2024 MLB Mock Draft: Healthy JJ Wetherholt goes No. 1, Cardinals use highest pick in decades on high schooler

The 2024 MLB Draft is a little less than two weeks away. Three years ago, MLB pushed the draft back from the first week of June to the All-Star break in an effort to better market the event, and it will remain there moving forward even though many executives don't like it . This year, the three-day draft begins Sunday, July 14.

At 76-86, the Guardians were tied with the Pirates for baseball's ninth-worst record last season, yet Cleveland won the lottery and moved up to the No. 1 pick . It is the first time in franchise history the Guardians have held the No. 1 pick . The highest they have ever selected previously was No. 2 on five occasions, mostly recently in 1992 (Paul Shuey).

"It's a fun time for us organizationally," Guardians POBO Chris Antonetti told Cleveland.com last month . "There's a lot of energy in our acquisition groups and within our scouting groups to canvas the whole country. We know we'll get -- for the only time in our organization's history so far -- we'll get to choose literally any player that we want."

The Reds also won big on lottery day. They moved up from the No. 13 pick to No. 2. This will be Cincinnati's highest pick since using the No. 2 pick on Hunter Greene in 2017. The Nationals had the fifth-worst record a year ago but moved back to the No. 10 pick. They had the No. 2 pick last year and teams that pay into revenue sharing cannot have lottery picks in back-to-back years.

All first-round picks are protected from free-agent compensation these days. Teams instead forfeit later draft picks (and international bonus money) to sign qualified free agents. The Mets , Padres , and Yankees all exceeded the $273 million third competitive-balance tax threshold last year and had their first picks moved back 10 spots. All three still pick in the first round, however.

Generally speaking, teams do not draft for need in the early rounds of the draft. It's difficult to predict this sport a month or two into the future. It's impossible to know what your roster needs will be two or three (or more) years down the line, when most of these players will be ready for the big leagues. Take the best, most talented player, and sort out the roster later.

Here are R.J. Anderson's latest draft prospect rankings and here is our first 2024 MLB mock draft . Below is our second first-round mock draft updated to reflect latest chatter, speculation, and rumors. We'll have one more mock draft the morning of the big day.

1. Cleveland Guardians

Mock pick: IF JJ Wetherholt, West Virginia
Slot value: $10,570,600

Not even the Guardians know who they're taking with the draft only two weeks away. The smart money is on them taking a college hitter given the draft class and Cleveland's known affinity for up-the-middle athletes with contact skills. That could push them away from Florida two-way player Jac Caglianone, who certainly has No. 1 pick power, but is a corner player and perhaps not the most polished hitter available this summer. Oregon State's Travis Bazzana and Georgia third baseman/outfielder Charlie Condon are the consensus best players in the draft class and will of course be in the mix here.

For now, we're going to say Wetherholt sneaks in as the No. 1 pick. He was viewed as a No. 1 pick candidate entering the spring, before a hamstring strain sidelined him about six weeks. The money matters as much as the talent. The Guards have a competitive-balance pick (No. 36) and any bonus pool money they save here can be spent on a high-end talent later. If Wetherholt does not go No. 1, there's a real chance he falls out of the top five entirely. In that case, taking a below-slot bonus here is better than taking a slot bonus later, plus he gets to say he was the No. 1 pick in the country. The No. 1 pick is far from decided though.

June 13 mock pick: 2B Travis Bazzana, Oregon State

2. Cincinnati Reds

Mock pick: 3B/OF Charlie Condon, Georgia
Slot value: $9,785,000

Picking between Bazzana and Condon would be the ideal scenario for the Reds, and it could be they'll take whichever one will sign for the smaller bonus. Cincinnati has a competitive-balance pick (No. 71) and could use the savings here on that player. That said, the Reds do not pick again to No. 51, and that's a long wait. That's an argument for just taking the best player at No. 2 and paying him, rather than getting too cute with the money. Condon's the best player in the draft class, so he's the pick here.

