Ryan Braun and the 10 Best First-Round Draft Picks in Milwaukee Brewers History
Brewing up some talent: Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder and the 10 greatest first-round draft picks in Milwaukee Brewers history
The Milwaukee Brewers are a relatively young franchise by league standards, but that hasn't hindered their success when it comes to the MLB draft.
In fact, the last 10 Milwaukee draft classes have included homegrown stars such as Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun, Rickie Weeks, Yovani Gallardo, Corey Hart and Mat Gamel.
A pretty solid haul, to say the least.
With talk of the 2011 MLB draft at its collective climax, I thought it would be more than appropriate to rank the 10 greatest first-round selections in Brewers history.
Let's get things started.
Alec Dopp is a Featured Columnist for the Milwaukee Brewers on Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @doppler9000, and read his new Brewers beat blog, Brewers Rumors.
10. Gary Sheffield: Sixth Overall, 1986
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Drafted by the Brewers in 1986, Sheffield played just four seasons with Milwaukee.
During that time, Sheffield amassed 21 HR and 133 RBI and maintained a .243 BA.
Nevertheless, he'll go down as one of the best picks in Brewers history, as well as major-league history.
9. B.J. Surhoff: First Overall, 1985
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The only first overall selection in Milwaukee Brewers history, B.J. Surhoff had a lot of hype to live up to during his nine-year career in the Brew City.
Surhoff was one of the most consistent defensive players in the league.
8. Gorman Thomas: 21st Overall, 1969
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Believe it or not, Thomas was the first pick in the inaugural season of Brewers baseball in Milwaukee way back in 1969.
Not only did he produce on the field during his time in Milwaukee (605 RBI, 208 HR, .786 OPS), but he was also a fan favorite in each of his 11 seasons with the Brewers.
Thomas is without question one of the 10 greatest first-round pickups in Brewers history.
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7. Geoff Jenkins: Ninth Overall, 1995
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In 1995, the Brewers utilized their first-round selection on what would become one of the most well-known Brewers of all time, Geoff Jenkins.
Playing 11 career major-league seasons, Jenkins spent 10 of them in the Brew City—registering 704 RBI, 212 HR, 287 doubles and an .843 OPS.
If that's not a return on investment, then I don't know what is.
6. Rickie Weeks: Second Overall, 2003
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The Brewers' only second overall selection in franchise history was invested in one of college baseball's most elite prospects of all time, Rickie Weeks.
Professionally, Weeks has put together a seven-year stint with Milwaukee but has yet to even approach what his collegiate potential would suggest of him.
If not for untimely injuries, Weeks might arguably be the top choice on this list.
5. Ben Sheets: 10th Overall, 1999
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Milwaukee's prolonged success in the draft more than likely started with its selection of Ben Sheets out of the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
Talk to any major-league scout back in 1999, and they'd tell you that Sheets had the most upside and pure talent of any prospect due to be drafted that year.
However, like Weeks, Sheets never quite lived up to the hype.
That said, in his eight years with the Brewers, Sheets would go on to serve up several of the greatest pitching performances in Milwaukee's baseball history. If not for Roger Clemens' outstanding campaign, Sheets would have likely won the 2004 NL Cy Young Award as well.
An all-time Brewers great, without a doubt, but could you imagine what his career would've looked like without the burden of injury?
4. Ryan Braun: Fifth Overall, 2005
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It's hard to believe, but hardly six years ago already, the Brewers pulled the trigger on one of the best pure hitting talents the power-packed 2005 draft class had to offer, Ryan Braun.
Since then, Braun has gone on to accumulate 140 HR, 454 RBI, 154 2B and a .307 BA, and he was just recently signed to a contract extension that will make him a Brewer through the 2021 season.
When it's all said and done, he will probably be the greatest Brewer of all time.
3. Prince Fielder: Seventh Overall, 2002
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Does he even need an introduction?
After the Brewers added Ben Sheets in the 1999 MLB draft, Milwaukee set out to find a serious power bat to help reincarnate an organization deprived of talent in the worst way.
Let's just say they found him.
With the seventh overall selection in the 2002 MLB draft, Milwaukee took Prince Fielder out of Melbourne, Florida.
Fielder made his major-league debut June 13, 2005 and hasn't looked back since—amassing 569 RBI, 201 HR, 176 doubles and a .280 BA.
2. Paul Molitor: Third Overall, 1977
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Playing a grand total of 21 career major-league seasons—15 of which were spent with the Brewers—Paul Molitor remains one of the greatest pure hitters the league has ever known.
Over the course of his Hall of Fame career in Milwaukee, Molitor registered 160 HR, 790 RBI, 412 SB, 405 2B and a .303 BA.
When the Brewers selected him with the third overall pick in the 1977 MLB draft, they made history.
1. Robin Yount: Third Overall, 1973
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The man—the legend.
From the time Milwaukee selected Robin Yount with the third overall selection in the 1973 draft to his final game as a major-league player in 1993, the Brewers forever cultivated baseball in Wisconsin.
Playing 20 seasons with the Brewers, Yount developed one of the most renowned résumés in major-league history, no to mention Brewers history.
To this very day, Yount leads the Brewers in at-bats (11,008), RBI (1,406), HR (251), 2B (583), 3B (126) and TB (4,730).
Long live the mustache.
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