the Midwest. These aren’t necessarily the best draft prospects from the area, but players that are more solidly on my radar for one reason or another. My radar isn’t reflective of any single team’s preferences or draft board. Zion Rose, Catcher, IMG Academy (committed to Louisville): If you’re wondering how someone finishing his prep career in Florida counts as a local, it’s because Rose spent his first three years of high school at Brother Rice in Chicago. Catching prospects often seem like the hardest to find and Rose rises to the top with his athleticism and speed. Louisville has had three catchers drafted in the top five rounds over the last three years (including Henry Davis going first overall in 2021), so it’s entirely possible that Rose will make it to campus next fall but all it takes is one team to have enough conviction to draft Rose high enough to get him to turn pro. Mac Horvath, 3B, North Carolina: Horvath was a Minnesota prep before spending a year at IMG Academy en route to Chapel Hill. Horvath followed up a good sophomore campaign with a solid showing in the Cape Cod League and has been tearing the cover off the ball as a junior. Averaging a home run every 10 at-bats, Horvath has posted an OPS of nearly 1100 through 33 games and is quieting those who questioned his hitting ability. He’s definitely working his way in to top 100 draft prospect status.4 George Klassen, RHP, Minnesota: There are a few traits that work in your favor if you’re looking to achieve #personalcheeseball status. Being a pitcher that throws over 100 mph is one of those traits. There’s still work to do (23 walks in 30 ⅔ innings) with that fastball and Klassen has a delivery that portends a move to the bullpen, but who doesn’t love it when a manager turns to his bullpen and calls for the flamethrower? Exactly. Oh, and Klassen is a Wisconsin prep who hails from the same hometown (Port Washington) as the late Dustin Diamond aka Screech. Klassen may be an interesting case as he took a redshirt year after Tommy John surgery and has more leverage to return to school as he can reenter the draft two more times. Myles Naylor, SS, Canada prep (committed to Texas Tech): Ok, this might be a stretch because Ontario is far from local, but there’s a couple things to really like here and I didn’t want to wait until covering the shortstops. Naylor is the younger brother of Josh and Bo, so he’s got a built-in advantage of how to “become a pro baseball player.” And he’s young too, turning 18 this month. Analytically-driven teams love the “yeah, but he’s young” model. The other thing that is easy to like - and the most important - is that he’s going to hit and that even if he grows off shortstop, he should hit well enough to find a home in a corner. Dylan Questad, RHP, Wisconsin prep (committed to Arkansas): Always a fan of midwest kids, who sometimes lack exposure, potentially heading to the SEC and that’s Questad. Not big at only 6’0”, Questand probably isn’t going to get much bigger, but has a big fastball and a solid mix of pitches. George Wolkow, OF, Illinois prep (committed to South Carolina): Wolkow is a big dude (6’7”, 220) and because of reclassifying from the 2024 class is likely to be one of the youngest players drafted. His profile is going to be all about his left-handed power. The ceiling is very high, and the floor is very low. But if you’re going to dream, dream big. Easton Breyfogle, OF, Minnesota prep (comitted to Arizona): Breyfogle is arguably the best prep prospect in the state of Minnesota and the left-handed hitting outfielder should have the opportunity to go pro if he chooses. Next week, we will take a closer look at catchers. There are plenty of others that could have been listed here. This isn’t to say anyone is or isn’t going to be a good draft or baseball prospect. If you have your own local #personalcheeseball, leave in the comments! View full article

It's that time of year again: When the draft is only a few months around the corner and the ever-nerdy draft-lovers are excited by the words "bonus pools" and "draft slots." That's right. Major League Baseball released this information on Tuesday night and we can't wait to talk about it at Brewer Fanatic. The Brewers will have a full bonus amount of $10,950,600, which ranks 12th in all of baseball. There was a significant increase in slot values - nearly 10% - which coincides with the significant increase in baseball revenue. The total bonus pool is determined by finding the sum of each individual pick in the Top 10 rounds. The Brewers, as a team that receives revenue-sharing, gets an extra compensatory pick after the first round. Their Top 10 round picks are as follows: Round 1 (18th overall): $4,021,400 Comp Round A (33rd overall): $2,543,800 Round 2 (54th overall): $1,546,100 Round 3 (87th overall): $796,200 Round 4 (119th overall): $557,900 Round 5 (155th overall): $392,700 Round 6 (182nd overall): $309,900 Round 7 (212th overall): $242,400 Round 8 (242nd overall): $196,700 Round 9 (272nd overall): $176,700 Round 10 (302nd overall): $166,800 All picks in rounds 11-20 are "soft-capped" at $125,000. Any player signed for over that amount will have their overage count against the team's pool. (i.e. if a round 11 draftee signs for $150,00 then $25,000 will count towards the team's bonus pool). The most significant detail about the bonus pool and draft slots is that teams are free to use their money however they want. While some players will sign for slot, others (usually college seniors) will sign for significantly below slot, giving their teams more flexibility to use that money elsewhere. That money then is given to those signing overslot deals (often high schoolers) who may have slid down the draft. There is a lot of strategy when it comes to making the bonus pool stretch as far as possible. It's impossible to say what the Brewers strategy will be this year. Have an idea? Leave it in the comments. View full article

