Your guide to the 2024 MLB Draft: When will the Red Sox pick, local players to watch, and first-round order (2024)

MLB

The Red Sox will have to wait until pick 12 to make their first selection.

By Sarah Barber, The Boston Globe

July 11, 2024 | 2:36 PM

Baseball’s best of the best will head to Arlington, Texas, this weekend for Tuesday’s All-Star Game. But first, front offices will seek to scoop up key prospects during the MLB Draft, which begins Sunday.

This year, the Guardians have the first pick despite having only a 2 percent chance to win the draft lottery. The Guardians are being quiet about who they’re likely to select, though the majority of mock drafts have them taking Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana or Georgia third baseman Charlie Condon. Whichever infielder the Guardians don’t take will likely be scooped up by the Reds, who own the second pick.

It’s a college-heavy draft at the top, light on high school position players. The Red Sox will have to wait until pick 12 to make their first selection.

Here’s more of what you need to know about this year’s draft:

The basics

When: The draft will begin Sunday at 7 p.m. The first night will comprise the first two rounds and first two supplemental rounds. Rounds 3-10 will take place Monday and Rounds 11-20 Tuesday, both beginning at noon.

Where: Cowtown Coliseum, Fort Worth

How can I watch? Viewers can follow the broadcast of Day 1 on MLB Network and ESPN, as well as MLB.TV, MLB.com, and in the MLB app. The following two days will be streamed on MLB.com.

Format: Each pick in the first 10 rounds has an assigned value, and the total equals what that team can spend on signing bonuses for players selected in those first 10 rounds without incurring a penalty. The first six overall picks were determined by a lottery — the three worst clubs from the previous season are granted better odds over the 18 non-postseason teams, and the postseason teams will draft in the order of their postseason finish.

Both the 10 lowest-revenue clubs and the clubs from the 10 smallest markets are eligible to receive a competitive balance pick, under the amended 2017-21 collective bargaining agreement. Fewer than 20 clubs fall into this pool each year, as some qualify under both criteria. All eligible teams are assigned a pick, either in Competitive Balance Round A (between Rounds 1 and 2) or Round B (between Rounds 2 and 3).

When do the Red Sox pick?

The Red Sox will have to wait until No. 12 to make their first selection.

Four of Boston’s last five first-round picks have been high school infielders, and the Sox could target shortstop Konnor Griffin or Bryce Rainer. They’re also looking at Carter Johnson and Braylon Doughty, and have been tied to some of the best college prospects, such as Trey Yesavage, Seaver King, Tommy White, and Malcolm Moore.

2024 Red Sox draft picks

Boston’s picks with assigned slot values for Rounds 1-20, per soxprospects.com:

Three prospects to watch

Konnor Griffin

Shortstop | Age: 19 | Previous team: Jackson Prep (Miss.) HS

Reclassified from the 2025 Draft to 2024, Griffin, 6 feet 4 inches and 205 pounds, led the nation’s high schoolers this season with 87 stolen bases in 88 attempts and was named Gatorade National High School Player of the Year. He’s a lefthanded batter, and given the Red Sox’ comfort with drafting high schoolers, he’s a possible first-round selection for Boston.

Christian Moore

Second base | Age: 21 | Previous team: Tennessee

A Connecticut prep school product, the 6-1, 210-pound second baseman was a crucial part of Tennessee winning the College World Series, but he didn’t turn it on just for the postseason. This spring, he led Division 1 with 111 hits, and he set two school records for home runs, with 34 this season (third in Division 1), and 61 for his career. He became the second player to hit for the cycle in a College World Series game during Tennessee’s opener, and led off the championship series with a home run. Despite Boston’s penchant for selecting high school talent, this could be a solid first-round selection.

Cam Caminiti

LHP | Age: 17 | Previous team: Saguaro (Ariz.) HS

Originally classified for the 2025 Draft, the 6-2, 195-pound Caminiti could also be a strong prospect as a hitter. The LSU commit has solid command on his changeup and fastball, the latter sitting at 93-95 miles per hour this season, and has a distinct slider and curveball, though scouts are divided as to which pitch is stronger because of inconsistency with his finishes. As one of the youngest players in this draft class, there’s still a lot of time for Caminiti to develop his pitches, offense, and athleticism in center field, and the different career paths he could take will be interesting for whichever team picks him.

New England players to watch for

Mike Sirota

Center field | Age: 21 | Previous team: Northeastern

Originally selected in 2021 by the Dodgers with pick No. 492 out of The Gunnery School (Conn.), Sirota opted to play for Mike Glavine at Northeastern for the past three seasons. The grand nephew of World Series champion and Cy Young winner Whitey Ford, Sirota was raised around baseball and possesses a very high IQ for the game. With the Huskies, the 6-3, 188-pound outfielder started143 games and hit .324 with 177 hits, 158 runs, 49 stolen bases, 39 doubles, and 29 home runs.

Matt Conte

Catcher | Age: 19 | Previous team: Dexter Southfield

Conte was initially encouraged to reclassify for the 2023 draft but opted to wait until 2024, making him one of the best high school catchers available. His skill behind the plate was evident at Dexter Southfield, which also produced Cardinals prospect Joshua Baez, and Conte’s skills have only grown since. But he may be a hard sign given his commitment to play at Wake Forest. At 6-1, 210 pounds, Conte has always had raw power, but there have been concerns about the lack of translating that power to games. Conte looked to ease those concerns this past season, where he improved his swing to be quicker and shorter to the ball.

Jeremiah Jenkins

First base | Age: 21 | Previous team: Maine

The lefthanded first baseman is 6-4, 238 pounds, and uses his power to make both offensive and defensive impacts. In the box, he makes solid contact and has good strike zone knowledge, often drawing walks, though he lacks speed. Jenkins is also one of the few college hitters who has hit 20-plus home runs in back-to-back seasons, with 21 as a sophom*ore and 22 this past season.

Dennis Colleran

RHP | Age: 20 | Previous team: Northeastern

The 6-3, 225-pound bullpen arm maintained solid velocity throughout the year, with his fastball falling consistently in the 96-100-m.p.h. range. Colleran also has a 88-91-m.p.h. slider with good break, and a third pitch in an upper-80s split-change that can kill spin. The righthander still has to develop his delivery, sometimes giving batters too good of a look at his fastball, but area scouts are confident he’ll be able to adapt once he begins playing professionally.

Mavrick Rizy

RHP | Age: 19 | Previous team: Worcester Academy

At 6-10, 210 pounds, Rizy’s mound presence is undeniable. His stature translates into strength — his fastball was around 95 m.p.h. at the Combine, and his best pitch is his upper-70s breaking ball, which he throws with a slider grip, and calls a slider, but has more curve to it. The LSU commit will be a tough sign, but he’ll be eligible again in two years if he opts to play in Baton Rouge.

First-round draft order

The first picks of the Mets, Padres, and Yankees dropped 10 spots because they exceeded the second surcharge threshold of the competitive balance tax by more than $40 million.