2024 MLB Draft: The Top 300 Prospects, a college-heavy class

1. JJ Wetherholt, 2B/3B — West Virginia

HOMETOWN: Gibsonia, PA

HEIGHT: 5-11

WEIGHT: 190

BAT/THROW: L-R

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Wetherholt, a thick, strong-bodied infielder, has positional versatility, though most consider him a third baseman in the long-term. He doesn’t necessarily have a throwing arm that is an asset, but he’s sure-handed and can handle the routine expectations of the hot corner.

The bat is exceedingly impressive here. Wetherholt can really hit with double-plus bat-to-ball skills and a willingness to go gap-to-gap and stay away from the pull-heavy approach that gets so many lefty bats in trouble. The power and bat speed here are real, comfortably plus with barrel awareness few of his peers can match. Wetherholt consistently hits the ball hard more than just about anyone in the country.

2. Nick Kurtz, 1B — Wake Forest

HOMETOWN: Lancaster, PA

HEIGHT: 6-6

WEIGHT: 230

BAT/THROW: L-L

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Kurtz burst onto the scene as a true freshman posting some of the most impressive batted-ball and swing-decision metrics of anyone during the 2022 college baseball season. Those metrics carried over to the 2023 season as Kurtz proved himself one of the most feared hitters in the sport.

Some evaluators believe Kurtz may be the best power hitter in the 2024 class, and that’s saying a lot considering some of the names he’s mentioned alongside. It’s absolutely mammoth bat speed and buggy hips from the left side. It’s every bit that of double-plus juice. Kurtz possesses above average bat-to-ball skills with an elite eye at the plate, hardly ever expanding the zone. He’s the prototype middle-of-the-order slugger.

Kurtz is an average runner underway with solid baseball instincts and the ability to impact the game on the base paths if you don’t pay attention to him. He’s a solid average glove at first base and can get by as something close to a fringy left fielder, though scouts prefer he stay on the dirt for durability’s sake. Kurtz has a chance to anchor a big league lineup for a long, long time. He reminds some of Matt Olson.

3. Travis Bazzana, 2B — Oregon State

HOMETOWN: Sydney, Australia

HEIGHT: 6-0

WEIGHT: 190

BAT/THROW: L-R

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You’d be hard-pressed to find a prospect with a better combination of pure hit tool, approach, and peak exit velocities than Travis Bazzana. An import out of Australia, Bazzana possesses plus bat-to-ball skills to go alongside his elite eye. He refuses to expand the zone and has shown a willingness to all fields. He’s also about as good as they come in terms of pummeling balls left in the strike zone. He’s one of the more decorated hitters in college baseball in terms of fighting off pitches just off the black. A brutally difficult at-bat for opposing pitchers. Bazzana has flashed plus raw power, and he’s getting to a lot of it in games.

An import out of Sydney, Bazzana was a star in the Pac-12 immediately as a true freshman. The Aussie has twitch and bounce on the dirt with an average arm and enough athleticism to make the plays to his right and left. Some scouts want to see what it looks like over an extended period at shortstop as well. He projects a potential plus hitter with above-average or better power at the next level, all while playing a steady, if not exceptional second base.

Perhaps Bazzana’s greatest strength however is tireless pursuit of perfection and improvement in his game. He’s an analytic mind who welcomes developing his game through tangible numbers and data evaluation. His approach toward the game is already well-suited for the next level, and many believe his game should translate quickly to professional ball.

4. Charlie Condon, OF — Georgia

HOMETOWN: Marietta, GA

HEIGHT: 6-5

WEIGHT: 205

BAT/THROW: R-R

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Condon’s emergence for the Bulldogs in 2023 came as a bit of a surprise to the college baseball world after the long, lanky outfielder redshirted in 2022 to add weight and work on his swing. Condon broke through as the regular left fielder for the Bulldogs and immediately provided impact with the bat. He’s got big raw power and a hit tool that is more advanced for his age than previously thought coming out of high school. Condon has the makings of a right-right power-hitting outfielder or first baseman. He’s proven to be one of the more advanced, mature hitters in the SEC over the last calendar year and scouts think it all translates well to the next level.

