Charlie Condon courtesy of Kari Hodges, UGAAA

2024 MLB Draft Profile: Charlie Condon (OF)

By / / 2024 MLB Draft, Minors

NAME: Charlie Condon
SCHOOL: University of Georgia
POSITION: OF
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6-6/220 Pounds
B/T: R/R
D.O.B: 4/14/2003

Scouting Report

The reigning Golden Spikes Award winner, Charlie Condon is coming off one of the most impressive collegiate seasons in quite some time from a hitter who entered the year not being considered a potential top pick. He’s now the favorite to be the first player taken in the 2024 MLB Draft entering July.

Condon was a preferred walk-on at Georgia as he entered college not as a top-end recruit. He has played just two college seasons but has already put himself among the best SEC players of all time.

He was unstoppable at the University of Georgia this spring after a breakout season the year prior in which he won National Freshman of the Year. He led the country in almost every offensive stat as he slashed .443/.558/1.043 (yes, these are real numbers) with 35 home runs this season. Condon was simply the best hitter in college baseball throughout the year and has incredibly high offensive upside due to a blend of hit and power.

With an opposing 6-6 frame and even more room to add muscle, Condon has some of the best raw power in the draft and will immediately be one of the best power hitting prospects around the league. Furthermore, his ability to smoke line drives all over the field creates a higher floor for him with steady contact skills.

Condon has the arm strength to play all over the outfield and third base as he did in college but likely profiles as a corner outfielder due to his limited agility and speed. That is not the selling point for Condon though as his bat is one of the best college ones in recent years.

There’s a clear reason Condon is a projected top two pick in the draft with very minimal offensive holes in his game. You could argue that his strikeout rate was a tad high for a top college player, but he negates that by walking almost once per game. He’s about as complete of a hitter as you’ll find in college especially for someone who was a walk on and red shirted his entire first year.

Why Would the White Sox Draft Charlie Condon?

The White Sox would absolutely love to draft Charlie Condon, but it’s incredibly unlikely he makes it to the fifth pick in the draft. He fits the exact mold of what Chicago desperately needs as an outfielder with ample power and impact at the dish. Frankly, he’s the dream pick but will command a bonus at the slot value of the first overall pick.

It seems like Cleveland may be inclined to go with the other consensus top two pick, Travis Bazzana, if he’s willing to take less money than Condon. Maybe there’s a world where the next few smaller market teams ahead of the White Sox balk on a high asking price in which case Condon better be heading to Chicago.

Draft
Mike Shirley via White Sox Zoom

In reality, I can’t imagine a world where he makes it further than the Rockies with the third pick. He’s the highest-upside hitter in the draft and would be such an obvious choice if he falls to fifth overall.

Mock Draft Outcomes

A consensus top pick, Charlie Condon has been mocked in the top three at essentially every publication. Jim Callis’ latest mock for MLB Pipeline has Condon falling to the Rockies at the third pick. Baseball America’s Mock Draft 4.0 has Condon projected to the Reds with the second overall pick. Kiley McDaniel also projected Condon to the Reds in the recent ESPN mock.

The Hub for Baseball Highlights

Despite being widely considered the potential top player, he’s projected as the second or third pick most places. Our Mock Draft 2.0 by James Fox has him projected second overall as well. Just Baseball’s Aram Leighton projected Condon first overall to Cleveland in his mock. Prospects Live also had Condon mocked to the Guardians with the top pick in the draft.

He may be too pricey for Cleveland but it seems that Condon will be a top three pick barring any late drastic changes.