It’s never too early to look into the future. The 2023 draft class looks awfully strong, but 2024 might be a gem of its own with a Costco-sized cart of college pitching and some potential star power by way of high school bats. As always, our boards and rankings rest on three pillars:
Our team’s Live Looks.
Trackman, Rapsodo and data analytics.
Conversations within the industry. What are scouting executives, cross-checkers and area scouts seeing at the ballfields?
This Top 100 really establishes a few things:
2024 is shaping up to be another healthy year for the draft with a lot of fantastic college pitching.
There’s some extremely impressive talents in the high school bat ranks.
1. Vance Honeycutt
Outfield, North Carolina
Honeycutt is a superstar in every sense of the word. A 25-25 season in college baseball is unheard of. They only play roughly 60 games. That's precisely what Honeycutt achieved as a true freshman. He's the prototype power/speed centerfielder with plus tools in both areas and the body, trajectory and pedigree to suggest it'll only get better from here. If there's one quip on his profile at present, the swing-and-miss rates will need to come if he's to project the all-star level contributor at the next level most see him being. In the field, he's an above average centerfielder flashing moments of even bigger promise. His route quality can waver from day-to-day, but there are nights where he looks like a surefire plus centerfielder with long strides and a gliding nature to his game, not to mention a keen awareness at the wall. He's got a solid average arm too. The potential here is big, a potential five-tool star.
2. Konnor Griffin
Outfield, Jackson Prep
Griffin reclassified out of the 2025 draft class after overmatching his peers. Griffin has the frame scouts dream on, a long, levered body with projectable strength and present athleticism. The upside here is tremendous. Griffin plays shortstop and centerfield now, but we think he projects best in the grass where his plus speed and rangy routes will play best. He's got a strong throwing arm and the twitch necessary to make a good first step. He has every chance to stick on the dirt, but the hands are probably solid average and there's a high likelihood he'll grow off the position. He could probably be an above average defender at either spot. Already an accomplished slugger, Griffin has huge bat speed with over-the-fence juice and should grow into 60-grade, potentially even 70-grade game power. A true 5-tool prospect.
3. Thatcher Hurd
Right-Handed Pitcher, LSU
Hurd has the makings of a potential number one overall pick with a strong mixture of size, athleticism and pure stuff on the mound. He battled a back injury during his freshman campaign at UCLA, but a now-healthy Hurd has his sights set high at LSU. Still reasonably green on the mound, Hurd can rush it up to 96, sitting 92-94 over most extended innings. His best pitch is the slider, and it's a banger. Hurd can induce north of 3000 rpm on his breaking ball, featuring strong depth and some sweep as well. He's more than willing to throw it too, posting rates around 30% thus far. Hurd also throws a deeper curveball in the upper-70s with tremendous depth and a ton of sweep. It projects a true plus curveball. If Hurd can stay healthy and the velocity continues to tick up like many expect it will, it's top-of-the-rotation upside.
4. Chase Burns
Right-Handed Pitcher, Tennessee
Primarily a two-pitch guy to this point, Burns offers a mid-to-upper 90s fastball that's touched 99 and figures to tickle triple digits as he continues to mature. Burns' slider is thrown hard and firm, up to 89, sitting 84-87 with two-plane tilt; more depth than sweep. Burns' spin rates are high, and he's got a track record of commanding the baseball and overpowering the opposition. As he starts working in his curveball and splitter, the arsenal should continue to overwhelm hitters. It's a pro body with projection remaining in terms of lean muscle and flexibility still untapped.
5. Derek Curiel
Outfield, Orange Lutheran
The immediate thing that stands out with Curiel is the calm, balanced rhythm about his game. He's got a sweet left-handed swing and never looks anxious or tense at the plate. He's advanced beyond his years with the bat and the body only projects more and more impact on the way. He oozes athleticism in every aspect of the game, a plus runner with long strides and above average bat speed. Scouts think he's mostly hit-over-power for the time being, but the power potential and trajectory here suggests a future plus hitter with above average power or more. He's likely to shift to a corner as he matures, but the bat plays anywhere. The profile isn't too dissimilar from Riley Greene at this same stage, though I think most scouts would agree Curiel is more physical and more polished at this age than the latter.
