Jamie Cameron

We’re excited to ratchet up 2024 MLB Draft content in the coming weeks. We’ll start with a series of articles detailing each positional demographic. These pieces aren’t meant to be an exhaustive list. Rather, it's an overview of the caliber of talent at the position. For each player, we'll run down some basic information, in addition to some strengths and weaknesses. You’ll also find their current position on the Consensus MLB Draft Board in parentheses next to their name. The shortstop class in 2023 was loaded, with 12 profiles in the top 50 in an extremely talented class. This year's is a thinner crop, particularly at the college level. Several prep names have emerged this spring, particularly in the 25-50 range on the Consensus Board. Bryce Rainer L/R, Harvard Westlake (11) Rainer is a legitimate two-way prospect who is looking to join the likes of Pete Crow-Armstrong and Max Fried in becoming a first-round selection out of California powerhouse high school Harvard-Westlake. On the mound, it's a pretty effortless 95-mph fastball with good life, an average curveball with good downward bite, and a slider and changeup combo that are fringe-average, emerging pitches. While it's far from a finished product on the mound, his looseness and projectability point towards a fastball that might flirt with triple digits when it's all said and done. Offensively, there's good bat speed, lightning-quick hands, and plenty of raw power to tap into. His swing can get long, leading to some swing-and-miss in his profile. Defensively, he's an efficient mover with good quickness, who has posted above-average run times to go with a plus arm. Even if he moves off shortstop eventually, his profile should play well at third base. It's difficult to know at the time of writing where orgs would prefer Rainer (pitcher or hitter). That will sort itself out eventually. Either way, it's a ton of tools and projectability in an easy-to-dream-on profile. Kaelen Culpepper R/R, Kansas State (25) Kaelen Culpepper is an exceptional athlete who shifted defensively from second or third base to shortstop in his junior season at Kansas State. With a strong offensive performance in 2024, he could provide a jolt to a weak demographic that's usually coveted (collegiate shortstops). At the plate, Culpepper has a strong overall skill set. He generates good bat speed, although a flatter bat path hasn't produced much loft to date. Additionally, he has good contact skills and solid plate discipline, although he does expand the zone a little too much at times. Culpepper is having a solid 2024 season in which he’s walking more and has amassed 24 extra-base hits in 50 games, in addition to 15 stolen bases. Defensively, it's a plus arm, with good defensive actions and athleticism. Regardless of whether Culpepper ends up sticking at short as a pro, or slides back to a less demanding position, it should be an above-average defensive profile. Wyatt Sanford L/R, Independence HS, TX (28) Sanford is a projectable Texas prep shortstop with a strong set of tools and no real weakness in his game. Starting from a crouched stance with his weight on his back foot, a small toe tap gets Sanford going into a pretty left-handed swing. Good bat speed and quick hands give Sanford outstanding bat-to-ball skills. He maintains strong contact rates, particularly on fastballs in the zone. Sanford rarely expands the zone and doesn't chase often. While there's not been a ton of power in the profile, Sanford has shown more pop this spring and might get to average power as he continues to grow, add weight, and loft to his swing. Defensively, it's a really solid profile. Sanford has good actions, moves efficiently, and has an above-average arm. He should have a good chance to stick at shortstop as a professional. Caleb Bonemer R/R, Okemos HS, MI (31) Bonemer was one of the biggest board risers on the prep side this winter after a great summer in 2023 with one of the better athletic profiles and potentially one of the most exciting power/speed combinations in the 2024 class. A quiet, efficient, short swing produces good bat speed and Bonemer is already showing above average in-game power (typically to the pull