Milwaukee Brewers 2023 Pre-MLB Draft Superlatives

The Brewers shouldn't... Draft Enrique Bradfield

I've seen this pick in some mock drafts recently, and it concerns me. There's a decent chance that Enrique Bradfield won't even be available with the 18th overall pick. If he is, I could see the Brewers falling into the temptation to draft him.

Bradfield is an elite athlete and a fantastic defender in centerfield. He's the fastest player in the Draft by far. These are things that are graded very highly in the Brewers model and would likely put him high on their board. Bradfield's hit tool, however, doesn't have exciting upside. Bradfield doesn't have much power, mostly hitting the ball on the ground and does very little damage at the plate, but his focus is just getting on base and stealing.

Offensively, Bradfield would have the least amount of upside of any of the top outfielders in the Brewers system. Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick, Joey Wiemer, and Jackson Chourio all have similarly elite speed and defense in centerfield but all of them have much higher offensive potential and upside. Milwaukee would be better off spending their first round pick on someone else.

The Brewers must... Improve pitching depth

You can never have enough pitching. High upside arms is their biggest need, but just stocking up on arms in general is something they must do during this Draft. Last year, the Brewers signed seven pitchers from their Draft class. Four pitchers from Day 3 did not sign.

21 of the Crew's top 30 prospects are hitters and if pitching is going to remain a strength of this team going forward, they need a steady pipeline of arms coming up.

Don't forget about... JuCo pitchers

One of the more overlooked demographics among fans and even some teams are Junior College pitchers. The Brewers, however, don't overlook them. Milwaukee has selected one or more of the top JuCo arms in the country in five of the last six drafts with great success. The only year they didn't was the 5 round Draft in 2020.

We've taken a look at the top JuCo pitchers in the country this year and it's highly likely the Brewers go this route once again. I'd be quite surprised if the Brewers don't take a pitcher or two from a junior college within the first 10 rounds of the Draft.

Don't be surprised when... The Brewers avoid a pitcher in the 1st round again

We've just been going over a lot about adding pitching in this Draft, but that doesn't mean it's something they'll address in Round 1. There may be some top pitchers on the board at 18 overall, but if there are college hitters they like as well that are available, I'd expect the Brewers to go with the bat.

Hurston Waldrep is the only college arm that would fit the Brewers tendencies in Round 1 that could be available, and even he may be gone by the 18th pick. Sure, Paul Skenes, Rhett Lowder, and Chase Dollander also would be great selections the Brewers would love, but those guys aren't falling to 18 overall.

High school pitching is also an area the Brewers tend to avoid, not just in the 1st round, but overall. If the Brewers go with another hitter in the first round, don't be shocked.

Most likely pick at 18... SS Matt Shaw, SS Tommy Troy, OF Enrique Bradfield, SS Jacob Gonzalez, SS Jacob Wilson

Four of the top five names here are college shortstops, and the other is a college outfielder. This draft is shaping up to have several talented college bats go in the 10-20 range of the first round and the Brewers will be choosing from who's left.

All five of these players will not be on the board when the Brewers are on the clock. But it's highly likely at least one, probably two of them will be there to pick from. Wilson and Gonzalez were seen as higher draft picks earlier on in the process, but have started to fall lately as Shaw and Troy seem to push up the board.

As stated above, Bradfield's speed, athleticism, and defense will make him stand out to Milwaukee and if he's there, it'll be tough for Milwaukee to pass him up but if one of these college shortstops are also available, I could easily see the Brewers going that route instead.

If this prospect is available, draft them no matter what... SS Matt Shaw

Of the five on that list above, Matt Shaw is the one that makes the most sense for the Brewers. He fits their tendencies, put up strong numbers, and would be an excellent value with the 18th overall pick.

Shaw's an elite athlete with plus speed, plus hitting ability, and above average power. He can stick at shortstop, which the Brewers will love, and can make a huge impact with the bat. He walks more than he strikes out and can be an impact bat in the lineup.

If Matt Shaw is there, the Brewers have to pull the trigger.

This prospect screams Milwaukee Brewers... C/SS/OF Cole Carrigg

If Craig Counsell could create his perfect player in a lab, it would look something like Cole Carrigg. Carrigg is a versatile, up the middle player that can provide excellent defense at all three of catcher, shortstop, and centerfield. Even the most elite athletes and players can only play two premium positions well maximum. You don't see many that can play all three.

Carrigg can throw the ball 100 MPH from the outfield and the infield, and records 1.9 second pop times behind the plate. That's elite. He also posts plus run times and shows a knack for stealing bases.

Offensively, Carrigg doesn't hit for much power, although he's started to show some. He makes a ton of contact, with a really good feel for hitting. He doesn't draw many walks, because he swings and makes contact so often. He's athletic, he has a natural feel to hit, and he can play all three premium positions, oh and he's a switch hitter, too. He sounds like everything the Brewers like.

Under the radar fit... SS Kevin McGonigle

The Brewers are mostly being connected to college hitters. But it's a high school hitter that I think could be a sneaky possibility for the Brewers at 18 overall or even potentially 33 overall.

Kevin McGonigle, a prep shortstop from Pennsylvania, fits everything the Brewers like in a hitter, except for being in college. He has a plus hit tool, solid power, great speed, and solid defensive ability up the middle. He has a high baseball IQ and is a left-handed hitter.

In Kiley McDaniel's final Big Board rankings, he said this of McGonigle:

[P]ure hitter with shorter limbs, medium power, good-not-great defensive ability. Tyler Black, Sal Frelick, and Eric Brown Jr. were this type and were all taken by the Brewers

Oh, so three of the top players with this exact same type of profile were all taken by the Milwaukee Brewers in the last two Drafts? That doesn't seem like a coincidence.

All the smoke has been around the Brewers and college bats. But a sneaky fit is McGonigle as a high school bat. He could be a below-slot pick at 18 overall to be sure they get him, or they could try to float him down to 33 overall with a overslot deal. Keep an eye on McGonigle.