Jamie Cameron

We’re starting to see a trickle of credible steam surrounding draft picks and fits. We’ll have at least three more mocks in the coming weeks, including a dueling installment next time up. Given how chaotic this draft should be after pick 11 or so, we’ve opted to switch things up significantly. 1. Cleveland Guardians - Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State There's been steam connecting the Guardians to Bazzana in recent weeks. Whether accurate or not, he’s closed the gap between himself and Charlie Condon. Their composite rankings are 1.88 and 1.55 respectively. At this point, it’s close to a toss-up as to whom the industry prefers at the top. 2. Cincinnati Reds - Charlie Condon, 3B, Georgia The Reds lucked out in the lottery, big-time. They’ll land one of the two best players (if they so choose) and have the financial flexibility to tap into prep talent further down the board. Condon won’t be on the board long if the Guardians pass. 3. Colorado Rockies - Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest There are some decent pieces in the Rockies system, but they need talented arms if they are ever going to reemerge into relevance. Burns could be a game-changer for their rotation. 4. Oakland Athletics - Jac Caglianone, 1B, Florida Caglianone’s future is as a hitter. He’s improved his chase rates and bat-to-ball skills in 2024, to go with the 80-grade raw power that easily makes up for the first base-only profile on defense. 5. Chicago White Sox - Bryce Rainer, SS, Harvard Westlake HS, CA The White Sox are in no hurry. They’ll likely strengthen their farm significantly before the trade deadline. They’ve been connected to Rainer and Konnor Griffin, the top two prep players on the board. Here we’ll go with Rainer, a polished, left-handed hitting shortstop. Braden Montgomery also makes plenty of sense here. 6. Kansas City Royals - Braden Montgomery, OF, Texas A&M This is a great spot to be picking, despite getting some raw luck in the lottery (again). Montgomery has had a special 2024 season. Through regional play, he’s slugged .730 and hit 26 home runs. He’s better from the left side, and a plus arm makes him one of the best outfield prospects in the class. This would be a great get for KC. Rainer and Griffin could fit here, too, if the Royals are scared off by the broken ankle that ended his college career prematurely. 7. St. Louis Cardinals - Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest The Cardinals have roared back into relevance in the NL Central in 2024, after looking down and out. They have a difficult choice here. It’s hard to pass on Hagen Smith, but in Kurtz, they have one of the best hit/power combos in the draft class. His 22 bombs and a 1.294 OPS after a slow start will play. 8. Los Angeles Angels - Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas We know the Angels' type. They target players who can move and debut quickly at the MLB level, despite little evidence that that strategy is working well. Smith could go as high as three, but his floor is likely around here, after a dominant season in the SEC (164 strikeouts in 84 innings at the time of writing). 9. Pittsburgh Pirates - J.J. Wetherholt, SS, West Virginia Wetherholt was 1:1 coming into 2024. Lingering soft-tissue injuries have cost him playing time and exposure at shortstop (having previously played second base). If he can remain healthy, he could be the steal of the top half of the first round, with the best hit tool in the class. 10. Washington Nationals - Konnor Griffin, OF, Jackson Prep HS, MS Griffin is one of the best athletes in this class and could go several spots higher. The Nationals tend to like high-upside prep players, and Griffin has that in abundance. It’s a high-risk, high-reward play. 11. Detroit Tigers - Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina The Tigers have a relatively new team at the helm for their draft and came away with a promising 2023 haul, led by Max Clark and Kevin McGonigle. They’ve had less success developing college pitching in recent years, but Yesavage has firmly established himself as SP3. 12. Boston Red Sox - Seaver King, SS, Wake Forest King has one of the wider ranges of outcomes for any first-round college player. It’s athleticism, bat speed, and impact in abundance, but it’s still pretty raw. He’s one of the higher-upside plays in the class on the college side. 13. San Francisco Giants - Cam Caminiti, LHP, Saguaro HS, AZ Caminiti, to his credit, has maintained his draft stock throughout the process. It’s either him or Kash Mayfield atop the list of prep lefties. We’ll go with Caminiti here, despite some lingering concerns about his ability to spin the baseball. 