Milwaukee Brewers: Final 2020 MLB Draft Grades

The 2020 MLB Draft is complete and draft grades have been released. So how did the Milwaukee Brewers fare with this year’s draft class?

During the 2019 MLB Draft the Milwaukee Brewers were able to load up on pitching talent, this year, however, they went with offense. In fact, among the Brewers’ five draft picks, there was a common theme. All five selections were proven college bats, with defensive versatility and athleticism, along with plenty of upside. And the overall grades that the Brewers received from analysts reflected this.

In Round 1, the Milwaukee Brewers got a steal with outfielder Garrett Mitchell from UCLA. While some organizations may have been concerned that Mitchell has Type-1 diabetes, the Brewers weren’t. They saw a “toolsy” player who is coming off a 2019 season where he slashed .349/.418/.566 and was named to the Pac-12 All-Conference team.

Then in the second round, Milwaukee landed Freddy Zamora who was considered by several scouts and draft analysts a top-10 pick prior to the shortened 2020 season. However, an ACL injury in February along with a suspension for violating team rules caused him to plummet in the draft. Zamora is an excellent defender at shortstop and overall comes with unlimited potential.

The Brewers followed up the Zamora pick by selecting utility fielder, Zavier Warren who was a full-time shortstop for Central Michigan in 2019 but was announced on draft night as a catcher. While Warren does have some collegiate experience at catcher, he brings defensive versatility and an excellent bat to the organization. In 2019 the switch-hitting Warren would slash .363/.498/.571.

Round 4 brought Joey Wiemer of Cincinnati. Another “toolsy” prospect, Wiemer brings speed, athleticism, and an all-around solid defender to the outfield, while also being a legitimate threat on the base paths. Some would categorize Wiemer’s bat as “raw” but if he can continue to develop that aspect of his game, in Round 4, this pick could end up being an absolute steal.

The Milwaukee Brewers’ final selection was Hayden Cantrelle, who is another prospect that could have gone much sooner, but a slow start to the 2020 season hurt his draft stock. Through just 59 at-bats, Cantrelle slashed .136/.320/.237. However, during his 2019 campaign, he would average .309 at the plate with a .930 OPS. Not to mention that he graded out very well according to MLB Pipeline.

So there’s a quick look at each of the Brewers draft picks, but now let’s take a peek at what grades Milwaukee was given for this draft class.

Mike Axisa – CBS Sports

Grade: A

"“The Brewers essentially took what they were given, and what they were given early on was a pair of potentially undervalued collegiate hitters: UCLA outfielder Garrett Mitchell and Miami shortstop Freddy Zamora. Mitchell has star potential if the Brewers can help him tap into his raw power, and Zamora could be a solid starter provided he recovers from a torn ACL. The Brewers also tapped catcher Zavier Warren. He’ll need to be coached up, but the chance to be a good get as well.”"

Paul Kasabian – Bleacher Report

Grade: A-

Joe Tansey – Bleacher Report

Grade: B+

Matt Carroll – Reviewing the Brew

Grade: A

"“All in all, this was an extremely solid draft for the Brewers, considering teams only had five rounds with which to work and they picked near the end of each round. Of the ten players in MLB Pipeline’s Top 30 Brewers prospects list that the site had projected to potentially hit the majors in 2020, seven of them were pitchers. Thus, it completely makes sense that the team went hitter-heavy in the draft.”"

Bobby Sylvester – Fantasy Pros

Grade: B

Perhaps more than any other professional draft, the MLB draft is the biggest crapshoot. But initially, there is a lot to be excited about when it comes to this year’s class. Especially considering that there were only five rounds to work with.

Now teams can sign undrafted free agents and the Milwaukee Brewers have already made two additions with infielder Drew Smith and relief pitcher T.J. Shook. So as we await the fate of the 2020 baseball season, be sure to keep your eyes on any additional signings. And of course, here at Dairyland Express, we will have you covered.