side) that may eventually become plus power. Defensively, he's a solid mover with an above-average arm at shortstop who can make all the throws. He may eventually grow off shortstop to third base, but it'd be potentially plus defense there with the offensive profile to make it not matter. Bonemer has also posted plus run times, making him a threat on the base paths and in the run game. One area of opportunity is refining his approach at the plate, as there's some swing-and-miss and a bit too much chase in the profile currently. If he can work through those needs and get the hit tool to average, it's going to be a strong overall profile and one of the first prep names to go in July. Carter Johnson L/R, Oxford HS, MS (32) Carter Johnson is one of the most intriguing prep profiles in the 2024 class, thanks to a well-rounded skill set in which everything grades out as average or better. At 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, there's plenty of projectability left in an already strong athletic profile. At the plate, Johnson has a clean, smooth, left-handed swing. Everything looks good; quick hands, consistent bat path, an ability to recognize pitches well, a hitter who uses the entire field. At the moment, the hit tool is more advanced than the power tool but there's plenty of time to add strength and in-game power in what is more of a gap-to-gap approach at present. Johnson has average speed. Growth and increased strength may eventually move him off shortstop, even though he has the arm, defensive actions, and hands to stay there. While the defensive profile is average to above-average, the bat is exciting and Johnson is one of the most well-rounded offensive profiles of any prep in the class. Theo Gillen L/R, Westlake HS, TX (36) Gillen is rising quickly up draft boards after a loud start to the 2024 season in which his offensive impact is beginning to match his enormous potential and athleticism. After returning from shoulder surgery in 2022, he's grown a ton, now standing 6'3, 200 pounds in a frame that has plenty of projection. At the plate, Gillen starts in an upright stance with a bat tip straight behind his left shoulder. A small stride gets him moving forward into his compact left-handed swing. Gillen's offensive profile is underpinned by excellent bat-to-ball skills. While his profile used to feature more line drive power, he's begun to develop more home run juice, particularly to the pull side, with a frame that suggests that more in the tank. Defensively, Gillen is a good mover with a quick first step and good defensive actions. He might move off shortstop as he continues to grow. Additionally, much will depend on his throwing arm, which has been the subject of some of his injuries. Gillen has shown plus speed so there are plenty of defensive homes available (second base, or even centerfield). All of this likely won't matter too much, as Gillen has an impactful and well-rounded offensive profile that should put him in the Day One conversation. Kellon Lindsey R/R, Hardee HS, FL (38) Lindsey is the 'where did you come from?' prospect of the 2024 class, prep edition. A two-sport star who is committed to Florida to play football and baseball, the shortstop-outfield profile is underpinned by some of the most impressive athleticism in the entire class. There's a ton of projection left in Lindsey's frame. He's already posted 80-grade run times that should translate to him being a plus defender, whether he sticks at SS or CF, in addition to being a menace on the base paths. Linsey has also received rave reviews for his offensive improvements thus far in 2023. Quick hands, excellent bat to ball skills, good barrel control, and an emerging ability to backspin the baseball make Lindsey a serious helium prospect and someone who could have significant impact as a first round pick come July. Honorable Mentions: Tyson Lewis (44), Griff O’Ferrall (48), Anthony Silva (66), Tyler Bell (67), Charlie Bates (74), Kyle DeBarge (76), Sawyer Farr (78) 2024 MLB Draft Position Previews: Catcher Who excites you from the shortstop class in 2024? Who are you higher on than other prospects? Jump into the draft conversation in the comments below.

