As we say goodbye to 2023, we look ahead to 2024.
Last year we saw several exciting big league debuts, from top rookies like Tanner Bibee and Matt McLain to highly rated talents like Elly De La Cruz, Grayson Rodriguez, Anthony Volpe and Jordan Walker to postseason hero Evan Carter. There are likely to be many more on the schedule this season, and we're highlighting one for each team you can expect to see below:
Blue Jays: Ricky Tiedemann, LHP (No. 1/MLB No. 31)
There's a good chance Tiedemann would have seen The Show last season if shoulder and biceps problems hadn't limited him to 44 innings. He made up for some lost time in the Arizona Fall League, won Pitcher of the Year honors along the way, and could compete for a spot in Toronto as early as this spring. His mid-90s fastball, impressive sweeper and plus-plus changeup could quickly play a role should the Jays use him as a starter or in shorter stints to maintain his health.
Orioles: Jackson Holliday, SS (No. 1/MLB No. 1)
It's not a season without an exciting Orioles debut, right? In 2022 it was Adleyrutschman, Gunnar Henderson made his debut at the end of the season. Last year we saw Grayson Rodriguez get his first major league win (along with other top 100 guys getting their first call up). We can't wait to see Holliday, who headed straight to Baltimore since being the No. 1 pick in the 2022 draft, make his debut. And the question is when, not if, he will appear in 1924.
Rays: Carson Williams, SS (No. 2/MLB No. 19)
Junior Caminero and Curtis Mead saw the majors in late 2023, and fellow top-50 talent Williams could see a similar schedule in 2024. The 20-year-old shortstop spent most of last summer at High-A Bowling Green before getting late stints at Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham (the latter in an emergency). A Gold Glove winner in 2022, Williams has a glove that could play fast in major league dirt, and his power would also make him a 20-homer threat. He just needs to reduce the strikeouts at the upper levels before being seriously considered in St. Petersburg.
Red Sox: Marcelo Mayer, SS (No. 1/MLB No. 11)
Mayer injured his shoulder in early May last year and was never fully fit again before being shut down in August. Before he got hurt, he looked like the guy the Red Sox were hoping for with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 draft, displaying Corey Seager's offensive upside and smooth defense at shortstop. The middle infield has been a big problem for Boston in 2023, and Mayer and Trevor Story could change that if they were healthy.
Yankees: Chase Hampton, RHP (No. 4/MLB No. 95)
Hampton rose from a 2022 Texas Tech sixth-round pick to a 2023 top 100 prospect, showing the ability to mix up quality pitches and throw them for strikes. As the Yankees' best in-house option to fill the current void in their rotation, his 91-95 mph fastball with carry, curveball with depth in the upper 70s and tight low made his professional debut last summer -80s slider brought out the batsmen.
Guard: Kyle Manzardo, 1B (No. 2/MLB No. 58)
The Guardians desperately need power after finishing last in the majors with 124 home runs – 27 behind the second-worst club, the Nationals – and Manzardo can provide some. When he was acquired from the Rays in July for Aaron Civale, he was best known for his pure hitting ability. He ranked third in the Arizona Fall League with six home runs in 22 contests and also reached deep once in the Fall Stars Game and twice in a play-in game. He looks like Cleveland's obvious starter at first base.
Royals: Tyler Gentry, OF (No. 8)
The 2020 third-rounder's only positive is his arm, but after a 16-14 season at Triple-A Omaha, he has enough power and speed to be a decent all-around contributor at the highest level. His path to right field in Kansas City was made a little more complicated by the recent signing of Hunter Renfroe to a two-year deal, but Gentry was recently added to the 40 team himself and should compete for at least a bench spot this spring.
Tigers: Colt Keith, 3B/2B (No. 2/MLB No. 25)
We got a taste of what Keith can do when he's fully healthy, and the answer is: hit the ball. His .552 slugging percentage in 577 plate appearances was the second-best among players 21 years old or younger at Double-A and Triple-A, and his 27 home runs were the second-most among Tigers minor leaguers (Jace Jung finished with 28). Keith played primarily second base for Triple-A Toledo in September, perhaps signaling where Detroit envisions home when he arrives in 2024 if he can fend off Zach McKinstry, Nick Maton and Andy Ibáñez at keystone.
Twins: Brooks Lee, SS (No. 2/MLB No. 18)
The switch-hitter's No. 8 overall pick in the 2022 draft has lived up to his reputation as an advanced college hitter, splitting time between Double- and Triple-A in his first full season. He draws walks, doesn't strike out often and will continue to draw on his power, and the Twins will have to figure out how to fit his bat into the lineup sooner rather than later.