6. Pierce Coppola
Left-Handed Pitcher, Florida
Coppola has immense upside on the mound with a long, lanky frame and an extremely tough angle for opposing hitters to square up. He's really coming downhill hard on guys in the box and it's tough to pick up out of the hand. An imposing southpaw, Coppola has touched upper-90s heat, more comfortably resting in the 93-94 range over multiple innings. He's got a dynamic, sweeping breaking ball that has a ton of bat-missing potential, as well as a changeup he can flip over and fade away from righty bats. The best is yet to come with Coppola as he fully recovers from injury and potentially positions himself as one of the premier arms in the SEC.
7. Michael Sirota
Outfield, Northeastern
Sirota is a super-impressive all-around athlete with the ability to impact the game in a number of areas. The bat-to-ball skills here are legit, and there's projectable juice still coming into his lean frame. Sirota is a plus centerfield defender with plus run times and impressive route running ability; all signs pointing toward a future big league centerfield profile. Sirota has twitchy hips and a ton of bounce to his game with scouts eager to see what’s to come. He's mature beyond his years at the plate and has a chance to be a very high pick in 2024.
8. Ben Hess
Right-Handed Pitcher, Alabama
A decorated midweek starter for the Crimson Tide as a true freshman, Hess features a unique high-spin fastball with both impressive ride through the zone and arm-side bore. As a freshman he threw it close to 50 percent of the time, a metric that should tick back as he develops. Either way, it's a potential plus pitch as a pro, already brushing 97 in-game. Hess is comfortable throwing an average slider, though most believe it's his big, banger curveball that will ultimately be his true weapon. A big, slurvy bender, Hess throws the curve 83-85 mph with intent and snap. As he learns to command and pitch backwards with the pitch, it projects plus as a swing-and-miss offering. The changeup is probably his third-best pitch with significant fading action into righties. Hess may elect to ditch the slider as he develops, or work to craft it into a solid average fourth offering. This is an arm with the potential for three plus pitches if it all breaks right. Top of the rotation upside.
9. Nick Kurtz
First Base/Outfield, Wake Forest
Some evaluators believe Kurtz may be the best hitter in the 2024 class, and that's saying a lot considering his imposing size, strength and power-corner archetype. Kurtz has plus power with the chance to grow into 70-grade juice, as well as a plus hit tool with a willingness to take his walks. He hardly ever strikes out too. Kurtz is an average runner underway with solid baseball instincts and the ability to impact the game on the base paths if you don't pay attention to him. Kurtz has a chance to anchor a big league lineup for a long, long time.
10. Braden Montgomery
Outfield/Right-Handed Pitcher, Stanford
Montgomery has been a stud prospect since his high school days, but signing a player away from a Stanford commitment always proves difficult. A two-way guy, Montgomery likely best projects as a prototype right fielder with easy plus power and solid average athleticism both on the base paths and in the field. He'll need to cut his significant swing-and-miss rates before the 2024 July draft if he's to reach his potential Top 5 pick ceiling. Montgomery might have the best outfield arm in the class, a true double-plus cannon with pinpoint accuracy. On the mound, Montgomery has struggled to command the fastball, but he's been up to 97 with a formidable cutter and a swing-and-miss breaking ball when he's in the zone.
11. Cody Schrier
Infield, UCLA
Schrier was a big ticket item in 2021 as a prep, but went unselected amid high signing bonus demands. That said, he had plenty of suitors calling for his services. Schrier is a bit of a do-it-all infielder. He's posts healthy contact rates, healthy exit velocities and covers every pitch type all whilst refusing to expand the zone. He handles breaking balls particularly well compared to his peers. Schrier likely figures to be a second or third baseman at the next level where his bigger body, average speed and average throwing arm will play best. If he continues on his current path, Schrier could be an above average, maybe even a plus hitter with solid average power at the next level. It's not easy to find second basemen who can mash 18-20 home runs a year, and that's what Schrier could bring to the table.