We’re excited to ratchet up 2024 MLB Draft content in the coming weeks. We’ll start with a series of articles detailing each positional demographic. These pieces aren’t meant to be an exhaustive list, but rather, an overview of the caliber of talent at the position. For each player, we'll run down some basic information, in addition to some strengths and weaknesses. You’ll also find their current position on the Consensus MLB Draft Board in parentheses next to their name. The catching class in 2023 was extremely thin and top-heavy. Beyond Blake Mitchell (8th to the Royals) and Kyle Teel (14th to the Red Sox), Michael Carico (149th to the Cubs) was the only other true catcher who finished the cycle with a top 100 consensus ranking. This year's class is carried mostly by the college crop. Who are the names to know, and what are their strengths and (ahem) opportunities? Let’s dig in. Caleb Lomavita R/R, Cal (21) Caleb Lomavita is one of a handful of names from a collegiate catching crop that will likely be Day One selections in July. The native of Hawaii has improved his offensive game steadily over three seasons at Cal. Lomavita has an unusual setup at the plate, crouched in an open stance before starting a leg drift to a more closed approach as the pitcher starts their motion. Nonetheless, it works. Lomavita has a launch-oriented swing that provides a nice balance between above-average hit and power tools, finding the barrel of the bat often enough to balance his good contact rate with plenty of hard-hit balls. While he doesn't walk much (10 in 49 games), there's a ton of impact here: Lomavita has launched 14 home runs and 12 doubles in 2024. He's an excellent athlete and has at least average speed, even acting as an opportunistic base stealer. While there's refinement needed on the defensive side of his game (receiving, framing, etc.), he has the foundation to stick at the position with good lateral quickness and an above-average to plus arm. If he doesn't stick behind the plate, there's a first-base or corner-outfield profile there with his athleticism. Lomavita could be the first collegiate backstop off the board in July. Malcolm Moore L/R, Stanford (24) Moore was one of the better prep bats in the 2022 class and one of the highest-ranked players not to sign. Moore made it to campus at Stamford and will be extremely young for the class (20) as a draft-eligible sophomore in 2024. Moore had an extremely unusual setup at the plate that he has simplified this season. However strange his operation was, it was effective in his freshman season in Palo Alto, to the tune of 15 home runs and 20 doubles. Moore’s approach and swing decisions have improved in 2024, as he has walked more this season. He has excellent bat-to-ball skills but seems to have suffered some bad batted-ball luck. Moore is a question mark behind the plate. A solid arm is offset by the need to refine his blocking, receiving, and footwork. Moore has the offensive profile to stick in the first round regardless of defensive position, but if he can develop his catching skills, he has a chance to provide really good value. Jacob Cozart L/R, NC State (33) Cozart's floor is laid by the fact that he's one of the best defensive catching prospects in the class. Although tall for the position, good hands, lateral movement, defensive actions and pitch framing set an excellent foundation for (at the bare minimum) an average defensive catcher at the big-league level. Cozart has plenty to offer on the offensive side of the ball, too, and took solid steps forward in his sophomore season. In 2023, he managed a .301/392/.536 line, with 10 home runs and 14 doubles. Most of his present power comes to the pull side, with more line-drive power to center field and the opposite field. Cozart has typically struggled against spin, but there's plenty to like about his offensive profile. His plate discipline is very good, he doesn't strike out a ton, and he has good bat-to-ball skills. If (as has proven the case so far) Cozart can continue his steady improvement to his offensive game in 2024, he’ll be one of the first few backstops off the board. Walker Janek R/R, Sam Houston St (34) After back-to-back solid seasons for Sam Houston State, Walker Janek looks to have broken out in a major way in 2024. Simply put, Janek has a solid all-around profile in both his offensive and defensive game. At the plate, he has good bat speed and finds the barrel often. There's present pull-side power and good bat-to-ball skills. Although Janek does have a tendency to chase, especially against secondaries, there's a good shot that it's an above-average hit and average power tool when he's done developing, which would play well at catcher. Defensively, he has one of the better arms in the catcher demographic, turning back a solid number of would-be base stealers with good pop and release times behind the plate. All the other prerequisites needed to be at least average defensively are present. Janek moves laterally and blocks well, has solid ability to frame, and while his intangible presence behind home needs some work, there's plenty to work with. All in all, this is one of the most well-rounded catching profiles in the 2024 class. Janek is having an excellent 2024 season. An up-arrow prospect for me. Kevin Bazzell R/R, Texas Tech (53) Bazzell transferred to Texas Tech after spending his freshman