We are now 16 days away from the 2024 MLB Draft, and last night MLB Pipeline released an updated mock draft, this one courtesy of Jim Callis. While Pipeline has commonly had the Braves in on college talent for the first round pick, in this iteration of projections Callis sees the Braves going with Chaparral High School (CA) right-handed pitcher Braylon Doughty at 24th overall.
This is far from the first time that Doughty’s name has popped up here, as he is a guy who fits in with the Braves draft history quite well. Doughty has been a pop up arm whose increase velocity has him receiving loads of attentions before the draft, and he could provide an interesting option for the Braves if they can land him under slot. Doughty, a commitment to Oklahoma State, comes in as the 36th-ranked draft prospect for MLB Pipeline and the 49th-ranked prospect for Baseball America. Callis also mentions a number of other college players, such as the oft-connected Ryan Waldschmidt and Jurrangelo Cijntje, as players the Braves could be hoping slide down to 24th for them to lap up.
While the Braves have largely leaned into college pitching in the first round in recent seasons, they have shown that they like these athletic prep arms and are willing to give them money to add them to the system. Doughty has topped out at 97 this season with a pair of potentially above-average breaking balls, a profile that would fit well with some of Atlanta’s past targets both college and prep. Doughty’s athleticism and strike-throwing are check marks on his profile, and pipeline’s profile on him notes a high makeup and feel for the game.
