The Best Picks Made at the Top of the 2024 MLB Draft

The first day of the draft never goes as anyone planned, this year’s was no different. The odds on favorite to go 1.1, J.J. Wetherholt, not only didn’t get selected first overall but dropped all the way down to St. Louis at pick No. 7.

Braden Montgomery was slotted in for most as being a top-8 pick but found himself selected at No. 12 to Boston. Trey Yesavage also fell much further than expected. He was taken off the board at No. 20 to Toronto. The consensus best high school pitcher, Cam Caminiti, dropped all the way to No. 24 to Atlanta.

On the other side of things, players like PJ Morlando, Braylon Payne, and Dante Nori were taken far higher than their draft ranks predicted they would.

All in all, this first round was loaded with talent and a lot of teams did an exceptional job drafting. Let’s take a closer look at the clubs that won the first day of the draft.

Cleveland Guardians Select: Travis Bazzana (Round 1, Pick 1)

Cleveland would’ve had to try hard to mess up this first-overall pick. The very top of this draft featured some insanely talented players for the Guardians’ front office to pick from.

The talk of the town heading into the draft was that J.J. Wetherholt would be selected with the first overall pick. The buzz surrounding Wetherholt had serious heat, as he fit the profile for what the Guardians love in a prospect and he would allow them to save a little bit of money by signing for under the slot value of the 1.1 pick.

Instead, the Guardians went with the Australian 2B and former Oregon State Beaver, Travis Bazzana. Bazzana was a nightmare to deal with if you were a pitcher. There was truly no way to get him out in 2024. He posted a slash line of .407/.568/.911, good for a 216 wRC+ in 60 games in his Junior season at Oregon State.

He was dominant across all pitch types and covered the zone as well as any hitter in D1 baseball. The blend of contact ability and power is unreal, as Bazzana had a Zone-Contact% of 88.6% while ranking in the top 1% of average exit velocity. He walked over twice as much as he struck out, too. He rarely expanded the zone, showing off his mature plate discipline and advanced eye for breaking pitches.

Travis also was extremely effective against velocity, boasting a 2.088 OPS vs. 93 MPH+ and a 1.400 OPS against 95+. A player like this was simply too hard to pass on for Cleveland, even if it meant spending more of their bonus pool.

Unfortunately, for the rest of the league, Cleveland didn’t stop there.

More Picks Cleveland Nailed

The Guardians might have had the best draft of any club. While it’s true that having the first overall pick helps their chances, the success of a team’s draft is not defined by their first-round pick.

Players who are found in later rounds often blossom into an organization’s most important pieces down the road.

RHP Braylon Doughty out of Chaparral HS in California was their second selection. Doughty offers one of the most mature profiles of any prep arm in this class. His motions on the mound are easy and repeatable despite messing around with his timing (Nestor Cortes style). Doughty has a good feel for the strike zone and executes his arsenal very well already despite being just 18 years old.

My favorite part of his game is what he offers with the breaking balls. His slider and curveball both have plus potential in my opinion. Those breakers consistently got 3,000+ spin rates while he was in high school.

C Jacob Cozart was taken with the 48th overall selection, Cleveland’s third pick. As a lefty catcher, Cozart brings an exciting power-over-hit profile to an organization that has done incredibly well developing hit tools. Cozart posted top-tier exit velocities while at NC State, leading to a 19-homer season this year.

RHP Joey Oakie is one of my favorite arms in the entirety of the class… somehow, Cleveland was able to scoop him up in the third round. In my eyes, this is a total steal. Oakie has a complete package for a prep arm. At 6-3 195 lbs, Oakie releases out of a low and deceptive 3/4 arm slot. His fastball and slider are a deadly combination that consistently fooled hitters on the 2023 circuit.

Colorado Rockies Select: Charlie Condon (Round 1, Pick 3)

Due to where they play geographically (and perhaps the lack of player development), the Rockies have struggled to equip their roster with good pitching. That was looking like it could change as most mock drafts had Wake Forest RHP Chase Burns landing in Colorado.

That is, most mock drafts. Our Aram Leighton correctly had Condon to Colorado in Just Baseball’s Mock Draft 4.0.

Condon was built in the image to play in Coors Field. Although, it’s not like he needs the extra boost of power. Condon broke the record for most home runs in University of Georgia baseball history. His home run total of 37 this season was also the most hit by a player since 1997.

