TOP 25 PROSPECT AUTOGRAPHS IN 2024 BOWMAN DRAFT
THEO GILLEN (19.3 | CF | RAYS) Gillen was drafted in the 1st round (18th overall) out of Westlake HS in TX. He's a big left handed bat with a high power ceiling. I watched some video and he's got easy power to the pull side which should continue to increase as he matures physically. His defensive ceiling is CF but he will most likely end up in a COF role. He struggled a bit in his pro debut albeit only having 34 PA's. Young HS bats are always a bit of a wild card but there's a significant ceiling here. We'll have to wait until we get a full season of data to see how the K#'s and power #'s pan out here.
KAVARES TEARS (22.3 | OF | PADRES) Tears was drafted in the 4th round out of the University of Tennessee where he hit .324 with 20 HR's. He struggled with K's a bit last season in the SEC and doesn't have any pro data yet. He's a strong left handed bat that will most likely be power over hit at the pro level. His K#'s will determine his power ceiling.
SEAVER KING (21.7 | SS | NATIONALS) King was drafted in the 1st round (10th overall) out of Wake Forest University. His 10th overall selection seemed very aggressive to me but I'm not a professional scout. I think his ceiling is 100% dependent on how much power he can get to in pro ball. He's got excellent bat speed and has the ability to leave the yard but posted some elevated GB/FB rates in his pro debut and a sub .100 ISO. He's got lots of defensive upside (he can play anywhere but catcher for the most part), hits for average and has impact speed/instincts on the bases, but I think his draft slot has some helium baked into it. He could easily make me look like a fool over a full season because there are some tools here.
GRIFFIN BURKHOLDER (19.2 | OF | PHILLIES) Burkholder was drafted in the 2nd round out of Freedom HS in VA. He only had 2 Low A PA's so I didn't track his stats. He passes the eye test for sure with a strong 6'2" frame with plus speed. I've watched some video and he's going to get to some power. There could be a pretty high ceiling here but we'll have to wait until he has a full season of pro ball under his belt to determine that. He could be a big sleeper in this release falling to the mid 2nd round.
KAELEN CULPEPPER (21.9 | SS | TWINS) Culpepper was drafted in the 1st round (21st overall) out of Kansas State University. During his final year as a JR, he hit .328 with 11 HR, 17 SB, and excellent K#'s. I really like the swing here based on the video I watched - it's quick and he has a little juice in the tank. While he's got a healthy blend of hit/pwr, I think he'll be more contact oriented than power oriented. His excellent K#'s should allow him to maximize his raw power, in game and he's got the skills to stick at SS and the arm to play 3B if needed. He's a very well rounded player who I think has a higher floor than ceiling.
CALEB BONEMER (19.2 | SS/3B | WHITE SOX) Bonemer was drafted in the 2nd round out of Okemos HS in MI. He's got a strong 6'1" build but after watching some video I noticed a stiffer body that keeps him out of the premium athlete category. Defensively he looks much more like a 3B prospect than a SS. I think his bat will eventually become a power over hit profile based on his pull-side approach and strength. Unfortunately we didn't get any data in 2024 on how he'll handle a wooden bat at the pro level.
JD DIX (19.1 | SS | DIAMONDBACKS) Dix was drafted in the 1st round (35th overall) out of Whitefish Bay HS in WI. He's a lanking 6'2" SS with plenty of room to grow into his frame. He's got a smooth swing from both sides of the plate (I personally like him from the left side a bit more) and uses all sides of the field. A shoulder injury in early 2024 has blurred his offensive and defensive ceiling so I'll be watching him closely in 2025. I think his power development and where he ends up defensively will determine his ceiling.
BRAYLON PAYNE (18.3 | OF | BREWERS) Payne was drafted in the 1st round (17th) overall out of Lawrence E. Elkins HS in TX. He's got a long, slender frame at 6'1" with his best tool being his speed and athleticism. He's got good bat to ball skills but, after watching his swing, I don't see easy power at the moment. He comes out of his legs during rotation which is something he'll need to work on to elicit more power. He's one of the younger HS draftees on this checklist and has plenty of time to develop.
CARSON DEMARTINI (21.9 | INF | PHILLIES) Demartini was drafted in the 4th round out of Virginia Tech University. I really like his left handed swing in the video I watched; it doesn't rely on momentum and he gets the barrel out effortlessly. He was good for 21 jacks last year for the Hokies and profiles as more of a power bat than contact. Demartini's K rates were a bit excessive last year in college (27%) but he didn't show any red flags in Low A. I'd really like to see how his numbers play out at A+ next season. He could be a bit of a sleeper in this release, especially falling to the 4th round. Not much defensive upside here.
