Brewers 2016 MLB Draft

Round 1 (#5 overall)
OF Corey Ray – Louisville

MLB Pipeline Rank: 5 || Baseball America Rank: 7 || Baseball Prospectus Rank: 2

Ray is a left handed hitter with a quick bat and the ability to use the whole field. He generates plenty of hard contact and has the chance for both above-average hit and power tools. The 21 year old is a plus runner who stole 44 bases during his junior season at Louisville to go along with a .310/.388/.545 batting line with 15 home runs in 64 games. He spent most of his collegiate career in right field, but the Brewers will start him off in center and hope that his speed and decent arm will be enough to keep him there.

Round 2 (#46)
3B Lucas Erceg – Menlo College

Pipeline: 56 || BA: 72 || BP: 50

Erceg ranked second in the Pac-12 in home runs as a sophmore for Cal, but reported academic issues forced him to transfer to NAIA Menlo College prior to this season. Predictably, he raked to the tune of a .308/.351/.639 slash with 20 home runs in 56 games against lesser competition. He was named as the top NAIA draft prospect according to Perfect Game and could have middle-of-the-order type power at the big league level. His hit tool needs some refinement, however. He served as Menlo’s closer with a fastball in the low-to-mid-90s, so he’ll have plenty enough arm to stick at third base and is a good athlete.

Competitive Balance Round B (#75)
C Mario Feliciano – Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy (HS, Puerto Rico)

Pipeline: 143 || BA: 103 || BP: 96

Feliciano won’t turn 18 until November and he’ll be a project for the Brewers. His hit tool has carried him to this point and he’s shown a solid approach at the plate. He runs well enough for a catcher and is a good athlete behind the dish with a solid arm, but he needs work on his receiving, framing, and game-calling skills. The hope is that he’ll be able to stick at catcher, but given his youth there will be plenty of time for the Brewers’ coaches to work with him.

Round 3 (#82)
RHP Braden Webb – South Carolina

Pipeline: 103 || BA: 71 || BP: n/a

The first pitcher Milwaukee selected, Webb missed all of 2015 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. In his only season for the Gamecocks, Webb posted a 3.09 ERA in 102 innings with a 128:48 K/BB ratio. Webb has two plus pitches in his mid-90s fastball and swing-and-miss overhand curveball, but his changeup is projected to be a bit below average. Combined with his high-effort delivery and inconsistent command, it’s likely that his future role is in the bullpen.

Round 4 (#112)
RHP Corbin Burnes – St. Mary’s

Pipeline: 39 || BA: 57 || BP: 49

Ray Montgomery has a reputation for scooping up higher-rated talent that has fallen in the draft and Burnes is a terrific example of that. The righty was considered one of the better collegiate pitchers in this year’s class after posting a 2.48 ERA and 120:33 K/BB ratio in 101.2 innings as St. Mary’s ace. He throws a plus fastball in the 92-95 MPH range and a hard slider that grades out as average, along with a changeup and curveball that he’s still working to refine. The effort in his delivery means he could be a reliever over the long term, but scouts hope that his excellent athleticism will help him repeat his delivery well. Burnes has been favorably compared to Braden Shipley and could be a future mid-rotation starter.

Round 5 (#142)
RHP Zack Brown – Kentucky

Pipeline: 80 || BA: 125 || BP: 107

Brown had a tough season statistically for the Wildcats this year, posting a 6.08 ERA and 62:34 K/BB ratio in 84.1 innings pitched. He does have some loud tools, however, including a plus fastball that sits in the 93-94 MPH range. His changeup and curveball both project as average or better even though they are inconsistent offerings at this time. Combined with an average command projection, that gives Brown the makeup of a potential starting pitcher at the big league level.

Round 6 (#171)
C Payton Henry – Pleasant Grove HS (Utah)

Pipeline: n/a || BA: 157 || BP: n/a

Henry was perhaps the top talent from the state of Utah this season, twice winning Gatorade player of the year honors while playing at Pleasant Grove. He hit .519 with a .682 OBP and seven home runs at the plate during his senior season while also posting a 2.91 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 21 innings pitched. The Brewers would be looking at Henry as a catcher and he’s said to have good power potential.

