Cleveland Guardians' MLB Draft Profile Series: Charlie Condon

Will the Cleveland Guardians select Georgia's elite hitter Charlie Condon? Let's take a deep dive into the top prospect's profile.

Potential No. 1 overall pick Charlie Condon was selected as this year's Golden Spike Award Winner / AP Photo/Jason Allen

With the MLB Draft right around the corner, it's time to take a deep dive into a couple of the possible prospects in contention for the Cleveland Guardians to draft No. 1 overall.

First off in the series, Georgia third basemen and outfielder Charlie Condon.

Overview

Over the course of the 2024 college baseball season, Condon became one of the best hitters in amateur baseball. The Georgia redshirt sophomore finished the season with an NCAA-leading .433 batting average to go along with a record-setting 37 home runs, which is the most during the BBCOR era. His efforts this season made him the recipient of the 2024 Golden Spike Award, which is given to the best amateur baseball player every year.

Standing at 6-foot-6, 216 lbs, Condon displayed his elite skillset at the plate this season by hitting for a combination of power and average. The right-handed slugger sets up with a slight bend in his stance and a quiet bat pre-swing. He does a minor toe-tap to load up his back side, followed by a smooth, effortless swing that is able to generate quick bat speed.

Power Ability

Condon's main calling card is easily the power he offers at the plate. In his two seasons with the Georgia Bulldogs, Condon had 62 home runs and 11 multi-home run games. He has clearly found a way to utilize his strength and is a home-run threat every time he steps up to the plate.

In the last at bat of his historic career, Charlie Condon hits his 37th homer of the year (62 career) in the bottom of the 9th vs NC State.

‘Bout the only thing that felt right tonight for the Dawgs. Incredible season nonetheless
pic.twitter.com/2YX8kGc77E

— J.C. Shelton (@JCShelton_) June 11, 2024

His power, however, is not limited to just home runs. Condon also has gap-to-gap power, as the Georgia native tallied 20 doubles on the year.

Hitting for Average

What makes Condon such a rare prospect is not his power, but his ability to hit for average with elite power.

In his redshirt freshman season with the Bulldogs, Condon finished the year with a .386 batting average. With his insane season this year, he ended his college career with a .410 batting average.

The top 9 players in @JonathanMayo’s 2024 MLB Mock Draft have all played for their countries’ national teams:

1🇺🇸Charlie Condon (🎥⬇️)
2🇦🇺Travis Bazzana
3🇺🇸Jac Caglianone
4🇺🇸Braden Montgomery
5🇺🇸Nick Kurtz
6🇺🇸Konnor Griffin
7🇺🇸Hagen Smith
8🇺🇸JJ Wetherholt
9🇺🇸Bryce Rainer… pic.twitter.com/WmHHq7px3d

— Shawn Spradling (@Shawn_Spradling) May 6, 2024

There aren't many hitters in the world that stand at 6-foot-6 and can hit for average and power. Condon's rare makeup has some shades of New York Yankees star outfielder Aaron Judge, who seemingly can do it all at the plate.

Versatility

On the field, Condon has been featured in multiple different positions during his college career. Listed as a third baseman and outfielder, Condon's versatility helps his draft stock.

The Guardians, if they decide to take Condon, would most likely turn him into a full-time outfielder considering Jose Ramirez is the franchise cornerstone at third base. With his size and speed, many scouts believe that Condon is fully capable of playing both center and right field in the pros.

How Condon Would Fit

Finding a the right combination in the outfield has been an issue for the Guardians in recent memory. The only true position locked up is left field with Steven Kwan clearly emerging as the every-day starter, but the rest is up for grabs.

Fans have seen Will Brennan, Tyler Freeman, Angel Martinez, and Jhonkensy Noel be featured amongst the outfield rotation, but none of them have solidified a true starting role with the squad.

While it may seem that the Guardians need a power-hitting outfield bat, the team's farm system is loaded with potential players for the future. Eight of the top 30 prospects within Cleveland's minor league system are outfielders, including the Guardians' No. 1 and No. 3 prospects, Chase DeLauter and Jaison Chourio (according to MLB.com).

If Cleveland uses the first overall pick to select Condon, it would most likely lead to the team potentially moving some of these assets at the trade deadline later this month. Chourio, currently in Single-A, could be a possible trade candidate. The 19-year-old has quickly became a top prospect for the Guardians and would be an prime target for a rebuilding team.