Once the college season gets underway, it’s only a matter of time before we enter Mock Draft SZN. The good folks over at Baseball America aren’t necessarily kicking that off yet, but they’re definitely getting the pump primed with their first Staff Draft. They carefully explain that it’s not a mock draft, per se. They aren’t using any intel to try and determine who these teams are taking. They are, instead, talking through what they would do if they were in these positions. In this version, Ben Badler selects Pennsylvanian prep shortstop Kevin McGonigle at #18. About McGonigle he says this: McGonigle is pretty well-known, for a high schooler. He’s been a prominent figure on the showcase circuit, as well as playing on USA Baseball’s gold medal-winning 18-and-under team. Committed to Auburn, McGonigle could be a mildly tough sign, but almost all high schoolers drafted in the first round forego college to turn professional. There are still some questions about McGonigle’s game. What he lacks in athleticism and overall power, he makes up for with hand-eye coordination and a high baseball IQ. But he doesn’t have an overly strong arm or great speed, so there is some doubt that he could play on the left side of the infield professionally. There’s also doubt that he will ever develop 20-home run power. But when a prospect has an uncanny ability to get the barrel on the ball, you can overlook some other things. McGonigle can still be an extremely valuable part of a lineup. If that's your second baseman, fine. If you can keep him at shortstop... well, that's even better. How would you feel about taking McGonigle in the first round? Do you have confidence in the developmental team to keep him at shortstop and help him discover some power? On a different note, do the Brewers deviate from what they've done in past? Maybe they still cleave to the college hitter demographic. View full article

The entire arbitration system is messed up. But it's a system that has been in place for a long, long time. So how come Thursday was the first time many of us heard about a team trying to devalue a player? Because, typically, you know what you're in for and no one talks about it. That changed on Thursday. View full video

Take a look at what we know so far about the Brewers 2022 Draft Class. So far there is only one player so sign on the dotted line? Who's next? Will anyone not sign? View full video

Jeremy Nygaard takes a look at the second day of the 2022 MLB Draft, noting that the Brewers may have difficulty signing Dylan O'Rae but may find money to go overslot on him by drafting several college seniors later in the draft, which usually sign well underslot. View full video

The Brewers have added 11 players to the organization in the last 24 hours. Find more about them below and come back tomorrow for the conclusion of the 2022 mlb draft. You can learn more about each of the Brewers draft picks at the new Draft Tracker. We will be updating each player's profile as they sign or new information is gathered. Round 11: Cameron Wagoner, RHP, Eastern Michigan Round 12: Luke Adams, 3B, Hinsdale Central HS (IL) Round 13: Zane Petty, RHP, Corsicana HS (TX) Round 14: Aidan Maldonado, P, Minnesota Round 15: Satchell Norman, C, Florida Southwestern State College Round 16: Ethan Lege, 3B, Delgado JC Round 17: Brady Neal, C, IMG Academy Round 18: Jurrangelo Cijntje, switch-pitcher, Champagnat Catholic School Round 19: Jaden Noot, RHP, Sierra Canyon School (CA) Round 20: Noah Hall, RHP, South Carolina Player Round Slot Eric Brown Jr., SS, Coastal Carolina 1 $2,700,500 Jacob Misiorowski, RHP, Crowder JC 2 $1,130,900 Robert Moore, SS, Arkansas CB $914,900 Dylan O'Rae, SS, NCI (Ontario) 3 $600,400 Matthew Wood, C, Penn State 4 $448,200 Will Rudy, RHP, Cal Poly Ponoma 5 $334,300 Tyler Woessner, RHP, C. Ari. JC 6 $259,500 Ben Metzinger, 3B, Louisville 7 $204,300 Nate Peterson, LHP, Ill-Chicago 8 $171,000 Tayden Hall, C, SCF-M/S 9 $157,400 Brian Fitzpatrick, LHP, Rutgers 10 $149,500 Who was your favorite pick? Who was your least favorite pick? What does the team need to do tomorrow? View full article