(Photo courtesy Mississippi State Athletics)
The 2024 MLB Draft is set to be held July 14th till July 16th. There are tons of prospects the Phillies have a chance to draft in this year's draft. The Phillies currently hold the 27th pick in the first round. Last year they selected INF Aidan Miller with their 1st round pick, and Miller has been killing it down in the minor leagues in his first professional season. They hope their 2024 selection will be able to contribute similar to Miller.
As we approach this year's draft, we are going to take a look at potential options of guys who could be available when the Phillies pick at pick 27!
We are going to start with Mississippi State OF Dakota Jordan. The sophomore outfielder is coming off a Freshman All-American season in 2023. In 50 games in 2024, he leads the Bulldogs with a .373 batting average while also leading the team with 69 hits, 59 RBIs, and 17 home runs.
Physical attributes
Height: 6'0"
Weight-: 220 lbs
Bat/Throw: Right/Right
Age: 21
Jordan's success at the plate has been due to his elite bat speed and strength. Throughout his swing he provides plenty of strength and loft that can help him hit the ball out with ease. Many draft experts are saying that Jordan has the most bat speed in the 2024 draft class. When you watch him play, you would not think he would have as much strength as he has. A guy his size should not be this strong.
His weakness has been his high strikeout rates. He had a 25% strikeout rate in 2023. Similar to a guy like Kyle Schwarber. He equips plenty of strength but has a high chase rate. One thing that is very noticeable from his freshman year in 2023 to his sophomore season in 2024, is his pitch recognition. Even though strikeouts can still be a concern for Jordan, he has decreased them significantly this season.
Many scouts have said that his plate discipline and pitch recognition has improved and that is going to help him jump into this year's first round. With some work in the minor leagues and help with recognizing breaking balls, Jordan's hitting make him one of the strongest hitters in this class. It is just a matter of him being able to improve in these areas.
Even though Jordan may not look it, he does have decent speed both in the field and on the basepath. He is not the most aggressive base runner, but he does have enough speed that pitchers need to keep an eye on him. So far in 2024 he is 3/3 in steal opportunities. When you look at him in the field, he is not as quick as Johan Rojas or as slow as Nick Castellanos, but he does have a happy medium. His arm strength has improved over the last couple of years but is also an area to keep an eye on.
Jordan has the ability with his hitting to fly through the minors. When you combine the bat speed with his loft, and then add in his insane amount of power, Jordan has as big of a bat as anyone in this class. He is still a work in progress defensively, but Jordan could turn into a corner outfielder or designated hitter very quickly!
If he continues to improve during the remainder of this season and scouts see the potential, there is a strong chance Jordan is not available at pick 27. However, if available and the Phillies see the potential in his hitting, then the Phillies could make him their pick.
Player comparison Kyle Schwarber
This comparison is for his hitting not his fielding. Jordan and Schwarber both have high level of power but also struggling with chasing. Jordan can crush a breaking ball out of the park and not even break a sweat but can struggle against a high fastball. All of this can be fixed and improved. I am not saying that Jordan is a copy of Schwarber, but hitting wise he is very close.
-Adam Mack (@AdammackMLB)
AATSports
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