2024 MLB Mock Draft 2.0
As the collegiate and high school baseball seasons wind down this spring, the 2024 MLB Draft continues to take shape. While it’s still early in the evaluation process, there is still no clear-cut favorite at the top, leading to even more intrigue than usual.
My first mock focused on the top ten selections but for version 2.0, we’ll expand to a full first round prognostication.
Let’s get after it!
1. Cleveland Guardians - Braden Montgomery, OF, Texas A&M
Money will always be a factor with the top pick in the draft and that might even ring more true for this group. Lacking a bona fide, no-brainer pick like Paul Skenes was in 2023 - Cleveland could go with the best player who can also cut them the best deal. That points to Aggies standout Braden Montgomery, who has flourished in his first season in College Station following a transfer from Stanford. Montgomery has loud tools across the board, including above-average power and a double-plus arm in right field. If the Guardians can find a number under the slot’s $10.5 million value, it could allow them to be flexible with their bonus pool further down the board.
2. Cincinnati Reds - Jac Caglianone, 1B/OF, Florida
The Reds could go a number of different ways here, but it’s hard not to dream of how Jac Caglianone’s double-plus power would play in Great American Ball Park. He’s done everything you wanted to see from him this spring, including cutting his K% to under ten percent and nearly tripling his walk rate - all despite being one of the most aggressive hitters in college baseball.
3. Colorado Rockies - Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas
Smith’s dominant 17-strikeout performance early in the spring against Oregon State showed just what the southpaw is capable of when he’s on his game. Here, he finds a home (much to his BABIP’s dismay) in a Colorado organization that is perennially on the hunt for pitching talent.
4. Oakland Athletics - Travis Bazzana, IF, Oregon State
The love for Bazzana is prevalent throughout the industry, and for good reason. The only true blemish on Bazzana’s profile is positional value at second base, though he may be athletic enough to find a spot in the outfield. Still, I don’t think it will keep him from falling out of the top five. Landing the Aussie with the fourth pick would be an absolute coup for the A’s.
5. Chicago White Sox - Charlie Condon, OF, Georgia
Perhaps no player has had as impressive of a spring as Condon has for the Bulldogs. Slashing a ridiculous .459/.570/1.114 with 34 home runs, Condon will be in play for the top pick just as much as any player going before him in this mock. He’s another player with concerns over where he fits long term defensively but you don’t have to squint very hard to see a Kris Bryant profile here.
6. Kansas City Royals - Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
One of several Demon Deacons who will appear in the first round of this mock, Kurtz offers an above average hit tool, double-plus raw power and outstanding defense at first base. Not to mention his, and this is not a typo, 29.8% walk rate this season. There are a whole lot of similarities to Freddie Freeman and if Kansas City doesn’t go down the prep road (i.e. Bryce Rainer), don’t be surprised if Kurtz is the pick here.
7. St. Louis Cardinals - Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina
The Cardinals will be in an interesting spot if Kurtz or Caglianone fall to this pick, but at the end of the day I think it comes down to their preference of starting pitchers. East Carolina’s Trey Yesavage has four above average or plus offerings and throws enough strikes to make me think that he could very well be the first pitcher to the big leagues out of this class. Also watch for Konnor Griffin if they opt to go the prep route.
8. Los Angeles Angels - Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest
Burns was a legit candidate to go 1-1 after his dominant start to the spring but his stock has cooled a bit with the emergence of the college bats ahead of him. He clearly made the right choice in transferring in to Wake’s elite pitching development program and seems to be as sure of a bet as any to land inside the top ten.
9. Pittsburgh Pirates - Konnor Griffin, OF, Jackson Prep HS (MS)
Skenes Mania is officially underway in the Steel City and another top ten pick affords the Pirates a chance to land another high-upside talent. Konnor Griffin will be under consideration for the Guardians at the top, so getting the toolsy Mississippi prep here would be huge for Pittsburgh.
