Cleveland Guardians 2024 MLB Draft Watch List: High School Hitters
1B/OF PJ Morlando (Summerville HS, SC - South Carolina Commit): Lefty with good bat to ball skills. Not much stride but shows raw power. A lot of hype as a circuit performer with the bat. Has a good approach at the plate. Likely to end up at first base and there are some growing questions about the bat.
https://x.com/SEisbergWCIV/status/1803176494224544205
INF Ty Southisene (Basic HS, NV - Tennessee Commit): Undersized middle infielder with great skills to stay at short. Very technically sound with his arm and actions. Good bet to stay at short. Contact over power profile. Good bat speed. Has Team USA experience. Sum of parts rather than one standout tool type player.
https://twitter.com/ShooterHunt/status/1705378023246319807
INF Owen Paino (Roy C Ketcham, NY - Ole Miss Commit): Well built infielder that has a chance to stick at shortstop despite having a tall/physical build. Very nice left handed swing. With his size, you’d expect some more power to come through here. Right now many have him as hit over power, but has more gap power. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him end up being power over hit in the pros. NY has an interesting but iffy history of players of this type. Looks like he has decent body control and enough arm to play on the left side. Could hear hi name called early day two.
https://x.com/brian_recca/status/1778436760906744097
OF Slade Caldwell (Valley View HS, AR - Ole Miss Commit): Listed at 5’9 some places but many say he checks in below that. But that doesn’t matter. Just barely 18 on draft day, Caldwell is a twitchy athlete. Mature approach in the box and has sneaky power and good speed. Once things get into the 15-20 range, any GM overlooking him based on his size will look silly. It would be a dream to buy a talent like this down the board, but in this class, there’s almost zero chance Cleveland can float him down to 36 no matter the money. If he was a legit 5’10, 6’0, he’s someone I would put into the top 5 talk.
https://x.com/FiveToolAR/status/1784044324386197681
OF/C James Nunnallee (Lightridge HS, VA - Virginia Commit): Good athlete with good bat speed and even better foot speed. Could catch but also could handle center field, so that makes him a very interesting athlete. Reports of a plus-plus makeup type with good leadership qualities. I like the hands and the quick adjustable bat path. Virginia is a very hard school to get kids to skip their commitment, but Nunnallee is an interesting athlete but will a day two pick be enough? All it takes is one team to believe he’s a future leadoff guy to do it.
https://x.com/JJonesPBVADC/status/1788359310944391632
INF Luke Dickerson (Morris Knolls HS, NJ - Virginia Commit): Another Cavaliers commit, which could steer him to school. But a right handed hitting shortstop that might be a second baseman is an offensive minded player. He upped his power senior year but has a contact heavy approach in the box and can draw a walk. Enough speed to profile in the outfield if it goes that way, but the bat would be the carrying tool. Dickerson is also a good hockey player, so a good athlete but will be nearly 19 on draft day, so will that push him to college? Interesting high school bat to think about midway through day two.
https://x.com/ShooterHunt/status/1782139313888633083
C Burke Mabeus (Bishop Gorman HS, NV - Oregon Commit): Big, physical backstop (6’4, 210), so not sure the size will allow him to stay behind the plate. But the bat is the driver of Mabeus’ draft profile. He has good raw power from both sides of the plate, with a little more of an efficient swing from the left side, and more power driven from the right side. But he can absolutely barrel the ball from both sides of the plate. Reports also suggest he’s a leader as a catcher too and teams probably would want to try him as a catcher first where the bat would really play well, but I could see OF/1B being a home for him and the switch hitting power bat would carry there too. He will be nearly 19 on draft day but Bishop Gorman has had good pro prospects in the past, including Joey Gallo, Justin Crawford, Marty Cordova, Paul Sewald, and Austin Wells. He’s had plenty of time on the showcase circuit and has been a higher profile name for a bit. He’s also performed well in those instances. It’s a profile worth a chance to look later on day two and Oregon shouldn’t be a hard commit.
