The Milwaukee Brewers drafted infielder Eric Brown Jr. with the 27th overall pick in the amateur draft this year. Assigned to the Brewers’ Low-A affiliate the Carolina Mudcats, Brown hit a home run in his first professional at-bat.
Eric Brown Jr. is a fascinating prospect for several reasons. At 21 years old, he may reach the Majors at a faster pace than others in the Brewers’ system.
Eric Brown Jr. Does Not Swing and Miss Much
One of the things that is most frustrating about the Brewers offense is their propensity to strike out a lot. This is also true for most of their top prospects. Eric Brown Jr., on the other hand, does not swing and miss very often at all:
According to BrewCrew Ball, Brown drew more walks (14.2%) than he struck out (13.2%) while in college. In three seasons at Coastal Carolina, he slashed .306/.431/.501 with 16 home runs and 88 RBI.
An Unusual Batting Stance
The current manager of the Milwaukee Brewers, Craig Counsell, was known in his playing days for his unusual batting stance. Interestingly, Eric Brown Jr.’s batting stance appears to be very similar:
According to Brown, he developed the stance in high school to help make the consistent contact he wanted. It helps him, as he says, find “the power slot” when hitting.
An Impressive Start to His Professional Career
After being drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers, Eric Brown Jr. took part in the Arizona Complex League. In four games, he hit .308/.471/.539 with three doubles and a RBI. He also stole four bases. True to his nature in high school and college, Brown also struck out the same number of times that he drew a walk (four).
In his first game with the Carolina Mudcats, Brown went 2-4 with a home run and three RBI. He stole a base, struck out once, and walked once.
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