Washington Nationals select 10 on the final day of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft

The Washington Nationals selected 10 players on the third and final day of Major League Baseball’s 2024 First-Year Player Draft on Tuesday. President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo, Vice President, Amateur Scouting Danny Haas, Senior Director, Amateur Scouting Brad Ciolek, and Assistant Director and National Crosschecker, Amateur Scouting Reed Dunn made the announcements.

The Nationals opened Day 3 with the selection of left-handed pitcher Merritt Beeker from Ball State (Ind.) University in the 11th round. The 2024 Mid-Atlantic Conference Pitcher of the Year, Beeker ranked tied for seventh in all of NCAA Division I with 128 strikeouts in 81.0 innings pitched. He went 9-3 with a 4.11 ERA in 15 starts during his junior season. Beeker spent two seasons at East Carolina University before transferring to Ball State.

In the 12th round, Washington selected right-handed pitcher Alexander Meckley from Coastal Carolina (S.C.) University. Meckley opened the season 3-0 with a 2.60 ERA in his first five starts and recorded a total 57 strikeouts in 52.2 innings on the season. He pitched in 21 games and made nine starts in 2024.

In the 13th round, the Nationals selected left-handed pitcher Bryant Olson from Mercer (Ga.) University. As a junior in 2024, he led the Southern Conference with eight saves while striking out 39 batters in 26.2 innings. Olson transferred from Gordon State (Ga.) College where he recorded 97 strikeouts in 70.2 innings pitched as a sophomore in 2023.

Washington selected right-handed pitcher Yoel Tejeda Jr. in the 14th round. Tejeda Jr. pitched one season for Florida State and went 1-2 with a 5.03 ERA in 12 games, making one start. He struck out 15 in 19.2 innings of work.

In the 15th round, the Nationals selected catcher Sir Jamison Jones from St. Rita (Ill.) High School. As a senior, Jones hit .380 with eight doubles, three triples, four home runs, 38 RBI and 20 walks. He was the No. 6 high school prospect and No. 2 catcher in the state of Illinois, according to Perfect Game.

Washington selected left-handed pitcher Nolan Hughes from Xavier (Ohio) University in the 16th round. Hughes struck out 65 in 35.1 innings and held hitters to a .132 batting average in his only season with the Musketeers. He finished the season 5-3 with a 4.33 ERA in 24 games (four starts) in 2024.

In the 17th round, the Nationals selected left-handed pitcher Gavin Bruni out of Ohio State University. Bruni struck out 146 in 124.1 innings over three years for the Buckeyes. He finished 2024 with a 4-3 record, 5.81 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 15 games (14 starts).

Washington selected outfielder Teo Banks from Tulane (La.) University in the 18th round. Banks slashed .287/.380/.572 with 35 doubles, five triples, 34 homers, 118 RBI and 107 runs scored in 145 games across three seasons for the Green Wave.

In the 19th round, the Nationals selected right-handed pitcher Ryan Minckler from Niagara (N.Y.) University. Minckler was named Second-Team All-MAAC after he went 5-2 with a 4.21 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 51.1 innings out of the bullpen in 2024.

The Nationals selected infielder Colby Shelton out of the University of Florida in the 20th round. Shelton hit 20 home runs as a sophomore in 2024, earning his way onto the Golden Spikes (top amateur player) Award watch list. He finished the year slashing .254/.374/.551 with 14 doubles, a triple and 56 RBI to go along with his second consecutive 20-homer campaign. He was a consensus freshman All-American in 2023 at the University of Alabama after he tied Charlie Condon’s (University of Georgia) SEC single-season home run record by hitting 25 in 59 games.

Throughout the course of the 2024 First-Year Player Draft, the Nationals selected 21 players: six right-handed pitchers, five left-handed pitchers, two outfielders, five infielders and three catchers. Of Washington’s 21 selections, 19 came from four-year universities and two from the high school ranks.