We’re nonetheless a few month away from the beginning of the 2024 Draft, and very similar to Jim Callis acknowledged in his projection final week, we’re in a bit of little bit of a calm-before-the-storm territory. With just a few exceptions enjoying within the Males’s School World Collection, topped by No. 3 prospect Jac Caglianone, the highest gamers are all carried out.
Groups are holding exercises for gamers in consideration throughout all rounds and we’re on the eve of the MLB Draft Mix, being held at Chase Area in Phoenix beginning on Tuesday. I’m not saying we’ll get concrete solutions from our time in Arizona, however after groups get face-to-face time with a variety of the gamers listed beneath, we’d begin listening to some connections which can be a contact extra concrete, or extra intel than rumors, although this comes with the standard caveat that there’s nonetheless a protracted technique to go.
This week’s mock is extra a shuffling of the deck than an providing of latest names. I’ve shaken issues up within the high two, however school bats nonetheless rule the day, making up 9 of the highest 15 picks and 19 of the highest 30.
1. Guardians: Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State (No. 1)No change right here as Bazzana continues to be the title most frequently talked about on the very high. Charlie Condon nonetheless seems like the subsequent best choice as they’re the 2 bats who’ve separated themselves, although there’s nonetheless buzz that Cleveland will look to economize right here — maybe on a participant a bit decrease down within the high 10 — and unfold the {dollars} round.
2. Reds: Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest (No. 5)If Bazzana goes one, there’s nonetheless an excellent probability that Condon goes right here, with the Reds in a great place to take the highest school hitter the Guardians don’t take. But it surely’s not a slam dunk and Burns is within the dialog as a second straight school arm (after Rhett Lowder) who might get to Cincinnati sooner quite than later.
3. Rockies: Charlie Condon, OF/3B, Georgia (No. 2)If the Rockies desire a pitcher right here, on this state of affairs, they’d have to think about Arkansas lefty Hagen Smith, which they may. However it will be onerous to cross up on Condon’s bat.
4. A’s: Braden Montgomery , OF, Texas A&M (No. 8)Whereas Montgomery’s ankle damage will preserve him from enjoying in Omaha, it shouldn’t impression his Draft inventory a lot in any respect. It continues to be school hitters who largely come up in discussions right here.
5. White Sox: Jac Caglianone, 1B,/LHP, Florida (No. 3)Sticking with Cags right here, as a primary baseman. However I’ve heard different place gamers right here, from West Virginia’s JJ Wetherholt to Mississippi prep shortstop Konnor Griffin.
6. Royals: Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas (No. 6)Given how large the offensive explosion in school baseball this yr was, Smith’s season, setting an NCAA file for Okay/9 (17.3), is much more extraordinary. Highschool hitters like Bryce Rainer and Griffin might nonetheless come into play.
7. Cardinals: JJ Wetherholt, SS/2B, West Virginia (No. 7)Wetherholt got here again sturdy from his hamstring difficulty and his title is arising all around the 5-8 vary.
8. Angels: Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest (No. 4)Given their observe file of late, discuss persists of the Angels trying to probably lower your expenses on a school hitter who will transfer shortly, so guys like James Tibbs from Florida State additionally get talked about. However Kurtz’s energy — which also needs to get to Los Angeles in a rush — may be too good to cross up.
9. Pirates: Konnor Griffin, SS/OF, Jackson Prep, Miss. (No. 9)For many who assume the Pirates ought to take a school hitter who’ll be part of Skenes and firm sooner, that might nonetheless occur, (particularly if somebody like Wetherholt and Kurtz will get to them) — and Tibbs might come into play — however don’t rule out Pittsburgh taking the toolsiest participant — albeit one who’s a bit additional away — within the Draft.
10. Nationals: Bryce Rainer, SS, Harvard-Westlake, Calif. (No. 10)The Nats can sort of wait to see who would possibly come to them at 10, and if anybody within the high 9 goes off the board a bit, they will take whoever that’s. There are numerous scouts preferring Rainer, the left-handed-hitting shortstop, to Griffin, among the many prep set. Greatest outlier title I heard this week on this spot: Cal catcher Caleb Lomavita.
11. Tigers: Cam Caminiti, LHP, Saguaro HS, Ariz. (No. 17)Whereas they may entertain one of many hitters already off the board ought to they nonetheless be accessible, there was extra speak about arms right here, with Caminiti, the highest prep lefty within the class, getting the nod over a school pitcher like Trey Yesavage from East Carolina.
12. Purple Sox: Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina (No. 11)There’s a big bucket of school hitters the Purple Sox are contemplating right here, and also you’ll see a lot of them come off the board within the ensuing picks. However Yesavage, who seems good in lots of staff fashions, is certainly within the dialog.
13. Giants: James Tibbs, OF, Florida State (No. 16)One of many high gamers competing in Omaha, Tibbs is as much as 28 homers and 94 RBIs with a 1.310 OPS. The faculty performer’s title is popping up as excessive as the highest 10 and there are a selection of groups on this vary who’re very excited by his bat.
14. Cubs: Cam Smith, 3B, Florida State (No. 14)I might simply see the 2 Seminoles hitters swapping spots right here, however Smith and his .402/.497/.677 line have at all times felt like a great match with the Cubs.
15. Mariners: Seaver King, 3B/OF, Wake Forest (No. 13)I warned you that you just’d see a bunch of school hitters go right here. King may very well be on the high of a bunch that additionally contains Tennessee second baseman Christian Moore. If the Mariners wish to go along with an arm, they might go the faculty route with Mississippi State’s Jurrangelo Cijntje or a prep pitcher like Ryan Sloan.
