2024 MLB Draft Top Prospects

Notes:

Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 205 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Giants '21 (20)
Age At Draft: 21.2

Honeycutt wasn’t a prominent prospect out of high school, though the Giants did select him in the 20th round of the 2021 draft. He didn’t sign and instead made it to campus as at North Carolina, where he immediately proved himself to be one of the most dynamic and well-rounded players in the country. A 6-foot-3, 205-pound center fielder, Honeycutt hit .296/.409/.672 with 25 home runs and 29 stolen bases. He played well in the outfield and showed some of the best power and speed in the country. There’s a bit of swing-and-miss that needs to be ironed out of his game—he struck out at a 29.7% rate—but Honeycutt appears to be one of the top players in the 2024 class.

Notes:

Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 200 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.6

Hurd went from catching to pitching in high school and blew up after showing an impressive four-pitch mix and a projectable, 6-foot-4 frame in Southern California. He was one of the highest-ranked players to make it to campus from the 2021 prep class, and pitched well with UCLA over 34 innings in 2022, when he posted a 1.06 ERA. He transferred to Louisiana State after the season. Listed at 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, Hurd has mostly pitched off of a 92-94 mph fastball that touches 96, with solid vertical ride, and a mid-80s slider that he used to generate a 56% whiff rate in 2022. Hurd has also shown a curveball in the upper 70s and an upper-80s changeup, though he didn’t use either pitch with much frequency during his freshman season.

Notes:

Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 205 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.5

Burns had one of the better fastballs in the 2021 prep class and was touching 100 mph before he ever stepped foot on Tennessee’s campus. He was part of Tennessee’s vaunted starting rotation in 2022, and posted a 2.91 ERA over 80.1 innings and entering the 2023 season was one of two underclassmen scouting directors voted on to Baseball America’s preseason all-america teams—as a first-team member. Burns pitches off a high-spin fastball/slider combination, with his heater sitting around 95 mph and touching 100 and his slider sitting in the mid-to-upper 80s. He will also throw a firm, upper-80s changeup that he kills spin on nicely, and it generates hard diving action that could round out his arsenal nicely. Burns is listed at 6-foot-4, 205 pounds and has a long arm action and long levers overall, though his control in college has been significantly better than it was in high school.

Notes:

Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 190 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Louisiana State
Age At Draft: 18.2

As a freshman in 2022, Griffin led his high school team to a state title. After the season ended, Griffin announced that he was reclassifying from the 2025 to the 2024 class, making him the No. 1 high school player for 2024. Griffin excels both as a position player (at shortstop and center field) as well as on the mound, with an electric package of athleticism, physical upside, tools and ability to hit in games. He has a long, high-waisted, rangy frame that's strong and lean with lots of space to continue to add strength. Even as one of the younger 2024 players, his tools already stack up among the best in the class. He's a bouncy athlete with at least plus speed and a plus arm that could tick up to become a 70 tool. Griffin has extremely quick hands at the plate, generating some of the best bat speed in the country. He already makes hard contact that shows up as home run power in games, with raw power that should be at least plus once he fills out. Griffin's offensive approach is advanced for his age as well, leading to high contact rates and consistently strong game performance, both in terms of getting on base and hitting for power. With a chance for several tools that could be 60s or 70s down the road, Griffin could rank No. 1 on this list for his ability as a position player alone, but he also has significant upside on the mound. He is already into the low 90s and has the physical projection to be throwing in the mid-to-upper 90s by draft time.

Notes:

Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 190 | B-T: B-R
Commit/Drafted: Georgia
Age At Draft: 19

Mullinax has an exciting combination of athleticism, tools and a strong offensive track record, especially for a player who projects to play in the middle of the field. He's a lean, bursty athlete who accelerates quickly with plus-plus speed and a strong arm in center field. Mullinax is a power/speed threat who makes some of the hardest contact in the 2024 class. He will bar his arm, but he's able to keep his hands inside the ball with a quick, explosive swing and plus raw power that shows up now in games. He takes consistent quality at-bats too, typically staying within the strike zone with good bat-to-ball skills from both sides of the plate. He’s coming off an outstanding sophomore high school season in which he hit .491/.603/.947 in 78 plate appearances with seven home runs, 16 walks and six strikeouts, leading North Cobb Christian to a runner-up finish in the Georgia Class A private state championship

Notes:

Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 180 | B-T: L-L
Commit/Drafted: Louisiana State
Age At Draft: 19.2

Curiel has an ease of operation to his game that stands out at the plate and in the field. He has a calm, balanced swing that’s quick, fluid and direct to the ball with good bat control and strike-zone discipline. His contact rate stacks up among the best in the 2024 class with good plate coverage and a knack for going with where the ball is pitched to use the whole field. Curiel has a slender frame that he has started to add strength to, which has helped him generate more bat speed and extra-base damage at times, though it’s his on-base skills that stand out more than his power. There’s more room to fill out, and once he gets stronger and learns which pitches to try to drive for pull-side damage in the air, there could be another uptick in power. He’s a plus runner with an easy stride, gliding around in center field with good instincts and an average, accurate arm.

Notes:

Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 230 | B-T: L-L
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.4

Kurtz is a large and physical, 6-foot-5, 230-pound first baseman who jumped on the college baseball scene in 2022 by hitting .338/.471/.637 with 15 home runs and 14 doubles. Kurtz is huge, with plenty of raw power that has already played to all fields, but he also showed an advanced batting eye and contact ability. Kurtz walked at an 18.5% clip in 2022 compared to a 14.7% strikeout rate and only chased outside the zone at a strong 15% rate. He looks like one of the best hitters in the 2024 class, with plenty of power to go with it.

Notes:

Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 242 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.4

White was one of the top corner infield prospects in the 2021 high school class, but scouts wanted to see him prove his offensive chops in college at North Carolina State. He did just that and then some in 2022, when he set the NCAA freshman home run record with 27, while slashing .362/.425/.757. After the season, White transferred to Louisiana State, where he joined the most talented team in the country for the 2023 season. White has plenty of power with a strong and husky 6-foot, 242-pound frame. He can hit the ball out of any park and produces gaudy exit velocities, though his power comes with plenty of swing-and-miss and he also chases out of the zone more than you might expect for someone with his offensive numbers. He’s a third baseman now, but could easily wind up at first in pro ball.

Notes:

Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 201 | B-T: L-L
Commit/Drafted: Brewers '21 (19)
Age At Draft: 21.9

Holton has always been a bit of an unassuming pitching prospect at first glance, but once he gets on the mound it’s clear why he’s so highly rated. A prominent prep prospect, Holton made it to campus at Vanderbilt, where he excelled as a freshman in 2022 when he posted a 3.14 ERA as a full-time starter in 80.1 innings. He has a complete four-pitch mix headlined by a high-spin fastball in the 92-94 mph range that touches 97 with plus carry, a mid-70s curveball with depth that has been his go-to breaking ball, a harder slider around 80 mph and a low-80s changeup. Holton is just 5-foot-11, but he’s strong with a filled-out, 201-pound frame and has a solid delivery with solid control.

Notes:

Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 205 | B-T: L-R
Commit/Drafted: Mississippi
Age At Draft: 18.6

Paino stands out immediately for his size as a 6-foot-3, 205-pound shortstop. Yet it’s Paino’s polish, instincts and smooth, easy operation that stand out more than just his physicality. Paino has a calm, balanced swing from the left side, starting with a simple lower half load before turning the barrel with a smooth, compact swing. He tracks pitches well, controls the strike zone and stays behind the ball well with a good bat path, leading to frequent contact and a true all-fields approach. There are times where Paino will show some swing-and-miss on fastballs up in the zone, but he has a knack for being on time and barreling balls in games. Paino doesn’t have the elite bat speed of some of the other premium players in the 2024 class, but with his size, there’s obvious strength projection to grow into more power, though his strength as a hitter now leans more toward his on-base skills. Paino’s maturity and high baseball IQ are evident at the plate and in the field. He’s a below-average runner underway, but he has a quick first step and reads the ball well off the bat. If Paino does physically outgrow shortstop, he could be a plus defender at third base with the offensive game to fit well there, but right now he has the actions, instincts and body control for shortstop, where his hands and feet work well and his internal clock helps him slow the game down. For a bigger-bodied shortstop, he ranges well to all angles and finishes plays with a strong arm.

Notes:

Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 195 | B-T: L-R
Commit/Drafted: Uncommitted
Age At Draft: 19.2

Morlando is arguably the most dangerous offensive threat in the 2024 class thanks to an excellent combination of contact skills, plate discipline and power. A gold medalist on the USA 18U National Team that won the U-18 World Cup Americas Qualifier in Mexico in November 2022, Morlando has elite bat speed, which along with his strength and leverage in his swing generates the best lefthanded power for any 2024 hitter. It’s plus raw power with the bat speed and physical projection for more to come, giving him a chance to be a 30-plus home run threat. The way Morlando is able to generate that power is especially impressive and allows it to translate in games. He doesn’t have many moving parts to his swing, setting up with a wide base and a simple lower half load, keeping his head locked in to help him track pitches well. He has quiet hands before unleashing a tight, compact and pretty swing with clean, fluid path through the hitting zone, enabling him to punish the ball for extra-base damage to all fields with easy, explosive pop. Morlando has shown the ability to barrel mid-90s velocity with the plate coverage to hammer fastballs in any part of the zone and is especially effective on fastballs up. The best chance for pitchers against Morlando is to try to get him to swing through soft stuff down and away, but he’s a patient hitter who will take his walks. Morlando has a catching background, but he is better in the outfield corners and first base. His arm is below-average but he showed much improved athleticsm over the past year to be able to handle an outfield corner. He has the glove skills at first base to turn into a quality defender there, too, but it’s Morlando’s offensive game that will drive his value.

