Cleveland Guardians Select College Catcher With 48th Pick In MLB Draft

The Cleveland Guardians took North Carolina State catcher Jacob Cozart with the 48 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.

Aug 15, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez picks up batting equipment while preparing on deck during the seventh inning in the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports / Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

The Cleveland Guardians continued to add impressive talent to their farm system on Sunday evening, selecting C Jacob Cozart 48th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft.

Perfect Game ranks him as the 10th-best catching prospect and the133rd overall prospect in the nation. MLB.com says, "The consensus is that [Cozart is] one of the top catchers in the college class."

The Cleveland Guardians select C Jacob Cozart with the 48th pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. #Guardians | #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/fCw5SIeKbr

— Cleveland Baseball Insider (@CBI_FanNation) July 15, 2024

Cozart, 21, played in 61 games with the Wolkpack during the 2024 collegiate season. At six foot three inches and 222 pounds, Cozart has plenty of natural power, which shows up in his hitting stats. The catcher hit .305/.437/.601 with an OPS of 1.038, including 19 home runs and seven doubles last year.

There's clearly a lot to like about what Cozart can do on offense. However, big league catchers need to be able to handle a pitching staff, call games at a high level, and hold runners on base to be a starter.

Scouts do have some worries regarding Cozart's arm strength, but he makes up for that with solid pop time behind the plate.

Cozart committed just three errors and had a .994 fielding percentage last year, which led him to be a 2024 All-ACC First Team player and was named a Buster Posey Award finalist following his spring performance.

Even if Cozart doesn't work as a catcher long-term, his power numbers suggest that he could be a productive designated hitter.

The Guardians need to focus on adding more offensive-minded talent to their farm system, and they certainly have that here with drafting Cozart.