Digging Into Draft Risers Including Bryce Rainer & Walker Janek

Baseball America

Carlos and Peter hop on the draft podcast to talk about the state of the top of the 2024 class. The two talk about how the top tier of players hasn’t changed significantly in the last few weeks and that the group seems pretty wide open after about pick 10 or so.

The two talk about one of the more consistent up-arrow prep prospects in the class, Bryce Rainer, who the two previously loved as a pitching prospect, though they both are coming around to liking his toolset and hitting ability as a shortstop prospect. His NHSI performance does nothing to sway that opinion and has him a steady mover up draft boards.

After that the two talk about Sam Houston State catcher Walker Janek, who is having a career year with the bat and also might just be the top defensive catcher in the class. How long will a profile like that last on draft day and what is our confidence in the catcher pecking order at this stage?

Next the two talk about a unique hitter who profiles as both a first baseman and center fielder in Texas lefthanded hitter Jared Thomas, who like Janek is having a strong offensive season. After that the two break down a few Vanderbilt pitchers who, despite a rough last week against Texas A&M, could be poised to hear their names called on day one of the draft.

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Time Stamps

(0:00) State of the top of the class

(7:00) Bryce Rainer

(14:10) Walker Janek

(21:40) Jared Thomas

(29:00) Carter Holton

(34:30) Bryce Cunningham

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