Condon’s power is well-known at this point. His biggest “flaw” as a prospect is his hit tool. It is true that his swing and miss numbers do go up when facing spin or offspeed offerings. However, despite this, Condon posted an absurd 1.591 OPS vs. breaking balls and a 1.271 OPS vs. offspeed. On the season, he had a Z-Contact rate of 90%.

That Z-Contact number is higher than Bazzana, for those scoring at home. I’m not saying that Condon’s hit tool is better than Bazzana’s but the contact rates favor Condon. Condon was also facing harder pitching in a more competitive conference than Bazzana.

Condon fell into the Rockies’ lap at three. They might’ve selected the best all-around bat in the draft.

Kansas City Royals Select: Jac Caglianone (Round 1, Pick 6)

Another surprise here with University of Florida two-way-player, Jac Caglianone falling to the sixth pick. Cags was on another planet in terms of power throughout his career as a Gator. His 35-homer 2024 season and 33-homer season in 2023 rank as the second and fourth-most in a single season in D1 baseball since 2000.

This lefty found himself atop all batted-ball metric boards. 90th EV, max EV, HardHit%, you name it, he’s either at the very top of the list or close to it. The Royals needed a boost of this magnitude to their farm system in the power department. Cags has plus-plus raw pop.

Unlike Condon, though, the hit tool for Cags is a genuine concern for me. Caglianone made solid contact in the zone, however, his overly aggressive approach at the plate led to one of the worst chase rates, not only in this draft class, but in all of NCAA baseball. Development in his plate discipline is mandatory for his development. If the Royals can help him cut back on the chase, there is no stopping his potential at the plate.

Caglinanone’s true two-way potential is limited in my opinion. In his two years as a pitcher at UF, he started 34 games and pitched to a 4.55 ERA. His walk rates consistently sat in the 15% range. The stuff is electric, although his velocity took a dip as the 2024 season went on. His lack of command and needed development at the plate will likely be the reason Caglianone moves away from focusing on the mound.

St. Louis Cardinals Select: J.J. Wetherholt (Round 1, Pick 7)

The Cardinals picked a No. 7 this year. Picking within the top 10 is not something this franchise is used to. The last time St. Louis drafted in the top 10? 1998.

Since this occurrence is clearly something that doesn’t happen often and something that the organization hopes won’t happen again for at least another few decades, they had to make it count. J.J. Wetherholt is an unbelievable get at this value.

As previously stated, JJW was slotted in as the favorite for the first overall pick by writers and sportsbooks alike. Instead, the Cardinals get one of the most well-rounded players in the class six picks after 1.1.

Wetherholt is a very safe, high-upside pick. The former West Virginia Mountaineer split playing time between 2B and SS during his collegiate career but he’s fully capable of handling SS at the next level. He’s showed off a plus hit tool by putting up a 90% Z-Contact rate in his Junior season. The power is much higher than some might expect considering his 5-10 190 lbs frame.

He hit just six home runs in a shortened 2024 college season (hamstring injury) but that wasn’t because of a lack of raw strength. He’s got pop in the swing, the limited homer total came from the inability to get the ball in the air consistently. If the Cardinals can add some loft into his natural swing, we’re talking abt a borderline plus-plus hit tool and plus-power if it all goes well.

He’s proven to be dangerous on the base paths, stealing 35 bags in 55 games in 2023. Of course, the hamstring injury he endured in 2024 kept him out of the running game but know that J.J.’s legs are very much a tool he’s going to use.

Detroit Tigers Select: Bryce Rainer (Round 1, Pick 11)

The Tigers have seen success recently from their prep bat draft picks. Riley Greene is the best hitter on their Major League roster. 2023 draftee Max Clark currently ranks as Just Baseball’s #19 overall prospect with classmate Kevin McGonigle closely behind at #49 on the list. All three of these guys were selected by the Tigers out of high school.

It’s clearly not broken, so Scott Harris and company decided there was no need to fix it. The Tigers got arguably the best prep player in the draft at No. 11 in Rainer. The lefty out of Harvard Westlake HS in California has a sweet swing and really blossomed as a prospect this spring. Rainer also boasts a legit profile as a RHP, although his professional future in the game is likely at SS.

Rainer’s swing is powerful but has a bit of swing-and-miss concerns. His contact rates were lower than you’d like but with a plus arm and the chops to stick at SS, this 6-3 185 lbs prospect has a higher floor than most prep guys.

Boston Red Sox Select: Braden Montgomery (Round 1, Pick 12)

Montgomery made a name for himself as a switch-hitting two-way high school star at Madison Central HS in Mississippi. He ultimately made the decision to go to school at Stanford, where he was honored with the title of PAC-12 Freshman Player of the Year in 2022. He transferred to Texas A&M ahead of this past season.

