OMAHA, Neb. – The 2024 MLB draft is less than one month away, and some of the top players in this year’s class played in the College World Series.
I was in attendance covering the College World Series. Below are 2024 MLB draft prospects that stood out to me while covering the College World Series this year.
Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP, Florida
Caglianone showed why he is a special player, especially at the plate. The left-handed hitter consistently squared up the baseball and made hard contact. He also showed a quality eye and didn’t chase pitches out of the strike zone.
Caglianone is 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds and boasts above-average raw power. Despite his size, he remains an athletic player. He stretched a single into a double and stole a base.
On the mound, Caglianone only pitched one inning in Omaha, struggling with his control. Although he has been a talented two-way player at Florida, I prefer him as a position player in pro ball.
Caglianone is a likely top-five overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft.
Read a detailed story on Jac Caglianone’s impressive performance during the College World Series.
Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina
Honeycutt was one of the most impressive players at the College World Series. He showed tremendous power-hitting ability and finished the NCAA Tournament with six home runs in nine games.
He consistently laced baseballs in the gap and was a tough out for opposing pitchers. Honeycutt has received concerns over his swing and misses. In the CWS, Honeycutt was solid overall regarding his pitch recognition and plate discipline. In a contest against Florida State, he did swing through a slider for a strikeout. But he also weighted back on a low-breaking pitch before smacking it to left field for a double in a different at-bat. He also battled back from a 1-2 count to draw a walk.
It’s easy to see why scouts rave about Honeycutt’s five-tool potential. He boasts tons of raw power and athleticism to create disruptions on the bases. He also played really well defensively in center field.
Honeycutt solidified himself as a top draft prospect, with scouts projecting him as a potential top-15 overall pick.
Read a detailed MLB draft profile on Vance Honeycutt and his skill set here.
Cam Smith, 3B, Florida State
Smith didn’t have a productive College World Series, but he showed the intangibles that’ll likely make him a top-15 pick. The right-handed hitter has a relaxed and wide stance with little wasted movement in his swing. His swing is built to hit line drives with plenty of power potential gap to gap.
Defensively, Smith handles third base well. He showed an accurate and strong arm from third to first base.
Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee
Moore was one of the top performers at the College World Series. He hit for the second-ever cycle and showed a tremendous ability to drive the baseball with authority to all parts of the field. He hit numerous home runs that reached 400-plus feet and at least a 100 mph exit velocity.
Moore also is a strong defender at second base. He moves well and has solid arm strength.
Moore’s draft stock has skyrocketed this spring, especially after he won the Southeastern Conference triple crown. Moore figures to go in the first round of the draft.
Read a detailed story on Christian Moore’s impressive performance during the College World Series.
Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Kentucky
Scouts rave about Waldschmidt’s contact skills, pitch recognition and strike zone awareness. The right-handed hitter showed those attributes at the College World Series, displaying a quality approach. There were multiple instances where he took multiple pitches that were just outside the zone.
Waldschmidt was hitless in three games but drew five walks. He showed quality speed on the bases. Scouts project Waldschmidt as a first-round pick.
Read a detailed MLB draft profile on Ryan Waldschmidt and his skill set here.
James Tibbs, OF, Florida State
Tibbs accumulated three hits and one RBI during Florida State’s four-game run in the College World Series. Despite his lack of production, you could see the potential scouts rave about. When the left-handed hitter made contact, he squared up the ball and hit it hard, including lacing a double into right-center field.
Tibbs is a projected first-round pick in the 2024 MLB draft.
Billy Amick, 3B, Tennessee
Amick wasn’t productive in Tennessee’s championship run, collecting six hits in six games. The right-handed hitter did show solid plate discipline and hit the ball hard when he connected. Defensively, Amick showed a strong arm at third base.
Amick is a projected first or second-round pick in the 2024 MLB draft.
Read a detailed story on Billy Amick’s development at Tennessee here.
Dylan Dreiling, OF, Tennessee
Dreiling was exceptional and boosted his draft stock after earning Most Outstanding Player during the College World Series. He had 13 hits, three home runs and 11 RBIs in the CWS.
Dreiling uses a quick left-handed swing built to hit line drives gap to gap. He showed notable contact and power-hitting skills. He displayed athleticism on the bases and in the outfield.
The draft-eligible sophomore isn’t a flashing player, but he does many things right on the field. He is an intriguing prospect who projects as a second-round pick.
Read a detailed story on Dylan Dreiling’s development at Tennessee here.
Jacob Cozart, C, North Carolina State
Cozart managed some quality at-bats against premium pitchers in a limited sample size. He battled back after getting down 1-2 against Florida star reliever Brandon Neely to draw a walk. The left-handed hitter did struggle in one at-bat against a lefty pitcher, swinging through two big breaking pitches that fell out of the strike zone.
Defensively, Cozart showed quality leadership skills on the field and command of the pitching staff. He’s projected to go in the first or second round of the draft.
Ryan Prager, LHP, Texas A&M
Prager was phenomenal as the ace of the Aggies’ pitching staff and solidified himself as a second-round prospect during the CWS. He carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning against Kentucky, finishing with 6 2/3 scoreless innings, and threw four quality innings while allowing two runs in a victory over Tennessee in the CWS championship series.
Prager threw a low-90s fastball past numerous high-profile hitters. The pitch plays up due to his arm slot, deception and the pitch’s late movement. His changeup was outstanding when he used it low in the strike zone, as its late movement caused it to fall out of the zone and generate swings and misses. His slider also was an effective pitch.
Besides his pitch mix, Prager showed athleticism on the mound. At one point, Kentucky laid down a bunt, and Prager quickly came off the mound to field it and make a strong throw to first base. He was composed and made a clean play to get the out.
Read a detailed MLB draft profile on Ryan Prager and his skill set here.
Drew Beam, RHP, Tennessee
Beam showed the skills and pitch mix that have made him a well-regarded arm throughout his time at Tennessee. He showed control and command of his pitch mix, highlighted by his mid-90s fastball and swing-and-miss curveball.
Beam is a steady and reliable pitcher. He might not develop into an ace of a pitching staff, but he can potentially be a solid No. 2 or No. 3 starter in pro ball. Scouts project Beam as a likely second-round pick.
Read a detailed MLB draft profile on Drew Beam and his skill set here.
Blake Burke, 1B, Tennessee
Burke is a talented left-handed hitting power hitter who consistently squares up pitches in the strike zone. He tends to chase breaking pitches out of the zone but is a dangerous hitter when he connects on a pitch.
Defensively, Burke made some really nice plays at first base, whether handling errant throws or stretching out to field a ground ball. In terms of his size, he shows some athleticism.
Burke is a likely second-round pick in the 2024 MLB draft.
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.