Round 7 (#201)
LHP Daniel Brown – Mississippi State

Pipeline: 153 || BA: 287 || BP: n/a

Brown was used in both a starting and relief capacity this year in college, and was generally better out of the bullpen. He posted a 3.62 ERA in 54.2 innings with a strong 54:18 K/BB ratio in 2016. The diminutive 5’9″ lefty features a plus fastball in the 90-94 MPH range and a slider that’s been said to be sharper in relief stints and a pitch that neutralizes lefties. He also has a below-average changeup that he’ll get the chance to work on early on in his career as Ray Montgomery has said that Brown (among others) will be looked at as a starter as he begins his professional career.

Round 8 (#231)
SS Francisco Thomas – Osceola (Florida) Senior HS

Pipeline: n/a || BA: 160 || BP: n/a

Thomas was considered one of the better players available from Florida, and D1baseball.com noted that he had “the hands and offensive upside to garner top two round interest.”

Round 9 (#261)
2B Trey York – East Tennessee State

York might be a senior sign that the Brewers are hoping to save a little money on in the back end of the top 10 rounds, but he’s far from a throwaway pick. The second baseman hit .348/.431/.648 with 15 home runs and 17 steals during his final season at ETSU. According to The Baseball Draft Report, York offers “game changing speed…above-average of better glovework…a swing built for more power than most college middle infield prospects” and could be “a capable defender with plus to plus-plus speed and good size.”

Round 10 (#291)
LHP Blake Fox – Rice

Another potential senior sign for the Brewers, Fox had a nice career at Rice, posting a 2.54 ERA in 330 career innings. The Baseball Draft report credits Fox with having success despite not missing many bats, though he did post 95 punchouts in 109.1 innings this season (along with a 2.72 ERA and 30 walks). Fox has been described as “crafty,” featuring an upper-80s fastball with multiple offspeed pitches and excellent command. He’s got a pretty great pickoff move, too.

.@Brewers 10th rounder Blake Fox, from Rice, has this super sneaky pickoff move: https://t.co/TsLuim58pX

— Michael Lananna (@mlananna) June 10, 2016

Round 11 (#321)
3B Chad McClanahan – Brophy Jesuit (AZ) Prep HS

Pipeline: 122 || BA: 136 || BP: n/a

An Arizona State commit, it’ll take an enticing offer to convince McClanahan to come on board with the Brewers. MLB Pipeline says he “might be the best high schooler in the state” of Arizona and offers that he has plenty of offensive projection and has demonstrated his power in game situations. He’s got a strong arm and is a good athlete who also played football, but he might not be able to stick at the hot corner long-term.

Round 12 (#351)
SS Trever Morrison – Oregon State

Pipeline: 116 || BA: 193 || BP: n/a

After a hand injury cost him most of his 2015 season, Morrison posted a solid .284/.345/.402 slash in 54 games. Morrison has a good arm and some defensive versatility, including experience in the outfield, and could perhaps serve as a utility option at the big league level. His power is well below-average though he does decent ability with the bat. Morrison was considered a strong value pick for Milwaukee to nab this late in the draft.

Round 13 (#381)
RHP Thomas Jankins – Quinnipac

Pipeline: n/a || BA: 172 || BP: n/a

Jankins was one of the best pitchers in the history of Quinnipac University, with his 180 strikeouts ranking fourth-best and his 3.50 ERA as the best since the school moved to Division I. This past season he posted a 3.26 ERA that stands as the 10th-lowest single season mark in the school’s history. Jankins reportedly features a sinking fastball in that sits 91-93 MPH and can touch 94 with “an excellent curveball and good changeup.”

Round 14 (#411)
C Gabriel Garcia – Broward College (JUCO)

Garcia was a standout high school player at Montverede Academy in Florida and had initially committed to Florida International University before finding his way to Broward College. Playing both catcher and third base, Garcia hit .263/.387/.537 with a team-leading 10 home runs in 52 games. According to a report coming out of high school, the Puerto Rican native is described as:

“big strong athletic build, room to get stronger. 7.15 runner, solid actions at third base, smooth footwork with lateral range, long loose arm action with good arm strength and accurate throws, played well in games. Also catches, young skills and footwork but has the physical tools for the position, arm strength and exchange play well, has the quickness, receiving and footwork still need work, worth developing behind the plate due to athleticism. Right handed hitter, good hand position and load, long loose swing with some bat speed.”

