In final week’s mock draft, Jonathan Mayo famous that we had been in “calm-before-the-storm” territory as we awaited the 2024 MLB Draft Mix. That’s now not the case.
Our Draft specialists (Mayo and Jim Callis) have been on web site in Phoenix absorbing any and all Draft-related info they’ll.
Along with the on-field exercises and measurements, the Mix offers golf equipment the chance to sit down down and conduct face-to-face interviews with the highest Draft prospects; most of the gamers projected to go within the higher rounds are solely collaborating in that portion of the occasion.
The interviews enable scouts and expertise evaluators to transcend the on-field efficiency and dive into the make-up of every participant on their large boards. In whole, 171 members of MLB Pipeline’s Draft Prime 200 and 22 of the primary 30 prospects on that listing are collaborating within the Mix.
Whereas on the Mix this week, Mayo and Callis held their very own first spherical of the Draft on the MLB Pipeline Podcast. They took turns making alternatives for golf equipment, taking who they thought the membership would decide given the state of affairs offered, not who they’d decide if it had been as much as them.
1. Guardians: Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State (No. 1)Mayo: “The names listed below are: Bazzana, Charlie Condon, perhaps slicing a cope with somebody and saving cash. However I am sticking with the man who’s No. 1 on our Prime 200 and that is Bazzana, who had an enormous 12 months for Oregon State.”
2. Reds: Charlie Condon, OF/3B, Georgia (No. 2)Callis: “Bazzana and Condon are the highest two gamers within the Draft. It does not essentially imply they at all times go Nos. 1-2, however I feel if Bazzana goes No. 1, it is a simple choice for the Reds. They may have a look at a pitcher, Chase Burns? Positive. Hagen Smith? Positive. I simply assume it is too simple. I feel if the Reds take Charlie Condon, he hits 35-40 homers a 12 months of their park.”
3. Rockies: Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest (No. 5)Mayo: “Had an enormous 12 months after transferring to Wake Forest, big strikeout charges, threw extra strikes. They took Chase Dollander a 12 months in the past. They know they should develop arms from inside — it’s one thing they have not been in a position to do and so they’re in a position to deal with that with one other excessive decide right here.”
4. A’s: Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP, Florida (No. 3)Callis: “I feel he will be a full-time hitter in professional ball. … I feel the one quibble you could have with him is his chase price. The final time I appeared, I feel his chase price was like 39% and his strikeout price was 8%, which is insane. Often, you do not see that sort of hole, however he is so large, he covers the plate so properly. So perhaps he is simply an outlier. However the energy is big.”
5. White Sox: JJ Wetherholt, SS/2B, West Virginia (No. 7)Mayo: “I have been listening to Wetherholt’s title type of anyplace in that 5-10 vary. The factor that is fascinating … he had a hamstring harm. It was a recurring one which makes individuals just a little nervous. If you’re comfy with the harm and assume he will be positive as soon as he will get to the following stage … there’s not that a lot separating him from Travis Bazzana. He is obtained monitor document, he is hit, there’s pop, he can run.”
6. Royals: Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas (No. 6)Callis: “He set the strikeout-per-nine document in school baseball this 12 months at 17.3, Chase Burns proper behind him is 17.2. Hagen Smith’s a man who might get to the large leagues actually fast, so I feel … it is going to be powerful for the Royals to go up on him.”
7. Cardinals: Braden Montgomery, OF, Texas A&M (No. 8)Mayo: “Sadly, he had the ankle harm to finish the season, however a very good 12 months. We have mocked him as excessive as No. 4 repeatedly. So I will not even say that that is like, ‘Oh, he is sliding.’ It is simply the way in which we lined them up, and I feel he might go anyplace in that No. 4-7 or 8 vary.”
8. Angels: Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina (No. 11)Callis: “They’ve taken hitters which have gone to the large leagues [really quickly] with their final couple of first-round picks. In addition they rushed Ben Joyce and Victor Mederos there, Sam Bachman obtained up there fairly rapidly. Trey Yesavage is a man who may very well be within the rotation in some unspecified time in the future subsequent 12 months.”
9. Pirates: Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest (No. 4)Mayo: “We at all times talked about like, ‘Oh, you do not draft for want on the large league stage,’ however they haven’t any first basemen anyplace within the system. … It is not like Nick Kurtz goes to stroll in and be their beginning first baseman Opening Day subsequent 12 months, however that is one thing that they really have a necessity for. If he is there at No. 9, I feel there’s going to be an excellent argument available between the Kurtz and the highest two highschool guys — Konnor Griffin and Bryce Rainer.”
10. Nationals: Konnor Griffin, SS/OF, Jackson Prep, Flowood, Miss. (No. 9)Callis: “There are groups who query the swing and the way properly it will play towards large league pitching, however when it comes to ceiling, I feel he is obtained the best ceiling the Draft. You are speaking a possible 30-30 man who may very well be a plus defender at shortstop or a Gold Glove heart fielder.”
11. Tigers: Bryce Rainer, SS, Harvard-Westlake, Calif. (No. 10)Mayo: “On this state of affairs, they will take whichever highschool participant the Nationals do not. … There are some scouting administrators who like Rainer over Griffin as a result of they really feel extra assured in his means to hit.”
12. Crimson Sox: Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee (No. 25)Callis: “Hit for the cycle [in the Men’s College World Series] and threw in an additional double, the important thing to a giant comeback within the ninth inning. He has 33 house runs. … I feel the Crimson Sox are taking a school bat.”
13. Giants: Cam Caminiti, LHP, Saguaro HS, Ariz. (No. 17)Mayo: “I do not know that I’ve heard a stronger connection than Cam Caminiti and the Giants. Now lots of instances that finally ends up being smoke and mirrors and so they is probably not, however the quantity of different groups who’ve advised me, ‘Oh, Caminiti will not get previous the Giants.’ So on this case, I am not having him get previous the Giants.”
