The Brewers continued the MLB draft by selecting high-upside players in the 11th-20th rounds. On Day 3, they used eight of their 10 selections on pitchers, with seven of their 10 selections coming from the high school ranks.
The Brewers won’t sign all of their Day 3 picks. Last year, they signed seven players, including five high school prospects. Three of those high school prospects each signed for approximately $500,000.
Picks after the 10th round do not count against a team’s signing bonus draft pool as long as a player’s bonus does not exceed $150,000. If players sign for more than that amount, it will count against the team’s overall signing bonus allotment.
Here are three of the Brewers’ Day 3 picks that stood out to me:
Round 14: James Nunnallee, C, Lithridge (Va.) HS
Scouts considered Nunnallee a potential early-round pick in the draft due to his above-average hit tool. The 6-foot, 180-pound left-handed hitter is known for his offensive tools, including strong plate discipline and athleticism. He is raw behind the plate but has the tools to develop into a respectable defender.
It will be challenging to sign him away from his Virginia commitment, but if the Brewers do, Nunnallee will give them a young backstop with intriguing upside.
Round 15: Travis Smith, RHP, Kentucky
Smith is a 6-foot-5, 230-pound right-handed pitcher who throws a four-seam fastball, sinker, changeup, curveball and cutter from a three-quarters arm slot.
Smith relies heavily on his sinker. He uses it to attack hitters low in the strike zone to generate ground balls, especially early in the count. He’s confident throwing his four-seamer. It’s a mid-90s offering he is comfortable throwing in any count and quadrant of the strike zone, especially up in the zone.
His curveball is a sold pitch that generates swings and misses. In the fall, he worked on his changeup and added a cutter to his pitch mix. He uses his cutter to attack lefties on the inside part of the plate and righties on the outer half of the zone.
Smith entered the draft cycle as Kentucky’s ace and a potential early-round pick. He struggled with his consistency and didn’t live up to those expectations. After the season, Smith transferred to Mississippi State. Smith has starter potential in pro ball if he can refine his pitch mix and mechanics.
Read a detailed feature story on Smith and his skill set here.
Round 19: Noah Wech, RHP, Manitowoc Lincoln (Wis.) HS
The Brewers added some local flavor to their draft class in the 19th round, selecting Wech, a prep pitcher from about 80 minutes north of American Family Field.
Wech is a 6-foot, 192-pound right-handed pitcher. His fastball is up to 95 mph with movement and a harder slider that serves as a strikeout pitch. He uses a three-quarters arm slot and a low-effort and repetable delivery.
Wech is an Oklahoma State commit. If he forgoes his commitment and signs with the Brewers, he has the upside and the raw ingredients to develop into a starter in pro ball.
Read in-depth stories on top 2024 MLB draft prospects at Baseball Prospect Journal.
Dan Zielinski III has covered the MLB draft for nine years. He has interviewed 518 of the top draft prospects in that period, including four No. 1 overall picks. Multiple publications, including Baseball America, USA Today, MLB.com, The Arizona Republic and The Dallas Morning News, have quoted his work, while he has appeared on radio stations as a “MLB draft expert.” Follow him on Twitter @DanZielinski3.
