2024 MLB Mock Draft: Final Mock 2 Rounds

Chris Ransom follow @DraftUtopia Last Updated: July 14, 2024.

31. Arizona Diamondbacks: Caleb Lomavita, C, California
    
    
    The Arizona Diamondbacks get the best player on the board to stash in their prospect pool. Arizona drafts their catcher of the future in the compensation portion of the first round by drafting California catcher Caleb Lomavita.
    
    
    
    The 5-11 200 lb Caleb Lomavita started all 55 games at catcher, had a .272 batting average, 37 runs, 63 hits, 10 doubles, 1 triple, 7 home runs, 46 RBI's, a .414 slugging percentage, 22 walks, 5 hits by pitch, 52 strikeouts, a .345 on base percentage, 15 stolen bases, and a .988 fielding percentage as a freshman in 2022. Caleb Lomavita started all 48 games at catcher, had a .316 batting average, 47 runs, 65 hits, 13 doubles, 0 triples, 16 home runs, 43 RBI's, a .612 slugging percentage, 12 walks, 6 hits by pitch, 25 strikeouts, a .367 on base percentage, 9 stolen bases, and a .964 fielding percentage as a sophomore in 2023. Caleb Lomavita started all 55 games at catcher, had a .322 batting average, 51 runs, 73 hits, 13 doubles, 1 triple, 15 home runs, 52 RBI's, a .586 slugging percentage, 12 walks, 17 hits by pitch, 43 strikeouts, a .395 on base percentage, 12 stolen bases, and a .989 fielding percentage as a junior in 2024.
    
    
    
    Caleb Lomavita is a power hitter that defends well for a catcher. He can get on base consistently when hitting home runs an line drives. He is someone you want to strikeout or pitch pitches that will result at him swinging at a grounder for an easy out. Caleb Lomavita can develop in the minor leagues at his own pace and could be Arizona's starting catcher at some pointdown the road.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Noah Franco, RF, IMG Academy (FL)
    
    
32. Baltimore Orioles: Malcolm Moore, C, Stanford
    
    
    Adley Rutschman is only under contract until 2028. There's already speculation that the Baltimore Orioles may draft a catcher this year to stash in the minor leagues for a few years as early as 22 to develop so that the Orioles reload at catcher when Adley Rutschman becomes a UFA in 2028. Stanford catcher Malcolm Moore may still be on the board at 32 and if he is I expect the Baltimore Orioles to pull the trigger and add him as insurance in case the Orioles cannot land an extension with Rutschman.
    
    
    
    The 6-2 216 lb Malcolm Moore redshirted in 2022. Malcolm Moore had a .311 batting average, started all 64 games at catcher for Stanford, had 50 runs, 80 hits, 20 doubles, 0 triples, 15 home runs, 63 RBI's, a .564 slugging percentage, 21 walks, 14 hits by pitch, 50 strikeouts, a .386 on base percentage, 3 stolen bases, and a .992 fielding percentage as a freshman redshirt in 2023. Malcolm Moore had a .255 batting average, started all 54 games at catcher, had 42 runs, 48 hits, 8 doubles, 0 triples, 16 home runs, 36 RBI's, a .553 slugging percentage, 44 walks, 9 hits by pitch, 35 strikeouts, a .414 on base percentage, 0 stolen bases, and a .994 fielding percentage as a sophomore redshirt in 2024.
    
    
    
    Malcolm Moore can get on base if he successfully hits a home run or line drive, but he will have trouble with grounders and bunts. Malcolm Moore consistently gets on base, and he's a good catcher that Baltimore Orioles can develop as an insurance policy if Adley Rutschman cannot get extended.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Tegan Kuhns, P, Gettysburg Area HS (PA)
    
    
    
    
33. Minnesota Twins: PJ Morlando, RF, Summerville HS (SC)
    
    
    The 6-3 198 lb PJ Morlando won the High School Home Run Derby and he was also the MVP of the High School Baseball All-American Game. The Minnesota Twins need a long-term right fielder though and PJ Morlando is the one other potential five tool prep batter in High School outside of Konnor Griffin making him a great pick. PJ Morlando had a .393 batting avearge as a freshman in 2021, improved his batting average into the .400 range as a sophomore in 2022, and batted over .500 during his junior season in 2023. PJ Morlando had a .403 battig average, 26 runs, 31 hits, 10 RBI's, 7 doubles, 0 triples, and 2 home runs as a senior in 2024. PJ Morlando also has the versatility to play third base, second base, first base, catcher, and left fielder in addition to right fielder.
    
    
    
    Adding PJ Morlando gives the Minnesota Twins a long-term answer at right fielder. PJ Morlando is the best right fielder left on the board.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Carson Benge, RF, Oklahoma State
    
    
34. Milwaukee Brewers: Kellon Lindsey, SS, Hardee HS (FL)
    
    
    The 6-1 170 lb Kellon Lindsey posted a .429 batting average as a junior in 2023. Kellon Lindsey posted a .403 batting average with 28 runs, 27 hits, 15 RBI's, 6 doubles, 2 triples, and 1 home run as a senior in 2024. Milwaukee's starting shortstop Willy Adames is a UFA in 2025, so drafting Kellon Lindsey allows Milwaukee to reload at shorsttop once he develops.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Ben Hess, P, Alabama
    
    
    
    
35. Arizona Diamondbacks: Theo Gillen, SS, Westlake HS (TX)
    
    
    The 6-2 190 lb Theo Gillen has the floor of a 20 home run player. There's no stats on him, but he's got arguably the highest offensive upside of any High School shortstop in the 2024 MLB Draft. He's got some medical concerns and with two straight years of injuries prior to his senior year, he could move to second baseman, center fielder, or left fielder if he doesn't work out as a shortstop.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Gage Jump, P, LSU
    
    
36. Cleveland Indians: David Shields, P, Mt. Lebanon HS (PA)
    
    
    The 6-2 210 lb David Shields has dominated in all three seasons at Mt. Lebanon. David Shields went 2-0 with a 2.92 ERA leading Mt. Lebanon to a 2022 WPIAL Championship. David Shields went 6-2 with a 0.94 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 67 2/3 innings as a sophomore while also throwing a no hitter against North Allegheny in the 2023 WPIAL Championship game. David Shields went 5-1 with a 0.51 ERA with 63 strikeouts after missing the beginning of th season recovering from mononucleosis and was undefeated in his draft year until the 2024 WPIAL Championship game where North Allegheny got their revenge on Mt. Lebanon after North Allegheny threw a no hitter on Mt. Lebanon in 2024 during his senior season.
    
    
    
    David Shields was the the ace pitcher the last two years at Mt. Lebanon while also being the starting quarterback on their football team during his freshman and sophomore seasons. He played basketball along with football and baseball in middle school too prior to arriving at Mt. Lebanon High School meaning he was a three sport athlete in middle school. Technically, the 17-year-old Shields should be a junior, but he reclassified and got his GED while graduating with a 3.33 GPA while also winning Pennsylvania's 2024 Gatorade High School Player Of The Year Award. David Shields turns 18 in September, so his longetivity doesn't appear to be a concern. He struck out 16 batters in front of 15 MLB scouts earlier this season. He also struck out 12 batters against Baldwin in one game. David Shields also hit .383 as an outfielder on days where he wasn't pitching for Mt. Lebanon in 2024.
    
    
    
    David Shields is ranked forty first on MLB's Final Draft Rankings and was ranked 36th before losing the WPIAL to North Allegheny which is the story of how my old high school kept Mt. Lebanon from repeating. I've seen two Mt. Lebanon games the last three years with Mt. Lebanon near my place and David Shields is too damn consistent to slip out of the first round. Even their manager is talking about how calm Shields is in front of 40-50 scouts mature beyond his age. This pick makes a ton of sense for Cleveland at 36 which is the highest he's been projected.
    
    
    
    David Shields has a 94 mile per hour 4-seam fastball, a 94 mile per hour 2-seam fastball, a slider, a power slider also known as a sweeper pitch which has a unique frisbee movement, a curveball, a power curveball and a changeup. Shields has 7 different pitches with two different types of fastballs, sliders, and curveballs. He's also got no injury history outside of the mononucleosis that kept him out early in the season.
    
    
    
    David Shields is the son of Kevin Shields who is the director of golf instruction at The Club at Nevillewood. Both the grandfather and great grandfather of David Shields were minor league baseball players. If David Sheilds falls out of the first two rounds, he might accept a college scholarship to Miami FL where he committed to for College Baseball. I don't think Shields even makes it out of the first round as he's got enough upside to develop into a number one starter on an MLB team down the road despite being a High School pitcher.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Dakota Jordan, LF, Mississippi State
    
    
    
    
37. Pittsburgh Pirates: Blake Burke, 1B, Tennnessee
    
    
    Pittsburgh gets a starting first baseman for the future. Blake Burke is the top first baseman left on the board in the first round. Outside of Charlie Condon and Jac Caglinone this was the best power hitter in the SEC despite being ranked at 66 on MLB Pipeline's Draft rankings. He hits with more power than Texas A&M right fielder Braden Montgomery whose projected to go in the top 4 overall.
    
