The Colorado Rockies picked up one of the highest-ceiling fastballs in the 2024 MLB Draft when they drafted University of Iowa right-handed pitcher Brody Brecht.
With the 38th pick in the 2024 Draft, the @Rockies select @UIBaseball right-handed pitcher Brody Brecht, No. 21 on the Top 250 Draft Prospects list.
— MLB Draft (@MLBDraft) July 15, 2024
Watch LIVE: https://t.co/eLMJAXDe7Z pic.twitter.com/uldZMa5xGz
Do you like cheese?
Then you’ll love Brecht, whose heater grades a 70 on the 20-80 scale. That pitch has been clocked in the triple digits and could be one of the finest the Rockies organization has seen in its 30 years.
Meanwhile, Brecht also boasts a plus slider that pairs nicely with his main weapon. These two tools allowed Brecht to rack up strikeouts last year, wherein he recorded 128 K’s in just 78 1⁄3 innings pitched.
The Colorado Rockies select power pitcher Brody Brecht 6-4, 235) at No. 38 after the first round. Brecht becomes Iowa’s highest-drafted player since Tim Costo went No. 8 overall in 1990.
— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) July 15, 2024
Brecht was 4-3 with a 3.33 ERA, 128 Ks and 49 BBs last year. He was 4th nationally in Ks… pic.twitter.com/piPaTQuYos
Even with this repertoire, Brecht is still considered a work-in-progress with a high ceiling. It will be up to Colorado's coaching staff to take full advantage of the powers that lie within him.
They may have a sleeper ace on their hands.
In fact, they may have a very special athlete, the likes of which we haven’t seen in quite a while. Having played football with Iowa, some front offices may be wary of the wear and tear on the young Brecht’s body, but Colorado’s sees it as a plus.
“We’re extremely excited,” said Vice President and Assistant General Manager of Scouting Danny Montgomery. “You got a guy who’s a football/baseball guy - you’re talking about a physical man that throws 101 sometimes. We’re gonna harness his command and control.”
➡️ Mile High City ️@brody_brecht x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/R2BtkxJGr9
— Iowa Baseball (@UIBaseball) July 15, 2024
Montgomery spoke at length about Brecht's willingness to improve, and the work he is excited to do to get to the major league level.
“We always talk about him breaking down his mechanics - where he may be out of sync, what is he able to do, what’s he not doing - and he understands he’s missing some of the nuances of pitching. But that meant a lot - for a guy that’s just so physical, he does all the little things that you want to see as a pitcher in our league.”
It sounds like the work has only just begun for Brecht.
That work will start by improving his splitter, which is currently considered his weakest pitch. If he can develop it, or some equivalent third tool, it will go far in making the comparisons to Jeff Samardzija a reality.
★ ★ ★
What do you think of the pick? Let us know in the comments!
Loading comments...