Brewers Predicted To Acquire 19-HR Slugger Facing Position Questions

It's nearly Major League Baseball Draft season, which means the Milwaukee Brewers will have some interesting decisions to make.

Because they're not a team that typically makes splashy free-agent signings, the Brewers are always under pressure to hit on their draft selections. And right now, they've got plenty of openings on the big-league roster for youngsters to snatch up in the years to come.

If the Brewers go with collegiate players, they know they're more likely to fill those openings quicker than they would with talented high schoolers. It's likely they'll nab both in the early rounds, but it would be nice to add one more middle-of-the-order bat within the next couple of years.

On Tuesday, Gabe Lacques of USA Today predicted that the Brewers would select Ike Irish, an outfielder/catcher from Auburn University, with the 22nd overall pick this July.

"Another club that tends to lean college bat, the Brewers get a nice piece in Irish, whose .364, 19-homer platform season looks even better if he sticks at catcher professionally. But Irish caught just 12 games for the Tigers this year, spending 45 games in the outfield," Lacques wrote.

As cool names go, Irish is at the top of his draft class. And he's not far behind in overall offense, as there aren't many hitters that can put up a batting average over .350 in the toughest conference in the NCAA.

It's always difficult to project young catchers as professionals if it turns out they won't be able to stay behind the plate. In that sense, maybe it's a good thing that Auburn seems to have made the decision for pro teams by putting Irish in the outfield most of the time.

Will the Brewers see the Irish and fellow 21-year-old Jackson Chourio manning the outfield together for years to come? Only time will tell.