14. Chicago Cubs - James Tibbs, OF, Florida State This might be the most mocked pick this cycle. Tibbs to the Cubs makes tons of sense. It’s a pretty safe bat. If he’s off the board, Seaver King, Cam Smith, and Christian Moore all make sense). 25 home runs and a 1.267 OPS highlight an incredible season for Tibbs through regionals. If he was more athletic, he’d be a top-eight pick. 15. Seattle Mariners - Kash Mayfield, LHP, Elk City HS, OK The Mariners leaned into a strong prep position player class in 2023, with plenty of flexibility courtesy of abundant picks (and money). Their system could use an infusion on the pitching side. Mayfield has one of the best deliveries in the draft class (college or prep), and would be my pick as the top high-school southpaw. 16. Miami Marlins - Cam Smith, 3B, Florida State The Marlins need bats. Smith is a great option who had an outstanding 2024 season, anchoring the Florida State offense along with James Tibbs. It’s a solid defensive profile and an offensive skillset full of impact. 17. Milwaukee Brewers - Brody Brecht, RHP, Iowa The Brewers are ‘up there’ with the Mariners with the quality and consistency of their pitching development. Brecht might have the best one-two punch in the class between his fastball and slider. If he’s a first-rounder, he’ll also set a record (high) for walk rate for a college pitcher. He improved in the second half of the season. If anyone can harness the immense ceiling here, it’s Milwaukee. 18. Tampa Bay Rays - Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Kentucky Waldschmidt is one of my favorite prospects in the 2024 cycle. He’s done everything for Kentucky offensively on one of the best teams in the SEC. There’s solid tools across the board. He’s a sure first-round profile, for me. 19. New York Mets - Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina Honeycutt has the best tools of any collegiate position player: elite center-field defense, plus speed, and the chance for plus power. There are legitimate swing-and-miss worries, though, and a strikeout rate north of 25% is an orange flag. 20. Toronto Blue Jays - Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee Moore is 35th on the consensus board right now. That’s way too low. A 1.229 OPS and 29 home runs through regional play in the SEC is a first-round profile. Any number of teams should be thrilled to get him in this range. 21. Minnesota Twins - Slade Caldwell, OF, Valley View HS, AR Caldwell is one of only three surefire prep players who will go in the first round, for me. While it might seem antithetical to the Twins' typical approach (lean into the strength of the draft), Caldwell would be a top-10 pick if he was even six feet tall (he’s 5-foot-9). It’s plus speed in center field and a great approach at the plate, in a very hitterish profile. 22. Baltimore Orioles - Theo Gillen, SS, Westlake HS, TX Gillen has been described as the best hitter in Texas. That ought to be good enough for a still-loaded Orioles system, although presumably, they just mean among high schoolers. If he's better than José Altuve and Corey Seager, he should go higher than this. 23. Los Angeles Dodgers - Kellon Lindsey, SS, Hardee HS, FL Lindsey is one of a handful of prep shortstops who will go in the 20-40 range. He’s an explosive athlete and an 80-grade runner. The Dodgers make superstars out of prospects with this type of athletic tools--or at least, they love to try. 24. Atlanta Braves - Carson Benge, OF, Oklahoma State A two-way player who should focus on hitting over pitching, Benge has gotten over his groundball woes of 2023. Benge has a nice balance of power and bat-to-ball skills in his profile. He’s a high-floored college bat who could go ten picks higher. 25. San Diego Padres - Ryan Sloan, RHP, York Community HS, IL One of the best prep righties in the class, Sloan has an enticing combination of frame, velocity, and pitch mix. That’s exactly the type of clay the Padres like to mold. 26. New York Yankees - Jurrangelo Cijntje, RHP/LHP, Mississippi State A switch-pitcher who will likely focus on pitching right-handed as a pro. Cijntje has earned Marcus Stroman comps and has legitimate first-round steam at this point. 27. Philadelphia Phillies - Billy Amick, 3B, Tennessee Amick’s momentum was slowed midseason by appendicitis. He’s handled third base better than expected. It’s a power-over-hit profile, though, with some swing-and-miss concerns. 28. Houston Astros - Dakota Jordan, OF, Mississippi State We haven’t talked much about Jordan. He might have the best bat speed in the class. There are major strikeout issues, and the contact rate is in the sixties. If the right player development team can help make it work, there’s massive impact in the profile 29. Arizona Diamondbacks - William Schmidt, Catholic HS, LA Schmidt was an early riser in the cycle. The fastball took a velocity jump, and he might have the best breaking ball in the prep class, an absolute hammer of a curveball. 