2024 MLB Draft Report: Latest gossip and 10 prospects to follow for White Sox

Which left-handed college bat does Cleveland want the most: Oregon State's Travis Bazzana or West Virginia's JJ Wetherholt? That seems to be the debate just days away from the 2024 MLB draft when Cleveland officially announces who they will select first overall. Regarding the Guardians' draft habits, I trust Jeff Ellis of Locked On Guardians, who was also on the Future Sox podcast.

Ellis is not alone in this thought. Many sources, including the sportsbooks, are pitting Bazzana and Wetherholt against each other to go first overall. The latest odds from DraftKings give Bazzana the edge, but there is a very sizable gap between Wetherholt and Charlie Condon. 

As I mentioned in a recent episode of the Sox Machine Podcast with MLB.com’s Jim Callis, I’m 85 percent sure that Konnor Griffin will be the White Sox's first-round selection. If Cleveland takes Wetherholt first overall, it could push Bazzana back to Oakland, which has the fourth overall pick. I don’t see a precise scenario where the Aussie falls to the White Sox. If the situation reverses and Bazzana goes first overall, I expect Oakland to draft Wetherholt. 

2024 MLB Draft Mock Situation: If Cleveland Takes Travis Bazzana 

2024 MLB Draft Mock Situation: If Cleveland Takes JJ Wetherholt

What would make things very interesting is if Colorado changed their mind and returned to taking the best college pitcher third overall. Then someone like Bazzana, Wetherholt, Charlie Condon, or Jac Caglianone would fall to the White Sox. Would that change minds within the White Sox War Room? Best to stay tuned and enjoy the drama unfold with us as we’ll have a Sox Machine Live stream watching to see who the White Sox take with their first-round pick on Sunday, July 14, starting at 6:00 PM CT. 

10 Prospects To Like For the White Sox After First Round

While Cleveland plays the signing bonus game with their first-round pick, I’m not expecting the White Sox to get too cute at Pick 5. Since Mike Shirley took over draft duties, the White Sox have signed close to the slot value with their first picks, except last year. 

The savings from signing Gonzalez allowed the White Sox to go over the slot values for Calvin Harris (4th round), Christian Oppor (5th round), and George Wolkow (7th round). Wolkow's signing for $1 million in the seventh round is looking like a good investment, given his recent Player of the Week honors.

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Despite the early notion that this particular draft's prep player class is weak, I think there are some targets for the White Sox to consider buying out college commitments. Speaking of college, I have a few college prospects that I particularly like after following them during the 2024 season. Keeping it even, I picked five hitters and pitchers that the White Sox could target, starting with Pick 43. 

Position Player Targets

Tyler Bell, Shortstop, Lincoln-Way East

Local area prospect Tyler Bell improved his bat speed and exit velocity from his previous showcase events at Prep Baseball Report’s Super 60 this past February. Bell’s max exit velocity as a switch-hitter was 101.1 MPH, and his average was 92.6 MPH. These are good signs, as Bell didn’t hit all that well last summer at showcase events, and he’s an older high school prospect (he turned 19 on June 30). 

Defensively, there are no qualms with Bell’s ability to play shortstop. Standing at 6’2”, Bell moves well laterally on film and demonstrates a solid arm to be considered as Kentucky’s starting shortstop as a freshman next year.

JD Dix, Shortstop, Whitefish Bay

After recovering from labrum surgery on his right shoulder, JD Dix had to prove he was close to being back to full strength this spring. Last September at the PBR All-Star Game, Dix was behind Tyler Bell on several hitting metrics (Max Exit Velocity: 97.7 MPH / Avg. EV: 86.0 MPH) but did post better 60-yard and 10-yard times. The industry consensus is that Dix was still working through his shoulder issues, which could deter MLB teams from negotiating bonus offers. It's a possible steal in the second or third rounds if the price is right for Dix to forgo his commitment to Wake Forest. 

Dante Nori, Outfield, Northville HS 

Last July, Dante Nori ran a 6.15 60-yard Dash at Perfect Game National Showcase, which is still the fastest time clocked for all prep prospects in this draft class. With that kind of athleticism, Nori is a center fielder with no issues covering from gap to gap and displayed good throwing strength with a max velocity of 92 mph. 

There are two concerns with Nori. First, offensively, he's more contact than power as he doesn't have a leg kick or even barely raises his front foot when swinging. Keith Law of The Athletic compares Nori's stance to Jeff Bagwell's, and that scans. Nori doesn't have Bagwell's legs or the hip rotation, so an adjustment will be needed.

Second is Nori's age. He's already 19 years old and turns 20 in October. Even if Nori does earn draft eligibility as a sophomore attending Mississippi State, he'll be 22 years old when many top college juniors will be a year younger. Teams that covet age-based progression will pass on Nori. For a White Sox team looking to get more athletic with position players, especially with outfielders, Nori could be a worthwhile target. 

