These '24 Draftees could be on the fast track to the bigs - MLB.com

The 2023 Draft class wasted no time getting players to the Majors.

Nolan Schanuel joined the Angels last August, just 37 days after turning pro. Wyatt Langford became the third-fastest drafted position player to make an Opening Day roster, claiming a starting role with the defending World Series champion Rangers. Paul Skenes didn't arrive in Pittsburgh until May 11 but that didn't stop him from becoming the first No. 1 overall pick to make the All-Star Game in his first full pro season.

Hurston Waldrep (Braves) and Jake Bloss (Astros) debuted in June, making it five players reaching the big leagues less than a year after getting selected last July. The 2024 Draft probably won't expedite that many picks that fast, but there are several who won't need much time in the Minors (listed in order of selection):

Travis Bazzana, 2B, Guardians (first round, No. 1 overall)
The Guardians selected the best pure hitter available with the top choice after Bazzana batted .407/.568/.911, finished second in NCAA Division I in on-base percentage, slugging and OPS (1.479) and set an Oregon State record with 28 homers. Cleveland may have two-time Gold Glover Andrés Giménez at second base, but Bazzana may force his way into the lineup by next year's All-Star break.

Chase Burns, RHP, Reds (first round, No. 2 overall)
After transferring from Tennessee to Wake Forest, Burns posted the second-highest strikeout rate in D-I history (17.2 per nine innings) and led the nation with 191 whiffs. His upper-80s slider is the most dominant pitch in the Draft, his fastball sits at 97-99 mph and reaches 102 mph (though it gets hit harder than it should) and his curveball and changeup show signs of becoming plus offerings.

Charlie Condon, OF/3B, Rockies (first round, No. 3 overall)
The Golden Spikes Award winner, Condon went from a redshirted walk-on in 2022 to developing the best combination of hitting ability, power and plate discipline in this Draft. The Georgia star paced D-I in hitting (.433), slugging (1.009), OPS (1.565), homers (37, a record since the NCAA enacted bat restrictions in 2011), extra-base hits (87) and total bases (233).

Nick Kurtz, 1B, Athletics (first round, No. 4 overall)
Some clubs believed that Kurtz offered the best combination of swing decisions, contact and exit velocities in the entire Draft. The Wake Forest slugger recovered from an early-season slump and shoulder injury to bat .306/.531/.763 with 22 homers -- including a stretch with 14 in nine games and six in seven at-bats -- and a D-I best 78 walks.

Hagen Smith, LHP, White Sox (first round, No. 5 overall)
The White Sox sped college southpaws Chris Sale and Garrett Crochet to the Majors as relievers in the same year they were drafted. They won't need to do the same with Smith because they're far from contention, but he should advance rapidly with a deceptive 94-97 mph fastball that reaches 100 and a mid-80s slider with sweep and depth. He broke Ryan Wagner's 21-year-old D-I record by averaging 17.3 strikeouts per nine innings at Arkansas and also led D-I in opponent average (.144).

Jac Caglianone, 1B/LHP, Royals (first round, No. 6 overall)
Though he can run his fastball up to 99 mph and also owns an impressive changeup, Caglianone has a brighter future as a slugger. He's the most imposing hitter in this Draft, an athletic 6-foot-5, 250-pounder who slashed .419/.544/.875 and finished second in D-I with a Florida-record 35 homers this spring after topping the nation with 33 as a sophomore.

JJ Wetherholt, SS/2B, Cardinals (first round, No. 7 overall)
Wetherholt entered 2024 as MLB Pipeline's top-ranked Draft prospect and slipped to No. 4 only because he missed half the season with a hamstring injury. He's quite similar to Bazzana, with comparable hitting ability (he led D-I with a .449 batting average a year ago), a bit less power but more athleticism and a chance to play shortstop.

Christian Moore, 2B, Angels (first round, No. 8 overall)
The Angels had the quickest player to the big leagues in each of the last three Drafts (Chase Silseth, Zach Neto, Schanuel) and here comes Moore from College World Series champion Tennessee. Known for his potent bat and fiery play, he slashed .375/.451/.797 while topping D-I with 111 hits and 236 total bases and ranking third with a school-record 34 homers.

Trey Yesavage, RHP, Blue Jays (first round, No. 20 overall)
While Burns and Smith were the consensus two best hurlers in the Draft, East Carolina's Yesavage was the clear third and outpitched Burns in the NCAA regionals. Using three plus pitches (93-98 mph fastball with carry, mid-80s slider/cutter, low-80s splitter), he ranked among the D-I leaders in ERA (2.02, third), strikeouts (145, fifth) and opponent average (.154, second).

Chris Cortez, RHP, Angels (second round, No. 45 overall)
The first reliever selected, Cortez joins an organization that pushes players to the Majors. He starred in the NCAA tournament as Texas A&M finished runner-up at the College World Series, posting a 1.18 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings while averaging 99 mph with a power sinker and 87 mph with a slider that features horizontal and vertical action.

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These '24 Draftees could be on the fast track to the bigs - MLB.com
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