Post by easyheat on Jan 14, 2024 21:52:20 GMT -8
The MLB Draft of 2024 is shaping up to be a year of the hitter. Most baseball analysts are thinking the first 3 players off the board will be college hitters. In what order those 3 are selected is being debated but our guy, Bazz is being projected in one of those first 3 slots of the first round. The three Show Ponies are Wake Forest 1B Nick Kurtz, West Virginia 2B J.J. Wetherholt and Oregon State 2B Travis Bazzana. All 3 are Juniors and have immense hit tools with HR power potential with the 6-5, 235 Kurtz having a + + power grade.
In addition to the top Dawgs, three other college sluggers will probably be first round picks led by Florida OF/P Joe Caglianone, California OF Rodney Green and LSU 3B Tommy White. Caglianone hit 33 dingers last year for the Gators.
Baseball G.M.s will pour over scouting reports and video submitted over a period of several years by area scouts, national cross-checkers, and scouting directors. They will also receive a volume of data from their Analytical Departments. When the Cleveland Guardians are on the clock for the first selection of the 2024 MLB Draft, they will be informed and clear on who they want and how he fits in their organization. From the hit tool analysis, here are a few data points they will have studied.
NICK KURTZ 6-5, 235 1B WAKE FOREST: Kurtz put up some healthy numbers his sophomore season at Wake. His slash line was .353/ .527/ .784 with OPS of 1,311. In 190 AB, Kurtz hit 10 doubles and 24 home runs with 69 RBI. He struck out 50 times while drawing 63 BB and 9 HBP. Had a 1:1.44 K:BB ratio. A perfect 5 for 5 on SBA.
Analytics: Kurtz recorded a 108.1 mph exit velocity, 80.1% contact rate, and he had an 18.4% chase rate.
From Lancaster, PA. All ACC First team, ABCA All American in ’23. Preseason 2024 All American D1 Baseball. His zone control and HR potential have him prominently slotted as the top pick in the draft.
J.J. WETHERHOLT 5-10, 190 2B WEST VIRGINIA: Wetherholt is a coveted pro prospect because of his prolific offense and excellent defense. During his sophomore year at WVU, he fashioned an impressive slash line of . 449/ .517/ .787 and OPS 1,304. Wetherholt hit 24 doubles, 2 triples and 16 home runs with 60 RBI. He struck out 22 times while drawing 26 walks with 11 HBP. Had a 1:1.68 K:BB ratio.
Analytics: Wetherholt had an exit velocity of 105.1, an 89.5% contact rate, and had an 18.4 chase rate.
Wetherholt is high contact hitter, an extra base machine with HR power. Like Kurtz, he produced an eye-popping OPS and was successful stealing 36 bases in 44 attempts. From Mars, PA. Big-12 POY in 2023, first team All American on 7 selections in ‘23, and academic A-A. Preseason 2024 All American D1 Baseball.
TRAVIS BAZZANA 6’, 200 2B OREGON STATE: Bazzana is generally considered the most complete offensive player in the draft because he compliments his + hit tool with his aggressive base running and base stealing prowess. In Bazzana’s sophomore year at OSU, he produced a slash line of .374/ .500/ .622 with an excellent 1,122 OPS. Bazzana hit 20 doubles, 3 triples and 11 home runs with 55 RBI from the leadoff slot. He drew 59 walks and 5 HBP. Had a 1:1.38 K:BB ratio.
Analytics: Bazzana’s exit velocity was 105.9, with a 86.3% contact rate, and a 14.7% chase rate. Remarkably, he was successful on 36 of 39 stolen base attempts in ’23.
Like Weatherholt, Bazzana is a high contact hitter with the best chase rate (pitches out of the strike zone) in the draft, and arguably the best baserunner in college baseball. Bazzana’s summer history with the Corvallis Knights and Falmouth Commodores punctuates his offensive performance in his two outstanding seasons with the Beavers.
From Sydney, Australia. First Team All PAC-12, and made four All American 2nd and 3rd teams as a sophomore in ’23. Academic All American and Preseason A-A with D1 Baseball.
Three future "Big Leaguers" ! If I were a Big League G.M. (soon to be fired for sure) I would trade some players and future picks and take all three.
Five years ago in Surprise, after watching Adley crush one to the top of the RF berm, I told my seatmate (an American League Scout), "you need to trade your best player, your two best prospects and two future first round picks for the Orioles # 1 pick, and draft Adley." He laughed and told me, "yah and you need to stop drinking".
