Getting to Know Cubs Draft Pick: Ivan Brethowr |
Throughout the 2024 MLB Draft, the Cubs remained a mystery, and many fans and experts alike were confused by some of their selections, especially in the early rounds. You could make the case that three of their first seven picks were considered reaches, as the Cubs appeared to value potential over production for some of their picks.
However, there were some selections that were not reached, and one of them came in round seven when the Cubs landed UC Santa Barbara OF Ivan Brethowr at Pick No. 212. Brethowr was ranked the 194th best prospect, so to have him fall even a little bit benefitted the Cubs as they made it two straight UCSB selections, with Ryan Gallagher going in round 6 There is a lot to like about Brethowr and his overall potential, but the first thing that comes to mind is his size. At 6-6 and 250 pounds, Brethowr is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, OF prospects in this year's class and does draw some comparisons to a young Aaron Judge size-wise before Judge turned into what he has turned into. The former Prep star from Kansas began his collegiate career at Arizona State University, but after minimal playing time during his freshman season, he transferred to UCSB. From the moment he arrived on campus, Brethowr began an instant threat in the Gauchos lineup as he earned all All-Big West First Team honors as a sophomore. He hasn't made the leap that man thought he would this season, but given his power potential at the plate and the damage he can inflict he was still viewed as a day two talent, and a solid one at that. Take a look at his junior season, for example. Brethowr slashed .294/.421/.581 in 43 games for the Gauchos this season. He displayed his raw power by belting 12 homers and did that with a career-low 16.4% strikeout rate. The improved strikeout rate was something that attracted the Cubs to him, but with all of his homers coming to the pull side, he does need to do a better job using the whole field to maximize his talent. When you talk about players with raw power, Brethowr is one of the guys that comes to mind, as he has been one of the more physical hitters in the nation the past few seasons. He has displayed that power from the pull side since day one, but going the opposite has been a struggle, and the power has yet to show up much going the other way. That is the next part of his development as a player, and the Cubs will work a ton with him on it. The biggest thing that he showed the most improvement on this season was the drammatic cut down on his strikeout rate which reached a career-low this season. Despite that, he still hesitates a lot at the plate, and that could be a cause for concern when he starts to see more consistent pitching in the minors. However, if the Cubs are able to get him to make some minor swing adjustments, his true potential could be unlocked, and the Cubs may have a big bopper they can plug in the middle of their lineup down the road. Many fans don't realize that Brethowr has great speed for his size but has lost a step or two in recent seasons. Some nagging injuries have played a role in that, but he does still have above-average speed for his size. However, should he continue to mature and potentially get bigger, that speed is most likely to decrease, so don't expect many stolen base opportunities from him at the next level. Given his lack of top-end speed, Brethowr is limited to one of the two corner outfield spots, but with a strong and accurate arm, that isn't a bad thing. With the Cubs taking him as high as they did, they are banking on him to maximize his full power potential, which is similar to what they expected Jordan Nwogu to do if it pans out great; if not, the Cubs can at least have someone they can stash in the minors for a few years to possibly dangle as a trade piece later.
