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Milwaukee Brewers 2024 pick headed just up the road to begin professional career

You can soon see the 34th overall pick playing just over in Appleton.

By Matt Carroll |
Blake Burke speaks to press at American Family Field in Milwaukee on Tuesday, July 23, 2024.
Blake Burke speaks to press at American Family Field in Milwaukee on Tuesday, July 23, 2024. / Max Correa / The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Good news, Milwaukee Brewers fans. You will get a few chances this season to watch one of the team's top draft picks from the 2024 MLB draft and all you have to do is take the interstate a little bit north to Appleton, Wisconsin.

First baseman Blake Burke has been added to the High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers roster for the rest of the 2024 season. The Brewers' minor league squad announced the roster move on X/Twitter Saturday morning.

Burke was selected 34th overall by the Brewers last month in the Competitive Balance A round. Milwaukee acquired the pick last offseason as part of the trade that sent starting pitcher Corbin Burnes to the Orioles. The return is now complete with Burke, third baseman Joey Ortiz, and pitcher DL Hall.

Burke played at the University of Tennessee for three years before being picked by the Brewers. In his 182 games there, he hit .332 with a 1.072 OPS while slugging 39 doubles, 50 homers, and 136 RBIs. 30 of the doubles and 20 of the homers came in his final year with the Volunteers alone.

The Brewers locked Burke up just a week after the draft, the same day they also signed first rounder Braylon Payne. Burke would end up signing for $2.1MM, an underslot signing as his slot value was just shy of $2.7MM

The Brewers have been more willing to select corner infielders in the early part of the draft in the last couple years. They selected two within the first two rounds last season in third basemen Brock Wilken and Mike Boeve.

Burke should get a good chunk of time to acclimate himself to his new post-college career. The Timber Rattlers still have 26 games remaining in their season and also have secured at least a couple postseason games after clinching a playoff spot in the first half of the year.

A few more draft picks will likely get added to minor league teams before the season is all said and done. But it's fun to know that one pick, and a higher one at that, is about to be playing right in the Brewers' "backyard."

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