PDP: 2024 Day 1 Draft Prospects
July 6, 2023
MLB's Prospect Development Pipeline (PDP) League, in conjunction with USA Baseball, brings together nearly 100 of the top prospects in the country – each summer – to compete in a competitive event to that helps in the selection of USA Baseball’s 18U roster. This year’s team will head to Taiwan in hopes of winning a gold medal at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup.
This event also serves as a helpful look at Class of '24 MLB Draft hopefuls as a one-stop shop. Full workouts and daily gameplay provided an in-depth look at the players who are sure to be scouted thoroughly over the next year.
Below, here's a look at 16 prospects who looked the part of early Day One prospects ahead the '24 MLB Draft, as each harbor intriguing carrying tools that stood out throughout the last week.
It should be noted that each of the players in attendance are clearly MLB Draft prospects who will be given attention from professional scouts over the next year. Thus, this particular article is highlighting these players' who used the week to reiterate their status as the best of the best in this class, even if their performances might not jump off the box score on their own. This is hardly a new occurrence, as is best exemplified with a recent look back at a multitude of potential first-rounders come Sunday's 2023 Draft:
+ Max Clark: 3-for-16, 4 K, 0 BB
+ Walker Jenkins: 3-for-12, 2 2B, 5 K, 0BB
+ Aidan Miller: 4-for-15, 2 2B, 5 K, 3 BB
+ Blake Mitchell: 4-for-11, 2B, 5 K, 2 BB
+ Arjun Nimmala: 1-for-8, 3 K, 0 BB
+ Dillon Head: 1-for-11, 2 K, 3 BB
+ Tai Peete: 2-for-12, 2 K, 2 BB
Let's continue forward with the most impactful performances from last week's PDP League:
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Derek Curiel OF / Orange Lutheran, CA / 2024Rankings CA Rank: 2 | Overall: 4
No player relished the spotlight (in a good way) more than Curiel, and he was at ease under the brightest of lights. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound center fielder still shows more of a developing frame, but holds some of the most relaxed athleticism in the class. Fluid from the left side with a slower separation of the hands, he was on-time routinely throughout the week, matching plane with a surprisingly loud barrel given the ease of operation. Finding success early and often, the LSU recruit hammered both gaps, and was a terror on the basepaths. Gliding and grazing, there is an almost boringness to his athleticism because of how easy things come, and no player in the class demonstrated the ability to slow things down the way that he did. While there is less flick and looseness to the hands, he still demonstrated an ability to change planes, and the barrel remains in the zone seemingly forever. An elite performer for three-plus years, the floor is obviously high, and any questions about his prospect status are likely to be tied to how high clubs forecast his ceiling.
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