5 Options for the Cubs with the 14th Pick in the 2024 MLB Draft

[Jamie Cameron]

We're just a few short weeks from the 2024 MLB Draft. Who might the Cubs target with the 14th overall pick? We dig in on five great options.

Image courtesy of © Cory Knowlton-USA TODAY Sports - Seaver King Pictured

It’s time to get weird. We’re only a couple of weeks out from the 2024 MLB Draft, so we’re going to highlight some potential targets for the Cubs at pick 14th overall.

This is a tough exercise at the best of times. This year, it might be impossible. After the first 10 picks, the first round promises to be an overwhelming mess. We could make an argument for many more players than we have time to cover. Let’s do our best anyway. Instead of looking at these articles as predictive in any way, I’d rather folks view them as a talent barometer. Here’s an overview of the caliber of talent and some of the names the Cubs might target at pick 14.

It should go without saying that if any of the consensus top ten names fall to 14, I’d think the Cubs would have to consider them. I’d think college hitters like JJ Wetherholt or Nick Kurtz would appeal to the Cubs. That scenario feels unlikely however. Here’s some names they might consider, in the order they currently appear on the MLB Draft Consensus Board.

Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina (11)
Yesavage looks the part at 6'4, 225 pounds with an athletic build that translates to his physicality on the mound. Yesavage has a solid track record, being nominated for second team All-American honors in his sophomore season and performing will with the US Collegiate National team prior to his senior season.

Yesavage operates from a higher slot and a somewhat over the top delivery. Any effort in it hasn't impacted his ability to throw strikes and command his pitches with consistency. He has an arsenal that lends itself well to being a future starter with four pitches that grade out at least average.

His heater sits 94-96 mph, has been as high as 98 mph and has plenty of carry that helps it play well at the top of the strike zone. Yesavage's best secondary is a slider/cutter hybrid with a ton of downward bite. He also throws a curveball in the low 80s that has the best whiff rate (in 2023) of any of his pitches, and a changeup that's above average too.

Yesavage has the quality and diversity of arsenal that gives me confidence he can stick as a starter at the next level. Striking out just south of 34% of hitters while walking just 7.4% of hitters in 2023 gives confidence due to the steadiness of his improvement throughout his collegiate career. Yesavage is one of my favorite college pitchers in the 2024 class. His consistency on the bump has established him as SP3 in this class.

Seaver King, INF, Wake Forest (12)
It's been a rapid ascent to significant nationwide hype for Seaver King, who went from DII Wingate, to (in tandem with Chase Burns) being part of the most dynamic one-two transfer punch in all of college baseball, prior to the 2024 season.

After a 47 game hit streak in 2023 with Wingate, King continued to perform in a short stint on the Cape before mashing with the US National Collegiate Team prior to the 2024 season. At the plate, King has a compact, direct, right-handed swing. King has good bat speed and line drive power has started to become home run power, generating exit velocities ~112mph early in the 2024 season. King doesn't strike out much and has good bat to ball skills and barrel control, but tends to chase too much and will have to continue to reign this in to reach the potential plus hit tool in his back pocket.

Defensively, he's twitchy and athletic enough to play almost anywhere on the field, with second/third base and centerfield the most likely options. King's defensive profile requires a little polish, with improved actions and throwing accuracy likely being the focus. King has been one of the most fun prospects to follow in 2024. While he hasn't lit the world on fire, the tools are loud. He could go anywhere from around pick 11 to the latter part of the first round.

James Tibbs, OF, Florida State (13)
James Tibbs is a corner outfielder rising significantly on 2024 draft boards after consistent, high quality offensive production. Tibbs’ offensive profile is underlined by a strong hit/power combo. He hit 27 home runs in his first two seasons at Florida State and put up gaudy exit velocities, particularly against fastballs. Tibbs' efficient swing is even tried and tested on the Cape (to the tune of a .390 OBP). The offensive profile isn't limited to power, however, as despite some swing and miss in his game, Tibbs knows how to draw a walk with a BB% north of 15% in his career to date at FSU.

