2024 MLB Mock Draft 2.0 Part II - Next Year in Cleveland

Part II of our Mock Draft 2.0..2nd-3rd rou

See Part I (Round 1-Comp A)

SECOND ROUND

2.40 Oakland Athletics: Willie- Billy Amick, 3b/1b, Clemson

Comment: Amick has potential for an above-average hit tool with 20-25 homer power. However, his contact rate was only 69% last checked. He transferred from Clemson for the 2024 season because he wanted to play 3b and has shown he might have a chance stick there or slide over to 1b later.

2.41 Kansas City Royals: Justin - Braylon Doughty, RHP, Chaparral, CA (HS)

Comment: The Royals are not afraid of high school arms and after going with a college bat here, this seems like a good fit. 

2.42 Colorado Rockies: Justin - Kash Mayfield, LHP, Elk City, OK (HS)

Comment: Rockies have sort of gone with strength of the class in recent years. When it was college pitching, they loaded up. They already took Montgomery at #3 and high school pitching is strong at this point of the draft, so here’s another arm that’s older but a good one for them to see if they won’t mess up.

2.43 Chicago White Sox: Justin - Bryce Cunningham, RHP, Vanderbilt 

Comment: This might be a spot where we see some college arms start to go on day two and the White Sox have collected a few in recent years and Cunningham has had Cape success and throws hard. Plus this will be a reasonable cost after going with Rainer with their first pick.

2.44 Washington Nationals: Willie - Ryan Johnson, RHSP, Dallas Baptist

Comment: The big framed righty has funk and deception in a low-slot delivery that includes a lot of effort. He's touched 100 but sits mid-90s. Johnson will throw a full arsenal including a 60-SL and a CB, CU, and CH. His 60-command and pitch mix make him a potential 3-4 SP, but there are concerns with the violence of his delivery that lead to speculation his future may lead to the back of a bullpen.

2.45 Los Angeles Angels: Willie - Gage Jump, LHSP LSU

Comment: The former-UCLA Bruins lefty has a pitch pitch mix. It's a low-90s heater that works north while he works south with his 55-CB. He rounds out the 4-pitch mix with a  SL and CH. Jump is solid strike thrower and projects as a potential 3-4 SP.

2.46 New York Mets: Willie - Tyson Lewis, SS Millard West NE (HS)

Comment: Lewis is a player to watch in the 25-50 range. There's big upside here. He's matured physically in the last year adding strength and size to his frame. The Nebraska native has the arm and speed to stick at SS (glove?), but may protect better as a 3b with 20-25 HR power.

2.47 Pittsburgh Pirates: Justin - Jared Thomas, OF/1B, Texas 

Comment: This is a good spot for the Pirates to grab a college hitter that has fit the Pirates and has some versatility and good contact ability.

2.48 CLEVELAND GUARDIANS: Justin - David Shields, LHP, Mt. Lebanon, PA (HS)

Comment: If Cleveland doesn’t go with a prep arm at 36 this is a good spot to snag one. Shields is a young for the class arm from a cold weather area, something Cleveland’s model has favored in the past. Has that worked out? Mixed results (Sam Hentges is probably the only one that worked out recently). But Shields is a high school QB that’s a good athlete and looks to fall into this range.

2.49 Detroit Tigers: Justin - Josh Hartle, LHP, Wake Forest

Comment: Detroit has gone with college pitching early in the past and Hartle came into the year with expectations of being a potential first rounder. There might be good value in grabbing a strike thrower here.

2.50 Boston Red Sox: Willie - Kyle DeBarge, SS, Louisiana-Lafayette

Comment: DeBarge has gotten Dustin Pedoria comps. There's excellent contact skills combined with chase rates above 25%. He has the arm, speed, and glove to stick at SS.

2.51 Cincinnati Reds: Willie - Ryan Prager, LHSP, Texas A&M

Comment: Prager should fit right in as a MLB pitcher with the prerequisite TJ surgery already in the books. Prager has a 3-pitch mix and potential to develop the CB he scraped. His best feature is 60-command. The repertoire includes a low-90s heater, SL, & potential 60-CH.

2.52 San Diego Padres: Willie - Braylon Payne, OF, Elkins HS, TX

Comment: Shades of Padres pick Dillon Head (traded to Miami as part of the Arraez deal). Payne is a speedster on the bases. He has excellent range in CF and should be a high-caliber defender. Payne uses his speed to get on-base and once he is he has potential to be a pain (pun intended).

2.53 New York Yankee: Justin - Griffin Burkholder, OF, Freedom HS, VA (HS)

Comment: Burkholder is a bit older for the class but that’s never been a big deal to the Yankees. He’s a talented high school hitter with reports of making contact, having pull power and a good two strike approach, all things that could fit New York.