season at DBU and immediately hit the ground running (after sitting out the 2022 season) to become one of the better bats in his conference. At the plate, Bazzell has a quiet operation. It's a simple, smooth load, punctuated by a small leg kick to get the bat moving through the zone. His offensive profile is definitely hit over power, for now. It's a flatter bat path that's more geared toward gap power, although he did show some pop (10 HR) in his first season at TTU. As an overall offensive package, however, there's plenty to like. Bazzell doesn't chase much, walks plenty, and has strong bat-to-ball skills (92% zone contact rate in 2023). While Bazzell has only fringy speed, he's an excellent athlete. An above-average arm, good defensive actions and lateral movement give him a chance to stick behind the plate. If that doesn't work out, he's played at third base for the Red Raiders and has enough athleticism to handle left field. The bat is the calling card for Bazzell, if orgs like his chances to stick behind the plate, it'll increase his stock significantly. Cade Arrambide R/R, Tomball HS, TX (96) The 2024 catching class is much more interesting than the 2023 class. Though mostly buoyed by the college demographic, Arrambide is one of the best prep catchers in the class. Arrambide has the potential to be an excellent defensive catcher. It's a plus (or better) arm that's recorded throws at over 100mph from the outfield, combined with good lateral movement and great pop times. There are other aspects of catching (such as blocking and framing) that will require refinement, but Arrambide has the potential to be an above-average to plus defender, with a right-field profile if it doesn't work behind the plate. Offensively, there's plenty to be excited about, too. He has great bat speed and plenty of raw power, which has already shown itself in games. The big question marks with his offensive profile are bat-to-ball skills and chase rate, both of which could be exposed as a professional. If he can shore up at least one of those two areas, he has a good chance to accrue plenty of offensive and defensive value as a pro. Honorable Mentions: Hunter Carns (101), Anderson French (124), Cole Messina (139) Who excites you from the catching class in 2024? Who are you higher on than other prospects? Jump into the draft conversation in the comments below.

In episode 34 of Destination: The Show, Jeremy and Jamie sit down with Joe Doyle, Senior Analyst at FSS and host of Over Slot, an MLB Draft Podcast. The guys talk through the top of the 2024 draft class, including asking Joe who he’d take at 1:1 before talking about some specific demographics and how they stack up compared to 2023. The guys then talk about some options for the Cubs, Brewers, and Twins with their first round picks in what looks like a chaotic draft board after the top group of prospects. They talk through the college catching class and some options for prep pitching and the challenges of the demographic. 1:20 Joe Doyle Intro 3:45 Comparing the top of this year's class vs last year's class 9:00 College bats are strong... but is there anything else aside from the top 8 picks? 18:27 A little chat about college catching. 20:25 Options for the Cubs at #14 24:45 Who would you consider for the Brewers at #17? 28:00 How about the Twins at #21? 32:15 Prep pitching 37:27 Some prep pitching highlights 43:00 Joe's take on the lottery and trading draft picks 48:30 Joe's chance to plug his stuff You can support the show by downloading it from wherever you get your podcasts, including iTunes and Spotify. If you enjoy the content, consider leaving us a five-star rating and review in addition to sharing or retweeting DTS-related content. You can follow us on Twitter @DTS_POD1, @Jeremynygaard, @J_D_Cameron, and @TheodoreTollef1. You can also find full episodes and clips of our shows on our YouTube page @DestinationTheShow.

In episode 33 of Destination: The Show, Jeremy and Jamie sit down with Twins Vice President of Amateur Scouting, Sean Johnson. Sean details his journey with the Twins, walks through the scouting calendar and details some of the work that goes into putting a draft board together. He offers insights into evaluation of high school versus college players, how his team evaluates their work and gives some of his impressions of the 2024 class. The guys then give some updates from the MLB Consensus Draft Board. They talk through Nick Kurtz and Jac Caglianone’s hot streaks, in addition to injury woes at the top of the class. They discuss some risers and fallers in this weeks’ board update, before taking deeper dives into Florida State third baseman Cam Smith, Oklahoma State outfielder Carson Benge, and Florida State outfielder James Tibbs III. 1:45 Sean Johnson, Twins VP of Amateur Scouting: His role with the organization, approach to draft cycle/process, this year's class 40:30 Draft Notes 49:00 Consensus Board Updates for the Brewers, Cubs, and Twins You can support the show by downloading it from wherever you get your podcasts, including iTunes and Spotify. If you enjoy the content, consider leaving us a five-star rating and review in addition to sharing or retweeting DTS-related content. You can follow us on Twitter @DTS_POD1, @Jeremynygaard, @J_D_Cameron, and @TheodoreTollef1. You can also find full episodes and clips of our shows on our YouTube page @DestinationTheShow.

