The 2024 MLB draft class is down compared to previous years, especially last year’s star-studded class. Throughout the spring, the 2024 draft class has improved to where there are some intriguing prospects at the top of the class.
There is a ton of parity among the top prospects in the 2024 MLB draft class. In this year’s class, the college position player crop is the strongestdemographic, while the high school position player group is the weakest.
I interviewed and wrote detailed stories on 62 top prospects in the 2024 MLB draft class. Here is a look at my top 30 prospects for the 2024 MLB draft:
1. Charlie Condon, 3B/OF, Georgia
Condon is the clear-cut top prospect in the 2024 MLB draft class. He’s a quality prospect with a unique path to stardom. He started his career at Georgia as a walk-on and improved each year.
Condon is a 6-foot-6, 211-pound right-handed hitter with an advanced skill set at the plate. His short, compact swing allows him to cover the plate and hit for an exciting combination of average and power. Condon is a mature hitter who understands the strike zone and hits for above-average power. At the next level, he profiles as a middle-of-the-order hitter.
Defensively, Condon showed he can handle third base or even a corner outfield spot in pro ball. He played some center field this spring, impressing scouts with his quality athleticism and running ability.
Read a detailed profile on Charlie Condon and his skill set here.
2. JJ Wetherholt, SS/2B, West Virginia
Wetherholt was in the mix as the top overall prospect in the 2024 MLB draft before the season started. A hamstring injury in the first week of the season caused him to miss time. But Wetherholt returned and performed well, even showing an ability to play strong defense at shortstop.
Wetherholt is a 5-foot-11, 200-pound left-handed middle infielder with well-rounded tools. He has the best pure hitting tool in this year’s draft class, showing advanced bat-to-ball skills and the ability to drive the baseball hard to all fields.
Defensively, Wetherholt is athletic and has quality arm strength. It wouldn’t surprise me to see a team start him at shortstop in pro ball, but he profiles best as a second baseman.
Read a detailed profile on JJ Wetherholt and his skill set here.
3. Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State
Bazzana is 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.
The 6-foot, 200-pound second baseman is an offensive-first player. He has notable upside offensively, but defensively, Bazzana projects as someone who can only play second base in pro ball.
4. Braden Montgomery, OF, Texas A&M
Montgomery was a well-regarded prospect in high school but opted to attend college to refine his skills. The decision has paid off. After two quality seasons at Stanford, Montgomery dominated Southeastern Conference pitching, showing a quality ability to hit for average and power.
Montgomery is a 6-foot-2, 217-pound switch-hitting outfielder known for his five-tool potential. He shows an ability to drive the baseball to all fields and can hit for average and power.
Montgomery suffered a season-ending ankle injury late in the NCAA Tournament. The injury shouldn’t impact his draft stock, as it’s not serious and shouldn’t linger after it heals.
Read a detailed profile on Braden Montgomery and his skill set here.
5. Jac Caglianone, 1B, Florida
Caglianone is a 6-foot-5, 245-pound left-handed hitter with strong tools at the plate. He has elite raw power and can do serious damage when he squares it up. He has an aggressive approach and makes a ton of hard contact.
This season, Caglianone demonstrated significant growth in his approach at the plate, showing improved discipline by laying off breaking pitches out of the strike zone. He notably reduced his strikeouts and increased his walks, a notable feat given that pitchers often pitched around him.
On the mound, Caglianone throws a high-90s fastball with a quality changeup as his best off-speed pitch. He has potential on the mound but needs to refine his mechanics, control and secondary pitches.
Due to the risk associated with Caglianone on the mound, he profiles best as an impact bat who has the potential to hit 40-plus home runs in the major leagues one day.
Read a detailed profile on Jac Caglianone and his skill set here.
6. Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
The 6-foot-5, 235-pound left-handed hitting first baseman 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, making him 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 a detailed profile on Nick Kurtz and his skill set here.
7. Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest
Burns is a 6-foot-4, 195-pound right-handed pitcher who throws a fastball, slider, curveball and changeup from a high arm slot and repeatable delivery. He projects as a frontline starter in pro ball.
Burns’ fastball, slider combination is elite. His fastball sits in the high 90s and consistently hits triple digits. Burns’fastball’s vertical break and average velocity have improved due to his mechanical tweaks. His slider is his favorite pitch and is an elite strikeout offering. The curveball is a quality-breaking pitch with a different movement profile than his slider, which plays well off his fastball. He also occasionally throws a changeup to catch hitters off guard.
Read a detailed profile on Chase Burns and his skill set here.
8. Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas
Smith 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.
Smith is a 6-foot-3, 225-pound lefty with frontline starter potential. He uses a low three-quarters arm slot and features deception in his delivery.
