The 2024 MLB draft kicks off at 7 p.m. ET Sunday. With so much parity in this year’s class, the first round should feature some excitement and unknowns.
Here is my final mock draft of the 2024 MLB draft cycle based on feedback from industry sources, an understanding of each organization’s draft philosophy and live looks. The mock draft is very similar as my last mock draft, but with updated thoughts and information from the last two days.
Some names that didn’t make my mock draft but that are definitely receiving first-round buzz are prep right-handed pitchers Dax Whitney, Braylon Doughty and Ryan Sloan.
1. Guardians: JJ Wetherholt, SS/2B, West Virginia
This pick sounds like it is coming down to Wetherholt and Oregon State Travis Bazzana. Wetherholt will cut a bigger deal than Bazzana. If it wasn’t for Wetherholt’s hamstring injuries over the last year, most would consider Wetherholt as the slightly better overall prospect.
If Wetherholt doesn’t go first overall, he figures to go somewhere in the top 10 picks, potentially to the White Sox at No. 5, Royals at No. 6 or Cardinals at No. 7. Bazzana’s floor is the Athletics at No. 4.
Read a detailed feature story on Wetherholt and his skill set here.
2. Reds: Charlie Condon, OF, Georgia
The talk has been the Reds will take Condon if he’s available, and that hasn’t changed yet. Condon is a complete player, with an interesting background. He started as a walk-on and is now the best player in college baseball and the top prospect in the 2024 MLB draft.
Read a detailed feature story on Condon and his skill set here.
3. Rockies: Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest
The Rockies have been heavily connected to pitching throughout this cycle, and Burns is the top arm in this draft. Burns is an elite arm talent with ace potential. His fastball and slider combination are elite.
If the Rockies opt for a hitter, Florida first baseman Jac Caglianone is also in play here.
Read a detailed feature story on Burns and his skill set here.
4. Athletics: Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State
This sounds like the floor for Bazzana, a left-handed hitter who’s quick to the ball and consistently squares it up to drive it into the gaps. He also shows an ability to hit for quality power. Bazzana is a really good hitter who has been an on-base machine this season.
5. White Sox: Jac Caglianone, 1B, Florida
The White Sox are checking in on a wide variety of players. Prep outfielder Konnor Griffin is in play at No. 5, and he could be the pick here. But with Caglianone still on the board, it might be too hard for the White Sox to pass on the potential high-end middle-of-the-order hitter.
Read a detailed feature story on Caglianone and his skill set here.
6. Royals: Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas
New Royals scouting director Brian Bridges focused heavily on pitching while leading the Atlanta Braves’ drafts. The Royals are connected to Burns and Smith here. Smith is right there with Burns as the top pitcher in the 2024 MLB draft class.
Texas A&M outfielder Braden Montgomery and prep shortstop Bryce Rainer are in play too.
7. Cardinals: Bryce Rainer, SS/RHP, Harvard-Westlake (Calif.) HS
The Cardinals are hopeful one of the top names drops in the draft. Wetherholt is a fit if he doesn’t go first overall. I have also linked them to Texas A&M outfielder Braden Montgomery.
8. Angels: Braden Montgomery, OF, Texas A&M
The Angels are connected to mostly college players at this pick, as they prefer college players who can move rather quickly through their system. I heard ECU righty Trey Yesavage on an underslot deal here about a month ago, and it sounds like that’s still possible.
9. Pirates: James Tibbs, OF, Florida State
The Pirates seem interested in college players at this pick and are intrigued by Mississippi prep outfielder Konnor Griffin and his upside. Wake Forest first baseman Nick Kurtz is an intriguing option too.
10. Nationals: Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
The Nationals acquired a Competitive Balance A Round pick from the Royals on Saturday. They are going to get creative and try to move one of the top college hitters down to them. Kurtz is arguably the best power hitter in college baseball, possessing well above-average raw power. His offensive toolset is a scout’s dream due to his ability to hit for average and power.
Read a detailed feature story on Kurtz and his skill set here.
11. Tigers: Konnor Griffin, OF, Jackson Prep (Miss.)
Griffin is the top-ranked prep player in this year’s class. The Tigers are showing interest in college players and hoping one of the top-tier hitters falls. Prep lefty pitcher Cam Caminiti also is in the mix.
Read a detailed feature story on Griffin and his skill set here.
12. Red Sox: Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee
Moore has improved his draft stock this spring after winning the SEC triple crown and an outstanding showing in the College World Series. He boasts quality size (6-1, 210) and well-rounded tools.
The Red Sox are focusing more on college players with ECU righty Trey Yesavage and other college hitters possible here.
13. Giants: Cam Caminiti, LHP, Saguaro (Ariz.) HS
One of the worst-kept secrets is the Giants’ intrigue for Caminiti. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound lefty can potentially have four quality pitches and currently leans on a mid-90s fastball. He projects as a top-of-the-rotation pitcher.
The Tigers are interested in Caminiti, and he could go two picks before the Giants.
14. Cubs: Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina
Yesavage has four quality pitches, headlined by a mid-90s fastball and quality slider, and a high floor that scouts seek. The righty profiles more as a middle-of-the-rotation arm who will move through a system quickly and pitch a lot of innings.
15. Mariners: Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Kentucky
The Mariners are hoping Yesavage falls to them. They also are interested in Mississippi State switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje. The question will come down to do the Mariners value Cijntje over college hitters, like Waldschmidt and Carson Benge?
Read a detailed feature story on Waldschmidt and his skill set here.
16. Marlins: Seaver King, OF/SS, Wake Forest
King played at NCAA Division II Wingate (N.C.) for two years before transferring to Wake Forest. He makes a ton of contact and uses all parts of the field. He is more of a contact hitter but has improved his power-hitting ability over the last year. Defensively, scouts envision him in center field in the future.