June 13 mock pick: Condon

3. Colorado Rockies

Mock pick: RHP Chase Burns, Wake Forest
Slot value: $9,070,800

The Rockies know they cannot sign top-flight free agent pitchers because of Coors Field so they try (and try and try and try) to draft and develop their own starters. They used top-10 picks on pitchers in 2022 ( Gabriel Hughes at No. 10) and 2023 ( Chase Dollander at No. 9), and Burns fits the Dollander mold as a four-seam fastball guy who can miss bats in the strike zone. Colorado is seemingly shifting away from sinkers after that strategy didn't yield much success over the years. Bazzana and Caglianone are both on the board in our mock draft and would presumably get serious consideration at this pick if that scenario played out in real life.

June 13 mock pick: Burns

4. Oakland Athletics

Mock pick: 2B Travis Bazzana, Oregon State
Slot value: $8,370,800

It will almost certainly be a college bat for the A's and they get arguably the best player in the draft class in our mock. Caglianone is definitely a possibility here. Ultimately, Bazzana is the more well-rounded player, and it's not like he's a slouch at the plate. I have a hard time seeing him slipping beyond this pick, not that it's impossible. Bazzana would be a major coup for the A's and the franchise cornerstone they need once they move to Las Vegas (if they move to Las Vegas).

June 13 mock pick: 1B Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest

5. Chicago White Sox

Mock pick: 1B/LHP Jac Caglianone, Florida
Slot value: $7,763,700

Will the team that drafts Calgianone let him continue as a two-way player? There's some thought he'll really blossom as a hitter once he gives up pitching, and we are talking about the guy with the most power in the draft class. Caglianone has legitimate pro potential on the mound, but he might just be a reliever in the long run. Is the juice worth the squeeze? He's already had Tommy John surgery once (June 2021). Do you really want to risk it again? The White Sox are rebuilding from the ground up and a middle of the order force like Caglianone would be an excellent building block.

June 13 mock pick: LHP Hagen Smith, Arkansas

6. Kansas City Royals

Mock pick: LHP Hagen Smith, Arkansas
Slot value: $7,213,800

The Royals will no doubt spend draft day hoping one of Bazzana, Burns, Caglianone, or Condon makes it to this pick. They have been tied pretty heavily to pitching lately, so much so that they might take Burns or Smith over one of the bats. Smith struck out 161 batters in 84 innings this spring and could cut through the minors in short order, boosting a Royals roster that looks like it is on the cusp of contending in the AL Central.

June 13 mock pick: 1B/LHP Jac Caglianone, Florida

7. St. Louis Cardinals

Mock pick: SS Bryce Rainer, Westlake HS (California)
Slot value: $6,823,700

It has been almost 30 years since the Cardinals drafted this high -- their last top-seven pick was in 1998 (J.D. Drew at No. 5) -- and this pick is when we could see the first high schooler taken. Rainer is loaded with tools and upside, and he gives off some Gunnar Henderson and Corey Seager vibes back when they were draft prospects. For what it's worth, Rainer has been speculated as a bonus pool-saving pick inside the top five, though I'm not sure how realistic that is given the comparable college bats in the class. I think St. Louis would be very tempted to take Burns or Smith if they're on the board here.

June 13 mock pick: IF JJ Wetherholt, West Virginia

8. Los Angeles Angels

Mock Pick: RHP Trey Yesavage, East Carolina
Slot value: $6,502,800

History says the first player to reach the big leagues from this draft class will be an Angel. That was the case in 2021 ( Chase Silseth ), 2022 ( Zach Neto ), and 2023 ( Nolan Schanuel ). Yesavage missed the ACC tournament with a punctured lung a few weeks ago, but he returned looking like himself, and that's a quick-moving starter with stuff and pedigree. If Smith falls here, I think the Angels would jump on him. Either way, Smith or Yesavage, I would guess we'd see him in Anaheim next summer.

June 13 mock pick: OF James Tibbs III, Florida State

9. Pittsburgh Pirates

Mock pick: OF James Tibbs III, Florida State
Slot value: $6,216,600

Tibbs has frequently been mentioned as a bonus pool-savings pick in the top-10 somewhere. His power is legit -- it's on par with anyone in the draft class outside Caglianone and Condon -- and Tibbs would be better off financially taking a below-slot bonus here than falling into the middle of the first round. The Pirates have a competitive balance pick (No. 37) and, with the exception of using the No. 1 pick on Paul Skenes last summer, have taken value picks early and spent the savings later in recent years. Tibbs would fit the strategy perfectly.

