The 2024 MLB draft is simply over per week away, so we requested three of our MLB consultants to strive their hand at deciding on a primary spherical consisting of this 12 months’s high prospects.
The principles of our superteam draft are easy: Jeff Passan, Jesse Rogers and David Schoenfield snake-drafted by 10 rounds (30 whole picks) to place collectively the very best roster of 2024 prospects.
Every roster consists of a full lineup: two pitchers, catcher, first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, shortstop and three outfielders. The drafters had been allowed to decide on positions in any order and their methods present which spots are deepest — or most shallow — on this 12 months’s class. After the alternatives had been made — with a wholesome dose of trash speak blended in — ESPN MLB draft analyst Kiley McDaniel broke down all three groups and declared a champion.
Let the dueling mock draft start!
Prime draft prospects | Watch: July 14 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN
1. Charlie Condon, 3B, Georgia (Schoenfield)
2. Travis Bazzana, CF/2B, Oregon State (Passan)
3. Jac Caglianone, 1B, Florida (Rogers)
Schoenfield: Let’s not overthink this. Condon simply had one of many best seasons in NCAA historical past, one thing out of the juiced-bat period of the Nineteen Eighties. His numbers tower over what Wyatt Langford and Dylan Crews did a 12 months in the past within the SEC. In different phrases: I’ve already received this draft.
Passan: Congratulations, Dave. You bought a man with (checks notes) a decrease on-base proportion than mine. And (checks different notes) a worse strikeout-to-walk ratio. And who (checks extra notes) will find yourself at a place with far decrease defensive worth. Condon is nice. Simply do not forget that Bazzana is, too. And that there are many picks left so that you can screw up.
Rogers: Dave, you are patting your self on the again for taking the Golden Spikes winner? OK. Effectively, I simply received a 2-for-1 in Caglianone who would possibly or won’t pitch whereas mashing dwelling runs — however I like the chances. He is a cornerstone participant.
McDaniel: I’ve Condon and Bazzana as a digital coin flip on the high, so Passan will get a pleasant worth at No. 2. It isn’t a straightforward name on who to take at three — my rankings lock subsequent week and I am nonetheless mulling it over — however Cags will not be it for me and his place is perhaps the simplest to fill on the board.
4. Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas (Rogers)
5. JJ Wetherholt, 2B/SS, West Virginia (Passan)
6. Braden Montgomery, OF, Texas A&M (Schoenfield)
Rogers: It is easy. Smith is the very best lefty within the first spherical, and that is simply not one thing you possibly can move up. A number of evaluators evaluate him to Carlos Rodon when he got here out of school. That is adequate for me, and the choose checks off a necessity for each workforce: left-handed pitching.
Passan: Wetherholt might go along with the primary total choose in the actual draft. And even when he would not, his beautiful left-handed swing and talent to play shortstop makes him much more invaluable. If you wish to give me the 2 greatest hit instruments within the draft, I am very happy to take ’em.
Schoenfield: I like Wetherholt; I do not like his hamstrings, which have bothered him every of the previous two years (he missed two months in 2024). I am blissful to take Montgomery, a switch-hitting star with a 70 arm and 27 dwelling runs for Texas A&M. How’s that for a one-two energy punch?
McDaniel: Oof for Jesse. I even have Chase Burns over Smith by a good margin, so he did not make up for what he missed by not having one of many high two picks. Wetherholt might be going to be my third-best prospect within the draft, so Passan continues a robust begin.
7. Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest (Schoenfield)
8. Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest (Passan)
9. Konnor Griffin, SS, Jackson Prep (Flowood, Miss.) (Rogers)
Passan: Maintain on. So I received the very best pitcher within the draft with my third alternative? You guys are making this too simple.
Rogers: I received probably the very best participant in the complete draft with my third choose? McDaniel will again me up on this (I feel). Griffin might be a star.
Schoenfield: And I get the following Anthony Rizzo to affix my super-duper power-hitting squad.
McDaniel: In a troublesome place to select, David will get two of the very best choices on the board in Montgomery and Kurtz however leaves the very best pitcher within the draft on the board. Passan scoops him up and is on a heater to begin issues off. My comp for Griffin is Fernando Tatis Jr., so I am on board with Jesse’s choose having an enormous upside, however it might take some time and comes with extra threat in contrast with the faculty choices.
10. Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee (Rogers)
11. Bryce Rainer, SS, Harvard-Westlake College (Los Angeles) (Passan)
12. Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina (Schoenfield)
Passan: I would argue that I received the very best highschool participant within the draft right here, Jesse. He is an enormous, left-handed-hitting shortstop who has gotten Corey Seager comps. His hit device is way extra superior than Griffin’s, and he is received each bit the arm of Griffin, working fastballs often into the mid-90s from the mound.
Rogers: Word to Jeff, not each participant popping out of Harvard-Westlake goes to be a star. Word to Dave, good choose.
Schoenfield: I’d have taken Moore, who hit 34 dwelling runs for the Vols, since I am all-in on energy hitters and exit velocity, however Yesavage is a elegant right-hander with plus management and a four-pitch arsenal that ought to enable him to advance rapidly to the majors.
