We are 12 days away from 2024 MLB Draftand I can tell you that we are no closer to finding out what it is that Atlanta Braves they’re going to do with the 24th overall pick. The good folks at Baseball America have done a much, much better job than I have of trying to figure this out, and they’ve frequently viewed Kentucky left fielder Ryan Waldschmidt as a possible pick for Atlanta. In the fifth version of its draft simulation series Waldschmidt was once again projected to be selected by the Braves.
Waldschmidt is an interesting player at No. 24 and would certainly fit the Braves as a high-end hitter with plenty of hitting ability. There’s no guarantee that Waldschmidt will make it to No. 24, as he has connections to other teams even higher up. Teams geared specifically toward the model, of which the Braves are one, will find plenty to like in Waldschmidt’s profile.
Carlos Collazo notes that this isn’t necessarily a projection of a specific player for the Braves, but rather what remains within a group of players who could be targets for Atlanta. Those include Carson Benge and Jurrangelo Cijntje, though there’s also a scenario where all of these players are no longer available at No. 24. The only certainty is that no one knows exactly what the Braves are thinking, as they typically go with players who are rarely linked to them before the draft. The Braves will select someone at No. 24, and likely sign them, but everything else is up to the imagination.