Names Mentioned in Final Weeks Before Draft - 2017 Edition

[Eye Black]

The draft is still a few weeks away, but it's never too early to start up our now annual thread dedicated to players rumored or mentioned to have a connection with the Brewers leading up to the draft. A combination of social media and player articles often tip us off to news exposing a connection between the Brewers and an amateur draft prospect. This can come in the form of private workouts, scouts in attendance at games, players mentioning the team has contacted them, or just simply rumors of a team's interest in a given draft prospect. It is important to note that many of these rumors or connections do not come to fruition on draft day. Nevertheless it is fun to explore them as we try to piece together what might happen during the draft. Most of the players mentioned in last year's thread were not drafted by the Brewers, but we did have one glorious success story as Payton Henry's relationship with the team was profiled in-depth prior to his eventual selection in the 6th round.

 

For those that would like to revisit past "names mentioned" threads you can find those here (2015 Thread and 2016 Thread).

 

While we like to use this thread to track Brewers related MLB draft rumors, please note that discussion and debate surrounding the Brewers potential draft picks is underway in the other draft thread, The 2017 Draft Thread. Please continue to utilize that thread for in-depth conversation and opinions about potential Brewers draft selections.

 

Rumors will not heat up until we get closer to draft day, so we will start with a small primer. Our first Blog Post Link is in regards to Minnesota high school prep pitcher Sam Carlson. In addition to listing a few teams (Mariners, Giants, and Blue Jays) that reportedly have Carlson very high on their boards, the author notes, "teams that pick in the top ten that have interest are the Braves and Brewers."

[Madhawk23]

I haven't given up on Trent Clark yet, but looking back at the 2015 thread makes me wish that the mock draft that had Buehler to Milwaukee would have become a reality. I know there was the arm injury and probably some signability issues with him, but he's certainly living up to his potential now that his arm is back to health. Embarrassment of riches for the LA Dodgers.

[Eye Black]

Some notes on prep outfielder Austin Beck from Eric Longenhagen's Fangraphs Prospects Chat

 

Ted: I watched Austin Beck’s videos for the first time today. Am I wrong for being concerned about his swing and miss when he swings so hard?

 

Eric A Longenhagen: Nope, you’re on it. Scouts are concerned about the swing and miss, too. In fact, he was a guy I was told, by multiple sources, to move down the board after it went live. Huge tools, though. Still think he goes top 12 picks.

Jon: Any thoughts on who the Brewers may select at #9?

 

Eric A Longenhagen: Have heard them with Beck.

 

It's certainly worth checking out the entire Prospect Chat recap linked above. Longenhagen also calls Corey Ray one of the best prospects he saw this Spring.

[Oxy]

I'd prefer Beck or Adell to Kendall. It is obvious to me that this FO sees tools-y outfielders as currently underrated by the market. They may be right--but if we grab a 21 year old OF in the draft we better have some trades on the table. Judging from our prior drafts, the highest MLB value that our #1 picks have held was the day the World Series ended and they were eligible to be traded...

[Eye Black]

File this one under "interesting connection" as much as anything.

 

Article Link: Bryce Montes de Oca mystery man of baseball draft

 

The article chronicles the draft prospects of University of Missouri RHP Bryce Montes de Oca who stands 6'7" and weighs in at 262 pounds. The oft-injured hurler was an intriguing prospect coming out of Lawrence HS (Kan.) in 2014 and remains somewhat of a curiosity now as a college junior after experiencing some success both at Mizzou as well as on the Cape.

 

Where the article gets intriguing from a Brewers perspective is that it includes several quotes from his high school and Cape Cod Summer League coach, Brad Stoll. According to the article Stoll also scouts part-time for the Brewers.

[JosephC]

I'd prefer Beck or Adell to Kendall. It is obvious to me that this FO sees tools-y outfielders as currently underrated by the market. They may be right--but if we grab a 21 year old OF in the draft we better have some trades on the table. Judging from our prior drafts, the highest MLB value that our #1 picks have held was the day the World Series ended and they were eligible to be traded...

 

I'm the opposite. Seems to me the biggest concern with Beck/Adell/Kendall is their hit tool. Adell might have what could prove to be a fatal flaw in pitch recognition, whereas Beck might have the same problem but to a lesser extent and Kendall will probably will need to make some adjustments with his swing mechanics. But of those three, Kendall is the only one that has hit SEC pitching and I see him as having the safest defensive projection by far of the three (although the field/arm grades in the MLB profiles don't back that). With what he did at Vanderbilt there doesn't seem to be much question that he could play plus-defense at any of the outfield positions at the MLB level, I don't think that can be said about Beck or Adell (they may have the tools, they don't have the track record).

