MLB Draft Lottery 2024 start time, odds, and how to watch: Everything Twins fans should know

Trade rumors and free agent deals aren't the only thing brewing at the Winter Meetings in Nashville this week. For the second time ever, MLB will be holding a draft lottery to determine who will get the No. 1 pick next July.

Last year the Minnesota Twins were huge winners of the new format, making a massive leap up into the Top 5 and getting into a position to draft a top prospect they otherwise wouldn't have been able to select. The Twins originally picked No. 13 overall but moved all the way up to No. 5 thanks to the way the lottery shook out, which allowed Minnesota to take Walker Jenkins.

Jenkins was at times projected to be the No. 1 overall pick, and would have been long gone by the time Minnesota went on the board in its original slot. Was it a first-year miracle or will another team get lucky again and make a huge leap up the board?

We are going to find out on Tuesday night.

MLB Draft Lottery 2024 odds

Unlike last year, the Twins won't be involved in the action.

Minnesota making the playoffs means they're ineligible for the draft lottery -- which is frankly a very small price to pay. It was a best of both worlds situation for the Twins, as they moved way up in the draft lottery last year to select Walker Jenkins and finished the season by winning the first franchise's first playoff series since 2002.

It would be nice to get involved in the lottery drama, but it's safe to say Twins fans came out alright. Other teams -- specifically the 17 teams that didn't qualify for the playoffs -- aren't so lucky but are hoping to hear some good news on Tuesday night.

One team Twins fans might be invested in keeping an eye on is the Chicago White Sox. After their season went off the rails so aggressively that it spurred a total teardown rebuild, the Sox are in the running for the No. 1 pick.

While the Twins don't have a shot at winning the lottery, they do essentially have two first round picks. Minnesota will have the No. 23 pick based on final standings, but will also have pick No. 33 as compensation for Sonny Gray signing a deal larger than $60 million this offseason.

Gray signed a $75 million deal with the Cardinals, which triggered a comp pick for Minnesota.

2024 MLB Draft Lottery start time and live stream

Almost everything at the Winter Meetings is being televised on MLB Network, and that will include the draft lottery. Just like last year, fans around the league will get tos ee where the ping pong balls bounce as the top of the draft order is set.

Here's everything you need to know:

• Date: Tuesday, December 5th
• Time: 5:20 pm ET
• TV Channel: MLB Network
• Live Stream: Fubo.TV

Whatever happens on Tuesday won't end up paying off until next summer, as the MLB Draft is scheduled to take place in July during All-Star Weekend.

Top MLB Draft prospects 2024: Who will be the No. 1 pick?

After we know wht the draft order is, the next question is why does it matter that things shook out the way that they did. Things can change over the course of hte next College Baseball season, but right now we have a pretty decent idea of who the top prospects will be when the draft rolls around next July.

Here's a quick look at the Top 30 projected prospects:

• PJ Morlando (OF) – Summerville HS (South Carolina)
•  Konnor Griffin (SS/OF) – Jackson Prep (Mississippi)
• Cam Caminiti (LHP) – Vanderbilt
• Noah Franco (1B/LHP) – IMG Academy (Florida)
• Nick Kurtz (1B/OF) – Wake Forest
• Jac Caglianone (1B/LHP) – Florida
• Caleb Bonemer (SS) – Okemos HS (MI)
• JJ Wetherholt (INF) – West Virginia
• Chase Burns (RHP) – Tennessee
• Travis Bazzana (SS/2B) – Oregon State
• Owen Paino (SS) – Roy C Ketcham HS (New York)
• Vance Honeycutt (OF) – North Carolina
• Joey Oakie (RHP) – Ankeny HS (Iowa)
• Bryce Rainer (SS) – Harvard-Westlake
• Tommy White (1B) – LSU
• Levi Sterling (1B/RHP) – Notre Dame
• Charlie Condon (1B/OF) – Georgia
• Braden Montgomery (RHP/OF) – Stanford
• Brody Brecht (RHP) – Iowa
• Ryan Sloan (RHP) – York HS (Illinois)
• Mike Sirota (OF) – Northeastern
• Owen Hall (RHP) – Edmond North HS (Oklahoma)
• Carter Johnson (SS) – Oxford HS (Alabama)
• Hagen Smith (LHP) – Arkansas
• Malcolm Moore (C) – Stanford
• Derek Curiel (OF) – Orange Lutheran (California)
• Salde Caldwell (OF) – Valley View HS (Arkansas)
• Seaver King (SS) – Wake Forest
• Josh Hartle (LHP) – Wake Forest

Since the Twins won't have as high of a pick as they did last year, a top prospect is out of the question. That being said, Minnesota is very much in the running for a guy like Owen Hall or Braden Montgomery near the end of the first round.

Having that No. 33 pick from Sonny Gray leaving to sign with the Cardinals is also key, as it essentially functions as a bonus first round pick.

More Minnesota Twins news and rumors