Detroit Tigers select high school shortstop Bryce Rainer with No. 11 pick in 2024 MLB draft
The Detroit Tigers selected Harvard-Westlake High School (Los Angeles, California) shortstop Bryce Rainer with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft.
In the 2024 season, Rainer hit .505 with four home runs, 28 walks and 14 strikeouts in 33 games, spanning 127 plate appearances. The 19-year-old has been compared to Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager.
The Tigers have $11,921,800 to spend on their 21 draft picks in 2024, ranking 13th among the 30 teams.
MORE ABOUT HIM: Bryce Rainer solves Tigers' shortstop problem if available in 2024 MLB draft
The No. 11 overall pick, used on Rainer, comes with an MLB-determined bonus slot value of $5,712,100 (while the No. 1 overall pick features a $10,570,600 value).
The Cleveland Guardians, an American League Central rival of the Tigers, selected Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana with the No. 1 overall pick.
To complete the top five selections: Wake Forest right-hander Chase Burns to the Cincinnati Reds, Georgia third baseman Charlie Condon to the Colorado Rockies, Wake Forest first baseman Nick Kurtz to the Oakland Athletics and Arkansas left-hander Hagen Smith to the Chicago White Sox.
The Kansas City Royals, another AL Central squad, grabbed Florida first baseman Jac Caglianone, who doubles as a left-handed pitcher but will begin his career as a position player, with the No. 6 overall pick.
DRAFT PREVIEW: Breaking down 11 players Tigers could select at No. 11 overall in 2024 MLB draft
Meanwhile, the Tigers made their first-round pick outside of the top five for the second time in seven years and outside of the top 10 for the third time in nine years.
Before taking Rainer, the Tigers used their past six first-round picks to take high school outfielder Max Clark at No. 3 in 2023, college infielder Jace Jung at No. 12 in 2022, high school right-hander Jackson Jobe at No. 3 in 2021, college first baseman Spencer Torkelson at No. 1 in 2020, high school outfielder Riley Greene at No. 5 in 2019 and college right-hander Casey Mize at No. 1 in 2018.
The 2024 draft is the second draft for president of baseball operations Scott Harris, assistant general manager Rob Metzler and scouting director Mark Conner.
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This story will be updated.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers take SS Bryce Rainer with No. 11 pick in 2024 MLB draft
