The Cincinnati Reds held the #2 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, and that left them in an enviable position in the eyes of most analysts.
There was no clear top prospect in the class, though Oregon State 2B Travis Bazzana and his elite hit tool were ranked atop most all lists. If Cleveland, who held the #1 overall pick, opted to take him, there would still be an elite bat left for Cincinnati to select right afterwards.
Charlie Condon had just mashed a million homers in the potent SEC for Georgia. Jac Caglianone, a fellow SEC product from Florida, owned perhaps more raw power than any prospect we’d seen in drafts for years.