2024 MLB Draft Thread

[Joltin Joe]

It's very funny that people will log onto a blue jays forum, click on a blue jays draft thread, and then decide to make a post bragging about how they don't follow the draft because it's a crapshoot and waste of time. How courageous and noble!

I read most new messages.

[metafour]

[John_Havok]

Jays have signed Hayden Gilliland, C, Tennessee Tech

 

Undrafted FA

[Daniel Labude]

I heard good chance he could, but won't be on a discount

 

[Omar]

 

Go to school kid.

[Pendleton]

Jays have signed Hayden Gilliland, C, Tennessee Tech

 

Undrafted FA

 

[Pendleton]

 

[Spanky99]

Thought I'd post what I can find on our players selected in the draft of note, BA ranks in parentheses, a lot of punted picks for savings on Yesavage/King and Messina especially, it pays more to keep prep players from committing to school...

 

Pick 1 @ 20 - Trey Yesavage (11)

RHP

 

Ht: 6'4" | Wt: 225 | B-T: R-R

 

Age: null

 

School: ECU Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted

Age At Draft: 21

BA Grade: 55/High

Tools: Fastball: 55. Slider: 55. Curveball: 45. Changeup: 55. Control: 55.

 

Yesavage was a hard-thrower who had touched 96 mph in high school, but at the time he was raw in other areas. Now, after three years at ECU, Yesavage is one of the most polished and well-rounded pitchers in the 2024 draft. He pitched out of the bullpen as a freshman but made a strong transition to the rotation in 2023. In 2024, he posted a 2.02 ERA over 15 starts and 93.1 innings with a 40.4% strikeout rate and 8.9% walk rate. Listed at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, Yesavage works with a stiff delivery and over-the-top slot but has impressive feel for a four-pitch mix. He sits in the 93-95 mph range with a four-seam fastball that touches 97 and has above-average riding life. He establishes his fastball for strikes, then will go to a mid-80s slider and low-80s split-changeup to get swings and misses. Both secondaries are at least above-average and allow him to attack batters on both sides of the plate. He primarily uses his slider versus righties and changeup versus lefties, with an occasional 12-to-6 curveball in the low 80s for good measure. Yesavage has above-average control and has generally been a reliable innings-eater. He had a scary situation late in the season when he was hospitalized with a partially collapsed lung, but he pitched well in a high-profile regional matchup with Wake Forest’s Chase Burns after the fact. Yesavage is a high-floor starter and is the consensus No. 3 arm in the class behind Burns and Arkansas lefty Hagen Smith.

 

Pick 2 @ 59 Khal Stephen (105)

RHP

 

Ht: 6'4" | Wt: 215 | B-T: R-R

 

Age: null

 

School: Mississippi State Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted

Age At Draft: 21.6

BA Grade: 45/High

Tools: Fastball: 55. Slider: 50. Curveball: 45. Changeup: 50. Control: 55.

 

Stephen started his career at Purdue where he had reasonable success as a starter in the 2023 season before a strong summer in the Cape Cod League where he posted a 2.73 ERA in 26.1 innings. He transferred to Mississippi State for the 2024 season and shoved early in the year to jump into top-five round consideration. He finished the year with a 3.28 ERA over 96 innings and 16 starts with a 27.9% strikeout rate and 5.5% walk rate. A 6-foot-4, 215-pound righthander, Stephen has an excellent pitcher’s frame and throws from a higher three-quarters slot. He has a deep mix of four distinct pitches, though he relied on his fastball/slider combination for about 85% of his usage this spring. The fastball sits in the 91-94 mph range and gets up to 96 with above-average ride and carry at the top of the zone. He did a nice job establishing the pitch for strikes and helping to set up his low-to-mid-80s slider that flashes gyro action at times and more sweeping life at others. Stephen throws a mid-80s changeup as his primary secondary against lefthanders, and will also mix in an occasional upper-70s curveball. Stephen’s solid blend of quality stuff, size and starter performance should get him selected early on day two if he isn’t taken on day one.

 

Pick 3 @ 95 Johnny King (120)

LHP

 

Ht: 6'4" | Wt: 185 | B-T: L-L

 

Age: null

 

School: Naples (Fla.) HS Commit/Drafted: Miami

Age At Draft: 18

BA Grade: 50/Extreme

Tools: Fastball: 50. Slider: 55. Curveball: 60. Control: 45.

 

One of the youngest players in the 2024 class, King will be 17 on draft day and has plenty of projection to dream on with a 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame that has already started going in the right direction and a solid foundation of athleticism. He has a high-waisted frame and throws from a lower three-quarters arm slot with a delivery that features a bit of effort and recoil in his finish. He throws a fastball around 90-91 mph that has been up to 94 and has trended up over the last few years, with a snappy curveball in the mid 70s and a low-80s slider—bothhave spin rates in the 2,500-2,600 rpm range and above-average potential. King’s curveball has impressive two-plane break and great finish that should make it an effective secondary against both lefties and righties, while his slider has more of a sweeping shape that should be especially tough on lefthanded hitters from his arm slot. King is committed to Miami and is expected to be a difficult sign. Some teams might try and buy into his feel for spin, up-arrow projection and youth, while others might want to see him prove his ability to start in the ACC.

