Brewers' 3rd round selection has shades of Jacob Misiorowski

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski is rightfully the talk of Major League Baseball right now. The 23-year-old rookie just pitched in the All-Star Game despite having just five career MLB starts under his belt. However, coming out of junior college as a second-round pick back in 2022, hamstring and meniscus injuries, command and mechanics concerns, and having an "at best above-average slider" had scouts labeling him a work in progress.

 Fast forward three years from Misiorowski's draft day, and the Brewers may have a déjà vu signing in third-round selection Jacob Morrison. He's a 6'8" hurler (an inch taller than The Miz) who has already undergone Tommy John surgery — mirroring the injury concerns that Misiorowski had coming out of JUCO. Scouts aren't high on his secondary pitches, and his mechanics have concerns. Even still, as was the case with The Miz, the potential is there for a really strong starting pitcher.

Brewers third round selection Jacob Morrison could follow a similar path as Jacob Misiorowski

When Misiorowski was drafted, scouts raved about his fastball. At the time, it had touched 100 mph, but he consistently sat in the mid-90s — much like Morrison currently does. Miz's fastball had an elite spin rate, and the extension that he possessed made his heater appear even faster to hitters.  His slider was said to have good depth, at the time was being thrown in the mid-80s, and his inability to land it for strikes was a big concern.

Morrison similarly has a great fastball, reaching 95 mph with a ton of extension that increases its perceived velocity. Where his heater differs is his uniquely high release point, giving the pitch a steep downhill appearance from his towering 6'8" frame. A slider and curveball are Morrison's go-to off-speed pitches, but commanding them in the strike zone is still a work in progress.

Where the two pitchers differ the most is in their mechanics. Misiorowski was criticized for his rather wild-appearing delivery that looked difficult to repeat with any consistency. On the other hand, Morrison has a more controlled, but clunky-appearing delivery. Over time, Misiorowski has honed in his delivery and cleaned up his command. The Brewers tend to let players work with their strengths, but loosening up Morrison's delivery a little bit more and letting his long limbs work more could create more velocity.

The parallels between these two pitchers are hard to ignore. From their similar physical profiles and injury histories to their electric fastballs, promising off-speed stuff, and initial question marks on draft day. Fortunately, both are now part of the Brewers organization, which has built a strong reputation for developing pitching talent. Given the similarities, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Morrison chart a path through the minors much like Misiorowski’s.