Reds' draft backup plans will have fans pleading for Guardians pass on Charlie Condon

The Cincinnati Reds have the second-overall selection in the 2024 MLB Draft and will no doubt get a good, young player with their first-round pick. The top-2 players in this year's draft are Oregon State's Travis Bazzana and Georgia's Charlie Condon.

While most draft experts haven't yet settled on who the Cleveland Guardians will take at No. 1, there's growing belief that Bazzana and Condon may be get passed over with the first-overall pick. Cleveland may be looking to save some of their bonus pool money for later in the draft, and it would not be surprising to see the Guardians take a player like JJ Wetherholt of West Virginia.

But if the Guardians do somehow take Condon with the first pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, it's not a slam dunk that the Reds go with Bazzana. In fact, MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis cites Wake Forest's Chase Burns and Florida's Jac Caglianone as the two most likely backup options for Cincinnati if Condon is off the board.

Reds' draft backup plans have fans pleading with Guardians pass on Charlie Condon

Condon would seem to be the best fit for the Reds. Cincinnati is severely lacking power, and an advanced hitter like Condon could find his way to The Show rather quickly. Condon led the NCAA in home runs last season and profiles as a corner outfielder at the next level. Both Burns and Caglianone are good players, but both are bit more flawed than Condon.

Burns, whose fastball is elite, carries a tremendous amount of reliever risk for such an early draft pick. Where previous first-round pitchers like Nick Lodolo and Rhett Lowder were seen as polished hurlers coming out of college, Burns is a bit more raw. In fact, some draft experts consider Arkansas' Hagen Smith to be the better prospect.

As for Caglianone, he's positionally pigeonholed. The former Gators' star is a first baseman, and is unlikely to find a home elsewhere. Caglianone is also a pitcher, but most scouts don't view him as a two-way player and expect first base to be his primary spot in the big leagues.

It's curious that Bazzana wasn't mentioned as a potential option should Condon go No. 1 to the Guardians. While the Australian is limited to second base, Bazzana has the best hit tool and is the most major league-ready player there is in this year's draft.

All signs point to the Reds drafting Condon if he's available with the second pick in the draft, but if he's no longer available (and Bazzana is not the choice) the Cincinnati faithful may not like the team's contingency plan. If Condon goes No. 1 overall, things will get interesting on Sunday evening in Fort Worth.

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