Cleveland Guardians grade out well on first day of 2024 MLB Draft

48. Jacob Cozart - C NC State: B+

The second round of the 2024 MLB Draft saw the Cleveland Guardians go back to the collegiate ranks for their third pick in the draft, opting to select North Carolina State catcher Jacob Cozart. While Cozart may not have been considered to be one of the top options at catcher in the draft, his performance in college and for Team USA in 2023 resulted in Cleveland drafting him 48th overall and his selection by the Guardians being given a "B+".

"A solid all-around catching prospect with a strong arm, good receiving skills and 20-homer potential, Cozart hit .305/.437/.601 with 19 home runs in 61 games this spring. He was a three-year starter at NC State and played for Team USA last summer, so scouts have had ample opportunity to see him. There are some swing-and-miss concerns, but even as a power-over-contact backstop with good catch-and-throw skills, he offers a high floor."

Joel Reuter on Jacob Mozart

Taking into consideration what Cozart has been able to accomplish, it was clear that the Guardians felt more than comfortable with making him their second-round pick. Cozart has some of the traits that major league teams are looking for in a catcher, and they believe that he could be an asset one way or the other.

While there may be some concerns regarding positional fit on the major league roster due to the presence of Bo Naylor, catcher is a position that unless you have a well-rounded option on the roster, the best path forward is to churn-and-burn until that a player that fits that description is found. Naylor could become that type of player in time, but in the event he does not, Cleveland has the next person in line to potentially become what they are looking for in a long-term catcher.