​Since 2018, the Milwaukee Brewers had not waited until the fourth round to take a pitcher, until they selected right-hander Julian Garcia from St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, California, on Saturday, July 11. The club can only hope the 18-year-old delivers a career as fruitful as Aaron Ashby did after being the Brewers’ fourth-round choice in 2018. Garcia stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 205 pounds. This past season, after missing his junior year to recover from Tommy John surgery, he posted a remarkable 9-1 record with a 0.80 ERA and 107 strikeouts, while issuing just 10 walks over 12 appearances.
In the 2026 MLB Draft, Garcia was selected by Milwaukee in the fourth round at pick No. 130 overall. The Brewers’ scouting staff clearly believes in his potential, given his prominent high school performance and a standout reputation in California’s competitive showcase leagues. Garcia was recognized as the 2026 MaxPreps California Player of the Year, a prestigious accolade that reflects his dominance on the mound throughout his prep career. Over his high school tenure, he compiled an 18-5 record with a 1.86 ERA and 204 strikeouts against 38 walks, a stat line that underscores his command and ability to miss bats at an elite level.
Garcia’s best breaking ball is his curveball, which scouts consider among the best in the draft. That pitch, combined with a mature delivery and advanced feel for sequencing, has helped him stand out among peers in California’s competitive circuit. He has familiarity with the Brewers’ organization from encountering their scouts and participating in several of Milwaukee’s showcases in the region, which helped reinforce the impression that he would be a good fit for their system.
Even though Garcia has a scholarship offer from Long Beach State, the expectation is that he will sign with Milwaukee instead. The Brewers’ willingness to pursue a high-ceiling high school arm in the middle rounds demonstrates their strategy of investing in upside, particularly for pitchers who can bring velocity, feel for spin, and a projectable frame to the organization’s development pipeline.
While this pick is still very much in the early stages of evaluation, the Brewers are betting on Garcia’s track record of success at the prep level and his ability to translate that success to professional baseball. If he continues to develop and refine his repertoire, Milwaukee could benefit from a pitcher with the size, arm strength, and swing-and-miss potential that this selection suggests.
This selection adds to Milwaukee’s overall draft narrative, which has increasingly emphasized pitchers with clean mechanics, impressive strikeout potential, and the ability to adapt to professional competition after adjusting to the physical demands of a longer season and the higher level of hitters. Garcia’s blend of performance, age, and upside makes him a compelling addition to a Brewers system that values a robust combination of ceiling and polish.
Garcia’s college commitment to Long Beach State remains a potential alternative, but the prevailing expectation is that Milwaukee will secure his signature and begin his professional journey, beginning with instructional leagues and then progressing through the minor leagues with the aim of eventually contributing at the major league level. If he signs, Garcia becomes yet another example of Milwaukee’s willingness to invest in talented California players who have proven production in high-level prep leagues and who carry the upside to develop into a durable, top-end starter in the future.
In sum, the Brewers’ 2026 fourth-round pick, Julian Garcia, carries a résumé that makes him an intriguing prospect for the organization and its fan base. A California player of the year, with a dominant prep line, a premium curveball, and a projectable frame, Garcia embodies the type of arm Milwaukee believes can be molded into a reliable major league contributor with time, coaching, and continued growth.