 

Pick 4 @ 125 Sean Keys (151)

3B

 

Ht: 6'2" | Wt: 225 | B-T: L-R

 

Age: null

 

School: Bucknell Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted

Age At Draft: 21.2

BA Grade: 45/High

Tools: Hit: 45. Power: 50. Run: 40. Field: 45. Arm: 55.

 

Keys is a thick and physical lefthanded hitter with a 6-foot-2, 220-pound frame and plus raw power to go with it. He made a significant jump as a hitter from 2022 to 2023 when he slashed .339/.444/.679 with 13 home runs with Bucknell, then turned in more high-level performance in both the Hamptons Collegiate League and the Cape Cod League. Keys upped the ante once again in 2024 when he slashed .405/.535/.798 with 13 home runs, more walks than strikeouts for the first time in his career and standout batted ball data. He was named the Patriot League player of the year and turned in one of the best seasons Bucknell has seen in years. He should become the third-ever Bucknell player to be selected among the top 10 rounds. Keys both makes a lot of contact and hits the ball exceptionally hard with an uphill bat path geared for over-the-fence power. However, he faced an average fastball velocity in the upper 80s this spring in the Patriot League—which makes his summer performance in the Cape extremely important. Keys has above-average arm strength that could be an asset at third base, but his range and quickness for the position is light. There’s a chance he slides to either first or a corner outfield spot in the future.

 

Pick 4C @ 136 Nick Mitchell OF (301)

 

Ht: 6'10" | Wt: 180 | B-T: L-R

 

Age: null

 

School: Indiana Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted

Age At Draft: 20.9

Mitchell is a 5-foot-10, 180-pound outfielder who spent his first two college seasons at Western Carolina where he stole 38 bases in two seasons and walked more often than he struck out. Mitchell transferred to Indiana for the 2024 season where he played right field and continued to show an advanced approach and contact skills. He’s never hit for much power but is an above-average runner and might have a chance to play center field.

 

Pick 5 @ 158 Jackson Wentworth isn't on BA's top 500??? He's ranked 164 on Pipeline...

 

Jackson

Wentworth

RHP, Kansas State

Bio

Stats

News

Video

AGE

21

BATS

R

DOB

08/08/2002

THROWS

R

HT

6' 1"

DRAFTED

2024, 5th (158) - TOR

WT

210

Video scouting report »

 

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 60 | Cutter: 50 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 50 | Overall: 40

 

Part of a 2021 bumper crop of Iowa high school pitchers that also included likely 2024 first-rounder Brody Brecht, Wentworth went undrafted and headed to college as Kansas State's top recruit. He missed his first college season following Tommy John surgery and struggled to an 8.72 ERA when he returned last spring. He has pitched his way into the top five rounds after opening the season in the bullpen and joining the rotation in late April.

 

Wentworth's fastball is fairly ordinary, sitting at 92-94 mph and peaking at 96 without much life, but his slider and changeup have posted swing-and-miss rates better than 50 percent this year. His low-spin slider parks in the mid-80s and features tremendous depth, while opponents have batted just .074 against his fading mid-80s changeup. His upper-80s cutter gets a lot of chases and shows signs of becoming a solid offering.

 

Wentworth has some shoulder tilt in his delivery and throws with some effort, but he repeats his mechanics well and creates some deception while providing regular strikes. He has a sturdy 6-foot-1 frame and a chance to make it as a starter in pro ball if he can add some velocity or movement to his fastball. He may be better suited as a reliever who can work heavily off his slider and changeup.

 

Pick 12 @ 367. Carson Messina (134)

RHP

 

Ht: 6'1" | Wt: 200 | B-T: R-R

 

Age: null

 

School: Summerville (S.C.) HS Commit/Drafted: South Carolina

Age At Draft: 18.3

BA Grade: 50/Extreme

Tools: Fastball: 55. Slider: 70. Changeup: 45. Control: 40.

 

Messina is a 6-foot-3, 225-pound righthander who has a lively fastball and one of the better breaking balls in the class. He pitches in the 91-94 mph range with his fastball and has been up to 96. The pitch has tons of armside running life that makes it even more difficult to barrel up. He complements it with a mid-80s tight slider with sharp and hard biting action that has earned 70-grade future projections. He gets lots of ugly swings between his fastball/slider combination and has also flashed a low-80s changeup that looks like a fringy, but solid third pitch. Messina will need to tighten his control and streamline his delivery to increase his chances to start long term, but his fastball/slider combination is among the loudest in the class. Messina is committed to South Carolina and plays on the same high school team as potential day one pick PJ Morlando. He is the younger brother of current South Carolina catcher and 2024 prospect Cole Messina.

