TicketsWith the 121st pick in the fourth round of the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft, the Milwaukee Brewers selected University of Cincinnati junior outfielder Joey Wiemer.
Wiemer becomes the highest Bearcats draftee since Ian Happ was selected in the first round, ninth overall in 2015 to the Chicago Cubs. This year's draft was shortened to just five rounds due to the unprecedented situation of professional sports in 2020.
The Temperance, Michigan native has played a key role in UC's success ever since donning the red and black. As a freshman in 2018, he played in 45 games with 43 starts. He hit .266 in his rookie campaign with five homeruns, eight doubles and 22 RBI. Wiemer's prestige grew in the historic 2019 season. While setting a Bearcats single-season record of 62 games played, he hit .263 with 13 doubles, two triples and six homerun with 28 RBI and 21 stolen bases. He was the spark plug to the season, hitting a memorable walk-off homerun in the home series against UCF to encourage the Bearcats to go on and make history. In a four-game sweep at the AAC Tournament Wiemer went 2-for-4 in both the semifinal and championship games. In UC's first trip to NCAA Regional in 45 years, he helped take down reigning national champion Oregon State with two doubles, a RBI and two runs scored.
His athleticism and aggressive approach gained recognition and landed Wiemer a spot in the coveted Cape Cod League in the summer of 2019. There he was named an All-Star and entered the championship series batting .263. Prior to 2020, Baseball American named him a Preseason Third-Team All-American. He started all 15 games of UC's shortened 2020 season, hitting .264 with four doubles, a homerun and 12 RBI.
Wiemer is just the second Bearcats player ever drafted into the Brewers' organization, following Brian Garman who was drafted in the 17th round of 2010. The Bearcats have now had at least one draft pick in the last four MLB drafts.
Wiemer becomes the highest Bearcats draftee since Ian Happ was selected in the first round, ninth overall in 2015 to the Chicago Cubs. This year's draft was shortened to just five rounds due to the unprecedented situation of professional sports in 2020.
The Temperance, Michigan native has played a key role in UC's success ever since donning the red and black. As a freshman in 2018, he played in 45 games with 43 starts. He hit .266 in his rookie campaign with five homeruns, eight doubles and 22 RBI. Wiemer's prestige grew in the historic 2019 season. While setting a Bearcats single-season record of 62 games played, he hit .263 with 13 doubles, two triples and six homerun with 28 RBI and 21 stolen bases. He was the spark plug to the season, hitting a memorable walk-off homerun in the home series against UCF to encourage the Bearcats to go on and make history. In a four-game sweep at the AAC Tournament Wiemer went 2-for-4 in both the semifinal and championship games. In UC's first trip to NCAA Regional in 45 years, he helped take down reigning national champion Oregon State with two doubles, a RBI and two runs scored.
His athleticism and aggressive approach gained recognition and landed Wiemer a spot in the coveted Cape Cod League in the summer of 2019. There he was named an All-Star and entered the championship series batting .263. Prior to 2020, Baseball American named him a Preseason Third-Team All-American. He started all 15 games of UC's shortened 2020 season, hitting .264 with four doubles, a homerun and 12 RBI.
Wiemer is just the second Bearcats player ever drafted into the Brewers' organization, following Brian Garman who was drafted in the 17th round of 2010. The Bearcats have now had at least one draft pick in the last four MLB drafts.