GUARDIANS

Guardians announce they have signed 21 players, including top 16 draft picks

Updated: Jul. 22, 2023, 10:02 p.m.|Published: Jul. 22, 2023, 9:59 p.m.

By Joe Noga, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio —

The Guardians have signed 19 of their 21 selections from the 2023 draft. Heading the list was No.1 pick (23rd overall) Ralphy Velazquez, a catcher from Huntington Beach High School in California. Left-hander Alex Clemmey a second-round pick out of Bishop Hendricken High in Rhode Island is also in the fold.

The only unsigned players among Cleveland’s 2023 selections were 16th round pick Mac Huer, a right-handed pitcher out of Greensboro, Ga. who is committed to Texas Tech and 20th round pick Ryan Marohn, a lefty out of Freedom High in Chantilly, Va. who is committed to North Carolina State. The signing deadline is July 25 at 5 p.m.

Cleveland also signed a pair of non-drafted free agents on Saturday. Right-hander Javier Torres out of Judson High in Texas and lefty Jake Berry from the University of Virginia were among the signings announced at the club’s Goodyear, Ariz. training facility.

Below is a list of all players Cleveland signed on Saturday.

C RALPHY VELAZQUEZ
Round 1 (#23 overall)
AGE/DOB: 18, May 28, 2005 SCHOOL: Huntington Beach HS (CA)
BATS/THROWS: L/R HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-3/215

LHP ALEX CLEMMEY
Round 2 (#58 overall)
AGE/DOB: 18, July 18, 2005 SCHOOL: Bishop Hendricken HS (RI)
BATS/THROWS: L/L HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-6/205

RHP ANDREW WALTERS
Competitive Balance Round 2 (#62 overall)
AGE/DOB: 22, December 8, 2000 SCHOOL: Miami (FL)
BATS/THROWS: R/R HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-4/222.

1B/OF C.J. KAYFUS
Round 3 (#93 overall)
AGE/DOB: 21, October 28, 2001 SCHOOL: Miami (FL)
BATS/THROWS: L/L HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-0/192.

C COOPER INGLE
Round 4 (#125 overall)
AGE/DOB: 21, February 23, 2002 SCHOOL: Clemson
BATS/THROWS: L/R HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 5-10/190.

SS CHRISTIAN KNAPCZYK
Round 5 (#161 overall)
AGE/DOB: 21, December 16, 2001 SCHOOL: Louisville
BATS/THROWS: L/R HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 5-9/165.

OF TOMMY HAWKE
Round 6 (#188 overall)
AGE/DOB: 21, July 7, 2002 SCHOOL: Wake Forest
BATS/THROWS: L/R HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 5-8/155.

SS ALEX MOONEY
Round 7 (#218 overall)
AGE/DOB: 21, July 6, 2002 SCHOOL: Duke
BATS/THROWS: R/R HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-1/195

OF JONAH ADVINCULA
Round 8 (#248 overall)
AGE/DOB: 22, January 6, 2001 SCHOOL: Washington State
BATS/THROWS: L/R HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-1/197.

RHP JAY DRIVER
Round 9 (#278 overall)
AGE/DOB: 21, February 25, 2002 SCHOOL: Harvard
BATS/THROWS: R/R HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-3/195.

LHP MATT WILKINSON
Round 10 (#308 overall)
AGE/DOB: 20, December 10, 2002 SCHOOL: Central Arizona
BATS/THROWS: R/L HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-1/270.

C JOHNNY TINCHER
Round 11 (#338 overall)
AGE/DOB: 21, August 5, 2001 SCHOOL: University of Washington
BATS/THROWS: R/R HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 5-8/170.

RHP KEEGAN ZINN
Round 12 (#368 overall)
AGE/DOB: 18, March 30, 2005 SCHOOL: Lake Minneola High School (FL)
BATS/THROWS: R/R HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-3/165.

LHP JACOB BRESNAHAN
Round 13 (#398 overall)
AGE/DOB: 18, June 27, 2023 SCHOOL: Sumner High School (WA)
BATS/THROWS: L/L HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-4/195.

RHP ZANE MOREHOUSE
Round 14 (#428 overall)
AGE/DOB: 23, November 16, 1999 SCHOOL: University of Texas
BATS/THROWS: R/R HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-4/200.