Throughout his college career, Montgomery made fewer and fewer appearances on the mound as the seasons went on. Last year, he appeared in just two games. He has instead decided to focus solely on being a hitter.

Montgomery made impressive improvements to his game in 2024. He cut back on the K-rate, which previously was a big concern in his game. He drew walks at an absurd 36.4% clip this season, helping him achieve a .504 wOBA.

Somehow he managed to improve his contact rates while at the same time hitting for much more power. He hit 17 home runs in 64 games in 2023 and 27 home runs in 61 games in 2024. Montgomery’s powerful swing, especially from the left side, and his cannon for an arm are his best tools and will allow him to be a big-league right fielder one day.

While the improvements to his swing-and-miss game were immense, there are still worries that he may not be the most complete hitter. As a righty, he’s a 118 wRC+ hitter with a 38% whiff rate but as a lefty, he’s a 198 wRC+ hitter with just a 20% whiff rate. He’s struggled to see spin and do damage to those pitches from the right side.

A report from Teddy Cahill, a writer for Baseball America, suggests that we’ve seen the last of Braden as a switch hitter.

Whether he calls off hitting from the right side of the plate or not, the Red Sox got one of the loudest bats to drop to pick No. 12. Boston fans should be thrilled they get to watch a player like Montgomery develop in their system.

Chicago Cubs Select: Cam Smith (Round 1, Pick 14)

Similarly to Montgomery, I was surprised to see Cam Smith drop to 14 in this draft. Smith is one of the most well-rounded hitters in the class. He’s similar to Bazzana in the sense that there’s no real way to get him out. He covers the plate tremendously well and does damage across all pitch types.

He managed this kind of consistency while at the same time chasing less often than average and just a 17% swing and miss rate. Smith has quick hands that he uses to control the barrel well. His plus raw strength allows for him to spray the ball all the field over for power.

He’s struggled to make contact on off-speed pitches but making a point to call it a major flaw in his game would be poking holes in a player with overall plus contact and plus pop.

Seattle Mariners Selected: Jurrangelo Cijntje (Round 1, Pick 15)

Despite what you might think, the Mariners don’t draft pitching in the first round that often.

In fact, they’ve been incredibly hitter-heavy over the past decade leading up to the 2024 draft. That little slice of green in the pie chart is represented by Logan Gilbert and George Kirby, two of the best pitchers in the league. Although they don’t pick college arms in the first round often, their track record when doing so is elite.

Cijntje has a smaller frame than your typical pitcher. At 5-11 200 lbs, Cijntje is built from the ground up. His legs are huge, reminiscent of Spencer Strider. Being undersized isn’t nearly the most unique part of his profile. Cijntje can pitch with both arms. As a lefty his much less of a threat but I think he could find a spot in a big league bullpen with just his left arm.

With his right arm, he’s one of my favorite pitching prospects in baseball. Cijntje releases from a low slot. His fastball sat at 95 MPH with above-average iVB. His flat approach angle and ability to locate it up in the zone is a trait that proves he’s a mature and advanced pitching prospect. His slider is a gyro-spinner that generated a near-40% CSW rate this season. Both the fastball and slider are plus offerings. He also mixes in a changeup and cutter, both of which were well above average at generating whiff.

Seattle Stole Sloan

The Mariners also managed to snipe Ryan Sloan in the second round. Sloan is Just Baseball’s #22 overall draft prospect. Sloan’s big frame and effective 4-pitch mix made him one of my top prep arms in this class. He offers two above-average pitches in the fastball and slider with the potential to become plus, especially now that he’s landed into the Mariners pitching lab.

The Mariners crushed their first two sections and now find themselves with a new pair (a trio if you include Cijntje’s left arm) of intriguing pitchers.

New York Mets Select: Carson Benge (Round 1, Pick 18)

Carson Benge is an incredibly safe pick at 18 for the Mets. Queen’s team hasn’t done the best job at developing draft talent so a player like Benge is someone I really like for the Mets’ system.

He’s an appealing prospect because of his balanced skill set. There’s not a specific thing that really sticks out here but the ability to do everything well is what makes him such an impressive college bat. Benge also pitched for Oklahoma State but primarily came out of the bullpen. He’ll likely stick to hitting and play right field because of his impressive arm strength, although the Mets have indicated that they believe he could play in center.

