2020 Draft Pick Discussion, Rounds 1-5

[sveumrules]

Not too concerned about no pitchers yet. Here are notable pitchers drafted under Stearns & company so far...

 

2016: Braden Webb (3rd), Corbin Burnes (4th), Zack Brown (5th)

 

2017: Caden Lemons (2nd), Brendan Murphy (4th), Bowden Francis (7th), Alec Bettinger (10th), Max Lazar (11th), Dylan File (21st)

 

2018: Aaron Ashby (4th), Justin Jarvis (5th), Drew Rasmussen (6th), Clayton Andrews (17th)

 

2019: Ethan Small (1st), Antoine Kelly (2nd), Nick Bennett (6th)

 

So far they've found a lot of interesting pitching talent in the 4th round & beyond. Guys that were already here like Woodruff (11th), Hader (19th), Davies (26th) & Suter (31st) were also varying degrees of developemental success stories.

 

Wouldn't be surprised if they have a couple two tree college seniors with funky deliveries or stuff that plays above the radar gun readings they're hoping to talk into taking that twenty grand too.

[Eye Black]

Vukovich drafted by the Diamondbacks 2 selections before the Brewers 4th round selection.

[JDBrewCrew]

MLB Draft Tracker

@MLBDraftTracker

· 1m

4 (121): @Brewers select Cincinnati (OH) OF Joey Wiemer. https://atmlb.com/3cFkbxy #MLBDraft

 

Brian Sakowski @B_Sakowski_PG

7s

Really like the package of tools here, big athleticism and size, arm strength is plus, has raw power, needs to continue refining but tools give him intriguing upside #MLBDraft

 

 

Jeffmlbdraft

@jeffMLBdraft

48s

Joey Wiemer has a ton of swing and miss, but his exit velocity can stand with any player in this class. He has good tools, but man needs some work

 

 

Aaron Fitt

@aaronfitt

1m

Tooled up RF profile, reminded me of Rob Deer in the Cape last year. Got big power but also a lot of swing and miss, and it’s a 70 arm.

Quote Tweet

[Eye Black]

From FanGraphs:

 

97. Joey Wiemer, OF, Cincinnati

 

Lanky athlete has huge tools (plus bat speed, raw power, arm strength and straightline speed) and is sorta like Hunter Pence, could jump into the first round with a loud spring, but some scouts have 40 or 45 grades on the bat, but there's a little bit of Hunter Bishop here as well. Also is into the mid-90's on the mound.

[Eye Black]

From Baseball America:

 

136. Joey Wiemer

Cincinnati OF

 

Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 215 | B-T: R-R

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted

Age At Draft: 21.3

 

Wiemer is a toolsy outfielder who raised his draft stock with a strong summer in the Cape Cod League but has consistently underwhelmed as a hitter with Cincinnati in the American Athletic Conference. Listed at 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, Wiemer has a collection of plus tools, including his raw power, arm strength and running ability. He hasn’t been able to successfully tap into that power at the plate, thanks to a noisy swing that has plenty of moving parts—enough that scouts have compared him to Hunter Pence. He has an open setup with lots of bat waggle above his head and a high leg kick, which all lead to timing issues. Over three years with Cincinnati, Wiemer hit .264/.379/.408 with 12 home runs and 35 stolen bases. When Wiemer is on base, he’s an instinctual and smart runner and his speed and arm strength (he’s gotten into the mid-90s on the mound) give him the ability to play all three outfield positions. Wiemer’s toolset is better than where he’s ranked, but the questions about his hit tool are significant.

[Eye Black]

From Perfect Game:

 

217. Joey Wiemer, of, Cincinnati (JR)

R-R, 6-5/215, Temperance, Mich.

Previously Drafted: Never Drafted

 

A very physical, toolsy prospect; Wiemer was a pretty solid two-way prospect coming out of high school in the extreme southern part of the state of Michigan, and did have some two-way time at Cincinnati, but he’s viewed mostly as a bat for draft purposes. He’s got excellent size and athleticism for that size, with plus speed and a plus arm giving him enticing defensive projection, be it in right field or center field. Offensively he’s got plus righthanded raw power as well as bat speed, but he’s never shown that type of power in game situations, and scouts are wary of the hit tool projection as well. Regardless, a guy with Wiemer’s tools, physicality, and athleticism is always a sought-after commodity.

[Tbadder]

Unimpressed with this pick, maybe a well below slot pick, looking to make a minor splash in last round?

 

A little disappointed that Warren is listed as 3B. Did the Brewers designate him as 3B? Or is that ESPN based on Cape Cod experience?

 

Eye Black: Thanks for your work today, much appreciated.

[Eye Black]

From MLB Pipeline:

 

Hit

40

Power

45

Run

60

Arm

70

Field

55

Overall

40

 

Cincinnati's best prospect since Ian Happ was a Cubs first-rounder in 2016, Wiemer offers some of the best tools in the 2020 college crop but little track record of doing damage at the plate. He has a big league body (6-foot-5, 215 pounds) and three tools that grade as plus or better, yet he's a career .264/.379/.408 hitter for the Bearcats and slugged just .354 with wood bats in the Cape Cod League last summer.

