The race for the No. 1 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft is down to the wire and has settled on two players: 

West Virginia Baseball star J.J. Wetherholt and Oregon State Baseball All-American Travis Bazzana. 

An odd MLB Draft almost from the start will likely be one where the near unanimous top prospect in the draft, Charlie Condon, won’t go No. 1 in the draft. But that’s not to say Wetherholt or Bazzana haven’t gotten that honor before. Bazzana was moved to the No. 1 prospect spot at MLB Pipeline in May. And Wetherholt began the season as the top prospect on most lists, including Baseball America. 

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The fact the Cleveland Guardians and Cincinnati Reds will make those first two picks is what initially made this draft different from most years to begin with as the second-ever MLB Draft Lottery gave two teams with less-than-ideal odds the top selections. 

Why The Cleveland Guardians Will Pass on MLB Top Prospect Charlie Condon

Cleveland has four picks in the top 100 and two first round picks. The reporting suggests that the Guardians are having negotiations with Wetherholt and may come to an agreement before the draft, though others believe Bazzana or even Konnor Griffin and Jac Caglianone could be Cleveland's pick.

That could allow Cleveland to save money to go over slot value at No. 36 or No. 48. 

It would also mean that for the second time in seven years the Reds would be able to draft the No. 1 prospect, Condon, at No. 2, just like they did with Hunter Greene in 2017. 

After the top five picks, the draft will feature a wide array of safe college-age picks and prep players with loads of potential. The draft is tough to project because some believe the down year of pitching in college baseball in 2024 led to higher offensive numbers. 

But make no mistake: It’s very likely that a future All-Star will be taken in the first round starting at 7 p.m. EST on July 14 in Fort Worth. 

Here’s the latest FloBaseball Mock Draft less than a week before the draft. 

No. 1 Cleveland Guardians: J.J. Wetherholt, West Virginia Baseball MIF

Most MLB Mock Drafts have the Guardians taking Wetherholt at No. 1 with many believing the Guardians will have a deal with the 2023 Big 12 Player of the Year done by draft day. Of five mock drafts at other publications, three have Wetherholt slated to Cleveland. Two have Bazzana, which according to many reports in May had Cleveland’s front office intrigued. 

Wetherholt was mocked at No. 1 in many drafts to start the college baseball season in January and he was Baseball America's No. 1 prospect at that time.

He dropped out of the top five at the end of the season, but has moved up to No. 3 at Baseball America. Despite a 5-foot-10, 190-pound frame, the Mountaineer has elite athleticism and a 65-hit grade. He lost most of 2024 with a hamstring injury, which is the same injury he has in the summer of 2023. 

For Cleveland, the pick actually makes baseball sense and not just money sense. The Guardians' best prospects and young players are pitchers, corner infielders and outfielders. With Wetherholt playing shortstop or second base at the pro level, he fits the organization’s system needs. 

No. 2 Cincinnati Reds: Charlie Condon, Georgia Baseball, OF/IF

The No. 1 prospect on most lists, Condon was historically great in 2024. He won the Golden Spikes Award as college baseball’s best player. He hit .433 and led the NCAA with 37 home runs. He hit 62 over two seasons and has 70-grade power. He also added 20 doubles and 78 RBI and slugged 1.009. He started the season in the top-10 on most prospect lists then he destroyed the pitching in the sport’s best conference, the SEC. At 6-foot-6, 211 pounds and 20-years-old, Condon literally has room to grow. 

For the Reds, this pick was always going to be an added bonus. The Reds had a winning record in 2023 and were led by young stars like former first round pick Matt McClain and 2024 All-Star phenom Elly De La Cruz. With 2023 first round pick Rhett Lowder one of baseball’s top 20 prospects, the Reds could add a second prospect who could be on a similar 2025 debut timeline as Lowder. While the Reds have been disappointing in 2024, mostly due to injuries, a second wave of prospects are coming and will be led by this pick. If Condon goes to the Reds, he would certainly be shifted to the outfield where the Reds system is weakest. 

No. 3 Colorado Rockies: Chase Burns, Wake Forest Baseball, RHP

If the Reds do pass on Condon, who was a unanimous pick at No. 2 on all mock drafts published after June 1, it could be because of Burns. The right-hander who transferred to Wake Forest from Tennessee in 2024 was arguably the best pitcher in college baseball this season. He threw in the high-90s and his offspeed and fastball deliveries are nearly identical. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound pitcher was clocked at 100 mph out of high school. He had 2.72 ERA and a 8-1 record with 162 strikeouts in 82.2 innings for Wake. 

Any of the top prospects make sense for the rebuilding Rockies. The club needs talent in the system as the farm system ranks in the bottom half of the league. Reports suggest that the Rockies may not hold a massive fire sale at the 2024 MLB Trade, so skipping on Bazzana at No. 3 to take Burns at a lower slot value and go over value at No. 38 or No. 42 is certainly part of the equation here for Colorado.

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No. 4 Oakland Athletics: Travis Bazzana, Oregon State Baseball, MIF

Sure, the historically penny-pinching A’s could also play the slot value game with this pick. But the consensus No. 2 prospect in the draft falling to No. 4 would be the ultimate gift for a team that is about to be a vagabond for the next few years. Bazzana could probably be the most likely of the first round picks to debut first and he could be the face of the organization by the time the club moves to Las Vegas. The 6-foot, 199-pound, 2024 Golden Spikes finalist began the season as the No. 3 prospect in the class and then hit .407 with 28 home runs and 16 double with a .911 slugging percentage. 