Round 15 (#441)
RHP Scott Serigstad – Cal State-Fullerton

Serigstad worked solely as a reliever this year in college and was quite successful in preventing runs, posting a minuscule 1.22 ERA across 51.2 innings covering 27 appearances. He struck out 55 batters against 20 walks and allowed only one home run. He’s been called a “draft-worthy arm” with a fastball that “creeps past 90 MPH.”

Round 16 (#471)
RHP Louis Crow – Buena Park (Florida) HS

Crow was a standout two-way player at Buena Park, alternately pitching and playing third base during his senior season. He recorded a .459 average with two home runs in 37 at bats, but the Brewers will be looking at him as a pitcher. On the mound, Crow dominated his high school competition to the tune of a 0.91 ERA in 38.1 innings pitched covering six starts, in which he recorded a 5-0 record. Crow struck out an outstanding 62 batters against just nine walks, recording 10+ K in five of his six starts. Perfect Game clocks Crow’s fastball at an average of 88 MPH, and he should have room to add a little velocity to that as he fills outs his 6’2″ 160 lb frame.

Round 17 (#501)
3B Weston Wilson – Clemson

Pipeline: n/a || BA: 329 || BP: n/a

Wilson was a three year starter at Clemson who posted a .260/.330/.387 slash with 14 home runs in 600 at-bats over his collegiate career. The Baseball Draft Report has mentioned several times that he had breakout potential though also noted that he has “lots to work on” offensively. He’s also been compared favorably to former Clemson Tiger and current Rays’ prospect Richie Schaffer. Wilson did have a nice showing during his junior season, including a .279/.343/.434 line with seven home runs and eight stolen bases in 63 games. His defense at third base has been called erratic, but his numbers improved upon a move across the diamond to second base this season.

Round 18 (#531)
C Cooper Hummel – University of Portland

Hummel didn’t become a starter at Portland until this his junior season, but he made the most of his increased role by batting .320/.422/.490 with five home runs in 54 games. One scout noted that he has limited athleticism to his diminutive frame but that he possesses quality bat-to-ball skills from the left side of the plate. He’s been called a grinder, so we can probably count grit and the will to win among his traits as well.

Round 19 (#561)
CF Zachary Clark – Pearl River CC (JUCO)

Pipeline: n/a || BA: 229 || BP: n/a

Clark enjoyed a tremendously successful season at Pearl River, batting .350/.437/.618 with 11 home runs and 24 stolen bases in 41 games. He was an Alabama commit for next year, where the coaches heaped praise on him:

“(S)uper athletic…a plus runner with a big time arm. Really good bat speed…a versatile player that can play all positions on the infield or even in center field.”

“He has plus speed and plus power. He has tremendous tools and is a guy we’re really excited about, because he brings a real electric game with his speed and power that gives us a real advantage.”

Round 20 (#591)
RHP Jared Horn – Vintage High School (California)

Pipeline: 34 || BA: 32 || BP: 43

Horn was considered a first-round talent, but he fell to the Brewers in round 20 because of his reportedly firm commitment to Cal. MLB Pipeline praised his power stuff, including a plus fastball that sits between 94-96 MPH, a good curveball, and a developing slider and changeup. He throws from a high arm slot and scouts love his makeup – some believe that his competitive football background will help him maximize his “formidable raw stuff.”

Round 21 (#621)
C Nathan Rodriguez – Cypress College (JUCO)

Pipeline: n/a || BA: 426 || BP: n/a

Rodriguez was originally drafted by the Rockies out of high school in 2014 but didn’t sign as he was committed to Arkansas. At that time, he was praised as having the chance to be an elite defender behind the plate with the potential to develop into an above-average hitter at catcher. He eventually found his way to Cypress College in order to re-enter the draft more quickly, and he hit .311/.395/.402 with two homers while walking (24) more than twice as often as he struck out (11) across 164 at-bats this season.

Round 22 (#651)
LHP Cam Roegner – Bradley

A local product, the Beloit, WI native redshirted during his freshman year after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The lefty was at his best during his final season at Bradley, posting a 2.56 ERA and 68:12 K/BB ratio in 91.1 innings as a senior this year. An article at MLB.com noted that Roegner showed an improved changeup and feel for pitching to both sides of the plate this season.

