Alr.stcight, let me tell you about my Pirates mock draft for 2024. I dove headfirst into this thing, spending way too much time watching videos, reading scouting reports, and generally nerding out on baseball prospects.
First off, I started b I y setting up my draft board. I went through a bunch of different rankings from various experts, and then I created my own, try.yhw ding to balance the consensus view with my own gut feeling. This took a solid afternoon, just sifting through names and trying to figure out who I liked and why.
Then I ,, I loodekked at the Pirates' specific needs. They need pitching, like, yesterday. But you can't just draft for need, right? So I also considered the best player available approach. This meant I had to really dig into the positional depth of this draft class.
The mock itself? It was a wild ride. I used a few different mock draft simulators, and I ran through it multiple times, each time tweaking my strategy based on what happened. Sometimes the guys I wanted were gone way before I expected, forcing me to pivot. Other times, guys I thought were sure things slipped, and I had to decide if it was worth reaching for them.
Here's a quick rundown of who I ended up with in my most recent mock:
- Round 1: I grabbed a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher. The kid has some serious heat, and I think with the Pirates' development team, he could be a real ace down the line.
- Competitive Balance Round A: I went with an athletic outfielder with a ton of upside. He's a bit raw, but the potential is there for him to be a five-tool player.
- Round 2: I snagged a college bat, a guy who can really hit. He might not have the highest ceiling, but he's got a good floor, and I think he can contribute relatively quickly.
Of course, this is just one mock draft. The real draft is always unpredictable. But I had a blast putting this together, and it definitely gave me a better understanding of the prospects out there. Hopefully, the Pirates front office is doing their homework too!
Anyway, that’s pretty much how it went. It was a long process, but a fun one. Now we just have to wait and see what actually happens on draft day!