June 13 mock pick: OF Braden Montgomery, Texas A&M

10. Washington Nationals

Mock pick: OF Braden Montgomery, Texas A&M
Slot value: $5,953,800

A broken ankle ended Montgomery's season two weeks before the Aggies' run to the College World Series Final. He was a possible top 5-6 pick before the injury thanks to his high-end hitting tool, athleticism, and burgeoning power. The Nationals typically take the player they believe the highest upside and do not play bonus pool games. A healthy Montgomery probably doesn't make it to this pick. The injury gets him here in our mock and we think the Nationals would grab him.

June 13 mock pick: SS/OF Konnor Griffin, Jackson Prep (Mississippi)

11. Detroit Tigers

Mock pick: LHP Cam Caminiti, Saguaro HS (Arizona)
Slot value: $5,712,100

The Tigers and Caminiti has been connected steadily the last few weeks. Detroit has swung for the fences with high-upside high schoolers in recent years ( Max Clark in 2023, Jackson Jobe in 2021, Riley Greene in 2019) and Caminiti, the best prep pitcher in the class, would be more of the same. Griffin or Rainer are the alternatives should the Tigers opt to go position player over pitcher. Possibly Montgomery too.

June 13 mock pick: RHP Trey Yesavage, East Carolina

12. Boston Red Sox

Mock pick: SS/OF Konnor Griffin, Jackson Prep (Mississippi)
Slot value: $5,484,600

Over the last few weeks, the Red Sox have been linked to college bats more than any draft demographic, but the college hitters still on the board in our mock simply do not offer the same upside as Griffin. Pound-for-pound, he might be the most electrifying and most tooled up player in the draft class. Boston jumped on Kyle Teel when he unexpectedly fell to their pick last draft and the bet here is they would jump on Griffin (or Rainer) if he's available this year.

June 13 mock pick: SS Bryce Rainer, Westlake HS (California)

13. San Francisco Giants

Mock pick: 2B Christian Moore, Tennessee
Slot value: $5,272,300

Moore hit for the second cycle in College World Series history two weeks ago and he's gotten a lot of buzz in the 11-15 pick range after a standout postseason. The Giants lean heavily on analytical models to make decisions, including on draft day, and Moore has put up premium exit velocities throughout his time with the Volunteers. He may not be a second baseman long-term, but just about everyone believe he's going to hit and hit a lot.

June 13 mock pick: RHP/LHP Jurrangelo Cijntje, Mississippi State

14. Chicago Cubs

Mock pick: 1B Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest
Slot value: $5,070,700

It's possible, maybe even likely, Kurtz will be selected within the top five picks. His numbers this spring were absurd -- Kurtz walked 78 times in 54 games and at one point he hit 14 home runs in a 10-game span -- and he checks all the boxes analytically. He's also a surprisingly nimble defender. That all said, the track record of college first basemen taken in the first round is awful ( C.J. Cron is the last to have a decent career), plus Kurtz missed time with a shoulder injury this year. Those factors conspire to push him down into the middle of the first round. The Cubs seem like a fine landing spot.

June 13 mock pick: LHP Cam Caminiti, Saguaro HS (Arizona)

15. Seattle Mariners

Mock pick: OF Ryan Waldschmidt, Kentucky
Slot value: $4,880,900

Waldschmidt is one of the biggest risers in the draft. He's an exit velocity god, his ball-tracking data is on par with anyone in the class, and some teams have more a generous evaluation of his defense than others. Are the Mariners one of those teams? That I do not know. What I do know is the Mariners traded their competitive-balance pick (No. 68) to the White Sox for Gregory Santos (competitive-balance picks are the only picks that can be traded), so they get fewer bites at the apple this year. That could lean them to a "safer" pick and college hitters with premium data are as safe as it gets.

June 13 mock pick: 3B/CF Seaver King, Wake Forest

16. Miami Marlins

Mock pick: OF Vance Honeycutt, North Carolina
Slot value: $4,704,700

Honeycutt has been mentioned as a possibility for several teams in the middle of the first round. He's an unbelievable center fielder. A potential Gold Glover and probable the best defensive player in the draft regardless of position. There are some questions as to whether Honeycutt will make enough contact at the next level, but the glove gives him a high floor, and there is juice in his bat. Honeycutt carries risk because of the contact issues but he also offers as much upside as almost anyone available this year. The Marlins also have a competitive-balance pick (No. 70) this year.

