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What makes Charlie Condon a top MLB prospect (0:50)
Kiley McDaniel describes what makes Georgia’s Charlie Condon a top prospect in the 2024 MLB draft. (0:50)
Jeff Passan, ESPNJul 19, 2024, 04:23 PM ET
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ESPN MLB insider
Author of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports”
The Colorado Rockies and slugger Charlie Condon are in agreement on a deal that includes a $9.25 million signing bonus, tying the Major League Baseball record for up-front money to a drafted player, sources told ESPN.
Condon, taken with the No. 3 pick in Sunday’s draft, matches the bonus given to the No. 2 pick, Chase Burns, by Cincinnati on Thursday. The first overall selection, Travis Bazzana, agreed to an $8.95 million bonus with Cleveland this week, according to sources.
The 21-year-old Condon, who played third base at the University of Georgia but is expected to be an outfielder with the Rockies, hit 37 home runs this year, the most since the NCAA started mandating BBCOR bats in 2011.
With top-of-the-scale power and elite swing decisions, Condon batted .433/.566/1.009 and drove in 78 runs with 57 walks and 41 strikeouts this season. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel ranked Condon as the No. 1 player on his 2024 draft board.
The bonuses given to Condon and Burns — both represented by Vayner Sports — exceeded the $9.2 million Pittsburgh gave to 2023 No. 1 pick Paul Skenes, who started the All-Star Game for the National League this week.
In Condon, the Rockies locked down the sort of player whose prodigious power doesn’t need the boost Coors Field will provide. While the Rockies’ greatest strength may be young outfielders — including center fielder Brenton Doyle as well as left fielders Nolan Jones, Jordan Beck and Zac Veen — the opportunity for a game-changing bat such as Condon’s was too enticing to pass up.
Lightly recruited out of high school, the 6-foot-6, 220-pound Condon starred immediately at Georgia in 2023 after redshirting his freshman season. He was unanimous national freshman of the year and followed with an even better 2024 season, winning the Golden Spikes Award as the best player in college baseball. Because Condon was 21 on draft day, he was eligible to be selected as a sophomore.
Among Condon, Iowa right-hander Brody Brecht, Texas outfielder Jared Thomas and South Carolina catcher Cole Messina, the Rockies’ draft received plaudits throughout the industry and should strongly bolster the farm system of a team whose 34-63 record is a half-game ahead of Miami for worst in the NL.
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