MLB Pipeline releases updated 2024 MLB mock draft with new No. 1 pick

Jonathan Wagner

wyatt-langford-surges-late-for-best-odds-to-be-selected-no-1-overall-in-mlb-draft — Photo by Scott W. Grau/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

College baseball’s regular season is mostly wrapped up, with conference tournaments underway and regionals to begin before we know it. As the postseason arrives, MLB Pipeline has released an updated 2024 MLB mock draft with a new selection with the No. 1 overall pick.

As expected, the mock is again dominated by college players and primarily college hitters. Of the 30 players selected in the first round, 22 are college players with just eight from the high school/prep ranks. 16 of those 22 college players are hitters, including two-way star Jac Caglianone.

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There is a new first overall pick in this week’s MLB mock draft, with Oregon State’s Travis Bazzana overtaking Charlie Condon as the pick for the Cleveland Guardians. But again, the top ten is dominated by college stars with eight of the first ten selections coming from college.

Here is how the first round looks as of right now in the eyes of MLB Pipeline and Jim Callis.

1. Cleveland Guardians: Oregon State 2B Travis Bazzana

Travis Bazzana finished the regular season as one of the best hitters in all of college baseball. In 264 plate appearances th is season, he hit .429 with 26 home runs and 62 RBI.

In his collegiate career, Bazzana hit .365 with 43 home runs and 161 RBI. He has become known for leading off games with homers, and he could be a player to make a quick rise to the majors. This MLB mock draft has him off the board first overall, which seems be a very strong possibility.

2. Cincinnati Reds: Georgia 3B/OF Charlie Condon

charlie-condon-homers-in-eighth-straight-game-sets-modern-era-record-with-34th-of-the-season — Kari Hodges / UGA Sports Communications

Charlie Condon broke out last season at Georgia with 25 home runs and 67 RBI whil ehitting .386. This season, he has been even better.

In 270 plate appearances this season, Condon is hitting .452 with 35 home runs and 75 RBI. He has undoubtedly been college baseball’s best hitter, also slugging 1.063 with a 1.630 OPS.

3. Colorado Rockies: Florida 1B/LHP Jac Caglianone

Jun 25, 2023; Omaha, NE, USA; Florida Gators first baseman Jac Caglianone (14) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run against the LSU Tigers during the eighth inning at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Jac Caglianone has done it all at Florida. The two-way star has been one of the country’s best hitters over the past two seasons, and he is a career .349 hitter with 69 home runs and 175 RBI. It’s unsurprising to see him consistently taken in the top three in MLB mock drafts.

This season, Caglianone hit .414 with 29 home runs and 58 RBI, slugging .851 with a 1.376 OPS. He also pitched to a 4.35 ERA with 68 strikeouts in 13 starts and 62 innings pitched.

4. Oakland Athletics: Wake Forest 1B Nick Kurtz

Jun 17, 2023; Omaha, NE, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons first baseman Nick Kurtz (8) celebrates after retiring Stanford Cardinal third baseman Tommy Troy (not pictured) to end the game at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Nick Kurtz didn’t have quite as productive of a season this year as he did in 2023, but he was still really good. On the season, Kurtz hit .312 in 235 plate appearances with 21 home runs and 52 RBI while slugging .790 with a 1.322 OPS.

In his three-year career at Wake Forest, Kurtz hit .336 with 60 home runs and 177 RBI. He slugged .731 with a 1.241 OPS.

5. Chicago White Sox: Texas A&M OF Braden Montgomery

Braden Montgomery Texas A&M — Credit: Texas A&M athletics

Braden Montgomery starred at Stanford to begin his career, hitting 35 home runs with 118 RBI in his two seasons out west. This year, he was even better after transferring to Texas A&M.

As a key reason for the Aggies being one of the top teams in college baseball all year, Montgomery hit .326 with 26 home runs and 80 RBI.

