mlb

MLB Draft prospects 2024: Who are the best players still available for Day 2?

07-15-2024
15 min read
(Getty Images)

The first 74 players have been drafted in the 2024 MLB Draft. That still leaves plenty of players left to hear their names called by teams.

Over the course of the three-day draft, 615 players in total will be extended an offer to join the professional baseball ranks. On Monday, there will be 241 more players added to that previous group of 74.

As expected, there won't be many high-profile names remaining on the board when the third round begins at 2 p.m. ET. Names like Travis Bazzana and Charlie Condon went off the board early Sunday night in the first round of the draft

But there is still plenty of talent left for teams to select over Monday's 3rd-10th rounds. 

Who are the best players left, according to SN's top 100 big board? Here's what you need to know.

MORE: SN's grades, results, and analysis for MLB Draft Day 1

27. Dakota Jordan, OF, Mississippi State

That Jordan is still available at all is nothing short of a stunner. Jordan has among the most upside of any collegiate player, with explosive power and speed and the potential to be a five-tool player with development. He will wind up providing immense upside to whichever team selects him in the coming days.

51. Joey Oakie, RHP, Ankeny Centennial (IA)

There is the possibility fatigue impacted the drop for Oakie, who boasts a stellar slider and a mid-90s fastball that ordinarily could have been enough to land him somewhere in the first 74 picks of the draft. The Iowa commit could still wind up signing on a high price tag if a team believes in his arsenal.

MORE MLB DRAFT: Day 1 winners and losers

52. Kevin Bazzell, C, Texas Tech

There were found collegiate catchers drafted on Sunday, but none have a hit tool better than Bazzell. He doesn't have the raw power of the others, but that hit tool gives him a higher offensive floor than most. How high he winds up getting drafted could depend on whether teams see him as a catcher or having to move away from the plate.

53. Ryan Prager, LHP, Texas A&M

Prager did himself some favors in Omaha by pitching at a true ace level when his team needed him the most. The control specialist has an extremely high floor of a No. 4 starter with a solid, if unspectacular repertoire that leans on maximizing chases from the changeup and slider to keep hitters off his low-90s fastball.

56. Dax Whitney, RHP, Blackfoot (ID)

Could Whitney's commitment to Oregon State be scaring some teams away? The 6-5 right-hander throws in the low 90s with a balanced repertoire and a repeatable delivery. He's exactly the type of prep pitcher most teams dream about in the draft, as he has ace upside if he can add some more velo to the fastball.

57. Drew Beam, RHP, Tennessee

Perhaps a right-handed version of Prager, Beam was the ace of the Volunteers in their CWS title run. He leans on his control to spot pitches and catch batters by surprise, a trait he leans on due to his low-mid-90s heater. The repertoire is well-rounded and anchored by the changeup, and the profile is more floor than ceiling.

61. Kavares Tears, OF, Tennessee

Tears struggled at times in the College World Series, but he still shows glimpses of the immense upside he brings relative to other collegiate players. He made several outstanding defensive plays thanks to his above-average speed and flashed the power of a lineup force. He needs to cut down on chase rates to become a more consistent offensive producer.

63. Mike Sirota, OF, Northeastern

Once considered a first-round talent, Sirota slipped after his power took a nose dive in his junior year. Though he might not be the bopper many once envisioned, he's still a speedy baserunner and a plus fielder in center field. Sirota brings a solid approach to the plate, and he still could rediscover the thump of his sophomore year.

67. Tyson Neighbors, RHP, Kansas State

Arguably the best reliever in this class, Neighbors has closer stuff that could see him reach the majors in short order. He has three plus pitches, even if his control has gotten him into trouble at times. Commanding that stellar arsenal at the pro level could help him reach the majors before the end of 2025.

69. Carson DeMartini, 3B, Virginia Tech

Coming back from an injury, DeMartini saw a drastic increase in strikeouts that has likely left some teams concerned. There's middle-of-the-order upside in his bat owing to his prodigious power, but he'll need to limit the swings and misses to improve his ceiling. How much arm strength he has from his shoulder injury could determine whether his defensive home is third or second.

71. Tristan Smith, LHP, Clemson

A team capable of refining Smith's delivery and helping him throw strikes more consistently could unlock a gem in the middle rounds of the draft. The fastball-slider-changeup trio, when working, is among the best in the college ranks. Should control continue to be an issue, he could be a standout left-handed reliever.

72. Daniel Eagen, RHP, Presbyterian

Eagen sure looks the part of a solid back-end starter. He has four pitches, highlighted by a filthy curveball and a decent low-mid-90s fastball. Eagen could benefit from further improving his slider and/or his changeup to continue to refine his arsenal, but the control should help him as he reaches the pros.

Scroll to Continue with Content

73. Josh Hartle, LHP, Wake Forest

The Demon Deacons once appeared to have three possible first-round starting pitchers. Instead, Hartle and Michael Massey both slipped in their draft years. Hartle still has standout control (among the best in the draft class), but his slower fastball and lackluster cutter led to batters teeing off on even the slightest mistake. 

74. Peyton Stovall, 2B, Arkansas

Second base-only prospects face a lot of pressure to produce with the bat. Stovall has shown an advanced hit tool with plenty of contact and the ability to take plenty of walks, but he's a below-average defender without much power or speed. Even with one of the best hit tools in the class, Stovall needs to improve either defensively or in the power department.

