The
Milwaukee Brewers are a
Major League Baseball (MLB)
franchise based in
Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. They play in the
National LeagueCentral division. Established in
Seattle,
Washington, as the Seattle Pilots in 1969,[1] the team became the Milwaukee Brewers after relocating to Milwaukee in 1970.[2] The franchise played in the
American League until 1998, when it moved to the National League in conjunction with a major league realignment.[3] Since the institution of MLB's
Rule 4 draft, the Brewers have selected 69 players in the first round.[4] Officially known as the "First-Year Player Draft",[5] the Rule 4 draft is MLB's primary mechanism for assigning players from high schools, colleges, and other amateur clubs to its franchises. The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings, with the team possessing the worst record receiving the first pick.[5] In addition, teams which lost
free agents in the previous off-season may be awarded
compensatory or supplementary picks.[6]
Of the 69 players picked in the first round by Milwaukee, 28 have been
pitchers, the most of any position; 18 of these were right-handed, while 10 were left-handed. Fourteen
outfielders, 13
shortstops, 5
third basemen, 3
first basemen, 3
catchers, and 3
second basemen were also taken.[4] Fifteen of the players came from high schools or universities in the state of
California, and
Florida follows with ten players.
The Brewers have made 17 supplemental selections and have made one
first overall selection in the draft.[4] Three of these have been compensatory picks.[4] These additional selections are provided when a team loses a particularly valuable free agent in the prior off-season,[6][11][A] or, more recently, if a team fails to sign a draft pick from the previous year.[12] They have made five Competitive Balance picks.[4] Since 2013, these selections have been granted to the 10 lowest-revenue clubs and the clubs from the 10 smallest markets and are made between the first and second rounds.[15] The Brewers have failed to sign four of their first-round picks:
Bill Bordley (1976),[16]Alex Fernandez (1988),[17] Kenny Henderson (1991),[18] and Dylan Covey (2010).[19]
^Through the 2012 draft,
free agents were evaluated by the
Elias Sports Bureau and rated "Type A", "Type B", or not compensation-eligible. If a team offered
arbitration to a player but that player refused and subsequently signed with another team, the original team was able to receive additional draft picks. If a "Type A" free agent left in this way, his previous team received a supplemental pick and a compensatory pick from the team with which he signed. If a "Type B" free agent left in this way, his previous team received only a supplemental pick.[12] Since the 2013 draft, free agents are no longer classified by type; instead, compensatory picks are only awarded if the team offered its free agent a contract worth at least the average of the 125 current richest MLB contracts.[13] However, if the free agent's last team acquired the player in a trade during the last year of his contract, it is ineligible to receive compensatory picks for that player.[14]
^The Pilots and other expansion teams (
Montreal Expos,
Kansas City Royals, and
San Diego Padres) did not receive first-round picks in 1968.[21] They began the selection process at the end of the fourth round of the regular phase.[22]
^The Brewers lost their first-round pick in 1979 to the
Detroit Tigers as compensation for signing free agent
Jim Slaton.[33]
^The Brewers lost their first-round pick in 1981 to the
Toronto Blue Jays as compensation for signing free agent
Roy Howell.[35]
^The Brewers gained a supplemental pick in 1989 for failing to sign 1988 first-round draft pick
Alex Fernandez.[43]
The
Milwaukee Brewers are a
Major League Baseball (MLB)
franchise based in
Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. They play in the
National LeagueCentral division. Established in
Seattle,
Washington, as the Seattle Pilots in 1969,[1] the team became the Milwaukee Brewers after relocating to Milwaukee in 1970.[2] The franchise played in the
American League until 1998, when it moved to the National League in conjunction with a major league realignment.[3] Since the institution of MLB's
Rule 4 draft, the Brewers have selected 69 players in the first round.[4] Officially known as the "First-Year Player Draft",[5] the Rule 4 draft is MLB's primary mechanism for assigning players from high schools, colleges, and other amateur clubs to its franchises. The draft order is determined based on the previous season's standings, with the team possessing the worst record receiving the first pick.[5] In addition, teams which lost
free agents in the previous off-season may be awarded
compensatory or supplementary picks.[6]
Of the 69 players picked in the first round by Milwaukee, 28 have been
pitchers, the most of any position; 18 of these were right-handed, while 10 were left-handed. Fourteen
outfielders, 13
shortstops, 5
third basemen, 3
first basemen, 3
catchers, and 3
second basemen were also taken.[4] Fifteen of the players came from high schools or universities in the state of
California, and
Florida follows with ten players.
The Brewers have made 17 supplemental selections and have made one
first overall selection in the draft.[4] Three of these have been compensatory picks.[4] These additional selections are provided when a team loses a particularly valuable free agent in the prior off-season,[6][11][A] or, more recently, if a team fails to sign a draft pick from the previous year.[12] They have made five Competitive Balance picks.[4] Since 2013, these selections have been granted to the 10 lowest-revenue clubs and the clubs from the 10 smallest markets and are made between the first and second rounds.[15] The Brewers have failed to sign four of their first-round picks:
Bill Bordley (1976),[16]Alex Fernandez (1988),[17] Kenny Henderson (1991),[18] and Dylan Covey (2010).[19]
^Through the 2012 draft,
free agents were evaluated by the
Elias Sports Bureau and rated "Type A", "Type B", or not compensation-eligible. If a team offered
arbitration to a player but that player refused and subsequently signed with another team, the original team was able to receive additional draft picks. If a "Type A" free agent left in this way, his previous team received a supplemental pick and a compensatory pick from the team with which he signed. If a "Type B" free agent left in this way, his previous team received only a supplemental pick.[12] Since the 2013 draft, free agents are no longer classified by type; instead, compensatory picks are only awarded if the team offered its free agent a contract worth at least the average of the 125 current richest MLB contracts.[13] However, if the free agent's last team acquired the player in a trade during the last year of his contract, it is ineligible to receive compensatory picks for that player.[14]
^The Pilots and other expansion teams (
Montreal Expos,
Kansas City Royals, and
San Diego Padres) did not receive first-round picks in 1968.[21] They began the selection process at the end of the fourth round of the regular phase.[22]
^The Brewers lost their first-round pick in 1979 to the
Detroit Tigers as compensation for signing free agent
Jim Slaton.[33]
^The Brewers lost their first-round pick in 1981 to the
Toronto Blue Jays as compensation for signing free agent
Roy Howell.[35]
^The Brewers gained a supplemental pick in 1989 for failing to sign 1988 first-round draft pick
Alex Fernandez.[43]