14. Cubs: James Tibbs, OF, Florida State (No. 16)Callis: “They want pitching greater than hitting, however you’re taking the most effective man and I feel they will go James Tibbs. … I do not assume he is essentially going to get [to the Cubs’ pick]. Among the finest hitters — and has energy as properly — within the school ranks.”
15. Mariners: Cam Smith, 3B, Florida State (No. 14)Mayo: “Sophomore eligible, had a tough freshman 12 months, then hit properly over the summer season and continued hitting [into the college season]. The hit device has been very spectacular with greater than sufficient energy for the nook spot.”
16. Marlins: Seaver King, 3B/OF, Wake Forest (No. 13)Callis: “Transferred to Wake this 12 months. Stable 12 months. Versatile participant. He is performed quick, second, third, heart area. I’m wondering if he winds up at heart area reasonably than the infield. Actually good bat-to-ball expertise, must stroll down the method just a little extra. He is a kind of guys who swings at pitches he should not and places them in play. So it isn’t swing-and-miss issues, however he could make the next high quality of contact.”
17. Brewers: Carson Benge, OF, Oklahoma State (No. 19)Mayo: “Lots of these names are sort of interchangeable. Jim and I are on the level now the place we’re speaking to groups on a regular basis, and it is both, ‘Yeah, on this state of affairs, I suppose I might contemplate him’ or like, ‘Hey, is there any probability this man might get all the way down to me from this identical bucket?’ And Benge is in that bucket.”
18. Rays: Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Kentucky (No. 39)Callis: “Fascinating man. Got here again from a knee harm this 12 months, obtained off to a sluggish begin and as soon as he obtained absolutely wholesome, began simply making a ton of exhausting contact. Runs properly; I feel some groups would possibly give him an opportunity to attempt to play heart area though he performs left area at Kentucky.”
19. Mets: Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina (No. 20)Mayo: “Vance Honeycutt stays one of many hardest guys to put as a result of from a pure uncooked toolset [perspective]. He in all probability belongs within the high 10 a minimum of, and in lots of methods he is performing. … The strikeout price will scare sure groups off. There shall be groups that will not contemplate him. The Mets aren’t a kind of groups.”
20. Blue Jays: Tommy White, 3B, Louisiana State (No. 15)Callis: “Big Mix the primary 12 months, actually hit the ball exhausting, and he is continued to take action in three years in school at NC State and LSU. He wound up hitting 75 house runs in three seasons.”
21. Twins: Billy Amick, 3B, Tennessee (No. 26)Mayo: “He had an appendectomy and missed lots of time. In all probability wasn’t at full energy when he got here again, however he confirmed what he is able to doing. I feel whoever takes Amick on this vary would possibly find yourself getting a very nice steal as a result of there’s some very nice all-around instruments for a 3rd baseman right here.”
22. Orioles: Brody Brecht, RHP, Iowa (No. 21)Callis: “There’s some dangers as a result of he does not have lots of consistency when it comes to throwing strikes. He additionally has solely been taking part in baseball full-time for like a 12 months and a half. … He does not have 5 pitches like Paul Skenes, however the fastball-slider mixture are much like Paul Skenes. It is that overpowering. He does not have the command. He does not have the remainder of it to go together with it.”
23. Dodgers: William Schmidt, RHP, Catholic HS, La. (No. 12)Mayo: “William Schmidt is our top-ranked highschool arm general, however has been actually sort of exhausting to put. Have not discovered the crew that is like, ‘Sure, I am on him.’ In some methods individuals appear extra concerned about among the different highschool arms. Signability [difficulties] would possibly come into play, however the Dodgers aren’t afraid of highschool arms.”
24. Braves: Jurrangelo Cijntje, RHP/LHP, Mississippi State (No. 31)Callis: “I might make him a full-time right-handed pitcher. I feel he is principally a right-handed starter and a lefty reliever in a single. The concept can be that if you happen to made him a full-time right-handed pitcher, he would possibly get even higher as a result of he is specializing in creating these pitches much more.”
25. Padres: Kash Mayfield, LHP, Elk Metropolis HS, Okla. (No. 28)Mayo: “It is [seven] straight Drafts that the Padres have taken a highschool participant with their first decide. So I’ve them taking lefty Kash Mayfield.”
26. Yankees: Kaelen Culpepper, SS, Kansas State (No. 32)Callis: “Promising bat, you wish to see just a little bit extra sport energy out of him. In all probability strikes to 3rd base in the long run, however it’s a Gold Glove potential third base.”
27. Phillies: Slade Caldwell, OF, Valley View HS, Ark. (No. 22)Mayo: “They obtained Aidan Miller proper at this stage of the Draft a 12 months in the past, and I’m going to have them go highschool bat once more.”
28. Astros: Theo Gillen, SS/2B, Westlake HS, Austin, Texas (No. 27)Callis: “He can hit for common, hit for energy, he runs properly. Had shoulder surgical procedure, his arm hasn’t bounced again, so he is in all probability not going to remain at shortstop. However if you happen to advised me Theo Gillen went 10 ticks larger, I might see it.”
29. D-backs: Malcolm Moore, C, Stanford (No. 24)Mayo: “If you happen to have a look at his numbers, they do not stand out, however lots of the underlying information was superb. He’s nonetheless hitting the ball exhausting. There’s energy there. The catching has gotten higher.”
30. Rangers: Walker Janek, C, Sam Houston (No. 23)Callis: “You’ll be able to debate the faculty catchers in numerous orders … however I feel you get common hit, common energy, average-to-solid arm, common — perhaps just a little bit higher — protection.”
