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Draft  | Mock Draft  | 11/4/2022

2023 MLB Mock Draft 1.0

Brian Sakowski      Vincent Cervino      Isaiah Burrows      Tyler Henninger     
Photo: Perfect Game
2023 MLB Draft Board: Top 200 Prospects
1. Oakland Athletics | Dylan Crews, OF, LSU
Going chalk here with Oakland at the first pick. Crews is our consensus top prospect with an advanced offensive skill set and top-of-the-class exit velocities. It’s a rare blend of floor and ceiling that he brings to the table. He is every bit in the running for No. 1 overall at this point in the season and is deserving of such recognition. -Isaiah Burrows


2. Washington Nationals | Jacob Gonzalez, SS, Ole Miss
Gonzalez is one of the safer bets at the top of the class while still providing All Star potential. It is hard not to take the potential plus hit tool and projectable power that he provides. The Ole Miss shortstop has been productive since stepping foot on campus and should cement himself among the top picks with another strong spring. -Tyler Henninger



3.  Kansas City Royals | Chase Dollander, RHP, Tennessee
This will be the first draft for the Royals under new leadership and they’ll likely have their pick at a top arm or prep on the board. Dollander is the best college arm to come out of the draft since probably Casey Mize and fits the moniker of an arm that offers upside along with the ability to move quickly. He’ll live in the upper-90s and has four distinct pitches, all effective weapons. Dollander will likely be scrutinized heavily, but he’s got the talent to potentially be the first overall pick. -Vinnie Cervino



4. Cincinnati Reds | Walker Jenkins, OF, South Brunswick HS (N.C.)
With the first three picks going chalk as far as how our board lines up, I was ecstatic to grab the top prep on the draft board in Jenkins, whose overall tool set is highlighted by the consistency with which he does damage. He might not play center long term, but the upside is a high-level middle-order hitter with 25-30 home run potential who should add defensive value in an outfield corner if he has to move there. -Brian Sakowski



5. Texas Rangers | Arjun Nimmala, SS, Strawberry Crest HS (Fla.)
This is where things get interesting, as Nimmala is the second prep bat off the board and leaps into top-5 territory. The immense offensive ceiling and tools with future plus power potential in game is hard to pass up. He’s coming off an impressive summer and has the potential to be a middle-of-the-order power bat while sticking at short or at the least staying on the left side of the dirt. The fit in Texas would be awfully intriguing, as the Rangers go the high school route with a pair of highly-touted infielders manning the middle for the foreseeable future. -IB



6. Chicago Cubs | Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF, Vanderbilt
Bradfield Jr. brings a dynamic skill set that is not seen very often. He is the best defensive outfielder in the class thanks to his elite speed and athleticism. There is plenty of value on the offensive end as well, where his legs create runs on the bases by themselves and the power continues to develop. It is one of the higher ceiling profiles in the class, where the defense and speed will immediately make an impact. -TH



7. Pittsburgh Pirates | Maxwell Clark, OF, Franklin Community HS (Ind.)
Clark is arguably the most famous high schooler on the list, remaining near the top of the class for the better part of two-plus years at this point. He’s a five-tool bat with athleticism, strength, and projection. Clark profiles as a center fielder with a sweet swing and an excellent hit/power tool combination. Clark runs and has been into the mid-90s on the mound; he does everything well and would add to an already promising farm system in Pittsburgh. -VC



8. Detroit Tigers | Wyatt Langford, OF, Florida
With a new GM and scouting director in the fold, the Tigers' draft strategy is sure to take on a new look, at the very least in terms of creativity. This pick came down to balancing surefire impact and long term projection, of course, and while we don’t have the track record with Langford that we do with other players, shooting for a huge college performer with the power necessary to impact at Comerica Park as well as peripheral value in his defensive versatility is a win at this juncture. -BS



9. Colorado Rockies | Kevin McGonigle, SS, Monsignor Bonner HS (Pa.) 
The Rockies grab arguably the top prep hit tool in the entire class here at ninth overall. McGonigle is as advanced with the stick as they come, with a direct lefty stick and elite hand-eye coordination with hard barreled contact. It’s possible McGonigle lands himself within the top-10 based upon the plus hit tool, budding power that projects, and capability to stay up the middle. -IB



