While the Atlanta Braves are in the middle of a tough series against the Dodgers during their west coast trip, it is important to keep our eyes on the future. In this particular case, the 2024 MLB Draft is both literally in the near future as it is just a couple months away, but also could shape the Braves' franchise for years to come for better or for worse.
The 2024 MLB Draft takes place during the All-Star Break on July 14-16, 2024 and will featured prospects from both college and the high school ranks. While we don't have an exact schedule just yet, we can say with a fair amount of certainty that the first two rounds will happen on the first day, followed by rounds 3-10 on day two, and then the final 10 rounds on day three.
What we don't know is who the Braves will pick, but we can make some educated guesses.
Potential Braves 2024 MLB Draft Targets
The focus here is going to be on the first round picks because guessing at later round picks this early is a fool's errand. The Braves pick 24th overall in the first round this year thanks to their 2023 record as well as a help from the Padres and Yankees whose picks were pushed 10 spots back because they exceeded the luxury tax threshold by more than $40 million last year. The Braves' draft bonus pool sits at $7,765,000, the sixth lowest pool in all of baseball. For reference, the Guardians hold the top overall pick this year and have a draft bonus pool of $18,334,000 in 2024.
Knowing the Braves' draft position and tendencies is enough to take some guesses as to who could be in play for them this year in the first round. Draft prospect rankings are really tough to get right and tend to be very fluid all the way up to the draft itself, but we have enough of a consensus from the national outlets as to who could be first round picks to take a stab at the players Atlanta may end up with at #24 overall.
Kellon Lindsey, SS
The only position in the field where the Braves don't have a guy under contract long-term is shortstop which is objectively insane when you think about it. Orlando Arcia has played well enough to potentially warrant an extension, but the Braves could theoretically hedge their bets a bit by selecting high school shortstop Kellon Lindsey out of Florida. The Braves love multi-sport athletes and Lindsey checks that box and this guy can absolutely fly around the bases. His lack of power projection hurts a bit, but the Braves don't have a shortage of power hitters and Lindsey has improved enough this spring to be a worthy long-term project for the Braves.
Brody Brecht, RHP
Based purely on his stuff, Iowa's Brecht shouldn't be available when the Braves pick this year. College arms like Brecht who can throw over 100 and have a wipeout slider generally get picked in the top 10. The issue is that Brecht's command is really rough, although many think that that will improve now that he isn't playing football anymore and is focused solely on pitching. The Braves love pitchers with power stuff and the nice thing about the Braves is that they have enough other pitching prospects that even if Brecht ends up in the bullpen, they can certainly live with having a flame-throwing reliever out of deal.
Ben Hess, RHP
Atlanta loves taking arms in the first round and if Brecht is deemed to be too risky to take, the Braves should have another power college arm available to them in Alabama's Ben Hess. Hess has a huge frame and features a mid-90's fastball that touches the upper 90's as well as a very good slider and changeup. Hess' walks have been a problem this year which could push him down draft boards, but he has more of a track record of throwing strikes than Brecht and has a deep mix of pitches that makes him more likely to stay in the rotation.
Carter Johnson, SS
Heading back to the shortstop class, Alabama prep shortstop Carter Johnson is another option, although many scouts think he will have to move to either second or third base in the future. He already possesses an above average hit tool and should grow into more power once he grows into his frame. The Braves REALLY need more position player prospect depth and while Johnson isn't perfect, he has a really solid overall game and would be a fine addition to the Braves' farm system who doesn't need to be big league ready super quickly.
Dakota Jordan, OF
Atlanta hasn't taken an outfielder in the first round since Braxton Davidson in 2014 and that didn't exactly go all that well. However, Mississippi State's Dakota Johnson could have the skill set to convince the Braves to take a shot their again. He is a former football player which speaks to his athleticism and he has crazy bat speed and very real raw power and plus speed. His hit tool is a little speculative given his swing and miss, but he does draw walks and college hitters with this kind of upside are rarely available this far down the board. If Johnson is available, the Braves need to at least give him a long look.
Carson Benge, OF/RHP
Two-way players are all the rage these days and Atlanta does like guys that do it all which bodes well for Oklahoma State's Carson Benge. It is most likely that Benge will be an outfielder as a pro as he has the arm and range to play all three outfield positions. He also has a very quick left-handed stroke and has a knack for putting the barrel on the ball while possessing a good knowledge of the strike zone. It also doesn't hurt that he can throw a fastball in the mid-90's and has three decent secondary pitches on the mound. Benge only has a fringe chance of even making it to the Braves, but should be in the running if he is indeed sitting there.