30. Texas Rangers - Malcolm Moore, C, Stanford This feels like a value play at this point. Moore has had a poor year offensively, but is still floating around the back half of the first round on most boards. 31. Arizona Diamondbacks - Tyson Lewis, SS, Millard West HS, NE There’s tons of steam on the Diamondbacks and Lewis, who has risen quickly up boards. It’s a potential hit/power/speed combination at shortstop. 32. Baltimore Orioles - Kaelen Culpepper, SS/3B, Kansas State A consistent performer throughout his collegiate career with no real gaps in his profile--and no real carrying tool, either. 33. Minnesota Twins - Joey Oakie, RHP, Ankeny HS, IA Given the Twins' combination of picks and bonus pool, it makes too much sense for them to tap into a deep prep pitching class somewhere in their first four picks. Oakie is one of my favorites, with a nasty combination of a running fastball and a sweeper with a ton of lateral movement. 34. Milwaukee Brewers - Walker Janek, C, Sam Houston State Janek is the best catcher in the class for me. He controls the running game with a plus arm and is a good defender. The offensive profile isn’t spectacular, but he does everything well. If the Brewers take two college players, expect things to get weird from there on out. They have money and picks to leverage creatively. 35. Arizona Diamondbacks - Jared Thomas, OF, Texas An impactful college bat who should stick in center field, Thomas has taken a step forward in 2024 with his offensive impact. It’s an appealing, well-rounded profile. 36. Cleveland Guardians - Braylon Doughty, RHP, Chaparral HS, CA While Doughty doesn’t have a prototypical frame, it’s a smooth, repeatable delivery, a good fastball, and a real ability to spin the baseball. He'd become a scary prospect in Cleveland’s player development system. 37. Pittsburgh Pirates - Wyatt Sanford, SS, Independence HS, TX A spring riser, Sanford has a solid overall offensive profile for a system that’s very arm-heavy. 38. Colorado Rockies - Caleb Lomavita, C, Cal A value play at this point. I don’t love Lomavita’s offensive profile, personally, it’s a wild yet high-impact approach. He’s had steam in the teens. 39. Kansas City Royals - Mike Sirota, OF, Northeastern Sirota has had a down year, but the tools and performance have been there before. He won’t last too long.

We’re in the thick of draft season now. To break up our positional previews, we’re going to highlight some helium profiles. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, it’s typically reserved for prospects that rise late in the cycle, and/or emerge suddenly. Here are five names to watch who have gained significant steam throughout the spring. For each prospect, you’ll find their name, position, school, and current ranking on the MLB Consensus Draft Board. Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Kentucky (31) Waldschmidt is an all-round prospect who transferred from Charleston Southern to Kentucky after his sophomore season. Despite not having a carrying tool, he can chalk up value in a number of different ways. It's a little bit of everything at the plate, as strong bat-to-ball skills combine with good on-base ability (in his first 29 games of 2024, Waldschmidt has walked 22 times and struck out just 16). There's sneaky pull-side power here, too, with a line-drives-to-all-fields impact at the plate. Waldschmidt has good speed, which aids him defensively and on the bases. In the outfield, he takes efficient routes and has a good shot to stick in center as a pro. Waldschmidt missed the beginning of 2024, recovering from a torn ACL. Through Regional play, Waldschmidt had a .359/.482/.657 line with 14 home runs, 24 stolen bases, and almost as many walks as strikeouts. He’s a first-rounder for me. Kellon Lindsey, SS, Hardee HS, FL (37) Lindsey simply appeared on the consensus board one day this spring in a top-35 slot.. A two-sport star who is committed to Florida to play football and baseball, the shortstop/outfield profile is underpinned by some of the most impressive athleticism in the entire class. There's a ton of projection left in Lindsey's frame. He's already posted 80-grade run times that should translate to him being a plus defender, whether he sticks at short or in center, in addition to being a menace on the base paths. Lindsey has also received rave reviews for his offensive improvements thus far in 2024. Quick hands, excellent bat-to-ball skills, good barrel control, and an emerging ability to backspin the baseball make Lindsey a serious helium prospect and someone who could have significant impact as a first-round pick come July. He’s the type of athlete I’d expect the Dodgers to target. Tyson Lewis, SS, Millard West HS, NE (39) Lewis is a left-handed