Milwaukee Brewers 5 Round MLB Mock Draft 2.0

With the 121st pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, the Milwaukee Brewers select Luke Little, LHP, San Jacinto JC

Previous Selection: Tyler McDonough, OF/2B, NC State

Luke Little has gotten some recent attention of late after a viral video with Pitching Ninja of Little throwing a 105 MPH fastball. His stock has been trending upward of late and he’s firmly in the top five rounds.

Little is anything but little, standing at 6’8″ and 225 pounds. With his size and 70-grade fastball that hits triple digits, Little is what you would call an “imposing presence” on the mound.

Let’s talk about his fastball a little more. While his 105 MPH pitch is impressive, when he starts, he sits more in the 93-96 MPH range, and can reach it up there in short spurts, but he can’t maintain that velocity over a long outing. That itself could lead to Little’s future being in the bullpen rather than the rotation.

Along with that, Little a couple of solid secondary pitches that can be promising, but aren’t fully refined. His slider is best secondary pitch, followed by a curveball and changeup. He has the number of pitches necessary to be a starting pitcher, but unless two of them develop into more reliable offerings, it’s going to be tough to stick there. Also, his command is sub-par at the moment and will need improvement.

Little has the best fastball in this draft, and the fact that he’s left handed gives him added value. He’s committed to go to South Carolina next year if he doesn’t sign, but the 19 year old stands a very good chance of signing if he gets drafted. If he falls out of the five round draft, it’s unlikely he would sign as an undrafted free agent for no more than $20k.

If Little is there in the 4th round, he’d be a very attractive option for the Brewers who can add a tall lefty with a big fastball who could be the next Aroldis Chapman if he can refine his command. As a reliever, he could move fairly quickly through the minor league system.