Similar to the Rockies, any of the top picks make sense here. But it would probably be organization malpractice from Billy Beane to pass on Bazzana, even if it would be for Florida star Jac Caglianone, who reports suggest still has Cleveland intrigued. 

No. 5 Chicago White Sox: Jac Caglianone, Florida Baseball, 1B/LHP

Caglianone was our choice at No. 1 in the first mock draft and if reports are to be believed, Cleveland had a higher opinion of Caglianone than of Condon. Caglianone, who is 6-foot-5, 217 pounds, is likely to drop pitching at the next level, which lowers his unicorn potential. But he is still probably the best pure power hitter in the draft. He led college baseball in homers last season and hit 35 in 2024. He hit a homer in 9-straight games at one point in 2024. The pitching potential is still there and he would probably be drafted in the first three rounds as a pitcher with his high-90s fastball, but the offense is what will get him to the majors. 

For the White Sox, the pick is the first of its major rebuild. The White Sox are expected to be the biggest seller at the 2024 MLB Trade Deadline and the club is likely in a position to let Caglianone develop at a less frenzied pace that clubs like Cleveland, Cincinnati and even Kansas City at No. 6 would prefer if they took Caglianone. 

No. 6 Kansas City: Bryce Rainer, Harvard-Westlake High School (Calif.), SS/RHP

There is less consensus on this pick than the top-5 picks. There’s argument to be made that the Royals are now in a championship window with Bobby Witt Jr. making the All-Star team in 2024 and the Royals in a playoff chase. Hagen Smith, one of the two best pitchers in the draft, would not only be someone who could debut early in 2025, but he may even become an option late this year if the Royals are in the chase. But the majority of mock drafts have the Royals taking Rainer as the first high school prospect. Konnor Griffin and Rainer are widely viewed as the top prep prospects. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound shortstop had a huge spring and he could play either position at a high level  with his 70-grade arm and 60-grade power, 60-grade fastball and curveball. He could be a first round pick at either position if he dropped one, said Baseball America. He is committed to the University of Texas, which means the Royals may have to pay over slot to get him. 

I’m not sure if this selection makes sense for the Royals given the time it would take to develop Rainer. But taking a high school player in the first round can be like one of those 1990s Coke bottles where 1-out-4 wins something under the bottle cap. (Maybe someone gets that reference). Hagen Smith or even Braden Montgomery fall in the timeline a little better, but with Witt signed longterm, the Royals perhaps can feel good taking Rainer here. Also: Adding a piece like Rainer would always be a pretty valuable trade piece at some point. 

No. 7 St. Louis Cardinals: Hagen Smith, Arkansas Baseball, LHP

The only reason Smith probably isn’t the first pitcher taken is the Tommy John surgery on his resume. Some feel that the younger you get Tommy John, the more likely it is that a second “make-up” surgery is needed. But if we’re basing it on just pitching, Smith had a 2.04 ERA in 2024 and had one of the best strikeouts-per-nine numbers ever. He was a Golden Spikes Award finalist and the SEC Pitcher of the Year.

This is the most Cardinals pick I can think of. It’s exactly what they need. 

No. 8 Los Angeles Angels: Braden Montgomery, Texas A&M Baseball, OF

He was arguably the best transfer in college baseball this past season when he left Stanford for the Aggies. He helped Texas A&M reach the College World Series, though he broke his ankle in the Super Regional and didn’t play in Omaha. Starting the season as a fringe top-10 prospect, he played himself out of the fringe and solidly into the top 10 and even in the top 5 on some lists. He is pegged as high as No. 4 to the Oakland A’s in MLB’s latest mock draft, but that mock has Bazzana going No. 1. The 6-foot-2, 201-pound outfielder was also a talented pitcher, but only pitched two innings this past season. He hit .322 with 27 home runs and 14 doubles for the Aggies.

Are the Angels in the worst situation in baseball? They could be. The greatest player in franchise history hasn’t played a healthy full season since 2019. The club feels even further than ever of getting Mike Trout a playoff moment. Combined with former top-10 pick Jo Adell having a tough season, again, the high-priced Anthony Rendon being hurt, again, and the scrapped decision by Arte Moreno to sell the Angels, it’s just been complete chaos in Anaheim. So adding talent that some believing is good enough to go in the top-5 is essential at No. 8.

No. 9 Pittsburgh Pirates: Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest Baseball, 1B

In our previous mock draft, we had Kurtz here and so does at least other mock draft. Kurtz, James Tibbs III, Rainer, Griffin and Montgomery are also here on other mocks. Like Wetherholt, Kurtz began the season as one top prospects in draft and was even slated at No. 1 in at least one mock draft before the college season. We also initially said the Guardians should consider the 6-foot-6, 230-pound true first baseman. For his career, he has hit .333/.510/.725 with 61 home runs in three seasons. He slumped to start 2024 but finished with a .306 average and 22 home runs and 11 doubles. He also walked 24.1% of the time in 2024. A polished hitter, he is as solid of a top-10 pick there is, though many mocks have him dropping. 

The Pirates and the Reds will be competing with another for the next four or five years and both have strong farm systems. But the Reds have more corner infield power than the Pirates in the system. Adding Kurtz would remedy that. 

No. 10. Washington Nationals: Konnor Griffin, Jackson Prep (Ms.), OF/SS

Griffin and Rainer are considered the best prep prospects and Griffin has spent most of the year as the highest graded prospects at the prep level. Most mock drafts have the Nationals taking him at No. 10 if he lasts. Baseball America still ranks Griffin higher than Rainer as the 6-foot-4, 210-pound shortstop/ outfield prospect is an amazing athlete with a 70-run grade. Originally in the 2025 class, he reclassified and was named the High School Player of the Year. He stole 85 bases in his 2024 season. An LSU commit, Griffin may have to sign over slot value at No. 10. 