In episode 31 of Destination: The Show, baseball is back! Jeremy and JD talk through Opening Day and the first few games of the new MLB season, and spend time bemoaning injuries. They touch on the complexity of the prospect promotion incentive draft picks and introduce the new Consensus MLB Draft Board. The guys then talk about Brewers and Twins MiLB rosters and discuss the players and teams they’re most excited to see in action this season. Finally, they walk through three risers on the latest version of the draft board in Kellon Lindsey, Billy Amick, and Luke Holman. 0:00 Intro - MLB Highlights, Injuries and PPI 15:07 Draft slots and bonus pools 16:19 Consensus Board 23:09 MiLB Rosters - Brewers and Twins 50:00 Draft Stuff 1:01:50 Listener Question You can support the show by downloading it from wherever you get your podcasts, including iTunes and Spotify. If you enjoy the content, consider leaving us a five-star rating and review in addition to sharing or retweeting DTS-related content. You can follow us on Twitter @DTS_POD1, @Jeremynygaard, @J_D_Cameron, and @TheodoreTollef1. You can also find full episodes and clips of our shows on our YouTube page @DestinationTheShow.

Today, MLB released bonus pool allocations and pick values for the 2024 MLB Draft. Additionally, MLB released international signing bonus pools for the 2025 signing period. Despite making the playoffs and only picking 17th in the first round, the Brewers find themselves in a favorable position for the 2024 draft. They have the 9th largest bonus pool overall, at $12,984,400. This is primarily a function of the compensation pick they landed in the Corbin Burnes trade with the Orioles, which landed them an extra $2.7 million in draft capital. The Brewers top 100 picks and slot values are as follows: Slot value for pick 17: $4,534,100 (first round) Slot value for pick 34: $2,698,300 (Competitive Balance Round A - acquired in Corbin Burnes trade) Slot value for pick 57: $1,562,100 (second round) Slot value for pick 67: $1,226,800 (Competitive Balance Round B) Slot value for pick 93: $788,700 (third round) This combination of financial and pick flexibility puts the Brewers in a strong position ahead of a draft class shaping up to be much weaker than 2023, but with a strong and deep crop of college players. Reminders on Draft Financials Organizations are allowed to spend up to 5% more than their total pool without incurring a penalty, a choice many teams take advantage of. The Twins and the Rockies are the only MLB teams who have never spent any overage on their bonus pool. Any amount up to 5% over the pool is met with a 75% tax on the overage. If a team spends between 5-10% more than their pool, the penalty is 75% tax on the overage and loss of a future first rounder. Any team who exceeds their bonus pool by more than 10% up to 15% pays 100% tax on the overage and will lose a first and second round future pick. Any team who exceeds their bonus pool by more than 15% loses two future first round picks in addition to paying 100% tax on the overage. Rounds 11-20 work differently to the first half of the draft. These picks do not come with an assigned slot value. Teams can spend up to $150,000 per pick without that spending coming out of their bonus pool. If they spend over that amount, any overage will be deducted from their bonus pool. For example, an 11th round pick signing for $250,000 will result in $100,000 being subtracted from that teams’ bonus pool. MLB Announces 2025 International Bonus Pools MLB announced bonus pools for the 2025 international signing period today. The 2025 signing window opens on January 15th, 2025 and runs through December 15th, 2025. The Brewers are in a group of eight teams (which also includes the Reds) who have the joint largest bonus pools. The Brewers can spend $7,555,500 in the 2025 international signing window.