https://x.com/MLBPipeline/status/1778117850432933962
INF Aiden Harris (Pro Development Group, VA - Virginia Commit): Harris might be more of a personal favorite than a Guardians type. But he’s an interesting high school prospect to take a big swing on in day two. Harris is a hitting prospect in this draft that if you save money for early on and take some more higher floor profiles on (college pitching) you can gamble on in day two. He’s big (6’4 230) and has swing and miss concerns, but the power is probably the best in the high school class, even above Griffin. Harris is young for the class, too (17 on draft day). He’s pitched some too and was up to 93, so there’s arm strength there for third base. His size could push him to first base, but again, a prospect like this, you’re buying the bat. Virginia commits are tough and Harris could use some college seasoning, but if a team believes they can iron out some of his swing issues, you’re getting a mammoth power corner bat at age 17.
https://x.com/PGAllAmerican/status/1693391198675959948
OF Terrence Kiel II (Pace Academy, GA - Texas A&M Commit): Kiel II is a good two sport athlete (good college prospect as a WR/DB) and has athletic bloodlines (dad was an NFL safety). He’s a project at the plate, however. The swing needs work and is a bit disjointed. But there’s good raw bat speed there and good exit velos and he might have both double-plus speed and a double-plus arm from right field. It’s a top of the order type profile. Some think if he focuses on baseball, more development will come. He’s certainly a good enough athlete to think so. Georgia is a strong area and even though he’s not a cold weather guy, he could have sort of a Quentin Holmes type progression (upside but needs work). Texas A&M also offers a very strong commit to have to buy out of too. He might have very early day two suitors which might be a bit harder for me considering the work needed, but if he falls further, he could be an upside option, provided you can get him to skip his college commitment there.
https://x.com/PerfectGameUSA/status/1679524578291482624
OF Jack Haferkamp (Santa Fe Christian HS, CA - UC Santa Barbara Commit): Big, physical OF (6’4, 195) that has plenty of bat speed and strength that projects to plus raw power. His swing is rated as pretty efficient but has some swing and miss in his game. Should also maintain above average speed once he fills out. I want to say there’s some Joey Wiemer here maybe? Not quite as big but could get there. I wouldn’t be shocked if he ends up at school but there’s some fun corner power upside and I think the swing is in a place where someone can work with to help work through swing and miss concerns.
https://x.com/PG_Scouting/status/1709995751323906195
OF Michael Mullinax (North Cobb Christian HS, GA - Georgia Commit): WIll be just about 19 on draft day (18 years, 10 months) but is a switch hitter with pop from both sides and above average to potentially plus speed. His swing is a bit more efficient from the right side but looks more geared for power from the left side. There are some things to clean up in his swing from both sides of the ball but there’s power/speed here that is exciting and a track record of hitting well on showcase circuits. Cleveland has liked Georgia/Cobb County guys before and new scouting director Ethan Purser was the former scout in that area. Not sure what Georgia commits will be like currently with Wes Johnson taking over. Definitely a guy that will get popped in the fourth/six round range.
https://x.com/ShooterHunt/status/1759632474458759183
INF Hayden Federico (West Monroe HS, LA - Ole Miss Commit): A 5’10 switch hitter, Federico has a quick, compact swing geared for good contact. He looks solid up the middle with decent actions and some good fundamentals. He’ll probably need to stay up the middle for the bat to play, as it doesn’t seem like he’ll develop corner starter power. But Federico looks like a four tool guy who is solid across the board. Whether that’s enough to get him drafted high enough to pass up Ole Miss, we’ll see. He might end up profiling as more of a utility type long term that could go on day two and no idea how high he’ll go if he hits for three years in college. He’ll be just shy of 19 on draft day.
https://x.com/2DsportsLA/status/1499516422753595394
INF Carson Luna (St. John’s HS, TX - Texas Commit): Luna has very still hands in the box and a quick swing that has adjustability, giving him a chance to find the barrel plenty in the zone. Solid size (6’1, 180) with some room to add strength at the next level. Projectable raw power, which he will need as likely a third baseman at the next level. Possible day to high school bat if you are in on the projectability.
