2014 Brewers' 1st-Rd. Pick Speculation & Overall 2014 Prospects Discussion Thread

[splitterpfj]

Schwarber would be a fine pick, so would Pentecost, Trea Turner, Michael Conforto or Brad Zimmer, among hitters - on the pitching side there are as many players who would not be considered a reach if the Brewers took them.

 

The best thing about the first pick for the Brewers is, they have abundance to choose from, if there's a downside, you just know some of these guys won't make it....with no obvious answer, the risk of missing would seem to go up.

[brewerprospectwatch]

I see all sorts of talk here about Max Pentecost being a good catcher, yet he is seen as an offense first catcher, who won't give you any power with the bat. Average marks for his defense including his arm and issues about how he throws. These would be big reasons for me to not pick him at 12. When it comes to the most important defensive player on the team, I would much rather have a plus defender first and then worry about the bat.

 

I am not a fan of Bradley Zimmer either for similar reasons regarding power. You're picking a Norichka Aoki type player at the twelvth pick. He's not a bad player to have, but this high in the draft I would rather have a RF with power than a Chris Donorfia role player piece.

 

Same goes for Turner, as he is nice defensively, with speed, but a bottom of the lineup player is not what I would want with that #12 pick.

 

I tend to think they have to be thinking about a pitcher at this spot and Toussaint, Beede and Finnegan have to be the top targets, and Schwarber being the top bat under consideration.

 

Schwarber isn't a catcher but at least you are going to get a player who can play 1B or LF and not worry about his offensive production

[nate82]

Pentecost has been compared to being as good defensively and offensively as Lucroy.

 

Pentecost has power for a catcher probably around 20 hr's a year type of a player. Which is definitely good enough for the 12th pick.

[SRB]

Is Jacob Gatewood an absurd reach at #12? Personally Personally I want the highest upside possible and his power looks very impressive. (Then again, if his ceiling is Pedro Alvarez/Mark Trumbo at 3B, then eh...)

[brewerprospectwatch]

Pentecost has been compared to being as good defensively and offensively as Lucroy.

 

Pentecost has power for a catcher probably around 20 hr's a year type of a player. Which is definitely good enough for the 12th pick.

 

I have read that he is more of a 12-15 HR type of guy, and when it comes to Lucroy, I dont think of him as a very good defender. I have seen him compared to Jason Kendall, but Kendall was a pretty dang good defender. The bat is nice if you are a second baseman. I would just rather have a catcher at that pick have power and be a good defender.

 

I just want a more impactful player at that 12th pick. Schwarber and Chavis do it as well as a few of the pitchers, but not a hit only (without power) with an unspectacular defensive profile as a catcher.

[brewcrewdue80]

Pentecost has been compared to being as good defensively and offensively as Lucroy.

 

Pentecost has power for a catcher probably around 20 hr's a year type of a player. Which is definitely good enough for the 12th pick.

 

 

That would essentially be making the argument against him at 12. Lucroy was a 2nd rd pick. In a draft regarded high on potential why take a 2nd rd pick talent with the 12th pick?

[BallFour]

Actually Lucroy is a 3rd round pick but comparing draft position to why you shouldn't take a player seems kind of shortsighted to me. Paul Goldschmidt was an 8th round pick should we not pick a similar prospect because Goldschmidt was an 8th round pick, no.

[3and2Fastball]

I see Pentecost as more of a risk, but the reward is potentially high because it is difficult to find Catchers.

 

I would go with Schwarber though, if he's available at 12. I have no idea if Schwarber will be a Joey Votto type or an Ike Davis type but I'll be shocked if he doesn't contribute at the MLB level and soon. Schwarber is a guy who will likely be an MLB starting 1B in the 2016 season and the Brewers organization is extremely lacking in 1B talent

[SRB]

I see Pentecost as more of a risk, but the reward is potentially high because it is difficult to find Catchers.

 

I would go with Schwarber though, if he's available at 12. I have no idea if Schwarber will be a Joey Votto type or an Ike Davis type but I'll be shocked if he doesn't contribute at the MLB level and soon. Schwarber is a guy who will likely be an MLB starting 1B in the 2016 season and the Brewers organization is extremely lacking in 1B talent

 

I buy into to the best-player-available mentality to a certain extent, but don't you think it makes sense to move Braun to 1B at some point in the next few years? And Braun's not getting traded (probably ever). Since Schwarber is not way better than all of the other options, I would prefer to not draft a 1B-only guy. Especially since it is so hard to hit well enough to be a successful 1B prospect. If he was a sure-thing above-average 1B he would be going a lot higher.

[brewerprospectwatch]

Braun's not getting moved until he starts to slow down, which given his body type, could be a long way off.

 

Drafting a guy because he plays a position that you might move another guy to isnt a very solid philosophy either.

 

Schwarber could very well be BPA and even if you have an all star playing the position right now, no reason to not draft that guy.

