Brewers 2020 MLB Draft: 3 More Pitchers To Know For The First Round

As we finish our preparations for the 2020 MLB Draft, we have a few more college pitchers that could be important to know for the Milwaukee Brewers in the first round.

There is a cluster of college righties that are ranked very close together and are projected to go in rapid succession in the late first round into the early second. The Milwaukee Brewers could have their pick of the litter with the 20th overall selection.

We’ve already profiled several of the top candidates and even had them selected in our Brewers Mock Drafts. Let’s take a look at a few more pitching options the Brewers could consider to head their 2020 Draft class.

Bobby Miller, RHP, Louisville

At the surface, Bobby Miller looks like a future stud at the front of a rotation. He has great size (6’5″, 220 lbs) and a powerful fastball that sits 95-96 MPH and can hit 97-99 MPH consistently as well. He also has a plus secondary pitch in a hard slider that sits in the upper 80s. His arsenal is finished out with a solid changeup as his third offering.

However, Miller is not guaranteed to stick in the rotation. His delivery isn’t smooth and easy, and his control is lacking. He’s going to need to improve his strike throwing ability to stick in the rotation in the big leagues. There’s a good chance, some scouts believe, that Miller is destined for the bullpen where his big fastball and slider combination can play up in shorter outings.

In the spring, Miller vaulted himself into first round consideration with a strong performance. Through four starts, Miller had a 2.31 ERA over 23.1 IP with 34 strikeouts and nine walks.

If that changeup continues to develop and his command ticks up, Miller could be a solid innings eater in the middle or back of a rotation someday.

Chris McMahon, RHP, Miami

The last time the Brewers selected a Miami Hurricane in the first round of the draft, they took Ryan Braun in 2005. There are two options for them this year, Chris McMahon and Slade Cecconi.

Let’s talk about McMahon first. McMahon is MLB Pipeline’s 29th ranked prospect and was the Saturday night starter for the Hurricanes this year.

McMahon’s numbers got better every single year, improving from a 4.44 ERA in his freshman year that was cut short because of a knee injury to a 3.73 ERA in 12 starts his sophomore year all the way to his shortened, but successful 2020 season. In four starts, McMahon had a stellar 1.05 ERA in 25.2 IP with 38 strikeouts, five walks, and just three runs allowed. Of his 19 hits allowed all season, only two went for extra bases, and they were both doubles.

McMahon works with a mid-90s fastball that has some good movement on it. He pairs it with a changeup that flashes plus and is a good pitch to induce weak ground balls and get some outs. He also has a curveball that gets slurvy at times and will need to be refined a bit more to be true plus pitch.

He has a really good combination of size, stuff, and command that should give him a high floor as a rotation innings eater in the future.

Slade Cecconi, RHP, Miami

The second Hurricane that’s a potential first round is Slade Cecconi. The Hurricanes’ Sunday starter is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Draft’s No. 31 prospect.

Cecconi didn’t have quite as successful of a 2020 season as McMahon, but he still put up some solid numbers in his sophomore season. Through four starts, Cecconi held a 3.80 ERA over 21.1 IP with 30 strikeouts and seven walks. His best start came against Rutgers where he went six innings, allowed just two hits, one run, one walk, and had eight strikeouts.

Cecconi has ideal size (6’4″, 219 lbs) and velocity. His fastball sits in mid-90s and it pairs well with a hard slider in the upper 80s. He has a four pitch mix, also throwing a changeup and a curveball, although both are below average offerings. If he’s going to remain a starting pitcher, Cecconi is going to need one of those other secondary pitches to develop.

There’s a chance Cecconi will have to go to the bullpen, where teams can simply utilize his already strong fastball-slider combination. He does have good upside in the rotation and if the Brewers or any other team take him in the first round, they will be banking on him reaching that rotation upside.

All of these guys will likely be on the board when the Brewers are on the clock for the 20th overall pick. They’re going to be dreaming on the upside potential for all of them if they’re the selections.