The 2024 MLB draft is one week away, kicking off during the All-Star break on July 14. With so much parity among the top prospects, there are a lot of rumors flying on how the top of the draft will shake out. We should get some more concrete information on teams and specific players this week.
Here is my latest mock draft for the 2024 MLB draft based on live looks, player evaluations and industry sources.
1. Guardians: JJ Wetherholt, SS/2B, West Virginia
At this point, the Guardians are mostly connected to Wetherholt, Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana and Georgia third baseman Charlie Condon. Those are my top three players in the 2024 MLB draft class, with Condon leading the way.
If the Guardians cut a notable size deal with a player from the top tier of prospects in this year’s class, that guy is going to be Wetherholt. According to sources, Condon isn’t interested in cutting a deal, and Bazzana isn’t going to command the discount Wetherholt figures to take. Bazzana’s floor is the Athletics at No. 4, while Wetherholt could fall out of the top five. More information should come out about this pick leading up to Sunday.
Read a detailed feature story on Wetherholt and his skill set here.
2. Reds: Charlie Condon, OF, Georgia
Bazzana or Condon are the most likely options to go second overall. If both are on the board, it will add to the intrigue. There are rumors that the Reds might try to save some money and opt for someone other than Condon, such as Florida’s Jac Caglianone or Wake Forest righty Chase Burns.
Condon 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. He has an exceptional fastball and slider combination and has displayed a cleaner delivery this spring. His fastball touches the high 90s, and his slider is a true strikeout pitch.
7. Cardinals: Braden Montgomery, OF, Texas A&M
Montgomery is a 6-foot-2, 217-pound switch-hitting outfielder known for his five-tool potential. Montgomery suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the NCAA Tournament. The injury isn’t serious and won’t impact his draft stock, as he still is a projected top-10 pick.
The Cardinals are interested in Burns and Smith, along with prep shortstop Bryce Rainer.
Read a detailed feature story on Montgomery and his skill set here.
8. Angels: Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
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.
The Angels prefer to move prospects quickly through their system. They drafted college first baseman Nolan Schanuel last year, but that would not stop them from taking Kurtz, who has tremendous upside and can play a corner outfield spot.
Read a detailed feature story on Kurtz and his skill set here.
9. Pirates: Konnor Griffin, OF, Jackson Prep (Miss.)
The Pirates seem interested in college players at this pick and are intrigued by Griffin and his upside. They could dip into the second-tier college position players or take the top high school player on the board.
Read a detailed feature story on Griffin and his skill set here.
10. Nationals: Bryce Rainer, SS/RHP, Harvard-Westlake (Calif.) HS
Rainer is the best prep shortstop prospect in this year’s draft class. He is an improving hitter with quality raw power potential. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound shortstop is a quality defender, possessing athleticism, fluid actions and above-average arm strength. Besides his ability as a shortstop, scouts are extremely intrigued with him on the mound, where he has reached 97 mph with his fastball.
11. Tigers: James Tibbs, OF, Florida State
Tibbs is an offensive-first player, and scouts rave about his exceptional, well-rounded offensive tools. He hits for average and power with strong plate discipline. He destroys fastballs and hits for power to all fields. Defensively, Tibbs has average tools, and scouts project him as a likely left fielder in pro ball.
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. Offensively, Moore has an aggressive approach and can drive the baseball with authority to all parts of the field.
Defensively, Moore profiles best at second base. He has respectable athleticism and arm strength. He moves well laterally and makes all the necessary plays at second base.
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: 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.
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: Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina
Honeycutt dominated the NCAA Tournament, causing him to receive a ton of buzz leading up to the draft. He is a 6-foot-3, 190-pound right-handed hitting center fielder with an extremely impressive toolset. He is a dynamic athlete with quality instincts and an improving hit tool. His power and speed combo is legit. Defensively, Honeycutt is an elite center-field defender due to his athleticism, instincts, arm strength and ability to cover tons of ground.
Honeycutt is a polarizing prospect because of the swing-and-miss in his game. But overall, scouts rave about his upside. If Honeycutt can continue to develop and put all his tools together, he can potentially be a star in pro ball.
Read a detailed feature story on Honeycutt and his skill set 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: 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.
20. Blue Jays: Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Kentucky
Waldschmidt is one of the more underrated players in the 2024 MLB draft class. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound right-handed-hitting outfielder had a tremendous junior season throughout the regular season to enhance his draft status.
Read a detailed feature story on Waldschmidt and his skill set here.
21. Twins: Caleb Lomavita, C, California
Scouts rave about Lomavita’s ability at the plate and believe he has plenty of potential, especially as his plate discipline and pitch recognition continue to improve. After bouncing around the diamond in high school, Lomavita has caught at Cal and has improved his skill set behind the plate.
Read a detailed feature story on Lomavita 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.
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.
24. Braves: William Schmidt, RHP, Catholic (La.) HS
Schmidt is a rising prospect due to his potential and fastball, which touches the high 90s with late life. His curveball is also a really good pitch that he uses to generate tons of swings and misses.
Read a detailed feature story on Schmidt 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.
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.
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: Billy Amick, 3B, Tennessee
The Astros are connected to college position players and high school shortstops. Catchers Malcolm Moore and Walker Janek are in play here. Amick provides them with a quality right-handed bat who consistently hits the ball hard into the gaps. He has a strong arm at third base.
29. Diamondbacks: 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.
30. Rangers: 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.
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.