Round 23 (#681)
1B Ronnie Gideon – Texas A&M

Coming out of high school, Gideon was considered an offense-first talent with a good load and swing plane plus the body type (6’3″ 220 lb) for above-average power projections. He’s also been praised for his plate discipline. He had a solid three-year career at Texas A&M, including serving as a part-time player this season while hitting .284/.419/.597 with five homers and six doubles in 67 at-bats. He’s played a bit of everywhere, including outfield, third base, and catcher, though while he’s got a strong arm he’s struggled with his footwork and the Brewers will look to employ him at first base.

Round 24 (#711)
RHP Michael Gonzalez – Norwalk (Ohio) HS

Gonzalez is believed to be the first player drafted into the Major Leagues from his high school. He was terrific as Norwalk’s ace during his senior season, posting a 1.64 ERA in 51.1 innings with 56 strikeouts vs. 22 walks. Gonzalez added velocity this year and has hit 95 MPH with his fastball this season but more typically sits in the 90-93 MPH range with clean arm action according to Mike Porzio, the Brewers scout who also happens to own the travel club Gonzalez plays for.

Round 25 (#741)
LHP Blake Lillis – St. Thomas Aquinas (Kansas) HS

An Arkansas commit, Lillis was a high school teammate of one of the top arms in this year’s draft class in Riley Pint. Lillis has a projectable frame and features a fastball that sits in the upper 80s and touches 90 MPH to go along with a plus changeup.

Round 26 (#771)
SS Nick Roscetti – Iowa

Roscetti was an All Big-10 selection during after his senior season for the Hawkeyes thanks to a .305/.376/.386 showing with nine steals in 56 games. According to a report, Roscetti struggles with pitches on the outer half of the plate and doesn’t go to the opposite field well. He does have a strong arm and large frame on defense and has played a steady, if unspectacular shortstop.

Round 27 (#801)
RF Nick Cain – Faulkner

Cain, a transfer from the University of North Georgia, was the best hitter on a Faulkner squad that went 53-15 in the NAIA this year. He hit .351/.443/.772 with 19 home runs and 17 doubles in 205 at-bats while also stealing 20 bases in 20 attempts.

Round 28 (#831)
RHP Andrew Vernon – North Carolina Central University

Vernon functioned mostly as a reliever during his four-year career at NC Central but was moved to a swingman role during his senior season. In 19 appearances (six starts), he posted a 3.34 ERA with 85 strikeouts and 27 walks in 62.0 innings. Vernon throws a sinking fastball in the 88-92 MPH range that can touch 94 along with an “average or better slider.”

Round 29 (#861)
RHP Brennan Price – Felician College

Price is a large human – standing 6’9″ and weighing 265 lbs – and was a two way player as a pitcher and DH at Felician this season. At the plate he hit .346/.447/.478 with 17 extra base hits in 50 games. But his sturdy build and power fastball that sits in the low-to-mid 90s are what the Brewers drafted him for. This was Price’s first full season working on the mound (he pitched 5.2 innings across the previous two seasons) and he posted a 5.48 ERA and a 42:29 K/BB ratio in 44.1 innings.

Round 30 (#891)
RHP Dalton Brown – Texas Tech

A reliever during his career at Texas Tech, Brown pitched to a 4.11 ERA in 15.1 innings during his senior season with a 12:5 K/BB ratio and has hit 95 MPH with his fastball.

Round 31 (#921)
1B Ryan Aguilar – University of Arizona

The senior took off this season after moving from the outfield to first base, and hit .311/.387/.510 while leading his team with both eight home runs and 21 doubles. He’s considered an above-average defender with terrific range for a first baseman.

Round 32 (#951)
RHP Wilson Adams – University of Alabama-Huntsville

Adams was an All-American Honorable Mention and a finalist for the Brett Tomko award as the top pitcher in Division II for his work at Alabama-Huntsville this season. In 95.2 innings, he posted a 2.45 ERA and 101:29 K/BB ratio during his senior year. The big bodied righty (6’5″ 205 lb) throws an upper-80s fastball that touches 90 along with a low-80s changeup and a curveball in the mid-70s.

Round 33 (#981)
RHP Emerson Gibbs – Tulane

Gibbs was an integral part of a strong Tulane pitching staff this year, posting a 2.61 ERA and 88:24 K/BB ratio across 110.1 innings. The senior throws a fastball in the 88-92 MPH range that has “outstanding control, command, and sink” as well as an 82 MPH spike curveball that he uses as hit out pitch.