The last mock draft we had the Nats taking a player who could fly through the system quicker in James Tibbs III of Florida State. But perhaps Washington sees the opportunity to take the best high school player in the draft, according to some, at No. 10 as a rare opportunity they can’t pass up. It also could be that with the surge of James Woods (viewed by many as the No. 1 prospect in baseball this year), CJ Abrams making an All-Star team and last year’s No. 2 pick Dylan Crews still making his way to the majors, that they don’t need this pick to debut by 2026. 

No. 11 Detroit Tigers: Cam Caminiti, Saguaro High School (Ariz.), LHP

Caminiti or 2024 CWS hero Christian Moore seems to be a lock for this pick according to the mock drafts. Only Trey Yesavage of East Carolina sneaks in at this pick on mock drafts with the majority slotting the 6-foot-2, 205-pound pitcher from Arizona. He has a 70-grade fastball, one of the best in the draft. At just 17 at the time of the draft, he’s one of the youngest prospect eligible in 2024. Committed to LSU, he’s the nephew of 1996 National League MVP Ken Caminiti. 

For the Tigers, the emergence of Riley Greene this season and having one of the youngest teams in baseball in terms of average age means that talent in the system is there and already coming up. Perhaps taking a college player would fit better but the team could hit on Caminiti right when some of the rookies in 2024 are hitting their primes. 

No. 12 Boston Red Sox: Christian Moore, Tennessee Baseball, MIF

Moore was a star for the National Champion Volunteers in Omaha and his draft stock rocketed more than any other player this year. If Moore, who hit .376/.453/.796 with 32 home runs, isn’t taken by the Tigers, he won’t make it past the Red Sox. Moore has been mocked as high as No. 8 to the Angels, though some scouts are still wary of his fielding and strikeout rate. 

For the Red Sox, taking talented players over getting lost in the weeds about position fits is a priority as the club still has one foot inside the rebuilding door. Trevor Story’s horrific injury and Vaughn Grissom’s poor rookie season makes adding another middle infielder, who should be debuting at some point in 2026 or even late 2025, easier to understand.

No. 13 San Francisco Giants: Vance Honeycutt, UNC Baseball, OF

The most difficult pick to project because most mock drafts have Kurtz dropping out of the top 10 and falling to the Giants at No. 13. But I think that unless the Pirates go with Yesavage at No. 9 or event Caminiti, Kurtz is off the board. Some mocks have Yesavage here and others have Montgomery dropping to 13 as well. Combine all that with the Giants organizational direction at a crossroads, it makes it hard to figure out. That makes this a perfect landing spot for one of the more polarizing prospects, Honeycutt. The 6-foot-3, 190-pound outfielder is one of the best defensive players in the draft and has a 65-run grade. Whether he becomes the next Billy Hamilton or Mookie Betts is the question. He is UNC’s all-time leader in home runs with 61 in his career and he stole 70 bases, something no other college baseball player has ever done. He hit .300 for the first time in his career this season but also struckout 28% of the time. He’s considered the riskiest player among the top prospects. 

And maybe that’s why the Giants take him. The Giants are once again on the fringe of competing for a NL Wild Card spot this year, but they are also playing under .500 baseball. They have pitching that makes fans believe in them, but lack offense. Plus they are in one of the most competitive divisions in the sport, the NL West. This is all to say that the Giants could very well become sellers at the deadline and truly start to rebuild in the post Buster Posey world. Maybe taking Honeycutt here as a college-age boom or bust pick is the gamble they want to make.     

No. 14 Chicago Cubs: James Tibbs III, Florida State Baseball, OF/1B

Tibbs, Honeycutt, Cam Smith (Florida State) and Ryan Waldschmidt of Kentucky are all being rumored here but there’s more smoke on Tibbs in the various mock drafts. Tibbs hit .363 in 2024 and .338 for his career. As a junior he hit 28 home runs and 18 doubles. He led the Seminoles to the College World Series. He is conservative pick with his outstanding hitting and he projects as either a left fielder or first baseman. He could move quickly through the system. 

The Cubs are like the Giants but worse. They didn’t make Craig Counsell the highest paid manager in baseball just to start rebuilding. Plus it’s Chicago and the Cubs still spend money. But it’s not worked out in 2024 so far. They are no better than the disappointing Reds and have played most of the summer as a last-place team in a mediocre division. The bullpen is not good (as has been the case for years in Chicago) and Dansby Swanson has been bad. Like last year, Cody Bellinger is on the verge of free agency and the Cubs have to decide if they want to sell or not. To make matters worse, the 2023 rookie breakout, Christopher Morel has been a disaster at the plate and at third base. This is all to say that Cubs could be adding to an already good farm system.

No. 15 Seattle Mariners: Trey Yesavage, East Carolina Baseball, RHP

Had Yesavage not suffered a scary injury with a partially collapsed lung at the end of his amazing 2024 season, I’d have the Pirates taking him in the top-10 and pairing him with 2024 All-Star, and 2023 No. 1 pick, Paul Skenes and rookie Jared Jones for the future of the Pirates rotation. But the injury probably scares away some teams who are looking for a sure thing. But when healthy, perhaps that is Yesavage. He is one of the most MLB-ready pitchers in the class and the clear No. 3. He had a 2.02 ERA in 15 starts and 93.1 innings. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound right-hander has a 55-grade on all his pitches and control. His fastball has touched 97. Three mock drafts have him here in this spot with others projecting Cam Smith or Ryan Sloan. 

