The Brewers’ 2026 draft class has a clear headliner in Sawyer Strosnider, and Milwaukee wasted no time showing how it views the TCU outfielder’s trajectory. Strosnider, the No. 2 pick, was sent straight to High-A Wisconsin and answered with a strong first look, hitting .276/.388/.448 in 22 games with two home runs, two triples and five doubles. He split his defensive time between center field and right field, though most of his innings came in center.
That debut fits the kind of profile Milwaukee clearly believes can move fast. Strosnider still has swing decisions to sharpen and strikeouts to keep under control, but the Brewers are betting on a player whose physical tools show up everywhere.
He’s the obvious answer for best power hitter, thanks to the raw strength that once produced that memorable Area Code Games window-shot homer as a high schooler, and his college track record backs it up too: 24 home runs over two seasons at TCU, plus enough speed to stack doubles and triples. His exit velocity numbers stood out in college and carried over with a wood bat in his pro debut.
Strosnider also earns the club’s best athlete nod, even though that category could have gone to him by default. Instead, Baseball America gave the edge to Minnesota prep outfielder Carson Hart, the Brewers’ 13th-round pick.
Hart wasn’t one of the class’s louder names, but his running grades have regularly checked in at 70 or better, and he brings a lean frame and a smooth stride that make him easy to dream on. Milwaukee’s history with mid- and late-round prep talent only makes him more interesting.
On the mound, the Brewers found a couple of arms with very different selling points. California prep right-hander Julian Garcia, selected fourth, gets the best secondary pitch label for a hammer curveball that comes in the mid-70s with heavy spin and sharp depth. The pitch sits regularly in the 2,800 rpm range and has the kind of downer action that can miss bats in a hurry.
Later in the class, Western Kentucky right-hander Gavin Perry, the 11th-rounder, drew praise for his fastball mix. Perry works with both a four-seam and two-seam version, each sitting in the 92-94 mph range and touching 96-97. He gets above-average extension and filled up the zone with both offerings, even if neither was a major swing-and-miss weapon this spring.
The Brewers also leaned into athleticism and defense up the middle. California prep shortstop Trey Ebel, the first-rounder, was named best pure hitter because of his patient, selective approach and contact ability, traits that could make him an above-average pure hitter. His first pro sample with Low-A Wilson wasn’t loud - he hit .190 in 13 games - but the underlying contact skills were there, along with a 13:16 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Florida outfielder Kyle Jones, the third-round pick, claimed best defensive player after establishing himself as an advanced center field defender with above-average ability and plus speed. He was an NCAA Gold Glove finalist after his freshman season at Stetson, where he also earned freshman of the year honors in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Another notable name is Texas State right-hander Chase Mora, the Brewers’ ninth-round pick and the choice for most intriguing background. Mora spent four seasons with the program as a position player, appearing in 227 games and piling up 977 plate appearances with 42 home runs.
As a pitcher, he logged only two games and 1.1 innings, yet Milwaukee drafted him on the mound after seeing a mid-90s fastball that reached 98 this spring. Even with such a limited pitching résumé, he brings promising movement patterns and a whip-quick arm.
For closest to the majors, Strosnider again sits at the center of the conversation. Milwaukee’s assignment for him says plenty about how the organization views his readiness. The bat still needs refinement, but his physicality and ability to affect the game in multiple ways could help him move quickly if the performance keeps coming.
The Brewers’ 11-plus round standout is Colorado prep right-hander Keaton Maiorana, who signed for $230,800, the second-largest bonus Milwaukee handed out in that range this year. At 6-foot-5, Maiorana has the frame and the stuff to keep turning heads, with a low-90s fastball and a high-spin sweeping slider that gets into the 3,000-plus rpm range.
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For a young player who had drawn criticism earlier in the season for not always bringing enough effort, the moment carried extra weight. It was the kind of heads-up hustle Milwaukee has been looking for all year, and the kind of play that can linger with a club when every out and every run matters this time of year. [Read more 🡒]