75. Colby Shelton, SS, Florida

Hitting at least 20 homers in back-to-back seasons as a shortstop will help any prospect, and it will really open eyes in the SEC. Few question the power from Shelton, but that comes with the strikeout problems that plague plenty of sluggers. He's likely going to move off short, and he'll need to tone down his chase rates as he faces better pitchers.

77. Josh Kuroda-Grauer, SS, Rutgers

Kuroda-Grauer makes plenty of contact. He has an all-fields approach and seemingly always finds a way to make contact, a skill that pairs well with his plus speed. He lacks the arm needed for shortstop at the next level, but he could be a top-of-the-order second baseman, where he'd profile as at least a solid batter even without much of any power.

82. Gage Miller, 3B, Alabama

Evaluators would likely want to see more power out of a right-handed hitting third baseman, but no one will question Miller's ability to hit. He takes his walks and won't chase much out of the zone. There's some raw power in his swing for him to tap into, which would be a welcome sight for the below-average defender.

83. Chase Mobley, RHP, Durant (FL)

High-school pitchers that already hit 99 mph don't tend to last long in the draft, so it's perhaps surprising to see Mobley still on the board. The 6-6 right-hander doesn't always get to that velocity, but just showing glimpses of it should entice teams. The secondary offerings need work, but the building blocks are there for a high-upside pitching prospect.

84. Sawyer Farr, SS, Boswell (TX)

It's not hard to see why Farr has such a high ceiling. A 6-5, switch-hitting shortstop with power, speed, and the ability to handle shortstop defensively is an exciting profile for any player. The problem is that he already has some swing-and-miss issues, owing in part to a long swing.

87. Carson Wiggins, RHP, Roland (OK)

Wiggins consistently hits the upper 90s with his fastball and boasts one of the better heaters in the game that pairs nicely with his slider. Like many young flamethrowers, that profile has come with some control issues and the need for a more developed third pitch. He should still offer plenty of intrigue to teams that crave that high-octane heater from a projectable pitcher.

88. Garrett Shull, OF, Enid (OK)

Teams wary of drafting 19-year-old prep players could find themselves scared off of one who also has had more swing-and-miss issues when facing top competition. But Shull offers explosive power from both sides of the plate and solid enough defense to provide average to above-average defense in right field.

90. Jared Jones, 1B, LSU

Perhaps only Condon can rival Jones' power from the right side of the plate in this draft class. Jones has serious thunder that project to make him a masher at the next level. How far he advances will depend on whether he can cut down on his swings and misses. As a slower first base-only prospect, Jones will face pressure for his bat to show improvement.

91. Gage Ziehl, RHP, Miami

It is rare to see a pitcher with Ziehl's stuff ranked this highly on draft boards. He has an average fastball and only a decent slider with a below-average changeup that gives him just a decent array of pitches. His exceptional control and sequencing could help him to get the most out of that arsenal, however, particularly as he faces better hitters.

92. Cole Messina, C, South Carolina

Messina is a catcher who appears all but certain to stay behind the plate, a major positive for any prospect. He has a strong arm and is an agile blocker behind the dish. Messina launched 21 homers in 2024 and could have some untapped offensive potential, but his swings and misses currently hold him back as a batter.

93. Michael Massey, RHP, Wake Forest

The second of two underperforming Demon Deacon pitchers, Massey is the opposite of Hartle in that the stuff is solid and the control is shaky. Massey has a mid-90s heater and a standout slider, but control issues have forced him to bounce back and forth between the rotation and bullpen. Ultimately, he'll need that and a third offering to improve to regain the upside as a starter.

94. Jalin Flores, SS, Texas

An aggressive approach can work for some batters. Flores has used it to tap into more power as he's advanced in college, it's helped him to show a bit of an offensive ceiling. Those swings have also led to him pulling too much with too many swings and misses. Defensively, he's a sound shortstop likely to stick at the position long-term.

95. Mason Russell, LHP, Casteel (AZ)

Russell is a rare prep pitcher with multiple above-average breaking pitches in his slider and curveball. He'll sit in the low 90s with his fastball, but he often struggles with control, which could get him into trouble when he starts facing better hitters in the pros.

98. Ryan Forcucci, RHP, UC San Diego

Forcucci has all the makings of a solid, No. 3 starter. He has an above-average heater and a hard-breaking slider with advanced control. Yet because of health issues, Forcucci hasn't been able to pitch as consistently as is needed to prove he can handle a starter's workload over a full season.

99. Duncan Marsten, RHP, Harvard-Westlake (Ca)

At his best, Marsten looks like yet another standout Harvard-Westlake product, capable of joining other MLB pitchers like Lucas Giolito and Max Fried. He has a fastball that can touch the upper 90s and a changeup and slider that at times look like above-average offerings. Marsten struggles with consistency from start to start and is already 19 — a pairing that could lead him to his Wake Forest commitment.

100. Nick McLain, OF, Arizona State

McLain's breakout 2024 came at the right time ahead of the draft as it has vaulted him into mid-round consideration. The switch-hitting younger brother of Matt McLain is a patient hitter who has started to show progressively more power each season. He's a solid defender in the outfield with enough speed to possibly handle center in a pinch or play either corner well.