Cleveland Guardians 2024 MLB Draft Watch List: High School Pitchers
RHP Joey Oakie (Ankeny, - Iowa Commit): A right handed arm on the shorter side (6’3) than you’d like from a high school arm. His body might not have a ton of projection left, but he’s well built and can get his fastball into the mid-90 already. The slider is the carrying pitch, with big sweeping movement. It’s possibly a double plus pitch and he’s shown good control with both pitches. The changeup is said to be behind a bit but the delivery seems repeatable with his athleticism. It’s a side arm looking operation that aids the slider. Iowa high school baseball doesn’t start until May, so he might be a late riser but he should be on team’s radar as a day one pick already. Iowa commit.
https://x.com/PrepBaseballIA/status/1782503054228475955
RHP Levi Sterling (Notre Dame HS, CA - Texas Commit): A projectable right handed thrower (6’4 190) committed to Texas that can also run the ball into the mid-90s. Sterling’s gifts are his projectability as well as a potentially bat missing curveball and a slider. Very easy operation as well and lot to dream on. With smooth, repeatable mechanics, he should throw strikes at the next level. Good athlete that is playing SS in high school and will only be 17 by the draft, so a lot of arrows pointing up here. His velocity was a little down late in the season.
https://x.com/EephusTosser/status/1760517907787001965
LHP Ethan Schiefelbein (Corona, CA - UCLA Commit): On the shorter side (different outlets have him between 6’0 and 6’2) but plenty of pitchability and some projection left strength wise. Strike thrower that lives 90-92 but can hit 95. Big curve and slider with the makings of an above average change. Good target early on day two with some extra money as a strike throwing lefty with mid-rotation upside.
https://x.com/ShooterHunt/status/1767331049506533852
RHP William Schmidt (Catholic HS, LA - LSU Commit): Could be the top prep pitcher, rivaling Cam Caminiti. Loose and easy arm and action. Can really drive the ball downhill. 6’4 frame with room for projection. Heat in the upper 90s that plays big up in the zone. Good power curve that needs needs tightened and better control. Nascent changeup. Average control. Big stuff to dream on in round one.
https://x.com/prospectdugout/status/1789466481257857397
LHP Talan Bell (Hagerty HS, FL
- Clemson Commit): Low-90s fastball with a good flat approach angle that competes for swings and misses in the zone. Another strike thrower. Changeup has fade and run. Developing slider and curve with bite. 19 with not much size left here (5’11, 6’0) but pitchability with good mid-rotation type stuff.
https://x.com/Florida_PG/status/1760151675157852566
RHP Chase Mobley (Durant HS, FL - Florida State Commit): Big projectable arm (6’5, 190) and good arm speed. Already topping out at 96. Young for class (still 17 on draft date). Somewhat of a violent arm action, though his backswing is short. Tight power curve and developing changeup. Easy bet to be a day one arm.
https://x.com/Florida_PG/status/1757994346178134339
RHP/3B Alex Hernandez (Forsyth Central HS, GA - Georgia Tech Commit): Will be 19 after the draft (18-10 months on draft day). Solid size (6’2, 200) with a strong lower half. Fastball can reach 94-95 and has a tight curve, and a changeup that shows good arm side run. Pretty fluid mechanics. Has big power as a corner infielder too. Probably a mid-day two pick but not sure which way he will go with his development.
https://x.com/JGoetzBaseball/status/1570949730192199680
LHP David Shields (Mt. Lebanon HS, PA - Miami Commit): A well built lefty with a football background and reclassified into the 2024 class, so he’ll be young on draft day (17). Stands 6’2 and throws his heater up to 93-94 with a big slider. Is a bit cross-body in his delivery and finish. It seems to allow him to have some deception, but you wonder if a team will want to clean that up a little. Cold weather arm with a lot of upside due to age and stuff. 2nd-4th round type signee.
https://x.com/SowerPeyton/status/1726591857168413046
RHP Braylon Doughty (Chaparral HS, CA - Oklahoma State Commit): A bit of a stockier size but good build for being 6’1 and is strong in his lower half. Looks like a good athlete on the mound and is good at messing with the timing mechanism in his delivery. Mid-90s and and can reach back at times for a bit more. Hammer of a power curve with good control. Also has a good horizontal type slider that could have the makings of an above average offering. A legit three pitch mix and a solid build for a smaller arm. Probably doesn’t have much remaining projection in his build, but if he adds a changeup, he’s got big time upside. Going to be a popular name on day one to get in the comp rounds. Just barely over 18 on draft day.
https://x.com/wvscouting/status/1766923952239333802
RHP Tegan Kuhns (Gettysburg Area HS, PA - Tennessee Commit): A bit of an older arm (near 19 on draft day). Long, lanky build. High waisted. Looks like he’s put some strength onto the frame in his senior year. Has moving parts to his delivery, but can get it up to the mid-90s, lives in low-90s. Projectable frame till, so more velocity could be coming. Has a good, tight power curve. Reportedly throws a splitter two in addition to two breaking balls. Good projectable arm with some delivery cleanup to do, but easy to see the upside here with a day one, or very early day two pick.
