NEWSLETTER
The Oakland Athletics are set to make their first-round selection in the 2024 MLB Draft with the 4th overall pick.
Exploring Potential Fits for the Oakland Athletics in the 1st Round of the 2024 MLB Draft.
The Oakland Athletics are in a unique position for more reasons than one. However, one of those reasons is that they will make the fourth overall selection in the 2024 MLB Draft, and that draft pick will likely never play a single game in Oakland. Wherever that pick makes his major league debut, MLB.com’s Jim Callis believes it will be Florida Gator Jac Caglianone.
“I think he’s going to be a full-time hitter in pro ball. … I think the one quibble you have with him is his chase rate. The last time I looked, I think his chase rate was like 39%, and his strikeout rate was 8%, which is insane. Usually, you don’t see that kind of gap, but he’s so big he covers the plate so well. So maybe he’s just an outlier. But the power is huge.”
Caglianone, standing at 6-foot-5, has impressive left-handed power. He hit 33 home runs in 2023, leading Division I. Although he is an aggressive hitter, concerns were raised about his tendency to chase pitches outside the strike zone. However, he improved his chase rates in 2024 and has shown solid defensive skills at first base.
After recovering from Tommy John surgery, he struggled with control in his initial collegiate pitching outings. Despite this, he can throw at impressive speeds and has incorporated a 90-mph cutter into his pitching arsenal. Many see him as a possible top-of-the-first-round position player, while some consider him a second-round pick for pitching.
USA Today also has the Athletics selecting Caglianone fourth overall in their post-College World Series mock draft this week.
“If A’s owner John Fisher is excited about famous opposing players like Aaron Judge coming to play in their temporary Sacramento digs, Caglianone, a two-way player, might give Sacto-A’s fans a hometown guy to rally around. While Caglianone may very well be strictly a hitter in the pros, that’s more than enough: He slugged 68 homers the past two seasons and was second only to Condon with 35 this year.”
The Athletic’s Keith Law has the Colorado Rockies taking Caglianone right in front of the A’s at No. 3, leaving them with Wake Forest first baseman Nick Kurtz. Law says he’s hearing that the A’s (who need an injection of hope very soon) are going best available college hitter in this spot.
This makes Kiley McDaniels’ latest mock draft at ESPN especially intriguing for A’s fans.
McDaniel has the Cleveland Guardians taking West Virginia shortstop JJ Wetherholt first overall. He has the Reds taking Georgia third baseman Charlie Condon and the Rockies taking Wake Forest right-hander Chase Burns second and third overall, leaving the A’s with an interesting decision.
Caglianone or Oregon State infielder Travis Bazzana? Oakland has been heavily tied to Nick Kurtz all spring, but if Bazzana gets here, this is believed to be his floor and the easy pick for the A’s. Caglianone is in the mix, and Braden Montgomery is also mentioned here,” McDaniel writes.
I agree with McDaniel that if Bazzana slid to No. 4, the decision would be easy for the A’s. However, I don’t share his belief that it will happen. I think the chances that Bazzana makes it past the Ohio neighbors picking one and two are slim to none.