RHP KYLE SCOTT
Round 15 (#458 overall)
AGE/DOB: 21, April 16, 2002 SCHOOL: Lackawanna College (PA)
BATS/THROWS: R/R HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-1/220

OF BARRETT RIEBOCK
Round 17 (#518 overall)
AGE/DOB: 20, July 30, 2002 SCHOOL: Paris Junior College
BATS/THROWS: L/L HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-2/190.

RHP MATT JACHEC
Round 18 (#548 overall)
AGE/DOB: 21, July 25, 2001 SCHOOL: Indiana State University
BATS/THROWS: R/R HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-0/205.

RHP JOSH HARLOW
Round 19 (#578 overall)
AGE/DOB: 22, April 18, 2001 SCHOOL: Mercer University
BATS/THROWS: R/R HEIGHT/WEIGHT 6-3/215.

RHP JAVIER TORRES
AGE/DOB: 18, December 19, 2004 SCHOOL: Judson HS (TX)
BATS/THROWS: R/R HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-2/205.

LHP JAKE BERRY
AGE/DOB: 22, May 19, 2001 SCHOOL: University of Virginia
BATS/THROWS: L/L HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-10/235.

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In the photo I know Ralphy is the one in the middle front; which picks are the two flanking him?

https://twitter.com/CleGuardPro/status/ ... 29/photo/1

Civ,

Seems to be an obvious theme to their drafting process !

make contact, that's about the entire offensive philosophy,

the two guys we did not sign;
Round 16
2023 16 488 Cleveland GuardiansTeam

Jeffrey Heuer
RHP Georgia Home Education Association HS GA N
School: Home School Source: HS

Commit/Drafted: Texas Tech
Age At Draft: 19
Heuer is an extra-large righthander with a 6-foot-4, 230-pound frame. He throws from a short and compact arm action and three-quarter slot with plenty of arm strength and an in-line finish to the plate. He has a solid fastball that sat around 91-92 mph during 2022 and touched 95 mph at peak, and this spring has been up to 96-97. He previously threw a mid-70s curveball as his go-to breaking ball but during the offseason he began to experiment more with a harder slider—though both iterations of the breaking ball need continued development. He will also mix in a firm, upper-80s changeup that has a bit of fading life. Heuer pitched in the 92-95 mph range at the MLB Draft Combine in June, and he missed a few bats with his fastball, though he continued to show a below-average breaking ball that needs more touch and feel and sharper breaking action. Heuer is on the older end for the class and turns 19 right before the draft. He’s committed to Texas Tech.

Round 20 Ryan Marohn
School: Freedom HS, Chantilly, Va. Source: HS

Commit/Drafted: North Carolina State
Age At Draft: 18.3
Marohn pitched in the upper 80s and touched 91 mph in 2022, but he ticked that fastball velocity up a bit early in the 2023 season and will sit in the low 90s early in short stints before getting back into the upper 80s after a few innings. While he lacks velocity currently, he has impressive feel to pitch, with good tempo and an extended three-quarter arm slot that he repeats well. In addition to filling up the zone with his running fastball, Marohn has shown good feel to spot a slurvy breaking ball in the 79-82 mph range and uses an 84 mph changeup for whiffs in the zone and below it. He’s a North Carolina State commit who looks like an immediate contributor if he makes it to campus.

the signing bonuses are interesting

Round 1 Velazquez $2.5 M was less than a dozen guys drafted later
Round 2 LHP Clemmy $2.3M was well above the going rate among his draft level peers
Round 2A Walker RHP $955,275 was a little low at that point
Round 3 OF Kayfus $700,000 was about on par
Round 4 C Ingle $400.000 ditto
Round 5 Kanpczyk $385,000 a little high
Round 6 Hawke OF without power $295000
Round 7 was their big overpay: Alex Mooney SS at Duke $1M, he was still eligible to return to school so had leverage
round 8 9 11 12 14 15 and 17 all got $150,000
Round 10 $110,00
Round 19 $100,000
Round 18 $50,000
and one more big overpay at his slot to LHP high school Jacob Bresnahan
School: Sumner (Wash.) HS Source: HS

Commit/Drafted: Oregon
Age At Draft: 18
Bresnahan wasn’t on the national scene for much of the showcase circuit in 2022, so he went under the radar, but has impressed scouts during the spring with a strong senior season. Listed at 6-foot-3, 175 pounds, Bresnahan pounds the zone with lots of strikes and throws with a loose and easy delivery and three-quarter slot and a slight crossfiring finish. He has a three-pitch mix that includes an 87-92 mph fastball, a curveball that is a work in progress and a changeup that has a chance to be an above-average pitch. Bresnahan is on the younger end of the class and doesn’t turn 18 until a few days before the draft. He is committed to Oregon.

