Brody Brecht

School: Iowa
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.8
BA Grade: 55/Extreme
Tools: Fastball: 65. Slider: 70. Changeup: 50. Control: 40.

It could be difficult to find a pitcher in the 2024 class with the pure arm talent, athleticism and upside to match Brecht. A former two-sport athlete who played wide receiver on Iowa’s football team, Brecht chose to focus exclusively on pitching during his junior year with the Hawkeyes. That led to his best season and a 3.33 ERA in 15 starts and 78.1 innings, with a 37.2% strikeout rate and career-low 14.2% walk rate. A 6-foot-4, 235-pound righthander, Brecht has a great pitcher’s frame and attacks hitters from a higher release point and three-quarters slot. His fastball sits in the 96-97 mph range and has been up to 101 with hard cutting action that has made his fastball both a miss and groundball-inducing pitch. He throws a high-80s slider more frequently than his fastball, and over the offseason worked to add multiple shapes to the pitch. One is a shorter gyro offering and the second a breaking ball with more sweep. Whichever variant he settles on should have double-plus upside given his feel to spin the ball at high velocities. Brecht also worked on a split-changeup that comes in around 90 mph and used the pitch more consistently in his arsenal this spring. Brecht’s below-average control is the huge question and creates significant reliever risk for him in pro ball. It also makes him a polarizing prospect. He’s improved slightly in each season, but his career 17% walk rate would represent an outlier figure for a first-round college arm.