2024 MLB Draft Report: Latest Rumors, Hagen Smith vs. Jac Caglianone, and All-American Nominees

Kiley McDaniel of ESPN released his latest 2024 MLB Draft Rankings, and he follows suit like everyone else, including Sox Machine, by having Georgia third baseman Charlie Condon as the best prospect in this class. While the industry believes Condon should be ranked first, it doesn't mean that's the direction Cleveland will go, especially with murmurs about the possibility of saving bonus money with the first pick to go over slot at Pick 36. That pick bonus value is worth $2,569,200, and if Cleveland offered $9.5 million to whoever they select first overall, that could push an additional $1 million to other picks. The Guardians could offer more than San Diego, who has the 25th overall pick ($3,442,100 slot value).

Team preference is why McDaniel has Travis Bazzana going first overall in his latest mini-mock, not draft bonus shenanigans. In my last mock, I side with McDaniel regarding the pick. Still, I can't help my imagination run a bit wild about what Cleveland can do with their following selection. They may find a way to offer a prospect $4 million at Pick 36 and grab two top-20 talents in this class. Throw in the first-place standing in the AL Central, and it's an excellent time to be a Guardians fan. 

Meanwhile, White Sox fans are still trudging through the hellscape that's 2024. McDaniel has the White Sox taking Arkansas LHP Hagen Smith over prep prospect Konnor Griffin. 

“Smith gives the same vibes as past White Sox first-rounders Garrett Crochet and Noah Schultz, working with a fastball/slider combo from a lower slot. There's a little Konnor Griffin buzz here and this is about where the intel I'm hearing gets to be a bit more vague: more "yes they like him, they're scouting him" than "they'll pick him if he's there."

Yesterday, I asked folks around the industry which players they often hear tied to the White Sox at No. 5. Smith and Griffin, along with Wake Forest first baseman Nick Kurtz, were mentioned. With how poorly Andrew Vaughn is performing, I’m not sure White Sox fans are ready for another top-5 pick used on a first baseman. 

Speaking of mock drafts, one of my favorite tools was released by Prospects Live with their 2024 MLB Mock Draft Simulator. Similar to the popular models used for the NFL draft, Prospects Live allows you to pick your team and select players up to the fifth round. If you prefer that the computer goes more chalk or chaotic with picks, there is an aggression setting. Using the simulator does require a Prospects Live Patreon subscription. 

Here is my mock using the simulator: 

Hagen Smith vs. Jac Caglianone

A few weeks back, a highly anticipated showdown unfolded between Smith and Caglianone. The game was a nail-biter, with Arkansas narrowly edging out Florida, 2-1. Once again, Smith showcased his dominance, delivering an impressive performance (7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 11 K on 96 pitches). My main focus was on how Caglianone would handle Smith, especially after Smith's standout performance against Travis Bazzana and his Oregon State teammates earlier in the season. 

Caglianone's performance against Smith was commendable, despite not securing a base hit. In his first plate appearance, he attempted to take advantage of a first-pitch fastball that was low and inside the zone. The result was a solid line drive that caught Arkansas center fielder Ty Wilmsmeyer off guard, resulting in a diving catch that denied Caglianone a hit. 

In the second plate appearance, Caglianone fought off some tough sliders to stay alive before grounding out to second base. What was impressive is that Caglianone had a 115 MPH exit velocity on the grounder. In their final confrontation, Smith challenged Caglianone early with fastballs, which I don't think he was expecting. Eventually, Caglianone again grounded out to second base on a fastball. 

Of course, it's a small sample size. Still, Smith kept both Bazzana and Caglianone hitless, having the platoon advantage. Arkansas doesn't face Georgia in the regular season, so maybe we'll see a Smith vs. Condon showdown in the SEC Tournament. But Arkansas does end their conference season at Texas A&M, so fingers crossed we get to see Smith vs. Braden Montgomery on Thursday, May 16. That game will be on ESPN2, and the White Sox will have an off day. 

Updated Hitting and Pitching Leaders for 2024 MLB Draft

NCBWA All-American and Dick Howser Nominations

As a member of the National College Baseball Writers Association, I get to nominate and vote for All-Americans and Dick Howser Award (Best Player). Below are my nominees for each of the positions and my initial Dick Howser ballot. 

Catchers (Five nominees)

First Base (Five nominees)

Second Base (Five nominees)

Shortstop (Five nominees)

Third Base (Five nominees)

Outfield (Eight nominees)

Two-Way Players (Four nominees)

Starting Pitchers (Eight nominees)

Dick Howser First Voting 

Games I’m Watching This Weekend

No. 3 Clemson at No. 12 Wake Forest
Friday: 5:00 PM CT - ACCNX
Saturday: 3:00 PM CT - ACC Network
Sunday: 11:00 AM CT - ESPN2

This series is huge for Wake Forest and a must-win for any chance to host Regionals. The Demon Deacons have underachieved all season and are a projected #2 seed in the Athens Regional. I’ll watch Nick Kurtz, who has cooled off on the home run production with only two dingers in his last 13 games. 

No. 1 Tennessee vs. No. 25 Vanderbilt
Friday: 6:00 PM CT - SEC+
Saturday: 2:00 PM CT - SEC Network
Sunday: 2:00 PM CT - ESPN2

I love SEC rival weekends and it doesn’t get better than Tennessee and Vanderbilt. The prospects to watch are better suited for the White Sox at Pick 43 and 68: