10 Standout Debuts From Pitchers In The 2024 MLB Draft Class
Image credit: (Photo by Brian Westerholt/Four Seam Images)
Below are reports on 10 2024 draftee pitchers who had notable professional debuts this summer.
Even more than hitters, it can be tricky to assess pitchers in their debuts with the current mid-July draft day and the fact that so many pitchers aren’t even activated. Those who are activated only throw a handful of innings in outings that are frequently abbreviated and many college arms are coming off of long spring seasons, a ramp down period and another ramp up period to throw in pro ball.
That can create a lot of noise beyond simply a small sample size, but we can look at some pitch quality data to get an idea of what’s worked for these pitchers and why—in some cases pitchers already look notably different than they did in college.
Hagen Smith, LHP, White Sox
Age: 21
Highest Level: High-A
Smith was the most prominent pitcher to debut from the 2024 class, and one of just two first-round arms who got any sort of time in official pro games this summer (along with Cam Caminiti of the Braves). Smith made three abbreviated starts in August and September with High-A Winston Salem. He generally looked as advertised in those outings.
He averaged 95 mph with his fastball, touched 97 and featured a healthy dose of mid-80s sliders. Both pitches had the same pre-draft pitch quality that allowed them to earn 70-grade projections, though it will be interesting to see how, or if, Smith’s pitch mix evolves in a full pro season.
A primary fastball/slider lefthander, there could be some platoon split questions for him if he’s not able to refine a changeup that was infrequently used throughout his college career. Still, Smith’s 1-2 punch is loud and he creates deception thanks to a low release point, a flat approach angle with his fastball and by setting up on the extreme first base side of the rubber.
Hunter Cranton, RHP, Mariners
Age: 23
Highest Level: Low-A
Cranton was a priority senior sign for the Mariners. He was already 23 years old on draft day, but Seattle signed him for $50,000 with the 91st overall pick in the third round in large part due to the quality of his fastball. He pitched in nine games out of the bullpen with Low-A Modesto and struck out 14 batters in 8.1 innings.
Cranton’s fastball has plus velocity and features above-average riding life with an extremely flat approach angle. In his pro debut, he averaged more than 97 mph with the pitch and touched 99 while generating a 20.5% swinging strike rate with the pitch. Cranton’s -3.88 vertical approach angle was the second-flattest among 92 debut fastballs we have data for and his average velocity was good for second-hardest. It’s a high-spin heater with unique characteristics that allowed him to generate tons of whiffs at the top of the zone.
His upper-80s slider wasn’t too shabby either, and is also one of the hardest sliders among debut draftees. If he can throw strikes he has the power stuff to thrive in a bullpen role and could be a quick mover.
Herick Hernandez, LHP, Braves
Age: 20
Highest Level: High-A
Hernandez is poised to follow in the footsteps of Alejandro Rosario as another former Miami product who is finding more success in pro ball than at Coral Gables. Hernandez ranked as the No. 419 prospect in the 2024 class after posting a 6.14 ERA as Miami’s Sunday starter, but he wowed the Braves in his pro debut with a strong fastball and a slider that is better than advertised pre-draft.
The 5-foot-10 lefthander only made two starts in his debut—one with Low-A Carolina and one with High-A Rome—but he struck out 12 batters and walked none in 6.2 innings with loud pure stuff from a steep, lefthanded slot. Hernandez sat in the 91-94 mph range with his fastball, but it should play up thanks to its tremendous riding life (20.3 IVB) and pair nicely with a gyro slider in the mid 80s that comes from an incredibly steep approach angle.
Among the 15 debut pitchers who threw at least 50 sliders, Hernandez led the group with a 28.3% swinging strike rate on the pitch. In addition to the fastball and slider, Hernandez is also working on a splitter that could round out a loud three-pitch mix.
Konner Eaton, LHP, Rockies
Age: 21
Highest Level: High-A
Among debut pitchers who threw at least 10 innings this summer, Eaton’s 0.82 ERA was best in class, and he also struck out 16 batters and walked just three in 11 innings out of the bullpen. Eaton ranked No. 344 in the class but the Rockies signed him for $378,900 in the sixth round and will look to coax a bit more command out of him in pro ball.
So far, so good on that end. Eaton’s 65% strike rate in his debut is markedly better than the 60% rate he managed across three years with George Mason. Eaton’s average fastball velocity was up in a bullpen role in his debut. He sat around 94-95 and touched 96-97 and that power was also improved with his mid-80s slider that served as his go-to secondary and best bat misser.
Fidel Ulloa, RHP, Rockies
Age: 21
Highest Level: Low-A
Ulloa pitched two seasons with San Joaquin Delta (Calif.) JC before transferring to LSU for the 2024 season where he showed solid stuff and performed nicely out of the bullpen. The Rockies drafted the righthanded reliever in the seventh round, signed him for just under $300,000 and then sent him to Low-A Fresno where he struck out 15 and walked eight in 12 innings out of the pen.