the exciting overpaid HS arm last year was Jacob Zinn got $1.2M and is another one of the 2022 class who's injured and hasnt played in a game

BA analysis of the draft signings and how money was spent; Cleveland spent 5% over their allocated cap which is the maximum before penalties are assessed. The strategy is described as:

The Guardians consistently seem to spread their pool money around, and they did so in 2023 by saving $880,900 on Ralphy Velazquez in the first round, with those savings essentially going directly to second-rounder Alex Clemmey, who signed for an $897,400 deal right behind him. Cleveland then saved a combined $469,925 on its next three picks—two college juniors and a college senior—which made up the bulk of the savings to sign draft-eligible sophomore Alex Mooney ($768,700 over slot) in the seventh round.

https://www.google.com/search?q=travis+ ... MHXrA,st:0

Here is our guy !

Bazinga !!

Baseball America reviews with 4 years hindsight the 2019 draft;

Cleveland not listed as either a "winner' or a "loser" in revisiting the results.
picking No. 24 the Indians took HS pitcher Daniel Espino. BA now puts at No. 26 which of course all depends on his arm health. They write

Espino’s injury status makes him another difficult player to place here. The opening line of his 2019 draft report holds up nicely: “No pitcher –high school or college – has as much upside as Georgia righthander Daniel Espino in the 2019 draft.” When healthy, Espino has flashed an extremely lethal fastball/slider combination that is among the best in all of the minor leagues, but he has pitched in just 18.1 innings in the last two years and didn’t throw at all in 2023 after undergoing shoulder surgery. If he’s healthy he belongs much higher than this. Ultimately, it might be safer to go with names behind him.

Cleveland Guardians 2024 MLB Draft Watch List: College Pitchers

JUSTIN LADA

FEB 15

Here's a pre-season list of college pitchers we think are fits and some personal favorites. This will be posted on our 2024 MLB Draft page and this will be updated throughout the season with new names and observations. (We know twitter and substack don’t play well together but we included the links from player clips from there that you can open on another tab for reference).

RHP Chase Burns (Wake Forest)

A Tennessee transfer Burns, has a lengthy track record of performing at a high level, dating back to his time as a prep arm. Although he was moved to the bullpen as last year at Tennessee. With a fastball that has touched 102 in the fall and possibly the best slider in this class, Burns has a chance to shoot up draft boards, even more so than he currently is setting. Reports are that he is working on his curveball and splitter. If he puts it all together and maintains his performance he could be a darkhorse option for the Guardians at 1-1

RHP Trey Yesavge (East Carolina)

Yesavage made the transition from the bullpen last season and had great results. Which led him to make the team USA roster in the summer. His fastball stats in the mid-90s with an amazing slider to go with it. He does offer a curveball in a change-up, but they are behind the other two options, if he can repeat what he did last year, he could be a mid-first-round pick.

LHP Gage Jump (LSU):

The UCLA transfer has a fastball that sits in the low to mid 90’s with great metrics, to go along with a hammer curve. Coming off TJ surgery during his last season at UCLA. Looks to be a weekend starter for the Tigers.

RHP Ben Hess (Alabama)

Hess is a big-body presence on the mound. He was hurt early in the 2023 season but showed a great deal of impressive stuff before being hurt. His fastball sets in the mid-90s and hammers this down with it he throws a curveball as his best secondary pitch, which has a very high spin rate that generates a ton of swing and miss. He throws a slider and a change-up as well, which have shown flashes of being average patches. If he shows that he is healthy and stays on the path, he was on before the injury, he could shoot up draft boards quickly.

RHP Tyson Neighbors (Kansas State):

Neighbors is possibly the best reliever in this class. struck out 86 batters in just 48 ⅔ innings pitched last season. His fastball sits in the upper 90s with great spin behind it. He follows that with an upper 80s slider that has a very good life and late break. Some in the industry think could be a starter but will likely stay as a reliever and could be in the majors very quickly.

