Brewers Exec Points Out 23-Year-Old Sleeper Breakout Candidate

Will we see this righty in the majors anytime soon?

Apr 18, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; General view of the Milwaukee Brewers logo in the dugout during batting practice prior to the game against the Athletics at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Great draft picks can come in any round, and the Milwaukee Brewers seem particularly excited about how they used their 10th-rounder last season.

With the 305th pick in the July draft, Milwaukee selected University of Texas-San Antonio right-handed pitcher Braylon Owens, a 23-year-old whose collegiate stats were nothing to write home about. Owens made his professional debut earlier this month with the High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers.

According to a top player development executive in the Brewers organization, fans might want to start keeping a closer eye on Owens despite his relatively unimpressive amateur and professional resume.

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Braylon Owens putting up good metrics in High-A

Jul 20, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; A view of the Milwaukee Brewers logo as seen on outfielder Jesse Winker (33) against the Philadelphia Phillies in the sixth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Brewers senior vice president of player operations and baseball administration Tom Flanagan recently told MLB.com's Adam McCalvy that Owens was his top player in the farm system whose underlying metrics suggested better future results than his stats would indicate.

“He’s got the ingredients to be someone to watch,” Flanagan told McCalvy.

In 15 1/3 innings so far for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Owens has allowed seven earned runs and sports a WHIP of 1.44. But he's piled up 23 strikeouts in that time frame, suggesting that his stuff plays at the High-A level and could continue to do so at the upper levels of the minors.

As is the case with so many young pitchers with live arms, command appears to be Owens' Achilles' heel. He's walked nine batters in the minors this season, and he issued 92 free passes in his 181 2/3 innings at UTSA. The walk is the great equalizer at every level of baseball, because it takes away the pitcher's ability to dictate the circumstances.

Owens is nowhere to be found on the current Brewers' top 30 prospect list from MLB Pipeline, but perhaps if he cuts down his walks a bit while maintaining his strikeout pace, he could find his way to that first level of farmhand fame before too long.

Either way, the Brewers seemingly feel fortunate to have found a live arm so many picks into the draft.