Least Talented Position in the Brewers' Farm System
A lot of you probably don't follow college and amateur baseball, and that includes myself, so knowing who will be the player the Brewers draft or who they even are is a stretch. However, knowing what position(s) the Brewers need and don't need to draft is a lot easier. That is what I will be discussing today, what the Brewers needs are, and who should be looked at more in earlier rounds.
DON'T NEED: Outfielders and middle infielders
I know that you can never have enough depth and players, because injuries and bad seasons happen too often. The Brewers have eight outfielders in their top 30 (including the top 2, and four top 10), not to mention Ryan Braun, Domingo Santana and Keon Broxton in the majors, and players like Kyle Wren and Clint Coulter who are not in the top 30 in the minors. I'm sorry, but that's over three full starting outfields, so chances are the guys are in the system for the future.
As far as the middle infield is concerned, you have former top prospect Orlando Arcia in the majors with a borderline All-Star last season in Jonathan Villar, who led baseball in steals. The likes of Hernan Perez, Eric Sogard and Yadiel Rivera are around as well. Two more players are in the top 10, and one additional is in the top 30 as well. It's not as overpowering as the outfield, and triple-A depth isn't amazing, but the lower minors are adequate at those positions.
NOT TOO CONCERNING: Third base and RHP
The group of third baseman has also become pretty solid, starting with Travis Shaw at the major league level. Three top 30 prospects are also third baseman, or can play third base, plus Jonathan Villar has shown that he can play there as well. It's not a dire need, but more depth could be used.
Right handed pitchers are much more common than lefties, but all but two of the top 30 are right handed, and every major leaguer (who is not #3 prospect Josh Hader) is right handed. With that said, pitching depth is a must.
THIRD BIGGEST NEED: LHP
It's not a huge need, but left handed pitching is useful to have, and the Brewers don't have a lot of it. They have Josh Hader and Kodi Medeiros in the top 30, plus Brent Suter in Triple-A as the notables, but not much else. The Brewers should take a lefty right away, but it's not an emergency.
SECOND BIGGEST NEED: First Base
Nobody in the top 30 is a true first baseman, Jake Gatewood and Jacob Nottingham can play first if they have to, but they are primarily a third baseman and catcher, respectively. Eric Thames is in the majors with Jesus Aguilar, and while they are doing okay they don't look like the future. Garrett Cooper is tearing up triple-A with a .366 average and 53 runs batted in, but the lower levels don't really have an answer.
BIGGEST NEED: Catcher
I know Jacob Nottingham is the 14th prospect, but he hasn't been playing that well so far. The big leagues have decent catchers, but neither Manny Pina nor Jett Bandy are a long term solution. Mario Feliciano made the single-A All-Star team, but he's a few years away. Taking a catcher to replace Jonathan Lucroy should be the main move for the Brewers.
Having a farm system as good as the Brewers means that no needs are really present and you should take the best player available, however, they are some areas that are weaker than others. Starting off taking a pitcher, catcher and first baseman in rounds 1, 2 and 3 should be the plan, but ultimately we won't know what these guys are like until 2020 and beyond.