hitting prep shortstop prospect, in a class in which that demographic is a significant weakness. The Arkansas commit has gained a ton of strength in the last year, which has translated into better bat speed and more power. Lewis has a quick swing supported by lightning-fast hands that (at present) profiles as a line-drive machine. While some don't love his high hand placement, it's been working well. His athletic frame offers plenty more upside in terms of future power, if he's able to get to his newfound bat speed with more consistency. Defensively, Lewis has plus speed and great quickness, which aids his defense at shortstop. Solid actions and an above-average arm give him a good chance to stick there as a pro. This is a potential power-speed combination that won't remain on the board for long in July. There’s some steam connecting Lewis with the Diamondbacks and their slew of picks starting late in the first round. Jurrangelo Cijntje, RHP/LHP, Mississippi State (43) No. Your eyes do not deceive you. Cijntje is a switch pitcher. The native of Curaçao has a glove that fits both hands. A natural left-hander, Cijntje is better as a right-handed pitcher and will likely stick there as a professional. He's been on the radar as a prospect for a while, due to his unique skill set, but there's a unique athlete in this profile, too. From the right side, the fastball sits in the 93-95 mph range and has touched 97 mph, with good carry. There's an above-average slider with good bite and an average changeup. From the left side, it's less velocity and more of a fastball-slider combination. If he does make it to the majors using both arms and has to navigate the Pat Venditte Rule, he'll always be choosing to pitch righty when a switch-hitter comes up. While Cijntje doesn't have an ideal frame, he's stocky and strong, and has made a good deal of progress with his control in 2024--although the command of his pitches could still improve. An incredibly unique profile, it'll be fascinating to see what a drafting organization does here. My bet is a starting role from the right side to begin with. He’s in contention to be a first-round pick. Dax Whitney, RHP, Blackfoot HS, ID (84) It's not often that senior evaluators travel to Idaho to see a prospect ahead of the MLB draft, but that's exactly the case for Dax Whitney, one of the biggest pop-up prospects in the 2024 class. Whitney hadn't had a ton of exposure on the showcase circuit, preferring to play for his legion team instead, but he has evaluators pouring in after a pop in both movement and velocity this spring. He has a great pitcher's frame, at 6-foot-5, 190 pounds, with plenty to dream on in terms of future projection. That's all added up to be a clean, repeatable delivery that has him consistently throwing strikes and pounding the zone. On the mound, he throws a fastball that sits 92-94 mph, but can grab as high as 96 mph. That's backed up by an excellent 12-6 curveball, a shorter slider with real tilt, and an emerging changeup that he's shown consistent feel for. Whitney is one of the biggest up-arrows and buzziest names ahead of the draft this spring. He went from not ranked on this board to debuting at 81. There's a good chance he's a top-50 pick in July, with the combination of size, stuff, and polish that's easy to dream on. What do you make of some of the rapid risers in this year’s draft class? Any other names you’d throw into the mix? Join our draft discussion in the comments below.

In episode 39 of Destination: The Show, Jeremy and Jamie sit down with Carlos Collazo, Draft Expert at Baseball America. The guys talk through the top of the 2024 draft class, including who Carlos would take at 1:1. They then dig into demographics in more depth including catching, prep shortstops, and prep arms. The guys go on to talk through who might be good options for the first pick for the Cubs, Brewers, and Twins respectively. We then put Carlos on the spot and asked him to give us some under the radar players to watch in addition to asking him to make some tough calls on similar player profiles. 3:50 Top of the class 5:20 Who does Carlos take 1:1? 7:46 Where does the chaos start on Day 1? 13:10 College catching 18:48 Prep shortstops 21:17 Prep arms 26:59 The Cubs pick 30:24 The Brewers pick 32:21 The Twins pick 38:30 Under the radar 41:14 Either/Or 45:05 What's next for Carlos or BA? You can support the show by downloading it from wherever you get your podcasts, including iTunes and Spotify. If you enjoy the content, consider leaving us a five-star rating and review in addition to sharing or retweeting DTS-related content. You can follow us on Twitter @DTS_POD1, @Jeremynygaard, @J_D_Cameron, and @TheodoreTollef1. You can also find full episodes and clips of our shows on our YouTube page @DestinationTheShow.