This pick makes sense if the Mariners plan to trade for an impact bat that involves young starters Bryan Woo or Logan Gilbert. If it weren’t for the innings and injury, I’d say Yesavage could be a 2024 debut option, but that’s unlikely. He should move quick through the system, if healthy. The Mariners need more hitting if they want to win the World Series. If the club can deal Woo, Gilbert or even Bryce Miller for say Vlad Guerrero Jr. or Luis Robert, then Seattle will want Yesavage in the pipeline for 2025 or 2026. 

No. 16 Miami Marlins: Seaver King, Wake Forest Baseball, IF/OF

Clearly we were wrong in the last mock draft to slide King outside the top 30. At least two mock drafts have King to the Marlins in a mix of outfielders that include Carson Benge, Honeycutt and third baseman Cam Smith. Starting the season as a consensus top-10 prospect after dominating at the Division II level, King transferred to Wake Forest. He bounced back from a slow start to slash .308/.377/.577 with 16 home runs and 11 stole bases. Defensively the speedy outfielder with a 70-run grade who stands 6-foot, 195 pounds, can play center field or shortstop. 

The Marlins aren’t good in 2024 but they made the playoffs in 2023 and do have some impressive pieces. However, a first-year front office led by Peter Bendix has roots with the Tampa Bay Rays and the franchise could begin a changing of a guard at the deadline with moves possibly involving star outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. King could be the first big prospect addition of July for the Marlins.   

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No. 17 Milwaukee Brewers: Carson Benge, Oklahoma State Baseball, OF/RHP

The Brewers have reportedly liked Benge all spring and three other mock drafts have him going to Milwaukee as well. He pitched out of the bullpen for Oklahoma State and did have Tommy John surgery that caused him to miss 2022. He throws low-90s and while he could be a pitcher at the next level, his future seems to be at right field and at the plate. He had an 82% contact rate and hit over .300 in both seasons with the Cowboys. At 6-foot-1, 184 pounds, Benge is 20 years old and may not fly through the system faster than other prospects due to some swing mechanics, but the way he makes contact and avoids strikeouts, that may not be the case. 

If Benge does focus on just pitching, the Brewers are one of the best at developing arms in baseball. And if he sticks to the outfield, Milwaukee could pair him in the future with Jackson Chourio and Sal Frelick. 

No. 18 Tampa Bay Rays: Jurrangelo Cijntje, Mississippi State Baseball, BHP

No player climbed the prospect and draft rankings more than Cijntje this spring. A rare “both handed pitcher” Cijntje is more than a novelty act. There have been “switch pitchers” before but just about no one has been able to throw 94 with both arms. The 5-foot-11-inch, 200 pound pitcher is stronger with his right arm. He threw 90.2 innings this season with a 3.67 ERA. He has a 60-grade fastball and 55-grade slider. Cijntje is a popular prospect from the 15-30 range but most mock drafts have him going to the Rays or the Atlanta Braves a few picks later. 

Perhaps the interest for the Rays is they got tired of developing great right-handed and left-handed pitchers and wanted a real challenge. It’s very likely that the Rays could be active at the deadline as they are 13-games out of first-place a week before the All-Star Game and most of the positions teams would probably target would be pitching. The Brewers already traded for Aaron Civale this month. Cijntje could be key in rebuilding the rotation whenever he’s ready to debut, which may not be that soon. 

No. 19 New York Mets: Brody Brecht, Iowa Baseball, RHP

It's surprising no mock drafts have the Rays taking Brecht at No. 18 despite the 6-foot-4, 205-pound super athlete with arguably the biggest arm in the draft fitting the profile of what the Rays have liked for nearly 20 years. Instead, Brecht falls to the Mets at No. 19 where two other mock drafts have him slated going. If King drops, he could be an option for the Mets, who would love to draft a guy who shares the same name of the franchise’s greatest player, Tom Seaver. But while Brecht comes with considerable upside, he probably won’t move through the minors quickly. A former college football player (wide receiver), Brecht didn’t fully focus on baseball until this past year. The solo focus helped as he had his best college season with a 3.33 era in 15 starts and 78.1 innings. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound pitcher impressed scouts even more with his improved walk rate of 14.2%. He may not have the Seaver name, but he certainly throws hard. 

It’s hard to judge what the Mets do. Some suggest the club is entering a rebuild, but with one of the wealthier owners in baseball and being in New York, it’s hard to predict what that rebuild even looks like. Something says Pete Alonso will wind up staying in New York. Brecht won’t help this team and he probably wouldn’t be an option in 2025, but it’s clear the Mets need more pitching both in the big leagues and in the farm system. 

No. 20 Toronto Blue Jays: Kaelen Culpepper, Kansas State Baseball, SS

Another major change from our last mock draft. There’s a near consensus that the Wildcast infielder will go in the first round. Culpepper is mocked  from No. 20 to No. 32 in the supplemental first round. In the last draft we had him at No. 38 to the Rockies. But it seems American League East teams in Toronto and Baltimore are interested in the 6-foot, 185-pound shortstop. He was a .312/.403/.529 hitter in college. He’ll play shortstop or third base at the next level and his 55-run grade helped him steal 27 bases for KSU. 

Most mock drafts like Caleb Lomavita of Cal here for the Blue Jays and only MLB Pipeline has him going to Toronto. Maybe Culpepper is a possible replacement to Bo Bichette if the Blue Jays sell. But he also could be a longterm option at third base after Toronto lost Matt Chapman this past season.   

