Carson Benge a Top-20 Prospect in 2024 MLB Draft; Three OSU Commits Projected High

STILLWATER – The 2024 MLB Draft is set to kick off Sunday, July 14 on the MLB Network and the first round on ESPN. Well, Oklahoma State has a real chance of having a first-round draft pick as Carson Benge is a projected top-20 prospect. 

MLB.com ranks him as the No. 18 overall prospect, while D1Baseball lists him as a top-15 prospect in their projected rankings.

Here’s what Major League scouts have to say about the Pokes’ top prospect.

“He's a legitimate prospect both ways, showing first-round potential at the plate and third-round upside on the mound. Few college hitters in this class can match Benge's combination of bat-to-ball skills and high exit velocities. A left-handed hitter, he controls the strike zone and uses the opposite field exceptionally well. He should have solid power thanks to his combination of hitting ability and bat speed, and he did a better job of turning on and lifting more pitches as this spring progressed.

“Benge has average speed and is quicker once he gets going. He's a solid defender with plus arm strength in right field, and he perhaps could fill in as a center fielder on occasion. He's intriguing as a quick-armed right-hander with a fastball that reaches 96 mph, a solid slider and the makings of an average changeup and control, but he prefers hitting and has focused more on that this spring.”

This past season as a third-year sophomore, Benge raked for the Pokes as he hit .335 on the season with 83 hits and 72 runs scored, along with 64 RBIs, 24 doubles, two triples and 18 home runs. He also had 51 strikeouts and 49 walks. 

While he’ll most likely never play a single inning of baseball for Oklahoma State, the Cowboys’ top-rated recruit, Kash Mayfield, is projected as the No. 30 overall prospect in the upcoming draft. Mayfield is a left-hander out of Elk City, OK, and was hitting 96 MPH on his fastball at the start of the spring.

A second OSU commit who might not end up in Stillwater is right-handed pitcher, Braylon Doughty, out of Chaparral, CA. Projected as the No. 36 overall prospect, Doughty is 6-1, 196 pounds and is already hitting 96-97 MPH on his fastball as an 18-year-old.

The Cowboys have a third commit, Garrett Shull, out of Enid, OK, who’s projected as the No. 76 overall prospect in the draft. He checks in at 6-1, 205 pounds and is a talented switch hitter and right fielder. However, his age might be a factor in the draft as he’ll be 19. It’s possible OSU fans could see him in orange and black depending on where he lands in the draft order.