We’re excited to ratchet up 2024 MLB Draft content in the coming weeks. We’ll start with a series of articles detailing each positional demographic. These pieces aren’t meant to be an exhaustive list, rather, an overview of the caliber of talent at the position. For each player, we'll run down some basic information, in addition to some strengths and weaknesses. You’ll also find their current position on the Consensus MLB Draft Board in parentheses next to their name. The third base class in 2023 was strong, with 5 profiles in the top 25 in an extremely talented overall class. 2024 is a thinner crop and the demographic will be influenced by tweener shortstop types. Let’s dig in. Cameron Smith R/R, Florida State (13) After appearing as a top-100 prospect on draft lists ahead of the 2022 draft, Smith made it to campus in Tallahassee. After a freshman campaign that saw evaluators question his hit tool, he's been making strides since a summer stint on the Cape to answer those questions and put himself in a strong position as a draft eligible sophomore in 2024. Smith has an athletic profile built for good power, with a flatter bat path indicative that more home run power could be on the way, if Smith can lift the ball with more consistency. Advances in the hit tool have raised his stock over the summer. Smith has begun chasing less and improved his contact rate significantly enabling him to get off to a scorching 2024 season. Smith is a good runner and mover for someone his size but that's a fringe average grade overall. Defensively, he has a plus arm and moves well, making third base a viable long term home as a professional, one that he should be above average at defensively. Smith is definitely an up arrow prospect thus far in 2024 with an increasingly well-balanced offensive profile at the hot corner. Tommy White R/R, LSU (23) Tommy White became instantly famous as a freshman at NC State, earning the 'Tommy Tanks' moniker after a ridiculous 27 home run first college season (and 3 in his first ever college game). He transferred to LSU in 2023 and helped the Tigers to a national championship, protecting Dylan Crews in the middle of a stacked lineup, mashing another 24 home runs and slugging .725 in the process. At the plate, White has a crouched stance and a very wide base. He has excellent bat speed, consistently finding the barrel of the bat for great power to all parts of the field. White's bat to ball skills have improved throughout his collegiate career although he has a high chase rate that could be exposed as a professional. It's a legit hit and power combo though, with not many holes in his offensive approach. White isn't a great athlete, and doesn't offer a ton of additional avenues to accrue value. He's played third base defensively but isn't a great fielder. He has an average arm but as a way below average runner, limiting his impact to the offensive side of the ball. White is a polarizing prospect for me. The bat is explosive, but there's not much else on offer. He'll have to hit a ton to be worth it, which he has the skill set to do, but it's a narrower path to success than other first round prospects. Billy Amick R/R, Tennessee (33) Amick is an up arrow player this spring. After receiving limited playing time at Clemson in 2023, he transferred to Tennessee after a strong summer on the Cape and has started the 2024 season hot. Possessing a simple, quietly loaded right-handed swing, Amick has serious strength and has started to put up some impressive exit velocities to go along with solid bat to ball skills. Amick does chase a bit too much and his aggressive approach might limit his ability to get to his power in game unless he can dial it back, but this is a potentially average hit, above average power profile with an increasing track record of performance to back it up. The one question for Amick remains swing and miss, with a contact rate of under 70% a flag for me. Amick has taken a step forward value-wise defensively in 2024. The stocky prospect has manned third base with surprising athleticism. While it's fringe average defense at the moment, an above-average arm helps ameliorate some of the rawness and there's increasing confidence he can at least start his pro career at third base. Not blessed with great speed, Amick will need to keep hitting to force his way up draft boards, the offensive profile is well rounded and impactful, though. Carson DeMartini L/R, Virginia Tech (48) DeMartini is the latest in a line of college bats to come out of Virginia Tech, following first rounder Gavin Cross and second rounder Tanner Schobel in 2022. DeMartini is a third baseman who primarily played at DH in 2023 due to a shoulder injury and had a procedure to repair his labrum that impacted his preparation for the 2024 season. When it's all said and done, DeMartini is a power over hit profile that projects as a slugging corner infielder or outfielder. In the box, it's a quiet operation with good bat speed and a swing designed to lift the ball. DeMartini has some chase in his game (although not as much as you might think) and improved his bat to ball skills