Mark Polishuk | MLB Trade Rumors

Bo Bichette To Miss “Multiple Weeks” Due To Calf Strain

By Mark Polishuk | July 20, 2024 at 5:05pm CDT

5:05pm: Schneider told reporters (including MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson) this evening that an MRI revealed a “moderate” calf strain for Bichette and that he will be sidelined for “multiple weeks” due to the issue.

10:57am: Bo Bichette left yesterday’s game due to a right calf strain, and it comes as no surprise that the Blue Jays have now placed the shortstop on the 10-day injured list. Infielder Addison Barger has been called up from Triple-A to take Bichette’s spot on the active roster.

Bichette broke out of the batter’s box after lining out to right field at the end of the sixth inning, but immediately came up limping after a few steps. Last night’s injury was the latest occurrence in what has been a collection of calf injuries for Bichette over the last month, as he spent a minimal 10-day stint on the IL with another strain to his right calf in June. He also left Toronto’s game on July 10 with what was described as a right calf fascia strain, though with the All-Star break looming, the Jays opted to not place Bichette on the IL again, hoping that the time off would allow him to heal up.

Unfortunately, Bichette now again finds himself sidelined, and likely for well beyond a 10-day minimum. Blue Jays manager John Schneider should soon update media on the outcome of Bichette’s MRI, yet even if the MRI was clean, the recurring nature of this calf injury probably means the Jays will opt on the side of caution in giving Bichette plenty of time to fully overcome this issue. This almost surely means that Bichette will still be on the injured list when the trade deadline hits on July 30, all but eliminating the possibility that Toronto could part ways with the former All-Star.

Though it isn’t unheard of for teams to still make offers for injured players if an injury appears to be fairly minor in nature, two calf injuries for Bichette in a month’s time would likely give pause to any potential suitor. From the Jays’ perspective, they’re not going to accept a diminished trade package for a player who (if healthy) is one of their strongest trade chips. Even as it looks more and more apparent that Toronto will be deadline sellers, the team reportedly is still planning to contend in 2025, so their July 30 moves might be limited to pending free agents rather than longer-term core pieces.

Even beyond Bichette’s injuries, his trade value has been lowered by an unexpectedly disastrous 2024 season. Bichette is hitting .222/.275/.320 with four home runs over 331 plate appearances, and his 69 wRC+ is the third-lowest among all qualified hitters in baseball. Even if a low .266 BABIP and a big gap between his wOBA (.264) and his xwOBA (.306) count as some misfortune, Bichette’s power numbers have absolutely cratered from his career norms. His .098 Isolated Power number is almost half the .187 ISO he posted from 2019-23, and his traditionally strong barrels and barrel rates are both well under the league average in 2024.

It is also worth noting that this isn’t entirely a one-year trend for Bichette. His strong 2023 season sputtered to an end thanks to a pair of IL stints in the second half, as Bichette missed time to patellar tendinitis in his right knee and then a right quad strain. Bichette’s first IL stint began on August 1, 2023, and he hit only .254/.292/.402 over his final 130 PA of the 2023 season.

With almost a full year of sample size, it is clear that Bichette simply hasn’t been right since that initial bout of tendinitis last August, and it is an additional concern that all of these injuries have come to his right leg specifically. If Bichette is facing a fairly lengthy (say, a month or so) stay on the injured list anyway with his latest calf problem, it isn’t out of the question that the Blue Jays might just shut him down to get him ready for 2025, since the team won’t be in contention for the remainder of this year.

If the Jays’ next two months indeed become an information-gathering session for 2025, one silver lining to Bichette’s absence could be more playing time for Leo Jimenez at shortstop. Jimenez has hit and fielded well in his small nine-game sample size as a big leaguer, and could become a shortstop of the future if Bichette is traded at some point, or if he leaves in free agency following the 2025 season.

Phillies Activate J.T. Realmuto From 10-Day Injured List

By Mark Polishuk | July 20, 2024 at 2:26pm CDT

J.T. Realmuto is back in the Phillies’ lineup, as the catcher has been officially activated from the team’s 10-day injured list. Right-hander Yunior Marte was also called up from Triple-A, and in corresponding moves, catcher Rafael Marchan and right-hander Michael Mercado were optioned to Triple-A.

