2024 MLB Mock Draft 5.0: Full 1st-Round Picks Including Condon, Bazzana, Caglianone

The 2024 MLB draft is now just one week away, with the first round set to begin on July 14 during MLB All-Star festivities, and the Cleveland Guardians will be on the clock with the No. 1 overall pick.

This year's draft class skews extremely toward college players, with only a handful of high school players expected to be taken inside the first 15 picks.

Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana, Georgia outfielder Charlie Condon and Florida two-way star Jac Caglianone are widely regarded as the top three prospects in the class, while Wake Forest right-hander Chase Burns and Arkansas left-hander Hagen Smith are the consensus top two pitchers.

However, with teams always looking for creative ways to maximize their bonus pool, it's not always as simple as just lining up the best players 1-30 in a first-round mock draft.

Recent draft history, industry rumblings and a fair amount of speculation went into crafting this last mock draft, though as always, need at the MLB level is not a consideration when it comes to the draft since it will generally take players years to develop.

Our first mock draft of the year was published on Dec. 22, and that served more as a baseline of this year's biggest names than anything else. That was followed by in-season updates on April 25 and May 30, and another update following the conclusion of the College World Series on June 26.

Now it's time for version 5.0 of our 2024 MLB mock draft, with full predictions and analysis for each of the 30 first-round selections.

1. Cleveland Guardians: 2B Travis Bazzana, Oregon State

The possibility remains that the Guardians could look to cut a deal at No. 1 overall in an effort to spread out their draft pool, with West Virginia infielder JJ Wetherholt the most popular name in that conversation.

However, Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com recently surveyed 20 scouting directors across Major League Baseball on who they expect to be the No. 1 pick. Travis Bazzana received 15 votes, with four for Wetherholt and one for Georgia slugger Charlie Condon.

Bazzana hit .407/.568/.911 with 28 home runs this spring while showcasing an advanced approach with more than twice as many walks (76) as strikeouts (37). He may be limited to second base defensively, but his pure hitting ability gives him an extremely high floor and All-Star ceiling.

2. Cincinnati Reds: OF Charlie Condon, Georgia

Wake Forest right-hander Chase Burns and Florida slugger Jac Caglianone are still very much in the conversation at No. 2 overall, but 2024 Golden Spikes winner Charlie Condon has long been viewed as the pick here as long as he doesn't go No. 1 overall.

The Georgia star will likely be limited to a corner outfield spot, and there is some swing-and-miss to his game, but he hit .433/.556/1.009 with 100 hits, 20 doubles, 37 home runs and 78 RBI in 60 games this spring. It's easy to dream on his 60-hit, 70-power offensive profile taking aim at Great American Ball Park.

3. Colorado Rockies: RHP Chase Burns, Wake Forest

The enduring knowledge that the Rockies will never be able to convince a top-tier free-agent starting pitcher to play his home games at Coors Field should always make finding a potential homegrown ace a top priority when they are drafting toward the top of the first round.

They bucked trend with their selection of Chase Dollander last year, drafting on pure upside rather than prioritizing a sinkerballer, and the early returns have been extremely encouraging.

With a fastball that bumps 102 mph, a wipeout slider, curveball and changeup, Burns went 10-1 with a 2.70 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 191 strikeouts in 100 innings this spring. He gets the nod over Arkansas left-hander Hagen Smith as the top arm in the 2024 draft class.

4. Oakland Athletics: 1B/LHP Jac Caglianone, Florida

After a 33-homer, 90-RBI sophomore season, Caglianone was even better this spring, hitting .419/.544/.875 with 35 home runs and 72 RBI in 66 games as one of the most potent power hitters in the country.

He also continued to serve as a two-way player, making 16 starts and posting a 4.76 ERA with 83 strikeouts in 73.2 innings. It remains to be seen if he will get a serious look as a two-way player, but his left-handed power bat is reason enough by itself for him to be a sure-fire, top-five pick in the 2024 class.

He would immediately join 2023 first-round pick Jacob Wilson as one of the headliners in the Oakland farm system.

5. Chicago White Sox: 2B/SS JJ Wetherholt, West Virginia

If he doesn't go No. 1 overall on a below-slot deal to the Guardians, there's a good chance this will be the ceiling for Wetherholt, and he would give the rebuilding White Sox a high-floor infielder with an elite hit tool to join top prospect Colson Montgomery up the middle.

He dealt with a nagging hamstring issue this spring, and it cost him an opportunity to prove he can handle shortstop on an everyday basis. However, he still hit .331/.472/.589 with 16 extra-base hits in 164 plate appearances this spring, and his 65-grade hit tool should help him move quickly through the minors.

6. Kansas City Royals: SS Bryce Rainer, Harvard-Westlake High School (CA)

After taking prep catcher Blake Mitchell with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2023 draft, the Royals are the leading candidates to break the seal on this year's high school crop, with Bryce Rainer and Konnor Griffin the consensus top position players in the class.

Rainer impressed on the showcase circuit last summer, then showed up for his senior season "bigger, stronger and faster" to steadily climb draft boards all spring and move ahead of Griffin as the leading candidate to be the first high school hitter off the board.

He would have a solid case for immediately becoming the No. 1 prospect in a thin Kansas City farm system.

7. St. Louis Cardinals: LHP Hagen Smith, Arkansas

The Cardinals have often dipped into the college pitching pool with their first-round selection, and now they have a chance to grab a legitimate top-tier arm with their highest draft position since they took J.D. Drew with the No. 5 overall pick in 1998.

Smith won SEC Pitcher of the Year honors this spring, going 9-2 with a 2.04 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 161 strikeouts in 84 innings while limiting opposing hitters to a .144 average and setting a NCAA record with 17.3 strikeouts per nine innings.

With power stuff and a deceptive arm slot, he has legitimate top-of-the-rotation upside.

8. Los Angeles Angels: OF Braden Montgomery, Texas A&M

The Angels are once again being tied to college players who could move quickly through the minors a year after selecting first baseman Nolan Schanuel and calling him up to the big leagues just a few months later.

This might be the new ceiling for Tennessee second baseman Christian Moore who has seen his stock trend up after a terrific showing at the College World Series, while Wake Forest slugger Nick Kurtz is another name to keep an eye on.

Montgomery hit .322/.454/.733 with 27 home runs and 85 RBI this spring, and he has some of the best raw power in the 2024 class. There is a wider range between floor and ceiling for him than some of the other college players in this range, but his upside is also the highest of the bunch.

9. Pittsburgh Pirates: SS/OF Konnor Griffin, Jackson Prep (MS)

The term "toolsy" gets thrown around a lot when describing prospects with a broad base of physical skills, and Griffin might be the "toolsy-est" prospect in this year's high school class.

With an athletic 6'4", 215-pound frame, a rare 60-power, 65-speed offensive profile, and the defensive chops to be a solid shortstop or an elite center fielder, Griffin won Gatorade National High School Player of the Year this spring.

He has some things to smooth out with his swing, but his elite athleticism and dynamic bat speed should help him make any necessary adjustments.

10. Washington Nationals: RHP Trey Yesavage, East Carolina

The Nationals would be quick to pounce on Rainer or Griffin if they are still on the board, but in this scenario they are picking between a list of second-tier college hitters and Yesavage who separated himself from the pack as the clear No. 3 college starter in the 2024 class this spring.

The 6'4", 225-pound right-hander went 11-1 with a 2.03 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 145 strikeouts in 93.1 innings this spring, and with a polished four-pitch repertoire he should move quickly toward his ceiling as a workhorse, middle-of-the-rotation starter with a chance for a bit more if he continues to smooth out his overall command.

11. Detroit Tigers: LHP Cam Caminiti, Saguaro High School (AZ)

The Tigers have been heavily linked to high school players, and while they might prefer Rainer or Griffin in this spot, they have also been strongly tied to Arizona prep left-hander Cam Caminiti.

The 6'2", 195-pound southpaw has four quality pitches, including a fastball that has touched 98 mph and a pair of breaking pitches that have both flashed plus. It's his overall athleticism on the mound that helps separate him from the rest of the high school pitching class, and he played center field when he wasn't pitching this spring.

12. Boston Red Sox: 2B Christian Moore, Tennessee

With a terrific run in the College World Series, Moore went from a player regularly mentioned at the back of the first round to someone who could legitimately hear his name called inside the Top 10 picks.

He hit .375/.451/.797 with 34 home runs and 74 RBI in 72 games this spring, and his strong frame and 55-hit, 60-power offensive profile give him a real shot at being a 30-homer threat at the next level.

Florida State teammates James Tibbs and Cam Smith are also names that frequently come up in this range, while this could be the floor for East Carolina right-hander Trey Yesavage if he slides a bit.

13. San Francisco Giants: 1B Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest

A limited athletic profile and defensive limitations make Kurtz the top-tier college player most likely to slide on draft day, but he can flat-out hit and this would be a major win for a Giants team in serious need of impact bats.

In roughly one full MLB season's worth of games (164) over three years at Wake Forest, he hit .333/.510/.725 with 61 home runs and 182 RBI while tallying far more walks (189) than strikeouts (130).

He will go as far as his left-handed bat carries him, but with a strong 6'5", 240-pound frame and a 60-hit, 65-power profile, that could all the way to MLB stardom.

14. Chicago Cubs: 1B/OF James Tibbs, Florida State

The Cubs have often targeted college bats that can move quickly through the minors in the first round, with guys like Kyle Schwarber, Ian Happ, Nico Hoerner and 2023 first-round pick Matt Shaw all fitting that mold.

After a terrific run in the Cape Cod League last summer, Tibbs hit .363/.488/.777 with 28 home runs and 95 RBI in 66 games this spring to solidify his status as one of the most polished college hitters in the country.

15. Seattle Mariners: RHP Ryan Sloan, York High School (IL)

The Mariners have drafted a high school hitter in the first round three years in a row, and a pivot point in the middle of this year's draft board they could go in a wide variety of different directions.

Illinois prep Ryan Sloan has been a popular name climbing up draft boards the last few weeks, and with a strong 6'5", 220-pound frame, an electric fastball and a strong track record on the showcase circuit that helps erase concerns about his quality of competition, this could be his ceiling.

He might offer the best mix of stuff, upside and signability from this year's prep pitcher class.

16. Miami Marlins: 3B Cam Smith, Florida State

A Top 100 prospect in the 2022 draft who went undrafted due to his strong commitment to Florida State, Smith turned in a lackluster freshman season, but saw his draft stock start trending up when he hit .347/.406/.575 with six home runs and 26 RBI in 44 games in the Cape Cod League last summer.

That proved to be the jumping off point for a huge sophomore season, as he batted .387/.488/.654 with 22 doubles, 16 home runs and 57 RBI in 66 games. The draft-eligible sophomore is still working to fully tap into his tremendous raw power, and his offensive upside is exactly what the Marlins should be hunting for in this draft.

17. Milwaukee Brewers: OF Vance Honeycutt, North Carolina

One of the most polarizing prospects in this year's first-round picture, Honeycutt has an elite combination of power, speed and athleticism, and he hit .318/.410/.714 with 28 home runs, 70 RBI and 28 steals this spring.

However, he also struck out 83 times in 62 games, giving him the always risky 40-hit, 60-power offensive profile with question marks about how much of his plus power he will be able to tap into in pro ball.

With all of that said, his upside and the added value of Gold Glove-caliber defense in center field gives him a high enough floor to roll the dice on his huge upside.

18. Tampa Bay Rays: OF Carson Benge, Oklahoma State

Benge was one of the better two-way players in the nation this spring, posting a 1.109 OPS with 24 doubles, 18 home runs and 64 RBI as an outfielder, while also logging a 3.16 ERA with 44 strikeouts in 37 innings on the mound.

He prefers to hit and his future is likely as an everyday position player with pitching as an intriguing fallback if he fails to develop as hoped. His bat-to-ball skills and elite exit velocity numbers help legitimize his breakout offensive performance, and he has more untapped potential than most college players.

19. New York Mets: IF/OF Seaver King, Wake Forest

The Mets have been frequently tied to college hitters, largely due to the long list of them projected to be taken somewhere in this range of the first round. With a polished hit tool and plus athleticism, King fits the type of player they have targeted in recent years in both the draft and on the trade market.

After two terrific seasons at D-II Wingate University, he transferred to Wake Forest for his junior season and hit .308/.377/.577 with 14 doubles, 16 home runs and 64 RBI, showing more playable power than he had in the past.

He has seen time at second base, shortstop and third base, but his best long-term home might be in center field where his plus speed, solid arm and good instincts play well.

20. Toronto Blue Jays: OF Ryan Waldschmidt, Kentucky

Loud exit velocity numbers and a high contact rate have helped Waldschmidt make a late surge up draft boards as evaluators have started to dig further into batted-ball data and other metrics.

The consensus seems to be that the Blue Jays prefer a college hitter in this spot, and while he doesn't have the same track record of production as someone like LSU slugger Tommy White, Waldschmidt has a more well-rounded skill set.

He hit .333/.469/.610 with 17 doubles, 14 home runs, 46 RBI and 25 steals in 32 attempts this spring while working his way back from offseason ACL surgery.

21. Minnesota Twins: C Caleb Lomavita, California

There is a trio of college catchers—Caleb Lomavita (California), Walker Janek (Sam Houston) and Malcolm Moore (Stanford)—who could all be taken at the back of the first round, and in any order.

Lomavita offers perhaps the best mix of physical tools and on-field production, as he hit .322/.395/.586 with 15 home runs and 52 RBI in 55 games this spring while showcasing a plus arm and developing receiving skills. He is athletic enough to handle third base or a corner outfield spot, but he will undoubtedly start his pro career behind the plate.

22. Baltimore Orioles: RHP Brody Brecht, Iowa

With a loaded farm system already in place and an enviable core of young talent in the big leagues, the Orioles are in a prime position to swing for the fences on upside while drafting outside the Top 20 for the first time since 2017.

