Building out a draft board is a complicated exercise. Our process involves meticulous detail in batted-ball data evaluation, swing decision tracking, pitch metrics, athletic testing and one-on-one interactions with the players as we work to get a feel for their makeup. We attend tournaments, showcases, scrimmages and games to watch the players in their element. The whole process is complimented by extensive conversations with scouting directors, analysts, cross-checkers and area scouts to double-check our evaluations with differing opinions to help draw more conclusive ideas.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following rankings and evaluations by FSS PLUS are based on subjective analysis and industry sources, and do not influence, are not influenced by, or are affiliated with the opinions and reports of Future Stars Series scouting and development staff.
1. Konnor Griffin, OF/RHP — Jackson Prep
HOMETOWN: Florence, MS
HEIGHT: 6-4
WEIGHT: 200
BAT/THROW: R-R
COMMITMENT: LSU
DRAFT SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW:Â Watch video
Considering the size and physicality of Konnor Griffin, it’s incredible to think he’ll barely be 18 years old on draft day. Griffin reclassified out of the 2025 draft class after overmatching his peers. He has the frame scouts dream on, a long, levered body with projectable strength and present athleticism. The upside here is tremendous. Griffin plays shortstop and centerfield now, but most think he projects best in the grass where his plus speed and rangy routes will play best. He’s got a strong throwing arm and the twitch necessary to make a good first step. He has every chance to stick on the dirt, but the hands are probably solid average and there’s a high likelihood he’ll grow off the position. He could probably be an above average defender at either spot. He’s also comfortably a plus runner with a long stride and speed that should hold well as his body further matures.
Already an accomplished slugger, Griffin has considerable bat speed with over-the-fence juice and should grow into 60-grade game power. Scouts would like to see the hit tool show more consistency in-game, but he’s shown flashes of polish and strong swing decisions. The bat got better as the summer went on last year, and there’s a large swatch of the industry who believes he has the chops to hit as a full-time player at the next level. Griffin is a swing-tinkerer. As he settles into a pro routine, the results should follow. Getting the barrel to the ball and avoiding weak contact will be the next checkpoint in Griffin’s offensive development. If it all clicks, Griffin has 5-tool upside.
It’s not totally a foregone conclusion that he’s a position player either. Griffin has been up to 97 on the mound with a put-away slider. He’s a tremendous mover and some liken his profile on the bump to what Jack Flaherty was at this same stage. Because of that ceiling, some scouts actually prefer him on the mound. There’s two-way upside here and whoever drafts Griffin may elect to let him do both while they figure out his most productive avenue going forward.
2. PJ Morlando, OF/1B — Summerville
HOMETOWN: Summerville, SC
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 205
BAT/THROW: L-R
COMMITMENT: South Carolina
DRAFT SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW:Â Watch video
Morlando might be the most polished high school bat in the 2024 class with budding bat speed and high contact rates regardless of pitch type. Morlando has long had the bat speed to out-slug his peers, but it’s his mature approach and willingness to take the walk that has scouts raising eyebrows. The raw power here is already huge and should comfortably sit in the plus category at the highest level. His bat-to-ball skills and discerning eye make the possibility of a future 6 hit/6 power bat feasible. He should hit for a reasonably high average at the next level and is likely to slug toward the middle of a lineup as a pro.
Defensively, Morlando projects a fringy corner outfielder or first baseman where his fringy speed and solid average throwing arm fit nicely. Morlando has worked hard over the last twelve months to re-shape his physique and add explosiveness to his defensive capabilities. He’s played centerfield for his high school team, and has reportedly looked comfortable enough in the grass to warrant legitimate consideration in a corner in professional ball. This is a high-level, impact bat that teams will likely covet the early.
3. Cam Caminiti, LHP — Saguaro
HOMETOWN: Scottsdale, AZ
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 205
BAT/THROW: L-L
COMMITMENT: LSU
Caminiti reclassified from the 2025 class into 2024, and will still be just 17 years old on draft day. Models will love it. Some believe Cam Caminiti should play on the two-way game thanks to his significant raw power, but his pure ability on the mound will almost certainly trump what he’s capable of with a bat. Caminiti was already touching 97 as a 16-year-old with a firm, low-80s slider that he commands well. He’s usually more 91-94 over starts. He’ll mix in a curveball and can kill spin on a changeup too, the latter projecting out as a future solid-average weapon.
Caminiti’s feel for the mound, his operation, his athleticism and his bloodlines point to a future impact starter at the next level. He’s got the high waist, the long, lean levers and the loose arm scouts like to see. If there’s one gripe, Caminiti struggles to spin the ball on his entire arsenal, and scouts would like to see a firmer breaking ball take shape. Still, as they draw it up, this is precisely “what they look like”.
