The 2024 MLB Draft is only a day away. Three years ago, MLB pushed the draft back from the first week of June to the All-Star break in an effort to better market the event, and it will remain there moving forward even though many executives don’t like it. This year, the three-day draft begins Sunday, July 14. Here’s how to watch.
Day 1 will cover the first round, prospect promotion incentive picks, free-agent compensation picks, competitive balance rounds A and B, and the second round. It’s less complicated than it sounds, I promise. Day 2 covers rounds 3-10 while Day 3 covers rounds 11-20. Days 2 and 3 begin at 12 p.m. ET, and MLB.com will have live streams but no television broadcasts.
At 76-86, the Guardians were tied with the Pirates for baseball’s ninth-worst record last season, yet Cleveland won the lottery and moved up to the No. 1 pick. It is the first time in franchise history the Guardians have held the No. 1 pick. The highest they have ever selected previously was No. 2 on five occasions, mostly recently in 1992 (Paul Shuey).
“I’ll be honest, my expectation is that we’re not going to know what we’re going to do until moments before we make the pick,” Guardians POBO Chris Antonetti told Cleveland.com earlier this month. “… I think we will know this group of drafted players as well as we’ve known any group of drafted players in the past. Our team has done an extraordinary amount of work. I feel we’re going to be really happy with the group of players we select and sign in July, including the first pick.”
The Reds also won big on lottery day. They moved up from the No. 13 pick to No. 2. This will be Cincinnati’s highest selection since using the No. 2 pick on Hunter Greene in 2017. The Nationals had the fifth-worst record a year ago but moved back to the No. 10 pick. They had the No. 2 pick last year and teams that pay into revenue sharing cannot have lottery picks in back-to-back years.
All first-round picks are protected from free-agent compensation these days. Teams instead forfeit later draft picks (and international bonus money) to sign qualified free agents. The Mets, Padres, and Yankees all exceeded the $273 million third competitive-balance tax threshold last year and had their first picks moved back 10 spots. All three picks remain in the first round, however.
Here are R.J. Anderson’s latest draft prospect rankings and here are our first and second 2024 MLB mock drafts. Below is our final first-round mock draft updated to reflect latest chatter, speculation, and rumors.
1. Cleveland Guardians
Mock pick: 2B Travis Bazzana, Oregon State
Slot value: $10,570,600
Bazzana going No. 1 is not a slam dunk with the draft less than 48 hours away. It is just the most likely outcome, and even then, I would still put the odds at less than 50%. West Virginia infielder JJ Wetherholt is a serious candidate for this pick, with Georgia slugger Charlie Condon a consideration as well. Money will, of course, be a factor in the decision. There’s a real chance Wetherholt slides out of the top five if he’s not the No. 1 pick, in which case it makes sense for him to take a below-slot deal here (say $8.5 million or so). He would come out ahead financially compared to going even No. 4 overall. The Guardians would have extra bonus pool money to play with for their competitive balance pick (No. 38). Cleveland has been in on Bazzana since before the college season even began. He appears to be the favorite to go No. 1, but nothing is settled. (Keep in mind there wasn’t a ton of buzz suggesting the Pirates would take Paul Skenes with the No. 1 pick the day before the draft last year.)
June 13 mock pick: Bazzana
July 3 mock pick: IF JJ Wetherholt, West Virginia
2. Cincinnati Reds
Mock pick: 3B/OF Charlie Condon, Georgia
Slot value: $9,785,000
This is the safest — “safest” — bet among the first five picks. The Reds have been tied to Condon heavily in recent weeks and there is no indication they will pass on him. If the Guardians take Condon with the No. 1 pick, the Reds could pivot to a pitcher — they used top 10 picks on pitchers in 2017 (Hunter Greene), 2019 (Nick Lodolo), and 2023 (Rhett Lowder) — with Wake Forest righty Chase Burns the most likely candidate. Condon is our No. 1 ranked player in the draft class and all signs point to him winding up with Cincinnati.