White Sox: Colson Montgomery, SS (No. 1/MLB No. 17)
The departure of former All-Star and batting champion Tim Anderson makes Montgomery the shortstop of the White Sox's near and long-term future, although he will likely spend some time in Triple-A Charlotte before arriving in Chicago. The 2021 first-rounder from an Indiana high school has drawn comparisons to Corey Seager since his amateur days and lives up to them with his tremendous left-handed power and athleticism as a stocky shortstop.
Angels: Seaver King, OF/SS (No. 9 in the draft top 100)
In our first full mock for the 2024 draft, King was the Angels' pick at No. 8. Considering the Angels had the first draftee to reach the major leagues in the last two years (Zach Neto, their 2022 first-rounder) . and Nolan Schanuel, their top pick in 2023), it only makes sense that they would take another college slugger and watch him make the run to Los Angeles.
Astros: Spencer Arrighetti, RHP (No. 3)
The Astros always seem to have young talent who stay under the radar for a long time until they make a significant impact as rookies. Your next could be Arrighetti, a 2021 sixth-round pick from Louisiana-Lafayette who misses a lot of at-bats with a 92-97 mph fastball with good metrics and a low-80s slider. At some point during the season, he was expected to overtake JP France for Houston's No. 5 starting spot.
A's: Jacob Wilson, SS (No. 1/MLB No. 76)
Wilson, another very advanced hitter from the 2023 draft class, was the No. 6 overall pick out of Grand Canyon University. Jack's son never struck out (4.4 percent in his college career) and hit .333/.391/.475 in 26 games in his debut. It's easy to imagine him starting the year in Double-A and moving up to the big leagues by the All-Star break at the latest.
Mariners: Ryan Bliss, SS/2B (No. 14)
Bliss is coming off a very impressive 20-50 season in the minors and, after a stint in the Arizona Fall League, is ready to show the Mariners what they're made of when they acquire the 2023 Futures Gamer as part of the Paul Sewald took over deals. He offers speed and more power than one would expect given his 5'7″ height, while also providing solid defense in the middle.
Rangers: Wyatt Langford, OF (No. 2/MLB No. 13)
The Rangers are coming off a World Series championship and just drafted Langford last July, but don't be surprised if the fourth overall pick from Florida forces his way into Texas' lineup sooner rather than later. He had more power than any other player in the 2023 draft class, hitting .360/.480/.677 with 10 home runs and 12 steals in 44 games at four levels while advancing to Triple-A.
Braves: Hurston Waldrep, RHP (No. 2/MLB No. 100)
From a pure perspective, Waldrep was as good as almost any arm not named Paul Skenes in the 2023 draft class, and he used it to work his way up to Triple-A in his summer debut. He hit 12.6 per nine in this debut, and while he still needs to fine-tune his command (4.9 BB/9 last summer; 4.2 per nine in his college career), his skill set should have him in the fold soon be able to get big league hitters out.
Marlins: Patrick Monteverde, LHP (No. 15)
While the Marlins don't have any young players who haven't made their debut yet to compete for a big league job, Monteverde could find his way into the rotation after playing the system in each of his first two full professional seasons the ERA led. A nearly 24-year-old senior in 2021, he was an eighth-round pick out of Texas Tech and thrives with depth and solid control thanks to a plus-low-80s shift.
Mets: Luisangel Acuña, SS/2B (No. 1/MLB No. 38)
New York agreed to pay about $35 million of Max Scherzer's remaining salary through 2024 to ensure it gets a candidate of Acuña's quality. The 21-year-old center fielder, now at 40, is slated to open at Triple-A Syracuse in 2024, where you can bet he'll see more second base as he moves closer to the shadow of Francisco Lindor approaches. Acuña's aggressiveness on the basepaths and his burgeoning power could create a dynamic double-play duo in Queens between now and the All-Star break.
National player: Dylan Crews, OF (No. 1/MLB No. 4)
Is it usually aggressive to expect a player to make his debut less than a year after being drafted? Secure. Is Crews a normal draft candidate? Absolutely not. Even though he ran out of steam at Double-A Harrisburg at the end of 2023, the reigning Golden Spikes Award winner doesn't need much seasoning with his plus-plus hitting tool, plus power and plus speed. He could rotate early between center and corners with James Wood at Triple-A Rochester if he doesn't make the club after the spring, but his arrival in the capital will be the most highly anticipated since Juan Soto.
Phillies: Mick Abel, RHP (No. 2/MLB No. 45)
Abel spent most of the 2023 season in hitter-friendly Double-A Reading, and his splits on the home stretch paint a different picture than his overall numbers (2.14 ERA, .178 opponents' batting average on the road), although he was tough to hit everywhere (.192 opponent batting average for the year) and hit 10.5 per nine that year. Command is an issue (5.2 BB/9 in 2023), but he will help this playoff-caliber team in some capacity in 2024.