Welcome to the 2024 MLB Consensus Draft Board! What is the Consensus MLB Draft Board? This is the third draft cycle for which I’m co-authoring content, alongside @Jeremy Nygaard, who has probably forgotten more about the draft process than I’ll ever know. When I first started, I found I was craving a tool that cut through some of the noise and variance of different draft rankings and industry boards, so I decided to create a consensus board. Following Arif Hasan’s original NFL consensus board format, the premise is simple; the board combines all industry boards I can find into a composite ranking for each player. The final number of ‘input’ boards is impossible to know at this early date, but it will likely be in the 8-12 range by the time we get to July. The rationale is that there’s value in consensus, particularly to more casual fans of the MLB Draft. How is the Board Organized? It should be relatively easy to orient yourself to the board. For each player, you’ll find their current consensus ranking, position, name, age, height, weight, handedness, and school. Additionally, you’ll find a write-up of 150-200 words per player in the top 50, which I have been working on since February. One note regarding rankings on this board: Most industry boards make major updates on a monthly basis, typically toward the end of the month. As such, there’s some ‘lag time’ between other boards you read and those rankings being reflected in the consensus. Simply put, it takes a little time to process major updates, and they usually come in clusters. What’s Coming Next? One of the biggest advantages of having the board as a page, as opposed to a Google Sheet, is the possibility of real-time updates. Last year, I published three versions of the consensus board. This approach allows daily updates, if and when we want to publish them. Early in the draft cycle, you can expect an update every week or two. We’re also thinking through possibilities that would make the write-ups collapsible, and allow us to track movement of players up and down the board, as I did in previous cycles. For now, it’s a simply organized top 50, which you can expect us to expand upon more frequently than in 2023. When the board is final, I expect there will be 150-200 write-ups of players and a total of around 300 players listed. What You Can Do to Support This Project The publication of this board at Twins Daily, Brewer Fanatic, and North Side Baseball is the culmination of a ton of work, with the aim being to create a draft board that casual and hardcore MLB Draft fans can find useful. I’d like to share some public appreciation for Brock Beauchamp, who helps turn ideas into real-life projects at all three of these sites. This wouldn’t be possible without him. If you enjoy this resource, I’d appreciate it if you'd consider sharing it, retweeting it, and passing it along to others. In order to grow the board, add features, increase the time I can put into it, and so on, I need to show that folks find it useful. Anything anyone reading this can do to support that, I’ll be truly grateful for. There’s much more to come as the draft cycle really gets going. For now, I hope folks enjoy this first top 50. If you have feedback, thoughts, or comments, we’d love to hear them, to help us improve the board. View the Draft Board

In episode 29 of Destination: The Show, Jeremy and JD review the inaugural spring breakout games for the Twins and Brewers. The guys then complete a 16 pick mock MLB draft, alternating picks to help listeners get familiar with the top of the class before ending with listener questions. 0:00 Intro 3:30 Spring Breakout - Twins 14:20 Spring Breakout - Brewers 20:40 Mini-Mock Jamie and Jeremy take turns selecting players. Jamie goes first and they alternate for 16 picks. The only rules are each team must have a prep and college player and a hitter and a pitcher. Who's team do you like more? 1:01:49 Listener Question - Ben Hess versus Drew Beam You can support the show by downloading it from wherever you get your podcasts, including iTunes and Spotify. If you enjoy the content, consider leaving us a five-star rating and review in addition to sharing or retweeting DTS-related content. You can follow us on Twitter @DTS_POD1, @Jeremynygaard, @J_D_Cameron, and @TheodoreTollef1. You can also find full episodes and clips of our shows on our YouTube page @DestinationTheShow.

In episode 25 of Destination: The Show, Jeremy and JD break down dueling Top 20 prospect lists for the Brewers. They discuss similarities and differences in their lists from a loaded system. Who was higher on the 2023 draft class? Which of the Brewers third base prospects is most likely to make a big league impact? How do the Brewers keep recouping so much value from the international market? Who is flying under the radar in the system? 3:00 Impromptu Draft Talk 7:00 What do you want for draft content? 8:00 Brewers Top Prospects 9:30 Top 4 16:37 Number 5 23:59 Prospects 6-8 29:44 Prospects 9-12 35:30 Prospect 13 42:19 Prospects 14-18 46:08 Prospects 19-21 46:34 15-20 range guy to watch 50:41 Prospect most likely to be a Top 100 prospect You can support the show by downloading it from wherever you get your podcasts, including iTunes and Spotify. If you enjoy the content, consider leaving us a five-star rating and review in addition to sharing or retweeting DTS-related content. You can follow us on Twitter @DTS_POD1, @Jeremynygaard, @J_D_Cameron, and @TheodoreTollef1. You can also find full episodes and clips of our shows on our YouTube page @DestinationTheShow.