June 13 mock pick: Condon
July 3 mock pick: Condon
3. Colorado Rockies
Mock pick: LHP Hagen Smith, Arkansas
Slot value: $9,070,800
It’s been rumored the Rockies prefer Smith to Burns, which could just be postering and Colorado trying to get the best deal it can with regards to the bonus pool. They are far and away the team most likely to take a pitcher within the top five picks — the Rockies can not sign top free-agent pitchers because of Coors Field and know they must draft and develop their arms — and either Burns or Smith should move fairly quickly in pro ball. If, for whatever reason, Condon is still on the board here, the Rockies could pivot and grab the draft’s best bat.
June 13 mock pick: RHP Chase Burns, Wake Forest
July 3 mock draft: Burns
4. Oakland Athletics
Mock pick: OF Braden Montgomery, Texas A&M
Slot value: $8,370,800
All indications are the A’s will select a college hitter, with Bazzana said to be their preferred target. There is a path to him falling here — the Guardians cut a deal with Wetherholt, the Reds grab Condon, the Rockies take an arm — but that doesn’t happen in our mock draft. Montgomery has been the new rumor for the last week or so. He was trending toward being a top five pick before breaking his ankle in the college baseball postseason. That shouldn’t hurt his stock too much though. Teams were fully aware of what kind of player he was before the injury.
June 13 mock pick: 1B Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest
July 3 mock pick: 2B Travis Bazzana, Oregon State
5. Chicago White Sox
Mock pick: 1B/LHP Jac Caglianone, Florida
Slot value: $7,763,700
High school shortstop Konnor Griffin, arguably the highest-upside player in the draft class, has been persistently connected to the White Sox for the last month or so. He’s a real candidate to go here. In our mock draft, Caglianone is still available, and I have a hard time seeing the ChiSox passing on the draft’s greatest power threat. Chicago has an extra competitive balance pick this year (No. 68, acquired from the Mariners in the Gregory Santos trade) and could play bonus pool games, but they badly need an infusion of high-upside talent. Just take the best available player at No. 5. In our mock draft, that’s Jac.
June 13 mock pick: LHP Hagen Smith, Arkansas
July 3 mock pick: Caglianone
6. Kansas City Royals
Mock pick: SS Bryce Rainer, Westlake HS (California)
Slot value: $7,213,800
The Royals are said to be enamored with Smith, but he is off the board in our mock draft. Rainer has been speculated as a potential bonus pool-saving pick inside the top five and, well, No. 6 isn’t that far off. Kansas City has a competitive balance pick (No. 39) and won’t be hurting for bonus pool money to spend on draft day. Smith is their preference as a bat-missing (and quick moving) lefty, but Rainer is on the radar as well.
June 13 mock pick: 1B/LHP Jac Caglianone, Florida
July 3 mock pick: LHP Hagen Smith, Arkansas
7. St. Louis Cardinals
Mock pick: IF JJ Wetherholt, West Virginia
Slot value: $6,823,700
I think this would be the best case scenario for St. Louis. Wetherholt entered 2024 as a candidate to go No. 1 overall, then a hamstring injury hurt his stock, and pushed him down draft boards. The No. 1 skill set is still there. The question now is more about durability as a smaller player (listed at 5-foot-10 and 190 lbs.). The Cardinals have not picked inside the top 10 since selecting J.D. Drew with the No. 5 pick in 1998. There’s a chance, maybe even a good one, everything falls into place and St. Louis is able to nab a legitimate No. 1 pick candidate with the No. 7 selection.
June 13 mock pick: Wetherholt
July 3 mock pick: SS Bryce Rainer, Westlake HS (California)
8. Los Angeles Angels
Mock Pick: RHP Chase Burns, Wake Forest
Slot value: $6,502,800
There is an excellent chance whoever the Angels take here will be the first player from the draft class to reach the big leagues. The first draftee to reach the show was an Angels pick in 2021 (Chase Silseth), 2022 (Zach Neto), and 2023 (Nolan Schanuel). No reason to think things will be different with 2024. Burns could go as high as No. 3 to the Rockies and would be a dream scenario for the Halos. He offers frontline starter upside and could be pitching in Anaheim by this time next summer.