2.54 Chicago Cubs: Justin - Dasan Hill, LHP, Grapevine, TX (HS)

Comment: Perhaps the Cubs will look to replicate the success they had with Jackson Ferris before training him with another young for the class lefty.

2.55 Seattle Mariners: Justin - Ethan Anderson, C/1B, Virginia

Comment: The Mariners want to continue to cut down on strikeouts as an organization and Anderson is a bat to ball catcher who might move off the position. 

2.56 Miami Marlins: Willie - Duncan Marsten, RHSP, Harvard Westlake, CA (HS)

Comment: Marsten is a money mover at this pick. He's a Wake Forest commit and will be 19 at the draft. Marsten has a solid 3-pitch mix with potential to add a CB (he scrapped it). He's been up to 99 but typically sits mid-90s.

2.57 Milwaukee Brewers: Willie - Carson DeMartini, 3B, Virginia Tech

Comment: DeMartini has seen an increase in thump this season. It's 55-power from the LHH 3b. He's a solid corner profile with food enough arm strength for the hot corner.

2.58 Tampa Bay Rays: Willie - Ryan Sloan, RHSP, York Community, IL (HS)

Comment: The Illinois right-hander is a power pitcher in the classic sense. He has a big, strong, durable frame. Stuff-wise he comes at the hitter with a mid-to-upper 90 heater. He pairs it with a mid-80s sinking CH and a nasty SL. Sloan is a money mover type pick here.

2.59 Toronto Blue Jays: Justin - Ryan Forcucci, RHP, UC San Diego

Comment: The Blue Jays could use some more homegrown pitching and Forcucci has a good arsenal that could translate to the pro game quickly, though he’s dealt with injuries this year.

2.60 Minnesota Twins: Justin - Chris Levonas, RHP, Christian Brothers , NJ (HS)

Comment: Some say that Levonas reminds them of Chase Petty and the Twins drafted Petty. Levonas has some good biomechanical data, so he’s got an efficient delivery and appears to be a good athlete.

2.61 Baltimore Orioles: Justin - Carter Holton, LHP, Vanderbilt

Comment: The college pitching class was a little stronger previously, but the Orioles didn’t hesitate to grab some college arms down the board and Holton could be a good fit for them with a better year in 2024.

2.62 Atlanta Braves: Willie - Thatcher Hurd, RHSP, LSU

Comment: Shades of Hurston Waldrep a year ago. The Braves invest high selections in college and prep arms. This pick is no different. Hurd has a mid-90s heater touching 98 paired with a high spin SL that tops out around 90. He has both an underdeveloped CB and CH. The Tigers righty seemed destined to be a high profile 1st rounder a few years back. The stuff is there, but his command will dictate his future. It's seems like either a strong mid-rotation work horse or a high-end BP arm.

2.63 Philadelphia Phillies: Willie - Tyson Neighbors, RHRP, Kansas State

Comment: Speaking of high-end backend arms look no further than the Wildcats product. Neighbors sits mid-90s and runs his FB up to 99. He pairs a CU and SL (both 60-grade pitches) with his heater for a trifecta of plus pitches with solid command.

2.64 Arizona Diamondback: Willie - Dylan Drieling, OF Tennessee

Comment: Drieling is a sophomore eligible LF with an advanced hit tool, with good BB rates and good speed. It's possibly average power potential.

2.65 Texas Rangers: Justin - Chase Mobley, RHP, Plant City, FL (HS)

Comment: The Rangers have shown an affinity for high school pitching and Mobley is one of the more projectable arms with an enticing three pitch mix.

COMP B

2.66 Tampa Bay Rays: Justin - Kevin Bazzell, C, Texas Tech

Comment: Seems like a Rays special here. He has good exit velos and makes good contact, but has a poor launch angle. 

2.67 Milwaukee Brewers: Justin - Anthony Silva, SS, TCU

Comment: There was a lot of buzz early in the draft cycle that Silva would be a first rounder. Offensively he’s had a tough season but again, the Brewers have had a lot of success with college bats and Silva should have no problem staying up the middle.

2.68 Chicago White Sox: Willie - Christian Moore- 2B/SS Tennessee

Comment: Moore is a player that could go anywhere in 25-75 range. He slips here with a run on pitching in early round 2. There's potential for an above-average bat with some chase too. Moore has 20-25 HR pop and should provide value at 2b/LF in the pros.

2.69 Minnesota Twins: Willie - Michael Massey, RHSP, Wake Forest

Comment: The durably built 6’5,230 lb righty has a 4 pitch mix. His FB sits mid-90s and touches upper-90s. He pairs with a devastating SL, developing CB, and an under developed CH. Add 40-command and he's potentially he's a high-end BP arm.