Brewers right-handed pitcher Brandon Woodruff has agreed to a two-year pact to return to the team. Jon Heyman was first to report the news. Woodruff is likely out for the 2024 season after undergoing surgery in October to repair the anterior capsule in his right shoulder. While we await the financial terms of the deal. The return of Woodruff offers the 2025 rotation a major boost, after Corbin Burnes was traded away to the Orioles in exchange for left-handed pitcher DL Hall and shortstop Joey Ortiz. Woodruff, who turned 31 in February struggled with injuries throughout the 2023 season. After making two April starts, he was placed on the injured list with shoulder inflammation, an ailment that sidelined him until August. He was effective when on the mound, accruing a 2.28 ERA and striking out 74 over 67 innings (11 starts). At the end of the regular season, Woodruff's velocity took a dip and he missed the Brewers' Wild Card series loss to the Diamondbacks. MLB Trade Rumors projected Woodruff to earn an $11.6 million salary in 2024 through arbitration. In light of his injury status, it seemed likely that the Brewers would either non-tended Woodruff, or agree an extension, The Crew making the tough decision in favor of the former on November 17th. In agreeing a two-year pact, the Brewers will be able to monitor and manage Woodruff's rehabilitation from surgery while buying out his first year of free agency. Assuming a return to full health, Woodruff will headline the Milwaukee rotation as a 33-year old in 2025. More to come.

The Brewers selecting Cooper Pratt in the sixth round was arguably the coup of the 2023 MLB Draft. After selecting Eric Bitonti in the third round, not even the most ardent Milwaukee optimist could have expected Pratt in the sixth. Such was the level of surprise that the draft rumor mill even posited that Pratt was selected as a backup option in case the Brewers couldn’t reach an agreement with Bitonti. The Brewers, to their credit, made it happen, signing Pratt for $1.35 million, more than $1 million in excess of the slot allotment for the 182nd overall selection. At 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds, Pratt profiles as a physical, athletic shortstop in a class loaded with them. The former Ole Miss commit has a well-rounded offensive profile underpinned by a great combination of excellent bat-to-ball skills and good swing decisions. That’s a nice place to start. In his final prep year in Mississippi, Pratt chased at a minuscule 17% rate on pitches outside the zone, and had a proclivity for making good contact inside it. Pratt has a smooth right-handed swing, which he gets started with a moderate leg kick. There’s plenty of bat speed and rhythm to the whole operation. Pratt looks the part at the plate. Most of his power comes to the pull side currently, but with his frame and athleticism, it’s easy to envision him growing into at least average in-game power. Pratt runs well, especially for a prospect of his size, although he’s not a burner (he did go 4-for-4 in stolen bases in his brief pro debut). Defensively, he has strong actions and good lateral movement. His size may move him off shortstop eventually, but I’d bet the Brewers give him every chance to stick at the position. A plus arm will help there. Pratt passed the end of 2023 in the Arizona Complex League, and did not disappoint. In 12 games, he hit .356/.426/.444. Obviously that’s a tiny sample, but you want prospects to check every box they can, and Pratt is off to a promising start. Pratt is already a prospect trending upward, given his combination of pre-draft buzz and his excellent pro debut. If he’s able to unlock any more power, he’s going to be a serious problem. It’s tough to find anything to nitpick in a 19-year-old prospect with average or better tools across the board. Pratt ranked 15th in the Brewers farm system in Baseball America’s recently updated top 30 list. That says far more about the strength of the Brewers system than it does about Pratt. A strong 2024 will see Pratt leap into (or at least be on the fringes of) your favorite top-100 prospect list by the end of the season. This is exactly the kind of swing I’d want my favorite team to take in a draft with a historically excellent prep class. What were your thoughts on the Cooper Pratt pick? What are you hoping for from Pratt in 2024?