'Let's get to work': Five days after the Brewers drafted him, infielder Eric Brown Jr. is already signed

With the window to sign draft picks having shrunk from about six weeks to 12 days, the Milwaukee Brewers wasted no time getting their first-round pick into the fold.

On Friday afternoon the team signed infielder Eric Brown Jr., five days after taking him 27th out of Coastal Carolina University.

Slot value for the pick is $2,701,900 but according to MLB.com the sides came together on a $2.05 million deal.

"It was very important," Brown said of signing quickly. "I'm ready to get going. As soon as I signed that paper, I knew that I'm officially a Brewer and let's get to work."

Brown made it official at American Family Field, and shortly afterward was taking in batting practice in advance of the Brewers' four-game series with the Colorado Rockies. His parents, girlfriend and agent were on hand.

Brown also took a picture with one of the players he modeled his swing after, Christian Yelich, and chatted with manager Craig Counsell.

"It's almost like I'm speechless," he said. "Just the way the Brewers have handled everything the last few days, they've taken me in like I'm part of the family. It's unbelievable. It's surreal. This is everything that I've dreamed about.

"I pictured it as a little kid growing up and now that it's happened, I'm speechless."

A native of Bossier City, Louisiana, the 21-year-old Brown hit .330 (68 for 206) with 19 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 40 runs batted in and 12 stolen bases in 57 games as a junior this past season.

The first first-round pick to come out of Coastal Carolina, Brown fits the trend of recent Milwaukee draft picks: He is athletic and plays up the middle.

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"I'm excited about the process that's coming," he said. "Just working my way up through the minor leagues and getting here. That's been my motto my whole career – just enjoy the process.

"So, that's what I'm excited about."

The process will begin shortly for Brown, who will kick of his career in Phoenix in the Arizona Complex League.

"I don’t know what the timeline will be," said vice president of domestic scouting Tod Johnson.

"I don’t think he’s played a game since late May or early June, so we’ll get him some time down there to get his feet back under him and acclimate and then get him in some game action there. Then we’ll see how he does, how ready he is and what happens from there.

"We’re pumped to get him going, get him out to Phoenix and start to see him play in a pro uniform."

Brown said his immediate goal is "just being a more consistent day-to-day player."

He'll get the opportunity at one of the prime-time positions on the field.

"He’s going to start at shortstop," Johnson said. "We see him at shortstop, and we think he has a really good chance to stick there. And if he doesn’t, he has a great fallback to play second base.

"But we’ll give him every shot to play shortstop."

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee Brewers sign first-round pick Eric Brown Jr.