Dylan Dreiling and Kavares Tears, Outfielders, University of Tennessee

Dylan Dreiling Career Stats

Kavares Tears Career Stats

If Mike Shirley wanted to take college bats in the second to fourth round all from the University of Tennessee, I wouldn’t object. The National Champions had a deep lineup with draft-eligible bats and displayed them in Omaha. I am a big fan of the outfielders Dylan Dreiling and Kavares Tears. 

Dreiling earned Most Outstanding Player for this past College World Series as he played hero for the Volunteers. In the championship series against Texas A&M, Dreiling hit a home run in each game and went 7-for-12. For the entire CWS, Dreiling was 13-for-24 with 3 homers and 13 RBIs. 

What I like about Dreiling is that his compact swing packs a lot of punch with plenty of bat speed, especially against left-handed pitchers who tried to beat Dreiling with breaking stuff. Defensively, Dreiling is limited to left field as his hitting ability is the carrying tool. With an almost 56 percent fly-ball rate in two seasons at Tennessee, Dreiling is Team Ball in Air. 

Like Dreiling, Tears was a first-time starter at Tennessee in 2024. Not as polished a hitter, Tears has a big swing that can produce 20+ home run power, but the strikeouts do pile up on him, especially against breaking pitches. But unlike Dreiling, Tears can play some center field and has above-average arm strength to move over to right field. 

Pitching Targets

Luke Holman, Right-Handed Pitcher, LSU

Overshadowed by Hagen Smith, Chase Burns, and Trey Yesavage, Luke Holman had a good season with LSU after transferring from Alabama. Featuring a four-pitch mix, Holman used mostly a four-seam fastball and slider as the primary attack plan. Holman challenged hitters with a fastball located up in the strike zone, sitting between 92 to 94 mph, and then used his slider to change the eye level. It was a very effective strikeout pitch against right-handers for Holman, and he would flash his curveball and changeup against lefties. 

While Luke Holman's pitching style may not be as overpowering as those of Smith and Burns, his ability to command his pitches in the strike zone is commendable. He may have more in the tank velocity-wise. Even if not, Holman has the potential to be a backend starter in the majors, with the possibility of evolving into a post-KBO Erick Fedde type with the right adjustments. 

Drew Beam, Right-Handed Pitcher, Tennessee

Drew Beam had an illustrious career at Tennessee, earning SEC's Freshman of the Year in 2022 and making 51 starts over three seasons. His arsenal is not overpowering, and in some ways, reminds me of current White Sox pitcher Drew Thorpe. In 2024, Beam's fastball was not overpowering as it sat around 92 mph, but his best pitch was the changeup, and he was not afraid to throw it early and often. 

Connor Foley, Right-Handed Pitcher, Indiana

One of two pitchers that ESPN's Kiley McDaniel wrote about the White Sox being interested in, Connor Foley transitioned to starting for Indiana in 2024. Big Ten schools love pitchers who were former tight ends, and at 6'5" and 230 pounds, Foley fits the mold. He's got a big four-seam fastball in the upper 90s that can be overwhelming for opposing hitters. However, there's a significant reliever risk with Foley, as I'm still determining the effective secondary pitch. Also, Foley's posted walk rates in Indiana are red flags.

Boston Bateman, Left-Handed Pitcher, Camarillo HS

Boston Bateman is McDaniel's second pitcher he's tying to the White Sox, and at 6'8", the California prep southpaw could moonlight as a wing for the Chicago Bulls. Watching his film against Simi Valley, I have a hard time believing that Bateman is just 18 years old. The stuff is good. Bateman sat between 92 to 95 mph with the four-seamer and threw both a slider and curveball, both of which were in the 70s. As Bateman got into the sixth inning, the velocity dipped to 90 mph on the heater, which for a teenager is perfectly fine. 

As an LSU commit, the potential cost for the White Sox to draft and sign Bateman is significant. However, the White Sox have a history of surprising moves, such as drafting Noah Schultz when many believed he was heading to Vanderbilt. The slot value for pick 43 is $2,172,800, and it's a question whether this would be enough for Bateman to forgo the opportunity to work with Jay Johnson at LSU. If Bateman does decide to bypass the draft, his future in the 2027 MLB Draft will be one to watch.

Luke Sinnard, Right-Handed Pitcher, Indiana

This year’s nominee for “College Pitcher Coming Off Tommy John” draft candidate, Luke Sinnard is another pitching giant. Just like Bateman, Sinnard is 6’8” and flashed impressive spin rates at the MLB Draft Combine. The fastball velocity is 50-grade for a right-hander as Sinnard sat around 93 MPH during his 2023 season at Indiana. But what sets Sinnard apart is his exceptional height and the way he can extend, creating a real perceived velocity boost. This unique quality is similar to Bailey Ober for the Minnesota Twins, who confounds White Sox hitters with his velocity. 

Unlike his teammate Connor Foley, Sinnard has a couple of secondary options. I would love to see Sinnard’s breaking pitches from the combine, as he posted spin rates between 2700 - 2850 RPMs. Before hurting his elbow in the 2023 Regionals, Sinnard broke Indiana’s single-season strikeout record with 114.