Ultimately, this looks like a Patrick Corbin mid-rotation type of arm that, while he may not blow hitters away with pure stuff, his feel for shaping the baseball and mixing it up should help develop Caminiti into a solid big league starter.
4. Slade Caldwell, OF — Valley View
HOMETOWN: Jonesboro, AR
HEIGHT: 5-6
WEIGHT: 183
BAT/THROW: L-L
COMMITMENT: Ole Miss
DRAFT SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW:Â Watch video
While Caldwell may lack the tangible physicality from his frame that some of his peers have, what he lacks in size he more than makes up for with dynamic athleticism and explosiveness in every part of his game. Already a double-plus runner, Caldwell is a headache on the bases and can really go get it in the field.
In the box, Caldwell has a lightning-quick left-handed swing with an ideal gap approach and sneaky thump if a mistake is served up. He creates stretch, dragging the barrel through the zone with compact violence. Don’t let the physique fool you, he can mash. Pound for pound, one of the more impressive bats in the class and some of the sneakiest bat speed in the class too. It’s also one of the most polished approaches in the draft with a discerning eye and fantastic feel for the strike zone. He’s an on-base machine and should be required to pay rent at first base.
While Caldwell doesn’t have a great arm, he’s the prototype profile for left field and could play a solid average centerfield too. He’s got a lot of fans in the scouting community, and is one of the most well-liked players by his peers in every dugout he finds himself. There’s something of a Drew Gilbert/Corbin Carroll quality to his game that has scouts buzzing. This is a prototype table-setter with a reasonably high floor albeit lacking upside in the power department.
5. Carter Johnson, SS — Oxford
HOMETOWN: Oxford, AL
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 185
BAT/THROW: L-R
COMMITMENT: Alabama
Johnson is a smooth, rhythmic infielder who can really, really hit. It’s a sweet left-handed stroke that’s designed to do damage, pummeling baseballs into gaps. He features loose hands, a consistent bat path and loads the barrel with conviction and repeatable timing triggers. The bat speed is strong despite an overall lack of twitch in his broader game. Johnson does a tremendous job of taking his hands and the barrel to the ball, staying inside and extending through the hitting zone. He’s got significant offensive upside.
Defensively, Johnson has a strong brand with the glove, an above average shortstop that should be able to stay at the position as he continues to grow into his physical frame. Johnson is already a barrel-chested player with broad, sloping shoulders. He figures to get stronger too. Johnson is just a smooth player who doesn’t have any carrying tool, but shows a smattering of solid average traits and has a shot to stick at the shortstop. Those bullish on the profile argue it’s one of the more projectable swings and hit tools in the class, one that could get to plus with continued reps.
6. Caleb Bonemer, SS — Okemos
HOMETOWN: Okemos, MI
HEIGHT: 6-1
WEIGHT: 195
BAT/THROW: R-R
COMMITMENT: Virginia
DRAFT SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW:Â Watch video
Bonemer is a muscled-up shortstop, but works with fluidity on the dirt showcasing strong footwork, a mature internal clock and the ability to make every throw from every angle. The glove is solid, though the body may ultimately push the profile to third base. He’s got a shot to play the “6” so long as he doesn’t grow off the position. Should he move to third base, it could be plus.
Despite his size, Bonemer has also posted plus run times in showcase settings, though scouts expect he’ll end up more an above-average to plus runner at the next level.
The bat blew scouts away over the last twelve months featuring in-game power and over-the-fence showings in tournament settings. The power to the pull-side is significant. He’s quick to the ball lacking any stride whatsoever, short, and compact. He can deliver a blow to any ball in any quadrant and has shown power to all-fields with the ability to manipulate the barrel when he’s beat. Bonemer adjusts well to spin, spitting on tumbling off-speed offerings with frequency. There are some similarities to Brady House from 2021, though Bonemer may be more athletic and fluid in just about every aspect of his game.
7. Levi Sterling, RHP — Notre Dame
HOMETOWN: Los Angeles, CA
HEIGHT: 6-4
WEIGHT: 195
BAT/THROW: R-R
COMMITMENT: Texas
Sterling possesses a long-levered, lanky frame that projects to add significant strength in the coming years. We currently like him more on the mound, though some in the industry remain curious on the offensive upside. He’s been up to 95 with a low launch, high-spin heater featuring bat-missing carry and arm-side life. He flashes a low-80s slider and feel for a splitter-like off-speed secondary. He’s also begun to work in a mid-80s cutter that has shown teeth. The athleticism and uniqueness of what he can do on the bump really stand out.