Tibbs doesn't have great speed, but has an average arm and glove to prop up a solid corner outfield/first base profile. Make no mistake, the draw here is the bat. Tibbs has put up a huge amount of production in 2024, hitting .362/.486/.781 (1.276) with 25 home runs, 51 walks, and 30 strikeouts through regionals (60 games). He has a chance to be an under slot top ten pick. Otherwise, expect him to go off the board quickly in the teens.

Cameron Smith, 3B, Florida State (14)
After appearing as a top-100 prospect on draft lists ahead of the 2022 draft, Smith made it to campus in Tallahassee. After a freshman campaign that saw evaluators question his hit tool, he's been making strides since a summer stint on the Cape to answer those questions and put himself in a strong position as a draft eligible sophomore in 2024.

Smith has an athletic profile built for good power, with a flatter bat path indicative that more home run power could be on the way if Smith can lift the ball with more consistency. Advances in the hit tool have raised his stock over the summer. Smith has begun chasing less and improved his contact rate significantly enabling him to get off to a scorching start to the 2024 season.

Smith is a good runner and mover for someone his size but that's a fringe average grade overall. Defensively, he has a plus arm and moves well, making third base a viable long term home as a professional, one that he should be above average at defensively.

Smith has a good case for the most improved hitter in college baseball in 2024. A lower hand set and wider base have helped him access his offensive impact with more consistency. He's an increasingly well-balanced offensive profile at the hot corner.

Ryan Waldschmidt, OF, Kentucky, (29)
Waldschmidt is an all-round prospect who transferred from Charleston Southern to Kentucky after his sophomore season. Despite not having a carrying tool, he can chalk up value in a number of different ways. It's a little bit of everything at the plate, as strong bat to ball skills are combined with good on base skills . There's sneaky pull side power there too, with a line drive to all fields impact at the plate.

Waldschmidt has good speed which aids him defensively and on the bases. In the outfield, he takes efficient routes and has a good shot to stick in centerfield as a pro. Waldschmidt missed the beginning of 2024 recovering from a torn ACL. Through Regional play, Waldschmidt had a .359/.482/.657 line with 14 home runs, 24 stolen bases, and almost as many walks as strikeouts. He’s a first rounder for me.

Christian Moore, 2B, Tennessee (31)
A stockily built player at 6'1, 210 pounds, Moore has plenty of physicality and athleticism that leads to good bat speed and the potential for above average to plus power to all fields with a swing designed to lift the ball. Moore does have some areas of refinement in an intriguing offensive profile. He takes plenty of walks, but his on base skills are offset by a propensity to chase and some questions about his bat to ball skills.

Defensively, it's a set of solid average tools. Moore doesn't have a ton of burst but moves well on the bases when he gets going. A solid glove and average arm make second base his most likely defensive home as a professional.

Moore has had a monster 2024. Through Super Regionals, he's hit .376/.453/.796 (1.258) with 32 home runs, 35 walks, and 45 strikeouts in 66 games. He's still too low on the board for me. I'd expect interest to start in the late teens.

Honorable Mentions: Malcolm Moore, C, Stanford (22), Kellon Lindsey, SS, Hardee HS, FL (39)

Who do you want to see the Cubs take at 14th overall? Join the discussion with a comment below.

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[CubinNY]

I'll be happy with whomever the Cubs take. They seem to be drafting well since Jed overhauled the system. If I had to pick one it would be Tibbs. I'm not sure Tibbs will be around that long though. 

[Bertz]

I think from an organization health standpoint Yesavage is probably the guy I'm rooting for.  There's not really much ceiling on any of the pitchers in the system between Wiggins and Horton.  Getting a SP with some ceiling, fairly minimal relief risk, and a '26 ETA would be just what the doctor ordered.

If we go position player, I think you play signability games.  There's like 8 college position players the Cubs could reasonably take where I'd be like "okay, right on."  Take one of the guys otherwise slated for a pick in the late teens or 20's and push some money to later in the draft.  I like Waldschmidt and Malcolm Moore for this, but I'm not super picky.