RHP Matt Ager (UC Santa Barbara)

The UCSB ace has a great frame and easy delivery. His fastball sets in the low 90s has been reported up to 96. He is primarily a two-pitch pitcher with a slider that goes with his fastball. So much so that he used these two pitches 90% of the time last season, he throws a ton of strikes but needs to work on a third offering to reach his potential.

LHP Jac Caglianone (Florida):

Left-hander who can run it up to 97. He may not have ideal control but is on this list because he is a two-way starter at Florida and the Guardians popped three Florida arms in the 2021 draft (Tommy Mace, Jack Leftwich and Franco Aleman).

RHP Ryan Forucci (UC San Diego)

Forucci basketball. It sits in the mid-90s with a ton of ride and carry in the upper part of this out. He throws a ton of strikes and has a good slider to go with his fastball. He has shown feel for the change-up in the past but does not utilize it that much. If he can bring that pitch along, he fits the bill for Guardians type.

LHP Andrew Healy (Duke):

Healy is a 6’6 draft-eligible sophomore. Scouts in the industry rave about his makeup and body. His fastball sits in the low 90s and has shown great command in the past. His best secondary pitch is this changeup which shows a lot of fade and drop at the end. He needs to develop his slider more so, but could be a steal as a draft-eligible sophomore in the second-round range.

LHP Cameron Hill (Georgia Tech)

Hill is a very interesting prospect. His command in college has been iffy at best, but He was absolutely dominant in the Cape Cod league last summer with an ERA of 1.09 and struck out 44 batters in 33 innings. Many attribute this to the increase of his changeup during this time. His fastball sits in the low 90’s but could see that increase.

RHP Daniel Avitia (Grand Canyon)

The Grand Canyon ace the last two seasons, Avitia has amazing command. His fastball sits in the 89–92 range but gets a ton of swing and miss off the pitch. He has a lower slot delivery which adds deception to his pictures. He added a sweeper and his sliders which are both above average pitches. He is a prime candidate for the Guardians in the 2nd-3rd round range.

RHP Brody Brecht (Iowa):

Brecht has possibly the best stuff. A two-sport athlete at Iowa, it is exciting to see what he will look like while just focusing on baseball. Although the command has never been there, the ceiling is through the roof. With a fastball that has a ton of life and tops out at 102, he pairs it with a devastating slider that he throws a great deal. There are reports of him working on a sweeper as well as a splitter. It will be interesting to see if he can refine his command. If he’s able to put it all together, he will hear his name called very early.

LHP Hagen Smith (Arkansas)

Smith has had a great deal of success ever since he stepped on campus. He has seen his fastball velocity increase every year ever since he started. The fastball has been reported to have hit triple digits this fall, and he looks to showcase that this spring. The command is something that he needs to improve on but the overall stuff is great. His best offering is a slider in the upper 80s. There are some reports that he has developed a split change. His delivery has some deception and makes for an uncomfortable at-bat for college hitters.

RHP Drew Beam (Tennessee )

Beam is a big body workhorse at Tennessee. His fastball sits in the 92-95 range, but has topped 98 in the past. He throws a five-pitch mix, but relies heavily on his curveball as his go-to secondary. He has all the makings of a solid big-league middle-of-the-rotation arm, with the potential to be better as he refines his secondary stuff.


RHP Luke Holman (LSU)

Holamn was kind of the forgotten man last year, not only in the SEC, but on the loaded LSU roster. He was second in the conference in terms of FIP with a 1.05, with only Skeens ahead of him. His fastball sits in the 92-94 range, but it has topped in the upper 90’s on occasion. He throws a slider and a change-up as well. He pitched for Team USA last year and racked up 15 k’s and only two walks in eight innings pitched.

RHP Michael Massey (Wake Forest):

Massey was a reliever at Wake in the past, putting up great numbers in his role. He hides the ball extremely well in his delivery. His fastball sits in the mid-90s but due to its outlandish shape and delivery, he had a 41% miss rate on the pitch. He offers a great slider to pair with his fastball. He will finally get a shot at the rotation this year, and if he can garner the same success, he could see his stock rise more so than it is.

LHP Cade Obermuller (Iowa)

A sidearm lefty, Obermuller has primarily been used as a reliever in the past, but he is looking to crack the starting rotation this year. He is primarily a two-pitch pitcher currently, with a bowling ball sinker, and a sweeping slider to pair with it. He is more than likely a reliever in pro ball, but that could change if he can show he can start, and add a third pitch to the mix.