17. Brewers: Carson Benge, OF, Oklahoma State
Benge is a talented two-way player. He has an intriguing ability to make contact and drive the ball into the gaps. He has a really good hit tool with improving power. On the mound, Benge has a mid-90s fastball.
The Brewers are heavily connected to college hitters and have some interest in Iowa righty Brody Brecht. North Carolina outfielder Vance Honeycutt, Kansas State shortstop Kaelen Culpepper, King and Waldschmidt are also in play here.
18. Rays: Theo Gillen, SS/2B, Westlake (Texas) HS
Gillen is arguably the best prep hitter in the high school class. He has an above-average hit tool and can hit for power. He is athletic and shows the tools to handle multiple defensive positions. Scouts are split on his future defensive home, with some projecting him as a second baseman or center fielder in pro ball due to his average arm strength.
19. Mets: Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina
The Mets like a lot of college position players, including Benge. If he’s not here, they have various directions they could go. Honeycutt gives them a player with star potential if he can limit his strikeouts.
Read a detailed feature story on Honeycutt and his skill set here.
20. Blue Jays: Cam Smith, 3B, Florida State
Smith was a top draft prospect out of high school in 2022. He elected to go to Florida State, and the decision paid off. He was productive his freshman season and is destroying baseball this spring. Smith has above-average raw power and is a respectable defender at third base.
21. Twins: Kaelen Culpepper, SS, Kansas State
Culpepper is a 6-foot, 194-pound right-handed hitting shortstop with an intriguing toolset. Culpepper consistently barrels up the baseball and hits line drives. He shows improving power, especially to his pull side. He also boasts an exciting combination of athleticism and speed.
Read a detailed feature story on Culpepper and his skill set here.
22. Orioles: Brody Brecht, RHP, Iowa
Brecht is a 6-foot-4, 230-pound right-hander with an elite fastball that hits triple digits. His hellacious slider is an elite breaking pitch that hits in the low 90s with plenty of depth. He can land his slider consistently for strikes, and it serves as a nasty strikeout pitch. He boasts ace potential if he can continue to reduce his walks.
This pick goes against the Orioles recent philosophy in the first round, but he is the best value on the board and someone they have had interest in during this cycle.
Read a detailed feature story on Brecht and his skill set here.
23. Dodgers: Kellon Lindsey, SS/OF, Hardee (Fla.) HS
Lindsey is a huge riser this spring, and scouts are raving about his elite speed and potential. He is more of a contact-oriented hitter who uses his speed to impact the game. He doesn’t have the track record of some of the other top prep players in this year’s draft, but he has as much potential as any of them.
The Dodgers are heavily connected to prep players and have interest in plenty of prep arms in the 2024 MLB draft.
24. Braves: Dax Whitney, RHP, Rocky Mountain (Idaho) HS
The Braves are connected to prep players at this pick. I initially had William Schmidt, a prep righty pitcher from Louisiana, until he withdrew from the draft. Whitney is a fast-rising prospect from Idaho. He has notable size and tons of potential.
California prep righty Braylon Doughty is also a name to watch. names to watch.
Read a detailed feature story on Whitney and his skill set here.
25. Padres: Kash Mayfield, LHP, Elk City (Okla.) HS
Mayfield has leaped up draft boards this spring due to his size (6-foot-4, 200 pounds), pitch mix and strong strike-throwing ability. The Padres like high-upside prep players, and Mayfield fits the bill.
The Padres love prep players and are showing interest in prep pitchers and shortstops.
26. Yankees: Jurrangelo Cijntje, RHP, Mississippi State
Cijntje has worked as a switch-pitcher at Mississippi State. He is better as a right-handed pitcher, boasting starter potential. As a lefty, scouts view him more as a reliever. Once he focuses on pitching from one side, scouts believe his pitch mix and skill set will take a jump.
Cijntje is drawing interest all over the teens. He could go to the Mariners are a few picks before the Yankees.
27. Phillies: Tommy White, 3B, LSU
White is a name they like a lot. White hits for average and power while also limiting his swing and misses. He is a bat-first player and might profile best at first base, hurting his draft stock.
Read a detailed feature story on White and his skill set here.
28. Astros: Walker Janek, C, Sam Houston
Janek has an intriguing potential as a well-rounded catcher. He has above-average contact skills and power potential. He also is a quality defensive catcher.
Read a detailed feature story on Janek and his skill set here.
29. Diamondbacks: Slade Caldwell, OF, Valley View (Ark.) HS
The Diamondbacks also have picks No. 31 and No. 35 in the 2024 MLB draft. They always do a nice job of maximizing their draft picks and getting the most value. They have strong interest in prep players with upside and figure to take at least one of them with one of their top 35 picks.
Read a detailed feature story on Caldwell and his skill set here.
30. Rangers: Malcolm Moore, C, Stanford
Moore is a 6-foot-2, 216-pound left-handed hitting catcher who hits for plenty of raw power. He also has respectable plate discipline. Defensively, he displays athleticism, quality arm strength and a quick release behind the plate. Scouts rave about his potential and makeup.
Read a detailed feature story on Moore and his skill set here.
Read in-depth stories on top 2024 MLB draft prospects at Baseball Prospect Journal.
Dan Zielinski III has covered the MLB draft for nine years. He has interviewed 518 of the top draft prospects in that period, including four No. 1 overall picks. Multiple publications, including Baseball America, USA Today, MLB.com, The Arizona Republic and The Dallas Morning News, have quoted his work, while he has appeared on radio stations as a “MLB draft expert.” Follow him on Twitter @DanZielinski3.