10. Washington Nationals - JJ Wetherholt, IF, West Virginia
Before the start of the season, it would have been a shock to see Wetherholt this low on the board but that’s evidence of what lingering injuries can do to a player’s profile. After battling a hamstring issue for most of the season, Wetherholt has returned to the Mountaineers’ lineup but the time out has caused his draft stock to take a hit. That being said, he might have the best hit tool in the class and projects as an above average defender at second base in the pros.
11. Detroit Tigers - Brody Brecht, RHP, Iowa
Brecht will require plenty of patience from a player dev standpoint but there’s no denying the elite raw stuff. Here, he reunites with former Iowa pitching coach Robin Lund in the Tigers organization. If he can refine the command, Brecht will be a steal at this spot.
12. Boston Red Sox - Cam Caminiti, LHP, Saguaro HS (AZ)
After reclassifying from 2025, Cam Caminiti (cousin of the late Ken Caminiti), the Saguaro HS southpaw has established himself as perhaps the highest-ceiling arm in the 2024 class. I had a chance to see Caminiti in person amidst a throng of scouts and crosscheckers earlier this spring, and there is tons of projection here with a fastball up to 97, above-average athleticism and secondaries that continue to improve.
13. San Francisco Giants - Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina
I was a huge fan of San Francisco’s 2023 draft class, headlined by the additions of prep bats Bryce Eldridge and Walker Martin. Here, they pivot to the college ranks for Tar Heels standout Vance Honeycutt. Whether Honeycutt will hit enough in the pros is going to be a lingering question, but there is big-time impact in the run game and as a defender in center field to go along with plus raw power.
14. Chicago Cubs - Jonathan Santucci, LHP, Duke
This is probably the highest spot on the board for Duke lefty Jonathan Santucci, who could be selected anywhere between here and the end of the first round. The command issues persist but there’s swing + miss stuff and athleticism of a mid-rotation starter ceiling.
15. Seattle Mariners - Ryan Prager, LHP, Texas A&M
Seattle has leaned heavily on prep bats over the past few years but I think the structure of this class changes things. Prager is a projectable college starting pitcher, a profile which is scarce in the club’s current system, and there’s an obvious connection with former Mariners pitching coordinator Max Weiner - now the pitching coach for the Aggies. Grabbing Prager with an underslot deal here could allow the team to be more creative with its later selections.
16. Miami Marlins - Caleb Lomavita, C, Cal
The rebuild seems to have begun in earnest for the Marlins with the trade of Luis Arraez to the Padres. This team has no shortage of needs but Cal’s Caleb Lomavita is the best catcher in the draft and can really make an impact with the bat.
17. Milwaukee Brewers - Cam Smith, 3B, Florida State
A draft-eligible sophomore, Smith vaulted himself into first round consideration after a strong summer on the Cape. He has the defensive chops and arm strength to stick at third in the pros and will be a good player if he can continue to keep the swing and miss to a minimum.
18. Tampa Bay Rays - Bryce Cunningham, RHP, Vanderbilt
The Rays have leaned prep heavy in recent years but Cunningham is one pitcher who would be a welcome addition to their outstanding player development program. The Commodores righty has cut down his walk rate this season and flashed plus stuff and an athletic, repeatable delivery from his imposing 6’5”, 230-pound frame.
19. New York Mets - Jurrangelo Cijntje, RHP/LHP, Mississippi State
Yes, you’re reading that correctly. A switch-pitcher, Mississippi State’s Jurrangelo Cijntje is up to 98 on the bump from the right side and in the low-90’s as a southpaw. The Mets’ selection of versatile two-way star Nolan McLean has already paid dividends for the club, so why not add one of the draft’s most versatile pitchers with their first pick of 2024?
20. Toronto Blue Jays - Seaver King, IF/OF, Wake Forest
This might be the floor for King but it’s a versatile up-the-middle profile with above-average contact skills and athleticism.