https://x.com/FiveToolTexas/status/1786581731900026938
OF Jaxon Walker (Loudon HS, TN - Tennessee Commit): Speedy outfielder with quick hands and a quick swing. His weight shift back and toe tap trigger give him some pop but could be trouble with breaking stuff. Good exit velos. Could be a leadoff type outfielder but might add some pop. Speed for center but arm for left. Another Tennessee commit that’s a late day two guy that could get to campus. I like the swing and speed potential here.
https://x.com/PGShowcases/status/1729868074764157075
INF JD Dix (Whitefish Bay, WI - Wake Forest Commit): Hit over power middle infielder with solid shortstop instincts and tools, though he is 6’2 and could get a little bigger. If he does continue to fill out, he could add some power. Switch hitter with a feel for the barrel on both sides. Has performed well on the showcase circuit as well and his high school produced Craig Counsell. Wake Forest commits can be tough, too, but an early day two pick could swing him.
https://x.com/PatrickEbert44/status/1706743263263125943
INF Manny Marrin (Elite Squad Baseball Academy, FL - Tennessee Commit): Looks like a slick shortstop with range and more than enough arm. Very good mover at short and started there for Team USA 18U. 6’2 and only 180, so he has a frame to grow into some strength. Doesn’t have present power but if he grows into his frame, he could. Listed as lacking speed. Is older for the class and is a Tennessee commit that could be draft eligible as a sophomore. It might be better for him to get bigger at school and work on more pop. Maybe some Alex Mooney here? I like the swing and projection. Someone to eye early day two. Maybe more of a personal interest than Guardians interest due to age, but the projection is fun to look at and I tend to like Tennessee hitters for some reason.
https://x.com/ConnorHoldren_/status/1792992387456762222
INF Wyatt Sanford (Independence HS, TX - Texas A&M Commit): Well built middle infield body and good actions at shortstop. Should stay at the position. Has a good approach and makes a lot of contact. Very fringy power. Good runner. Could grow into more gap power.
INF Carter Johnson (Oxford HS, AL - Alabama Commit): Strong framed left handed hitting shortstop with good overall sized and a clean looking swing. Has some pull-side power currently and has some success on the Team USA circuit. There may be some question about if he can stick at SS, but the bat would carry at second or third with enough arm to stick at third. He’s been viewed as a top 30 talent but there’s been some buzz about Cleveland looking to try to buy him down to 36, so keep an eye out here.
https://x.com/TylerJennings24/status/1745184989753340126
OF/1B Anthony Quigley (Taravella HS, FL - South Florida Commit): This is more of a personal fav than a Guardians type, but there are some crossover traits here. He’s young for the class. Quigley is a big athlete (6-4, 200), which isn’t overly big but at the top end of where you want some hitters to be (bigger players see their bodies break down a little more and sooner, plus less room for projection as a high school player). He has long levers, which will give you pause about swing length, catching up to velocity. He has a decently short stroke and a lot of power in his body. He has an arm for right field and has pitched in high school, running up to 89-90 on the mound. His future is at the plate, and hopefully a focus on that could help with the swing a little more. He does have some room for physical projection, but the primary tool for Quigley is developing power in that frame and a big arm in right. That’s a fun late day two, early day three bet, but we’ll see. He might be better off looking to establish his swing in college. Who knows, a huge freshman year at South Florida could help him catapult to a bigger school and take off. We’ve seen it before. But the swing/athleticism and power intrigue.
https://x.com/DavidRosenbergg/status/1668635945187303425
OF Nate George (Minooka Community HS, IL - Eastern Illinois Commit): Under the radar cold weather athlete that is young for the class. 6’0, 185 with real present strength. Above average runner, possibly plus. Really kicks it into the gear out of the box. Has some good juice in the bat. There are some questions about the hit tool, and that may be the case for any cold weather bat due to lack of competition. George is a strong, physical athlete that played three sports and has shown both power and speed as an outfielder. Another hitter who could benefit from a college breakout and transfer but there’s some Mike Sirota-ness here without the size.