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that's a lot of possiblity for number one pick, especially since most of what I've seen puts a few position players on the top of the draft. and certainly is what we want for the Guardians

2024 MLB Draft 1.1 Stock Watch List - Week 10

JUSTIN LADA AND WILLIE HOOD

APR 23

While the first-round pick in everyone’s draft isn’t the most important, especially in baseball. Cleveland Guardians picking #1 overall for the first time in franchise history is worth paying closer attention to.

So at the end of each week, we’ll update some of the candidates’ names and stats from the past week and for the season. We will rank our current favorites, in order, to take #1 overall this July. We may add or subtract names from this list as the season goes on, depending on who we think deserves to be in the conversation.

Week 10

2B Travis Bazzana (Oregon State) 3-12, HR, 2 BB, K vs. California (.434/.590/.971, 8 2B, 4 3B, 19 HR, 47 BB/17 K, 9 SB): After being hit in the hand with a pitch during a midweek game last week, Bazzan avoided anything serious and was back in the lineup for the weekend. He homered and was walked a few times in a largely disappointing series for his team. At this point, Cleveland has probably seen all they need to see in Bazzana based on his Cape performance last year, and how his swing changes this year worked. If they’re going to pick him, they already know it and it depends on bonus demands.

https://x.com/MLBPipeline/status/1781843380156158138

RHP Chase Burns (Wake Forest) 5 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 8 K vs. Florida State; (44.2 IP, 84 K/11 BB, 3.43 ERA): Again, it seems unlikely Burns or any pitcher goes 1-1 at this point, but he did pitch pretty well against a good Florida State lineup last week, through they made him work hard and knocked him out early. At this point, he can probably be dropped off the 1-1 watch list, realistically.

https://x.com/DSeifertD1PBR/status/1781454290587889903

LHP/1B Jac Caglianone (Florida) 5-12, 2 HR, 3 BB/0 K vs. Vanderbilt; 5 IP, 6H, 2 ER, 5 K/3 BB; (.401/.495/.854, 23 HR, 23 BB/14 K; 44.1 IP, 54 K/32 BB, 3.86 ERA): The home run streak for Jac ended at nine games after going 1-3 with a single on Sunday vs. Vanderbilt but it was an impressive streak. He has more homers than strikeouts and as many homers as walks now. He’s cut down on the strikeouts this year, though the chase rate remains the concern. After thinking he was a pitcher only at some point, now people wonder if his future is as a hitter. And if that’s true, he’s a first baseman only? Hard to know how to evaluate that.

https://x.com/bigdonkey47/status/1780387563934478604

OF/1B/3B Charlie Condon (Georgia) 7-14, 4 2B, 2 HR, 2 BB, 4 K, SB vs. Ole Miss (.483/.584/1.119, 16 2B, 26 HR, 33 BB/29 K, 3 SB): Ole Miss isn’t what they have been in the past and Condon hit just like it. He’s not slowing down, but hopefully Georgia makes a serious SEC run so he can see some top tier pitching. But either way, we’re close to getting to a two-man race at 1-1 possibly.

https://x.com/BaseballUGA/status/1781802944842871131

OF/RHP Konnor Griffin (High School) .567/.706/1.684, 7 HR, 12 2B, 8 K/41 BB, 74 SB; 50 IP, 82 K/17 BB, 0.56 ERA: At this point, it seems unlikely Cleveland is going prep at 1-1, and even Bryce Rainer at this point would be in the 1-1 discussion. That doesn’t mean Griffin isn’t a great player, it just seems less likely at this point unless he plays into the underslot deal there.

https://x.com/PG_DeepSouth/status/1778924877233189218

1B Nick Kurtz (Wake Forest) 2-12, 2 2B, 3 BB/5 K vs. Florida State (.322/.506/.843, 7 2B, 17 HR, 42 BB/24 K): Was this Kurtz’s Chase DeLauter moment? Now, Kurtz has seen better pitching in the ACC than DeLauter did in his conference, but he also played on the Cape too and dominated. Kurtz faced Jamie Arnold and Arnold won. There will be more chances for Kurtz to see better pitching again in the ACC tournament, especially possibly seeing Florida State again. So this isn’t the end of that match but it was worth watching this weekend.