After undergoing knee surgery on June 12, the expectation was that Realmuto would need roughly a month of recovery time, so he’ll return only slightly beyond that timeline (with the All-Star break also giving him a bit of extra time). The first-place Phillies have just kept on rolling even with Realmuto out, Trea Turner and Brandon Marsh also having lengthy IL stints, and Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber having minimal 10-day IL absences.

With Realmuto now back, Philadelphia is again operating with all of its first-choice position players, making things even scarier for opposing pitchers. Realmuto’s contributions to this powerhouse lineup have been fairly modest, as he has hit .261/.309/.411 over 223 plate appearances.

While still quite good for a catcher and above-average (102 wRC+) overall, Realmuto’s 26.9% strikeout rate is on pace to be the highest of his career, and his 5.4% walk rate would be his lowest since 2016 when he was still with the Marlins. These rates are both well below the league average, though Realmuto is still in the 88th percentile of hard-hit ball rate and he is continuing to barrel the ball, with seven homers thus far this season. The defense has been a mixed bag, with Realmuto throwing out 29% of baserunners but his blocking and framing work have been subpar. Even if Realmuto is slowing down a bit in his age-33 season, he is still an overall plus for the Phillies, and he also doesn’t even have to be a top contributor in such a loaded batting order.

Marchan saw his first MLB action since 2021 in Realmuto’s absence, and looked impressive in hitting .294/.345/.549 over 56 plate appearances. Despite these numbers, Marchan was likely optioned so he can continue to get regular playing time in Triple-A rather than get limited action as Realmuto’s backup, so Garrett Stubbs will continue on the active roster in the backup catcher role.

Rangers Designate Derek Hill For Assignment

By Mark Polishuk | July 20, 2024 at 2:06pm CDT

The Rangers announced that outfielder Derek Hill has been designated for assignment. The move opens up roster space for Texas to call up infield prospect Justin Foscue from Triple-A.

Hill has been DFA’ed multiple times during his pro career, and this is the second time the Rangers have designated him in as many months. The previous designation in June saw Hill clear waivers and then choose free agency rather than an outright assignment, but he quickly re-signed with the Rangers on a new minors contract. Hill’s deal was selected again to the Texas roster last month, and overall he has hit .256/.289/.465 with three home runs over 45 plate appearances and 16 games this season.

While Hill provided a bit of extra pop during his brief stints on the 26-man roster, he’ll again be exposed to the DFA wire since he is out of minor league options, and thus can’t be just cleanly sent down to Triple-A. Since Hill has been outrighted in the past, he has the right to again elect free agency if he clears waivers and Texas again tries to outright him off the 40-man, or we could see a repeat of the earlier scenario where Hill just rejoins the organization as Triple-A depth.

Appearing in each of the last five MLB seasons, Hill has a career .232/.280/.334 slash line in 349 plate appearances with the Rangers, Nationals, and Tigers. The lack of hitting has limited Hill’s playing time, but the 28-year-old can provide solid glovework at all three outfield positions and outstanding speed, making him an interesting bench option. Selected 23rd overall by Detroit in the 2014 draft, Hill has also crushed Triple-A pitching in his minor league career, including an 1.045 OPS in 176 PA with Triple-A Round Rock this year.

Foscue made his Major League debut this season and appeared in two games for the Rangers before suffering an oblique strain that has sidelined him for over three and a half months. A highly-touted hitter during his college days at Mississippi State, Foscue was picked 14th overall in the 2020 draft, and delivered big numbers during his time in the Texas farm system. His excellent contact skills and decent power hint that Foscue’s bat may be ready for the Show, even if it isn’t yet clear which position (if any) will be his eventual landing spot. Since Marcus Semien is blocking Foscue’s natural second base position and Nathaniel Lowe has first base covered, Foscue could be used as a DH or as a third baseman with Josh Jung still injured.

