2024 MLB Draft Preview: Midwest Highlights

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 (or, in this case, region).. 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. 

This “local” group has a couple of players who should hear their name called on Day One, plus more who could be drafted on the second day. One of the caveats here, though, is that many midwest prep players make their way to college campuses. 

Brody Brecht RHP, Iowa (18)
A former two-sport college athlete at Iowa (baseball and football), Brody Brecht dropped football (WR) to concentrate on pitching full-time ahead of his junior season in 2024. At 6'4, 235 pounds, Brecht has some of the most dominant stuff in the history of college baseball.

Brecht is an exceptional athlete with an incredibly quick arm who has added some deception to his delivery by shortening his arm stroke in his time at Iowa.

The stuff is 'Skenesian', headlined by a fastball that averaged 97.5 mph in 2023. He runs it up to 101mph, but it sits in the high 90s in games, with plenty of run. Brecht's best secondary offering is a diabolical slider that he throws, leveraging two different shapes, one with more bite, and the other with more sweep. It has the potential to be a double-plus pitch and generates a ton of whiffs. Brecht has also added a splitter, which is newer in his arsenal, and thrown a curve, although less frequently than the FB/SL one-two punch.

Entering 2024, Brecht's Achilles heal was control and command and he didn’t do much this season to qualm those concerns. In 78 1/3 innings, he walked 49, threw 10 wild pitches and hit 12 batters. It’s easy to see top-of-the-rotation stuff, but it’s just as easy to see giant reliever risk. Some team, though, will look past the risk and add an elite arm to their organization.

Caleb Bonemer R/R SS/3B, Okemos HS, MI (38)
Bonemer was one of the biggest board risers on the prep side this winter after a great summer in 2023. He is one of the better athletic profiles and potentially one of the most exciting power/speed combinations in the 2024 class. The prep is committed to Virginia, which has been able to sway a number of players to skip the draft in the last handful of years.

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.

Joey Oakie RHP, Ankeny Centennial HS, IA (40)
Throwing from a low launch and lower three-quarter slot, prep righty Joey Oakie has some of the best stuff of any high school pitcher in the 2024 class. A long athletic frame with projection left and a quick, whippy arm is indicative that there is likely more in the tank for Oakie, velocity-wise.

On the mound, he throws a fastball that's been up to 97 mph with a ton of run. It's one of the most movement-heavy fastballs in the class. One wonders, given his release, if he might add a four-seamer to play up in the zone further down his development path.

For secondaries, Oakie has a nasty slider. It has downward bite and a ton of sweep and has generated upwards of 20 inches of horizontal movement, with gaudy spin rates to match. Oakie also has a changeup, that is a fringy, developmental pitch (that he hasn't needed much). Oakie has the athleticism and actions to have at least average control. Add that to the excellent fastball/slider package and there's excellent clay to mold.

Oakie is committed to Iowa, but given his projection to be drafted on the first day, there’s little reason to believe he will ever pitch for the Hawkeyes.

Dante Nori L/L OF, Northville HS, MI (78)
Nori is an intriguing prospect. One of the oldest prepsters in the draft class, he'll turn 20 a few months after the draft and is likely maxed out in terms of physical projection. Despite those minor dings, he has an explosive and intriguing skillset for a drafting organization.

The Mississippi State commit has a stocky, muscular frame, with an incredible amount of strength for an undersized player. At the plate it's a quiet operation, with a short, compact, and direct swing. There's currently mostly line drive present power there, but Nori pulls the ball in the air to good effect and maybe projects for average power when he's had some pro instruction.

Nori has easy plus speed and may be the fastest player in the draft class, making him a menace on the base paths.  Defensively, there's an above-average arm to go with elite speed that makes him a great bet to stick in centerfield long-term for his defensive home.

Nori's draft stock will be interesting to monitor to see how teams ding his age and lack of projection, but this is an above-average to plus hit tool with elite speed at a premium defensive position.

Also of note, Dante is the son of Timberwolves assistant coach Micah Nori. Micah played collegiately at Indiana.

Blake Larson LHP, IMG Academy (96)
What’s local about Bradenton, Florida? Well, not much. But Larson was born in Iowa before finishing his prep career at IMG Academy. Larson is a left-handed pitcher with a projectable frame, loud stuff, and tough to pick up arm slot.

There's a lot going on in Larson's delivery, it's pretty high effort with plenty of moving parts. It's undoubtedly a quick arm though, and Larson's release and angle generate plenty of horizontal movement on his pitches.

His fastball sits in the low 90s but has been as high as 97mph in shorter outings with run. Larson also has an excellent sweeper, which generates a ton of horizontal movement and is extremely tough for hitters to pick up. As with many prep arms, Larson has a changeup, but it's more of an emerging pitch for him.

Larson's profile is a great mix of present velocity and stuff from the left side. I'd anticipate quietening down the operation on the mound and finding a consistent third pitch will be key if he's to stick as a starter long-term.

Honorable Mentions: Drew Rerick, RHP (140), J.D Dix, SS (144), 

Who excites you from the Midwest region in 2024? Who are you higher on than other prospects? Jump into the draft conversation in the comments below.

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Find more draft coverage here:

2024 MLB Draft Position Previews: Third Basemen

2024 MLB Draft Position Previews: Shortstops

2024 MLB Draft Position Previews: Catcher

Check out our 2026 mock draft board, updated regularly, and with detailed player write-ups!