June 13 mock pick: OF James Tibbs III, Florida State
July 3 mock pick: RHP Trey Yesavage, East Carolina
9. Pittsburgh Pirates
Mock pick: OF James Tibbs III, Florida State
Slot value: $6,216,600
The Pirates are a difficult team to pin down. I have to think there is at least a little pressure on the front office to really nail this pick and get a player who can contribute soon now that Paul Skenes and Jared Jones are in the big leagues and dominating. Recent top 10 picks Nick Gonzales (No. 7 in 2020) and Henry Davis (No. 1 in 2021) have yet to provide the desired impact. Tibbs offers Grade A power potential and could help whichever team selects him in short order.
June 13 mock pick: OF Braden Montgomery, Texas A&M
July 3 mock pick: Tibbs
10. Washington Nationals
Mock pick: SS/OF Konnor Griffin, Jackson Prep (Mississippi)
Slot value: $5,953,800
History says the Nationals will take the player they consider to be the most talented and highest-upside player available. In our mock draft, that’s Griffin, who offers the elite talent/plus makeup combination teams want in a franchise player. Washington has been linked to Montgomery as well, though it is looking less and less likely he will still be on the board for the No. 10 pick.
June 13 mock pick: Griffin
July 3 mock pick: OF Braden Montgomery, Texas A&M
11. Detroit Tigers
Mock pick: LHP Cam Caminiti, Saguaro HS (Arizona)
Slot value: $5,712,100
Caminiti has been heavily connected to the Tigers the last few weeks. It’s about as strong a connection as you’ll find outside the No. 10. Detroit has not taken the big step toward contention they were expected to take this year, and I suppose that could push them to take a quick moving college player, but I think front office intents to stay the course and is OK with a high school player and a longer term project. They’ve taken big swings with high-upside high schoolers in recent years (Max Clark in 2023, Jackson Jobe in 2021, Riley Greene in 2019) and Caminiti fits the pattern.
June 13 mock pick: RHP Trey Yesavage, East Carolina
July 3 mock pick: Caminiti
12. Boston Red Sox
Mock pick: 2B Christian Moore, Tennessee
Slot value: $5,484,600
I think the Red Sox are hoping one of the top two high school position players — Griffin or Rainer — slips through the cracks and falls to them at No. 12. That is not the case in our mock draft though, leaving Boston to pick from second tier college bats and a few pitchers. The Red Sox have not used a first round pick on a pitcher since taking Tanner Houck at No. 24 in 2017. They’ve made strides with their pitcher development under new CBO Craig Breslow, and when you’re a good pitcher development team, you don’t need to use top 15 picks on arms. Moore had a monster postseason and has gotten a ton of buzz in the 11-15 pick range recently.
June 13 mock pick: SS Bryce Rainer, Westlake HS (California)
July 3 mock pick: SS/OF Konnor Griffin, Jackson Prep (Mississippi)
13. San Francisco Giants
Mock pick: 1B Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest
Slot value: $5,272,300
Kurtz could hear his name called as high as No. 4 to the A’s, though there is a sense he is slipping, primarily because the recent history of first round college first basemen is awful. C.J. Cron (No. 17 pick in 2011) is the last one to have even a decent big league career, and Spencer Torkelson and Andrew Vaughn failing to gain traction isn’t helping matters. Kurtz doesn’t need much pro development, he’s already tapped into his natural power, and figures to be a quick mover for whichever team selects him.
