2023 MLB Draft

[DR28]

I'm already looking forward to 23 draft this summer, I'm really hoping we can find our 3B of the future this year.... And that dude is Yohandy Morales... Unless he has a huge year, I can see him being available at 18.

He would be such a great fit for our future as we'll have Eric Brown Jr or Turang at SS, Robert Moore or Turang at 2B... Morales would look great at 3B for us for years to come... If we could find our 1B as well, that would be great!

 

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 45 | Arm: 60 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55

The son of former Cuban National Team member Andy Morales, who played briefly in the Yankees and Red Sox systems, Yohandy Morales was a Top 200 prospect as a Florida high school standout, but wasn’t taken in the shortened 2020 Draft largely because of his commitment to the University of Miami. He stepped right into the Hurricanes’ lineup in 2021, hitting 11 homers as a freshman, then took another step forward as a sophomore, hitting 18 home runs and finishing with an OPS over 1.000 before hitting .400 for Team USA over the summer.

In many ways, Morales has a similar profile to what scouts thought he might be coming out of high school. He’s an aggressive hitter looking to do damage and he does consistently barrel up the baseball, showing an ability to drive the ball to all fields. While he’s still power-over-hit, he has ironed out some of the moving parts of his swing that hurt him as a prepster, giving him a better chance to hit and get to that power.

A former shortstop who outgrew the position and moved to third, Morales’ strong arm works very well from the hot corner and he has the defensive actions to stay there long-term. That combined with the power profile teams covet from infield corner types should have him in early-round conversations.

[clancyphile]

I'm intrigued by Bryce Eldridge. Could be a pitcher/DH like Ohtani, depending on how well he bats. Might be worth a look.

[nate82]

I like Colt Emerson, Aidan Miller, Brock Wilken and Jake Gelof at 3B.  One or multiple should be available where the Brewers are picking either in the 1st round or the Comp A pick.  Depending on how these players perform they should be available though Gelof and Wilken could skyrocket up the list if their hit tools improve. 

Emerson fits who the Brewers have been drafting and signing internationally.  Solid hit tool and solid defensively.  He is listed as a SS but I don't think he will stick there.  He did play 3B for Team USA and that maybe his position he has a solid arm and he looked like a 3B for Team USA defensively.  He has a commit to Auburn but I think a team could easily pull him away from that. 

A SS/3B who may slip is Jacob Wilson.  If he drops that would be the perfect scenario for the Brewers as he is another player that fits the Brewers profile of recent draftees and international signings. 

This might be the year the Brewers go pitcher in round 1.  Will Sanders is someone to watch with the Brewers pick.  I think if he is there during the 1st round that is who the Brewers take.  Tanner Witt is another pitcher to watch for.  College pitchers look to be solid this year with Dollander, Skenes, Waldrep, Lowder Sanders and Witt currently sitting at the top.  Dollander and Skenes should go in the top 5 and the others somewhere between 10-20. 

[SF70]

I’m hoping the team can add a couple of big-armed starter prospects into the system from this draft. We have a decent number of 3-5 starter potentials in the farm right now, but outside of Misiorowski, no realistic frontline starters.

[nate82]

3 hours ago, SF70 said:

I’m hoping the team can add a couple of big-armed starter prospects into the system from this draft. We have a decent number of 3-5 starter potentials in the farm right now, but outside of Misiorowski, no realistic frontline starters.

I am not sure if there is a top of the rotation arm in the first round to look at.  Maybe if Waldrep or Skenes drop then you have a top of the rotation pitcher but otherwise I think the Brewers will have to go the risky route out of HS or believe that the Brewers could get someone like Teddy McGraw to be more consistent with his pitches.  They would need to be able to get him to harness his stuff more and be more accurate with them.

I mentioned him previously but someone like Will Sanders is probably a safer bet at least in the 1st round.  Sanders profiles more like a #3 than a #1 or #2.  Sanders does have a solid changeup which can make a fastball that only sits 92-94 look more like 95-98. 

[sveumrules]

Haven't had a chance to dig in yet, but FanGraphs has updated their 2023 Draft Rankings with scouting reports for 69 (nice) prospects...

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