https://x.com/DSeifertD1PBR/status/1781800421884829938

OF Braden Montgomery (Texas A&M): 3-9, 2 HR, 6 BB/2 K vs. Alabama (.376/.518/.906, 11 2B, 22 HR, 41 BB/30 K, 4 SB): Montgomery is right up there in homers with Jac Caglianone and slightly behind Condon. But Montgomery is a switch hitter, is younger and has a more defined defensive position. Alabama is a decent team this year but Hess only went one inning this weekend and he wasn’t good. But A&M will have a lot more chances too in the SEC tournament and the College World Series as well.

https://x.com/AggieBaseball/status/1781384106481262873

LHP Hagen Smith (Arkansas): 6 IP, 2H, ER, 5 BB, 11 K vs. South Carolina (41 IP, 83 K/14 B, 1.76 ERA): Smith has walked 12 over his last three starts but he’s only allowed three runs and 28 strikeouts too. He’s still in play to be the first pitcher off the board, but nobody seems to think a pitcher is going 1-1 at this point, but if at some point he recreates his performance vs. Oregon State, you never know.

https://x.com/MLBPipeline/status/1781495281512575459

SS/2B JJ Wetherholt (West Virginia): 2-8, 2B, 4 BB vs. Texas Tech (.327/.493/.531, 4 2B, 2 HR, 14 BB/6 K): It’s a shame the hamstring issue held Wetherholt back so long and he’s still sort of working back with reps at this point. He hasn’t had a chance to show off at short and really his bat. He probably won’t get back into the 1-1 conversation at this point, but someone will get a good player in the top-10.

https://x.com/JoeDoyleMiLB/status/1780380693891289518



Justin’s ranking

Travis Bazzana
Braden Montgomery
Charlie Condon
Nick Kurtz
Jac Caglianone
In next:

Bryce Rainer, Chase Burns, Konnor Griffin

https://x.com/TylerJennings24/status/17 ... 3292456384

Comment:

I’ve shaken my rankings up a little bit this week. I think what keeps Bazzana at 1-1 for me is that he offers the best package of performance at the next level and the safety to get there. We know about his work ethic and intelligence. Bonus demands will play in here. I’ve moved Montgomery up to #2 for 1-1 because Cleveland does have a tendency to like switch hitters and they also like guys young for the class, and I think Montgomery will have the most defensive upside here as well. Condon is the sexy pick but he might also have the highest bonus demand and honestly, it could be 1B-1C with those two. And as much as I personally like Kurtz, I think it’s unlikely Cleveland will go with him at 1-1. I did move Caglianone into my rankings because he is making a ton of contact and the Guardians aren’t all that turned off by chase rate in some profiles, so perhaps they would consider him more. But I still think since he’s a 1B only defensively and might not even pitch, that he would be below Kurtz, who has less risk and as much upside as a pitcher. I’m also in the Rainer camp now too and I think IF (note IF) Cleveland were to go prep at 1-1, he’d be more likely than Griffin.

Willie ranking

Charlie Condon
Travis Bazzana
Braden Montgomery
Nick Kurtz
Jac Caglianone

Comment:

Charlie Condon holds on to the top spot again this week with a 2 homer performance. He and Jac Caglianone are on pace to surpass Caglianone’s 35 last season. Travis Bazzana missed part of the week after a HBP. He's shown off plus power to pull side but isn't taking the risk on the base paths he once did. Braden Montgomery showed off his power with homers from each side of the dish this weekend. Nick Kurtz faced Florida State Seminoles phenom Jamie Arnold, a potential match up we baseball fans will see again at the highest level someday. Kurtz battled the talented lefty coming away with a double in the process. Kurtz continues to show an elite combination of contact, plate discipline, and power. Jac Caglianone entered the chat long ago but has produced freakish numbers with 23 homers and 14 Ks as of this writing. Despite all the power, Cags has only produced 2 non-HR XBH. That's indicative of 1 of 2 things. First, he's selling out for HRs and settling at the dish when he needs to make contact. Second, and maybe a more reasonable scenario is that he's protecting his body and limiting wear and tear on the baseballs because he's a TWP.

Just missed:

Chase Burns has continued to look human. The Seminoles made the righty battle through his shortest outing of the season. Burns pitched 5 innings surrendering 7 hits and punching out 8. Hagen Smith picked up his 100K of the season in just 52.2 innings. Smith continued to solidify his top-10 status with another strong performance. Konnor Griffin has quietly had one of the more impressive prep seasons in memory. He's hitting over .560 on the season with 7 homers and 74! (that's not an error) stolen bases. On the mound he's punched out 88 hitters in 50+ innings of work. Last but not least JJ Wetherholt has proven to be arguably(?) the most polished hitter in the class when he's been healthy.

