2021 MLB Draft Thread (Pre-Draft Discussion)

[brewers888]

I think there's a couple of reasons. While they covet star talent, Stearns and co seem to view all players as assets. Drafting a college player may get them to AA/AAA a little faster, making them either a phone call away for us or trade bait to improve the big league club.

I think it's from an analytical standpoint - college hitters are least likely to flame out at the lower levels of the minors. HS arms/bats are most risky. I also think they lean toward position players because of their pitching lab and the belief that they can develop pitching.

 

We haven't developed any position players yet under Stearns. Hopefully Mitchell pans out but we regularly field an everyday lineup with no players drafted by the Brewers.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I think there's a couple of reasons. While they covet star talent, Stearns and co seem to view all players as assets. Drafting a college player may get them to AA/AAA a little faster, making them either a phone call away for us or trade bait to improve the big league club.

I think it's from an analytical standpoint - college hitters are least likely to flame out at the lower levels of the minors. HS arms/bats are most risky. I also think they lean toward position players because of their pitching lab and the belief that they can develop pitching.

 

We haven't developed any position players yet under Stearns. Hopefully Mitchell pans out but we regularly field an everyday lineup with no players drafted by the Brewers.

 

Brewers drafted prospects were directly used to acquire Yelich, Adames and Urias, and indirectly led to the acquisition of Tellez. They have used those guys as currency to acquire long-term pieces. That isn't a bad thing.

[DHonks]

Brewers drafted prospects were directly used to acquire Yelich, Adames and Urias, and indirectly led to the acquisition of Tellez. They have used those guys as currency to acquire long-term pieces. That isn't a bad thing.

 

Sort of.

Traded for Yelich: Yamamoto, Diaz, Brunson, Harrison (2 drafted, two acquired)

Traded for Adames: Feyereisen, Rasmussen (1 drafted, 1 acquired)

Traded for Urias: Grisham, Davies (1 drafted, 1 acquired)

[Eye Black]

Baseball America just did a late afternoon update to their mock draft, they now have the Brewers taking Colton Cowser…

 

15. Brewers

Colton Cowser, Sam Houston State, OF

 

Notes:

Milwaukee is another team that’s difficult to figure out. Wicks could make sense if he’s on the board, as could Bachman or any of the Frelick/Cowser/McLain trio if they are still available.

 

They have Leiter going 2nd to the Rangers.

[SoCalBrewfan]

We haven't developed any position players yet under Stearns. Hopefully Mitchell pans out but we regularly field an everyday lineup with no players drafted by the Brewers.

 

That's a very strange argument. The first draft since Stearns was hired was 2016, and HS players from that draft are on average 23 years old. Two young catchers, Feliciano and Henry, have played in AAA this year and are well-regarded, particularly Feliciano who is among our top 5 or 10 prospects in most lists. (That's not to mention the fourth rounder Corbin Burnes that year, who in a redraft would easily be a top ten pick.) The early college picks haven't looked great, but in fairness the top of that draft just hasn't panned out, with only 3 of the top ten picks having put up positive bWAR at this point. Oddly enough, Eric Lauer, picked 25th overall, has put up 0.5 which places him 8th in bWAR to date among '16 first rounders. There are even some who have hopes for mid-round college picks Cooper Hummel and Weston Wilson, who are both performing well in AAA.

 

If it's early for the '16 draft, it's even more so for subsequent drafts. Also, Hiura, warts and all, has played almost 200 major league games. An unbiased analyst would totally count him as a position player drafted and developed by the Stearns regime, even if he's been disappointing. There are position players in the system beyond Mitchell and Turang who will play in the bigs and/or be important parts of trades, and quite a few young guys have taken nice steps the first half of '21, including '17 and '18 picks Joe Gray, Korry Howell, LG Castillo, and JeVon Ward.

[SoCalBrewfan]

Back to the '21 draft, I've come to the point in my life where I just can't get worked up about this stuff....anyone here who pretends to know for sure who the Brewers will, or should, draft, I just think they are full of themselves, among other things. I don't remember many correct mocks of Brewers picks the last few years and they always seem to zig when they are projected to zag.

 

I have been quietly hoping for McLain but it seems like he might go way earlier now. Hicks seems like he's mocked in part due to Small, but I don't think that's how the Brewers do things...the common thread seems to be value and guys who lost some luster in the lead up to the draft.

[SoCalBrewfan]

I also hope that Leiter does not make it to the Red Sox because, well, it is really necessary to explain that?

[Eye Black]

For continued discussion of tonight’s draft please use our Draft Discussion Thread found HERE.