MLB Draft insights: What you need to know

The 2024 Major League Baseball Draft took place for three days in Arlington, Texas. It began on Sunday, July 14th and ran through until Tuesday, July 16th. Although it garners nowhere near the publicity as the NFL Draft or even the NBA Draft, the MLB Draft can shape the future direction of any franchise in the league. 

Its importance should not be understated, even if the selected names are not familiar to anyone except the most diehard of fans. Let’s break down the key storylines of this year’s baseball draft. 

MLB Draft insights: Travis Bazzana goes No.1 to Cleveland

The Cleveland Guardians owned the top pick in the 2024 draft and used it on Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana. This marks the first time in league history that a second baseman has gone No. 1 overall. The earliest a player at that position had previously gone off the board was second (Rickie Weeks to the Milwaukee Brewers in 2003). Bazzana hit .407 with 28 home runs in 60 games for the Beavers this past season.

A left-handed hitter, the 21-year-old projects to be a perennial all-star in the future. As for this year’s All-Star Game, it is taking place on Tuesday night at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

MLB Draft insights: Corner infielders make up half of the top six

Georgia third baseman Charlie Condon, who was thought to be in the mix for the top spot, went No. 3 to the Colorado Rockies. He was immediately followed by a pair of first basemen in Wake Forest’s Nick Kurtz (No. 5 to the Oakland Athletics) and Florida’s Jac Caglianone (No. 6 to the Kansas City Royals). 

Condon led college baseball with a .433 batting average, 37 home runs, a 1.009 slugging percentage and 1.565 OPS. He will have every chance of continuing big power numbers in the major leagues since he will play his home games at Coors Field. Kurtz was injured early in the 2024 campaign but came on strong and finished with 22 homers to go along with a nation-best 78 walks.

Caglianone is a first baseman and pitcher who has the potential to go both ways in the pros, a la Shohei Ohtani. The former Gator hit 35 home runs and went on an April run of nine straight games with a homer. He hit .419 and boasted a .544 on-base percentage, thanks to 58 walks that more than doubled his strikeouts (26).

Caglianone will eventually join a young and on-the-rise Kansas City club that compiled a 52-45 record during the proverbial first half of the season. The Royals have a great chance to add to their win total at the start of the second game because they will face the 27-71 Chicago White Sox this weekend. Don’t miss our MLB picks for today as the MLB regular season resumes on Friday.

MLB Draft insights: Burns the first pitcher off the board at No. 2

Although a hitter was No. 1, it didn’t take long for a pitching prospect to come off the board. Chase Burns, a right-hander out of Wake Forest, was taken second overall by the Cincinnati Reds. A junior this past season, Burns earned ACC Pitcher of the Year honors after compiling a 10-1 record with a 2.70 ERA and 191 strikeouts in 100 innings.

Interestingly, this is the first time in MLB Draft history that the top two selections hail from outside the United States. Bazzana was born in Australia, and Burns in Italy.

MLB Draft insights: MLB Draft lacks headlines, but not short on importance

There are several reasons why the MLB Draft does not attract the attention of its NFL and NBA counterparts. One, college baseball isn’t covered the way college football and college basketball are – not even close. The players simply aren’t huge stars in the national media. Second, it generally takes years for baseball prospects to realize their potential in the major leagues.

For the most part, players don’t make immediate impacts at the highest level like they do on the football field or basketball court. Of course, there are some exceptions – currently the most notable of which is Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, the No. 1 overall pick in 2023. Skenes is starting the All-Star Game for the National League and is among many pundits’ MLB best bets to win the NL Cy Young Award.

But even if franchises don’t come away with a Skenes in this year’s draft, their selections could pay massive dividends in both the near and distant future. That’s why the MLB Draft – even if it isn’t a huge newsmaker – should not be entirely overlooked.

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