Mike Trout Slated To Begin Minor League Rehab On Monday

By Mark Polishuk | July 20, 2024 at 1:48pm CDT

Mike Trout’s last health update came in late June, when the Angels superstar was aiming to return to action before the end of July. That timeline appears to be coming into focus, as MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger writes (via X) that Trout could be back in the Angels’ lineup before the end of the week. The first step is facing live pitching at the Angels’ Spring Training complex this weekend, and Trout is then expected to start a Triple-A rehab assignment on Monday.

Bollinger suggests that Trout could be activated from the 60-day injured list on Thursday, when the Halos return home to start a four-game series with the A’s. Assuming this date holds up, that would make it almost exactly three months since Trout’s last game, as the outfielder last took the field on April 29 before suffering a torn meniscus in his left knee. The injury required surgery and another lengthy absence for Trout, which has unfortunately become far too common an occurrence for the three-time AL MVP. Between a right calf strain, back issues, a left hamate fracture, and now this knee surgery, Trout has played in only 266 games since the start of the 2021 season.

In typical fashion, Trout has still been outstanding in that limited playing time, posting a .951 OPS over 1133 plate appearances since Opening Day 2021. Those numbers include 10 homers and a .220/.325/.541 slash line in 126 plate appearances this season, and while this translates to a 138 wRC+, that impressive number still counts as a step down from Trout’s usual level of Cooperstown-esque production. Trout was making much less hard contact than usual but also with a drastic reduction in his strikeouts.

While it may be overstating things to read too deeply into a 126-PA sample size, some kind of dropoff is perhaps inevitable given Trout’s age (33 in August), his recent injury history, and simply the fact that only a few players in baseball history have ever kept Trout’s prior level of production over a longer period of time. Trout’s 135 wRC+ over the last two seasons comes on the heels of a 174 wRC+ and a .305/.418/.592 slash line from 2012-22.

Of course, Los Angeles reached the playoffs just once during that 11-year run, and the team hasn’t had a winning season since 2015. Trout will return to another lost season, as the Angels have languished to a 41-56 record and are again looking to sell at the deadline, albeit in perhaps a somewhat limited fashion. Finishing out the year in his usual form and in good health would provide Trout with a nice platform for 2025, though questions will persist about how long Trout might continue putting up with the Halos’ struggles before asking for a trade. Or, if a deal would be feasible given how Angels owner Arte Moreno has long resisted rebuilding, plus how Trout’s huge remaining contract ($212.7MM over the 2025-30 seasons) and his health history would certainly make interested suitors wary of taking on such a big salary commitment.

Cardinals Agree To Sign First-Round Pick JJ Wetherholt

By Mark Polishuk | July 20, 2024 at 1:37pm CDT

The Cardinals have reached agreement with shortstop JJ Wetherholt to a $6.9MM bonus, according to Baseball America’s Carlos Collazo (X link). Wetherholt’s first pro deal is slightly above the $6,823,700 slot value assigned to the seventh overall pick.

Based on pre-draft rankings, St. Louis might’ve gotten a bit of a steal in nabbing Wetherholt with the seventh pick, as the West Virginia shortstop was a consensus top-four selection. Fangraphs had Wetherholt as the top prospect in the entire draft class, while Baseball America, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and The Athletic’s Keith Law had him third in their rankings, and MLB Pipeline put Wetherholt fourth. There was some speculation prior to draft night that the Guardians could take Wetherholt with the first overall pick, but when Cleveland opted for Travis Bazzana, Wetherholt then slid all the way to the Cardinals at seventh overall.

It seems possible that teams might’ve been wary of Wetherholt’s recent injury history, namely a lingering hamstring problem that has cropped up in each of the last two years. He is also listed at 5’10” and 190 pounds, and thus “doesn’t have the prototypical physical tools and frame of a top pick,” as McDaniel writes. Drafted as a shortstop, he might end up at second base or third base, with the latter position maybe a question mark depending on his arm strength.

Despite these potential red flags, the Cardinals focused on the big pluses of Wetherholt’s all-around hitting skill, as evaluators praised his batting eye, contact ability, raw power, and ability to hit to all fields. Seen as perhaps the top available hitter in the draft class, this was enough for Fangraphs to put Wetherholt atop their rankings, and their scouting report also feels “he should be a fine second base defender at peak.”