June 13 mock pick: RHP/LHP Jurrangelo Cijntje, Mississippi State
July 3 mock pick: 2B Christian Moore, Tennessee
14. Chicago Cubs
Mock pick: C Malcolm Moore, Stanford
Slot value: $5,070,700
Moore (no relation to Christian) has helium in the middle of the first round. He’s been connected to the Cubs and is unlikely to be on the board for their second pick (No. 54), so it’s now or never for them. One thing to keep in mind: College catchers are frequently picked higher than the public rankings would lead you to believe because of position scarcity. There are four college catchers in this draft with a chance to be selected within the top 40 picks — Moore, NC State’s Jacob Cozart, Sam Houston’s Walker Janek, Cal’s Caleb Lomavita — and Moore has the most buzz among teams that lean on analytical models (like Chicago).
June 13 mock pick: LHP Cam Caminiti, Saguaro HS (Arizona)
July 3 mock pick: 1B Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest
15. Seattle Mariners
Mock pick: RHP Trey Yesavage, East Carolina
Slot value: $4,880,900
Hard to see Yesavage falling beyond this pick. The Mariners have mostly been connected to pitching in recent weeks, college over high school, and Yesavage is the consensus third best college pitcher in the draft class behind Burns and Smith. Switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje could very well be the pick here over second tier college bats should Yesavage not still be on the board. Teams do not draft for need in the first round, but Seattle has had tremendous success developing college pitchers the last few years (George Kirby, Logan Gilbert) and their farm system is position player heavy at the moment. Yesavage would fit nicely.
June 13 mock pick: 3B/CF Seaver King, Wake Forest
July 3 mock pick: OF Ryan Waldschmidt, Kentucky
16. Miami Marlins
Mock pick: 3B Cam Smith, Florida State
Slot value: $4,704,700
All signs point to the new front office regime in Miami grabbing a college bat here. Smith offers tremendous power but will need to fine tune his swing and approach to fully tap into it. Others like Oklahoma State’s Carson Benge, Wake Forest’s Seaver King, and Kentucky’s Ryan Waldschmidt make sense here as well.
June 13 mock pick: Smith
July 3 mock pick: OF Vance Honeycutt, North Carolina
17. Milwaukee Brewers
Mock pick: OF Carson Benge, Oklahoma State
Slot value: $4,534,100
Among college hitters projected as mid-first round picks, Benge offers the best combination of exit velocity, bat-to-ball skills, and defensive value. Basically every team in the 12-22 range is said to be in on him. Milwaukee has shown a preference for college hitters who make strong swing decisions and play good defense, so Benge is right in their wheelhouse.
June 13 mock pick: RHP Brody Brecht, Iowa
July 3 mock pick: 3B/CF Seaver King, Wake Forest
18. Tampa Bay Rays
Mock pick: OF Ryan Waldschmidt, Kentucky
Slot value: $4,372,900
Waldschmidt went from probable second-round pick to a candidate to go in the 11-15 range this spring. Teams that lean heavily on analytical models on draft day, a group that certainly includes the Rays, adore his elite swing decisions and top tier exit velocities. My sense is the Rays hope Benge is still on the board for this pick. I wouldn’t completely rule them out grabbing a high school position player either, with local product Kellon Lindsey and Austin’s Theo Gillen the best available in our mock draft.
June 13 mock pick: C Caleb Lomavita, Cal
July 3 mock pick: SS Kellon Lindsey, Hardee HS (Florida)
19. New York Mets
Mock pick: 3B/CF Seaver King, Wake Forest
Slot value: $4,219,200
Like more than a few teams picking in this range, the Mets are hoping Benge is on the board here, but he is not in our mock draft. I know there is some thought King is the best all-around talent among the second tier college hitters (Benge, Smith, Waldschmidt, the Moores, etc.), and he fits the M.O. of new POBO David Stearns and new scouting director Kris Goss. They targeted similarly explosive athletes during their time with the Brewers and Astros, respectively.