    
    
    The 6-3 236 lb Blake Burke had a .326 batting average, 22 starts, 30 runs, 31 hits, 3 doubles, 1 triple, 14 home runs, 32 RBI's, a .821 slugging percentage, 19 walks, 6 hits by pitch, 37 strikeouts, a .467 on base percentage, 2 stolen bases, and a 1.000 fielding percentage as a true freshman when Tennessee was the number one overall seed for the 2022 College Baseball Tournament in 2022. Blake Burke had a .280 batting average, started all 62 games, had 48 runs, 68 hits, 6 doubles, 3 triples, 16 home runs, 43 RBI's, a .527 slugging percentage, 26 walks, 10 hits by pitch, 49 strikeouts, a .369 on base percentage, 4 stolen bases, and a .976 fielding percentage when Tennessee made the 2023 College World Series in Omaha as a sophomore in 2023. Blake Burke had a .379 batting average, started all 72 games, had 74 runs, 108 hits, 30 doubles, 1 triple, 20 home runs, 61 RBI's, a .702 slugging percentage, 35 walks, 2 hits by pitch, 48 strikeouts, a .449 on base percentage, 11 stolen bases, and a .989 fielding percentage on the 2024 College World Series Champion Tennessee Volunteers as a junior in 2024.
    
    
    
    Blake Burke can hit home runs and line drives. He's one of the better power hitters getting underlooked by the mainstream media in the 2024 MLB Draft whose ranked a lot lower than he should be.
    
    
    
38. Colorado Rockies: Luke Holman, P, LSU
    
    
    The Colorado Rockies need pitching in the worst way possible. LSU's Friday Night Starter is still on the board.
    
    
    
    The 6-4 195 lb Luke Holman went 7-4 with a 3.67 ERA in 15 starts while posting 54 hits, 31 walks, 87 strikeouts, and only gave up 14 home runs in 81 innings pitched. Luke Holman had two games where he threw 7 innings and ended his 2023 season with four consecutive games where he threw over 100 pitches. Luke Holman was the ace pitcher on the Alabma Crimson Tide, but he transferred to LSU for the 2024 season. Luke Holman had a 9-4 record with a 2.75 ERA in 16 starts at LSU with 127 strikeouts in 91.2 innings pitched as a junior in 2024.
    
    
    
    Luke Holman has a 96 mile per hour 4-seam fastball, a 94 mile per hour 2-seam fastball, a 81 mile per hour slider with that being his best pitch, a 77 mile per hour curveball that needs to improve in terms of pitching accuracy, a 84 mile per hour changeup, and a 86 mile per hour sinker. Luke Holman has a variety of pitches that you want an MLB starter to have, but he doesn't rely on getting strikeouts either. Holman is a player that is currently a late first round pick on with the floor of a number four starter in a starting rotation and the ceiling of a number one starter after being the Friday Night Starter on LSU in 2024.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Jonathan Santucci, P, Duke
    
    
    
    
39. Washington Nationals: Jonathan Santucci, P, Duke
    
    
    The Washington Nationals get a starting pitcher for the future. Duke's Friday Night Starter in 2024 will be Jonathan Santucci and he's the only first round college pitcher with a good ERA still on the board. It is also possible that the Washington drafts a High School pitcher, but Jonathan Santucci's win loss record for a college pitcher is better than the record of the best High School pitcher left on the board in the 2024 MLB Draft.
    
    
    
    The 6-2 205 lb Jonathan Santucci went 6-1 with a 3.41 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 58 innings pitched in 2024. Jonathan Santucci has two years of experience as a Friday Night Starter improving his ERA from 4.00 in 2023 to 3.41 in 2024.
    
    
    
    Washington gambles on Jonathan Santucci here after Joey came away impressed with some Duke baseball players during the Regionals leading up to last years 2023 College World Series. Santucci has a 95 mile per hour 4-seam fastball, a 92 mile per hour 2-seam fastball, a 85 mile per hour changeup that he rarely uses, and a 81 mile per hour slider that's a complimentary pitch to his fastballs.
    
    
    Previous Pick: Carter Holton, P, Vanderbilt