9. Konnor Griffin, OF, Jackson Prep (Miss.)
Griffin is a 6-foot-4, 215-pound outfielder known for his five-tool potential. He’s a right-handed hitter with tons of bat speed, controls the strike zone, and makes consistent, hard contact to drive the ball to all parts of the field. He will hit for average and above-average power in pro ball. He also is athletic and has plenty of speed, making him a legitimate base stealer.
Defensively, Griffin played shortstop and center field during his prep career. He will be his high school team’s starting shortstop this spring. He projects in center field long-term due to his above-average arm strength, instincts and speed, which allows him to cover plenty of ground.
Read a detailed profile on Konnor Griffin and his skill set here.
10. Bryce Rainer, SS, 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. Seaver King, SS/OF, 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.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. 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.
15. 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 had a productive freshman season and destroyed the baseball this spring. Smith has above-average raw power and is a respectable defender at third base.
16. 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, which is a nasty strikeout pitch. He boasts ace potential if he can continue to reduce his walks.
Read a detailed profile on Brody Brecht and his skill set here.
17. 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. The left-handed hitter has a really good hit tool with improving power. On the mound, Benge, a righty, has a mid-90s fastball.
18. Cam Caminiti, LHP, Saguaro (Ariz.) HS
Caminiti is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound lefty who can potentially have four quality pitches and currently leans on a mid-90s fastball. He misses a lot of bats and projects as a top-of-the-rotation pitcher.
19. Theo Gillen, SS, Westlake (TX) HS
Gillen 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.
20. William Schmidt, RHP, Catholic (La.) HS
Schmidt is a 6-foot-4, 192-pound right-handed pitcher who throws a fastball, 12-to-6 curveball and changeup from a three-quarters arm slot and athletic delivery. He has the size, pitch mix and potential scouts seek in a starting pitcher in pro ball.
Schmidt’s fastball is a 93-95 mph offering with riding action. He has confidence throwing it in all quadrants of the strike zone and in any count. His curveball tunnels well off his fastball and is a wicked strikeout pitch. His hammer curveball reaches 3,000-plus revolutions per minute and sits in the high 70s.
Read a detailed profile on William Schmidt and his skill set here.
21. Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Kentucky
Waldschmidt is a 6-foot-2, 205-pound right-handed hitting outfielder who is a well-rounded player. His quick swing allows him to consistently square up the baseball to drive the ball into the gaps to hit for average and power. Scouts rave about his quality plate discipline and above-average approach.
Waldschmidt is an athletic player with quality speed that allows him to steal bases and take the extra base when afforded the opportunity. Waldschmidt’s speed allows him to cover plenty of ground in the outfield. He has played in left field this spring, but scouts believe Waldschmidt could handle center field with additional training.
Read a detailed profile on Ryan Waldschmidt and his skill set here.
22. 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 profile on Vance Honeycutt and his skill set here.
23. Slade Caldwell, OF, Valley View (Ark.) HS
Caldwell is a 5-foot-9, 185-pound left-handed hitting outfielder known for his advanced hitting ability and excellent athleticism. He is a top-of-the-order hitter with a quick swing and a mature approach who drives the ball into the gaps and displays improving power potential.
Caldwell’s above-average speed allows him to create havoc on the bases and cover plenty of ground in center field.
Read a detailed profile on Slade Caldwell and his skill set here.
24. Kellon Lindsey, SS, Hardee (FL) 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.
25. Tommy White, 3B, LSU
White is a 6-foot-2, 242-pound right-handed hitting third baseman known for his power-hitting ability. He has extremely quick wrists and a loose operation that allows him to hit for contact and elite raw power while having a proven ability to drive the ball to all fields with authority.
White boasts above-average arm strength and respectable athleticism but might be suited better at first base rather than third.
Read a detailed profile on Tommy White and his skill set here.
26. Dakota Jordan, OF, Mississippi State
Jordan is a 6-foot, 220-pound right-handed hitting outfielder with above-average raw power due to his quick hands and bat speed. He drives the ball consistently to all fields and projects as a middle-of-the-order hitter in pro ball.
Read a detailed profile on Dakota Jordan and his skill set here.
27. 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 profile on Kaelen Culpepper and his skill set here.
28. Walker Janek, C, Sam Houston
Janek is a well-rounded player with strong defensive tools. Offensively, the 6-foot, 195-pound right-handed hitting catcher has above-average contact skills and power potential. Defensively, Janek is a quality defender at catcher. He is athletic and moves well behind the plate. He also shows quick transfers and above-average arm strength to control the running game. Janek is the top catching prospect in the 2024 MLB draft.
Read a detailed profile on Walker Janek and his skill set here.
29. Jurrangelo Cijntje, BHP, 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. He throws a mid-90s fastball that touches 98 mph from the right side.
Cijntje is an intriguing prospect due to the untapped potential and figures to go in the second half of the first round of the 2024 MLB draft.
30. 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 profile on Malcolm 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.
