The Milwaukee Brewers had an interesting 2024 MLB Draft. One month ago they selected a prep outfielder Braylon Payne in the first round, NCAA Champion Blake Burke 34th overall, a pair of New Jersey prep pitchers 57th and 67th (Bryce Meccage signed and Chris Levonas did not sign) and largely a combination of prep and collegiate arms the rest of the way.
Following the conclusion of the MLB Draft and trade deadline MLB Pipeline has gone through and updated each team’s top 30 rankings. Here we take a look at the four 2024 Brewers draft picks that landed inside the newest rankings.
Milwaukee Brewers ninth ranked prospect: OF Braylon Payne.
At the time of the MLB Draft Braylon Payne was just 17 years old. He is now 18 years old and is the Brewers ninth ranked prospect. The speedy outfielder reported to Arizona after the draft but won’t participate in any official games until 2025.
“With a compact, flat left-handed swing, Payne likes to use his quick hands to smack grounders to the left side of the infield and his plus-plus speed to beat them out. He opens up early at the plate in an attempt to get down the line as fast as possible, yet he still manages to make repeated contact. Though he’ll never be a slugger, he has enough bat speed and projectable strength to hit 15 or more homers per season once he learns to look for pitches he can drive.”
MLB Pipeline’s analysis of Braylon Payne
Milwaukee Brewers 14th ranked prospect: RHP Bryce Meccage.
Bryce Meccage signed with Milwaukee for over $1.0 million over his estimated slot value. This was enough to pry him away from his college commitment. He is of large physical stature, induces lots of spin on his pitches, and projects to be a mid-rotation starting pitcher one day.
“Meccage has a big league body at 6-foot-4 and the potential repertoire to go with it. He was up to 95 mph over the summer, and he continues to show he can consistently get to the mid-90s. He combines it with a hard slider, now in the 84-86 mph range, that could be plus in time. He’s also working on a slower curve that could be a solid average offering, and both pitches are thrown with really high spin rates. He does have some feel for a changeup, but doesn’t use it much at this level.”
MLB Pipeline’s analysis of Bryce Meccage.
Related: Bryce Meccage discusses 2024 MLB Draft, kick changeup, and much more (watch).
Milwaukee Brewers 15th ranked prospect: 1B Blake Burke.
First baseman Blake Burke was a massive power threat at the University of Tennessee. He swings from the left side of the plate and could be the Brewers first basemen of the future. Milwaukee hasn’t had an exciting first base prospect in quite some time and have consistently shuffled players around at the position since Prince Fielder left over a decade ago.
“Burke has an impressive combination of bat speed, strength and leverage in his 6-foot-3, 236-pound frame, which generates plus-plus raw power and consistently high exit velocities. His left-handed pop plays to all parts of the ballpark, and he has grown to realize that he can hit home runs without swinging for the fences.”
MLB Pipeline’s analysis of Blake Burke.
Milwaukee Brewers 28th ranked prospect: RHP Travis Smith.
One underrated draft pick in the 2024 MLB Draft was Travis Smith. He was taken in the 15th round but signed at a fifth round slot value estimate. The hard throwing pitcher underwent Tommy John and heart surgery while at the University of Kentucky but if healthy he projects out to be a mid-rotation starting pitcher.
“Smith’s two-seam fastball operates at 93-95 mph and tops out at 98, featuring heavy life that induces a lot of ground-ball contact. His high-spin slider parks at 85 mph and peaks at 89 with both horizontal and vertical action, and he also can turn it into a low-90s cutter. He’s still developing feel for a sinking changeup that’s too firm in the upper 80s.”
MLB Pipeline’s analysis of Travis Smith.
The Brewers full top 30 rankings can be found by clicking here.
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