Milwaukee Brewers 2022 Mock Draft Roundup 2.0
By Paul Bretl
In our first edition of Mock Draft Roundup & Takeaways, draft analysts had the Milwaukee Brewers’ first-round pick dominated by two players in particular—Tennessee’s Drew Gilbert and James Madison’s Chase DeLauter.
In terms of the type of players that the Brewers typically covet in the first round, both fit the mold as up-the-middle defenders with collegiate success at the plate, among other things.
In this Milwaukee Brewers Mock Draft Roundup edition, however, we saw some variety.
The first round of the MLB Draft is set to begin on July 17th, with the Brewers holding the 27th overall selection in that first round.
As we discussed previously, the MLB draft is much more about taking the best player available. Although the Brewers could use more corner infield depth at this time, that may not be the case in 2026, when their selection in this year’s draft may be making his big league debut.
Now with that said, I fully expect David Stearns and the Milwaukee Brewers to prioritize offense over pitching early on in this year’s draft–although some of the mock drafts below say otherwise.
For starters, this is something they’ve done frequently in previous years, largely because throughout the organization, Milwaukee is lacking those impact bats—something we are seeing at the big league level. The Brewers have had to lean heavily on free agency and the trade market to bring in bats rather than their minor league system.
With pitching, however, they have a proven development system, which makes selecting that position early in the draft less of a need. Considering how well the Brewers are at developing pitchers, their odds of finding quality players beyond the early rounds of the draft are higher.
So with all of that said, let’s take a look at who several draft analysts have the Brewers selecting in Round 1 this time around.
Keith Law – The Athletic ($$)
Pick 27: Cooper Hjerpe, LHP, Oregon State
"“I think Hjerpe goes to a team that weighs its analytical output over traditional scouting, which applies to Milwaukee. I’ve also heard the Brewers with other college arms like Justin Campbell, (Adam) Mazur, and Thomas Harrington, although Harrington’s stock took a hit in his last outing.”"
2022 Season: 103.1 innings pitched, 2.53 ERA, 0.871 WHIP, 3 home runs allowed, 2.0 BB/9, and 14.0 K/9
Jim Callis – MLB.com
Pick 27: Sterlin Thompson, OF, Florida
"“The Brewers are a good bet to take an accomplished hitter, such as DeLauter, Graham, Thompson, Gilbert or Melton from the college ranks, or Toman.”"
2022 Season: 305 plate appearances, .354/.443/.563, 11 home runs, 47 strikeouts, and 37 walks
Joe Doyle – Prospects Live
Pick 27: Gabriel Hughes, RHP, Gonzaga
"“The Brewers will be smitten to see another power-righty fall into their lap here with Hughes still on the board. Most see them going with one of Beavers, Delauter, Jones or Thompson. Hughes is too talented to pass up this late.”"
2021 Season: 98.0 innings pitched, 3.21 ERA, 1.153 WHIP, 5 home runs allowed, 3.4 BB/9, and 12.7 K/9.
Joel Reuter – Bleacher Report
Pick 27: Blade Tidwell, RHP, Tennessee
"“Tidwell missed the first six weeks of the 2021 season with shoulder soreness, joining a long list of top-tier college arms who dealt with injury issues this spring. With a fastball that touches 99 mph and a 60-grade slider, his pure stuff stacks up to any pitcher’s in the class, and the Brewers have done a great job developing high-octane arms in recent years.”"
2022 Season: 39 innings pitched, 3.00 ERA, 1.077 WHIP, 6 home runs allowed, 2.5 BB/9, and 11.8 K/9
Dan Zielinski – Baseball Prospect Journal
Pick 27: Chase DeLauter, OF, James Madison
"“DeLauter’s season ended early due to an injury. When healthy, DeLauter is a 6-foot-4 and 235-pound outfielder with five-tool potential. He has an easy left-handed swing and hits for average and power. Scouts project him as an above-average hitter with above-average power in pro ball.”"
2022 Season: 118 plate appearances, .437/.576/.828, 8 home runs, 28 walks, and 21 strikeouts
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference