FanSided 2024 MLB Mock Draft: College bats lead the way for good reason

The 2024 MLB Draft is on Sunday, July 14 starting at 7pm during All-Star Weekend in Texas as the Cleveland Guardians, for the first time in their franchise history, will have the first-overall pick.

This year's draft class is projected to be not as deep as the 2023 draft class. Last year's class has already seen several players make their major league debut, the first being Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel, drafted 11th overall, in August 2023. Wyatt Langford, drafted fourth overall by the Rangers, made the team out of spring training and has been making more of an impact lately, hitting .325/.390/.545 with an OPS of .934.

While Langford and Schanuel are both impressive on their own merit, first-overall pick Paul Skenes going to his first All-Star game is historical. He is the first player ever to be named to an All-Star game after being drafted first overall.

So, let's start the deep dive into the 2024 draft.

2024 First-Round Mock Draft

Cleveland has built their team on players who can hit to all fields, similar to former OSU player and current Guardians outfielder, Steven Kwan. The left-handed hitting Bazzana can do that better than anyone in this draft class with a plus speed and can also hit for power, setting the Beavers single-season home run record with 28.

Condon, is among a small list of players according to Baseball America, who has a contact rate greater than or equal to 80 percent, a 90th percentile exit velocity greater than or equal to 108 MPH and chase rate less than or equal to 23.2 percent. In other words, he can hit for power and has great plate vision. He could quickly rise through the Reds system.

The Rockies are forever in need of arms and Burns has three plus pitches in his fastball, slider, and curve. He set a Wake Forest single season record in strikeouts with 191 and that netted him the ACC Pitcher of the Year. Between his experience at the University of Tennessee and Wake Forest, the level of competition has helped his draft pedigree.

While Oakland is in a strange transition to Sacramento and eventually Las Vegas, the A's could use the power potential that Jac Caglianone offers. Oakland currently does not have any left-handed bats in their lineup, and Caglianone, who can touch triple digits with his fastball, could be viewed as a two-way player if Oakland decided to go that route. He has significantly reduced his misses and chases from 2023, improving his strikeout rate as well

From all accounts, scouts prefer his power tool, which has him ranked at 70, according to MLB Pipeline. He is a cornerstone first baseman that fits the part of past A's first baseman like Mark McGuire and Jason Giambi.

When it comes to baseball, unlike football, you don't necessarily draft for need. For Chicago, they do need anything to turn around the franchise. Wetherhold has one of the best hitting tools in the draft class as he can drive the ball to all fields and has some power to his swing.

His ability to recognize pitches to give him those elite bat to ball skills gave him a 10 percent miss rate in 2023. Wetherholt would provide the White Sox an elite hitter at one of the most important positions at the diamond, shortstop.

Hagen Smith with his funky delivery and a four-pitch repertoire could impact the Royals' rotation right away. His numbers at Arkansas are video game like. He struck out 17.3 per 9, which not only lead all of Division I, that number also set a record. Couldn't see him sliding past Kansas City, who spent money in the off-season to address their starting rotation.

Konnor Griffin long term looks like to be a center fielder, and he is that rare combo of speed and power that is too hard to ignore. He has the potential to be a 30 home runs, 30 steal type of player. Standing at 6-4, 210 pounds, he will be one of the first high school players off the board and St. Louis would be an ideal fit for Griffin.

Montgomery would have been higher in this mock draft, but there are concerns about his broken ankle that occurred during the College World Series. Don't get that twisted, however, as he is a switch-hitter with power and a quick swing through the strike zone, although according to most experts, he hits better from the left-side.

There are several mock drafts that have Rainer landing anywhere in the top-5 based on his hit tool. He can hit to all fields from the left side of the plate, with the ability to hit for power in the future based on his mechanics. The ability to play shortstop long-term also makes him a likely candidate not to fall out of the top 10.

The left-handed hitting Kurtz can hit for power and speed with a good eye at the plate, allowing him to draw walks and control the strike zone. There are concerns about the recent injuries he has including a rib and shoulder injury, but the upside is too hard to ignore for the Nationals, who really could use a first baseman with power.

There are several mock drafts that project the Tigers to take Cam Caminiti, a high school left-handed pitcher from Arizona, an area that Detroit has scouted well, (Beau Brieske, Spencer Torkelson) just to name a few players that have done through the organization.

With that being said, that could be a smokescreen for what Detroit wants to do. Wyatt Langford was there at No. 3, instead, Detroit took Max Clark. Clark came in for a workout at Comerica Park and sold Scott Harris, Detroit's President of Baseball Operations, and the rest of the brass.

Smith is a right-handed hitting player who has a hit plus tool with tremendous plate discipline, cutting his strikeout rate and increasing his walk rate over the last several seasons, and was an MVP in the Cape Cod League last season.

MLB Pipeline grades his arm as his best tool and can play 3rd base, a position that the Tigers have no long term solution for in their farm system. It would make sense for Detroit to take him at 11, but as stated before, this organization may try the “smartest guy in the room” pick.

Trey Vesavage put up some impressive strikeout numbers with a four pitch mix for the Pirates this season. He struck out 145 in 93.1 innings of work with his over-the-top arm slot delivery. He can miss bats with his fastball, that has good riding action to it. He could help the Red Sox in a hurry and has been climbing up various draft boards.

Caminiti reclassified himself for this year's draft and is one of the youngest players in this class, as he doesnt turn 18 until August. He has a fastball that has already touched 98 MPH, while sitting at 93-95. MLB Pipeline has stated scouts believe he still has more in the tank.

His delivery has deception to it, allowing to use his fastball to miss bats, and throws a nasty slider along with a curve. With that impressive arsenal, he should be the first high school arm off the board. Caminiti is the cousin of the late Ken Caminiti, the former third baseman who won the NL MVP in 1996 with the San Diego Padres.

Tibbs has quite the college resume. This season, the left-handed hitting Tibbs hit 28 home runs, drove in 95 and was named first-team Academic All-American. Oh, in the Cape Cod League, he left quite a legacy, where he was a Cape Cod League All Star and also took home the 2023 Home Run Derby championship.

Tibbs can play first and is projected to play a corner outfield position.

King can play multiple positions with some power than projected but more than likely, he may end up playing shortstop. Prior to Wake Forest, he had a 47-game hitting streak at Division II Wingate in North Carolina. King would be one of the last polished bats to fall here.

Moore made history during the College World Series, hitting for the cycle, which hasn't been done since 1956. He led the nation in hits (111) and also hit 34 home runs, which is a school record.

His weakness is his defense, which has projected to possibly playing in the outfield on the big league level and there is a bit of a long swing there. That power, however, puts him as a threat to hit 30 home runs at the big league level.

Ryan Sloan has a fastball sits 93-96 MPH and has topped out at 99. Per MLB Pipeline, his ability to shape to get swings and misses and to sink it for ground balls is extremely polished for his age. Standing at 6-5, 220 pounds, Sloan has the frame and makeup to be a front line starter.

Schmidt posses one of the best looking curveballs to go with a fastball that has impressive arm-side run. Tampa has been able to develop pitchers in the past with this type of frame, wiry, that can fill the strike zone.

Benge is a two-way player but has been focusing to be a complete hitter instead, which resulted him having better exit velocities at the plate, showing he can hit for power as well. He has the bat speed to handle the next level. His plus arm serves him well as a player, as he is a solid defender in the outfield.

Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com in his July 4 mock draft has several players who can land in Toronto. He has the Blue Jays going Ryan Waldschmidt, the outfielder out of the University of Kentucky or they may go with third basemen Tommy White out of LSU.

But the reason I am picking Janek here is this is a system that isnt deep with catchers. Janek won the Buster Posey Award as the best catcher in college baseball and can hit the ball to all fields. With that type of accomplishments and skills behind him, the Jays should snatch up.

Honeycutt has speed and power to go long as a great defender, winning back to back ACC Defensive Player of the Year awards. This would be an ideal fit for the Twins if he is there at 21. Several mock drafts have him going to the Mets but Minnesota does not land Honeycutt, Benge or Waldschmidt would also be a good fit at 21.

There are multiple ways the Orioles could go at pick 22. Their pitching depth right now at the big league level is rather thin. Brecht has a wipeout and slider that really stand out as two above average pitches but his control is poor, having a hard time with being consistent with his command.

Baltimore has been known to improve pitchers after they are drafted and Brecht could use some polish and if that's the case, they are getting a really good value here at 22 with Brecht.

Unique sells in a city like Los Angeles, where people become movie and TV starts. While Cijntje is just a baseball player, the fact he can throw lefty or righty and be effective makes him more than the word "unique" can describe him as.

The Netherlands native can throw up to 99 as a righty and up to 92-93 as a lefty. He is better as a righty as he can miss more bats that way.

Waldschmidt is an above-average defender who could play any position in the outfield, can hit the ball to all fields with many reports stating his batted ball data has some loud numbers when it comes to exit velocity.

The Padres love prep bats. Case in point, Jackson Merrill, who I thought would make the team out of spring training and here we are, he is heading to the All-Star game. The trend will continue with Lindsey, who has a strong hitting and run tool.

The left-handed hitting Moore has a good hitting tool and has a good raw power tool, hitting 15 home runs in his first year at Stanford. With that power in mind, it would be an ideal fit for Yankee Stadium. There are concerns about his defensive ability behind the plate, however, if he can hit, there is always room for that.

The left-handed hitting Caldwell has a plus hitting tool with plus speed. All of this can get him on-base. Do not let his 5-9 frame fool you, the ability is there to be a player who could cause chaos on the base paths on the next level.

Amick can stick as a first or third baseman who can hit with power, as MLB Pipeline suggests that he could hit 20-25 home runs at the next level. He had no problem hitting with wooden bats, doing well in the Cape Cod League.

The Diamondbacks love athletic types and Gillen with a hit tool rated at 55, Arizona can take Gillen and then if they wanted to take a pitcher at pick No. 31 (Prospect Promotion Incentive pick for Corbin Carroll winning the NL Rookie of the Year or at pick 35 (competitive balance), they can have the luxury to do so. A lot of upside here with Gillen.

Culpepper makes consistent contact, driving the ball to all fields with a strong arm that could see him playing third if he can hit for more power. He is a superb athlete, with good footwork, making everything he does on the field look smooth. Culpepper will there be on draft night so it could be possible he ends up going to Texas here.