5 Left-Handed Pitchers the Atlanta Braves Should Target in the 2024 MLB Draft

After looking at every other position over the past two months, today we conclude our 2024 MLB Draft preview list by looking at some left-handed pitchers the Atlanta Braves should target in the upper rounds this July. Will any of these names become an Atlanta Braves player this July?

Jurrangelo Cijntje (Mississippi State)

Cijtnje, a player who has been mocked by Atlanta before, is one of the more intriguing names expected to be selected in the first round simply because he throws both right-handed and left-handed and has interesting skills on both sides. The ambidextrous pitcher is coming off two seasons in the SEC at Mississippi State, which began with a rough freshman campaign but ended with a solid sophomore season where he posted a 3.67 ERA and a 113:30 K:BB ratio over 90.2 innings.

Kash Mayfield (Elk City, Oklahoma)

If the Braves choose to select a lefty in the first round in addition to Cijntje, then Mayfield is likely the other name to watch. The Oklahoma State commit out of Elk City High School in Oklahoma has above-average tools across the board and is coming off a breakout senior campaign in which he posted a 0.16 ERA and 115:8 K:BB ratio over 44 innings.

Ryan Prager (Texas A&M)

The Braves’ top lefty to watch in the second round is arguably Prager, who is coming off a phenomenal 2023 season with national runner-up Texas A&M. Prager, who has above-average tools across the board, posted a 2.95 ERA and a 124:20 K:BB ratio over 97.2 innings, one of the best arms in college baseball.

Blake Larson (IMG Academy, Florida)

An interesting prep arm to watch in the third and fourth rounds is likely Larson, who attends IMG Academy in Florida. Committed to TCU, Larson has a pair of pitches that rank above average in his fastball and slider, and is coming off a senior season in which he held a 1.80 ERA and 71:21 K:BB ratio over 42.2 IP.

Mason Molina (Arkansas)

We close with a third college arm in Molina, who posted a combined 3.97 ERA and 260:100 K:BB ratio over the last three seasons between Texas Tech and Arkansas, and a 4.47 ERA and 81:36 K:BB ratio in 58.1 innings with the Razorbacks last spring. Among college arms, Molina has one of the best changeups in this draft, and he’s certainly a name to watch.

In addition to those five, here are a few other lefties the Braves should have on their radar in the upper rounds this year: Dasan Hill (Grapevine, TX), Gage Jump (LSU), Carter Holton (Vanderbilt), Noah Franco (IMG Academy, FL), Jackson Kent (Arizona)