No. 21 Minnesota Twins: Caleb Lomavita, California Baseball, C

The first catcher off the board, Lomavita seems destined to either be a Blue Jay or a Twin and two mock drafts have the 21-year-old, 5-foot-11, 200-pound catcher going to Minnesota. He has a 55-grade arm, fielding and run, which means for a catcher he’s quite the athlete. The Hawaiian native hit .302/.369/.534 at Cal. He swings at a lot of pitches and had only a 6.2% walk rate, but he does appear to have a future as a catcher as his defense improved each year at Cal. 

The Twins are in a win-now mode and Lomavita could move through the system quickly if he hits, like former No. 1 overall pick Henry Davis of the Pirates. 

No. 22 Baltimore Orioles: Cam Smith, Florida State Baseball, 3B

We have Cam Smith to Baltimore because at some point arguably the best college third baseman has to be drafted in the first round. Given that most mock drafts have Baltimore taking Brecht, Culpepper and Honeycutt, who have already gone in this mock and another mock draft has Baltimore taking high school prospect William Schmidt, this seems like a spot for Smith to go. Baseball America’s No. 16-ranked prospect, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound third baseman helped lead the Seminoles to the College World Series. He hit .402/.497/.677 with 16 home runs and 20 doubles. He also struck out almost 13% fewer times in 2024. 

Smith is mocked as high as the 14th pick to Chicago and as low No. 18 for Tampa, so there’s a good chance he isn’t even here at No. 22. But it seems if there’s interest from Baltimore in Culpepper, who figures to be a third baseman in the MLB, there should be some for Smith. The question here is: Is Baltimore really going to add another high-draft-pick infielder to the system when there is considerable talent on the board at the prep level? I think Baltimore is probably taking the best available player and sorting that out in late 2025 or at some point in 2026. 

No. 23 Los Angeles Dodgers: William Schmidt, Catholic High School (La.), RHP

Schmidt is a 6-foot-4 and 180 pounds. He has a 70-grade curve ball and 60-grade fastball. While his control is average at this point, he has some of the highest upside in the draft. He already hit 98 mph, but it’s the curveball that is the best in the draft class that makes him intriguing. He’s committed to LSU and most mocks have him gone at No. 22 or No. 23. 

Two mock drafts have the Dodgers taking Schmidt. We had the Dodgers taking a high school prospect in previous 2024 mock drafts and it feels like that’s still the route for the annual, prohibitive favorite to win the World Series. The Dodgers have the luxury of drafting long term developmental projects or best available prospects mainly because they don’t need to rely on home grown talent to replace outgoing players. But they do it all the time with a lot of success. Even if Schmidt never plays for the Dodgers, he could very well be a centerpiece of whatever trade the Dodgers will make this offseason that will anger baseball fans and have Ken Rosenthal writing baseball think-pieces. That is of course if they draft him. 

No. 24 Atlanta Braves: Ryan Waldschmidt, Kentucky Baseball, OF

 Jurrangelo Cijntje is the popular pick here on the mock drafts but we think he’ll be gone at this point. Waldschmidt is hardly a consolation prize. He was one of the best players in the SEC and in the country in 2024. He helped take UK to the College World Series. At least one other mock draft has him going to the Braves as well. He wasn’t in the top-25 of most prospect rankings to start the college season, but the 6-foot-1, 205-pound outfielder who started his career at Charleston Southern slashed .359/.482/.657 with 14 home runs and 24 stole bases this season. He probably projects as a left fielder at the next level with only as a 45- and 40-grade fielder and arm, but it’s the hitting that gets him to the big leagues. 

The Braves are targeting college players that can keep this current run going into 2025 and 2026 when Ronald Acuna Jr. gets healthy. 

No. 25 San Diego Padres: Theo Gillen, Austin Westlake HS. (Texas), SS

Every mock draft has the Padres taking a prep player at this spot and Gillen is the most popular Padres pick on them. Some have the surging Gillen as the third-best high school hitter. He’s mocked as high as Minnesota on some mock drafts, but he’s most popular between No. 24- No. 27. At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, he’s committed to the home town Texas Longhorns but his left-handed swing have scouts impressed. 

The Padres will play the long game here with the 18-year-old Gillen instead of targeting a college player who may move through the system quicker. 

No. 26 New York Yankees: Tommy White, LSU, 3B

Tommy Tanks in New York? Playing with Aaron Judge in the future? That sounds fun and a handful of mock drafts have him going to the Yankees. We had Dakota Jordan of Mississippi State here in the last mock draft, but if Baltimore passes on White, who has warts but incredible upside, he just may be a perfect fit for the Yankees. The 6-foot, 242-pound right-handed batter has 60-grade power and a 55- hit grade. He may be one of the slower runners in the draft, and he’s not a great fielder, but the man hits dingers. As a freshman he hit 27 home runs for N.C. State. Added 24 in 2023 and duplicated that in 2024. He’s a career .355/.419/.704 hitter and was inside the top-10 of most prospect lists when the season began. He dropped because he needs to walk more, but he actually doesn’t strike out as much for a player who sells out for homers. He is very likely to move to first base despite a solid arm which is probably why he has dropped. 

The Yankees love home run hitters. Who doesn’t? 

No. 27 Philadelphia Phillies: Kash Mayfield, Elk City HS (OK), LHP

This pick appears to be a high school prospect at No. 27. It might not be Mayfield as there’s not much consensus. Gillen is off the board, so is Honeycutt and Schmidt, who are are also picked here by some mocks. If Kellon Lindsey is available, he might be the pick.  But we agree with Mayfield here. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound lefty has a 60-grade control for a 19-year-old. That’s pretty impressive. The rest of his pitches grade at 55 and he has touched 97 with his fastball. He’s committed to Oklahoma State. 