Wetherholt carries even more import within the Cardinals’ draft class since the team forfeited its second-round pick as a condition of the Sonny Gray signing. Because Gray rejected the Twins’ qualifying offer last autumn and hit the open market, St. Louis had to give up its second-highest pick in the 2024 draft as well as $500K in international pool money as penalty for inking Gray to a three-year, $75MM contract. Wetherholt’s bonus will cover the majority of the Cardinals’ overall draft bonus pool of $10,213,000.

AL East Notes: Crochet, Red Sox, Yankees, Rasmussen, Tiedemann

By Mark Polishuk | July 20, 2024 at 1:11pm CDT

While Garrett Crochet has been a popular trade candidate heading into the deadline, the Red Sox are one team that doesn’t appear to be in the mix for the White Sox left-hander. In a recent edition of the Fenway Rundown podcast, MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo said that Boston has “not talked about Crochet at all….That is, at this point, not something they’ve aggressively tried to do.” Since the Red Sox are loath to move any of their top three prospects (Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony, Kyle Teel) in trades, it seems hard to imagine that Chicago would accept a offer from Boston that didn’t include at least one of those three minor league stars.

The Yankees may also be limited participants in the Crochet sweepstakes, as Jon Heyman of the New York Post hears from a source who says the Bombers “are not that into” Crochet as a trade target. Since Heyman also wrote a couple of weeks ago that the Yankees “very much like Crochet,” this could indicate a change in New York’s plans, or perhaps the Yankees’ interest has been tempered by Chicago’s asking price. The White Sox are understandably asking for a huge return for Crochet in any trade, and Chicago’s particular interest in Spencer Jones as part of a Crochet trade package may have clashed with New York’s inclination to keep one of its top hitting prospects.

Rays Place Yandy Diaz On Restricted List

By Mark Polishuk | July 20, 2024 at 10:38am CDT

10:38AM: Rays manager Kevin Cash told Topkin and other reporters that Diaz is away due to a matter involving his family, and that his potential return is a day-by-day situation.

9:41AM: The Rays announced that first baseman Yandy Diaz has been placed on the restricted list, and infielder Curtis Mead was called up from Triple-A to take Diaz’s spot on the active roster. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (X link) writes that Diaz didn’t play on Friday due to what the Rays described as “a personal matter.”

Given the private nature of this situation, we may not learn any specifics about Diaz’s absence until he is activated or at least closer to a return. The absence comes at a financial cost to Diaz, as he’ll lose salary (as well as MLB service time) for any time spent on the restricted list. Diaz has about $3.3MM remaining on his $8MM salary for the 2024 season.

A staple of Tampa Bay’s lineup for the last six seasons, Diaz has gotten regular time at both corner infield positions and quietly delivered consistent strong offense. Diaz hit a new level in 2022-23, hitting .314/.406/.475 over 1158 plate appearances — among all qualified hitters over that two-season stretch, only six players had a higher wRC+ than Diaz’s 155 mark.

That production has dipped in 2024, as Diaz’s .273/.329/.396 slash line over 416 PA translates to an 111 wRC+. While he has been hitting better after an ice-cold start over the first two months, Diaz’s power numbers have dropped off significantly, as his .123 Isolated Slugging figure is well below his .192 mark from 2023. His .123 ISO is at least more consistent with previous seasons beyond 2023, yet Diaz’s 7.5% walk rate is far below his career 12.2BB%.

Even a lesser version of Diaz is still a big part of Tampa’s lineup, so the Rays now have to deal with an unexpected absence while trying to stay afloat in the playoff race. Diaz has been utilized only as a first baseman and DH this season, so it seems likely that Isaac Paredes could be shifted from third base to first base, with Mead stepping into the mix at the hot corner along with Jose Caballero and Amed Rosario.

Diaz’s absence also creates another wrinkle for whatever plans the Rays might have heading into the July 30 trade deadline. Tampa is 48-49 and sits 5.5 games out of the final AL wild card slot, so there is still plenty of time left for the club to make a run towards another postseason berth. However, it has been speculated that the Rays could look to operate as both sellers and buyers at the deadline, perhaps bolstering for both this season and for the future while also trimming some salary from the payroll. If Diaz is still on the restricted list by July 30, it stands to reason that the Rays might pursue some infield help, though it is worth noting that Paredes could be a potential trade candidate. Star prospect Junior Caminero is just returning to Triple-A action in the aftermath of a quad injury, and it is assumed that a healthy Caminero will again be called up to Tampa Bay’s active roster to join the infield picture.