Notes:

Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 217 | B-T: B-R
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.3

Montgomery was a standout two-way player in the 2021 draft class out of high school, with massive arm strength and an ease to his game on all levels. He made it to campus at Stanford, where he was the team’s everyday right fielder, but also pitched out of the bullpen. Montgomery had more success as a hitter—he slashed .294/.361/.596 with 18 home runs and 16 doubles—but his tremendous arm strength should continue to make him a prospect on both sides of the ball. He sat in the mid 90s in 2022 and threw a mid-80s slider, though his control was well below-average and needs to improve.

Notes:

Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 220 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21

“The Duke” was a highly-regarded pitching prospect in the 2022 class and was viewed as a top-50 prospect, but he withdrew from the draft before it happened and made it to campus at Vanderbilt. A draft-eligible sophomore, Dutkanych is listed at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds and has already added strength to a solid pitching frame. He has a clean delivery and arm action, and showed a fastball that consistently got into the mid 90s in high school, with two breaking balls that flashed plus as well as a nascent changeup. Dutkanych showed solid command over the summer circuit, but he was wildly inconsistent in that category at times during his senior spring season. He should provide an immediate impact in a significant role with Vanderbilt in 2023 as a freshman.

Notes:

Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 195 | B-T: L-R
Commit/Drafted: Texas
Age At Draft: 19

With a long, rangy frame, Rainer has a good mix of hitting ability and power. He has a long, rangy frame and big lefthanded power that plays in games and should tick up even more as he fills out, with the potential to be a 25-plus home run threat. Rainer is an advanced hitter for his age with a fast, fluid swing, usually staying within the strike zone and using the whole field with a knack for hanging in well against lefties. Rainer has spent time at shortstop and third base, with his size and range fitting best at third. He’s a good athlete with a plus arm that could climb to a 70 tool as he gets stronger. Rainer didn’t pitch in 2022 during the spring or summer, but he has been into the low 90s and shown feel for both a breaking ball and lively changeup, so he would be a legitimate pitching prospect as well.

Notes:

Ht: 6-8 | Wt: 230 | B-T: L-L
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.6

Coppola was a top-100 prospect out of the 2021 class, and made it to campus at Florida, where he pitched in just one game before a back injury sidelined him for the rest of the season. Coppola has a towering, 6-foot-8, 230-pound frame and works with a three-pitch mix, including a fastball that was in the 92-93 mph range in the fall of 2022, as well as a breaking ball around 80 mph and a mid-80s changeup. As a high schooler he also threw a splitter and a spike-curve, and despite his size scouts praised his body control and command. Depending on how Coppola performs in 2023, he could draw comparisons to another tall and physical Florida lefthander, 2016 first-rounder AJ Puk.

Notes:

Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 188 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Dodgers '21 (16)
Age At Draft: 21.1

Sirota is related to Hall of Fame lefthander Whitey Ford, but made a name for himself as an outfielder and hitter after his freshman season with Northeastern. The 6-foot-3, 188-pound outfielder slashed .326/.411/.511 with four home runs and 14 doubles during the spring, then played well on the Cape in the summer. He played for Brewster and Hyannis and showed excellent zone control, swing decisions and contact ability, with the tools to play all three outfield positions. Sirota has solid contact ability, but he almost never expands the strike zone and his combined chase rate between his time with Northeastern and the Cape was just 15%.

Notes:

Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 205 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Louisiana State
Age At Draft: 18.8

Arrambide has established himself as the clear No. 1 catcher in the 2024 class. On the defensive side, Arrambide has just about everything scouts want to see for a catcher his age. He’s strong but is a loose, flexible and athletic, agile mover behind the plate. He receives well, does an outstanding job of blocking balls and is elite at controlling the running game as well. He has a plus-plus arm with clean, efficient throwing mechanics, getting rid of the ball with exchange times on par with the top catchers in the big leagues and often producing pop times under 1.9 seconds in games. The attributes are all there for Arrambide to develop into a plus to plus-plus defender in the big leagues, and while it’s his work behind the plate that stands out the most, Arrambide can also do damage in the batter’s box. He has performed at a high level in games with a power-over-hit profile. He has quick hands, a pull approach and a swing geared to lift the ball with solid-average raw power and a chance to be a 20-25 home run hitter. There is some swing-and-miss, but he’s able to keep it to a manageable rate and does have a two-strike approach, spreading out his stance and cutting down his stride.

