2024 Draft

[RZNJ]

Perusing Baseball Americas top 100 draft prospects and realizing that we are picking around 23, this guy caught my eye as a possibility.  Keeping in line with a college position player taken in each Elias draft with the exception of 2022 with Holliday.  Otherwise, Rutschman, Kjerstad, Cowser, and Bradfield.

26. Cameron Smith

3B

Ht: 6'3" | Wt: 221 | B-T: R-R

Age: null

School: Florida State. Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted 
Age At Draft: 21.4 
Smith came into the 2023 season with significant buzz following a monster fall in which he established himself as an every-day member of the Seminoles’ lineup. He showed flashes of plus raw power and the ability to defend well at third with a plus arm, but swing and miss issues hindered the freshman’s production. Smith thrived this summer in the Cape Cod League and hit .347 with 12 doubles, four triples and six home runs. His approach has improved drastically, and it is clear that he is far more comfortable in the box with refined pitch recognition skills. At 6-foot-3, 220 pounds Smith already has a big league body and given his range and plus throwing arm, will be able to stick at third.

[RZNJ]

Baseball America already has a mock 2024 draft now that the draft positions have been finalized.  
 

22. Orioles — Noah Franco, OF/LHP, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. 

Franco has a low-90s fastball and decent feel for a solid slider on the mound, but his powerful lefthanded swing likely has more scouts eyeing him as a hitter at the next level. Franco takes big hacks and looks to do damage with a swing that can get overly long, but he drives the ball to all fields with authority and is also a deft defender at first base, with a chance for a corner outfield position as well.

 

Most likely a 1B.  Doesn’t seem like an Elias 1st selection.

[btdart20]

2 hours ago, RZNJ said:

Baseball America already has a mock 2024 draft now that the draft positions have been finalized.  
 

22. Orioles — Noah Franco, OF/LHP, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. 

Franco has a low-90s fastball and decent feel for a solid slider on the mound, but his powerful lefthanded swing likely has more scouts eyeing him as a hitter at the next level. Franco takes big hacks and looks to do damage with a swing that can get overly long, but he drives the ball to all fields with authority and is also a deft defender at first base, with a chance for a corner outfield position as well.

 

Most likely a 1B.  Doesn’t seem like an Elias 1st selection.

Nope.  Sure doesn't.  

[btdart20]

At this way-too-early point, it sounds like the top tier is three deep:  Kurtz, Wetherholt, and Bazzana.  At least those three are consistently in the top 5-6 range with random other guys mixed in.  

 

College

2024 MLB Draft: The Top 200 College Prospects led by Kurtz - Future Stars Series

Top 20 college prospects for 2024 MLB Draft

 

High School

2024 MLB Draft: Top 200 High School Prospects - Konnor Griffin heads the class - Future Stars Series

Top 20 high school prospects for 2024 MLB Draft

 

(Sorry, had to move on from the Rube news.)

[Sports Guy]

I hope they go big with these first 3 picks(provided players are there they like for overslots) but I doubt that happens.

[SpOkane]

Pipeline has their Top 100 out now: Top Baseball Draft Prospects (mlb.com)

[RZNJ]

On 12/12/2023 at 12:25 PM, Sports Guy said:

I hope they go big with these first 3 picks(provided players are there they like for overslots) but I doubt that happens.

They’ve clearly been doing something wrong not taking your advice all of these years.  Maybe this is the year.   lol

[RZNJ]

49 minutes ago, SpOkane said:

Pipeline has their Top 100 out now: Top Baseball Draft Prospects (mlb.com)

Last year at this time I guessed Arjun Nimmala.   Wrong.  This year I’m going with Cam Smith (3B Fla St) assuming he’s still there at their pick.   

[Frobby]

Listening to the Pipeline podcast this week, it seems like the top of this draft is pretty weak compared to the previous two years.   

[Sports Guy]

45 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Listening to the Pipeline podcast this week, it seems like the top of this draft is pretty weak compared to the previous two years.   

Not surprising…a lot of the Covid guys have been drafted at this point…there was some depth because of that but I would assume that has loosened up.

[Sports Guy]

46 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Listening to the Pipeline podcast this week, it seems like the top of this draft is pretty weak compared to the previous two years.   

Not surprising…a lot of the Covid guys have been drafted at this point…there was some depth because of that but I would assume that has loosened up.

Were there any thoughts on the depth of the draft? 

[Frobby]

3 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Not surprising…a lot of the Covid guys have been drafted at this point…there was some depth because of that but I would assume that has loosened up.

I’m really referring to the very top of the draft (top 5).   I don’t know about after that.  But what you said makes sense.  Last year would have included all the guys who were high school seniors in 2020 who decided to go to college.   

I’d guess they will talk about depth more next week.  This podcast preceded the release of the full top 100 and they weren’t giving too much away.
 

Edited December 14, 2023 by Frobby

[Sports Guy]

1 minute ago, Frobby said:

I’m really referring to the very top of the draft (top 5).   I don’t know about after that.  But what you said makes sense.  Last year would have included all the guys who were high school seniors in 2020 who decided to go to college.   

What I said could also elude to the depth too…I’m just wondering if this is a draft where we go big for 3-4 picks and then not worry about it after that.

[Frobby]

Just now, Sports Guy said:

What I said could also elude to the depth too…I’m just wondering if this is a draft where we go big for 3-4 picks and then not worry about it after that.

Nothing they said on the podcast addressed that question.  I think what you said is logical.  In any event, it’s difficult to judge the depth of a draft class before the season immediately preceding the draft has been played.  

[btdart20]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I’m really referring to the very top of the draft (top 5).   I don’t know about after that.  But what you said makes sense.  Last year would have included all the guys who were high school seniors in 2020 who decided to go to college.   

That's what I've heard too in the little bit of reading/listening I've done.  

The 2024 college Sr. class will have some Covid carry-over I think.  So maybe lower quality players in general compared to their classmates who were drafted in 2023, but cheaper signing bonuses?  

Maybe Elias goes overslot early and a bunch of Sr. signings to meet the total slot value...