Pens down. We are within an hour of the first pick being made and the 2024 MLB Draft being underway.
This is a name's only mock, with any extensive details at each pick coming from Friday's Mock Draft (click here).
Here are some quick hits and information we garnered since Friday's story release:
We still don't know who Cleveland is going to take first overall, which will dictate the entirety of the first round and beginning of the second round as well. By process of financial elimination, it seems Charlie Condon is now the definite third option as the most expensive bet. J.J. Wetherholt seems to be getting the nod over Travis Bazzana on finances and minimal difference in projection, with Cleveland potentially seeing Wetherholt as the better player (though I'm not buying into that).
In a trade with Kansas City that sent Hunter Harvey to the Royals, the Washington Nationals gained the 39th pick which comes with a $2,395,000 million slot bonus. Prospect Cayden Wallace was also included in the trade. Teams scrambled a bit late on Saturday and early Sunday to see if the finances could swing a top prospect to their 10th overall selection, but there isn't incredible change expected at the top.
Condon and Chase Burns are flip-flopping picks 2-3, while Jac Caglianone is all over the first seven picks.
Bazzana won't fall past the fourth pick with Oakland, and if he goes first, the A's would be picking between Wetherholt, Braden Montgomery, and Nick Kurtz. That entire trio doesn't have a legitimate home until the Angels at eight.
There are plenty of rumors about picks 5-11 being a spot for a big-saving under slot deal (north of $1-5-2 million), with Kansas City and Pittsburgh being the believed clubs, which may come purely from them having compensation sandwich picks. Detroit has gotten a lot of noise as being deal-cutters with prep shortstops all spring, despite the scouting community being near certain Cam Caminiti will be the selection if he's available.
So-Cal prep Bryce Rainer sounds like a near lock between picks 6-7, with the order being unknown.
The three biggest risers at the end of the first round are all preps: Idaho right-handed pitcher Dax Whitney, South Carolina outfielder P.J. Morlando, New Jersey shortstop Luke Dickerson.
The top right-handed prep arm, William Schmidt, had suitors in the first round but his financial requests and strong commitment to LSU had him naturally falling, and as of Sunday morning, has essentially pulled his name entirely from the 2024 draft.
The Sporting Tribune 2024 MLB Mock Draft 1.0, 6/10/2024:
The Sporting Tribune 2024 MLB Mock Draft 2.0, 7/12/2024:
1. Cleveland Guardians - Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State
2. Cincinnati Reds - Charlie Condon, 3B/OF, Georgia
3. Colorado Rockies - Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest
4. Oakland Athletics - J.J. Wetherholt, SS, West Virginia
5. Chicago White Sox - Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP, Florida
6. Kansas City Royals - Bryce Rainer, SS/RHP, Harvard-Westlake HS (CA)
7. St. Louis Cardinals - Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas
8. Los Angeles Angels - Braden Montgomery, OF, Texas A&M
9. Pittsburgh Pirates - Konnor Griffin, SS/OF, Jackson Prep HS (MS)
10. Washington Nationals - Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
11. Detroit Tigers - Cam Caminiti, LHP, Saguaro HS (AZ)
12. Boston Red Sox - Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee
13. San Francisco Giants - Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina
14. Chicago Cubs - James Tibbs III, OF/1B, Florida State
15. Seattle Mariners - Jurrangelo Cijntje, SWP, Mississippi State
16. Miami Marlins - Cam Smith, 3B, Florida State
17. Milwaukee Brewers - Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Kentucky
18. Tampa Bay Rays - Theo Gillen, 2B/OF, Westlake HS (TX)
19. New York Mets - Carson Benge, OF, Oklahoma State
20. Toronto Blue Jays - Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina
21. Minnesota Twins - Seaver King, 3B/OF, Wake Forest
22. Baltimore Orioles - Kaelen Culpepper, SS, Kansas State
23. Los Angeles Dodgers - Kellon Lindsey, SS, Hardee HS (FL)
24. Atlanta Braves - Braylon Doughty, RHP, Chaparral HS (CA)
25. San Diego Padres - Kash Mayfield, LHP, Elk City HS (OK)
26. New York Yankees - Luke Dickerson, SS, Morris Knolls HS (NJ)
27. Philadelphia Phillies - P.J. Morlando, OF, Summerville HS (SC)
28. Houston Astros - Tyson Lewis, SS, Millard West HS (NE)
29. Arizona Diamondbacks - Walker Janek, C, Sam Houston
30. Texas Rangers - Malcolm Moore, C, Stanford