12. Michael Mullinax
Outfield, North Cobb Christian
Mullinax is a toolshed with a power/speed combination that is certainly tough to come by. The bat speed here is impressive with notable pull-side power as a left-handed hitter, but more hitterish from the right. Mullinax has plus, maybe even plus-plus speed and projects to stay in centerfield. He features a plus throwing arm that can play in any spot and be a huge weapon as well. A patient hitter that lacks much swing-and-miss in his game, scouts like the approach and his willingness to get on-base and use his wheels to create chaos. Mullinax had a quieter summer by his standards in 2022, but most believe the lack of slug was more of an enigma instead of any sort of indicator of what his eventual profile will be. Another five-tool potential guy.
13. PJ Morlando
Outfield, Summerville
Morlando might be the most physically imposing high school bat in the 2024 class with exceptional bat speed and high contact rates to boot. Morlando has long had the bat speed to out-slug his peers, but it's his mature approach and willingness to take the walk that has scouts raising eyebrows. Defensively, Morlando projects an average corner outfielder where his average speed and solid average throwing arm fit nicely. So long as he doesn't outgrow his athleticism and force his profile to first base, this is a high, high-level bat that teams will covet in the first round.
14. Andrew Dutkanych IV
Right-Handed Pitcher, Vanderbilt
Dutkanych, arguably the most revered freshman to make it to campus in 2022, presents an ideal starting pitcher frame with broad shoulders and tons of projection remaining. He's got an extremely quick arm and the athleticism on the mound is absolutely incredible. Fastball will get up to 97 with serious deception and life. He's got a bulldog mentality and has shown an affinity for pitching on the inner-third of the plate. Dutkanych has a firm slider into the upper 80s, as well as a loopier curveball in the mid-70s. One of the more prototype arms in the class. Dutkanych has the talent and upside to become the first arm off the board.
15. Hagen Smith
Left-Handed Pitcher, Arkansas
Smith famously threw six no-hitters his senior year of high school, completely dominating the competition. That continued at Arkansas his freshman year, slicing and dicing up the competition with flashes of brilliance. The book on Smith is deception. His delivery makes it extremely difficult to pick up his pitches out of the hand. It's a herky-jerky, full-limbed delivery with moving parts, but that's not to say it's full of effort or that it isn't repeatable. It is. It's just unconventional with extreme angle. Smith throws the kitchen sink. A four-seam fastball, a sinker, a slider, curveball and a changeup. He evenly distributes those pitches too; advanced beyond his years. The weapon is the changeup, a massive fading parachute that tormented righties in 2022. Smith doesn't spin the ball particularly well, so improving that may be a developmental goal, but he projects a crafty lefty that lives in the low-90s, mixing up his arsenal and keeping hitters off-balance with deception and two-plane dance moves.
16. Casey Saucke III
Third Base, Virginia
Saucke burst onto the scene for the Cavaliers as a true freshman, and obtained first team freshman honors. From his time as a prep to his freshman year at Virginia, he has transformed his body and is well built through his entire frame. Recruited as an infielder, he primarily played right field for the Hoos, and figures to eventually transition to third base as the depth ahead of him graduates. Saucke's carrying tool is his bat, as his swing path is designed to elevate and do damage. This is reflective in his batted ball data and in-game performance as he drives the ball to all fields with regularity. Potential to be future plus power as he matures.
17. Tommy White
First Base, LSU
White burst onto the scene as a true freshman at NC State slugging homer after homer, igniting the nation to his power, earning the monicker "Tommy Tanks" along the way. That nickname does ring true as perhaps nobody in the 2024 class hits the ball as hard and with as much consistency than does White. He's a slugger in every way. But he's also a promising pure hitter with contact rates that continue to improve and an unwillingness to expand the strikezone with respect to his age. There's still development ahead in terms of punishing the breaking ball and learning to lay off changeups in the dirt, but he's got time. Defensively, White is destined for first base where his limited range and first step won't be tested like they would be at third base. This is a big-time bat with the potential to anchor big league lineups for many years.
18. Jac Caglianone
Left-Handed Pitcher/First Base, Florida
Caglianone is a premier two-way guy with legitimate plus power on the offensive side of the ball and 99 mph upside from the left side on the mound. Most believe his future is on the mound, though scouts would like to see how the body and operation hold up in a starter role as we move toward the summer of 2024. The slider, changeup combination are solid with the former projecting a potential above average weapon. If his future is in a bullpen, Caglianone has the offensive upside to come off the bench as a left-handed slugger. It's a unique weapon package.