2.70 Miami Marlins: Willie - Owen Hall, RHSP, Edmond North, OK (HS)

Comment: The Fish like to pop prep arms early. This mock has them taking two big name/big game prep arms. Vanderbilt commit Owen Hall is a power righty running a mid-90s heater up to 98. Hos best pitch be an 55 SL. The Oklahoma native rounds out the 4-pitch mix with a solid CB and developing CH.

2.71 Cincinnati Reds: Justin - Carson Wiggins RHP, Roland, OK (HS)

Comment: Athletic and has big velocity, plus his brother is in the Cubs organization. The Reds have also shown some affinity to go with the strength of the class and high school pitching, and Wiggins fits in this range.

2.72 Detroit Tigers: Justin - Blake Burke, 1B, Tennessee

Comment: Detroit should be a good fit for Burke with the way they’ve had with bats lately, though Burke is maxed out and there’s no projection left. He might be a bad body DH but has incredible power and doesn’t strike out.  

2.73 Oakland Athletics: Justin - Peyton Stovall, 2B, Arkansas

Comment: There’s a good bet that Stovall goes about 40 picks higher than this, but a famous high school bat that has come on strong after an injury and can really hit.

FA COMP

2.74 Los Angeles Angels : Willie - Will Turner- OF South Alabama

Comment: The soon-to-be former Jaguars outfielder has had an underwhelming season. That said, he had a strong Cape Cod League performance a year ago showing both contact and zone awareness. He's a good athlete with a strong arm. Turner should come off the board in picks 75-150 (Rds 3-5).

THIRD ROUND

3.75 Oakland Athletics: Willie - Rodney Green Jr- OF Cal

Comment: Green is a young for the class college junior. The LHH OF has plus speed and good arm and glove. There's some swing and miss in the profile but it's paired with above-average raw power potential. His speed and power give him two enticing tools but he will have require patience as he develops wherever he goes. 

3.76 Kansas City Royals: Willie - Aidan Major- RHSP West Virginia

Comment: Major is a sub-6 footer with a 5-pitch mix. His command is roughly 45. He sits mid-90's and touches 98. He's a very young college junior with Cape experience.

3.77 Colorado Rockies: Justin - Kavares Tears, OF, Tennessee 

Comment: The Rockies seem to like Tennessee players and Tears can play the outfield, has power and doesn’t whiff too much, and should be enough to handle the OF in Coors.. 

3.78 Chicago White Sox: Justin - Anson Seibert, RHP, Blue Valley, KY (HS)

Comment: We had the Sox grab a college arm and they like a good mix of college and prep and aren’t afraid of big arms like the 6’8 Seibert that has big stuff and actually hones a solid delivery despite his size.

3.79 Washington Nationals: Justin - Connor Gatwood, RHP, Baker, AL (HS): Washington hasn’t always gone for a ton of high school pitching, but they have liked big framed arms in the past, which Gatwood is. This seems like a good spot for him, given that we have the Nats taking a high probability college bat that fell to them, and a safer college arm that might be a reliever. They could take a swing here on a 6’5 right hander that can run the fastball into the high-90s and two secondaries you can dream on as a mid-rotation arm with big stuff if you clean the delivery up that should help his control. 

3.80 St. Louis Cardinals: Willie - Brian Holiday, RHSP, Oklahoma State

Comment: The soon-to-be former Cowboys sub-6 footer has a strong 5-pitch mix. Holiday is young for the class. He's shown improved 50-command and has experience in the Cape.

3.81 Los Angeles Angels: Willie - Will Taylor, OF, Clemson

Comment: Taylor was once considered a potential first round talent. He's a speedy CF type. He underperformed at the dish this spring and suffered an injury pre-maturely ending his season. The soon-to-be former Tigers OF is an upside swing here with big potential if it comes together. 

3.82 New York Mets: Willie - Colby Shelton, 3B, Florida

Comment: Shelton has solid tools all across the board. He's a sum of all the parts player with average power potential. There's a chance for a fringe-average regular at third or second. He should develop into a solid versatile UTL infielder with pop off the bench and a workman like approach.

3.83 Pittsburgh Pirates: Justin - Noah Franco, 1B/LHP, IMG Academy, Bradenton, FL

Comment: Is Franco a two way player? Seems like a better bet he ends up at first base where he has plenty of power, but a good value here for the Pirates with a famous high school talent later in the draft. After a few college picks, the Buccos would have some money after taking Griffin to go here.

3.84 CLEVELAND GUARDIANS: Justin - Matt Ager, RHP, UC Santa Barbara

Comment: Ager is a UC Santa Barbara right hander with a four pitch mix and good control. That should sound familiar. Ager though has seen his control back up some in 2024, though the Guardians will bank on his track record and Team USA experience to grab another college arm here.