While improved control will be a focal point for the 6-foot-2 righthander, he has the stuff to miss bats. He averaged 94-95 mph with a fastball that touched 98 and was second only to Herick Hernandez with a slider that generated a 25.4% swinging strike rate (among 50+ sample sliders). Ulloa’s slider is thrown in the upper 80s and features solid sweep and tilt that is particularly effective down and away from righthanded hitters, but also generated some ugly whiffs as a down-and-in breaker against lefties.
Aaron Combs, RHP, White Sox
Age: 22
Highest Level: Low-A
Combs pitched out of the bullpen for two seasons with Tennessee and was signed by the White Sox in the eighth round for $250,000. He pitched well in six relief appearances with Low-A Kannapolis in his debut, allowing no earned runs in 7.2 innings with 13 strikeouts and four walks.
In a landscape where sliders are all the rage, Combs has a legitimate curveball that was one of the best curves on display among debut arms. It’s a high-spin breaking ball with spin rates in the 2,800 rpm range and features huge horizontal and vertical movement. Among all breaking balls from debut pitchers, Combs’ curve featured the second-most vertical break (trailing Sean Heppner’s curve) and the second-most horizontal break (behind Bridger Holmes’ slider).
He threw the pitch in the upper 70s from an odd, low slot with 13 inches of depth and 17-18 inches of glove side movement and generated a 20% swinging strike rate on the pitch in his brief debut. He throws his fastball in the 90-94 mph range and also features a mid-80s cutter.
Ryan Lambert, RHP, Mets
Age: 21
Highest Level: High-A
Lambert was a power-armed reliever in the draft who posted a 2.57 ERA in 21 innings with Oklahoma last spring. The Mets signed him for $172,500 in the eighth round and then had him pitch three innings across two outings with High-A Brooklyn. In that stint he struck out four, walked one and allowed a pair of singles and no runs.
Lambert’s velocity is some of the most impressive of any 2024 draftee. He’s been up to 102 mph and in his pro debut he averaged 97.7 mph and peaked at 100.3—both tops among all draftees who debuted this summer. It’s an extremely small sample, but Lambert also did a nice job pounding the zone with his fastball and upper-80s slider. He generated a swinging strike rate north of 20% with both pitches and has a high-spin arsenal overall.
Owen Hackman, RHP, Braves
Age: 22
Highest Level: Low-A
The Braves have developed a reputation of letting their horses run. Hackman led all debut arms with 20.2 innings of work in his pro debut this summer and fellow Atlanta draftee Jacob Shafer (who we’ll touch on shortly) wasn’t far behind. A 6-foot-1 righthander and senior sign, Hackman pitched as a reliever for two years with Loyola Marymount, then transitioned to a starting role for his final two seasons and was ultimately selected and signed for $2,500 in the ninth round.
His draft capital might create low expectations, but Hackman has impressed with a deep pitch mix led by a low-90s fastball that has solid riding life and played up in his pro debut. He attacked the top of the zone aggressively and landed the pitch for strikes at a strong clip, and his 23% swinging strike rate was the best mark among all draftees with at least 20 four-seam fastballs thrown.
Hackman’s 24 strikeouts were tied with Shafer for the most of any draftee.
Nolan Sparks, RHP, Cardinals
Age: 21
Highest Level: Low-A
Sparks was a senior righthander who pitched effectively last spring for Division III Rochester (N.Y.) when he posted a 2.25 ERA over 10 starts and 60 innings. He was named the Liberty League pitcher of the year and popped by the Cardinals in the 13th round, where he signed for $250,000.
Sparks slid into a reliever role in his pro debut, where he posted a 2.35 ERA over 15.1 innings out of the pen with Low-A Palm Beach. He struck out 18, walked seven and showed a fastball/slider combination as his 1-2 punch. Sparks has just modest life on his four-seam fastball, but he averaged 94 mph and touched 97 with the pitch and also throws it from a lower-than-average release point with a flat vertical approach angle which could help the pitch play up.
His slider is a mid-80s breaking ball with tight spin and two-plane break and he’ll also mix in a hard, upper-80s cutter though the two pitches seem to blend together at times.
Jacob Shafer, RHP, Braves
Age: 22
Highest Level: Low-A
Shafer is the lowest-drafted player on this standout list and was a 17th-round selection by the Braves who also landed on our senior sign list for the 2024 class. A hulking, 6-foot-8, 240-pound righthander, Shafer trailed only fellow Braves righty Owen Hackman with 20 innings in his pro debut and matched Hackman with 24 strikeouts—the most of any drafted arm this summer.
Shafer made five starts with Low-A Augusta, posted a 1.35 ERA in 20 innings and used a three-pitch mix that included a four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball and mid-80s slider. The slider is the most intriguing pitch of the arsenal and was used as a high-volume strike offering and effective bat misser. Shafer generated a 21.8% swinging strike rate with the pitch and only the Angels’ Bridger Holmes threw more sliders in his debut than Shafer did.
Shafer threw both fastballs variants around 92 and up to 94-95 mph at peak but the breaking ball is the standout offering currently.
