Article: Brewer Fanatic Mock Draft v. 1.0 (Nygaard Edition): More Slugging Infielders!

[Jeremy Nygaard]

Mock Draft season is upon us. We're still six weeks from having any clarity, but it's always fun to start to speculate. There is still plenty of college baseball to be played, which will have an impact on some players' stocks. The Draft Combine will happen in two weeks and that will provide some more information about what teams are after.

Mock Drafts are a lot of fun, even a month and a half ahead of the actual event. The Guardians were the lucky winners of this year's draft lottery, and there is plenty of uncertainty in terms of what they will do, as well as the teams behind them. Last year appeared to be a top tier of five players. This year, there are about 10 college hitters (a few of whom have separated themselves), two college pitchers, and two prep players who seem to be part of the "top group." All that means, though, is that there is going to be a wide-open field of possibilities as players and teams try to match up evaluations, bonus demands, and pool manipulations.

Here is my first mock draft of the 2024 season. Jamie Cameron will also be doing his own.

More to come, and much, much more detail on the potential top picks. Please share your thoughts on this mock draft. How would you feel about the picks made for the Twins?

1. Cleveland Guardians - Charlie Condon, 3B, Georgia
There has been a lot of Travis Bazzana steam here lately, and since he's an up-the-middle defender, that makes sense. Ultimately, my personal preference is to land the nation’s best hitter; that’s Condon.

2. Cincinnati Reds - Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State
While the Reds haven’t been heavily tied with Bazzana (and they have a ton of infielders), take the best player available and move on.

3. Colorado Rockies - Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas
Now, let me go back on everything I’ve said about not drafting for need, and say this instead: “The Rockies need to take pitchers in the draft, because no one actually wants to pitch in Colorado.” Smith hasn’t been as good as Chase Burns lately, but when in doubt, take the lefty. 

4. Oakland Athletics - Braden Montgomery, OF, Texas A&M
It was really a toss-up here, between Montgomery and Jac Caglianone. Montgomery has a higher ceiling, and the A’s are desperate for stars. 

5. Chicago White Sox - Jac Caglianone, 1B, Florida
If Hagen Smith is on the board, he just makes too much sense here. But with him gone, there is one hitter left in the top tier, and that’s whom the White Sox take.

6. Kansas City Royals - Konnor Griffin, SS, Jackson Prep (Miss.) HS
Not a lot of steam at this point, but it wouldn’t be hard to see the Royals popping the draft’s first prep player. It fits their patterns.

7. St. Louis Cardinals - Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest
Burns has been awesome lately, and could hear his name called before this point.

8. Los Angeles Angels - James Tibbs, OF, Florida State
The Angels have no use for more minor leaguers (or something like that), and after rapidly promoting their last two first-round picks, they’ll do it with an outfielder this time. 

9. Pittsburgh Pirates - J.J. Wetherholt, SS, West Virginia
The pitching is starting to line up. Now it’s time to address the hitters, and Wetherholt, coming off an injury-riddled season, would be great value at No. 9.

10. Washington Nationals - Bryce Rainer, SS, Harvard Westlake (Calif.) HS
Lots of smoke around the Nationals going the prep route.

11. Detroit Tigers - Cam Caminiti, LHP, Saguaro (Ariz.) HS
Pegging a landing spot for prep pitchers is the hardest thing to do.

12. Boston Red Sox - Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
Kurtz should go higher, but there’s been a shoulder issue that may scare some teams off.

13. San Francisco Giants - Seaver King, SS, Wake Forest
The Giants luck into the last of this tier of college hitters.

14. Chicago Cubs - Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina
The college hitter pool would be the preferred demographic, but getting the third-best college pitcher would be a fine consolation prize.

15. Seattle Mariners - Ryan Sloan, RHP, York Community (Ill.) HS
Sloan is another example of a player getting paid for being a top prep arm, regardless of where he actually ends up.

16. Miami Marlins - Caleb Lomavita, C, Cal
There are a handful of college catchers who will be in play in the back half of the first round.

17. Milwaukee Brewers - Cameron Smith, 3B, Florida State
The Brewers got a haul of “could-be third baseman" types in the 2023 draft, so let’s add another.

18. Tampa Bay Rays - William Schmidt, RHP, Catholic (La.) High School
Why not place a prep pitcher with the Rays?

19. New York Mets - Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina
Honeycutt is a polarizing prospect, but seems destined to play in the bright lights of New York.

20. Toronto Blue Jays - Carson Benge, OF, Oklahoma State
A large tier of college hitters will be in consideration for a long stretch here.

21. Minnesota Twins - Dakota Jordan, OF, Mississippi State
Jordan might not be the perfect offensive profile match for the Twins, but he’s a freaky athlete with loud tools and a high ceiling.

22. Baltimore Orioles - Brody Brecht, RHP, Iowa
The Orioles are loaded with hitters. Now, let’s give them an explosive arm.

23. Los Angeles Dodgers - Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee
Moore has been climbing, and the Dodgers will keep him going.

24. Atlanta Braves - Malcolm Moore, C, Stanford
The second college catcher finds his way into the first round.

25. San Diego Padres - Theo Gillen, 2B, Westlake (Texas) HS
Gillen is full of upside, and the Padres love upside.

26. New York Yankees - Slade Caldwell, OF, Valley View (Ark.) HS
Caldwell is undersized (to say the least), but has first-round talent.

27. Philadelphia Phillies - Tommy White, 3B, LSU
“Tanks” is as well-known as any draftable player. But there are questions about his profile.

28. Houston Astros - Jurrangelo Cijntje, RHP/LHP, Mississippi State
A switch-pitcher who has climbed with an impressive year in the SEC.

29. Arizona Diamondbacks - Walker Janek, C, Sam Houston State
The last of three first-round catchers drafted out of college.

30. Texas Rangers - Billy Amick, 3B, Tennessee
The Rangers are lucky to get a college bat of this quality to fall.

31. Arizona Diamondbacks - Kash Mayfield, LHP, Elk City (Okla.) HS

32. Baltimore Orioles - Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Kentucky

33. Minnesota Twins - Kaelon Culpepper, SS, Kansas State

34. Milwaukee Brewers - Caleb Bonemer, SS, Okemos (Mich.) HS

35. Arizona Diamondbacks - Kellon Lindsey, SS, Hardee (Fla.) HS

36. Cleveland Guardians - Joey Oakie, RHP, Ankeny Centennial (Iowa) HS

37. Pittsburgh Pirates - Wyatt Sanford, SS, Independence (Tex.) HS

38. Colorado Rockies - Jonathan Santucci, LHP, Duke

39. Kansas City Royals - Carter Johnson, SS, Oxford (Miss.) HS

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Do you have any favorites in this group for the Brewers, or guys you expect to go higher or lower than listed? Sound off below.

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[Spencer Michaelis]

Yesavage to the Cubs makes me sad, but I’d love the Cam Smith pick.

[Jeremy Nygaard]

1 hour ago, Smichaelis9 said:

Yesavage to the Cubs makes me sad, but I’d love the Cam Smith pick.

The Brewers are going to find themselves in a position to add a player from the fringe of that second tier... and that's a good place to be.