The Phillies are in the same boat as the Dodgers and Yankees in that they have the luxury of not necessarily needing the draft to build a winning baseball team. In other words, they too spend money. That allows them to take more risks with prep prospects. Lucky for them, Mayfield isn’t that much younger than some of the college-age pitchers in the draft. 

No. 28 Houston Astros: Malcolm Moore, Stanford Baseball, C

No. 29 Arizona Diamondbacks: Walker Janek, Sam Houston State, C

The next two picks are catchers and the truth is either Moore or Janek could be Astros. Various mock drafts have both at this spot. The Texas ties of Janek could be enough for the Astros to take him, at least that was our thought a few mocks ago. Moore is coming off a poor 2024 season where he hit just .255/.414/.553, but he did hit 16 home runs. As a freshman he hit .311/.386/.564 with 15 home runs and 20 doubles. 

Janek is rated 11 spots higher on Baseball America’s prospect list and has much better fielding and arm grades. In fact, he’s the top graded defensive catcher in the draft. The 6-foot, 190-pound catcher hit .368/.480/.714 with 17 home runs in Conference USA. 

Moore profiles as a better hitter, although he may have to move to first, that’s why I have him going ahead of Janek who just may develop into a Gold Glove catcher but could take longer to develop as a hitter. In terms of players who could be the steal of the draft when we look back at this in five years, it could be the Diamondback’s pick of Janek. 

No. 30 Texas Rangers: Billy Amick, Tennessee Baseball, 3B

A son of a NASCAR driver, Amick transferred to Tennessee to play third base and he helped them win a national championship in 2024. He clobbered a home run at the College Baseball Showdown in the first week of the baseball season and the 6-foot-1, 217-pound slugger went on to hit .306 with 23 home runs, 14 doubles and slug .639. The move to Tennessee to play third was a good one for him. Once considered a sure first baseman at the next level, he played well enough at third to give him a future at the position. 

There’s not much consensus on the later first round picks, but Amick is linked to Texas in reports and on some mock drafts. Josh Jung’s injury concerns open questions about the longterm third base position, but it’s not as though Texas has a longterm first base option either with 29-year-old Nathaniel Lowe at that spot. By the time Amick reaches the big league that may be where he would play anyway. Amick could potentially move quickly and debut in late 2025 and he should be debuting at some point in 2026 if his development continues. 

MLB Draft 2024 Prospect Promotion Incentive Picks

If a player who was rated as a preseason Top 100 prospect by MLB Pipeline, Baseball America, and/or ESPN (at least two of the three) and was on his team's Opening Day roster goes on to win the Rookie of the Year Award, the club is awarded a Prospect Promotion Incentive pick after the first round. That happened twice in 2024 a year after the Mariners, for Julio Rodriguez, received the first PPI pick. 

• No. 31 Arizona Diamondbacks: Kellon Lindsey, Hardee Senior HS (Fla.), SS
• No. 32 Baltimore Orioles: Slade Caldwell, Valley View HS (Ark.)

Note: Both Lindsey and Caldwell could very well go closer to No. 10 than No.31 or No. 32. They are prep prospects with high upside and this could be a situation where both teams go over slot value for both. 

MLB Draft 2024 Compensation Picks

If a team that loses a qualifying free agent is a revenue-sharing recipient and the free agent signs for at least $50 million, the team will be awarded a pick between the first round and Competitive Balance Round A. The St. Louis Cardinals gave Sonny Gray a big contract, thus the Twins got the No .33 pick

• No. 33 Minnesota Twins: Griff O’ Ferrall, Virginia Baseball, SS

MLB Draft 2024 Competitive Balance Round A 

All teams that have either one of the 10 smallest markets or 10 smallest revenue pools receive an additional pick at the end of the first or second round. The groups of teams alternate between the two rounds each year.

Competitive Balance picks may be traded and are not subject to forfeiture.

The No. 34 pick belonged to Baltimore, but the Orioles traded this pick to Milwaukee in the Corbin Burnes trade. 

• No. 34 Milwaukee Brewers: Dakota Jordan, Mississippi State Baseball, OF
• No. 35 Arizona Diamondbacks: Tyson Lewis, Millard West HS (Neb.), SS
• No. 36 Cleveland Guardians: Braylon Doughty, Chaparral HS (Calif.), RHP
• No. 37 Pittsburgh Pirates: Jonathan Santucci, Duke, LHP
• No. 38 Colorado Rockies: P.J. Morlando, Summerville HS (S.C.), OF
• No. 39 Kansas City Royals: Ryan Prager, Texas A&M Baseball, LHP 

Note: The Brewers get a steal in Dakota Jordan at this spot, but the real story will be Cleveland. If the idea of passing on Charlie Condon is to spend more money at No. 36, it makes sense that player would be Doughty, a right-handed prep pitcher with a strong slider and curveball. Prep prospects generally cost more. There are a number of prep prospects they could go with here. College options for Cleveland could be pitchers Ben Hess, Drew Beam and Luke Holman. 

MLB Draft 2024 Second Round 

The Astros, Cardinals, Dodgers and Giants forfeited their second-round selections as a result of signing qualified free agents.