https://x.com/PG_Draft/status/1756395467666026544
RHP Dax Whitney (Blackfoot HS, ID - Oregon State Commit): There’s not a ton of major leaguers from Idaho, and even less pitchers. But Cleveland has one of them in Kyle Manzardo. Whitney is a 6’5 right hander who has also played shortstop, but his future is on the mound with a fastball that lives in the lower-90s and can touch 95 right now with more to come as he fills out his frame. He works downhill very well with his size and has a very over the top delivery. You worry about that arm slot and command at times because it’s hard to stay in line with the body that way. Whitney has a big downer curve and a vertical slider that also looks good. He’s reportedly been a strike thrower so far and could hear his name called on day one, if not very early day two.
https://x.com/PG_FourCorners/status/1794891777222320510
LHP William Kirk (Ramsey HS, NJ - Virginia Commit): Three pitch mix highlighted by what could be an above average changeup once he’s done developing. Free and easy delivery that gives him a good chance to control and command his stuff, as he has to this point. Fastball is only 89-92 but could be more to come with time. Someone easy to project and dream on. On the older side of 18 on draft day with a tough commit to Virignia. Kirk could be anywhere between the third or high school arm off the board. New Jersey has mixed results with pro prospects but plenty of teams like the cold weather projection.
https://x.com/IanSmittyGA/status/1689664707802836992
RHP Brayden Krenzel (Dublin Jerome HS, OH - Tennessee Commit): The son of OSU championship QB Craig Krenzel already possess good size (6’3 205) and solid command of the strike zone. His fastball is 88-92 and touches 94 with sink. His best secondary, maybe his best pitch, is a changuep. The slider has good two plane action and tilt too. He’s got kind of a longer arm swing but it works for him and he’s generally in sync. It’s a low 3/4 operation with sort of reminds me of Max Scherzer (the arm movements, nothing else). Tennessee commits can be tough and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him make it to campus. Could be worth a mid-day two pick.
https://x.com/ShooterHunt/status/1705727260064424360
LHP Joseph Broughton (Northville HS, MS - Pitt Commt): Good sized (6’2, 200) lefty with a high carry fastball that is high-80s, low-90s. His size suggests that there should be more in the tank. There are concerns about some of the timing mechanics in his arm, but he’s a good athlete and probably something that can be worked out. There’s a big power curve in the arsenal and good arm speed for a changeup. The arm action is a big wonky, but the operation in the lower half is a little more smooth and there’s projection with stuff. Probably someone with more late day two projection here from a cold weather area. Worth the upside gamble considering signability shouldn’t be a huge issue.
https://x.com/tyler_kotila/status/1701753586177188007
RHP Dylan Jordan (Viera HS, FL - Florida State Commit): A deceptive release with a ton of run on his fastball with other good metrics are what teams are interested in. His slider dives the complete other way with a ton of late two plane tilt. Doesn’t have a clear third pitch right now, but at 6’3 205, good control and some strong metrics, Jordan will be a popular high school arm to watch on day two. Another pitcher I wouldn’t be surprised to get to campus but if a team likes the size, strike throwing and metrics on his stuff, they could buy him out depending on how the rest of their draft goes.
https://x.com/prospectdugout/status/1773040162743763123
LHP Johnny King (Naples HS, FL - Miami Commit): Good sized lefty (6’4, 210) with projection that is already hitting 94-95. Shallow approach angle thanks to his wide release point in his low 3/4 arm slot. He pairs it with a hard, power breaking ball with good vert and can turn over a bit of a change despite his arm angle. The delivery and look here give vibes of a high school Hagen Smith and some Josh Hader. It’s a big of an awkward standing finish, which is more Smith. Same build too and arm angle. He’s also 17 on draft day. I’d watch out here in the second or third round as Miami shouldn’t be too hard to buy out.
https://x.com/Florida_PG/status/1770508165697732882
LHP Bryce Navarre (Montgomery HS, TX - Texas A&M Commit): A bit on the undersized side without maybe ideal future projection for a high school arm (6’1, 190) but has really interesting characteristics. He can really spin his breaking ball with big sweep and he offers a good fading changeup. Has strike throwing ability too. Good and smooth operation with a low release height that helps his fastball play up above its 89-91 velo. If a team thinks he can grow into more velocity, it could help his other pitches play up too and there could be mid-rotation upside here. It probably will take a mid-day two pick (round 4-5) for him to leave his commitment to Texas A&M behind I’m betting.
https://x.com/mlbdraftleague/status/1798506780131234203
RHP Drew Rerick (Fargo Davies, ND - Texas A&M): Big 6’5 right hander that gets it up to 98 and pairs it with a big spinning slider. Both pitches spin. Dad was a former draft pick by the Cardinals. Drew has played hockey and is a good athlete. Not sure how strong A&M commits are these days, but we know they have money to spend. An athlete with size and traits to think about on day two. 18 years and 2 months on draft day, so par or a bit younger for the draft. - JL
RHP Tyler Renz (Fox Lane HS, NY - St. John’s Commit): Renz is a young for the class cold weather arm that stands 6’4 and 190, so this is your typical upside model play based on raw projection in both experience and body/age. Shows a low 90s fastball with good downhill plane. Not a lot of effort in the delivery. Very nice, tight power curve. Does have a nascent changeup. Probably worth going to school unless a team buys high.