The days are ticking closer and closer towards the 2024 MLB draft. The draft combine is now completed and we’ve had the chance to observe some of the attendees closely. The New York Yankees select 26th overall and there are some fantastic options in the first round.
Fort Worth, Texas will be the destination that hosts the birth of various athlete’s dreams. It will also hold some of the future fates of various clubs within the major leagues. The 2023 MLB draft brought huge success, as some prospects have already seen a promotion to the big leagues and quick advancement throughout farm systems.
The Yankees are looking to replenish their top 30 prospect list as they employ some of those talents on the big club roster. Not to mention, the Yankees may be buyers during the trade deadline period and may designate certain prospects for transactions.
This year’s MLB draft will be crucial for the Bronx Bombers. These are three prospects they should consider drafting in the first round.
2024 MLB Draft: Prospects to Target for Yankees
Brody Brecht, RHP, Iowa
Scouting grades: Fastball: 70| Slider: 70| Splitter: 50| Control: 40| Overall: 50
Right-handed pitcher Brody Brecht might be mis-ranked in the draft prospect rankings. He ranks 21st but is raved about, similar to a top-five arm. The righty was a phenomenon in his final years of high school but prioritized football at Iowa. His focus switched back to baseball, picking up where he left off. He served three seasons at Iowa, with his first year naturally being less operative and lower numbers. His sophomore year was more fruitful, with a .714 win-loss percentage on a 5-2 record. Brecht surpassed 100 strikeouts with just over 300 batters faced.
In 2024 he faced 344 batters in 78 1/3 innings of work. He struck out 19 more hitters at 128 while walking 12 fewer hitters at 49. His ERA ended at 3.33.
Brecht holds a 6 ‘4” 235 lbs frame, well-shaped and athletic. Everything is plus on his pitch options. His fastball has touched up 101 mph outside of the 97-99 mph range. MLB scouts compare it to a Paul Skenes-type fastball. It’s commanded well and used appropriately with confidence and reliance. He employs a slider that is labeled his put-away pitch, sitting in the early 90s with tons of two-way movement. He also has a splitter which is used as a rarity. It sits in the early 90s with some potential if thrown more. He primarily depends on two options but would be successful in incorporating a changeup.
Based on his two options and a change in mechanics, Brecht could fall to a later pick in the first round, giving the Yankees hope within a five-pick gap.
Jurrangelo Cijntje, RHP/LHP, Mississppi State
RHP scouting grades: Fastball: 60| Slider: 55| Changeup: 50| Control: 45| Overall: 50
LHP scouting grades: Fastball: 50| Slider: 55| Control: 45| Overall: 40
Previously drafted in 2022 by the Milwaukee Brewers, Jurrangelo Cijntje took his multi-sided talent to Mississippi State to pitch. Cijntje’s top offering is his ability to switch pitch, a rarity in the game. Looking at his two-year college performance, he finished with an 11-7 record. He threw 14 1/3 innings with a 5.25 ERA and struck out 176 batters, walking only 64. This shows the effectiveness of his outings.
Cijntje has a smaller frame but it does not take away from his athleticism. His right side on the mound seems to be his strength. He employs three pitches from the right side (fastball, slider, changeup), compared to only two options from the left. His northpaw fastball max at 98 mph, sitting around 95-97 consistently. He has a late 80s, early 90s slider with depth along with a change piece that hovers 6-8 mph under the fastball consistency.
His physical makeup is in question with where he positions as a pitcher. His overall makeup positions him as a high pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, somewhere in round one, between 19-27.
Tommy White, 3B, LSU
Scouting grades: Hit: 55| Power: 60| Run: 30| Arm: 50| Field: 40| Overall: 50
Tommy White is a powerhouse prospect, coming out of the notorious LSU. White is a College World Series Champion and played alongside various high draft picks in the same realm.
White will not be known for much else than his bat. His speed is below average, his arm is average and workable, and he’s likely to be a first baseman. His hitting ability is enough to justify him as a first-rounder. White started his college career at North Carolina State in the Atlantic Coast Conference. White began to hot with a year-ending 27 home runs, 74 RBIs, and a .362 batting average as a freshman.
He then transferred to LSU, posting a .374 batting average in 2023, launching 24 home runs, and driving in a division-one-leading 105 RBIs. This year he’s matched that amount of home runs with 70 RBI, and 92 hits, and has slashed a .330/.401/.638. White displays good bat speed with control over the barrel. The majority of his hits have barrel percentage, given that 24-27 of those hits are barreled up over the wall. He uses all fields with raw power and patience. He can also be classified as a contact hitter, rarely missing the baseball.
The 2024 MLB draft will be given to White as he’s also expected to go in the first round. The Yankees could benefit from a big powerhouse bat at the hot corner.
Main Photo: © Jeffrey Camarati-USA TODAY Sports