He’s a tremendous athlete with a looseness through his release suggesting he could grow into above average command. Limiting free passes as the draft approaches will likely dictate his draft stock. He’s already striking out the world in high school league play.
Sterling won’t turn 18 until shortly after draft day, generally a good indication of elevated draft stock as models tend to value younger players.
8. Bryce Rainer, RHP/SS — Harvard-Westlake
HOMETOWN: Simi Valley, CA
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 195
BAT/THROW: L-R
COMMITMENT: Texas
Rainer is a highly-decorated two-way player with a well-leveraged left-handed swing and legitimate game power. When he’s out in front of spin, the pull-side juice is considerable. Rainer’s swing can corkscrew a bit when he over-swings, but the offensive upside here is quite high. In terms of the overall hit tool, it’s been streaky on the tournament and showcase circuit, but the impact is undeniable when he gets ahold of one with power to all fields. Rainer can get passive at times, and falling behind has made things more difficult on his offensive game. Scouts would like to see him a bit more assertive in the box, punishing mistake fastballs with more consistency and eagerness, green-lighting himself more often in hitters’ counts. On the dirt, Rainer may ultimately grow off the shortstop position to third base, but his physical tools on the dirt stand out. It’s a 70-grade arm with a gliding nature and soft, deliberate hands, as well as an impressive internal clock. Regardless of his eventual position, the frame is long, the bat speed is big, and the overall ceiling is significant. He’s also a plus runner underway. The tools are quite big if he hits.
At time of publish, it seems as though more teams seem to prefer Rainer a potential pitcher where he’s been up to 97 with an upper-70s breaking ball he’s shown feel for landing in the zone. There’s also a changeup that has conviction and arm speed while lacking execution. The frame, operation and pure arm strength has some believing there’s triple-digit upside with starter traits. If he elects to go primary on the bump, he could be the first prep selected out of the state of California in 2024 and has very real first round buzz.
9. Noah Franco, 1B/LHP — IMG Academy
HOMETOWN: Bradenton, FL
HEIGHT: 6-3
WEIGHT: 205
COMMITMENT: TCU
Franco re-classified from the 2025 class into the 2024 class. He’ll be young for the class, but his physicality is already as imposing as most of his peers.
A legitimate two-way guy, we like Franco more as a bat for the time being. His bat speed and athleticism at first base really stand out. Franco has demonstrated the ability to stay in the box and hit tough lefty-lefty matchups, showcasing ferocious bat speed and intent for damage. He’s a well-above average athlete at first base, and it shows up in balls hit to his right and circumstances where his twitch and explosivity are tested. From this chair, Franco has a chance at developing into a special bat and glove with average run times too.
Franco is also a super-talented lefty with tons of athleticism on the mound. He’s broad shoulders and long frame admittedly work better in theory as a pitcher. He’ll work up to 93, though most expect he could sit in the mid-90s by the time July rolls around. He can really spin the baseball too featuring well-above average rpm readings on both his heater and slider. The slider rests in the low-80s and will approach 2800 rpm. He’s got some feel for a fading changeup too. Franco is one of the few players in this class with upside on both sides of the ball.
10. Joey Oakie, RHP — Ankeny
HOMETOWN: Ankeny, IA
HEIGHT: 6-2
WEIGHT: 195
BAT/THROW: R-R
COMMITMENT: Iowa
Oakie is a hometown Iowa commit with big, projection stuff and two-way potential. Most feel his future lays on the mound where his fastball really plays. He’ll sit 94-96 in early innings, settling in 92-93 out of a low launch with tremendous spin and life at the top rail with bat-missing traits.
Oakie projects to throw a lot harder due to fairly elite scapular load during his arm action, as well as top-of-his-class explosive athleticism. The slider here could end up plus too. It’s a sweeper that’ll approach 3000 rpm coming out of the exact same tunnel as the heater. Oakie throws his sweeper in the mid-80s with tremendous arm speed and conviction. As he learns to add a fading changeup that can live off the fastball, he’ll be an extremely tough look on both lefty and righty bats.
He’s loose and repeatable, staying in the strike zone on most occasions. This is one of the best arms in the class.
MORE 2024 COVERAGE: Mock Draft 1.0
- 2024 MLB Draft: Mock Draft 4.0 - April 17, 2024
- 2024 MLB Draft: Top 400 Prospects - April 15, 2024
- Is the first round college pitching prospect dying? - April 2, 2024