Red Sox Notes: Casas, Story, Mata, Hernandez

By Mark Polishuk | July 20, 2024 at 8:43am CDT

“It will be a while” before Triston Casas is ready for a minor league rehab assignment, Red Sox manager Alex Cora told the Boston Globe’s Julian McWilliams and other reporters on Friday. Casas hasn’t played since April 20 due to a rib fracture and torn rib cartilage, and he is already well beyond even the broad 3-to-9 week timeframe Casas initially floated three months ago, though the first baseman noted that the nature of the injury led to a lot of fluidity.

In yesterday’s update, Cora said Casas was taking soft toss swings and is hitting off a tee, but is still dealing with some nagging discomfort in his side. Until that discomfort entirely subsides, Casas and the Sox can’t really move forward with any kind of concrete plan for even a steadier ramp-up, let alone any minor league rehab work. Cora did say that Casas would play again in 2024, but “we don’t know yet” when a return was feasible.

Casas finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2023, and was off to a hot start (.244/.344/.513 with six home runs) in his first 90 plate appearances this season. Dominic Smith and several other players have gotten time at first base in Casas’ absence, but since nobody has been producing, it stands to reason that the Red Sox could target a first base-capable player at the deadline if Casas is still several weeks away from factoring into the club’s plans.

Some more unexpected later-season reinforcements could come from Trevor Story, who told reporters (including MassLive.com’s Sean McAdam) on Friday that he and the Red Sox were “having conversations about” Story getting back onto the field before the 2024 campaign is over. Both Story and Cora stopped short of saying that a return was in the cards, yet it is notable that Story has made such quality progress rehabbing what was thought to be a season-ending shoulder surgery in April.

“Just getting the strength back and getting the motion back…I’ve made a lot of really good strides there,” Story said. “It’s close, man. It’s close. Especially from how it was early on. It was not in good shape. It’s been a crazy turnaround the last month and a half and we’re riding that momentum.”

Story injured his shoulder while diving for a grounder in just his eighth game of the season, continuing what has been an injury-plagued tenure in Boston for the former All-Star. Since inking a six-year, $140MM free agent deal in March 2022, Story has played in only 145 games — UCL surgery cost him all but 43 games of the 2023 season, and wrist and heel injuries limited him to 94 appearances in 2022. Unsurprisingly, these health woes have led to subpar performance when Story has been able to play, as he has a modest .227/.288/.394 slash line in 598 PA in a Red Sox uniform.

Bryan Mata is also no stranger to injuries, as Tommy John surgery and a teres major strain sidelined him for most of the 2021-23 seasons. This year, hamstring and lat problems emerged to keep Mata again spending most of the year rehabbing, and now his latest rehab assignment has been halted due to right elbow inflammation. Mata was right at the end of the 30-day window for that assignment, though his latest injury now resets the clock and Mata will be able to start another 30-day rehab assignment when he is able to get back onto the mound.

Though he has yet to make his MLB debut, Mata is out of minor league options, leaving Boston in a bit of a quandary when it comes to his future. The Red Sox can’t assign him to the minors without first designating the right-hander for assignment and exposing him to waivers, so when Mata is finally ready to play, the Red Sox will have to put him on the active roster or go the DFA route.

While getting healthy has obviously been more important than the on-field results during Mata’s rehab work, he has a 4.50 ERA over 22 total innings for four different Red Sox minor league affiliates this season, with a 19.15% strikeout rate. It isn’t nearly the form that Mata showed in his past days as one of Boston’s top pitching prospects, and with another setback again stopping his progress, it is still a question about when or even if Mata might eventually surface as part of the team’s big league staff.

