Milwaukee Brewers Select INF Tyler Black with 33rd Overall Pick

After selecting centerfielder Sal Frelick with their 15th overall selection, the Milwaukee Brewers make another very on-brand pick by taking infielder Tyler Black from Wright State at 33rd overall.

Like many Brewers draft picks before him, Black is a college bat, who plays up the middle defense, is athletic, and brings positional flexibility. It’s quite clear that President of Baseball Operations David Stearns and the Milwaukee scouting department want to check off those boxes early on in the draft.

Black’s best season at Wright State came this past year as he put up monster numbers at the plate. Over 48 games, which included 233 plate appearances, Black slashed .383/.496/.683, totaling a 1.179 OPS. He would also add 13 home runs, steal 11 bases on 12 attempts, hit 14 doubles, a triple, and drew 39 walks.

For his collegiate career that spanned three seasons, Black finished with a .353 average and a 1.079 OPS along with 21 home runs, 84 walks, and 19 stolen bases. According to MLB.com, the left-handed-hitting Black has a 60-grade hit tool.

In addition to his bat, below are the rest of Black’s scouting grades on the 20-80 grading scale:

Run: 50

Field: 50

Power: 45

Arm: 50

Overall: 50

Defensively, Black has some experience at third base as well as shortstop but was primarily a second baseman during his final season with the Raiders. For more on Black’s game, here is what the MLB.com scouting report has to say about the newest member of the Milwaukee Brewers:

"“Black masterfully controls the strike zone from the left side of the plate, making regular hard contact while drawing plenty of walks. He has enough bat speed, strength and leverage in his 6-foot-2 frame to produce 15 homers on an annual basis. He made a good impression by doubling in two at-bats off potential No. 1 overall pick Kumar Rocker of Vanderbilt on Opening Day and by drawing seven walks in five games against Southeastern Conference opposition to start the season.“While he possesses average speed, Black has the instincts to steal and take extra bases when given the opportunity. He played second base as a freshman before moving to third base in 2020, and now he’s back at the keystone following surgery on his throwing shoulder. His arm is merely average so he fits better at second, where his quickness and hands are assets with turning the double play.”"

With their first two selections, the Brewers have added two of the better college bats in this year’s draft class. Their next selection will come on Monday at 51st overall. Look for the Crew to address pitching sooner than later.