[SRB]

Braun's not getting moved until he starts to slow down, which given his body type, could be a long way off.

 

Drafting a guy because he plays a position that you might move another guy to isnt a very solid philosophy either.

 

Schwarber could very well be BPA and even if you have an all star playing the position right now, no reason to not draft that guy.

 

I think that's true if you have, say, Bryce Harper v. Eric Arnett to choose from, but the difference between all of the great players that will be available at #12 is so marginal/ambiguous that I think the BPA philosophy is severely over-stated sometimes. If you have two players that are roughly equally good, there's no reason not to take organizational realities into account. Especially if one player is a 1B-only and thus really cannot play anywhere else--it limits your options. In theory you could trade him, but prospects aren't always such a fungible commodity.

 

Maybe I am wrong about them moving Braun though, in which case Schwarber makes more sense (especially if he can move through the system fast).

[splitterpfj]

On Pentecost, here's a new ranking that was just posted, which shows him as the #12 player in this draft. Whether you believe that or not, I don't think it's fair to compare him to Lucroy at this point, because Lucroy was never considered to be anywhere near that good prior to the draft. Obviously, there's something there with Pentecost, or people like Jim Callis wouldn't consider him to be a worthy pick in the middle of round one.

 

http://mlbdraftinsider.com/2014/06/the-final-2014-board-probably/

 

I've suggested Pentecost to Milwaukee, and that's where I put him in my mock draft, but he's one of several players who would be a good fit. I don't think the Brewers should take Pentecost because he is a catcher, I think they should take him because he's an excellent young player who would fill an organizational need.

 

Schwarber is the same deal, a good prospect, who fits in the range of Milwaukee's first pick, as are several of the pitchers, and a few more hitters.

 

Personally, I don't want them to take Conforto or Zimmer, if they take one of the arms, Pentecost, or Schwarber, I'm a happy guy.

 

Colbyjack...do you still see Chavis as a "maybe" for the Brewers' first pick?

[brewcrewdue80]

Actually Lucroy is a 3rd round pick but comparing draft position to why you shouldn't take a player seems kind of shortsighted to me. Paul Goldschmidt was an 8th round pick should we not pick a similar prospect because Goldschmidt was an 8th round pick, no.

 

Thanks I knew it wasn't the 1st rd, but just pointing out, if you're comparing Pentecost to Lucroy pre-draft in projections moving forward, how does Lucroy last past the first round and Pentecost is a top 15pick in this draft class? To me that reads Pentecost isn't a first round selection at all but comparing him to Lucroy and Lucroy's success has risen his draft stock to top 15 because he's riding Lucroy's success as outcome in selection. Not his own tools projecting as a non-first rd selection. How many prospects with Lucroy's tools never even reached the Majors? I don't want a Catcher selected in this draft at #12. I'm sorry they just aren't overly valuable to me in a draft selection. You can find mediocre catchers yearly via FA. You It's too high a draft pick to take a Catcher. If you take Pentecost @12 he better project 100% to be a perennial All-Star. Nothing less. A 2-3WAR annually by him instead I'd call the pick a failure. Pass.

[brewmann04]

If there not a Dynamic 3rd base prospect go get pitching.

[StearnsFTW]

I honestly don't get why Nola is projected so high. I hope he's gone by the Brewers' pick, and it certainly appears he will be. I've had enough limited upside college pitchers in the top 1/2 of the first round for one lifetime.

 

Gimme Touissant please.

[LouisEly]

Here's who I got:

 

#12: Sean Newcomb, LHP, or Kyle Schwarber, C/OF

#41: Matt Imhoff, LHP, or Cody Reed, LHP

2nd: Keith Weisenberg, RHP, or Tiquan Forbes, SS/3B

3rd: Evan Skoug, C, or Eric Skoglund, LHP

[splitterpfj]

Chris Crawford's mock...

 

http://mlbdraftinsider.com/2014/06/the-penultimate-mock-2/

[Eye Black]

Mock Draft: Aiken gets nod at No. 1 over Rodon

 

12. Milwaukee Brewers: Tyler Beede, RHP, Vanderbilt

Beede is still one of the more difficult players to place due to what was a fairly inconsistent season. Still, the raw stuff is excellent and a team in the top 10 that believes he just needs mechanical adjustments could take him. Milwaukee could also be looking at college hitters or high school pitchers like Grant Holmes or Kodi Medeiros.

Mayo's last pick: Conforto | Callis' last pick: Pentecost

I will be disappointed if the Brewers pass on Grant Holmes to take Tyler Beede. I haven't given up on the idea of Beede becoming an effective starter, but I really have grown to like Holmes. Holmes seems like he has the "it" factor to take the mound with confidence and poise. Predicting long-term success for a pitcher is a near impossibility, but I would not be surprised if Holmes ends up being one of the 2 or 3 best pitchers to come out of this draft.

