The 2024 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft starts July 14th and ends July 16th. If you’re new to baseball the draft can be a little confusing. The draft happens annually and is crucial in building a team’s farm system, maintaining a competitive balance, and securing any possible future stars.
Like any other sports draft, each team gets a specific number of picks for each round. The first six picks in the first round are determined by a lottery system between the teams that didn’t get to the postseason the year prior. The team with the worst record has the best odds of getting the first pick and then the odds decrease as the teams move up in the standings. The lottery is designed to discourage the teams from intentionally tanking to get a higher pick. The other teams that didn’t make the playoffs, get selected in the opposite order of the previous season's standings. The teams that did make it to the playoffs get placed based on the order they got eliminated from the playoffs, which means whoever won the World Series picks last. In the MLB Draft, there is a total of 20 rounds.
Post-draft looks a little bit different for the MLB compared to other major leagues. Most other leagues almost immediately send players to development camp and sign some of the top players, but for the MLB most draftees will be assigned straight to the minor leagues. They tend to stay in the minor leagues for several years to work on their skills normally at lower levels, like Rookie or Class A.
Of course, going into the draft there are top prospects that are favorites to go higher up.
First up Nick Kurtz who is a first baseman for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. He is considered one of the top prospects because of how powerful and consistent he is at bat. Kurtz impressed scouts with his ability to hit for both power and average. Which makes him a standout for teams looking for a reliable slugger.
Next, we have Chase Burns, a right-handed pitcher for Wake Forest. Burns is known for his fastball and his strong pitching repertoire. He has impressive velocity and command from the mound. He was a top prospect in high school as well so it is no surprise that he is one coming into the draft.
Up next is Hagen Smith a left-handed pitcher for the Arkansas Razorbacks. He has gotten a lot of attention due to his variety of pitches and mound presence. He can handle high-pressure situations and can last long in games. Smith also has a deceptive delivery that adds another layer of difficulty for batters which helps get a higher rate of strikeouts.
Some honorable mentions are JJ Wetherhold, a shortstop and second baseman for West Virginia, and Braden Montgomery an outfielder for Texas A&M.
I personally can’t wait to see where these players end up. The draft is such an exciting time for the players and the fans alike, so it’s definitely something to tune in to when it's going on.
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