In other Red Sox news, the team was known to have been interested in Teoscar Hernandez last offseason, and the slugger said this week in an appearance on the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast (hat tip to WEEI’s Rob Bradford) that the Sox and Dodgers were the two finalists for his services. Hernandez said the Red Sox offered a two-year, $28MM contract, but he instead opted for a one-year, $23.5MM deal with Los Angeles.

“At the end, I thought [the Red Sox] were going to make it, but unfortunately they had to wait because they had to make some moves and other stuff,” Hernandez said. “I couldn’t wait any longer, so that’s why I decide at the moment to go to the Dodgers.”

Hernandez went into the winter seeking a three-year contract, but when neither Boston or any other suitor was willing to guarantee a third year, he instead opted for the one-year contract with the Dodgers, to allow for a chance at a rebound season and a quick return to free agency next winter. The strategy has worked out quite well, as Hernandez has hit 19 homers with a .261/.326/.476 slash in 406 PA for Los Angeles, and now has a much stronger case for a three-year pact as he enters his age-32 season.

Beyond the contractual logistics, Hernandez also admitted that the Dodgers’ win-now approach and track record of success further attracted him to the organization, though he was quick to note that “the Red Sox are really good right now and they have amazing players.” The Sox and newly-hired chief baseball officer Craig Breslow were often criticized for their relatively low-key offseason that didn’t see a lot of high-dollar splurges, yet Boston has a 53-43 record and is in possession of an AL wild card berth.

Guardians Select Travis Bazzana With First Pick Of 2024 Draft

By Mark Polishuk | July 14, 2024 at 11:31pm CDT

The Guardians chose Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana with the first overall pick of the 2024 amateur draft. Bazzana becomes the first second baseman to ever go 1-1 in the draft, as well as the first Australian-born player taken first overall. This is also the first time the Cleveland organization has ever had the top selection in the draft, as the Guardians beat the odds last December to win the draft lottery.

Cleveland plays its cards close to the vest about its intentions with the top pick, as several names were linked to the Guards, including some prospects a bit further down the draft board. There was some thought that the Guardians might go with a somewhat less-regarded prospect who would take a below-slot signing bonus (the 1-1 pick has an assigned slot value of $10,570,600), so that the Guards could spread their $18,334,000 bonus pool around to multiple players.

While it remains to be seen how much Bazzana will land with his bonus, it ended up being something of a chalk pick for the Guardians. Fangraphs, Baseball America, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, and The Athletic’s Keith Law all ranked Bazzana as the second-best prospect in this year’s draft class, while MLB Pipeline ranked Bazzana at the top of their list.

Bazzana (who turns 22 in August) had a handful of pro games under his belt already, appearing in 19 games with the Sydney Blue Sox of the Australian Baseball League from 2018-20. During his three seasons at Oregon State, Bazzana crushed NCAA pitching to the tune of 45 homers and a .360/.497/.660 slash line over 904 plate appearances. He added an MVP-level performance in the Cape Cod League last summer, with a 1.037 OPS in 158 PA for Falmouth.

Pundits are united in their praise of Bazzana’s hitting ability, citing his advanced approach, bat speed, hard contact rates, and plate discipline. (The latter factor might’ve particularly attracted the Guardians, who have long prized batters who can put the ball in play and avoid strikeouts.) Bazzana is already starting to show more power, with 28 of his 45 Oregon State home runs coming in his most recent college season. Beyond what he can do at the plate, Bazzana’s plus speed makes him a threat on the basepaths, stealing 66 bases in 77 attempts in college.

Defense is a bit of a question mark, as second base has been something of a default position since Bazzana is considered both too athletic to be a first base-only type. Baseball America’s scouting report notes that he could potentially play the outfield or even center field due to his athleticism, and the presence of Andres Gimenez at second base in Cleveland indicate that the Guardians could be open to testing Bazzana at other positions. That said, there is a consensus that he’ll be able to hit whenever he ends up on the field.

The Guardians had a 76-88 record in 2023, and would’ve received the 10th overall pick if the lottery picks adhered directly to last season’s team records. Cleveland had only a two percent chance of winning the first overall pick, and the Reds (who were 82-80 in 2023) had another surprising dose of lottery luck in winning the second pick, making it quite a night for Ohio’s two Major League teams.