JARED THOMAS (21.5 | OF | ROCKIES) Thomas was drafted in the 2nd round out of the University of Texas. In his final season with the Longhorns he hit .349 with 16 HR's and 18 SB's (0 CS). He was a draft eligible sophomore and entered pro ball almost a year younger than other 2024 NCAA draftees. He's got a smooth left handed swing that generated much more power from 2023 to 2024. He's got sneaky athleticism and even spent some time in CF in his pro debut. Thomas could be a big sleeper in this release if he can develop his hit/pwr/speed tools in pro ball. He's one of my favorite NCAA players that fell to the second round.
If you are enjoying this article and want to help support this website, please check out some of my exclusive content over on my Patreon only $5/month!
My complete 15 page 2024 Bowman Draft Autograph Checklist Breakdown in now available exclusively on Patreon! This breakdown includes ranks, stats, and write-ups for all prospects on this checklist with a 1st Chrome and/or 1st Chrome Auto (All hitters & pitchers)!
My 2024 Bowman Draft Team Break Guide is available over on my Patreon page. This excel sheet lists all players (sorted by team) with a 1st Chrome and a 1st Chrome Autograph. It also has my Let’s Talk Wax Rankings for each prospect in order to see the strength / weakness of each team.
BLAKE BURKE (21.5 | 1B | BREWERS) Burke was drafted in the 1st round (34th overall) out of the University of Tennessee. His defensive ceiling is 1B but his bat could fit that profile, at least in the MiLB. Burke hit 20 jacks last year at UT while holding a .379 BA. He's built for power but didn't get much of a chance to showcase his offensive abilities over a small 18 PA sample size in A+ this year. I'd guess he'll start the 2025 season in A+ where we will get a better look at his bat over a larger sample size.
DYLAN DREILING (21.8 | OF | RANGERS) Dreiling was drafted in the 2nd round out of the University of Tennessee. He hit 23 HR's, 19 2B's, and held a .342 BA for the Volunteers last season while taking almost as many walks as strikeouts. He's most likely going to move to a corner OF positions on the defensive side of things but he's got some athleticism. Dreiling could develop into a hit/pwr bat with excellent K#'s but he's got limited experience with a wooden bat and that was evident in his pro debut. He'll be a guy to watch in 2025 because the offensive upside was high in the NCAA.
JAMES TIBBS III (22.1 | OF | GIANTS) Tibbs was drafted in the 1st round (13th overall) out of Florida State University. In his final season with the Seminoles, he hit .363 with 28 HR's, a 18% walk rate, and a 11% K rate. He's got a healthy blend of hit/power but those are the only 2 tools he brings to the table on either side of the field. His defensive ceiling is most likely LF and if that doesn't work out he's doomed to 1B/DH. I was absolutely shocked when the Giants took him over Christian Moore but that's just me. He showed some rough K#'s and SwStr%'s across a small sample size in Low A and High A. Hopefully those improve because the bat drives the car.
RYAN WALDSCHMIDT (22.2 | OF | DIAMONDBACKS) Waldschmidt was drafted in the 1st round (31st overall) out of the University of Kentucky where in his JR season hit .333 with 14 HR, 25 SB, and a 1.09 K/BB ratio. He's got an explosive swing, advanced approach, and rarely swings and misses. His hit tool has a high floor and he started tapping into a bit more power in 2024. He's got a lot of tools including plus speed that could make him a bit of a sleeper in this release. I think his ceiling will depend on where he ends up defensively and how much power he gets to in pro ball. I'll be watching this guy for sure.
KELLON LINDSEY (19.2 | SS | DODGERS) Lindsey was drafted in the 1st round (23rd overall) out of Hardee HS in FL. He's probably the best HS athletes on this list with ELITE speed (he was also the QB for his HS football team). Lindsey has drawn comps to a young Trea Turner (the swings even look a bit similar) as far as the profile goes. He's got excellent bat to ball skills but will most likely enter pro ball with a lot more hit than power in the tank. Lindsey has the skills to stick at SS and I think power development will determine his ceiling.
