After all the rumors and talk of crazy pre-draft trades and shocking picks; 2024 MLB Draft Most of them were players who were expected to be selected first overall. MLB teams selected 74 players on Day 1, of which 66 were selected. My top 100.
Of the first 30 picks (the true first round), 25 were ranked in my top 31. There were no big shocks, no players outside the top 100 were taken in the first round, no outrageous picks, and for the most part, the best players were taken high in the draft.
Here are some general observations and predictions for each team throughout the first round. We’ll be providing team-by-team summaries for all 30 clubs later this week, so if we don’t mention your team here, please stay tuned.
Cleveland Guardians: They had the first pick and selected the Oregon State second baseman, one of only two viable options in my opinion. Travis BazzanaThe Guardians then acquired a high school pitcher. Braylon DoughtyI’m guessing they’ll absorb most of the savings from the under-slot trade with Bazzana with the 36th pick in the Competitive Balanced Round A (CBA). They acquired the NC State catcher. Jacob Cozartwas the Wolfpack’s second-round pick (48th overall) and quietly had a great year hitting. I think they acquired two everyday guys at center field and then wisely selected a very good high school pitcher.
Colorado Rockies: The Rockies got the No. 1 player on my board, the Golden Spikes winner. Charlie Condonand added another talent, a right-handed pitcher from Iowa, in the first round. Brody Brecht Brecht is a project, a high school pitcher in a college pitcher’s body, but if anyone needs to bet on a pitcher with a promising future, it’s the Rockies.
Arizona Diamondbacks: The Diamondbacks signed two players from the top 15 high school outfielders. Slade Caldwell (29th) Kentucky Outfielder Ryan Waldschmidt (31st). Caldwell is a small outfielder from Arkansas who could be higher if he was 6 feet tall, but he hits and defends really well. Waldschmidt was one of the best hitters in the college group, but he seemed to drop in the rankings due to some teams being concerned about the knee injury (ACL) that ended his 2023 season. They J.D. DicksThe high school infielder from Wisconsin, who has committed to Oregon State, was selected 35th overall, and then the final pick of the day, a catcher from Puerto Rico, was quite a stretch. Ivan Luciano (No. 64) will probably come in lower down the slot.
Jack Cariannone was announced as a two-way player. (Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images)
Kansas City Royals: No, I don’t think so. Jack Cariannone He’s a two-way player, but I don’t think the Royals think of him that way, even if they declared it. He’s a power player the Royals have wanted throughout franchise history, and it makes perfect sense to pick him at No. 6 when he was one of the best players anyway. I also like drafting lefties. David Shields He is 41 years old. He is highly regarded for his pitching form and pitching feel, and I am doing my best to acquire a high school player who has those elements and whose pitching speed may improve in a few years.
New York Mets and New York Yankees: If you don’t like New York, skip this note. I like the Mets’ two picks. Carson Benge (No. 19) Really promising play as a hitter who makes very strong contact and needs to make some adjustments to produce power. Jonathan Santucci (46th pick) The left-handed pitcher from Duke is a potential first-round pick, but he has injury concerns after leaving spring training in 2023 with a broken elbow. Santucci was a second-round pick by the Yankees, and taking a second-round pick on a first-rounder like him is a big gamble. Meanwhile, the Yankees also landed a personal favorite of mine in this draft, the right-handed pitcher from Alabama. Ben Hessthe first pick (26th overall), and a right-hander from Vanderbilt University. Bryce Cunningham (No. 53). Both of them seem like the type of pitchers who could thrive in the Yankees’ player development system.
Seattle Mariners: I heard the Mariners were looking for pitchers and they acquired two of my top 30 pitchers who are switch pitchers. Jurangelo Chinche (15th) Prepare a right-handed player Ryan Sloan (55th pick) (Commissioner Rob Manfred announced Cinche as a “switch-handed pitcher.” What? We don’t say “switch-handed hitter.” We say switch-hitter, we say switch-pitcher.) Sloan is a true all-around player now, with a 100 mph max and a plus changeup. If he can prove he can throw enough strikes, the Mariners should be open to using him. Their system is hitter-heavy, and they happened to have two first-round pitchers in the draft.
Washington Nationals: The Nationals did well with three picks, including one on Saturday when they acquired Hunter Harvey from the Royals, a shortstop/center fielder from Wake Forest University. Seaver King Their first pick (10th) and a high school infielder with great potential. Luke Dickerson With their third pick (No. 44), they used their new pick (No. 39) on a catcher from the University of California. Caleb Lomavitais a reasonable value at that pick, but it’s hard to like a guy as impatient as he is at the plate.
Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies Make a surprise pick: The biggest surprise in the first round rankings Braylon Payne (Milwaukee) and Dante Nori (Philadelphia). Payne was 17th overall. He has 80 speed, but I ranked him 78th. He needs to get stronger to take advantage of his speed. I’m not saying he can’t do it, but it will take time and there’s a risk he won’t get the strength he needs. Nori was 27th overall, but I ranked him 65th. Most of all, he’s a 19-year-old coming out of high school, turning 20 in October. He certainly has the talent, and if he can loosen up his lower body, he could get another level of power. I’m not saying either of them are bad choices, but I didn’t think either of them would be selected at No. 1.
Vance Honeycutt went 22nd to the Orioles. (Ben McKeown/Associated Press)
Famous gatherings: Most of the big-name players in the draft were taken lower than their fame would suggest, and while Caliannone was arguably the most well-known player in the class, he was taken sixth overall, which isn’t bad, but it wasn’t the 1-1 selection the hype would lead you to believe. Vance Honeycutt At 22 years old, he made it to the first round. Baltimore. Tommy WhiteTommy Tunks, aka the top recruit in the country for 2022, was ultimately selected by the Athletics with the No. 40 pick, and the industry is good at ignoring the hype and evaluating players.
Best players available on Day 2
- Peyton Stovall, 2B, Arkansas (No. 34)
- Kevin Bazzell, C/3B, Texas Tech (No. 35)
- Dakota Jordan, outfielder, Mississippi State (No. 49)
- Domarion Terrell, outfielder, Thompson High School, Alabama (No. 52)
- Gage Miller, 3B, Alabama (No. 54)
- Carson Wiggins, RHP, Rowland High School, Oklahoma (No. 55)
- Jared Jones, 1B, LSU (No. 57)
- Connor Gatwood, RHP, Baker High School, Alabama (No. 61)
- Dax Whitney, RHP, Blackfoot High School, Idaho (No. 63)
- Mike Sirota, outfielder, Northeastern University (No. 65)
This year’s list of the best players still available looks a bit different than usual. Usually, it’s mostly high school players with big signing bonuses, but this year the top three are college hitters and only four of the best 10 players remaining are high school players. D’Marion Terrell and Connor Gatwood are both committed to Auburn, Dax Whitney to Oregon State, and Carson Wiggins to Arkansas. I think these six college players will be quickly removed from the selection unless there’s some medical issue or non-baseball factor that I haven’t heard of.
(Top photo: LM Otero/AP)