Benge hit 18 homers and 24 doubles this season, showing off impressive gap-to-gap power while at the same time being one of the better contact hitters in college baseball. A 90th percentile exit velocity of 106.4 MPH and a Z-Contact rate of 91.6% is incredibly hard to pull off but Benge did so and was rewarded with a first-round selection.

Benge’s power potential could grow if he can make some adjustments to his swing to allow him to pull the ball more. He hits it in the air enough to be a 20+ home run player but his pull rate of 32.5% might cause him to lose some pop when he transitions to a wood bat.

Baltimore Orioles Select: Vance Honeycutt (Round 1, Pick 22)

Honeycutt is one of the most captivating players in this class. His right-handed swing lit up the draft models for his absurd power output capabilities.

The former UNC Tar Heel hit 65 home runs throughout his 176-game collegiate career, 28 of those coming from his most recent season. The power is plus and it’s not up for debate. Though, there’s a reason why Honeycutt dropped to pick No. 22.

Vance Honeycutt had a strikeout problem. He always has. The Orioles know that they’re getting a guy with 224 college strikeouts under his belt (26.2% K-rate). The poor plate discipline and swing-and-miss profile are very concerning but the Orioles have proved that they are in the elite tier of player development as an organization. I’m less worried about Honeycutt now than I would’ve been if a different team selected him.

Honeycutt also has plus speed and legitimate Gold Glove potential in CF. He swiped 28 bags last season, only being caught stealing 4 times.

Griff O’Ferall – The Polar Opposite

The Orioles followed up their risky selection of Honeycutt with a prospect who has a much safer hit tool. Griff O’Ferrall, a SS out of Virginia, has an elite bat-to-ball profile that led to a 95% Z-Contact rate. He’s literally the opposite of Honeycutt at the plate. He offers a surplus of contact but very little in the way of power.

They are similar in the fact that both of these prospects have plus run and field tools. Baltimore went out and got two guys whose glove and speed raised their floor and who excelled at one specific thing at the plate.

Atlanta Braves Select: Cam Caminiti (Round 1, Pick 24)

Cam Caminiti to the Atlanta Braves was one of the least likely outcomes I could’ve drawn up for this draft. The LHP out of Saguaro HS (CA) ranked as Just Baseball’s 15th draft prospect but slipped to pick No. 24.

Caminiti has explosive stuff from the left side. His fastball sat at 95 MPH, touching 97 with about 17 inches of vertical ride. It’s a two-plane fastball, getting solid movement to his arm side, as well. The best pitch in his arsenal is a 79 MPH sweeping slider. With 11+ inches of glove-side sweep the pitch straight up overpowered high school hitters.

Caminiti also wields a power changeup that has run up to 90 MPH but comfortably sits at 87. The movement grades on that offspeed offering gives me a lot of hope for it to turn into a deadly pitch against RHHs.

With Atlanta’s ability to develop arms and the malleability of a prep arm like Caminiti, this Southpaw could become a threat in the major leagues.

Arizona Diamondbacks Select: Slade Caldwell (Round 1, Pick 29)

Caldwell is a lefty outfielder out of Vally View HS (AR). The first time I watched the tape on Slade, I got Corbin Carroll prospect flashbacks. Now, it’s safe to say I think the Diamondbacks have a clear type they like to go after in the draft.

Caldwell is a wicked-fast runner with equally rapid hands at the dish. He gets to the ball quickly and shows off an above-average feel for the zone and contact ability. He put up remarkably low whiff rates, especially for being a prep bat. To make the hit tool even better, he was outstanding in 2-strike counts.

The power output is going to be limited for Caldwell. Standing at just 5-9 182 lbs, but he has already put on some mass since last year.

He’s got an exciting profile, one that offers some plus tools and a smooth swing from the left side.

Snakes Opt for a Pair of Outfielders

Following the selection of Caldwell at pick No. 29, the Diamondbacks had a wrap-around pick thanks to the PPI pick they got for Corbin Carroll winning NL Rookie of the Year. With pick No. 31, the Snakes grabbed Kentucky OF Ryan Waldschmidt. I see a future plus hitter in Waldschmidt’s profile. The former Wildcat was the “helium” guy as the draft approached, skyrocketing up boards. He’s got a tremendous feel for the zone, showing off great patience at the dish.

He also has solid pop in his swing, ranking in the top 10 percent of college hitters in average exit velocity. His range and defensive talent will likely allow him to play an above-average corner outfield. He could also be serviceable in CF.

The future of the Snakes’ outfield is brighter than ever with these two guys joining the organization.