5. Chase Burns, RHP — Wake Forest

HOMETOWN: Gallatin, TN

HEIGHT: 6-4

WEIGHT: 215

BAT/THROW: R-R

Burns has long been on the radar of scouts going back to his days as a bluechip prep in 2021. Primarily a two-pitch guy to this point, Burns offers a mid-to-upper 90s fastball that’s touched 101 and figures to continue tickling triple digits as he matures. Burns’ slider is thrown hard and firm, up to 90, sitting 85-87 with two-plane tilt; more depth than sweep. Burns’ spin rates are high, and he’s got a track record of commanding the baseball and overpowering the opposition. There’s a seldom-used changeup in his arsenal, though it’s inconsistent and Burns struggles to command it on a start-by-start basis. There’s also a bigger curveball in there, and he’s begun to deploy it a bit more of late. It’s got teeth, but is often uncompetitive. As he starts working in feel for his curveball and changeup, the arsenal should begin to overwhelm hitters at an even greater clip.

Burns spent the first two years in college at Tennessee before transferring to Wake Forest for 2024. The Wake Forest pitching lab should give him a leg up in understanding pitch design and how the art of the sport translates to the next level. Burns simply looks like a big league arm and with added consistency could be the first arm off the board.

6. Mike Sirota, OF — Northeastern

HOMETOWN: Queens, NY

HEIGHT: 6-2

WEIGHT: 185

BAT/THROW: R-R

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7. Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP — Florida

HOMETOWN: Tampa, FL

HEIGHT: 6-5

WEIGHT: 210

BAT/THROW: L-L

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Caglianone is possibly the most decorated and talented two-way player college baseball has seen in a very long time. Offensively he possesses immense hand and bat speed allowing the 6-foot-5-inch lefty to get into double-plus raw power. Most scouts see average bat-to-ball skills here, but Caglianone can get anxious at the plate and expand the zone at an unhealthy clip at times. That’ll need to iron itself out if he hopes to reach his middle-of-the-order upside offensively. Caglianone is an average runner and is likely destined for first base as a pro, but this is an impact bat with 40-homerun upside if it matures.

On the mound, he’s been up to 101 in side sessions and 99 in games and will flash an above average slider that’s really come on of late. There’s also a changeup, though it lags a bit behind his primary two-pitch mix. Caglianone is a legitimate pitching prospect with no. 3 upside, though there is a bit of reliever risk due to command concerns and his ability to repeat his operation deep into starts. He worked hard over the past 12 months to shorten his arm action and tighten up his elbow spiral, and that seems to have paid dividends in his ability to control the ball. He’s still very young and has plenty of time to shore up the polish and consistency of those mechanical necessities.

There are a multitude of avenues Caglianone can take to become a valuable and productive big leaguer. Which route he’ll choose, and which route scouts prefer for that matter, is yet to be determined.

HOMETOWN: Ankeny, IA

HEIGHT: 6-4

WEIGHT: 205

BAT/THROW: R-R

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If you were to build a Mount Rushmore for the best pure stuff college baseball has ever seen, there’s a very real argument that Brecht would deserve to be on it. Most would agree Brecht has the most electric fastball in the 2024 class; at least at this early stage. He’s been up to 101, sitting 97-99 in starts. It’s a metric-monster and is only reinforced by the elite whiff rates he generates off the pitch. He’ll mix in an absolutely disgusting slider with immense depth, inducing gaudy swing-and-miss numbers. He’ll also throw a traditional curveball extremely hard in the mid-80s. Brecht has a chance to possess an elite fastball and two plus-or-better breaking balls. That said, the control and command right now are below average.

Brecht gave up football for the Hawkeyes in the spring of 2023 and scouts are excited to see if his game explodes because of it. If Brecht takes the next step in his development and develops even average command on the hill, there’s a very real chance he’s the first college arm off the board in 2024.

10. Seaver King, OF/2B — Wake Forest

HOMETOWN: Athens, GA

HEIGHT: 6-0

WEIGHT: 190

BAT/THROW: R-R

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King was a metric monster in 2023 posting gaudy exit velocity numbers on his way to a .411/.457/.699 slash with eleven homers. While there is slight concern inside the scouting community on high chase rates King posted during the wood-bat summer with Team USA and on the Cape, he did make up for his eager approach by making a ton of contact, and it was to all fields and extremely loud. He can get away with swinging at pitches outside the zone at times, and fights to get back to a point where he can kill a cookie mistake.

King has enough twitch and athleticism to handle shortstop, though most believe his throwing arm will push him to second base or centerfield at the next level. He’s a plus runner who should be an asset on the base paths.

So long as King’s approach doesn’t derail what he’s physically capable of doing on the field, his assortment of above-average to plus tools should show out in a big way at the next level.