June 13 mock pick: RHP William Schmidt, Catholic HS (Louisiana)
July 3 mock pick: OF Carson Benge, Oklahoma State
20. Toronto Blue Jays
Mock pick: RHP Brody Brecht, Iowa
Slot value: $4,073,400
As is often the case in the back half of the first round, the Blue Jays have been connected to every demographic (college pitchers, high school hitters, etc.), and it’s difficult to nail down their preference. Brocht has one of biggest arms in the draft class — he hit 100 mph on the regular this spring and has a razor blade slider — albeit with control issues. Toronto has had success getting really live arms into the strike zone the last few years, plus they seem to have a thing for power breaking balls.
June 13 mock pick: 2B Christian Moore, Tennessee
July 3 mock pick: Brecht
21. Minnesota Twins
Mock pick: SS Kaelen Culpepper, Kansas State
Slot value: $3,934,400
Culpepper has a lot of recent buzz in the 18-24 range and has the advantage of being a high probability shortstop at the next level. For some teams, that has pushed Culpepper ahead of other college bats expected to come off the board in this range. The Twins also hold the No. 33 pick (free agent compensation for Sonny Gray) and thus have a large bonus pool. Recent history suggests teams in their position will take a college player in the first round, then splurge with the extra pick.
June 13 mock pick: OF Carson Benge, Oklahoma State
July 3 mock pick: C Walker Janek, Sam Houston State
22. Baltimore Orioles
Mock pick: OF Vance Honeycutt, North Carolina
Slot value: $3,802,200
The O’s have not selected a pitcher in the first round or supplemental first round in the GM Mike Elias era, and there’s no reason to think this year will be different. Honeycutt is arguably the best defensive player in the draft, regardless of position. He’s a game-changer in center. He also has above-average power potential and speed. Baltimore has had success getting players to improve their contact skills and Honeycutt has a chance to be a tremendous player if he can fine tune his approach and bat-to-ball ability. Given his developmental needs, there might not be a better landing spot for Honeycutt than the O’s.
June 13 mock pick: IF Theo Gillen, Westlake HS (Texas)
July 3 mock pick: 3B Cam Smith, Florida State
23. Los Angeles Dodgers
Mock pick: LHP Kash Mayfield, Elk City HS (Oklahoma)
Slot value: $3,676,400
The Dodgers have the second smallest bonus pool after forfeiting their second- and fifth-round draft picks to sign Shohei Ohtani, and teams in that position typically skew toward safer, easily signable college players. All the buzz has Los Angeles in on high school players though, including Mayfield. He is already 19 and older high school players get dinged by analytical models, but big lefties with mid-90s gas and an advanced changeup are hard to pass up.
June 13 mock pick: OF Slade Caldwell, Valley View HS (Arkansas)
July 3 mock pick: RHP/LHP Jurrangelo Cijntje, Mississippi State
24. Atlanta Braves
Mock pick: RHP/LHP Jurrangelo Cijntje, Mississippi State
Slot value: $3,556,300
Atlanta has used their first-round pick on a pitcher each of the last five drafts and our mock draft leaves Cijntje (pronounced SAIN-ja) on the board at No. 24. He is a bona fide switch-pitcher — mid-90s gas and a wipeout slider as a righty, low-90s fastball and a cutter as a lefty — though the consensus is he could really blossom by focusing on pitching right-handed full-time. The Braves are not shy about aggressively promoting prospects to the big leagues and Cijntje as a full-time righty could skyrocket to the show.
June 13 mock pick: RHP Braylon Doughty, Chaparral HS (California)
July 3 mock pick: RHP William Schmidt, Catholic HS (Louisiana)
25. San Diego Padres
Mock pick: SS Kellon Lindsey, Hardee HS (Florida)
Slot value: $3,442,100
Under GM A.J. Preller, the Padres typically target high-end athleticism and loud tools, and they have not taken a college player in the first round since Cal Quantrill in 2016. The streak of first-round high schoolers could be in danger this year — that will depend on which bats are on the board here (and maybe Cijntje?) — though we’re going to take the safe route and mock them Lindsey, one of the draft classes biggest risers this spring. He’s gotten Trea Turner comps as a top-of-the-line speedster with sneaky power.