19. Jonathan Santucci
Left-Handed Pitcher, Duke
Santucci is an impressive two-way player for the Blue Devils with a real shot to stick on the mound or in the outfield. Most scouts, however, like him on the mound. The fastball features good riding shape up to 95, sitting 91-93 later in outings. His slider shows good depth and can be tough for hitters to read off his fastball with late, deep break. The changeup is also promising with fading action away from righty bats, though he's still ironing out feel for the pitch. That said, Santucci has a conviction and willingness to throw the pitch whenever he wants. There's a fringier curveball in there too, but for now he's primarily a three-pitch lefty with more projection ahead of him and a track record of pitching big innings in the ACC.
20. Eli Jerzembeck
Right-Handed Pitcher, South Carolina
Jerzembeck is one of the more intriguing arms in this draft class. The fastball velocity has been primarily 90-92 mph, though he has touched 96 MPH this fall with added strength and a considerable velocity jump. And there's plenty of room to add strength to his frame. His best offering is a potential plus curveball with great depth and spin rates topping 2,900 RPM's in the high-70's. Has a good feel for a developing change-up, as well. Jerzembeck has a bit of effort to his delivery, though he projects an ultra-physical righty with starter traits.
21. Travis Bazzana
Second Base, Oregon State
Travis Bazzana has been receiving Chase Utley comparisons longer than we can remember. It's a quick, compact stroke from the left side with significant strength and raw power, and he's tapping into it already. Bazzana was a star in the Pac-12 immediately as a true freshman. The Aussie has twitch and bounce on the dirt with an average arm and enough athleticism to make the plays to his right. He projects a potential solid average, potentially above average hitter with average power at the next level playing a steady second base.
22. Brody Brecht
Right-Handed Pitcher, Iowa
I think most would agree Brecht has the most electric fastball in the 2024 class; at least at this early stage. Brecht has been up to 101, sitting 98-100 in his late-inning opportunities. It's a metric-monster of a heater and is only reinforced by the elite whiff rates he generates off the pitch. He'll mix in an absolutely disgusting slider with immense depth, inducing gaudy swing-and-miss numbers. He'll also throw a traditional curveball extremely hard in the mid-80s. Brecht has a chance to possess an elite fastball and two plus-or-better breaking balls. That said, the control and command right now are below average. A two-sport guy, Brecht plays WR for Iowa as well, so juggling both sports has taken him off the mound now and again. If a point comes where he commits to baseball and stretches himself out into a starter profile, he could surge into the top 3-5 picks of the class. Until that clarity comes, he'll buoy up and down boards in the first/second round range.
23. Jake Faherty
Right-Handed Pitcher, Arkansas
Faherty is blessed with considerable arm talent boasting a fastball up in the upper 90s as a mid-80s slider that has a track record of wiping out the competition. Faherty's strike-throwing ability has come a long ways and, while he might not pitch in the rotation for Arkansas until 2024, he's a very good pro prospect with high-level athleticism and a repeatable delivery that should be workable at the next level. This is purely a projection ranking as Faherty doesn't have a whole lot of game experience yet, but we love the operation and upside. This is one of the more impressive arms in the 2024 class.
24. Owen Paino
Shortstop, Roy C Ketcham
Sanders has the massive size and stuff to headline a rotation at any level. He's got the mid-90s velocity and consistency with the fastball that scouts like to see, though to this point, he's had a hard-time missing bats with the pitch. Sanders' go-to out pitch has been a solid slider with good shape and great consistency. He's also got some of the best feel for a changeup at the top of this class. Developing a more-effective fastball is the most important move for Sanders in his immediate future.
25. Carson DeMartini
Third Base, Virginia Tech
DeMartini has a thunderous bat and middle-of-the-lineup juice. He's a strong infielder with versatility. DeMartini has some swing and miss in his game, though he doesn't expand the zone as much as the prototype thumper generally does. Developing his in-zone bat-to-ball skills will be important as he ages, but there's the makings of a power-corner infielder here.