• No. 40 Oakland Athletics Kyle DeBarge, Lousiana-Layfette, SS
• No. 41 Kansas City Royals: Ryan Sloan, RHP, York HS, Ill.
• No. 42 Colorado Rockies: Carter Johnson, SS, Oxford, Al.
• No. 43 Chicago White Sox: David Shields,  LHP, Mt. Lebanon, Pa.
• No. 44 Washington Nationals: Wyatt Sanford, SS, Independence, Texas
• No. 45 Los Angeles Angels: Bryce Meccage, RHP, Pennington School, NJ
• No. 46 New York Mets: Dax Whitney, RHP, Blackfoot HS, Idaho
• No. 47 Pittsburgh Pirates: Caleb Bonemer, SS, Okemos, Mich.
• No. 48 Cleveland Guardians: Joey Oakie, RHP, Ankeny Centennial, IA
• No. 49 Detroit Tigers: Josh Kuroda-Grauner, INF, Rutgers
• No. 50 Boston Red Sox: Bryce Cunningham, RHP, Vanderbilt 
• No. 51 Cincinnati Reds: Ben Hess, RHP, Alabama 
• No. 52 San Diego Padres: Chase Harlan, 3B, Central Bucks East HS, Pa. 
• N. 53 New York Yankees: Drew Beam, RHP, Tennessee 
• No. 54 Chicago Cubs: Zach Stewart, OF, Missouri State
• No. 55 Seattle Mariners: Blake Burke, 1B/LHP, Tennessee
• No. 56 Miami Marlins: Hunter Carns, C, First Coast, Fla.
• No. 57 Milwaukee Brewers: Dante Nori, OF, Northville, Mich.
• No. 58 Tampa Bay Rays: Gage Jump, LHP, LSU 
• No. 59 Toronto Blue Jays: Boston Bateman, LHP, Camarillo, Calif.
• No. 60 Minnesota Twins: Gage Ziehl, RHP, Miami
• No. 61 Baltimore Orioles: Griffin Burkholder, OF, Freedom, Va.
• No. 62 Atlanta Braves: Luke Holman, RHP, LSU
• No. 63 Philadelphia Phillies: Josh Caron, C/OF, Nebraska
• No. 64 Arizona Diamondbacks: Connor Foley, RHP, Indiana

Note: If the Reds opt to take Chase Burns at No. 2, the No. 51 pick is certainly different. The Reds would probably target a high-upside prep player as they did in 2023. They signed Rhett Lowder, the No. 7 pick, for more than a million dollars less than the slot value and they went over value on Sammy Stafura, a prep player who was committed to Clemson. But if the pick is Condon at No. 2, I expect a pitcher here. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound Hess with a 60-grade fastball would be an absolute steal at No. 51. 

MLB Draft 2024 Competitive Balance Round B

• No. 65 Texas Rangers: Mike Sirota, OF, Northeastern Baseball
• No. 66 Tampa Bay Rays: Brendan Lawson, SS, Lexington, S.C. 
• No. 67 Milwaukee Brewers: Colby Shelton, SS, Florida
• No. 68 Chicago White Sox: Luke Dickerson, SS, Morris Knolls HS, NJ
• No. 69 Minnesota Twins: Cole Messina, C, South Carolina
• No. 70 Miami Marlins : Cole Mathis, AB, College of Charleston
• No. 71 Cincinnati Reds: Michael Massey, RHP, Wake Forest 
• No. 72 Detroit Tigers: Payton Tolle, LHP, TCU
• No. 73 Los Angeles Angels: Jared Thomas, OF, Texas

Note: Mike Sirota is potentially the steal of the draft at No. 65. At the start of the season he was getting mocked in the top 15 and Baseball America had him as the No. 5 prospect in college baseball. Now he’s down to No. 70 at Baseball America and No. 50 at MLB Pipeline. The 6-foot-3-inch, 188-pound outfielder has above average speed. He hit over .300 for his career before 2024 and hit 18 home runs in 2023. He set a program record for most walks in a season at 59, but his drop from a .344 average in 2023 to a .298 average and going from 18 homers to 7, among other dips, is why he has dropped. The Rangers could always opt for another outfielder in Jared Thomas, a career .336/.418/ .565 hitter or Big 12 Pitcher of the Year Payton Tolle of TCU, but the idea of Sirota beng available at No. 65 in the Competitive Balance Round B five months ago didn’t exist. 

Top 100 MLB Draft Prospects 2024

Here's the FloBaseball composite rankings.