June 13 mock pick: Lindsey
July 3 mock pick: LHP Kash Mayfield, Elk City HS (Oklahoma)
26. New York Yankees
Mock pick: RHP William Schmidt, Catholic HS (Louisiana)
Slot value: $3,332,900
New York hasn’t taken a pitcher in the first round since Clarke Schmidt in 2017, but there are rumblings they prefer an arm at No. 26 this year. Schmidt is arguably the best high school pitcher in the draft class — his high-spin curveball might be the best breaking ball in the draft this year — and if the Yankees are going to break the trend and take a pitcher, I don’t think they would do it for a second tier prospect. The right college bat sliding here (Smith? Waldschmidt?) could push the Yankees back toward their usual target of big exit velocity hitters.
June 13 mock pick: OF Ryan Waldschmidt, Kentucky
July 3 mock pick: RHP Braylon Doughty, Chaparral HS (California)
27. Philadelphia Phillies
Mock pick: IF Theo Gillen, Westlake HS (Texas)
Slot value: $3,228,300
The Phillies have used their last four first rounders on high school players and their last two first rounders on high school hitters with high-end offensive tools (Justin Crawford in 2022, Aidan Miller in 2023). Gillen has top 10 upside with the bat, though injuries were a constant issue in high school, including surgery to repair a torn labrum. His arm hasn’t bounced back since surgery and he’s likely to settle in at second base, but he can really hit, and would be tremendous value for Philadelphia at No. 27.
June 13 mock pick: C Malcolm Moore, Stanford
July 2 mock pick: OF Slade Caldwell, Valley View HS (Arkansas)
28. Houston Astros
Mock pick: SS Carter Johnson, Oxford HS (Alabama)
Slot value: $3,132,500
As is often the case late in the first round, the Astros have been connected to all sorts of players, with hitters emerging as a greater possibility than pitchers. Houston surrendered their second-round pick to sign Josh Hader, so their next pick until No. 101. That’s a long wait. Johnson and Nebraska high school infielder Tyson Lewis are the most popular names right now, and there is no chance either of them will still be on the board at No. 101. The Astros figure to take one of the two here.
June 13 mock pick: RHP Ryan Sloan, York HS (Illinois)
July 3 mock pick: 3B Billy Amick, Tennessee
29. Arizona Diamondbacks
Mock pick: OF Slade Caldwell, Valley View HS (Arkansas)
Slot value: $3,045,500
Beginning here at No. 29, the D-backs have three of the next seven picks — also No. 31 (Prospect Promotion Incentive pick for Corbin Carroll winning NL Rookie of the Year) and No. 35 (competitive balance) — and thus a huge bonus pool to play with. Caldwell is right up their alley and is a speedy, contact-oriented, up-the-middle athlete who is on the smaller side (listed at 5-foot-9 and 182 lbs.) and has short levers. It’s the Carroll, Alek Thomas, Daulton Varsho profile. Arizona would presumably consider Gillen, Lindsey, Mayfield, and Schmidt given their bonus pool situation. They can afford any top talent who slips into this range.
June 13 mock pick: LHP Kash Mayfield, Elk City HS (Oklahoma)
July 3 mock pick: IF Theo Gillen, Westlake HS (Texas)
30. Texas Rangers
Mock pick: C Walker Janek, Sam Houston
Slot value: $2,971,300
Depending who you ask, Janek is anywhere from the best to fourth best college catcher in the draft class. It’s a solid group and they are fairly interchangeable. It all comes down to each team’s preference. Janek has serious juice in his bat and is a sound receiver, and catchers with pop and good defensive chops (and a career 1.000 OPS in college) rarely fall out of the first round.
June 13 mock pick: 3B Tommy White, LSU
July 3 mock pick: C Caleb Lomavita, Cal
