Each year, the MLB Draft marks an opportunity for young baseball players to live out their childhood dreams and join a Major League organization.
The 2024 Draft will take place from Sunday to Tuesday in Arlington, Texas, where both high school and collegiate players will be picked. As members of the Cape Cod Baseball League, the Whitecaps have several current and former players set to be selected.
Here’s a breakdown of some possible 'Caps who could hear their names called in Arlington.
James Tibbs — FSU ('Caps '23)
As one of the premier bats in college baseball, Tibbs is in line to be the highest-drafted former Whitecap in this draft class. In 40 games in the 2023 summer, Tibbs batted .303, hitting six home runs and driving in 25 runs for Brewster. The success merited an All-Star nod and Whitecaps MVP recognition.
Tibbs followed up his impressive summer with a great spring, totaling a 1.264 OPS with 95 RBI at Florida State and helping the Seminoles reach the College World Series.
With a dynamic bat and the ability to play the corner outfield positions, MLB Pipeline currently has Tibbs as the No. 12 overall prospect in the draft, making him a surefire first-rounder.
Brock Tibbitts — Indiana ('Caps '23)
In 37 games for Brewster, Tibbitts recorded 35 hits while walking 15 times. The 6-foot-4 Hoosier was used all over the diamond by manager Jamie Shevchik: playing first base, behind the plate and in both corner outfield spots.
Tibbitts has been busy since spending the 2023 summer in Brewster. A strong junior season at Indiana — which included a .313 average and 43 RBI — was followed by participation in the MLB Draft Combine and a few appearances in the MLB Draft League.
As of early April, Perfect Game had Tibbitts ranked as the No. 147 prospect on its board. Tibbitts had an injury late in the season but his overall record should result in his name getting called at some point over the three-day draft.
Jared Jones — LSU ('Caps '23)
With a 6-foot-4, 253-pound frame, Jones hammered 28 home runs in his sophomore season at LSU. His strong right-handed swing has him ranked No. 119 in MLB Pipeline’s draft prospect rankings.
Jones played 20 games with the Whitecaps in the summer of 2023, hitting two home runs and recording 11 hits. The summer in the CCBL came after contributing to the 2023 National Champion LSU team, where he hit 14 home runs as a freshman.
He’s shown the ability to be a catcher, but he will primarily play first base or be a designated hitter at the professional level. He recently showed off his power at the MLB Draft Combine and will be selected as a draft-eligible sophomore in this year’s draft.
Davis Diaz — Vanderbilt ('Caps '22 and '23)
A native of Pittsburg, California, Diaz is on track to be drafted after two solid summers with the Whitecaps and a productive career at Vanderbilt. The infielder hit .217 with a .675 OPS in his first stint in Brewster, but he made significant strides in 2023, posting a .283 average with a .839 OPS.
And while his bat has improved with time, Davis’ greatest attribute may be his defense in the field, which has wowed coaches and evaluators alike throughout his college years. Diaz was picked by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 12th round of the 2021 Draft, but he opted to play college baseball at Vanderbilt instead. This year, he’s draft eligible once again.
Carson DeMartini — Virginia Tech ('Caps '22)
DeMartini is projected as a top-100 prospect in the draft after three outstanding seasons at Virginia Tech. The infielder had an OPS above 1.000 in all three seasons with the Hokies. He’s an imposing physical presence at 6-foot-5, 195 pounds and has legitimate pop (21 HRs in 2024).
He was solid in his 2022 season with Brewster, posting a .248 average with a pair of homers and 15 RBI.
Ryan Ure — Oklahoma State ('Caps '22 and '24)
Ure pitched for the Whitecaps in 2022 and was slated to return the following summer before undergoing Tommy John surgery in February 2023. He recovered from the surgery and returned to the mound with the Cowboys this spring, and spent another stint in Brewster in 2024.
A 6-foot-9 lefty, Ure was outstanding for Brewster in 24 innings of work in 2022, notching a 1.50 regular-season ERA with an 18-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He pitched 6 1/3 innings for the Whitecaps this summer, including a pair of starts (July 3 and Tuesday), posting a 4.26 ERA.
Ure’s fastball often touched high 90s, and he mixes it up with an effective changeup. In one game against Oral Roberts this spring, Ure touched 103 mph with his fastball. Those tools will make him an enticing prospect for whichever team selects him in the draft.
Seth Tomczak — Cal State Fullerton ('Caps '24)
Tomczak tossed 16 1/3 innings with the Whitecaps, notching a 4.96 ERA with 15 strikeouts. He was one of the older players on the Cape at 24, but his height (6-foot-4) and well-rounded arsenal, highlighted by a fastball with arm-side sink, make him a likely selection in the draft.
Tomczak, from Ione, California, began his collegiate career at Arizona State before transferring to Cal State Fullerton in 2023. He posted a 5.35 ERA in his first year with the Titans but bounced back for a stellar 1.32 mark in 2024. He has played summer ball with four teams: Niagara (Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League), Pulaski (Appalachian League), Wisconsin Rapids (Northwoods League) and Brewster.
Darien Smith — Southeastern ('Caps '23, '24)
Smith appeared in six games across the 2023 and 2024 summers donning the Whitecaps navy, teal and white. Across 20 innings, Smith struck out 13 batters in the CCBL. More recently, in two starts in the 2024 summer, Smith recorded a 3.24 ERA in 8 1/3 innings.
At Southeastern, Smith took home the 2024 NAIA Pitcher of the Year award, going 12-0 with a 1.87 ERA through 96 1/3 innings. Smith is as experienced as they come entering the draft, on the cusp of 25 years old, and could be selected in Arlington on the second or third day.