significantly in 2023, dropping his whiff% by 12%. He strikes out more than you'd like to see, but takes plenty of walks to add to the on-base skill set. Defensively, he has at least an average arm and a solid average glove. He doesn't have much in the way of foot speed but he projects to stick at third base as a professional. There's definitely areas of refinement in the profile, but there's a productive corner infield slugger in DeMartini's future if he continues to develop and improve. Colby Shelton L/R, Florida (66) After an outstanding freshman season playing third base for Alabama, Colby Shelton transferred to Florida with an opportunity to play shortstop after Josh Rivera was drafted in July of 2023. Shelton is a stockily-built infield prospect with a left-handed power profile that will likely appeal to teams come July. In the box, it's a very quiet approach. Shelton has little to no pre-swing movement. Good bat speed and a strong lower half help him generate plenty of loft and power in his swing. Shelton walks at a decent clip (13% in 2023) but strikes out more than you'd like to see (24% in 2023). He's been particularly susceptible to velocity and has some swing and miss to his game against secondaries too. While Shelton doesn't have premium athleticism, he's handled the move to shortstop well and, while it doesn't always look picture perfect, has made plenty of plays. I think his home will be somewhere else on the infield when it's all said and done. An average arm and glove should support a transition to second or third base as a professional. The hit tool will be what to watch for Shelton, he leveled out a previously steep swing this spring. If he can hit enough, he is going to end up having an appealing all round offensive profile. Honorable Mentions: Kale Fountain (90), Gage Miller (93), Chase Harlan (108) Who excites you from the third base class in 2024? Who are you higher on than other prospects? Jump into the draft conversation in the comments below.

We’re excited to ratchet up 2024 MLB Draft content in the coming weeks. We’ll start with a series of articles detailing each positional demographic. These pieces aren’t meant to be an exhaustive list. Rather, each will be an overview of the caliber of talent at the position. For each player, we'll run down some basic information, and break down some strengths and weaknesses. You’ll also find their current position on the Consensus MLB Draft Board in parentheses next to their name. The shortstop class in 2023 was loaded, with 12 profiles in the top 50 of an extremely talented class. This year's is a thinner crop, particularly at the college level. Several prep names have emerged this spring, particularly in the 25-50 range on the consensus board. Bryce Rainer L/R, Harvard Westlake (11) Rainer is a legitimate two-way prospect who is looking to join the likes of Pete Crow-Armstrong and Max Fried in becoming a first-round selection out of California prep powerhouse Harvard-Westlake. On the mound, it's a pretty effortless 95-mph fastball with good life, an average curveball with good downward bite, and a slider and changeup that are each fringy, emerging pitches. While it's far from a finished product on the mound, his looseness and projectability point toward a fastball that might flirt with triple digits when it's all said and done. Offensively, there's good bat speed, lightning-quick hands, and plenty of raw power to tap into. His swing can get long leading to some swing-and-miss in his profile. Defensively, he's an efficient mover, with good quickness, who has posted above-average run times to go with a plus arm. Even if he moves off shortstop eventually, his profile should play well at third base. It's difficult to know, at the time of writing, where orgs would prefer Rainer (pitcher or hitter). That will sort itself out eventually. Either way, it's a ton of tools and projectability in an easy-to-dream-on profile. Kaelen Culpepper R/R, Kansas State (25) Kaelen Culpepper is an exceptional athlete who has shifted defensively from 2B/3B to SS in his junior season at Kansas State. With a strong offensive performance in 2024, he could provide a jolt to a weak draft demographic that's usually coveted (college SS). At the plate, Culpepper has a strong overall skill set. He generates good bat speed, although a flatter bat path hasn't produced much loft to date. Additionally, he has good contact skills, solid plate discipline, although he does expand the zone a little too much at times. Culpepper is having a solid 2024 season in which he’s walking more and has amassed 24 extra base hits in 50 games, in addition to 15 stolen bases. Defensively, it's a plus arm, with good defensive actions and athleticism. Regardless of whether Culpepper ends up sticking at SS as a pro, or slides over to 2B or 3B, it should be an above-average defensive profile. Wyatt Sanford L/R, Independence HS, TX (28) Sanford is a projectable Texas prep shortstop with a strong toolset and no real weakness in his game. Starting from a crouched, back foot weight stance, a small toe tap gets Sanford going into a pretty left-handed