Notes:

Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 221 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.4

Smith was an early pop-up prospect in the 2022 draft class who wowed scouts with his impressive physicality and strength, a swing that featured pull-side power and solid defensive ability on the left side of the infield. Smith made it to campus and will be a draft-eligible sophomore in the 2024 class and already looked even more physical and strong during fall workouts. A shortstop in high school, he should play third base for FSU and might wind up being a third baseman in pro ball given his 6-foot-2, 221-pound frame but he could be a strong defender there with above-average arm strength as well as solid hitting ability and power.

Notes:

Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 215 | B-T: L-R
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21

One of the top prospects from the 2022 class to make it to campus, Moore checked in at No. 66 on the 2022 BA 500 thanks to a smooth and fluid lefthanded swing and a reputation as one of the best pure hitters in the prep class. As most Stanford commits do, Moore made it to campus and should make an immediate impact on both sides of the ball, even if his bat is ahead of his defensive ability for now. He has a chance for plus hitting ability and plus power which should allow his bat to profile even if he moves off the catcher position to first base.

Notes:

Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 197 | B-T: L-R
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.9

A native of Sydney, Australia, Bazzana played for Team Australia’s 18U National Team in 2019 and was an impact freshman for Oregon State in 2022, when he slashed .306/.425/.478 with six home runs and 16 doubles while playing a steady second base. He has a compact, 6-foot, 197-pound frame and doesn’t miss a fastball, with some power to his pull side although his exit velocities and home run production have been only modest to this point in his career. Bazzana is developing a strong reputation as a pure hitter though, with his Oregon State debut as well as a dominant showing in the West Coast League in 2021, when he slashed .429/.471/.593.

Notes:

Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 180 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Uncommitted
Age At Draft: 18.7

Clavon is one of the top uncommitted 2024 players in the country, generating buzz for his talent in two sports. He’s a dynamic quarterback generating Division I interest with explosive athleticism that makes him one of the most exciting baseball players in the 2024 class. Clavon’s quick-twitch actions are evident in multiple ways on the diamond, starting at the plate where he has outstanding hand speed. It’s some of the best bat speed in the country for a player in any class. It allows Clavon more time to sit back on pitches, but he has an aggressive approach and has performed well in games, firing his hands through the zone quickly with a short, down-and-through swing geared for line drives, with more power upside because of his bat speed. Clavon is also an explosive runner with a quick first step and plus-plus speed to go with a plus arm.

Notes:

Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 250 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.9

Hess is a large and physically imposing righthander with a 6-foot-5, 250-pound frame. Hess served as a midweek starter and reliever for Alabama in his 2022 freshman season, where he posted a 4.54 ERA over 33.2 innings. He has a fastball that sits in the 92-94 mph range and touches 96, and his primary secondary pitches are a mid-80s slider and a mid-80s changeup. Hess used the slider to generate a 48% miss rate in 2022, and he will also mix in a mid-70s curveball, though the pitch was used infrequently.

Notes:

Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 200 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 21.4

Schrier was a well-rounded shortstop prospect out of high school who had solid tools and a reputation as a performer with multiple USA Baseball national teams. He moved into UCLA’s everyday shortstop role as a freshman in 2022, where he slashed .298/.383/.492 with nine home runs, 21 doubles and 11 stolen bases. There’s a bit of swing-and-miss and chase in Schrier’s offensive profile, though he flashes enough power, speed and defensive ability to still carry a solid all-around profile, and is one of the top shortstop prospects in the 2024 college class because of it.

Notes:

Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 195 | B-T: L-R
Commit/Drafted: Florida
Age At Draft: 18.6

Lawson has been one of the biggest up-arrow players in the 2024 class over the past year. He is one of the most dangerous hitters in the country, with a promising blend of hitting ability and power that translates in games. Lawson has a sweet lefthanded swing, generating good torque and weight transfer as he whips the barrel through the zone with good bat speed, sequence and timing. He has performed at a high level in games with extra-base power to all fields. Lawson still has lots of space left to fill out his lean 6-foot-3 frame and could grow into plus power. A fringe-average runner, Lawson has the actions to stick in the infield, whether that ends up being at shortstop or at third base if he outgrows the position.

Notes:

Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 215 | B-T: L-L
Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted
Age At Draft: 20.9

Smith didn’t pitch during the summer showcase circuit entering his senior year after recovering from Tommy John surgery, though he did have an emphatic spring season. Despite that, Smith made it to campus after ranking as the No. 168 prospect in the 2021 class, and pitched his way into the No. 2 starter role for Arkansas and posted a 4.66 ERA over 77.1 innings. Following the 2022 season, Smith pitched with Team USA’s trials roster. A 6-foot-3, 215-pound lefthander, Smith pitches in the 90-92 mph range and will touch 95, with an 80 mph sweepy slider that is his best bat-misser and a low-to-mid-80s changeup. Smith has neither pinpoint command or overpowering velocity, so he’ll need to improve in one or both categories to move up boards.