[Eye Black]

Scout's 2014 MLB Draft: Mock V2.0

 

#12 - Brewers: LHP - Brandon Finnegan

 

ANALYSIS: The Brewers are in a position to wait and see who slips to them from the big second tier of talent. Pentecost, Zimmer, Holmes, Finnegan and Newcomb are the top names on my board and all fit here, along with the already-chosen Conforto, and the available Sean Reid-Foley, Tyler Beede, Derek Hill and Michael Chavis, who have also been mentioned. The Brewers are notoriously tight-lipped and that amount of names means I have no idea who they will pick, though a healthy Finnegan (provided he looks fine this weekend) is believed to fit in picks 10-15 by nearly every scout I talk to and the Brewers have leaned to college arms early in recent drafts.

I really hope this isn't how it shakes out. I would prefer any other player listed in this top 20 over Finnegan.

[TheCrew07]

I'm not opposed to a college player, well obviously with all my yapping about Freeland and Newcomb, but I am opposed to a college OF bat and I'm wary of Pentecost. I hope all of this "I hear the Brewers want a college player" is just a smoke screen because I hate the idea of picking "a fast moving college player" when there will be better talent on the board. The Brewers haven't managed to draft a fast moving college player since Braun... not that it can't happen, but a player like Beede will be a project. If we're drafting a project why not go with a HS kid who might be in AA by the time he's 21 instead of trying to fix someone who's already that age on draft day?

 

Please don't screw up this draft looking for quick moving high floor talent Seid!

[3and2Fastball]

Maybe its because I've seen more of him, but I can't help thinking Schwarber is going to be a special, special player. The type of hitter who will hit 25-30 HR's, bat .320 with a .440 OBP type of hitter.... and I hate to say it but I can see the Brew Crew passing on him and regretting it for years

 

Pentecost is really good too, and had a big hit vs Alabama to help propel Kennesaw State to the Super Regionals. He isn't just an offensive player either, he is a skilled Catcher.

 

The Brewers have a team option on Lucroy in 2017 and he'll become a 32 year old free agent in 2018, I can see why they would consider a top flight Catcher with the #12 pick. However there is a huge gaping hole in terms of left-handed power hitting in our current lineup, especially at 1B, and Schwarber should be ready to roll at the MLB level in 2016....

[brewerprospectwatch]

I will be disappointed if the Brewers pass on Grant Holmes to take Tyler Beede. I haven't given up on the idea of Beede becoming an effective starter, but I really have grown to like Holmes. Holmes seems like he has the "it" factor to take the mound with confidence and poise. Predicting long-term success for a pitcher is a near impossibility, but I would not be surprised if Holmes ends up being one of the 2 or 3 best pitchers to come out of this draft.

 

I really hope this isn't how it shakes out. I would prefer any other player listed in this top 20 over Finnegan.

 

I couldn't be in complete disagreement with you on both of these points.

 

On Beede, he has great stuff and is athletic enough to figure out his control issues and start to repeat his delivery and get it on track as a more repeatable action. I think he would be a great pick, in complete opposition to Holmes who I see as a bad body with no projection kid who has control issues. He has good stuff but nothing makes me think he can work out the proglems.

 

And on Finnegan, I see him as a steal at 12 if he is available seeing as how his "durability" issues were andswered in his last start. Again, good stuff, left handed, athletic.

 

The big disappointment picks for me will be Holmes, Zimmer, or Pentecost.

[princeofpop]

Personally, I think the Brewers should select 3B/SS Jacob Gatewood with their first pick.

 

I think he has superstar potential and the best power in the draft.

 

His hit tool is in question, but he reminds me of Manny Machado.

 

We can then pop some pitchers with picks #41 or #50.

[fondybrewfan]

There seems to be a lot of disagreement in the prospects that are ranked in the 10-20 range. Someone is probably going to be upset with whoever ends up being picked. I don't follow this close enough but if most people are projecting the kid the Brewers take in the top 15 then it is probably a good pick and a player who has the ability to be a really good player. I just can't get upset if one scout or another thinks a kid is projectable or if they have too low a ceiling. Who the hell really knows? Mark Appel has been atrocious for the Astros and he was almost universally loved by everyone. Of course he can turn it around yet but the point being is that the MLB draft is an extremely inexact science.

[Jenkins5]

Personally, I think the Brewers should select 3B/SS Jacob Gatewood with their first pick.

 

I think he has superstar potential and the best power in the draft.

 

His hit tool is in question, but he reminds me of Manny Machado.

 

We can then pop some pitchers with picks #41 or #50.

 

 

I'd love Gatewood. Big boom or bust guy! In beginning of the year most were talking about him as a top 5 top 10 pick. He has all the talent, size, and attributes you could wish for.....now he just has to come around and put it all together!

 

Gatewood or Chavis will make me extremely happy