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With the 146th overall pick in the 2014 MLB draft, the Brewers have selected third baseman Dustin Demuth, out of the University of Indiana.
A senior for the Hoosiers, Demuth bats lefty and throws righty. This season, he has hit .374/.449/.531 with forty strikeouts and five homers in 57 games. He holds a .344 batting average as a four-year starter and has a .406 collegiate on-base percentage. Outside of a rough 2012, the 22-year-old has been a star for Indiana.
The best news for this pick is that DeMuth should be a fairly polished hitter who can move through the system quickly, which is great for a Brewers team who has nothing at the hot corner beyond aging veteran Aramis Ramirez. If he proves he can hit, it wouldn't be all that surprising to see him man third base sooner than later as he wouldn't need a lot of time in the system.
The main concern about DeMuth seems to be a lack of power potential. Though he has a nice swing and fine bat speed, his power numbers have been lacking for a corner infielder. He tends to be more of a gap hitter, though, with great contact ability. That could profile him similarly to Cardinals' third baseman Matt Carpenter, who hit .318 with a league-leading 55 doubles last year and is off to a good start in 2014.
As a college senior, there's little doubt that DeMuth will sign. Again, signability will be key for the Brewers moving forward on the draft after choosing four high school players in their first five picks.
DeMuth is on Twitter, if you'd like to give him a follow.
