The 2024 MLB draft order is set, and the Cleveland Guardians are on the clock.
The Guardians, who will draft first overall for the first time in franchise history, had the ninth-best odds to win the No. 1 overall pick at 2% in the second-ever MLB Draft Lottery. The Cincinnati Reds made the biggest jump in the draft lottery after having a 0.9% chance of selecting first overall. They had the 13th-best odds and ended up receiving the second overall pick.
Here is a mock draft for the first 10 picks in the 2024 MLB draft:
1. Guardians: Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
Kurtz is a 6-foot-5, 235-pound left-handed hitting first baseman who has raked in his first two years at Wake Forest. He uses a short, effortless swing and advanced approach to consistently square up the baseball and drive it to all fields. He is a complete hitter, possessing well above-average contact and power skills, and profiles as a middle-of-the-order hitter in pro ball.
Kurtz isn’t the prototypical first baseman. He boasts notable athleticism and quality instincts, allowing him to be an above-average defender. Scouts also believe he can handle an outfield corner spot in pro ball. Kurtz has gained experience in the outfield during high school and college.
Read an in-depth draft profile on Nick Kurtz here.
2. Reds: Brody Brecht, RHP, Iowa
Brecht, a former two-sport athlete at Iowa, has made notable strides in his first two years of college. He has an electric pure pitch mix and ace potential. Brecht is a 6-foot-4, 230-pound right-hander who throws a four-seam fastball, slider, splitter and cutter from a three-quarters arm slot with some deception.
Brecht’s fastball is an elite offering that sits in the high 90s and touches triple digits. His hellacious slider is an elite breaking pitch that sits in the low-90s with plenty of depth. He can land his slider consistently for strikes, and it serves as a nasty strikeout pitch.
Read an in-depth draft profile on Brody Brecht here.
3. Rockies: Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina
Honeycutt has caught the attention of professional scouts during his two years at North Carolina due to his power-hitting ability and stellar defensive play in center field. He can impact all facets of the game and boasts five-tool potential.
Read an in-depth draft profile on Vance Honeycutt here.
4. Athletics: JJ Wetherholt, 2B, West Virginia
Wetherholt is a 5-foot-11, 200-pound left-handed hitting second baseman with strong tools at the plate. He uses a quick, compact swing to barrel up the baseball consistently. He also has advanced bat-to-ball skills and can drive the baseball hard to all fields. Defensively, he has some position versatility.
Read an in-depth draft profile on JJ Wetherholt here.
5. White Sox: Konnor Griffin, SS/OF/RHP, Jackson Prep (Miss.)
Griffin reclassified from the 2025 draft to this year’s draft. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound position player has an exciting combination of athleticism, size, tools and potential.
Griffin has experience playing shortstop and center field. He also pitches, possessing a low-90s fastball and a lot of potential on the mound. He likely profiles best as a position player.
Griffin has five-tool potential. The ball explodes off his right-handed swing, and he projects to hit for above-average power moving forward.
6. Royals: Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State
Bazzana has developed into a really quality hitter at Oregon State. The 6-foot, 195-pound left-handed hitter is 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, and that will be his calling card moving forward. He also is a respectable defender at second base. He has average arm strength and athleticism, allowing him to cover plenty of ground and make the necessary plays.
7. Cardinals: Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest
Even before he got to college, Burns was a hard thrower, regularly hitting triple digits as a prep star. He was sometimes inconsistent throughout his first two seasons but continued to show an impressive pitch mix.
The 6-foot-4, 195-pound righty throws a four-seam fastball, slider, curveball, and changeup from a high three-quarter arm slot. Burns primarily relies on his fastball and slider, which generates a ton of swings and misses. He accumulates a lot of strikes and does a nice job of attacking the strike zone and limiting his walks.
8. Angels: Braden Montgomery, RHP/OF, Texas A&M
Montgomery is a 6-foot-2, 217-pound switch-hitting outfielder known for his five-tool potential. He consistently barrels up pitches and displays above-average power from both sides of the plate.
Montgomery also is extremely athletic, which helps him on the bases and in the field. He profiles as a right fielder in pro ball due to his elite arm strength, quality throwing accuracy, and ability to cover plenty of ground. Due to his arm strength, Montgomery is an intriguing option on the mound and figures to pitch more innings this spring.
Read an in-depth draft profile on Braden Montgomery here.
9. Pirates: PJ Morlando, OF Summerville (S.C.) HS
Morlando is a 6-foot-3, 205-pound left-handed hitting first baseman/outfielder known for his exceptional contact skills and raw power. He uses a wide stance, a quiet, compact swing, and high bat speed to square up the baseball and drive it in the gaps with ease and notable power.
Scouts project Morlando as a middle-of-the-order hitter in the pro ranks due to his excellent plate discipline, contact skills and power potential. He is a complete hitter who only continues to improve as he matures.
Read an in-depth draft profile on PJ Morlando here.
10. Nationals: Derek Curiel, OF, Orange Lutheran (Calif.) HS
The 6-foot-2, 180-pound left-handed hitter has a strong feel at the plate. He uses a short, quick and effortless swing to drive the baseball into the gaps. He is a mature hitter and has strong plate discipline.
Curiel is an above-average runner with an accurate arm and quality instincts in the outfield. He looks smooth in center field and will have the chance to stick there in pro ball.
Read more 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.
2 wild jumps for the Guardians and Reds. I think it’d be fun to see Kurtz in Cincinnati from a power-hitting perspective. Thinking back to the NBA lottery, has there ever been 2 jumps to the 1-2 spots such like this? Seems like this is such a fluke thing.