Brewer: Jackson Chourio, OF (No. 1/MLB No. 2)
Chourio's eight-year, $82 million contract didn't necessarily guarantee him a spot on Milwaukee's opening roster, but it certainly gave him the opportunity to join The Show the same month he turns 20. The Venezuelan native has the plus power and plus-plus speed to add instant energy to the Crew lineup, and he should compete with Sal Frelick and Garrett Mitchell for the right to play center field. It might take some time for Chourio's overall bat to adjust, but if everything works out, he'll have a superstar advantage.
Cardinals: Victor Scott II, OF (No. 4)
For some runners, you immediately sit up as soon as you reach first base. Scott — an 80-grade flyer who led the minors in steals with 94 in 2023 — is one of them. The 2022 fifth-rounder may be the center fielder of the future for St. Louis, and his blistering speed fits really well with the emphasis on base routes in the modern game. Scott has played 66 games in Double-A and 23 more in the AFL, so he may just need some experience (and proof that his offensive improvements can last) before joining the Cards.
Boys: Cade Horton, RHP (No. 2/MLB No. 29)
The No. 7 pick in the 2022 draft after his only season at Oklahoma, Horton is a former quarterback and two-way player with better pure stuff than anyone in the Cubs' rotation. He has a mid-90s fastball with a carry and a wipeout mid-80s slider with a two-plane break, and dominated hitters during his professional career with a .191 opponent average and 117 strikeouts with 27 walks in 88 1/3 innings Debut.
Pirates: Paul Skenes, RHP (No. 1/MLB No. 3)
The No. 1 pick in last year's draft could follow a Stephen Strasburg-like path to the big leagues. Strasburg debuted in June of his first full professional season, and there's no reason Skenes, who has already reached Double-A, can't get there by then, if not sooner. It wouldn't surprise any of us if he made the Pirates' decision difficult in spring training.
Reds: Rhett Lowder, RHP (No. 2/MLB No. 41)
After Paul Skenes, Lowder could be the first arm from the 2023 draft class to make it to the big leagues. Although he hasn't thrown a professional pitch yet, he has an incredibly advanced feel for pitching and a lot of practical things. I would send him to Double-A to start the 2024 season and let his performance carry me to Cincinnati, where there remains a pitching need.
D-Backs: Yu-Min Lin, LHP (No. 4)
That would be pure fun. Lin lacks size (5-foot-11) and fastball speed (89-92 mph), but he can make hitters look foolish with a plus changeup and two potentially above-average break balls in his curveball and slider. It's a kitchen-sink approach that has helped him generate reverse splits, striking out 140 batters in 121 1/3 innings in High-A and Double-A. If Lin can brave Reno and the PCL, the D-Backs should take a look at his repertoire sometime next summer.
Dodgers: Nick Frasso, RHP (No. 4/MLB No. 65)
Although the Dodgers have bolstered their rotation with Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow, Frasso should make his presence felt in Los Angeles at some point in 2024. He was acquired as part of a deal that sent Mitch White and infield prospect Alex DeJesus to the Blue Jays in August 2022. He can overwhelm hitters with a 95-100 mph fastball with run and impressive extension, keep them off balance with a mid-80s fade and sink changeup, and make them miss shots with a mid-80s slider.
Giants: Mason Black, RHP (No. 9)
Black is the best right-handed pitcher in a southpaw-dominated system and could work his way into the Giants' rotation with a mid-90s fastball with carry and run and a mid-80s slider with sweep and depth. He has passed four levels with 291 strikeouts in 235 2/3 innings since turning pro in 2021 as a third-rounder out of Lehigh.
Padres: Jackson Merrill, SS (No. 2/MLB No. 9)
Merrill was an above-average hitter in both High-A and Double-A in his age-20 season while continuing to rely on his strength to put the ball in play; His K rate of 12.1 percent was the ninth-lowest among minor leaguers with at least 500 plate appearances. Converting that into more consistent play will be a deciding factor in his value at the plate, but it wouldn't be a surprise if he pushes for San Diego as a 21-year-old and the Padres either move him or Xander Bogaerts comes up short.
Rockies: Jordan Beck, OF (No. 4/MLB No. 83)
It's a difficult transition for the Rockies' offense from hitter-friendly Spokane to pitch-happy Hartford. Beck didn't produce as much when he arrived in Hartford, but he's drawing walks and coming into his own. Look for him to make adjustments at the upper levels and work his way to Colorado next season.