Round 34 (#1011)
RHP Matt Smith – Georgetown

Smith served as a starter for the Hoyas this year and posted a 4.52 ERA and 64:28 K/BB ratio in 81.2 innings pitched. He throws his fastball in the 93 MPH range.

Round 35 (#1041)
RHP Chase Williams – Wichita State

Williams was a swingman for the Shockers this season, starting in five of his 27 appearances and pitching 38.1 innings. He posted a 6.10 ERA with a 39:30 K/BB ratio. He throws a fastball in the 90-95 MPH range along with a “devastating” hard slider that sits from 84-90 MPH and he’s developing a changeup, as well. He’ll have to focus on improving his command as a pro.

Round 36 (#1071)
RHP Parker Bean – Liberty University

Bean struggled during his last two seasons at Liberty, including a 6.11 ERA in 35.1 innings this season. He did strike out an impressive 42 batters, though his 45 walks more than negate that total. Bean is an athletic kid who throws a mid-90s fastball along with a curveball and changeup that could be quality offerings in time, though he obviously will need to find the strike zone with more consistency in the professional ranks.

Round 37 (#1101)
SS Jomar Cortes – Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy (HS, Puerto Rico)

Cortes was the third draftee from Carlos Beltran’s academy this year and the second pick made by the Brewers from the school, where he participated on showcase teams and was noted for having above-average speed.

Round 38 (#1131)
CF Caleb Whalen – University of Portland

The son of Brewers’ scout Shawn Whalen, Caleb had his best year as a redshirt senior this season and hit .304/.399/.551 with five home runs and 17 doubles in 39 games. He’s been called a plus runner with an “underrated” hit tool that has the ability to play multiple positions in both the infield and outfield.

Round 39 (#1161)
CF Jose Gomez – St. Thomas

Gomez might be the only baseball player that’s shorter than I am (he stands a wee 5’3″) but that didn’t stop him from tearing up the NAIA this season. He posted a .383/.481/.523 slash with four home runs and 17 steals in 52 games for St. Thomas this year while walking as many times as he struck out (29).

Round 40 (#1191)
RHP Kyle Serrano – Tennessee

Pipeline: 161 || BA: 386 || BP: n/a

Serrano bypassed the pros as a potential first round pick after high school to pitch for his dad at Tennessee, and in retrospect it looks like it might have been the wrong decision. He’s had an up-and-down career at Tennessee and recently underwent Tommy John surgery. When healthy, he’s shown to be a premium pitching talent with a sinking fastball that can reach 96 MPH along with an above-average curveball and slider, and a changeup that needs some more work. He has also had issues with his command. Serrano has already said he’ll be returning to Tennessee to rehab and prepare for his senior season rather than join the Brewers and work with their award-winning medical staff. I’m sure he’ll be hoping for a strong and healthy season and a higher draft slot next year.

All together, the Brewers 41 selections broke down like this:

– 21 College Players
– 20 High School Players
– 17 Right Handed Pitchers
– 4 Left Handed Pitchers
– 5 Outfielders
– 4 Shortstops
– 3 Third Baseman
– 2 First Baseman
– 1 Second Baseman
– 5 Catchers

I personally don’t do much pre-draft research into players and prefer to get to know them more once they are actually into the system, especially through this exercise. I wasn’t enamored with the Corey Ray pick at #5 overall with AJ Puk and Jason Groome both still available, but there seems to be plenty of more educated folks than I that like him an awful lot.

#Brewers OF Corey Ray is a true power-speed threat. 30 XBH in 56 regular season games (.254 ISO) with 37 SB in 37 tries.

— Matt Eddy (@MattEddyBA) June 9, 2016

Corey Ray to the Brewers next, which would mean they get the player I think is the best prospect in the draft. https://t.co/nNxJRYgrWX

— keithlaw (@keithlaw) June 9, 2016

And some smart folks looking at the Brewers class on the whole:

Interested to see bonus amounts for #Brewers draftees. If there's room to sign 3B Chad McClanahan and SS Trevor Morrison, I love this class.

— J.P. Breen (@JP_Breen) June 14, 2016

Sorry, that was the #Brewers who got Burnes. I should have guessed. They've had the best draft of any team and I'm not sure it's close.

— Christopher Crawford (@CVCrawfordBP) June 10, 2016

Here are the prospects from outside the top 10 rounds of this year’s draft class that have piqued my particular interest (I have an affinity for pitching, personally):