Major League Baseball’s 2024 amateur draft begins Sunday, with Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana the favorite to be taken first overall by the Cleveland Guardians.
A month after a thrilling College World Series, collegiate sluggers Charlie Condon (Georgia) and Jac Caglianone (Florida) are likely be taken early, and West Virginia shortstop JJ Wetherholt is another possibility for Cleveland with the No. 1 pick. Some of the top pitchers on the board are Wake Forest’s Chase Burns, Arkansas lefty Hagen Smith and prep southpaw Cam Caminiti
The Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, Oakland Athletics and Chicago White Sox round out the top five, the second year of MLB’s draft lottery. The Texas Rangers have the 30th and final pick as the World Series winners.
Here’s our predictions (educated guesses!) for the first round of the 2024 MLB draft:
1. Cleveland Guardians: Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State
2. Cincinnati Reds: Charlie Condon, OF/3B, Georgia
3. Colorado Rockies: Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP, Florida
4. Oakland Athletics: Braden Montgomery, OF, Texas A&M
5. Chicago White Sox: JJ Wetherholt, SS, West Virginia
6. Kansas City Royals: Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
7. St. Louis Cardinals: Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest
8. Los Angeles Angels: Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas
9. Pittsburgh Pirates: Konnor Griffin, OF/INF, Jackson Prep (Miss.)
10. Washington Nationals: Bryce Rainer, SS, Harvard-Westlake HS (Calif.)
11. Detroit Tigers: Cam Caminiti, LHP, Saguaro HS (Ariz.)