McDaniel: There is a high tier of 10 gamers in my thoughts (some scouts throw James Tibbs into that group and name it 11) and at choose 10, Jesse opts for arguably the very best prospect within the subsequent tier in Moore. It is defensible, however for those who had been fearful Griffin already crammed that spot, you possibly can transfer him out to middle discipline. Passan retains it easy and takes the very best participant obtainable once more. Sigh.
13. Seaver King, SS, Wake Forest (Schoenfield)
14. Cam Smith, 3B, Florida State (Passan)
15. James Tibbs, OF, Florida State (Rogers)
Schoenfield: Seaver King? Are you kidding me? I am not passing on a child with that title at 13 (he additionally has pace, high-end exit velocity and the flexibility to stay at shortstop or transfer to middle discipline if wanted).
Passan: There is a participant whose expertise I want barely to Smith’s, however third base past Smith and Condon — who’s in all probability not going to be on the place by the point he reaches the massive leagues — is simply too skinny to probability being caught with the next-best possibility.
Rogers: There’s little doubt — in my view — that Tibbs is the very best participant on the board outdoors the highest 10, so to get him at 15 looks like a steal.
Passan: Tibbs was that participant, for the file. Good choose, Jesse.
McDaniel: The primary misplay by Passan! I’ve Tibbs ranked over his teammate Smith and that is now the extra consensus view, which flipped throughout the spring. Jesse makes up floor by scooping up the robust worth of Tibbs whereas David will get probably the most positionally versatile participant within the first spherical in King.
16. William Schmidt, RHP, Catholic HS (Baton Rouge, La.) (Rogers)
17. Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Kentucky (Passan)
18. Brody Brecht, RHP, Iowa (Schoenfield)
Passan: Outfield is skinny on this draft, so I am lots blissful to get a toolshed who was the very best participant on top-of-the-line groups within the nation and carried out within the SEC.
Schoenfield: I handed on Chase Burns earlier, however am blissful to get Brecht right here. A large receiver on the Iowa soccer workforce, Brecht lastly targeted on pitching in 2024 and delivered a breakout season, sitting 96-97 and as much as 101 with motion. He wants to enhance his management, however I am going to wager on the athleticism to assist him in professional ball.
Passan: It is all the time nice when the very first thing you point out a few baseball participant is that he performed soccer.
Rogers: I noticed Brecht play in particular person a number of instances — why is why I did not take him in both sport.
McDaniel: I just like the picks of Waldschmidt and Brecht, however I am the low man within the trade on Schmidt. I fear a bit concerning the command and what typically being maxed out by way of stuff in highschool means for long-term projection. Proficient participant, however I would have taken Cam Caminiti over Schmidt among the many high prep pitchers.
19. Carson Benge, OF, Oklahoma State (Schoenfield)
20. Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina (Passan)
21. Tommy White, 3B, LSU (Rogers)
Passan: Benge is a superbly strong choose right here, however I am blissful to get Honeycutt, who at one level was thought of the very best participant within the class. After a disappointing sophomore season, he rebounded with a wonderful 2024 — and an excellent higher School World Sequence. And whereas I’ve received Bazzana enjoying middle discipline and Honeycutt in proper to make the most of his plus arm, I am going to gladly shift Honeycutt again to middle, the place he can actually catch the ball, if want be.
Schoenfield: I discover that Jeff conveniently did not point out that Honeycutt struck out 83 instances in 62 video games. In faculty. I simply do not see how that is going to translate to professional ball. Simply approach an excessive amount of swing-and-miss.
Rogers: White is my midround sleeper choose. He won’t have a place within the discipline — at greatest he is a primary baseman — however his uncooked energy to all fields is plain. A shoulder harm slowed him final season, however I’d simply put him in the identical class of hitter as Dave and Jeff’s third-sacker.
McDaniel: I love the Benge choose right here. I feel he is my choose to click on amongst this stretch of school bats. Some evaluators assume his swing has a straightforward repair to unlock extra potential, whereas he is a plus runner who can play middle discipline and is within the mid-90s on the mound. Honeycutt is an excellent polarizing participant on this class — my guess is he’ll be an All-Star or a complete bust — whereas Tommy White will get milquetoast opinions from scouts who I feel are wanting previous the issues he does properly.
22. Slade Caldwell, OF, Valley View HS (Jonesboro, Ark.) (Rogers)
23. Caleb Lomavita, C, Cal (Passan)
24. Theo Gillen, 2B/SS, Westlake HS (Austin, Texas) (Schoenfield)
Rogers: I am going to admit, I used to be scrambling on the Caldwell choose. However I really like his motor and I take a look at it this manner: If a 5-foot-9 18-year-old with out a whole lot of energy is getting this a lot consideration, he should be doing one thing proper. He is a really mature hitter for his age — and apart from, I feel I received a greater catcher than Jeff with my final choose.