June 13 mock pick: 3B Cam Smith, Florida State

17. Milwaukee Brewers

Mock pick: 3B/CF Seaver King, Wake Forest
Slot value: $4,534,100

You have to go back to Brice Turang in 2018 for the last time the Brewers took a high school player in the first round. The college-heavy approach figures to continue this year and King fits Milwaukee's M.O. as a player with power who might be a swing tweak or two away from fully unlocking it. He played at least 10 games at three different positions this spring (shortstop, third base, center field) and has a chance to play third or center at the next level. Pop and defensive versatility is up the Brewers' alley.

June 13 mock pick: RHP Brody Brecht, Iowa

18. Tampa Bay Rays

Mock pick: SS Kellen Lindsey, Hardee HS (Florida)
Slot value: $4,372,900

The Rays used their last two first-round picks on big-time power bats ( Xavier Isaac in 2022, Brayden Taylor in 2023) and there will be no shortage of options at this pick if they go that route again, though Lindsey has shot up draft boards this spring and is in the mix for several teams in this range. Lindsey gave up football this year and showed he's more advanced than most kids with two-sport backgrounds. It's top of the line speed and athleticism.

June 13 mock pick: C Caleb Lomavita, Cal

19. New York Mets

Mock pick: OF Carson Benge, Oklahoma State
Slot value: $4,219,200

Benge is the best combination of bat-to-ball skills, exit velocity, defensive value, and track record among players expected to come off the board in the back half of the first round. He has piqued the interest of a lot of teams in this range. New POBO David Stearns and new scouting director Kris Gross targeted skill sets similar to Benge's in the first round when they were with the Brewers and Astros , respectively.

June 13 mock pick: RHP William Schmidt, Catholic HS (Louisiana)

20. Toronto Blue Jays

Mock pick: RHP Brody Brecht, Iowa
Slot value: $4,073,400

As far as raw stuff goes, there might not be anyone better in the class. Brecht touches 100 mph on the regular and his slider is a wipeout pitch. Throwing strikes is not his strong suit, though he spent some time playing baseball and football with the Hawkeyes, so in theory the development could come quickly now that he's focused fully on baseball. The Blue Jays have had some success taking really live arms and getting them in the zone in recent years. Brecht fits.

June 13 mock pick: 2B Christian Moore, Tennessee

21. Minnesota Twins

Mock pick: C Walker Janek, Sam Houston State
Slot value: $3,934,400

This draft class has four college catchers who could hear their names called within the first 40 picks. Depending who you ask, Janek is the best of the bunch thanks to his power, his strong arm, and his good receiving chops. The Twins are not the easiest team to pin down leading up to the draft because the current front office regime has shown a willingness to do anything. High school, college, hitter, pitcher, whatever. They've been all over the map.

June 13 mock pick: OF Carson Benge, Oklahoma State

22. Baltimore Orioles

Mock pick: 3B Cam Smith, Florida State
Slot value: $3,802,200

The O's have not taken a pitcher in the first or supplemental first round in the GM Mike Elias era and there's no reason to think that will change this year. Smith is right in their wheelhouse as a big, physical masher with legit power who is a swing adjustment or two away from being a monster. He's a candidate to come off the board much higher than this, but he's still here in our mock draft, so to the Orioles he goes.

June 13 mock pick: IF Theo Gillen, Westlake HS (Texas)

23. Los Angeles Dodgers

Mock pick: RHP/LHP Jurrangelo Cijntje, Mississippi State
Slot value: $3,676,400

The Dodgers forfeited their second- and fifth-round draft picks to sign Shohei Ohtani , so they have a small bonus pool, which limits their options a bit. Cijntje (pronounced SAIN-ja) is a legitimate switch-pitcher prospect -- he's upper-90s with a slider right-handed and low-90s with a cutter left-handed -- and there's some thought he's the third- or fourth-most talented pitcher in the draft class. Get him to focus on pitching right-handed full-time and Cijntje could break out in a hurry.

