ESPN's Mock Draft for the Atlanta Braves

As we approach the MLB draft, all the final mock drafts are starting to come in. Today, we look at ESPN and Kiley McDaniel's mock draft and who he has the Atlanta Braves selecting.

Pick 24: Ty Floyd, P, LSU

With the Braves first selection, McDaniel has the organization picking a kid from Braves Country. Ty Floyd went to Rockmart High School in Rome, GA before heading to Louisiana State University for his college ball.

He did have some intrigue in high school but an inconsistent Senior year left him undrafted. He has improved his draft stock in college and ended on the highest note possible, with 17 strikeouts in the College World Series, tied for the most all time.

Floyd would be an under-slot selection for the Braves in the first round. He is ranked by most scouts to be in the 50-80 range for prospects. The Braves may go this route if they would like to throw more money at guys in the middle rounds in an effort to pick up talent that teams are afraid won't sign.

Floyd throws a mid-90s fastball that can touch 97, and some scouts think he could maybe add another tick or two to it with the right development. It already comes with quality vertical break and good spin rates that make it tough for opposing hitters. His best secondary pitch is a low-80s slider that shows good depth. He also has a mid-70s curveball and low-80s changeup but they are behind the other two. He is mostly seen as a two pitch pitcher at this point.

The projection is Floyd could end up being a mid rotation starter at his peak. He will need to develop the third pitch.

Some scouts are saying he does remind them of a Spencer Strider in ways. Maybe getting him into the Braves organization would be the best thing for Floyd if that is true.

Pick 59: Kyle Karros, 3B, UCLA

With this pick, the Braves would select the son of Eric Karros, Kyle Karros in the second round. Another interesting projected name here is because some prospect lists have Kyle outside the top 100.

Looking at Kyle's numbers this year, he hit .284/.372/.420 5 HR, 30 R, 34 RBI, & 3 SB. He actually got off to a hot start but was slowed down by an ankle injury.

As a hitter, he showed an ability to use the big part of the field and has power to the right-center field gap. Karros also cut down on his strikeout numbers while drawing more walks in his Junior season. If he can continue to show good discipline at the plate, it will go a long way in his development.

Defensively, he has the athletic ability and the arm to stick at third base. He will just need to add more power as he continues to fill out to help him advance through the minor leagues.

His dad was drafted in the sixth round back in 1988. He has a shot to outdo his dad in the 2023 draft.

Pick 70: Carson Roccaforte, 1B/OF, Louisiana Lafayette

The final selection for the Braves in this mock draft is a compensation pick due to Dansby Swanson signing with the Chicago Cubs. With this pick, McDaniel has the Braves selecting a Rajin Cajun in Carson Roccaforte.

An interesting player who took a step back from his Sophomore year. In 2022, he hit .374/.435/.671 16 HR, 52 R, 68 RBI, & 25 SB. He was one of only 3 players to hit 15 home runs and steal 25 bases. In 2023, he hit .318/.426/.538 8 HR, 64 R, 55 RBI, & 22 SB. While the power was down, every other part of his game remained. Good contact, solid plate discipline, and impacted the game on the basepaths.

One scout noted his swing looked flatter which lead to a few more strikeouts and ground balls. Which is also an explanation for his power drop. Most reports believe he could develop more power with a few adjustments.

Defensively, he played right field as a Freshman, first base as a Sophomore, and played Center Field as a Junior. He has the ability to be a solid defender in center field with an average arm. He will probably be better fit for a corner outfield role.

A player comparison I am seeing is Andrew Benintendi. That would be a solid outcome for Roccaforte.