The 2020 MLB Draft is being held June 10th and 11th. This year’s draft will be significantly different – there are only five rounds. Because of this, Robin Adams and I are compiling lists by decade of Brewers drafted after the 5th round. We are highlighting the point that there are players missing out on their professional baseball careers with this year’s abbreviated draft.
Lary Sorensen, RHP, 1976 Draft Class
Lary Sorensen was drafted by the Brewers in the 8th round of the 1976 draft. He spent 1976 and part of 1977 in the minors before he was called up June 7, 1977. He played for the Brewers for four years (including 1977), before pitching for St. Louis, Cleveland, Oakland, Chicago (NL), Montreal, and San Francisco. His four years with the Brewers were his longest stay with one team, but he had an eleven year professional baseball career.
While with the Brewers, Sorensen posted a 3.72 ERA in 129 appearances, 119 of which were starts. He pitched 50 complete games, including 7 shutouts. His WHIP and ERA+ were 1.275 and 107, respectively. Sorensen represented the Brewers in the 1978 All-Star Game. That year his ERA was 3.21, his WHIP was 1.165, and his ERA+ was 118.
Bill Travers, LHP, 1970 Draft Class
Bill Travers was drafted in the 6th round of the 1970 draft by the Brewers. Seven of his nine years in the Majors were with Milwaukee. He spent the other two years with the California Angels.
During his time with the Brewers, Travers had a 3.99 ERA and a 1.366 WHIP over 1068.1 innings pitched. He appeared in 191 games with 157 starts. Travers recorded 10 shutouts in 46 complete games. His one All-Star appearance was as a Brewer in 1976. That was arguably his best year of his career as well; his ERA was 2.81 and his WHIP was 1.275.
Jerry Augustine, LHP, 1974 Draft Class
With a 15th round draft pick in the 1974 draft, the Brewers selected Jerry Augustine out of University of Wisconsin at La Crosse. He spent all ten of his years in the Majors with the Brewers. After playing, Augustine coached baseball for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Now, he is as a studio analyst for the Brewers’ television broadcasts, as well and the pre- and post-game shows.
While pitching for the Brewers, Augustine’s ERA was 4.23 and his WHIP was 1.449. He pitched 27 complete games in 104 starts, including 6 shutouts. In 1976, he was named to the Topps All-Rookie Team. During that year, Augustine pitched 171.2 innings in 39 appearances, posting a 3.30 ERA.
Bill Schroeder, C, 1979 Draft Class
The Brewers selected Bill “Rock” Schroeder in the 8th round of the 1979 draft. He played in the Majors for eight years and spent six of those years with the Brewers. After retiring from playing, Rock started working as the color commentator for the televised Brewer game broadcasts in 1995. He has been in that role ever since.
Rock’s career fielding percentage at catcher is .992, over 2536.2 innings in 309 games. With the Brewers, his slash line was .246/.291/.438. He held the Brewers record for fastest rookie to 15 homers (in 71 games) until Ryan Braun beat him in 2007 (in 50 games). His best year at the plate was 1987 when he posted a .332/.379/.548 slash.
Jim Gantner, 2B, 1974 Draft Class
In the 12th round of the 1974 draft, the Brewers selected Jim Gantner out of University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh. Gantner played seventeen years in Majors and all of those years were with the Brewers. His #17 jersey is unofficially retired by the Brewers; no one has worn #17 since his retirement in 1992.
Gantner was a solid player in fielding and batting. His career fielding percentage at second base is .982. In 6787 career plate appearances, his slash line is .274/.319/.351. In 1989, Gantner led the league in times hit by a pitch. As a member of the 1981 and 1982 Brewers playoff teams, his career playoff slash was .241/.268/.370 in 16 games played.
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT:
All of the fantastic Brewers articles here on OTH Wisconsin, such as coverage on when and how baseball will be resuming and other fan favorites.
Be on the lookout for the rest of the decades in this series covering Brewers drafted after the 5th round.
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