​The Milwaukee Brewers will hold the 25th pick in the Major League Baseball draft on July 11, a first-round choice expected to be placed into the league’s strongest farm system. Here’s a snapshot of what mock drafts are predicting about the player the Brewers may target: Mississippi State’s ace Reese, a 6-foot-4 left-handed corner infielder, has drawn attention from notable scouts. Keith Law of The Athletic notes that Reese’s profile fits the Brewers’ recent pattern of college corner infield selections, ranking a bit higher in his model than in his actual performance. Law also points out that Milwaukee has diversely approached high picks in recent years, including taking a high school pitcher at 33 in 2023 with the recently returned Josh Knoth.
Kiley McDaniel of ESPN echoes the assessment, highlighting Reese as a plausible fit. He notes that Reese could end up at first base long term, with an in-zone contact rate slightly below average but an elite feel for power in games. McDaniel observes parallels between Reese and recent Brewers first-round selections such as Andrew Fischer and Brock Wilken, and suggests Reese could be the best among those college prospects in the back half of the first round, anticipating substantial interest.
In related chatter, MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo weighs in on potential options if the Cubs at No. 23 move in a different direction. He suggests the Brewers would certainly consider Coastal Carolina right-hander Cameron Flukey if he’s available, but with Flukey off the board they might pivot to offensive options. Mayo notes Milwaukee’s openness to high school talents, yet their recent precedent leans toward the college route, with an emphasis on players who have demonstrated major potential at the Power Four conference level, such as Louisville’s Zion Rose. Rose has drawn attention for his production at Louisville, where he displayed a rare blend of contact and power, though his defensive value in the outfield is limited, which puts more pressure on his bat to carry him in the first round. The Brewers’ history of valuing athletic upside in a draft that emphasizes hitters in the first round makes Rose a compelling option for some evaluators, provided the bat meets expectations.
FanSided has connected Rose with Milwaukee, arguing that the Brewers have targeted bats in nine of their last ten first-round selections. The piece emphasizes Milwaukee’s willingness to chase offensive upside and notes Rose’s striking combination of contact and power. The outfield defense would be a concern, but in the first round, many teams are comfortable taking the risk if the bat is elite enough and the prospect shows strong top-line production.
Baseball America’s Ben Badler observes that while the Brewers generally favor college bats with their first-round picks, they do not shy away from high school players when they believe those prospects are young relative to their class. The bottom line is that Ruiz’s profile doesn’t fit the strict modern mold of the Brewers’ recent selections—yet he remains a point of discussion for the club as they weigh their options with the 25th overall pick and the opportunity to strengthen an already dominant farm system.