Four 2024 MLB Draft Takeaways From A Record Night For College Draft Picks

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The first day of the 2024 MLB Draft is complete. Here are Carlos Collazo’s four biggest takeaways from the first 74 picks. You can see every pick here.

A Record Eight Straight College Players Kick Things Off

We always expected this year’s first round to be heavy on college players, and that wound up being the case on a record-setting night.

This was the first time we’ve ever seen eight consecutive college players lead off a draft, and it’s also the most college-heavy we’ve seen the first 10 picks of the draft:

Guardians: 2B Travis Bazzana
Reds: RHP Chase Burns
Rockies: OF Charlie Condon
A’s: 1B Nick Kurtz
White Sox: LHP Hagen Smith
Royals: TWP Jac Caglianone
Cardinals: SS JJ Wetherholt
Angels: 2B Christian Moore

Previously, the high-water mark for college players selected in the first 10 picks was six, which happened in 1985, 2018 and 2019. In the first 30 picks overall, 20 players came from the college demographic.

That tracks with the overall BA board for talent among the first 30 picks, as 21 of our top 30 players on the final board were players from a four-year university.

In fact, the first round was relatively unsurprising given the assumption that after the first 10 picks things could descend quickly into chaos. Three high school players went a bit earlier than expected, but PJ Morlando (ranked 52nd, drafted 16th), Braylon Payne (ranked 54th, drafted 17th) and Dante Nori (ranked 80th, drafted 27th) were all considered legitimate day one talents.

The Cardinals Make The Most Of A Rare Top-10 Pick

The Cardinals’ No. 7 overall pick was their only selection of the first night. Despite the lack of draft capital, they managed to land a player in West Virginia shortstop JJ Wetherholt who ranked No. 7 on the BA Draft board. Some scouts in the industry thought he had a case to be the top player in the class.

Wetherholt was a common projection to be the Guardians’ pick at No. 1 overall. After Cleveland selected his pure-hitting peer Travis Bazzana, Wetherholt slid six more spots to the Cardinals, who found themselves picking inside the first 10 picks for the first time since 1998 when they selected JD Drew fifth overall.

Wetherholt’s plus or better pure hitting ability, solid-average or better game power, plus speed and chance to stick at shortstop at the next level make him one of the most well-rounded players in the class.

More players will join Wetherholt in a Cardinals jersey on day two when the team makes the sixth pick of the third round at No. 80.

High School Arms Make Noise In Round Two

A defining feature of this year’s draft class was the relatively light top-end high school talent in the first round. However, the pitching depth of the prep class was as deep as ever, full of intriguing, projectable arms with stuff or exciting foundations of command.

There were questions about how much the industry would tap into that depth, as high school pitchers have fallen increasingly out of favor thanks to their increased risk profiles and long player development timeline. But after just two high school pitchers came off the board in the first round—lefthanders Cam Caminiti to the Braves at 24 and Kash Mayfield to the Padres at 25—twelve high school pitchers went in the next 74 picks.

That’s partially a function of draft logistics, as it’s easier to slide-to-slide a prep pitcher to a second or third pick and pay that player more than college players, but also a sign that the industry was simply willing to invest in a strong area of the draft despite the elevated risk profiles.

Below are each of the high school pitchers selected on day one (BA rank in parentheses):

24. Braves: LHP Cam Caminiti (No. 21)
25. Padres: LHP Kash Mayfield (No. 25)
36. Guardians: RHP Braylon Doughty (No. 47)
37. Pirates: RHP Levi Sterling (No. 55)
41. Royals: LHP David Shields (No. 60)
49. Tigers: RHP Owen Hall (No. 86)
57. Padres: LHP Boston Bateman (No. 77)
55. Mariners: RHP Ryan Sloan (No. 26)
57. Brewers: RHP Bryce Meccage (No. 71)
67. Brewers: RHP Chris Levonas (No. 74)
68. White Sox: LHP Blake Larson (No. 121)
69. Twins: LHP Dasan Hill (No. 48)
72. Tigers: LHP Ethan Schiefelbein (No. 91)

First-Ever Second Baseman With No. 1 Overall Pick

The biggest story surrounding the first day of the draft was always who the Guardians would select 1-1, the first No. 1 overall pick in franchise history.

It was difficult to figure out who the team was honing in on in the weeks and days leading up the draft. Ultimately, they selected second baseman Travis Bazzana, putting him in the history books not just for being Cleveland’s first and only No. 1 overall selection, but also for being the draft’s first-ever 1-1 second baseman.

Prior to this draft, every other position on the field had at least one player taken with the first overall pick. It took nearly 50 years before it happened at second base. Turns out, it only took an Australian native with a precocious hit tool, uncanny ability to tap into his power, plus speed, standout athleticism and off-the-field makeup and work ethic that is praised throughout the entire industry to finally get it done.

Bazzana also gives the Pac-12 a 1-1 player to send off the final season of the conference, which is perhaps a fitting cherry on top.