The Cleveland Guardians are set to make their first-round selection in the 2024 MLB Draft with the 1st overall pick.
Exploring Potential Fits for the Cleveland Guardians in the 1st Round of the 2024 MLB Draft
At 76-86, the Guardians were tied with the Pirates for baseball’s ninth-worst record last season, yet Cleveland won the lottery and moved up to the No. 1 pick. It is the first time in franchise history the Guardians have held the No. 1 pick. The highest they have ever selected previously was No. 2 on five occasions, mostly recently in 1992 (Paul Shuey).
“It’s a new, fun challenge for us that we’ll look forward to tackling together,” . “… (The lottery) certainly gives us an opportunity we otherwise wouldn’t have had in the other system. The only way to do this in the other system is to have a really, really tough year where you’re the worst record in baseball. I’d much rather get it this way.”
CBS Sports’ first mock draft of the season, which dropped this week, has the Guardians taking Oregon State’s Travis Bazzana first overall.
Bazzana, a left-handed-hitting infielder from Sydney, Australia, has had a strong impact since coming to the United States. He’s shown impressive skills at the plate and on the basepaths, and while there are some concerns about his defensive position, his strong batting performance has put him on the radar for the top 10 in the Draft.
In his latest mock draft (), MLB.com’s Jim Callis agrees that the Guardians will take Bazzana first overall. His MLB.com colleague Jonathan Mayo also has Cleveland taking Bazzana. Anywhere you look, it’s Bazzana heading to Cleveland at No. 1 overall, and it makes plenty of sense for the Guardians.
“Most clubs believe the Guardians will take Bazzana because he’s the best pure hitter available and fits their model better than anyone. If it’s not Bazzana, teams think Plan B will be to take a large discount with a player who won’t go in the first few selections, with possibilities such as Burns, Wetherholt, and Griffin. There’s surprisingly little buzz about Condon at No. 1 despite him and Bazzana separating themselves from the rest of the pack,” Callis wrote last week.
But what if Cleveland fell in love with the power profile of Georgia’s Charlie Condon?
Condon, a Georgia baseball player, started as a walk-on but quickly made a name for himself with outstanding performance. He earned national freshman of the year honors with impressive stats and is a leading candidate for the No. 1 overall pick. Condon possesses exceptional offensive abilities, including raw power and a compact swing. While he’s not a fast runner, he is reasonably athletic and shows versatility in playing multiple positions.
It’s possible that Cleveland likes Condon’s power profile, but it’s more likely that they stick with Bazzana at No. 1.
Here’s what The Athletic’s Keith Law :
“Cleveland tends to be very guarded with their intentions, but teams behind them expect them to choose between Bazzana and Charlie Condon, with a slight chance they do a well under-slot deal with prep shortstop/outfielder Konnor Griffin. Whoever they take, expect them to try to shave a substantial amount from the slot value for the 1-1 pick.”
Now, Griffin would be a wild idea, but not unheard of. The Twins shocked everyone when they took prep infielder Royce Lewis No. 1 overall in 2017. So, it’s not entirely unheard of to go with that strategy. Still, the odds are that the Guardians will take Bazzana.
