MLB Draft 2024: 1st-Round Mock Draft, Breakdown of Top Prospects
The 2024 MLB draft is just days away and teams are looking to nail down their selections ahead of Round 1 on Sunday.
The Cleveland Guardians hold the top pick and have a class full of talent to choose from.
The top pick in this year's draft isn't as obvious as last year when the Pittsburgh Pirates selected LSU ace Paul Skenes, who has already been named the NL starting pitcher for the All-Star game.
While there isn't a Skenes-level player in this draft, there are a few names that are likely at the top of the list for the Guardians. Oregon State's Travis Bazzana, Georgia's Charlie Condon and Florida's Jac Caglianone come to mind as some prospects Cleveland could take first overall. If Cleveland is unconcerned about West Virginia's JJ Wetherholt's hamstring injuries last season, he could be another player in the conversation for the top pick.
If the Guardians opt for pitching, Wake Forest right-handed pitcher Chase Burns would likely be the first player off the board.
2024 MLB 1st Round Mock Draft
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1. Cleveland - Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State
2. Cincinnati - Charlie Condon, 3B/OF, Georgia
3. Colorado - Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest
4. Oakland - Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
5. Chicago White Sox - Jac Caglianone, RHP/OF, Florida
6. Kansas City - Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas
7. St. Louis - J.J. Wetherholt, 2B/SS, West Virginia
8. Los Angeles Angles - Braden Montgomery, OF, Texas A&M
9. Pittsburgh - James Tibbs, OF, Florida State
10. Washington - Cam Caminiti, LHP, Saguaro HS (AZ)
11. Detroit - Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee
12. Boston - Konnor Griffin, SS/OF, Jackson Prep (MS)
13. San Francisco - Bryce Rainer, SS, Harvard-Westlake HS (CA)
14. Chicago Cubs - Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina
15. Seattle - Jurrangelo Cijntje, RHP/LHP, Mississippi State
16. Miami - Cam Smith, 3B, Florida State
17. Milwaukee - Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Kentucky
18. Tampa Bay - Theo Gillen, SS/2B, Westlake HS (Austin, Texas)
19. New York Mets - Seaver King, SS/OF, Wake Forest
20. Toronto - Carson Benge, OF/RHP, Oklahoma State
21. Minnesota - Billy Amick, 3B, Tennessee
22. Baltimore - Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina
23. Los Angeles Dodgers - Brody Brecht, RHP, Iowa
24. Atlanta - Braylon Doughty, RHP, Chapparal HS (CA)
25. San Diego - Tommy White, 3B, LSU
26. New York Yankees - Malcolm Moore, C, Stanford
27. Philadelphia - Ryan Sloan, RHP, York Community HS (IL)
28. Houston - Kellon Lindsey, SS, Hardee HS (FL)
29. Arizona - Walter Janek, C, Sam Houston
30. Texas - Tyson Lewis, SS, Millard West HS (NE)
Travis Bazzana
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Travis Bazzana has landed at the top of many mock drafts this year, and for good reason.
The Oregon State star appears to be one of the most MLB-ready players in this year's class after a tremendous final collegiate season.
Bazzana, who spent three years with the Beavers, had a career .360 batting average, .660 slugging percentage and .497 on-base percentage. His name shot up draft boards after the 2024 season when he hit 28 home runs, 66 RBI and hit .407 with a .911 slugging percentage and a .568 on-base percentage. Bazzana had a five-hit game against Utah in March and a three-home run game against Washington State in May.
Bazzana belted the seventh-most homers in the NCAA last season while also recording the eighth-best batting average.
The combination of power and consistency makes Bazzana a hard player to pass on, so it's unlikely he will fall out of the top two.
Charlie Condon
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Charlie Condon likely poses the biggest threat to Bazzana to be the first player off the board on Sunday.
The Georgia first baseman was arguably the most impressive player in college baseball last season, leading the country in both homers (37) and batting average (.433). What's more is Condon put up such outstanding numbers in the best conference in baseball, facing pitchers like Tennesee's Drew Beam and Texas A&M's Evan Aschenbeck.
ESPN's Kiley McDaniel said Bazzana is "more polished" than Condon, which would likely be one of the only reasons Condon slips to the Cincinnati Reds at No. 2.
As is the case with Bazzana, it seems impossible Condon will still be on the board after the first or second pick. He and Bazzana will most likely be the first two players drafted, but who will go first is still unclear.
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JJ Wetherholt
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JJ Wetherholt's draft standing is a bit unpredictable given he was limited to just 36 games due to a hamstring injury last season.
Coming into the season, Wetherholt was widely considered to be a candidate to go first overall following a tremendous season in 2023. His limitations in the 2024 season combined with the rise of players like Bazzana and Condon pushed him down the draft boards a bit, but he could still easily be one of the first five players drafted on Sunday.
Whetherholt led the country in batting average in 2023 at .449 and also added 16 homers, 60 RBI and 67 runs. His numbers dipped in 2024 while dealing with injury, but he still hit at an efficient rate with a .331 batting average and picked up eight home runs and 30 RBI.
ESPN's Kiley McDaniel projects Wetherholt to go first overall on Sunday and noted that he could come at a lower price than Bazzana or Condon. The appeal of getting Wetherholt for a discount combined with his upside as a hitter once he is fully healthy makes him a name worth considering at No. 1.
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