Article: Mayo: Brewers Selecting Prep Arm

[Jeremy Nygaard]

We're transitioning quickly from mock draft season to actual draft season. WIth only a few days left, we'll be seeing plenty of "final" mock drafts around the internet.

Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis have been alternating mock drafts for the better part of the summer (and spring) and they will have one more mock draft before the start of the draft on Sunday. 

It's hard to make a projection with any sort of conviction when it's a late first-round pick, so it's entirely possible that pairing LHP Jackson Ferris of IMG Academy (FL) has more to do with getting a name off the board because of good value than it does with the Brewers having interest. There's never a mock that doesn't mention the Brewers leaning towards college pitching.

But Ferris at #27 would be a heckuva value pick.

First off, he looks the part of a potential big-league pitcher. Standing at 6' 4" and weighing around 200 pounds, Ferris has the "unteachables" that scouts look for in a pitcher.

Beyond that, being equipped with a mid-90s fastball, a change-up in the 80s and curveball in the 70s, Ferris's repertoire is built like that of a great Pandora station. His delivery looks a little different, so that's one thing you worry about - is it repeatable? - because if that becomes an issue, your ceiling drops. But the Brewers know a thing or two about how to handle hard-throwing lefties in the bullpen.

The commitment to Ole Miss and rumors of a hefty price tag (not uncommon for any prep pitcher), may push Ferris down in the draft where there will certainly be a team willing to pay him what he wants. 

Is Ferris a name that would interest Brewers fans?

BREWERS MOCK DRAFTS
Mayo	BrewerFanatic	Callis	Baseball America	McDaniel	Law
Jackson Ferris LHP IMG Academy (7/13)	Cade Horton RHP Oklahoma (7/12)	Sterlin Thompson OF Florida (7/6)	Cooper Hjerpe LHP Oregon State (7/1)	Chase DeLauter RF James Madison (6/29)	Adam Mazur RHP Iowa (6/21)
Drew Gilbert OF Tennessee (6/30)	Jett Williams SS Texas Prep (6/30)	Cooper Hjerpe LHP Oregon State (6/22)	Gabriel Hughes RHP Gonzaga (4/28)	Chase DeLauter RF James Madison (6/1)	Adam Mazur RHP Iowa (5/19)
Drew Gilbert OF Tennessee (6/15)	Kumar Rocker RHP Indy/Vanderbilt (5/26)	Cole Young SS Pennsylvania HS (6/8)	Gabriel Hughes RHP Gonzaga (4/1)
Justin Campbell RHP Oklahoma Sate (6/1)		Jett Williams SS Texas Prep (5/25)	Jordan Sprinkle SS UCSB (2/10)
Cooper Hjerpe LHP Oregon State (5/18)		Andrew Dutkanych RHP Indiana Prep (5/11)

 

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[Joseph Zarr]

Thanks for the update! Always appreciated.

 

[CheeseheadInQC]

I guess it depends on the price tag. Prep pitching in the first round always carries a risk, but you accept it for the right player. Now if he has such a ridiculous bonus demand that it means having to go senior sign with one of your second rounders it gets significantly less appealing.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

10 hours ago, CheeseheadInQC said:

I guess it depends on the price tag. Prep pitching in the first round always carries a risk, but you accept it for the right player. Now if he has such a ridiculous bonus demand that it means having to go senior sign with one of your second rounders it gets significantly less appealing.

Senior signs might be interesting anyway as their appeal - they have no leverage to go back to school - may be lower than normal due to the pandemic allowing an extra year if they choose to use it.