16. Marlins: Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee (No. 25)This continues to sound like one other seemingly touchdown spot for a school hitter. It’s potential Moore, along with his 32 homers, might go increased than this, leaving the Marlins to think about names like Kentucky’s Ryan Waldschmidt — who has a ton of helium and continues to be enjoying — or Sam Houston catcher Walker Janek. They’d additionally take into account any of the trio of names I’ve going off the board 13-15.
17. Brewers: Carson Benge, OF, Oklahoma State (No. 19)Extra school bats right here, and this may very well be the primary actual touchdown spot for the super-toolsy Vance Honeycutt from North Carolina, although his strikeout fee continues to be a priority to many evaluators. We’ve had Honeycutt on this spot for 3 mocks in a row, so we’re altering to a different school outfielder in Benge to combine issues up.
18. Rays: Ryan Sloan, RHP, York HS, Sick. (No. 18)It continues to be onerous to pinpoint the place the highschool arms go, however Sloan needs to be within the Rays’ combine and his title comes up in just a few locations at this stage of the primary spherical. In the event that they wished a school bat on this state of affairs, they might take a look at Honeycutt’s instruments.
19. Mets: Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina (No. 20)Even with some issues concerning the swing-and-miss, at a sure level you possibly can’t cross up Honeycutt’s velocity and energy. His capacity to play heart subject at a really excessive stage does assist increase his ground fairly a bit.
20. Blue Jays: Walker Janek, C, Sam Houston (No. 23)If the Blue Jays persist with a school bat, they might select between the 2 high school catchers in Janek and Lomavita. Tennessee’s Billy Amick and LSU’s Tommy White may be in that blend.
21. Twins: Billy Amick, 3B, Tennessee (No. 26)This may very well be one other touchdown spot for Waldschmidt, however it looks like Amick, who misplaced time as a consequence of an appendectomy and would possibly in any other case be increased on boards, may be favored forward of the Kentucky outfielder.
22. Orioles: Caleb Lomavita, C, California (No. 33)Within the school bat bucket, there’s nonetheless LSU’s White and his energy to think about. However Lomavita’s bat velocity and athleticism might win the day over White, a school arm like Iowa’s Brody Brecht or a highschool bat like Theo Gillen.
23. Dodgers: Brody Brecht, RHP, Iowa (No. 21)The Dodgers aren’t afraid of high-upside arms of any variety, so this may very well be a touchdown spot for prep pitchers like William Schmidt or Kash Mayfield. Brecht has electrical stuff and his command was higher on the finish of the yr for Iowa. He provides off Bobby Miller-kind of vibes.
24. Braves: Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Kentucky (No. 39)It’s broad open right here, however the Braves are trying on the remaining school hitters and Waldschmidt is in play right here. Even groups that assume the teenagers may be too early to take the Kentucky outfielder consider he belongs or goes someplace on this vary of the primary spherical.
25. Padres: Theo Gillen, SS/2B, Westlake HS, Texas (No. 27)The Padres have taken a highschool participant with their first decide previously seven Drafts, so why do one thing completely different now? It’s why they’re typically related to the highest prep arms (Schmidt, Mayfield) and bats (Gillen, Dillon Lindsey, Slade Caldwell).
26. Yankees: Tommy White, 3B, Louisiana State (No. 15)If the Yankees resolve they need an arm, Cijntje may very well be a great match. But when they persist with a bat, they might take a look at Cijntje’s Mississippi State teammate, Dakota Jordan, or an influence hitter like White, who hit 75 homers over three years of school ball.
27. Phillies: Jurrangelo Cijntje, SWP, Mississippi State (No. 31)The Phillies have proven they’re not afraid of highschool arms within the first spherical, however this go-round, I’ve them taking a school pitcher in Cijntje, who might find yourself as a Marcus Stromen-esque right-hander solely on the subsequent stage.
28. Astros: Malcom Moore, C, Stanford (No. 24)There’s a bunch of highschool shortstops — who exterior of Gillen, I’ve going within the comp spherical this week — who might come into play right here. However the Astros might go the faculty performer route and take a look at Moore or Kansas State shortstop Kaelen Culpepper.
29. D-backs: Kaelen Culpepper, SS, Kansas State (No. 32)Don’t be stunned if the D-backs use their a number of picks (three of the subsequent seven) and unfold the cash round a bit of, going with a “safer” school bat first, then going aggressively after some highschool expertise with their subsequent two picks.
30. Rangers: Kash Mayfield, LHP, Elk Metropolis HS, Okla. (No. 28)One other staff that hasn’t been afraid to go the prep route, the Rangers may very well be in on that group of highschool shortstops or might take a look at Mayfield, who very simply might go increased than this.
Supplemental first-round picks31. D-backs: William Schmidt, RHP, Catholic HS, La. (No. 12)32. Orioles: Slade Caldwell, OF, Valley View HS, Ark. (No. 22)33. Twins: Wyatt Sanford, SS, Independence HS, Texas (No. 35)34. Brewers: Griff O’Ferrall, SS, Virginia (No. 41)35. D-backs: Kellon Lindsey, SS, Hardee Senior HS, Fla. (No. 30)36. Guardians: Braylon Doughty, RHP, Chaparral HS, Calif. (No. 37)37. Pirates: Carter Johnson, SS, Oxford HS, Ala. (No. 40)38. Rockies: Dakota Jordan, OF, Mississippi State (No. 29)39. Royals: Tyson Lewis, SS, Millard West HS, Neb. (No. 46)
