Braves rely heavily on position players on Day 3 of MLB Draft

With the third and final day of the 2024 MLB Draft now behind us, it’s time to take a look at the players the Atlanta Braves added to their system today. Note that after taking Cam Caminiti and Carter Holton on Day 1 and taking a few potential surplus players on Day 2, the Braves didn’t have a lot of money to spend on their Day 3 picks.

No. 341: Patrick Clohisy, OF, Saint Louis

Clohisy is the Braves’ No. 2 hitter in the draft. He started at Purdue before joining St. Louis the last two years and has hit very well. He’s a contact player who walks more than he strikes out, has speed and uses that speed on the bases with his instincts (48-51 SBs the last two years). Clohisy has decent power potential even if he doesn’t have much home run power. He’s a solid pick for a guy who posted .438 and .488 OBPs the last two years and fits a similar type of profile to 2023 third-day pick Jace Grady as a hitter and production tool.

No. 371: Cayman Goode, right-handed pitcher, Freeman HS (VA)

Goode is another prep arm the Braves will have to work with. He’s still a little raw, but there’s something to build on as he has room to gain weight. Right now, he’s topping out at 94 MPH and has two breaking balls that he’s capable of putting a good spin rate on – but they’re mixed together and they may well have him focus on just one in the future. The VCU commitment is a bit of a lottery ticket, but it’s worth the risk at this point in the draft.

No. 401: Colby Jones, SS, Northwest State of Florida JUCO

Colby Jones is a JUCO shortstop who was supposed to join Alabama last year after putting up two solid years at JUCO. He’s a guy who may not have any extra upside, but he fits the profile of a “gamer.” Over his career, he’s hit .358/.442/.521 with 13 home runs, 48 ​​walks, and 43 strikeouts in stat lines that were very similar in both years. The main difference with him this year is that he’s started stealing bases more frequently, going from 7-7 last year to 29-31 this year.

No. 431: Mason Guerra, 1B, Oregon Street

Mason Guerra was a potential high pick out of high school, but he chose college. He hasn’t been bad, but he hasn’t been elite either. Plus, he’s moved out of the center infield to the point where he’s been billed as a first baseman after splitting time at that position and third base this spring. He’s a youngster with pedigree, but he also has a significant swing and miss in his game. With two solid seasons in the Cape, there are no major concerns about his ability to hit with the wood bat. This pick is more of a gamble on a guy who was once highly touted than a pick on the prospect Guerra was once considered to be.

#461: Owen Carey, OF, Londonberry HS (NH)

Carey came into the season as a rare prep prospect out of New Hampshire by going to the Futures League and putting on an impressive showing with the bat. Carey had 141 plate appearances and hit .308/.390/.458 with four homers and 18 walks to 17 strikeouts. It’s a late-season rise based on promising postseason hitting tools — similar to Nacho Alvarez’s rise a few years ago, though they aren’t too similar.

No. 491: Titus Dumitru, OF, State of New Mexico

In one year with New Mexico State, Titus Dumitru was a beast, albeit in a very hitter-friendly ballpark. Dumitru hit .337/.435/.624 with 28 extra-base hits, including 12 home runs in 48 games. It wasn’t just the environment, as he showed signs of power in a summer league last year, hitting six home runs there.

No. 521: Jacob Shafer, right-handed starting pitcher, UNC Wilmington

Shafer is another massive human being, standing at 6’4″ and weighing 260 pounds. He’s a good reliever as a pro without being massive and is a sinker/slider type pitcher. He never put up great numbers in his four college seasons, mostly as a starter, but he’s been a bit better in summer leagues during his career when he’s had a chance to work out of the bullpen.

No. 551: Jake Steels, outfielder, Cal Poly

The Braves added another player with a solid hitting tool in Jake Steels. In his two years at Cal Poly, he posted OBPs of .435 and then .498 this year. He improved his rating this year with a real power jump, going from two homers and eight extra-base hits last year to eight homers and 21 extra-base hits this spring. It’s clear the Braves like to take a gamble on players with solid hitting tools with these late/low-budget picks.

No. 581: Dalton McIntyre, OF, South Mississippi

McIntyre is an even younger, projectable college outfielder at age 20 (through July 17). In his senior year at Southern Miss, he hit . 388 with a . 447 OBP while playing center field. He doesn’t have much power, and he may not have much power when he gets to his full 6’3″, 175 pounds, but he’s an athletic kid with a feel for the ball and walks about as many as he strikes out.

No. 611: Eric Hartman, OF, Holy Trinity Academy (CAN)

Eric Hartman is likely a bit out of the Braves’ financial reach at this point, and the Michigan commitment was made as a backup in case another surplus player failed to sign.