 

Wiemer's bat speed, strength and leverage give him plus raw power from the right side of the plate, but he's still figuring how to translate it into production. He utilizes a big leg kick and he has an uphill, max-effort swing and timing issues that lead to a lot of groundball contact. He probably will need to overhaul his stroke at the next level, though he does show some patience at the plate.

 

Wiemer has plus speed and an aggressive nature on the bases, showing a knack for stealing bags. He has well above-average arm strength and has hit 98 mph on the mound, though a lack of control undermined him when Cincinnati briefly tried to use him as a closer this spring. He has played left field for the Bearcats, though his quickness and arm would suggest he can handle any outfield assignment.

[Eye Black]

A little disappointed that Warren is listed as 3B. Did the Brewers designate him as 3B? Or is that ESPN based on Cape Cod experience?

The Brewers announced Zavier Warren as a Catcher.

[narwhalattack]

Aside from Mitchell, there doesn’t seem to be anyone who’d command a high bonus. Perhaps either Mitchell’s asking for the moon or we’re gonna make a splash in the 5th round

[Tbadder]

A little disappointed that Warren is listed as 3B. Did the Brewers designate him as 3B? Or is that ESPN based on Cape Cod experience?

The Brewers announced Zavier Warren as a Catcher.

 

Beautiful, thanks EB!

[sveumrules]

Just watched a couple videos of Wiemer & he definitely swings with some serious intent.

 

Iron out the mechanics to unlock more consistency & he could be a monster.

 

Even if he never makes enough contact, sounds like he's got enough arm strength to maybe take a shot at the Kieschnick career path as a last resort.

[Tbadder]

Love the Kieschnick comp. with the Brewers so data driven I can never get too low on any pick. DS and company really make me doubt my instincts, which is probably super healthy.

 

I also wonder if they’re lining up a bunch of senior college pitchers at 20,000 each after the draft.

[balsamlaker]

Brewers may be running out of draftable college hitters...will they "have to" go with a pitcher. Interesting that Mace and Lonsway are still on the board.

[Yolk]

I was initially a little disappointed in the 3rd round pick with guys like Petey Halpin (if you want to go the high upside route) and Jake Eder (college lefty with a decent floor and some upside) available but after reading a bit about Warren, I dig it. Not a fan at all of the 4th round pick unless it’s to save some cash to talk someone out of going to school in the 5th. Overall, I still love this condensed draft for the Brewers though.

[Eye Black]

I think the Brewers might have been drafting straight off Eric Longenhagen's draft board.

 

Via FanGraphs:

 

82. Hayden Cantrelle, 2B, Louisiana Lafayette

 

Hit-first, plus-running middle infielder has performed well on the Cape. Ryan Freel type with wide base of tools that are mostly above average other than fringy raw power, gap game approach.

[narwhalattack]

Wow, I can't believe they just went the entire draft just drafting college bats. Not necessarily bad, but it seems like they were a little too up the middle happy this time. CF, SS, C, OF, SS

 

They could've at least drafted Beeter and still had their fair share of up the middle guys

[Eye Black]

From Baseball America:

 

138. Hayden Cantrelle

Louisiana-Lafayette SS

 

Ht: 5-10 | Wt: 175 | B-T: B-R

Commit/Drafted: Yankees '17 (40)

Age At Draft: 21.6

 

The coronavirus shutdown came at an extremely inopportune time for Cantrelle. After two strong seasons at Louisiana-Lafayette, he looked somewhat lost at the plate in the early going this spring. Cantrelle was hitting .136/.320/.237 in 17 games. But there is reason to write that off as a rough month in an otherwise solid college career. After looking somewhat overmatched for much of the summer of 2018 in the Cape Cod League, he showed a much better approach and a more controlled swing in 2019. Playing shortstop and second base for Harwich, he finished ninth in the league with a .315 average. While he played more second base than shortstop with Harwich, Cantrelle projects as an average shortstop defensively in pro ball and an above-average defender at second. He has average arm strength but is an accurate thrower. He isn’t big, (5-foot-11, 175 pounds) but he is a plus runner. He swiped 28 bags in 32 tries as a sophomore and 19 in 21 attempts in the Cape last summer. From either side of the plate, the switch-hitting Cantrelle is a top-of-the-order table setter, but he shows 40 power from the left side. His righthanded swing is generally more of a contact-oriented approach. Cantrelle’s awful spring clouds his status, but he had a lengthy resume of success before that and teams like his baseball IQ. He lacks flashy tools, but a team who relies strongly on a player’s Cape Cod League performance could be enticed in the fourth or fifth round.

[Eye Black]

From Perfect Game:

 

253. Hayden Cantrelle, ss, Louisiana-Lafayette (JR)

S-R, 5-11/175, Lafayette, La.

