Chaparral’s Braylon Doughty selected at No. 36 to Cleveland Guardians in 2024 MLB Draft

MURRIETA – In a thrilling turn of events for the Temecula and Murrieta baseball community, Braylon Doughty, a standout pitcher from Chaparral High School, was chosen in the first round of the 2024 MLB Draft. The Draft, taking place in Texas this year, is again a part of All-Star Week and features 20 rounds. The Cleveland Guardians selected Doughty with the 36th pick in the Competitive Balance Round A, alongside their No. 1 overall pick, Travis Bazzana from Oregon State (Slot value is over $10.5 million).

Braylon Doughty’s selection marks a significant milestone in his burgeoning career. The 6’1″, 196-pound right-hander had been making waves all spring with his impressive pitching arsenal, including a fastball reaching up to 97 MPH, a high-spin curveball, and a devastating slider. His performance at the Area Code Games last summer catapulted him onto scouts’ radars, and his spring season solidified his status as a top-tier draft prospect.

Doughty, who recently graduated from Chaparral High School and was named the 2024 Southwestern League MVP, was ranked No. 37 on the Top 200 Pre-draft watch list. Despite his commitment to Oklahoma State, his early selection in the draft suggests he may opt to begin his professional career immediately.

With a slot value exceeding $2.5 million, the Guardians may try to undercut Doughty, but probably not by much. The former Puma will have two weeks to finalize his deal with the Guardians. Contract comparisons can be made to Mikey Romero, another local talent from Menifee, who signed for $2.3 million with the Boston Red Sox in 2022. Romero’s slot value was worth $2.9 Million. Doughty’s decision will undoubtedly be influenced by the financial offer, considering the complex dynamics of taxes, agent fees, and payment timelines in professional baseball contracts.

Former professional player Jacob Turner, a first-round pick in 2009, weighed in on social media about the financial aspects of the draft:

“The MLB draft reminds me of that famous line from Jerry Maguire, ‘Show me the money.’ Unlike other professional sports, the MLB draft is unique in that the top talent often doesn’t sign. High school players, in particular, carry significant leverage when they enter the draft committed to a top college. NIL earning potential has only increased the leverage many players wield in the draft.”

“For many players (myself included), the stance is this is my dream, but the money has to be right for me to do it now. The money, over $7 million, was life-changing money for Turner. But as a 17 or 18-year-old, if you get drafted out of high school, it should be for life-changing money, and that amount is different for everyone. That was life-changing money for me,” he says.

“But some takeaways involve, that money isn’t a real number. You have taxes, possibly agent fees, and then you get half in 30 days, and the rest a year later. so be wise with what you do, now that college is off the table.”

Chaparral High School has a rich history of producing MLB talent, and Doughty’s selection adds to this legacy. MLB alumni include Shane Peterson, Rob Brantley (currently playing with the Durham Bulls) and Allen Craig. The list of Chaparral MLB draft picks that signed to play professional baseball include:

• Brhet Bewley drafted out of USD in the 32nd round of the 2018 draft with the 962nd pick to the Kansas City Royals.
• Justin Toerner drafted out of CSUN in the 28th round of the 2018 draft with the 843rd pick to the St Loius Cardinals.
• Rob Brantly was drafted out of UC Riverside in the 3rd round of the 2010 draft with the 100th pick.
• Shane Peterson drafted out of Long Beach State in the 2nd round of the 2008 draft with the 59th pick to the St Louis Cardinals
• Johnnie Lowe drafted out of Point Loma Nazarene (Grossmont) in the 6th round of the 2007 draft with the 209th pick to the Chicago White Sox.
• Allen Craig drafted out of U of California in the 8th round of the 2006 draft with the 256th pick to the St Louis Cardinals. Craig appeared in two World Series and in both made history. In the 2011 World Series, he tied a record by collecting three hits that drove in the game-winning run. In 2013, he became the first player to score a game-winning run on an obstruction call.
• Steve Kleen drafted out of Pepperdine in the 11th round of the 2005 draft with the 341st pick to the Oakland Athletics.

The school continues to be a breeding ground for top-tier talent, and Doughty’s success is expected to inspire the next generation of players. With the draft now behind him,  Doughty faces an exciting yet challenging road ahead as he transitions to professional baseball. His exceptional skill set, combined with his strong character and work ethic, positions him well for a successful career with the Cleveland Guardians. For now, all eyes will be on the youngster from Murrieta as he navigates the complexities of signing his first professional contract and begins his journey in Major League Baseball.

Day 2 (Rounds 3-10) and Day 3 (Rounds 11-20) can be seen beginning at 2 p.m. ET each day on MLB.com. The deadline (5 p.m. ET) to sign players selected in 2024 First-Year Player Draft is July 30, 2024. The MLB Trade deadline is that same day. (6 p.m. ET). With Doughty off the board, there are still some names out there from the area that should have their names called. Look for more details online, and in next week’s issues as we recap all the local draft picks.

JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia.com.