June 13 mock pick: OF Slade Caldwell, Valley View HS (Arizona)

24. Atlanta Braves

Mock pick: RHP William Schmidt, Catholic HS (Louisiana)
Slot value: $3,556,300

On talent, Schmidt belongs in the top 15 picks somewhere, but teams tend to steer clear of high school righties in the first round because there is so much inherent injury risk, and because history says they have a very low success rate. The Braves are not afraid to move quickly with pitchers, even high schoolers, and Schmidt is a prime candidate to go on the fast track given his stuff and fastball command.

June 13 mock pick: RHP Braylon Doughty, Chaparral HS (California)

25. San Diego Padres

Mock pick: LHP Kash Mayfield, Elk City HS (Oklahoma)
Slot value: $3,442,100

The Padres have not taken a college player in the first round in almost 10 years (not since Cal Quantrill in 2016) and that streak figures to continue this year. GM A.J. Preller typically targets upside, athleticism, and tools. The player with the best chance to be a superstar, basically. Mayfield is a big lefty with mid-90s gas, a good breaking ball, and one of the best changeups in the draft. The drawback is he is already 19 and one of the oldest prep players available, and older high schoolers don't have the best track record in pro ball. No executive may be more willing to overlook that to get the upside than Preller.

June 13 mock pick: SS Kellen Lindsey, Hardee HS (Florida)

26. New York Yankees

Mock pick: RHP Braylon Doughty, Chaparral HS (California)
Slot value: $3,332,900

New York hasn't taken a pitcher in the first round since Clarke Schmidt in 2017, but this would be a good year to break the trend given who's available in our mock draft. The toolsy exit velocity guys they typically target are mostly off the board and Doughty offers some of the best data in the draft class (spin rates, etc.). Analysts love the data, scouts love the frame and athleticism.

June 13 mock pick: OF Ryan Waldschmidt, Kentucky

27. Philadelphia Phillies

Mock pick: OF Slade Caldwell, Valley View HS (Arizona)
Slot value: $3,228,300

A year ago, the Phillies landed the steal of the draft in Aidan Miller at No. 27. Miller and Caldwell are not all that similar -- Miller is a power threat likely to settle in at third base, Caldwell is a slash-and-dash burner -- but the Phillies have really leaned into the high school ranks the last few years, and Caldwell is the highest-upside high school position player still available in our mock draft, the same way Miller was the highest-upside high school position player still available when Philadelphia's first-round pick rolled around last summer.

June 13 mock pick: C Malcolm Moore, Stanford

28. Houston Astros

Mock pick: 3B Billy Amick, Tennessee
Slot value: $3,132,500

There's a chance Amick is selected much higher than this, perhaps even in the 11-15 range. There are a lot of these "college power hitter with some approach and positional questions" types available this year and all it takes is one team to like a player more than everyone else for him to come off the board 10-15 picks earlier than other clubs have him ranked. When he ran drafts for the Braves, GM Dana Brown loved pitchers with huge arms ( Spencer Strider being an obvious example), and that could push Houston to a high school pitcher rather than a second tier college bat here.

June 13 mock pick: RHP Ryan Sloan, York HS (Illinois)

29. Arizona Diamondbacks

Mock pick: IF Theo Gillen, Westlake HS (Texas)
Slot value: $3,045,500

Beginning here at No. 29, the D-backs have three of the next seven picks -- also No. 31 (Prospect Promotion Incentive pick for Corbin Carroll winning NL Rookie of the Year) and No. 35 (competitive balance) -- and thus a huge bonus pool to play with. That gives them the option to play it conservative here and spend later, or to spend now to get their guy. In our mock draft, we're betting Arizona will do the former, and jump on Gillen. His bat is top 10 worthy, though a series of injuries, including a torn labrum as a sophomore, give some teams pause. The D-backs can shoot for the moon with Gillem here and then balance the risk at No. 31 and 35.

June 13 mock pick: LHP Kash Mayfield, Elk City HS (Oklahoma)

30. Texas Rangers

Mock pick: C Caleb Lomavita, Cal
Slot value: $2,971,300

It was difficult to find a home in this mock for Lomavita, who is likely to come off the board earlier than this pick. The Rangers may prefer Stanford's Malcolm Moore, another catcher with a chance to be selected earlier than No. 30. Any mock drafter will tell you it is more satisfying to nail a late first-round pick than a top-five pick. With the draft still two weeks out, the back of the first round remains wide open.

June 13 mock pick: 3B Tommy White, LSU