Passan: I might’ve gone with Lomavita, Walker Janek from Sam Houston State or Malcolm Moore from Stanford. I opted for Lomavita as a result of he is the very best mixture of current manufacturing, robust competitors and instruments ceiling. And Dave — that is good worth on Gillen. This format can work out properly for those who can float a man as a result of the place he performs is crammed on the opposite two groups. You will see what I imply with my closing choose.
McDaniel: I am one other large fan of the Gillen choose. He could also be second base-only attributable to his arm, however in hushed tones some actually sharp scouts are telling me he is the very best hitter within the draft outdoors of the highest 10 picks. Lomavita might be an All-Star if he cuts down the chase, so he provides a strong flooring/ceiling proposition. I fear about Caldwell’s energy upside, however the child can hit.
25. Walker Janek, C, Sam Houston State (Schoenfield)
26. Billy Amick, 1B/3B, Tennessee (Passan)
27. Dakota Jordan, OF, Mississippi State (Rogers)
Schoenfield: Janek is the second catcher on this draft, however he is thought to be the very best defensive catcher on this class — and hit .364 with 17 dwelling runs, with a virtually even walk-to-strikeout ratio (40 to 45). Lomavita, who went to Jeff earlier, had 12 walks and 43 strikeouts. Once more, I’ve bother seeing how that can translate to professional ball. I am going to take my man.
Rogers: I really like my choose right here. Jordan is a good athlete who might need been downgraded whereas concentrating on soccer at Mississippi State. He has provided that up and might be nearly as good as anybody taken close to him — making him a great worth choose for me late in our draft. Cannot say the identical about any of Dave’s late ones.
Schoenfield: Good roll of the cube there, Jesse. A lot of instruments … oh, and plenty of strikeouts (84 in 63 video games), identical to Honeycutt. If you happen to guys try to construct the 2024 Mariners offense, you’ve got succeeded.
McDaniel: I feel the transfer is to attend till the opposite faculty catchers are picked and take the final one as a result of they’re all fairly comparable; seems like Jesse is taking my recommendation. Amick and Jordan each have some contact issues however 30-homer upside with strong SEC efficiency.
28. Malcolm Moore, C, Stanford (Rogers)
29. Cam Caminiti, LHP, Saguaro Excessive (Scottsdale, Ariz.) (Passan)
30. Kellon Lindsey, OF/SS, Hardee HS (Wauchula, Fla.) (Schoenfield)
Rogers: I feel I made one other worth choose as Moore holds up towards the opposite two catchers taken within the draft. If the choose hits, I’ve a great, left-handed-hitting catcher. There’s further worth in that as properly.
Schoenfield: Let’s give Jeff credit score right here. He waited on his second pitcher and received the top-rated prep pitcher in Caminiti (former MVP Ken Caminiti’s nephew). Wide selection. Lindsey is an absolute burner who might want to discover some energy and will profile at shortstop, however I would take his pace and transfer him to middle.
McDaniel: How did Caminiti fall this far? Solely six pitchers will likely be drafted on this train, however I feel he is the third-best one. Jesse will get good worth in Moore whereas David shoots for the moon with a Trea Turner clone in Lindsey.
Why is your workforce the very best?
Passan: I’ve received the very best hitting and the very best pitching. I suppose I can define why — Bazzana is a future All-Star, Wetherholt and Rainer high skills, the remainder of my hitters confirmed faculty bats and my pitching a fantastic mixture of current stuff and future potential — however the manufacturing alone tells a narrative upon which I needn’t expound any additional.
Rogers: All of it facilities round Griffin, who one evaluator stated was Mike Trout — if the choose pans out. That is likely to be excessive reward however you get the image. I received a top-end expertise at No. 9 after already getting the very best left-hander within the draft in Smith and a masher in Caglianone. And who’s to say the latter participant will not be the following Ohtani, contemplating he threw 73 innings final 12 months whereas hitting 35 dwelling runs? And I like my highschool youngsters. I am relying on McDaniel saying the identical.
Schoenfield: The opposite groups do not come near matching the center of my order with Condon, Kurtz, Montgomery and Benge hitting 2-3-4-5. All guys who mashed in faculty with out the swing-and-miss or chase points that Passan and Rogers could have from a few of their hitters. Throw in two highschool speedsters in Gillen and Lindsey and I really like this lineup. Sure, I am going to want Brecht to carry out, however I am going to make the comparability to Jeff Samardzija, a two-sport athlete at Notre Dame who excelled as a pitcher within the majors.
McDaniel’s closing verdict
I attempted to cover it a bit within the round-by-round commentary, however this was a runaway win by Passan. I graded every slot in every lineup (greatest outfielder, second-best outfielder, and many others. for OF and P slots) and he received at each spot besides first base and third base. If you happen to’ll take a look at the primary spherical, the 2 spots he misplaced had been the opposite two high picks; he basically received each different matchup after that. Jeff, perhaps you’d prefer to take my spot at respective sweat containers/stadiums across the South for the following two months scouting the very best prospects for the 2025 MLB draft? You might need a future on this if that complete information breaker factor would not work out.
