Brewers ink 2019 1st-rounder southpaw Small 

MILWAUKEE -- Ethan Small would rather this date have been delayed, of course. But less than a week after his Mississippi State University Bulldogs were bounced from the College World Series in Omaha, Small looked around Miller Park and was ready for the future.

The left-hander, Milwaukee’s first-round Draft pick, signed Tuesday for $1.8 million, according to MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis. He will head to the Brewers’ complex in Arizona for a bit of a break before beginning his professional career at Class A Wisconsin in a few weeks.

“You work so hard for so long for something, and then it finally happens,” Small said. “It’s got me to the verge of tears, just because I’m so happy.”

Small, a left-hander out of Mississippi State, was selected by the Brewers with the No. 28 overall pick in this month’s Draft, but had to finish his college career before he could sign. That ending came last Thursday, when the Bulldogs took a one-run lead into the bottom of the ninth inning of an elimination game against Louisville, but lost after the Cardinals scored twice.

Small finished his junior season 10-2 with a 1.93 ERA and 176 strikeouts in 107 innings, with a fastball that sits in the low 90s.

“We were excited to get him signed as quick as possible,” said Brewers scouting director Tod Johnson. “I think he’s disappointed they didn’t get as far as he wanted to go, because he’s a really good competitor. He pitched great when he pitched out there. But we’re excited to get him going.”

Because Mississippi State went deep into the College World Series last year, Small has a good base of work under his belt and “is in a good spot from an innings perspective” once he lands with an affiliate, Johnson said.

Small will get a few weeks off first, as he just finished navigating an intense month in which he balanced the excitement of being a first-round pick with the more immediate goal of winning a college title.

“It was just immense joy [to get drafted], and then you’ve still got a job to go do,” Small said. “I’ll never forget my time at Mississippi State. Those people mean the world to me. I’m just so excited to be here. First time here, and I’m loving it already.”

Small was ranked 56th on MLB Pipeline’s list of the Top 200 Draft Prospects. He has a fellow Bulldog in the Brewers’ system in right-hander Brandon Woodruff, who has been Milwaukee’s top starter so far this season. Woodruff reached out to Small after the Draft to introduce himself.

Small’s bonus was under-slot value for the 28th overall pick ($2.49 million), leaving some pool space for the Brewers to continue signing their selections. They expect to sign all of their picks in the first 10 rounds, many of whom, like Small, also made it to Omaha.