With a 70-grade fastball that regularly touches triple-digits and a 70-grade wipeout slider, Brecht has the best pure stuff in the draft. The question is command for the former two-sport star who also played wide receiver for Iowa's football team as a freshman.

The 6'4", 235-pound right-hander had a 3.33 ERA with 128 strikeouts in 78.1 innings this spring, and while he issued 49 walks, he did cut his walk rate from 18.4 to 14.2 percent. If everything clicks, he could be the best pitcher in the 2024 class.

23. Los Angeles Dodgers: RHP William Schmidt, Catholic High School (LA)

The Dodgers don't pick again until No. 98 overall after surrendering their second-round pick as compensation for signing Shohei Ohtani, so the expectation is that they will be prioritizing upside with their first selection.

Schmidt offers a tantalizing combination of present stuff with a three-pitch repertoire that includes a mid-90s fastball and 70-grade curveball that registers 3,000-plus rpm spin rates, and future projection with a 6'4", 180-pound frame.

Signability is the biggest question mark if he falls this far down the board, as teams could start looking to float him to the second round with an above-slot deal.

24. Atlanta Braves: SHP Jurrangelo Cijntje, Mississippi State

Cijntje has long been on the 2024 draft radar due to his unique profile as a switch pitcher. He is a legitimate first-round talent from the right side who has drawn comparisons to Marcus Stroman due in part to his undersized 5'11" frame, while offering more of a reliever profile while working from a low arm slot as a lefty.

He might benefit from focusing solely on pitching right-handed, and it will be interesting to see how he is utilized at the onset of his pro career. The Braves have a great track record of developing pitchers, so this would be an ideal landing spot for his future development.

25. San Diego Padres: SS Theo Gillen, Westlake High School (TX)

The last time the Padres took a college player in the first round was Stanford right-hander Cal Quantrill back in 2016, so there's no reason to expect them to buck that trend this year, especially with so many of the top prep players still on the board.

With a 60-grade hit tool and plus athleticism, Gillen fits the type of player they have been drawn to in years past. He could prove to be one of the steals of the first round if he falls this far, especially if he maximizes his power potential and develops into a 20-plus home run threat.

26. New York Yankees: 3B Tommy White, LSU

As usual, the Yankees have been frequently tied to hitters with loud power tools, and White falling into their laps at No. 26 overall might be their ideal scenario.

The burly slugger began his college career by hitting .362/.425/.757 with 27 home runs as a true freshman at NC State before transferring to LSU and continuing to rake. Across 187 collegiate games, he posted a 1.123 OPS with 75 home runs and 249 RBI.

Mississippi State outfielder Dakota Jordan is another player to keep an eye on here.

27. Philadelphia Phillies: LHP Kash Mayfield, Elk City High School (OK)

The Phillies have taken a high school player in the first round in four straight drafts, including prep pitchers Mick Abel (2020) and Andrew Painter (2021) who both quickly developed into top prospects.

Mayfield could potentially go off the board 10 picks sooner than this, or he could wind up in the comp round on an above-slot deal, so penciling him into mock drafts has been tricky.

The 6'4", 200-pound southpaw went from throwing in the upper 80s as a junior to bumping 97 mph this spring, and his secondary stuff has similarly ticked up. He turned 19 years old in February, which will scare some teams off, but the Phillies didn't flinch at a similar situation with Aidan Miller last year.

28. Houston Astros: C Walker Janek, Sam Houston

For the second year in a row, Conference USA has a first-round draft prospect, with Florida Atlantic first baseman Nolan Schanuel going No. 11 overall in last year's draft.

Janek hit .364/.476/.709 with 15 doubles, 17 home runs and 58 RBI this spring, and he also swiped 13 bases and won Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year honors behind the plate.

His .838 OPS and 11 extra-base hits in 30 games in the Cape Cod League last summer helped answer questions about his ability to handle elite competition.

29. Arizona Diamondbacks: 3B Billy Amick, Tennessee

The D-backs have picks at No. 29, No. 31 and No. 35 overall, so it will be interesting to see how they approach mixing and matching college players and above-slot high schoolers who have slipped out of the first round.

Amick hit .306/.387/.639 with 23 home runs and 65 RBI this spring, and he fits the profile of a productive, high-floor college bat who might sign for a bit below slot value.

Prep shortstop Kellon Lindsey has been a popular name at No. 31 overall, but he could also be the pick here if they are not confident they can sneak him past the Rangers.

30. Texas Rangers: C Malcolm Moore, Stanford

Moore did not have the junior season many were expecting, hitting .255/.414/.553 with 16 home runs and 36 RBI in 54 games, but beneath his mediocre batting average he showed a much better all-around approach at the plate.

He might have been a top-15 pick if he had put together a better spring, but that just means potential value for a team like the Rangers drafting at the end of the first round that still believes in his offensive upside.