 

Kendall may have been one of the most over-rated prospects three months ago but now he's on the verge or being one of the most under-rated prospects. If he makes it out of the top 12 or 13 picks then he seems like a really good bargain pick.

 

Personally though, I think I would be off all these outfielders at number 9. Pavin Smith is the only bat that I like at #9 (and has a chance to make it there)...if not him then I like a number of different pitchers.

[JDBrewCrew]

Feels quieter then usual this year.

[Eye Black]

It has been quieter this year so far as compared to the past couple of years at this point leading up to the draft. Still, the next few days should hopefully pick up as more articles and draft workout information becomes available.

 

USA Today published a pair of articles yesterday that tied specific players to the various teams picking throughout the first round. The insight was the work of Frankie Piliere, a prospect writer for D1Baseball.com and a former scout with the Rangers. I have linked both articles and extracted some of the Brewers related content. I would highly recommend checking out the articles for yourself. Maybe more notable than the players Piliere connects with the Brewers are some of the names he doesn't connect to them such as Jo Adell and Jeren Kendall. Also, while he doesn't specifically link the Brewers to J.B. Bukauskas, he does mention that Bukauskas "is unlikely to fall beyond the first nine selections".

 

Top 12 HS Draft Prospects: MLB Draft: 12 high school players who could be selected in Round 1

 

Overall Top 30 Draft Prospects: Hunter Greene or Brendan McKay? Top prospects in the MLB draft

 

 

Trevor Rogers, LHP, Carlsbad (N.M.) HS

 

Could go: The Milwaukee Brewers (No. 9) have been linked to Rogers, as have the Miami Marlins (No. 13), Kansas City Royals (No. 14) and New York Yankees (No. 16). The Marlins have an affinity for high-upside lefty pitchers.

Austin Beck, OF, North Davidson (Lexington, N.C.) HS

 

Could go: Beck could go as high as fourth to the Rays and has significant interest from the Brewers, Yankees, and Athletics.

D.L. Hall, LHP, Valdosta (Ga.) High

 

Could go: The Brewers, Marlins and Royals have shown the most consistent interest.

[Eye Black]

This thread has been notably quiet this year compared to the past couple of years. It doesn't appear that the Brewers hosted a pre-draft workout at Miller Park this year, and if they did then they kept word of it buttoned up publically.

 

One article from this morning does link the Brewers to draft prospect Adam Oviedo, a high school shortstop from Alvarado, TX. The Brewers are mentioned among many teams that have worked Oviedo out over the past year. Oviedo is likely to get drafted on the second day of the draft (rounds 3-10).

 

ARTICLE LINK: Alvarado's Adam Oviedo awaits MLB Draft as he decides baseball path / By A.J. Crisp

[Noche]

They had a predraft workout on Friday at MP but I was told no 'top prospects' were there.

[Eye Black]

They had a predraft workout on Friday at MP but I was told no 'top prospects' were there.

Looks like you are correct per this TWEET from Colorado Mesa outfielder Bligh Madris.

[And That]

They had a predraft workout on Friday at MP but I was told no 'top prospects' were there.

Looks like you are correct per this TWEET from Colorado Mesa outfielder Bligh Madris.

Takes vertical video. Hard pass.

[JDBrewCrew]

Jesse Marlo‏ @Jmarlo22 Jun 9

More

Thank you @Brewers for your hospitality at Miller Park. @seise_23 and I enjoyed our time there! @WObaseball

 

Chris Seise | Rank: 38

School: West Orange (Fla.) HS Year: Senior

Position: SS Age: 18 DOB: 01/06/1999

Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6' 2'' Weight: 175 lb.

Commitment: Central Florida

Watch

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 65 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50

In 2012, Anthony Seise was a left-handed pitcher taken in the 20th round out of West Orange High School in Florida. Five years later, it's his younger brother's turn, and with a very strong spring performance, he not only will easily beat his brother's Draft status, but he has become one of the best high school shortstops coming out of the state this season.

 

Scouts have always liked Seise's size, with a 6-foot-2 frame that looked like it could handle more good weight. He's put on 15 pounds and it's started to show up in his performance at the plate. His swing can still get a little long, but he's making more hard contact consistently and showing good opposite-field power. He runs a 6.45 60, utilizing that speed on the basepaths and to cover plenty of ground at shortstop, where his plus arm also plays well. Overall, he's an average defender who should be able to stay up the middle long-term.

 

Seise's added strength has allowed his bat to start to catch up to his other tools, which has greatly increased his Draft stock. Seeing the University of Central Florida commit come off the board in the top three rounds now seems like a certainty.

 

Prospect Development Pipeline - Tampa, Fla.

 

Looks like stuff is starting to come out about who visited.