CARSON BENGE (21.8 | OF | METS) Benge was drafted in the 1st round (19th overall) out of Oklahoma State University. He was a 2 way player there but he's yet to make his pro debut on the mound. He's got an aggressive left handed swing and uses the opposite field quite well from the video I watched. I didn't see much pull side power but he was good for 18 HR's last year for the Cowboys. He's got an above average hit/power tool but posted some high GB/FB rates in a small sample size in Low A in his pro debut. Defensively, he's got exceptional upside in RF but probably won't have the speed to play CF in the MLB.
BRADEN MONTGOMERY (21.7 | OF | RED SOX) Montgomery was selected in the 1st round (12th overall) out of Texas A&M University. He was one of the more prolific power hitters in the NCAA in 2024 finishing his JR year with 27 HR's (11th in NCAA). He's got excellent plate discipline and power from both sides of the plate. The bat will most likely drive the car here as he played strictly RF for the Aggies and doesn't have impact speed on the bases. He only hit 1 HR with a wooden bat in the CCBL last summer so I'm interested to see how his power translates at the MiLB level.
BILLY AMICK (22.1 | 3B | TWINS) Amick was drafted in the 2nd round out of the University of Tennessee where he was good for 23 HR's during his JR season while maintaining a .306 BA. Amick is a bat first prospect who has a nice blend of hit/pwr holding a career BA at UT of .338 and finishing the 2024 season with a .333 ISO. He had a small sample size debut in Low A post draft. I'm interested to see how he manages a full season in 2025 as he could be a bit of a sleeper in this release (especially if he can stick at 3B). Tennessee's home stadium is also a launching pad so please be aware of that factor with UT draftees.
KONNOR GRIFFIN (18.8 | SS/CF | PIRATES) Griffin was the 1st HS position player taken in the 2024 draft at #9 overall. He's an absolute specimen standing at 6'4" with a frame that could support some physical development. Griffin can hit for both average and power and has a very high offensive ceiling. He will most likely make his professional debut in the OF but he's listed as an OF/SS at the moment. The Gatorade National Player of the year has big 5 tool potential and will most likely not come cheap in this release. He's yet to make his professional debut so we will see what he's made of in 2025.
JAC CAGLIANONE (21.8 | 1B | ROYALS) Caglianone was drafted in the 1st round (6th overall) out of the University of Florida where he held a .419 BA, hit 35 HR's, and posted 58 BB's to only 26 K's. He's pretty much maxed out his physical projection standing around 6'5" with a solid base. While he has a lot of potential on the mound, command issues will most likely keep him in the batter's box full time in pro ball. He's gotten a significant amount of PA's post draft getting some reps in A+ and participating in the Arizona Fall League. He was solid in both outings but his offensive numbers weren't eye popping. Cags is bat first all the way with limited defensive upside. He'll probably start the 2025 season in AA where we will get a good idea of how his offensive skill set will trend in professional ball. He's got plus raw power but we don't know how much he'll get to at the upper levels yet.
BRYCE RAINER (19.4 | SS | TIGERS) Rainer was drafted in the 1st round (11th overall) out of Harvard-Westlake HS, CA. He's a high upside prospect with lots of tools and a projectable physical makeup already standing around 6'3". He's likely to stick at SS, at least in the MiLB, and could grow into some power as he matures physically. I watched some video and noticed a significant amount of front to back movement in the load that makes him more prone to timing issues. He's one of the highest ceiling HS position players on this checklist but we haven't gotten to see what he's capable of with a wooden bat at the pro level yet.
CAM SMITH (21.8 | 3B | CUBS) Smith was drafted in the 1st round (14th overall) out of Florida State University. He was a draft eligible sophomore who in his final year with the Seminoles, hit .387 with 16 HR's and only 4 more K's than BB's. He. made his professional debut this season and worked across 3 levels all the way to AA with some impressive numbers along the way. Smith posted some elevated GB/FB rates in A+ and AA which has been consistent with his NCAA report. He'll most likely be a bit more hit over power but that could change. He's a guy to watch, especially after flying the the Cubs MiLB org in a couple months.
NICK KURTZ (21.7 | 1B | ATHLETICS) Kurtz was drafted in the 1st round (4th overall) out of Wake Forest. From an offensive standpoint only - he's probably one of the best bats on this checklist. He's got double plus power to all sides of the field that doesn't impact his excellent approach and K#'s. Kurtz has the ability to hit for average and power but his defensive ceiling will be at 1B. He's currently participating in the Arizona Fall League and hitting .354 with 2 HR's. He's already seen some AA action in 2024 and could make his MLB debut as early as 2025.
