Brewers take three on first day of MLB draft

MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Brewers made three selections on the first day of the 2023 First-Year Player Draft, including Wake Forest University infielder Brock Wilken at No. 18 overall (first round), right-handed pitcher Josh Knoth  from Patchogue Medford High School (NY) at No. 33 overall (Competitive Balance Round A) and University of Nebraska-Omaha infielder Mike Boeve at No. 54 overall (second round). The announcements were made by Vice President of Domestic Scouting Tod Johnson.

Wilken batted .345 (82-for-238) with 15 doubles, 31 HR and 82 RBI in 66 games as a junior at Wake Forest in 2023. He holds the ACC career record for home runs with 71, while his 31 HR in 2023 set a school record. Wilken was named Second Team All-ACC in 2023 after leading the conference in HR (31), walks (69), runs (90), slugging percentage (.807) and total bases (192) and ranked second in RBI (82) and third in on-base percentage (.506).
 
The 21-year-old was named First Team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association, Second Team All-American by Baseball America and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Third Team All-American by Collegiate Baseball.
 
Knoth, 17, was named a Second Team High School All-American by Baseball America following his senior season in 2023 in which he set school records for ERA (0.17) and strikeouts (109).
 
The ERA record at Patchogue Medford High School was previously held by current Chicago Cubs right-handed pitcher Marcus Stroman (0.25 in 2009). Knoth broke his own strikeouts record after he topped Stroman’s previous mark (106, 2009) with 107 strikeouts as a junior. He is committed to the University of Mississippi.
 
Boeve, 21, hit .401 (67-for-167) with 15 doubles, 4 HR and 32 RBI in 47 games as a junior at Nebraska-Omaha in 2023, earning First Team All-Summit League honors. The left-handed hitter drew 32 walks and struck out just 9 times in 211 plate appearances.
 
He was named the Summit League Player of the Year after his sophomore season in 2022, batting .365 (78-for-214) with 23 doubles, 8 HR and 33 RBI in 57 games.