Brewers 5 Round Mock Draft: Finding Guys That Fit The Brewers Mold

The Milwaukee Brewers find themselves with the 18th overall selection in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft. They also have a Competitive Balance Round A selection at 33rd overall, putting the Brewers in a great position to add elite talent to the organization.

Brewers scouting director Tod Johnson has been in charge of Milwaukee's draft for several years now. He's shown some tendencies with what he likes to draft when it comes to both hitters and pitchers.

Using Prospects Live's Mock Draft Simulator, I created a 5 round mock draft to see which players might be on the board for the Brewers and tried to identify players that fit Milwaukee's mold that they could select.

Round 1: The Brewers grab another college hitter

Round 1(18): SS Matt Shaw, Maryland

The Brewers have selected a college hitter with their first round pick for three years in a row and we're going to make it a fourth. Several quality high school hitters were on the board while the college demographic was largely run through, at least among the players that play up the middle, but Matt Shaw remained for Milwaukee to snatch.

Matt Shaw is above average with both his hit tool and his power, along with providing plus speed. He's one of the top pure hitters in this class and that's the primary tool the Brewers love to target. He's also athletic enough to stick at shortstop and can handle a variety of positions. Shaw walks more than he strikes out and steals a lot of bases, falling into a similar mold to the Crew's recent draft picks.

If Matt Shaw is on the board for the Brewers at 18, don't be surprised if he's the pick.

Round 3: Brewers stock up on more outfield depth

Round 3(87): Ethan O'Donnell, OF, Virginia

The Brewers love themselves a good college outfielder and Ethan O'Donnell is one of the best remaining on the board to begin the 2nd day of the Draft in this mock.

O'Donnell is a hit over power type that has shown a further improved hit tool this year and the athleticism to stick in centerfield. He has the ability to hit to all fields and burgeoning power. He's a great athlete and his speed has ticked up of late, which will likely put him even more on the Brewers radar.

Round 4: The Brewers love themselves a Junior College pitcher

Round 4(119): Christian Oppor, LHP, Gulf Coast State JC

Every year the Brewers select one or more of the top Junior College pitchers in the Draft and this year will likely be no different. While there's no one in the JuCo crop that will push into the top 2 rounds like Jacob Misiorowski did last year, the Brewers do have a history of taking JuCo arms in the 4th round with Aaron Ashby (2018) and Logan Henderson (2021). I have them continuing that trend in 2023.

On top of being a JuCo arm, Christian Oppor is a Wisconsin native as well, hailing from Columbus HS near Madison. Oppor is incredibly athletic, which the Brewers tend to love, and while he's raw on the mound, there's a lot of talent there they can mold and have shown to be quite good at molding. His fastball sits mid-90s and he can reach back for 98 MPH.

A big, athletic JuCo arm that hails from Wisconsin seems like a great play in the 4th round for the Brewers.

Round 5: Brewers Keep It In The Family

Round 5(155): Gavin Grahovac, OF/C, Villa Park (CA)

The Brewers have selected at least one player from each of their Area Code Games rosters in every Draft since 2005. It stands to reason that trend will continue and it could continue with Gavin Grahovac.

Potentially a tough sign as a high school hitter in the 5th round that may benefit from some college development, what could entice him to sign and what could entice the Brewers to select him is that Grahovac is Garrett Mitchell's cousin. Milwaukee's Opening Day centerfielder isn't the only big time athlete in his family and the genes are clearly good, so why not go back to that well?

Grahovac does break from the Brewers mold slightly in that he's a power-over-hit profile at the moment. But in the 5th round you can afford to take some risks like that and take different types of players. Joey Wiemer has always been a power-over-hit type. They were willing to take a risk on his potential in the 4th round, while they likely wouldn't take someone with that profile in the 1st round.