Previously Drafted: Yankees ’17 (40)

 

An interesting, toolsy middle infielder; Cantrelle gained a fair bit of publicity over his first two seasons on campus and added a very good summer 2019 on the Cape to his resumé. He’s an athletic, twitchy switch-hitter with good contact skills and speed, though he got off to a very rough start in 2020, which is important to note. He’s a talented defender in the middle infield and looks capable of playing both shortstop and second base, which aids in his overall utility profile, since the bat doesn’t look quite impactful enough at the highest level to be an everyday regular.

[Tbadder]

Wow, none of those picks were under slot. Almost the same profile as other picks. Bring on the pitchers tomorrow!

[nate82]

I had a little suspicion that the Brewers would go bats over pitchers in a shortened season where there would be no minor league season. It kind of makes some sense the pitchers would basically lose a year of development and would be put behind a year. The last time some of the players pitched in a game goes back to early in the year that is a long time to be off. I am wondering if the Brewers thought of this as a risk to pitchers being injured or losing a year or two for a college pitcher. I think if there was a HS pitcher they liked when they were picking they would have gone with a HS pitcher but I think they eliminated the college pitchers unless it was someone who fell into their lap and they couldn't walk away from said player.

 

I don't know just a theory I guess.

[Eye Black]

From MLB Pipeline:

 

118. Hayden Cantrelle

SS, Louisiana-Lafayette

 

AGE

21

BATS

S

DOB

11/25/1998

THROWS

R

HT

5' 11"

DRAFTED

2017, 40th (1202) - NYY

WT

175

 

Scouting Grades/Report (20-80 grading scale)

 

Hit

50

Power

40

Run

60

Arm

55

Field

50

Overall

45

 

Cantrelle was a two-sport star at Teurlings Catholic High (Lafayette, La.), drawing college football interest as a quarterback and leading the Rebels to Louisiana state 4-A baseball championships as a junior and senior. A 40th-round pick by the Yankees in 2017, he became an immediate starter at Louisiana-Lafayette. One of just six NCAA Division I players to total as many as 25 extra-base hits and 25 steals in 2019, he hurt his Draft stock by batting .148 during the four-week college season this spring.

 

A switch-hitter, Cantrelle hits the ball with more authority from the left side of the plate. He has the potential to bat near the top of the batting order with his knack for drawing walks and getting on base, and he also has plus speed and knows how to use it. He has some sneaky pop with 15-homer upside, though he needs to focus less on power and more on making consistent contact.

 

With his quickness and solid arm strength, Cantrelle is capable of playing shortstop at an average big league standard. Teams wanting better defense may prefer him at second base, where he looked good during Cape Cod League play last summer. If he doesn't make enough offensive impact to hold down a regular job, his athleticism and versatility would lend themselves to a utility role.

[Eye Black]

From Prospects Live:

 

83. Hayden Cantrelle – SS

 

Age: 21 yr, Weight: 175 lbs, Height: 5-11

Hits/Throws: S/R

School: Louisiana-Lafayette

 

A switch hitting speedster who likes to swing early and often.

 

Cantrelle has a leadoff profile with an aggressive approach at the plate. He’ll swing a lot and he’ll miss a lot, but the most interesting part is that he walks quite a bit too. In 135 games at Louisiana-Lafayette he struck out 122 times and walked 90. At the plate he has quick hands.

In looks that the Prospects Live staff got, it was noted that his power shows through more from the left side of the dish and that he will profile better defensively as a second baseman. He’s for sure a plus runner with the instincts to match on the basepaths.

 

A slow start in 2020 saw his average well below the Mendoza line won’t do much for his stock, but there are some tools there for a team to get a guy that could sit atop their lineup.

[narwhalattack]

I had a little suspicion that the Brewers would go bats over pitchers in a shortened season where there would be no minor league season. It kind of makes some sense the pitchers would basically lose a year of development and would be put behind a year. The last time some of the players pitched in a game goes back to early in the year that is a long time to be off. I am wondering if the Brewers thought of this as a risk to pitchers being injured or losing a year or two for a college pitcher. I think if there was a HS pitcher they liked when they were picking they would have gone with a HS pitcher but I think they eliminated the college pitchers unless it was someone who fell into their lap and they couldn't walk away from said player.

 

I don't know just a theory I guess.

 

Now that makes me curious as to who they would've picked if Mitchell wasn't available.

[Eye Black]

I am aware immediate draft class rankings are mostly nothing more than click-bait, but they still get me every time.

 

From CBS Sports, MLB Draft 2020 grades: Mets, Cardinals, Rays earn 'A' for solid hauls; Yankees, Red Sox among worst marks

 

If you want to skip straight to the Brewers "grade" and analysis simply click the spoiler below.

 

 

Brewers

 

Grade: A

 

The Brewers essentially took what they were given, and what they were given early on was a pair of potentially undervalued collegiate hitters: UCLA outfielder Garrett Mitchell and Miami shortstop Freddy Zamora. Mitchell has star potential if the Brewers can help him tap into his raw power, and Zamora could be a solid starter provided he recovers from a torn ACL. The Brewers also tapped catcher Zavier Warren. He'll need to be coached up, but the chance to be a good get as well.