Folks, we are less than a month away from the 2024 MLB Draft. Time is slowing down for absolutely nobody, isn’t it? My goodness. I’m going to highlight, in this article, the latest industry buzz surrounding the Cincinnati Reds & the 2024 MLB Draft, because likely that’s the team you care for. You should bookmark/favorite + subscribe to our blog site here, we have plenty more coming! Also, if you’re feeling ever so kind, support our outlet by securing your own Nati Sports T-shirt by clicking this link, for a limited time only, they will come with a KOOZIE for your beers. It’s hot, keep ’em cold.
Round 1, 2nd Overall Pick
There’s several outlets now, both ESPN & Baseball America, claiming that the Cincinnati Reds will go underslot with this pick. If you read my article here about the overview for this 2024 Draft, you’d know I detailed that it’d be very smart. Our beloved Cincinnati Reds only have 3 picks, which is a little fewer than we typically get. We only have 1 competitive balance pick this year, and it comes relatively late this year, just before round 3 at 71st overall. With this information received, it’s important the Reds keep their pool of $$ competitive and are signing guys underslot. So what does that mean for who they’ll take with the 2nd overall pick…?
Who has been rumored most at 2nd overall for us?
So far, the name that keeps popping up the most is Charlie Condon. The industry is under the impression that the Cleveland Guardians are going to go several million under the slot value at 1:1 to grab JJ Wetherholt, which would give the Cincinnati Reds their pick of Condon & Bazzana. Kiley McDaniel of ESPN wrote in his article today that he felt the Reds would take Charlie Condon over Travis Bazzana, but Baseball America wrote that they felt the Reds preferred Travis Bazzana over Condon. So what this really boils down to is… which of these two will take less $ to sign? That answer seems to be Condon, which would likely make him the Cincinnati Reds pick at 2nd overall. There’s some real interest in RHP Chase Burns at 2 as well, but I don’t think the Reds will end up going for him with two premiere bats there.
The Cincinnati Reds have $15,842,100 in TOTAL to allocate to draft picks this year. Over 75% of that will go to their first 3 picks. 2, 51, & 71. You can see right there why it’s important for the Reds to land big talent under slot value at 2nd overall.
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Targeting Prep Arm Talent at 51 & Projectable Collegiate Bat at 71
Part of the reason you go under slot at 2 is so you can load up at the back of your draft. A lot of times, teams will make deals pre-draft with player’s camps to ensure they let other teams know they aren’t going to sign with them. The Cincinnati Reds have made a masterclass out of this of late. Joe Katuska’s team has been balling out. Last year, we got Sammy Stafura away from Clemson, large in part because most teams didn’t think he’d sign with them. This will absolutely happen again this year, and the Reds are rumored on several prep arms out of Highschool. Namely Bryce Meccage from Pennington, NJ whom ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel projects the Reds take at 51 overall. They’ve also scouted Chris Levonas, who most believe will be a tough sign away from Wake Forest, & Levi Sterling, whom attends Notre Dame (CA), the same HS that RHP Hunter Greene came from.
The old fashion 71.
The Reds have nonchalantly made it clear they love their 6’2″+ big time RHP with flamethrower stuff and a good slider, and all 3 of those kids fit the profile. It’s almost a sure thing that they go RHP prep arm at 51 if they take Condon/Bazzana at 2nd overall. Those 3 names are likely who they’d take, all fitting that mould. At 71, presides a different outcome, at least according to Kylie McDaniel. It also makes perfect sense, considering this is what the Reds have done and what most teams do just before their 3rd round choices, they take a project college bat. Kiley has the Reds taking CF Mike Sirota at 71, which would be a SLAM DUNK pick. Sirota was a pound for pound first round pick up until late. The point here: pick 71 will likely be another college bat that will sign for well under slot.
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Donate yearlyTo close, what would Nati Sports do:
- Round 1, pick 2: IF Travis Bazzana – He’s just the best hitter in this draft. It’s a no brainer. I’ll find somewhere for him to play.
- Round 2, pick 51: RHP Owen Hall – I think this is the most polished prep arm this draft. The Reds aren’t linked to him anywhere, but this is my favorite young RHP this draft. Getting him away from Vandy shouldn’t be an issue, either.
- Round 2, comp B, pick 71: CF Mike Sirota – If Mike gets here, it’s about as slam dunk as one could have.