Edited July 17, 2024 by Spanky99

[Krylian]

A few do make it but majority don't. For the fans, draft is a waste of time. When prospects get to high minors then starting following them. Before that it's a waste of your time.

 

...or...Fans enjoy following the journey. They like seeing prospects progress...and the ones that don't, enjoy the analysis that comes along with determining why they don't. Some fans love the scouting, drafting, developing aspects of sports. Just because you find it a waste of your time, doesn't mean the rest of us do. We all find different things captivating. Life would be pretty boring if we didn't.

[Ray]

Carson Messina is forgoing his commitment to USC and going pro looks like

 

[Krylian]

Go to school kid.

 

Mind your own business.

[Krylian]

[WryNGinger]

Don't the amazing, wonderful posters on this site have a draft "signed/how much" with "+/- of cap pool" thread within a couple of days of the draft each year?

 

...asking for a friend...

[Krylian]

[Laika]

Don't the amazing, wonderful posters on this site have a draft "signed/how much" with "+/- of cap pool" thread within a couple of days of the draft each year?

 

...asking for a friend...

 

Guy who used to do that was committed to Whitby Shores

[Eat My Shatkins]

Yeah I miss TL's draft thread

[Omar]

Guy who used to do that was committed to Whitby Shores

 

Yeah I miss TL's draft thread

 

Reek

[L54]

What’s the highest a Canadian HS player has been selected?

 

To me it is real impressive for that HS catcher from Alberta to go in the third round.

[L54]

Lawrie was a HS pick I guess

[L54]

All three Naylor brothers too

 

More than I was thinking initially

[Spanky99]

Manfred hinting at the possibility of trading draft picks...

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/07/rob-manfred-hints-at-changes-to-rules-on-trading-draft-picks.html

[WryNGinger]

Reek

 

Haha...totally...

 

Um wut? TL sounds familiar, no idea what Whitby refers to. Clueless about "Reek".

 

I assume this means no one is doing a draft/signed for/remaining thread?

 

If anyone "did" make such a thread, I can only imagine in what high regard the rest of the unworthy disciples of BJMB would hold such a treasured individual in. Is there such a super-hero left within our midst?

[Spanky99]

Haha...totally...

 

Um wut? TL sounds familiar, no idea what Whitby refers to. Clueless about "Reek".

 

I assume this means no one is doing a draft/signed for/remaining thread?

 

If anyone "did" make such a thread, I can only imagine in what high regard the rest of the unworthy disciples of BJMB would hold such a treasured individual in. Is there such a super-hero left within our midst?

 

Just follow the listing I last posted, they're the players to follow. Also, I believe there's a site that does that s***, just escapes me at the moment.

[Joltin Joe]

...or...Fans enjoy following the journey. They like seeing prospects progress...and the ones that don't, enjoy the analysis that comes along with determining why they don't. Some fans love the scouting, drafting, developing aspects of sports. Just because you find it a waste of your time, doesn't mean the rest of us do. We all find different things captivating. Life would be pretty boring if we didn't.

I find it overhyped and boring. Until prospects get to Double A or so.

[John_Havok]

What’s the highest a Canadian HS player has been selected?

 

To me it is real impressive for that HS catcher from Alberta to go in the third round.

 

Adam Loewen i believe...4th overall.

[Krylian]

[L54]

Adam Loewen i believe...4th overall.

 

He went to Juco

[John_Havok]

He went to Juco

 

True, but he went there after he was drafted. Back then you didn't have to sign with the team that drafted you for like a year or something. He was holding out on Baltimore as they were lowballing him.

[AMS528]

Adam Loewen i believe...4th overall.

 

I remember when he became a batter and had some good numbers but it was Vegas, and then he sucked after we called him up.

 

We had so many guys who put up great numbers in Vegas but it wasn't ever possible to know if they were actually any good. David Cooper (a proto Spencer Horwitz), Brad Emaus, Arencibia, list just goes on.

 

Also looking at those teams I saw Brian Dopirak, who I was very excited about after he had a huge AA season. Honestly surprising that he never managed to get a single major league AB. He got as close as you could.

Edited July 18, 2024 by AMS528

[BigCecil]

What’s the highest a Canadian HS player has been selected?

 

To me it is real impressive for that HS catcher from Alberta to go in the third round.

 

Thats a great story. I've seen that kid play. Elite. That Red Deer area program is producing some real talent. There is another catcher in Edmonton that has solid career ahead that is 16 and has been playing against my son since 13U AAA.

 

My bud from University's son - NS kid who went out and played in Okotoks Dawgs program in AB - for noticed and made Team Canada Junior team and then full ride to Oregon State Beavers got drafted 17th round. Late but still good accomplishment. His 2nd and 3rd years he really battled injuries at OS.