2024 MLB Draft: Clear Frontrunner at No. 1
Oregon State's Travis Bazzana set to be the top pick
Matthew Horner - Jul 9, 2024, 6:29pm EDT
MLB's Next Superstar?
Whoever is picked with the first overall selection in a draft, no matter what sport we are talking about, expectations are always going to be through the roof. Getting picked that high means that you are projected to be the next superstar of the league, and that is exactly what Oregon State second-baseman Travis Bazzana will likely have on his shoulders.
He's currently the favorite to be drafted at No. 1 overall at +120, although West Virginia infielder JJ Wetherholt is right behind him at +155. After that, the drop-off is significant, with first baseman Jac Caglianone at +600 odds.
Bazzana was recently named first-team All-American, and the Australia native has had a great career that warrants a high pick. While he has played three seasons as a Beaver, last season was his best, hitting 28 homers, and collecting 66 RBIs, while also drawing 76 walks. Oh, and he hit for a modest .407 batting average across a full season. His .568 on-base percentage and .911 slugging percentage both ranked second in all of Division I last season.
Guardians Own No. 1 Pick
There has been a ton of anger and hate surrounding the MLB Draft as of late, as many people think that it is crazy that a playoff team like Cleveland owns the No. 1 pick due to the draft lottery format that the MLB abides by. Critics argue that this format too often allows the rich to get richer, and that terrible teams (White Sox, Marlins, etc.) have no shot to win if playoff teams get all the talent.
However, this is the way the MLB has always operated. The league doesn't have a salary cap, which means that small-market teams are at a MASSIVE disadvantage every season. Teams like the Yankees and Dodgers are good every year, mostly because they have limitless amounts of cash to throw at star players.
Full Odds Chart
Here are the top 10 players according to DraftKings Sportsbook's odds to go No. 1 overall:
Travis Bazzana: +120
JJ Wetherholt: +155
Jac Caglianone: +600
Charlie Condon: +700
Hagen Smith: +2000
Chase Burns: +2000
Konnor Griffin: +2500
Braden Montgomery: +3500
Bryce Ranier: +4000
Nick Kurtz: +5000