The 2018 Major League Baseball draft begins Monday, June 4 and 40 rounds later will end Wednesday, June 6.
We're just concerned with the first round, however.
After just missing the playoffs in 2017, the Milwaukee Brewers own the No. 21 overall pick in this year's draft (they'll pick in that spot in every round and also have a selection in the Competitive Balance Round B, at No. 73 overall).
Unless you are a big expert on college and/or high school baseball, it can be hard knowing exactly who is who in MLB's draft and which players might fall where.
Well, we're here to help. At least in the opening round. We've scoured the internet for mock drafts and present our findings below for who the prognosticators predict the Brewers will select in the first round. We've also including their summary/reasoning (when given) to help give a little background on the player.
With the draft closing in, here's a look at mock draft picks for Milwaukee from analysts around the web:
Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com: Ethan Hankins, RHP, Forsyth (Ga.) Central HS. "Were it not for a minor shoulder issue earlier in the spring, Hankins' name would be all over the top 10. He returned to the mound and his velocity came back, so Milwaukee could get a top-of-the-Draft talent here at No. 21."
Jim Callis of MLB.com: Shane McClanahan, LHP, South Florida. "A lefty who can hit 100 mph and mix in a plus changeup, McClanahan looked to be solidly in the 6-12 range until he started scuffling with his control and command over his last six starts. Falling this far might be a bit extreme. Milwaukee isn't wed to any particular demographic and is one of several landing spots for Larnach in the 20s."
Andrew Lawrence of The Sporting News: Trevor Larnach, OF, Oregon State. "Larnach, though often overshadowed by classmate Nick Madrigal, has really come on strong in 2018 and played his way into becoming a first-round pick in June. Having hit only three career home runs coming into this season, Larnach dialed up the power in 2018 and has launched 15 so far in 2018. However, he’s not just a boom-or-bust hitter, as he’s also drawn 35 walks on the season and has hit for average as well. His average speed means he’ll likely be relegated to a corner outfield spot, but, regardless, the Brewers would be getting a very good player at No. 21."
Brian Sakowski of Perfect Game: Grayson Rodriguez, RHP, Central Heights (Texas) HS. "Rodriguez may be in play even 10 or so spots higher than this pick, and it makes sense from value perspective as well a fit. He's been into the upper-90s this spring at times and has shown very good feel for his off-speed stuff, but there is the rawness to the profile."
Richard Morin of azcentral.com: Trevor Larnach, OF, Oregon State. "The Brewers could also look at Missouri State shortstop Jeremy Eierman with this pick, but Larnach makes a lot of sense at No. 21 if he’s still on the board. Although he might not last to this point — Seattle should give a look — Larnach provided great value to the Beavers when Madrigal went down earlier this season."
Jeff Ellis of Scout.com: Greyson Jenista, OF, Wichita State. "The Brewers have been so consistent under David Stearns that, last year, no missed pick made me angrier than when I didn’t have them taking Keston Hiura. Until they do something different, I am looking for the player with the best hit tool grade on the board. This pick came down to Jenista or Jordan Groshans. I gave the edge to Jenista, as he has shown a strong eye at the plate already and has the broader set of skills. He can run some and there should still be more power to unlock in his large frame."
Ryan Phillips of The Big Lead: Trevor Larnach, OF, Oregon State. "The Milwaukee Brewers are all over the map on who they’re targeting, which means they could go with the best available player. Trevor Larnach is the kind of all-around player you can grab in the 20s and be thrilled with. Larnach is a lefty with a great approach at the plate. He makes good, hard contact consistently, plus has a solid arm and is a decent corner outfielder. He was really good against top competition in the Cape Cod League last summer."
MyMLBDraft.com: Brice Turang, SS, Santiago (Calif.) HS.
Mike Axisa of CBSSports.com: Kumar Rocker, RHP, North Oconee (Ga.) HS. "Under GM David Stearns, the Brewers have employed a very straightforward 'best player available' approach. Hitter, pitcher, college, high school, whatever. Rocker is the son of former NFL player Tracy Rocker, and he has the most upside of any pitcher still on the board here. In fact, he was in the mix for the top 10-15 picks before a few sluggish outings late this spring. Given his present stuff (mid-90s heater and wipeout slider) and athleticism, Rocker is the kind of pitching prospect who could come out of college as a No. 1 pick candidate in three years, especially since he's committed to Vanderbilt, a top pitcher development program."
Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs: Connor Scott, CF, Plant (Fla.) HS. "The Brewers have been tied to a wide swath of players this spring and typically play value rather than specific demographics with high picks. They’re near the top of a run of prep bats at this point. They’ve been tied to a few names, but Scott is probably the best on the board here."
Nick Snider of Draft Site: Tristan Pompey, OF, Kentucky.
