The 2024 MLB Draft will kick off Sunday at 7 p.m. In talking to scouts and evaluators, it is considered a below average draft class overall. However, there are always quality players to be had, and it is on the scouts to find them and the player development team to develop them.
The strength of the class is in the college hitting. As you will see below, college hitters will make up a good percentage of Sunday’s first round. There are a lot of rumors of some under-slot deals being talked about, especially in the back end of the top 10. A lot of those decisions will come down to the final couple of hours before the draft.
Here is my final mock draft as we head into Sunday night...
1. Guardians: 2B Travis Bazzana, Oregon State
Some will say Cleveland is considering a list of players, but I think it is ultimately going to come down to Bazzana and West Virginia middle infielder JJ Wetherholt. Both should come in under-slot, but Wetherholt would cost less than Bazzana. With the size of Cleveland’s bonus pool, I don’t think they need to cut the best deal possible.
2. Reds: OF Charlie Condon, Georgia
In talking to teams, the expectation is that Condon ends up going to Cincinnati -- as the noise has quieted on him going No. 1. I believe if it isn’t him that Cincinnati likely would take Florida 1B Jac Caglianone.
3. Rockies: 1B Jac Caglianone, Florida
I have heard this pick would be Condon if he made it, but if not they will decide between Caglianone and Wake Forest RHP Chase Burns, with most recent buzz leaning toward the hitter.
4. Athletics: OF Braden Montgomery, Texas A&M
If Cleveland takes Wetherholt No. 1, I think this is the landing spot for Bazzana. If not, I have mostly heard Oakland linked to Montgomery and Wake Forest 1B Nick Kurtz, who could slide as far as outside the top 10 if he doesn’t go here.
5. White Sox: OF Konnor Griffin, Jackson Prep HS (MS)
I believe Chicago would take Caglianone if he fell to them, which if he doesn’t go No. 2 or No. 3 likely would happen. If Caglianone is gone like in this scenario, I have heard them all over Griffin.
6. Royals: RHP Chase Burns, Wake Forest
The Royals are likely targeting a pitcher (Burns or Hagen Smith of Arkansas) or California high school shortstop Bryce Rainer. In this scenario they have their choice of any of the three, and for most in the league Burns is the top pitcher.
7. Cardinals: SS/2B JJ Wetherholt, West Virginia
Wetherholt is a real candidate to go No, 1, but if he doesn’t, most don’t see a spot for him until here. This is why there is buzz of him taking a well below slot deal at No. 1. Example: Even if he took $2.5 million under slot at No. 1, that still would be over $1 million more than the full slot value of No. 7.
8. Angels: LHP Hagen Smith, Arkansas
The Angels have gone for quickest to the big leagues type of talent the last couple of years. They could go under-slot with someone like Tennessee’s Christian Moore or Kentucky’s Ryan Waldschmidt. I just wonder if they could pass on Smith, who can be a quick rising arm.
9. Pirates: 1B Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest
Pittsburgh can go a variety of ways, like cutting a deal with one of the names I said above. I have heard some interest in Rainer, but I think Kurtz is a good fit for that organization right now.
10. Nationals: SS Bryce Rainer, Harvard-Westlake HS (CA)
I have heard Washington connected to East Carolina RHP Trey Yesavage as well as Waldschmidt. This seems to be near the low-end of the Rainer landing spots, as he could go as high as No. 6.