[CheezWizHed]

They had a predraft workout on Friday at MP but I was told no 'top prospects' were there.

Looks like you are correct per this TWEET from Colorado Mesa outfielder Bligh Madris.

Takes vertical video. Hard pass.

 

He had a steady hand and good speed... vertical/horizontal can be coached up.

[Eye Black]

Nice find on the Chris Seise info. Seise is someone that could certainly be in play for the Brewers at their second or third pick. Here is a LINK to the photo of Seise at Miller Park that accompanied that tweet.

[Eye Black]

This is another article that provides an interesting connection between a draft prospect and the Brewers.

 

ARTICLE LINK: Millville High School (NJ) third baseman Buddy Kennedy not only has befriended a certain major league star that attended his same high school (hint: he was the selected one pick before Eric Arnett in 2009), but he also has a famous grandfather in former infielder Don Money who has more recently served as the Brewers special instructor of player development. That connection led Buddy to an opportunity to spend a week with the Helena Brewers when he was 16 years old...

 

Trout isn't Kennedy's only such resource. Although he says his relationship with Trout is that of a "little brother," Kennedy has actual big league family ties. His grandfather is Don Money, a four-time All-Star who play infield for the Phillies and Brewers during a 16-year career.

 

"I ever need help, I go to him and he's always there," Kennedy said of his grandfather, who took him to Helena, Mont., when he was 16 to spend a week with the Brewers' Rookie Ball team in the Pioneer League. "He said, 'It's nothing special; you'll maybe get a little locker and a stool.' He just wanted me to go out and have fun, play with your heart, play like it's your last game. It's great to have him. I love him; he's my man."

[Eye Black]

Not a big surprise, but confirmation that UW-Milwaukee catcher Daulton Varsho has worked out for the Brewers (as well as at least three other major league teams. Varsho is likely to go somewhere in the 2nd to 4th round range.

 

ARTICLE LINK: UWM catcher Daulton Varsho worked hard for chance to be taken in major-league draft

[A Swing and A Drive]

Last minute mocks:

 

MLB.com http://m.mlb.com/news/article/235886620/mock-draft-for-first-round-of-2017-mlb-draft/

Brewers #9 pick

Mayo: Jo Adell, OF, Ballard HS (Louisville, Ky.) - There's been a lot of talk about high school bats here, and Adell fits that description for sure, and they'd be interested in Beck should he get here. Florida right-hander Alex Faedo is in the mix as well, as is the oft-mentioned Haseley.

 

Callis: Austin Beck, OF, North Davidson HS (Lexington, N.C.) - Milwaukee likes to collect athletic high school outfielders, and Beck and Kentucky prepster Jo Adell are exciting athletes. The Brewers also could look at prep left-handers D.L. Hall (Georgia) and Trevor Rogers (New Mexico) or collegians Haseley or Faedo.

 

Baseball America 4.5 http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/2017-mlb-mock-draft-4-5/#cX08pdTOslPc7PWs.97

 

Milwaukee was one of the most likely teams to make a deal, and that could get them off Jordon Adell, with whom they’ve been linked for some time. We’re sticking a different prep outfielder here this time.

 

Pick: Austin Beck, of, North Davidson High, Lexington, N.C.

 

Perfectgame.org https://www.perfectgame.org/Articles/View.aspx?article=13756

 

9. Milwaukee Brewers | Jordon Adell, of/rhp, Ballard HS (Kent.)

Adell comes with some of the highest upside in the class, with plus (or better) tools dotting his scouting report in several areas. He has a chance to fit the class power-hitting right fielder with a plus arm archetype; though he's also got a legitimate future on the mound if necessary.

 

Mymlbdraft.com http://www.mymlbdraft.com/MLB-Mock-Draft

 

Draft#:9

Austin Beck

Ht/Wt:5'11"/175 lbs

Position: OF

School: Lexington

 

Fantasypros.com https://www.fantasypros.com/2017/06/2017-mlb-mock-draft-2/

 

1.9 Milwaukee Brewers: Trevor Rogers, LHP, HS (NM)

 

Jordon Adell has seems like the pick here for a while, but with a hefty price tag, Milwaukee will end up looking elsewhere to save a million bucks. They will be considering Austin Beck here as well, but expect one of the lefty high schoolers to cut a deal and end up in the Top 10.

[madbad2000]

Saw this on MLB.com when I noticed a pick from Alaska:

 

Johny Homza, 3B

 

"The Gatorade Player of the Year in Alaska two years in a row, Homza has played third base, shortstop and catcher, but he is likely to convert to catching full-time at the next level. A University of Hawaii commit, Homza also threw a no-hitter on the mound in May. He possesses a high baseball IQ and participated in pre-Draft workouts with the Padres, Rangers and Brewers."