It's not just the holiday season right now; It's also draft season of sorts at MLB Pipeline, having just revealed our 2024 Draft Top 100 on Wednesday night.
The Guardians won't be aware of the No. 1 overall pick for another seven months, but that's not stopping us from getting a full-blown bout of draft fever. While it's far, far too early, let's make a few fairly educated guesses and predict the entire first round.
College hitters are by far the strength of the 2024 draft class, and the first six picks below and nine of the top 11 are from that demographic. There are several potential first-round college pitchers, although many have something to prove. Because demand outweighs supply, we have ranked some of these arms slightly higher than we ranked them.
1. Guard: Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest (No. 2)
Kurtz has the most usable power in the class, which would fill the guards' most pressing need.
2nd Red: JJ Wetherholt, SS/2B, West Virginia (No. 1)
The Reds could really use a pitcher, but there's no one worthy of going that high right now, so they'll add to their embarrassment of infield riches with the best pure hitter in the draft.
3. Rockies: Charlie Condon, OF/1B, Georgia (No. 4)
Remember how good Matt Holliday was with the Rockies? Condon has such advantages.
4. Track and Field: Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP, Florida (No. 5)
Acquiring the draft's top two-way talent would help generate interest in the A's after some difficult times.
5. White Sox: Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State (No. 3)
The White Sox could rebuild around a double-play combination of Bazzana and Colson Montgomery.
6. Royals: Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina (No. 6)
Honeycutt has the best all-around tools in college and won't last as long if he shows more consistency at the plate.
7. Cardinals: Josh Hartle, LHP, Wake Forest (No. 13)
A slam-dunk starter who shouldn't need much time in the minors, Hartle is the favorite to be selected as the starting pitcher.
8th Angels: Seaver King, OF/SS, Wake Forest (No. 9)
Transfer from NCAA Division II Wingate (NC) offers a quality bat, well-above-average speed and defensive versatility.
9. Pirates: Konnor Griffin, OF, Jackson Prep, Flowood, Miss. (No. 8)
Griffin, our highest-rated high school prospect, should be at least an average hitter and otherwise has consistently good or better skills.
10. Nationals: Tommy White, 3B, Louisiana State (No. 7)
Best known for his slugging exploits, White is underrated for his hitting ability, but will likely end up at first base in pro ball.
11. Tigers: Mike Sirota, OF, Northeastern (No. 11)
Sirota is the only college player in this projection who is not from a Power 5 conference. He is a midfielder with 20-20 potential.
12. Red Sox: Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas (No. 15)
Smith has more spectacular stuff than Hartle and won't last as long if he finds more shots and consistency in the spring.
13. Giants: Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest (No. 16)
Burns has an untouchable slider and a fastball that reaches 102 mph but gets hit harder than it should. That's four Wake Forest players in the top 13 picks, and right-hander Michael Massey gives the Demon Deacons a potential fifth first-rounder.
14. Cubs: Brody Brecht, RHP, Iowa (No. 17)
No pitcher in this draft has a higher ceiling than Brecht, a former Iowa wide receiver who has a Paul Skenes-esque fastball/slider combination but lacks polish.
15. Mariners: Braden Montgomery, OF/RHP, Texas A&M (No. 10)
Montgomery's stock is somewhat volatile after a shaky decline following his transfer from Stanford, but he still fits the classic right field profile with power from both sides of the plate and outstanding arm strength.
16. Marlins: PJ Morlando, OF, Summerville (SC) HS (No. 14)
The best all-around offensive player in the prep class would be a great fit for the offense-hungry Marlins.
17. Brewers: Carson Benge, OF/RHP, Oklahoma State (No. 26)
Benge's combination of bat-to-ball skills and high release speed is among the best in college, and he will skyrocket to the top of this list if his power develops as hoped this spring.
18. Rays: Thatcher Hurd, RHP, Louisiana State (No. 18)
There are some evaluators who believe Hurd — a College World Series hero at LSU — could emerge as the best pitcher this college year by draft day.
19. Mets: Slade Caldwell, OF, Valley View HS, Jonesboro, Arkansas (No. 20)
Two years after taking Jett Williams at No. 14 overall, the Mets can secure the outfield version.
20. Blue Jays: Malcolm Moore, C, Stanford (No. 12)
Moore is the top sophomore and an offensive catcher who could rise even further if he cleans up his defense.
21. Gemini: Caleb Lomavita, C, California (No. 21)
If Moore isn't the first catcher drafted, that distinction will likely fall to Lomavita, who is more advanced defensively.
22. Orioles: Drew Beam, RHP, Tennessee (No. 22)
The Orioles are in the market for pitching and would be lucky to land Beam, whose polish stands out more than his ever-improving skills.
23. Dodgers: Noah Franco, OF/LHP, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Florida (No. 23)
Clubs appear to value the top two-way prospect among high school students as an advanced hitter with power potential rather than a projectable left-hander.
24. Braves: Cam Caminiti, LHP, Saguaro HS, Scottsdale, Arizona (No. 19)
Caminiti is one of the youngest players in the 2024 draft after being reclassified from 2025. He is an athletic four-pitch left-handed hitter.
25. Padres: Caleb Bonemer, SS/3B, Okemos (Mich.) HS (No. 24)
Bonemer has one of the fastest bats in the prep ranks and may be Michigan's best high school prospect since Derek Jeter.
26. Yankees: Cam Smith, 3B, Florida State (No. 25)
Smith broke out in the Cape Cod League last summer and looks like a big league third baseman with his big frame, strength and plus arm.
27. Phillies: Dakota Jordan, OF, Mississippi State (No. 27)
Jordan may have more bat speed than anyone in the draft, and he is an elite athlete who was recruited by the Bulldogs as a wide receiver.
28. Astros: Kaelen Culpepper, SS, Kansas State (No. 28)
Culpepper's arrow is pointing up after he was the U.S. college national team's top hitter last summer.
29. D-Backs: Jonathan Santucci, LHP, Duke (No. 29)
After having bone fragments removed from his elbow, Santucci looked like an athletic southpaw again this fall with the potential to throw more than three.
30. Rangers: Kevin Bazzell, C, Texas Tech (No. 47)
Let's wrap things up by checking out Bazzell, a gifted hitter and underrated athlete who has the tools needed to successfully transition from third base to catcher.