21. Minnesota Twins - Bryce Rainer, SS, Harvard-Westlake HS (CA)
With the tenth-highest bonus pool available in this year’s draft, the Twins could play a big role in how the first round progresses. Buying down a player like California prep standout Bryce Rainer, whose profile has some shades of Corey Seager, would be an excellent addition to a system which added outfielder Walker Jenkins last year.
22. Baltimore Orioles - Carson Benge, OF, Oklahoma State
Benge seems to be just the type of college bat profile that Baltimore GM Mike Elias covets. Beyond the obviously Holliday/Oklahoma State connection, Benge’s bat-to-ball skills and two-way potential on the mound would make him a great fit for the Orioles’ system.
23. Los Angeles Dodgers - Slade Caldwell, OF, Valley View HS (AR)
If Slade Caldwell weren’t 5’8”, you’d be looking at a player who wouldn’t fall outside of the top ten. That being said, Caldwell is a sparkplug type player with 70-grade speed and a contact-oriented approach at the plate. He should have no problem sticking in center field in pro ball. The Dodgers, among many other teams, had a presence at Caldwell’s games early in the spring so there could be legitimate interest here.
24. Atlanta Braves - Kaelen Culpepper, IF, Kansas State
Culpepper has a chance to be the Wildcats’ first ever position player selected in the first round and at this point, I think it’s more likely than not. Culpepper is a good athlete with plus bat speed and a refined approach at the plate. You’d like to see him lift the ball more to tap into his above-average raw power, especially if he moves to third base from shortstop in the pros.
25. San Diego Padres - PJ Morlando, 1B/OF, Summerville HS (SC)
The Padres haven’t selected a college player in the first round since 2016 and that’s not about to change now. Morlando, a left-handed bat with plus raw power who has been a standout performer on the showcase circuit, helps San Diego to replenish the cupboard following the trade for Luis Arraez.
26. New York Yankees - James Tibbs III, OF, Florida State
Don’t be surprised if this Seminoles standout goes inside the top 20 picks. After going the prep route with George Lombard Jr. last year, the Yankees return to Florida with the selection of Tibbs III - a player who has cemented himself as a first-round candidate with a strong showing last summer on the Cape and dominant ACC campaign.
27. Philadelphia Phillies - Kash Mayfield, LHP, Elk City HS (OK)
Philadelphia has leaned on prep players in the first round over the past several years, so here we’ll continue the trend with ultra-projectable left-hander Kash Mayfield. With fluid movements down the mound and a mid-90’s fastball, Mayfield is a good candidate for an above-slot deal in this area of the first round.
28. Houston Astros - Malcolm Moore, C, Stanford
I was a huge fan of last year’s first-round selection, Brice Matthews, and the Astros could return to the college ranks here for Stanford’s Malcolm Moore. Even if he doesn’t stick long-term at catcher, Moore’s bat, advanced approach, and athleticism, should allow him to find a spot somewhere.
29. Arizona Diamondbacks - William Schmidt, RHP, Catholic HS (LA)
Reaping the benefits of an added comp pick (and three top-40 selections overall) as a reward for Corbin Carroll’s ROY campaign, plus a top-ten bonus pool, the reigning NL champions have a massive opportunity in front of them with this draft. While I don’t necessarily expect Louisiana prep standout William Schmidt to last this long on the board, this is the type of “buy down” scenario that could play out for the Snakes on draft day. Schmidt is up to 99 from the right side and an absolute hammer of a curveball, solidifying that the LSU commit won’t be making it to campus next fall.
30. Texas Rangers - Walker Janek, C, Sam Houston State
Fresh off the franchise’s first-ever World Series title, the Rangers have laid an impressive foundation for success by adding homegrown talent like Wyatt Langford and Evan Carter in recent years. A good athlete with strong frame and plus arm strength, Sam Houston State’s Walker Janek has established himself as arguably the best catching prospect behind Cal’s Caleb Lomavita.