swing. Good bat speed and quick hands give Sanford outstanding bat-to-ball skills. He maintains strong contact rates, particularly on fastballs in the zone. Sanford rarely expands the zone and doesn't chase often. While there's not been a ton of power in the profile, Sanford has shown more pop this spring and might get to average power as he continues to grow, add weight, and loft to his swing. Defensively, it's a really solid profile. Sanford has good actions, moves efficiently, and has an above average arm. He should have a good chance to stick at shortstop as a professional. Caleb Bonemer R/R, Okemos HS, MI (31) Bonemer was one of the biggest board risers on the prep side this winter after a great summer in 2023 with one of the better athletic profiles and potentially one of the most exciting power/speed combinations in the 2024 class. A quiet, efficient, short swing produces good bat speed and Bonemer is already showing above average in-game power (typically to the pull side) that may eventually become plus power. Defensively, he's a solid mover with an above average arm at shortstop who can make all the throws. He may eventually grow off shortstop to third base, but it'd be potentially plus defense there with the offensive profile to make it not matter. Bonemer has also posted plus run times, making him a threat on the base paths and in the run game. One area of opportunity is refining his approach some at the plate, as there's some swing and miss and a bit too much chase in the profile currently. If he can work through those needs and get the hit tool to average, it's going to be a strong overall profile and one of the first prep names to go in July. Carter Johnson L/R, Oxford HS, MS (32) Carter Johnson is one of the most intriguing prep profiles in the 2024 class thanks to a well-rounded skill set in which everything grades out as average or better. At 6'2, 180 pounds, there's plenty of projectability left in an already strong athletic profile. At the plate Johnson has a clean, smooth, left-handed swing. Everything looks good; quick hands, consistent bat path, an ability to recognize pitches well, a hitter who uses the entire field. At the moment, the hit tool is more advanced than the power tool but there's plenty of time to add strength and in-game power in what is more of a gap to gap approach at present. Johnson has average speed. Growth and increased strength may eventually move him off shortstop, even though he has the arm, defensive actions, and hands to stay there. While the defensive profile is average to above-average, the bat is exciting and Johnson is one of the most well rounded offensive profiles of any prep in the class. Theo Gillen L/R, Westlake HS, TX (36) Gillen is rising quickly up draft boards after a loud start to the 2024 season in which his offensive impact is beginning to match his enormous potential and athleticism. After returning from shoulder surgery in 2022, he's grown a ton, now standing 6'3, 200 pounds in a frame that has plenty of projection. At the plate, Gillen starts in an upright stance with a bat tip straight behind his left shoulder. A small stride gets him moving forward into his compact left-handed swing. Gillen's offensive profile is underpinned by excellent bat to ball skills. While his profile used to feature more line drive power, he's begun to develop more home run juice, particularly to the pull side, with a frame that suggests that more in the tank. Defensively, Gillen is a good mover with a quick first step and good defensive actions. He might move off shortstop as he continues to grow. Additionally, much will depend on his throwing arm, which has been the subject of some of his injuries. Gillen has shown plus speed so there are plenty of defensive homes available (second base, or even centerfield). All of this likely won't matter too much, as Gillen has an impactful and well rounded offensive profile that should put him in the day one conversation. Kellon Lindsey R/R, Hardee HS, FL (38) Lindsey is THE 'where did you come from?' prospect of the 2024 draft class, prep edition. A two-sport star who is committed to Florida to play football and baseball, the SS/OF profile is underpinned by some of the most impressive athleticism in the entire class. There's a ton of projection left in Lindsey's frame. He's already posted 80-grade run times that should translate to him being a plus defender, whether he sticks at SS or CF, in addition to being a menace on the base paths. Linsey has also received rave reviews for his offensive improvements thus far in 2023. Quick hands, excellent bat to ball skills, good barrel control, and an emerging ability to backspin the baseball make Lindsey a serious helium prospect and someone who could have significant impact as a first round pick come July. Honorable Mentions: Tyson Lewis (44), Griff O’Ferrall (48), Anthony Silva (66), Tyler Bell (67), Charlie Bates (74), Kyle DeBarge (76), Sawyer Farr (78) 2024 MLB Draft Preview: Catcher Who excites you from the shortstop class in 2024? Who are you higher on than other prospects? Jump into the draft conversation in the comments below.