1. Charlie Condon, OF/IF, Georgia Baseball
2. Travis Bazzana, IF, Oregon State Baseball
3. JJ Wetherholt, IF, West Virginia Baseball
4. Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest Baseball
5. Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP, Florida Baseball
6. Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas Baseball
7. Braden Montgomery, OF/IF, Texas A&M Baseball
8. Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina Baseball
9. Konnor Griffin, IF/OF, Jackson Prep, MS (LSU)
10. Bryce Rainer, SS, Harvard-Westlake, CA (Texas)
11. Nick Kurtz, 1B/LHP, Wake Forest Baseball
12. Christian Moore, IF, Tennessee Baseball
13. Vance Honeycutt, OF, UNC Baseball
14. James Tibbs, OF/IF, Florida State Baseball
15. Seaver King, IF/OF, Wake Forest Baseball
16. Cam Smith, 3B, Florida State Baseball
17. Carson Benge, OF/RHP, Oklahoma State Baseball
18. Walker Janek, C, Sam Houston State
19. Slade Caldwell, OF, Valley View, Ark (Ole Miss)
20. Caleb Lomavita, C, California Baseball
21. William Schmidt, RHP, Catholic HS, La. (LSU)
22. Cam Caminiti, LHP, Saguaro, AZ (LSU)
23. Theo Gillen, IF, Austin Westlake HS (Texas)
24. Jurrangelo Cijntje, BHP, Mississippi State Baseball
25. Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Kentucky Baseball
26. Ryan Sloan, RHP, York HS, Illi. (Wake Forest)
27. Kellon Lindsey, SS, Hardee, Fla. (Florida)
28. Brody Brecht, RHP, Iowa Baseball
29. Billy Amick, 3B, Tennessee Baseball
30. Tommy White, 3B, LSU Baseball
31. Braylon Doughty, RHP, Chaparral, Calif. (Oklahoma State)
32. Jonathan Santucci, LHP, Duke Baseball
33. Kash Mayfield, LHP, Elk City, Okla. (Oklahoma State)
34. Kaelen Culpepper, SS, Kansas State Baseball
35. Dakota Jordan, OF, Mississippi State Baseball
36. Caleb Bonemer, SS, Okemos, Mich.
37. Blake Burke, 1B/LHP, Tennessee Baseball
38. Ben Hess, RHP, Alabama Baseball
39. Bryce Cunningham, RHP, Vanderbilt Baseball
40. Luke Holman, RHP, LSU Baseball
41. Drew Beam, RHP, Tennessee Baseball
42. Wyatt Sanford, SS, Independence, Texas (Texas A&M)
43. Tyson Lewis, SS, Millard West HS, Neb, (Arkansas)
44. Jacob Cozart, C, North Carolina State Baseball
45. Jared Thomas, OF, Texas Baseball
46. Ryan Johnson, RHP, Dallas Baptist
47. Malcolm Moore, C, Stanford Baseball
48. Dasan Hill, LHP, Grapevine, Texas (Dallas Baptist)
49. Joey Oakie, RHP, Ankeny Centennial, IA (Iowa)
50. Griffin Burkholder, OF, Freedom, Va. (West Virginia)
51. Carter Johnson, SS, Oxford, Al. (Alabama)
52. PJ Morlando, OF, Summerville, S.C. (South Carolina)
53. Garrett Shull, OF, Freedom, Va. (West Virginia)
54. Gage Jump, LHP, LSU Baseball
55. Levi Sterling, RHP, Notre Dame, Calif. (Texas)
56. Luke Dickerson, SS, Morris Knolls HS, NJ (Virginia)
57. Tegan Kuhns, RHP, Gettysburgh, Pa (Tennessee)
58. Dax Whitney, RHP, Blackfoot HS (Oregon State)
59. Ethan Anderson, C/1B, Virginia Baseball
60. David Shields, LHP, Mt. Lebanon, Pa. (Miami)
61. Cole Mathis, 1B/RHP, College of Charleston Baseball
62. JD Dix, SS, Whitefish Bay, Wisc. (Wake Forest)
63. Carson DeMartini, 3B, Virginia Tech Baseball
64. Colby Shelton, SS, Florida Baseball
65. Braylon Payne, OF, Elkins, Texas (Houston)
66. Ryan Prager, LHP, Texas A&M Baseball
67. Carter Holton, LHP, Vanderbilt Baseball
68. Kevin Bazzell, C/IF, Texas Tech Baseball
69. Hunter Carns, C, First Coast, Fla. (Florida State)
70. Mike Sirota, OF, Northeastern Baseball
71. Bryce Meccage, RHP, Pennington School, NJ (Virginia)
72. Cole Messina, C, South Carolina Baseball
73. Dylan Dreiling, OF, Tennessee Baseball
74. Boston Bateman, LHP, Camarillo, Calif. (LSU)
75. Josh Hartle, LHP, Wake Forest Baseball
76. Sawyer Farr, SS, Boswell HS (Texas A&M)
77. Chris Levonas, RHP, Christian Brothers, NJ (Wake Forest)
78. Carson Wiggins, RHP, Roland, Okla. (Arkansas)
79. Charlie Bates, SS, Palo Alto, Calif. (Stanford)
80. Kavares Tears, OF, Tennessee Baseball
81. Tristan Smith, LHP, Clemson Baseball
82. Payton Tolle, LHP, TCU Baseball
83. Dante Nori, OF, Northville, Mich.(Miss. State)
84. Chase Mobley, RHP, Durant, Fla. (Florida State)
85. Owen Hall, RHP, Edmond North, Okla. (Vanderbilt)
86. Owen Paino, SS, Ketcham, NY. (Ole Miss)
87. Ryan Forcucci, RHP, UC San Diego Baseball
88. Kyle DeBarge, SS, Louisiana-Lafayette Baseball
89. Chris Cortez, RHP, Texas A&M Baseball
90. Ethan Schiefelbein, LHP, Corona HS, Calif. (UCLA)
91. Dmarion Terrell, OF, Thompson HS, Alabaster, Ala (Auburn)
92. Mason Russell, LHP, Casteel, Az. (Arizona)
93. Duncan Marsten, RHP, Harvard-Westlake, Calif (Wake Forest)
94. Rodney Green, OF, California Baseball
95. Connor Gatwood, RHP, Baker, Ala. (Auburn)
96. Trey Gregory-Alford, RHP, Coronado, Col. (Virginia)
97. Anson Seibert, RHP, Overland Park Ks. (Tennessee)
98. Casan Evans, RHP, St. Pius X HS, Houston (LSU)
99. Kyle Robinson, RHP, Texas Tech Baseball
100. Tyson Neighbors, RHP, Kansas State Baseball

When Is The 2024 MLB Draft?

The MLB Draft is July 14-16 in Fort Worth, Texas. Coverage on MLB TV will begin at 7 p.m. EST on July 14 and noon on July 15 and 16th.

More MLB Draft 2024 News 

• 10 Best Players From The College World Series Entering The MLB Draft
• Jace Laviolette, A Top 2025 MLB Draft Prospect, Enters Transfer Portal
• How Do MLB Draft Slot Values Work? Here's What To Know

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