In the second year of the draft lottery’s existence, the Guardians’ surprise win underscores the element of randomness that has now been introduced into the draft process, and the vagaries involved in the league’s desire to curb tanking. Cleveland has been one of baseball’s most consistent winning franchises over the last decade, yet its one-year blip in form in 2023 has now paid off handsomely in the form of a blue-chip prospect like Bazzana. The Guards enter the All-Star break back in first place in the AL Central, so both the present and the future are looking bright in Cleveland.

2024 MLB Draft, First Round Results

By Mark Polishuk | July 14, 2024 at 11:29pm CDT

This year’s amateur draft is officially underway, and we’ll be updating this post throughout the night with every first-round selection. More details and scouting reports on all these young players are available in pre-draft rankings from Baseball America, Fangraphs, MLB Pipeline, The Athletic’s Keith Law, and ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel. As well, Pipeline has the breakdown of the slot values assigned to each pick in the first 10 rounds, as well as the bonus pool money available to all 30 teams.

The first-round picks…

Cleveland Guardians: Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State
Cincinnati Reds: Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest
Colorado Rockies: Charlie Condon, OF/3B, Georgia
Oakland Athletics: Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest
Chicago White Sox: Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas
Kansas City Royals: Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP, Florida
St. Louis Cardinals: JJ Wetherholt, 2B/SS, West Virginia
Los Angeles Angels: Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee
Pittsburgh Pirates: Konnor Griffin, SS/OF, Jackson Prep High School (MS)
Washington Nationals: Seaver King, SS/3B/OF, Wake Forest
Detroit Tigers: Bryce Rainer, SS, Harvard-Westlake High School (CA)
Boston Red Sox: Braden Montgomery, OF, Texas A&M
San Francisco Giants: James Tibbs III, OF, Florida State
Chicago Cubs: Cam Smith, 3B, Florida State
Seattle Mariners: Jurrangelo Cijntje, LHP/RHP, Mississippi State
Miami Marlins: PJ Morlando, OF, Summerville High School (SC)
Milwaukee Brewers: Braylon Payne, OF, Elkins High School (TX)
Tampa Bay Rays: Theo Gillen, OF/MI, Westlake High School (TX)
New York Mets: Carson Benge, OF, Oklahoma State
Toronto Blue Jays: Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina
Minnesota Twins: Kaelen Culpepper, SS, Kansas State
Baltimore Orioles: Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina
Los Angeles Dodgers: Kellon Lindsey, SS, Hardee High School (FL)
Atlanta Braves: Cam Caminiti, LHP, Saguero High School (AZ)
San Diego Padres: Kash Mayfield, LHP, Elk City High School (OK)
New York Yankees: Ben Hess, RHP, Alabama
Philadelphia Phillies: Dante Nori, OF, Northville High School (MI)
Houston Astros: Walker Janek, C, Sam Houston
Arizona Diamondbacks: Slade Caldwell, OF, Valley View High School (AR)
Texas Rangers: Malcolm Moore, C, Stanford

All 30 teams will have picks in the first round this year, though the Mets, Padres, and Yankees all had their first-round selections dropped back by 10 slots. These three teams surpassed the third luxury tax tier ($273MM) in 2023, and thus their punishment included a 10-space drop in their opening draft choice.

The 2024 draft will take place over three days, consisting of 20 rounds of selections. Rounds 3-10 will take place on Monday, rounds 11-20 will take place on Tuesday, and the draft’s first 74 picks will come off the board tonight. Those 74 picks consist of the first two proper rounds, the two Competitive Balance Rounds, two sets of compensatory rounds (giving picks to teams who lost qualifying offer-rejecting free agents), and two Prospect Promotion Incentive picks.

The two PPI selections will go to the Diamondbacks at 31st overall and the Orioles at 32nd overall, awarded since Corbin Carroll and Gunnar Henderson fit all of the criteria for their teams to receive the bonus picks. Carroll and Henderson won Rookie of the Year honors, both young stars were included on their respective teams’ Opening Day rosters, and were rated as top-100 prospects in at least two of three sets of preseason prospect rankings from Baseball America, MLB Pipeline, and ESPN.

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