Brewers grab bat, pair of arms on first day of draft
By Phil Watson
The Milwaukee Brewers hope to add some punch to their lineup down the line with the selection of outfielder Trent Clark with the 15th overall pick Monday night in the MLB Amateur Draft.
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Clark, from Richland, Texas, was ranked No. 12 on MLB.com’s prospect watch leading into the draft.
A left-hander, the 18-year-old Clark is a high school center fielder who was regarded as one of the best prep hitters in the draft, reinforced by hitting .565 with three homers, 20 RBI and five steals in just eight games at the U18 Pan American Championship in Mexico last September.
That effort led to a gold medal for the U.S.
Clark’s batting grip will likely be addressed. His golf-style grip is unconventional, but he makes solid contact with a short swing and above-average bat speed, according to scouting reports.
At 6-feet and 200 pounds, Clark also has solid speed and instincts on the bases, according to scouts.
He was committed to Texas Tech to play baseball.
“I was overwhelmed with emotions I had never felt before,” Clark told MLB.com. “I was really calm and ready for whatever happens to happen. The emotions hit me.”
As far as the swing, it’s something he’s done for years now.
“When I was younger, I was a weaker kid,” Clark said. “The bat [sat] in the back of my hands and moved around a lot, so I didn’t have a lot of bat control. I put it in the top of my hands, got a firm grip on it, kept the thumbs on there to keep it balanced and [that] gave me more bat control. And ever since then I’ve used it.”
The Brewers are fine with the grip as long as it comes with the type of rip Clark has shown.
“It’s unique, but maybe that’s what everybody else should be trying,” said national crosschecker Steve Riha, who saw Clark play more than 20 games. “The way this kid hits, he’s a natural hitter.”
In 63 at-bats for Richland High School this year, Clark hit .555 with a .696 on-base percentage and two homers with 24 RBI.
“He’s something we’ve been looking for. He’s a legitimate hitter, left-handed,” general manager Doug Melvin said. “He has good plate discipline. He has some power. He can play center field. We’re pretty excited about getting a real professional hitter. That’s something we felt we’ve lacked in our system recently.
“We didn’t think he would be there. It is a good pick for us.”
The Brewers also selected a pair of pitchers in the draft, taking left-hander Nathan Kirby from the University of Virginia with a completive balance Round A pick at No. 40 overall before claiming Cal Poly Pomona right-hander Cody Ponce with the 55th overall pick in the second round.
Rounds 3-10 are scheduled for Tuesday.
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Kirby, 21, was the Cavaliers’ No. 1 starter in 2014, but he strained a lat muscle in April after going 5-2 in 10 starts with a 2.28 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 59.1 innings.
“He’s a left-handed starter with an above-average fastball and above-average breaking ball,” Brewers director of amateur scouting Ray Montgomery told MLB.com.
Kirby, 6-feet-2 and 200 pounds, was a junior this year and has a year of eligibility remaining at Virginia should be opt not to sign. He was ranked No. 26 by MLB.com.
Ponce is a monster at 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds and was 5-4 with a 1.44 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 62.1 innings this season for Cal Poly Pomona.
The 21-year-old helped his team reach the Division II College World Series this year and has touched 96 mph on the radar gun with his fastball. He was ranked the No. 32 prospect available by MLB.com.
“He’s an imposing figure,” area scout Josh Bevlosky told MLB.com. “He brings plusses to the table right now. He’ll touch 95-96 but he kind of sits in that 92-94 area. He’s got a curveball that’s got some sharp down break, a hard slider that started as a cutter and can be anywhere from 84-88, and he’s got a great feel for the change.
“I don’t think he utilized it like he will in the future. He’s a guy who’s going to be able to hold a lot of innings and go out there and be a force.”
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