[Tryptamine]

Tibbs/Moore are my 2 favorites with Yesavage trailing slightly behind. I'd be quite happy with any of them. Yesavage's weaknesses tend to be ones the Cubs are good at addressing. They've been much better in improving guys with above average command and average to below average stuff than they have been fixing guys with above average stuff and below average command. 

[Tryptamine]

30 minutes ago, TomtheBombadil said:

^^ Yesavage doesn’t have below-average stuff

I’d sub out Culpepper for King, M. Moore for Tibbs, throw Ryan Sloan in there for Walschmidt? Sumfing like that 

I didn't mean to imply he did. I was simply saying the Cubs are better are improving stuff than they are at improving command.

[Jason Ross]

This feels like the draft I'm playing signability games with. Grab someone like Malcom Moore (if you think he can stick at catcher) or Ryan Walldschmidt (if you think you can get him to play CF) or another one of these guys and see which one of these guys are going to sign for under slot. It's unlikely you'd save full slot, but the difference between 14 and 20 is about $1m and this draft, there's not a huge difference between the 13th and 25th picks. Hell, there might not be a big difference between 20 and 54 (the Cubs 2nd round pick). It's probable you could save $700K there and float another kid down to 54 you liked, and take two bites of the apple instead of one. 

[Cubs420psd]

Yesavage please, keep the pitching pipeline going.

 

If not, Tibbs, Moore or Smith (if they think he can stick at 3B) are fine with me too.

[Rex Buckingham]

it's probably just the highlights talking, but if they're trying to go underslot, I would like to see if Honeycutt would take a bit of a deal 

[Outshined_One]

Honeycutt is the dream for me.  If you iron out his swing and miss, I think you're looking at a guy who could be a pre-shoulder injury Cody Bellinger type of player at the plate and in the field.  Honeycutt represents a big risk and doesn't quiiiiiiiite fit the model the Cubs have followed during Hoyer's tenure, but I feel like he's the only exciting guy who will be available when the Cubs pick.

After that, I'm kinda lukewarm on the field.  If one of the top three college pitchers fall, that would be awesome, but I don't see it happening.  In terms who *should* be available, I think I'd be good with Malcolm Moore, Sloan, Cam Smith, Waldschmidt, or Benge in that order, but I don't feel strongly about any of them.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

On 6/28/2024 at 1:22 PM, Outshined_One said:

Honeycutt is the dream for me.  If you iron out his swing and miss, I think you're looking at a guy who could be a pre-shoulder injury Cody Bellinger type of player at the plate and in the field.  Honeycutt represents a big risk and doesn't quiiiiiiiite fit the model the Cubs have followed during Hoyer's tenure, but I feel like he's the only exciting guy who will be available when the Cubs pick.

After that, I'm kinda lukewarm on the field.  If one of the top three college pitchers fall, that would be awesome, but I don't see it happening.  In terms who *should* be available, I think I'd be good with Malcolm Moore, Sloan, Cam Smith, Waldschmidt, or Benge in that order, but I don't feel strongly about any of them.

Vance Honeycutt has a worse college strikeout rate than Jeren Kendall or Brett Jackson. Not sure he can be fixed.

[JD94]

12 hours ago, CaliforniaRaisin said:

Vance Honeycutt has a worse college strikeout rate than Jeren Kendall or Brett Jackson. Not sure he can be fixed.

I remember when Jud Fabian was in a similar spot that Honeycutt is in this year. Big power, toolsy, low floor / high ceiling type, good glove and speed, late first and early 2nd Rd projections. Jud still has some pop, but is basically getting manhandled by AA pitching as a guy that’s about to turn 24 in 2 months. Even with Jud’s massive swing and miss concerns, he still struck out less than Honeycutt in a harder conference in college. 
 

I like the potential with Honeycutt, but not at #14 overall. I feel like there will be a much better option available for us there than him. He does have real power though.