<

MLB.COM's updated take on the draft:
Three years ago, Charlie Condon attracted zero interest from pro scouts or NCAA Division I baseball programs. He wound up at Georgia as a preferred walk-on and redshirted during his first season in Athens.

Now he's the best prospect in the 2024 Draft and sits atop MLB Pipeline's updated and expanded Draft Top 150.

Top 10:
1. Charlie Condon, OF/3B, Georgia
2. Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State
3. Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP, Florida
4. Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
5. Braden Montgomery, OF, Texas A&M

Scouting reports for the top 5 Draft prospects

1. Charlie Condon, OF/3B, Georgia
Condon should surpass Jeff Pyburn (No. 5 overall in 1980) as the highest-drafted player in Bulldogs history because he has a huge offensive ceiling. He has top-of-the-scale raw power that plays from foul pole to foul pole and his combination of bat speed, strength and leverage in his 6-foot-6 frame allows him to mishit balls yet still drive them out of the park. Despite his long arms, he keeps his right-handed swing relatively compact and controls the strike zone while repeatedly making loud contact against all types of pitching.

Though he's a below-average runner, Condon is reasonably athletic and covers ground with long strides once he gets going. After splitting time between first base and the outfield corners as a freshman, he has played all three outfield spots and third base this spring. He's not quick enough for third or center but he does have solid-to-plus arm strength and can provide average defense in left or right field.

2. Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State
The left-handed-hitting infielder is compact and strong with plenty of bat speed. He has an advanced approach at the plate with a ton of raw power, though he can occasionally be susceptible to offspeed stuff on the outer half of the zone. He’s proven he can hit lefties as well as righties. A plus runner, he’s a legitimate base-stealing threat.

While some worry about where he can play defensively, some scouts think he’s going to be just fine at second base. His athleticism helps him have good range, he has enough arm for the spot and he can turn the double play effectively. A second-base profile isn’t one often seen at the top of a Draft, but the conviction in his bat is so strong, he’s going to get a lot of attention in the top 10.

3. Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP, Florida
A 6-foot-5 physical beast, Caglianone has top of the class left-handed raw power, and he gets to it, as evidenced by his Division I-leading 33 home runs in 2023. He’s very aggressive in the box and there was concern about his tendency to chase pitches out of the zone (44 percent chase rate last year), but he doesn’t strike out a lot and makes a lot of hard contact. He’s cut his miss and chase rates in 2024 and has a minuscule strikeout rate this spring. He’s solid defensively at first base as well.

The Tommy John surgery recipient struggled to find the strike zone in his first collegiate pitching action last year, but a more compact delivery was helping him stay around the zone more, even if his walk rate still remained high. He touches triple digits with his fastball and he introduced a 90 mph cutter that he featured more than his slider this fall to go along with a solid changeup. He might be a top-of-the-first-round bat, with some seeing him more as a second-rounder on the mound.

4. Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
Kurtz's signature tool is his well-above-average power to all fields, the product of outstanding bat speed, strength and a left-handed stroke designed to drive balls in the air. More than just a slugger, he's a complete hitter with no discernible weakness who crushes left-handers and right-handers and all types of pitches. He controls the strike zone, covers the entire plate and hits the ball with authority all over the ballpark.
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Kurtz also plays a quality first base and has average arm strength. The only blemishes on his game are his below-average speed, which doesn't really matter given his position and offensive upside, and an injury history that includes a broken rib that knocked him out of the end of the 2023 College World Series. If he's as good as scouts believe he is, he could turn into Jim Thome with defensive value.

5. Braden Montgomery, OF, Texas A&M
Montgomery had more of a hit-over-power profile in high school but that has reversed in college. A switch-hitter with strength and a quick, aggressive stroke from both sides of the plate, he does more damage as a lefty hitter, and his plus power plays to all parts of the ballpark. While he improved his plate discipline last spring, he still swung and missed at pitches in the strike zone too often and struggled to handle breaking balls.

With average speed and plus-plus arm strength, Montgomery fits best in right field. As a pitcher, he can reach 96 mph with his fastball and miss some bats with his low-80s slider and mid-80s changeup. His lack of control and command limit his effectiveness, however, and he has a much higher ceiling and floor as an outfielder.