TRAVIS BAZZANA (22.3 | 2B | GUARDIANS) Bazzana was the 1st overall pick in the 2024 draft out of Oregon State University. In his final season at Oregon State, he hit .407 with 28 HR's, while holding an ELITE K/BB ratio of 0.48 (no one pitched to him). I often wonder how his numbers would have panned out in a strong offensive lineup but he still mashed with less protection than other top college bats. Bazzana has plus speed and was 16 out of 21 in SB attempts at Oregon State. His pro debut was solid over a small A+ sample size (showing off more power than hit). His contact/approach skills will allow him to maximize his raw power giving him an enormous offensive ceiling. He won't be cheap being the #1 pick and coverboy of this release.
CHRISTIAN MOORE (22.1 | 2B | ANGELS) Moore was drafted in the 1st round (8th overall) and unfortunately it was by the Angels. He's easily a Top 5 bat for me on this checklist. I watched a TON of C-MO last year on TV and really like his strength and bat speed. Moore hit 34 HR's last year while holding a .375 BA with a sub 15% K rate. He doesn't have a ton of defensive upside but I think he's got a shot at getting to some impact power in 2025. He showed a bit of swing and miss in AA but it was over a small sample size and a very aggressive move post draft. I'm really excited to see him play a full season next year - I just hope the Angels don't ruin him.
2024 Bowman Draft Top 5 Pitchers
CHASE BURNS (21.8 | RHP | REDS) Burns was drafted in the 1st round (2nd overall) out of Wake Forest University after transferring from Tennessee last season. Burns and Smith are the 2 best arms on this checklist as oF right now. He's got a FB that can reach 100 MPH and an unfair slider that resulted in a swing and miss 2 out of every 3 times it was thrown last year. He's a total package arm with stuff, size, and the awareness to rocket up the Reds farm system much like Lowder did this past season. If you aren't familiar with him, go watch some video, his stuff is pretty impressive.
HAGEN SMITH (21.2 | LHP | WHITE SOX) Smith was drafted in the 1st round (5th overall) out of the University of Arkansas. He's one of the top collegiate arms on this checklist behind Burns and has some pretty nasty stuff. He's got a 3/4ish arm slot that adds a lot of vertical rise and deception to his mid 90's FB (that can touch 100). He's got a plus SL and above average Split Finger CH that both serve as out pitches. He held a 2.04 ERA with 17.3 K/9 last season pitching in the SEC. He's 6'3" and well built with an ace ceiling - especially in the White Sox Organization. He did well in his pro debut in A+ and I'd expect to see him in AA/AAA in 2025.
TREY YESAVAGE (21.3 | RHP | BLUE JAYS) Yesavage was drafted in the 1st round (20th overall) out of East Carolina University where he was their ace. He finished the season with an 11-1 record while holding a 2.03 ERA and striking out 14 batters per 9. He's got some really nasty stuff including a low to mid 90's FB that has good down hill plane from his 6'4" frame. His BB/SPL are both out pitches that generate a lot of swing and miss. The slider is also excellent and sits in the mid 80's. With his command and arsenal, Yesavage has a high floor and was one of the best NCAA arms in the 2024 draft.
CAM CAMINITI (18.3 | LHP | BRAVES) Caminiti was drafted in the 1st round (24th overall) out of Saguaro HS in AZ. He's an athletic, 6'2" LHP with a plus FB that sits in the low to mid 90's with good late life and vertical break. He's got 3 other solid offerings including a BB, SL, and CH. He's also one of the youngest HS draftees in this class, entering the 2024 draft at 17. As of right now he's still only 18.3 and has a few innings of Low A experience under his belt. According to MLB.com he's the #1 prospect in the Braves organization right now and they know a thing or two about developing arms. Big stuff mixed with a great org for developing pitchers might interest me more than others here.
CHRIS CORTEZ (21.8 | RHP | ANGELS) Cortez was drafted in the 2nd round out of Texas A&M University. I saw a lot of Cortez this year in the SEC and his stuff is electric. He's got a high 90's heater that can flash triple digits and a pretty nasty slider that generates swing and miss. I think the most shocking thing I noticed with Cortez is the amount of arm side run he generates with a FB that hits 100. It's unfair against lefties and gets on righties fists quickly. He's got closer stuff but I'm not sure what the Angels have planned for him.