6. Kansas City Royals: Jackson Prep HS SS/OF Konnor Griffin (LSU commit)

Konnor Griffin could very easily become the top high school prospect taken in the 2024 MLB Draft, and that’s what happens in this mock. His upside is tremendous at shortstop, and his bat could grow into a very productive one in the pros.

Griffin is committed to play at LSU in college. It’s unlikely he makes it there as a potential top ten pick.

7. St. Louis Cardinals: Arkansas LHP Hagen Smith

Hagen Smith, Arkansas Razorbacks pitcher — (Steven Branscombe | USA TODAY Sports)

It’s impossible to describe just how dominant Hagen Smith has been for Arkansas this season. He is the clear top pitcher in this draft class. In 14 starts in the regular season, Smith was 9-0 with a 1.52 ERA and a .083 WHIP. He tossed 77 innings, striking out 150 compared to just 29 walks.

Smith is a very strong contender to be the first pitcher selected. He’s going to end up being taken in the top ten, it’s just a matter of how high he goes.

8. Los Angeles Angels: Wake Forest RHP Chase Burns

Chase Burns is another intriguing pitching prospect and if there’s anyone who could push Smith as the top arm in the class, it’s him. Burns is the second pitcher selected in this MLB mock draft.

He made a name for himself in two seasons at Tennessee, but transferred to Wake Forest ahead of this season. On the year, he is 10-1 in 14 starts, pitching to a 2.63 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP across 89 innings. He has struck out 169 batters compared to 24 walks, consistently reaching triple digits with his fastball.

9. Pittsburgh Pirates: West Virginia SS/2B JJ Wetherholt

© Aaron E. Martinez / American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

JJ Wetherholt has missed some time this season due to injury, but he’s been tremendous when on the field. In 132 plate appearances across 29 games in the regular season, he’s hitting .375 with eight home runs and 30 RBI.

Last season was Wetherholt’s most productive, hitting .449 with 16 home runs and 60 RBI in 268 plate appearances.

10. Washington Nationals: Harvard-Westlake HS SS Bryce Rainer (Texas commit)

Bryce Rainer is right there in the mix for the top college prospect in this year’s draft class. The Harvard-Westlake shortsotp is a great hitter with some power in his swing, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he ended up in the top ten on draft night.

Rainer is a Texas commit, should the unlikely scenario unfold where he makes it to campus.

2024 MLB Mock Draft: Picks 11-30

11. Detroit Tigers: East Carolina RHP Trey Yesavage
12. Boston Red Sox: Wake Forest 3B/OF Seaver King
13. San Francisco Giants: Sanguaro HS LHP Cam Caminiti (LSU commit)
14. Chicago Cubs: Florida State OF James Tibbs III
15. Seattle Mariners: Westlake HS SS/2B Theo Gillen (Texas commit)
16. Miami Marlins: Florida State 3B Cam Smith
17. Milwaukee Brewers: North Carolina OF Vance Honeycutt
18. Tampa Bay Rays: Kansas State SS Kaelen Culpepper
19. New York Mets: Mississippi State OF Dakota Jordan
20. Toronto Blue Jays: LSU 3B Tommy White
21. Minnesota Twins: Tennessee 3B Billy Amick
22. Baltimore Orioles: Iowa RHP Brody Brecht
23. Los Angeles Dodgers: Elk City HS LHP Kash Mayfield (Oklahoma State commit)
24. Atlanta Braves: Oklahoma State OF Carson Benge
25. San Diego Padres: Hardee HS SS Kellon Lindsey (Florida commit)
26. New York Yankees: Mississippi State RHP/LHP Jurrangelo Cijntje
27. Philadelphia Phillies: Catholic HS RHP William Schmidt (LSU commit)
28. Houston Astros: Sam Houston C Walker Janek
29. Arizona Diamondbacks: Valley View HS OF Slade Caldwell (Ole Miss commit)
30. Texas Rangers: Stanford C Malcolm Moore

Just eight high school players were selected in the first round of this 2024 MLB mock draft. Three of those eight were pitchers, with five being position players.