The 5 Most Intriguing Teams After Day 1 Of The 2024 MLB Draft

1. Cincinnati Reds

2. Chase Burns, RHP (BA rank: 4)
51. Tyson Lewis, SS (BA rank: 43)
71. Luke Holman, RHP (BA rank: 40)

Reds fans seemed shocked, and in some cases angry, that the team chose Wake Forest righthander Chase Burns instead of Georgia slugger Charlie Condon. The Reds are clearly trying to build around pitching depth. With Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Andrew Abbott firmly established, and Rhett Lowder and Chase Petty in Double-A, the addition of Burns and supplemental second round LSU righthander Luke Holman (plus Ty Floyd and Hunter Hollan from last year’s draft), the Reds are all-in on developing pitchers. We’ll see if it works out, but if the Reds succeed, they will be able to trade from their pitching surplus to fill holes in the lineup.

2. Oakland A’s

4. Nick Kurtz, 1B (BA rank: 8)
40. Tommy White, 3B (BA rank: 30)
73. Gage Jump, LHP (BA rank: 65)

The A’s left Jac Caglianone, Hagen Smith and J.J. Wetherholt on the board to pick Wake Forest first baseman Nick Kurtz. The lefty slugger is one of the best college bats in the class, and he’s a plus defender at first base. With their second pick, the A’s picked LSU third baseman Tommy White, an accomplished college bat who has been one of the best hitters in college baseball over the past three years. White, however, could also end up at first base, and the A’s also have a 22-year-old first baseman in Tyler Soderstrom. Teams don’t draft for need, but there can also be too much of a good thing. If Kurtz and White develop quickly—and White doesn’t also exceed expectations defensively and stick at third—the team will soon have a logjam.

3. Atlanta Braves

24. Cam Caminiti, LHP (BA rank: 21)
62. Carter Holton, LHP (BA rank: 67)

What’s interesting is also predictable. The Braves picked lefthander Cam Caminiti, the top prep pitcher in the class, at pick 24. They followed that with Vanderbilt lefty Carter Holton in the second round at pick 62. With big league position players locked up for the long-term at all but one spot (shortstop), Atlanta has not selected a position player with a pick in the top 75 picks in the last five drafts. The last time they did was 2019 first-rounders Shea Langeliers and Braden Shewmake along with second-round shortstop Beau Phillip. Since then, they have picked 11 straight top-75 pitchers.

4. Los Angeles Angels

8. Christian Moore, 2B (BA rank: 12)
45. Chris Cortez, RHP (BA rank: 90)
74. Ryan Johnson, RHP (BA rank: 46)

The Angels are fascinating because they have a tendency to pick college players who they then speed to the majors. Tennessee second baseman Christian Moore was one of the best hitters in college baseball in 2024, and second round Texas A&M righthander Chris Cortez is potentially a fast-moving reliever. The Angels have seen 2023 first-rounder Nolan Schanuel, 2022 first-rounder Zach Neto, 2022 sixth-rounder Victor Mederos, 2021 11th rounder Chase Silseth and 2020 first rounder Reid Detmers reach the majors in either the year they were drafted or the year after. Moore and/or Cortez could keep that streak going.

5. Baltimore Orioles

22. Vance Honeycutt, OF (BA rank: 13)
32. Griff O’Ferrall, SS (BA rank: 115)
61. Ethan Anderson, C (BA rank: 59)

The Orioles love college outfielders. They picked Enrique Bradfield and third baseman/outfielder Mac Horvath last year with their top two picks. In 2022, they selected Dylan Beavers and Jud Fabian in the top two rounds. In 2021, Colton Cowser, Reed Trimble, John Rhodes and Donta’ Williams were five of the team’s top six picks, and in 2020 Heston Kjerstad and Hudson Haskin were picked in the top two rounds. Add North Carolina’s Vance Honeycutt to the group. Honeycutt is an exceptional defender with top-of-the-scale speed and plus power. Now the O’s just need to help him improve his contact skills.