Milwaukee Brewers’ Draft Targets: Kyle Funkhouser

Recently the Milwaukee Brewers have not had a whole lot of luck drafting a college pitcher in the first round. Not only have Jed Bradley and Taylor Jungmann not yet made it to the major leagues, but others like Eric Arnett are completely out of the league.

With the 15th pick in the 2015 draft, the Brewers will have plenty of options of both high school and college arms. One intriguing college option is Louisville starter, Kyle Funkhouser. Here is a look at what to expect were they to select him with their first pick Monday night.

At 6’2”, Funkhouser has the makeup to be an innings eater for years to come at the major league level. Though he was undrafted out of high school, Funkhouser has been one of the best pitchers in the NCAA for years. After an impressive freshman year where he was named a Louisville Slugger All-American, he was even better last year as a sophomore. During that sophomore season, Funkhouser didn’t just win 13 games, but he also posted a 1.94 ERA to go along with 122 strikeouts. These numbers helped him to be viewed as one of the top-five college arms in the upcoming draft.

This season Funkhouser’s strikeouts are down (95) and his ERA (3.25) is up, but he still has remained a difference maker at one of the best schools in the NCAA.With a fastball that he can crank into the high 90’s and a four-pitch offering he has the capibility to not only overpower his opponents, but also keep them guessing at the plate.

Funkhouser struggled in recent weeks, but he really turned things around against Morehead State in his Regional start. During this start, he was able not only command his pitches, but also shutdown the strong Eagles offense in the Cardinals 7-2 victory.

Formerly seen as a top-10 pick, Funkhouser has the talent to quickly adjust and be on the fast-track to the major leagues. MLB.com currently ranks him as the 13th best player in the draft as some scouts seem to question his ability to be a stater at the major league level. He may not be available when the Brewers’ pick comes around, but if he is, he has enough talent to be someone the team simply cannot pass by. With the rebuild ready to begin, he is an arm that can speed up the process in Milwaukee.

Next: A Look Back at Clint Coulter's 2014

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