10. Miami Marlins | Jacob Wilson, SS, Grand Canyon
Wilson would give the Marlins back-to-back collegiate bats in the first round. While Wilson does not have as much power as last year’s first round pick Jacob Berry, the GCU shortstop possesses top-of-the-line bat-to-ball skills that makes him nearly impossible to strikeout. The power continues to develop, as do the defensive actions, with both likely being at least 50-grade tools down the line. -TH



11. Los Angeles Angels | Aidan Miller, 3B, JW Mitchell HS (Fla.)
The Angels were very aggressive with their first rounder in 2022, finishing Zach Neto’s year in AA, and it’s a system that could use some young, prep talent. Miller is among the best hitters on the high school side showing excellent strike zone discipline and some of the best bat speed and power in the class. Miller has had a really consistent time on the circuit since he was young and feels like one of the safer right-handed high school bats, even if he doesn’t stick at shortstop. -VC



12. Arizona Diamondbacks | Brayden Taylor, SS, TCU
The DBacks already have the shortstop of the future in Jordan Lawlar, but the value on Taylor at this pick is too high to ignore. He played third base in 2022 and did so over the summer as well, though with shortstop athleticism and tools, giving him serious defensive upside at the hot corner while having seen time at second base as well. He has high-level contact skills along with good walk numbers and overall selection at the plate, and is a well-rounded hitter with left-handed power as well. -BS



13. Minnesota Twins | Jack Hurley, OF, Virginia Tech
Minnesota stays on the college side here and grabs one of the top collegiate bats available. Hurley’s a projectable plus hit tool with a consistent track record of high-end performance on one of the best offenses in college baseball. It’s a mature approach with solid average power and real feel for the barrel. He’s one of the safer options at this point in the year. -IB



14. Boston Red Sox | Blake Mitchell, C/RHP, Sinton HS (Texas)
There is always a risk when it comes to prep catchers, but Mitchell looks to be the best prep prospect at the position in a while. Strong catch-and-throw ability and advanced actions behind the plate will allow Mitchell to handle the tough position at the pro ranks. An advanced approach stands out at the plate, where Mitchell works deep into counts and can hit for both power and average. -TH



15. Chicago White Sox | Noble Meyer, RHP, Jesuit HS (Ore.)
The White Sox like upside plays and they aren’t afraid to go after high school arms, as Meyer would fit that bill as one of the best prep arms in the class. He’s been into the upper-90s with a hammer slider featuring spin north of 3000 rpm to go along with good feel for a changeup. Meyer checks all the boxes for a prep arm and one that realistically has homes all throughout the first round. -VC



16. San Francisco Giants | Matt Shaw, 2B/3B, Maryland
Shaw offers value in a number of ways, even if he might not play shortstop long term. He hit 22 bombs for Maryland in 2022 with a .986 OPS, and then actually improved that mark to 1.006 en route to being named the top prospect in the Cape Cod League. The hitting tools are obvious, as he does a good job of retaining high-level contact skill while getting to his power, rather than selling out for it, and he’s shown the versatility to handle more of a 2B/3B defensive assignment. -BS



17. Baltimore Orioles | Rhett Lowder, RHP, Wake Forest
Baltimore has its choice of several college arms at this spot, and Lowder can be a good bet to go even earlier come July with his combination of present stuff and polish. The fastball lived mid-90s with two refined secondaries that both grade as above-average and both have distinct shape and break. It’s a well-built arsenal and the ability to fill the zone at a very high level. -IB



18. Milwaukee Brewers | Paul Skenes, RHP/1B, LSU
Skenes possesses the strongest two-way ability in the class, providing both big time right-handed thump and power stuff on the mound. It is 80-grade raw power that profiles for the middle of the order if he can hit enough. The fastball on the bump works into the upper-90s and pairs with a split-change that can miss bats. Skenes could turn into a legit power threat who could also handle high-end reliever duties if it all clicks. -TH



19. Tampa Bay Rays | Hurston Waldrep, RHP, Florida
The Rays’ pitching factory is well-documented at this point and Waldrep offers monster stuff with a monster ceiling that the Rays would be well-equipped to help realize. Waldrep, a transfer from Southern Miss, will sit in the upper-90s in short stints, showing a double-plus slider and a changeup that is a weapon. He’s a big-stuff right-hander that doesn’t always throw strikes but has a similar profile to arms the Rays have acquired in the past like Nick Bitsko and Tyler Glasnow. -VC



20. Toronto Blue Jays | Tre' Morgan, 1B, LSU
Morgan is a bit of a tweener right now in that he’s a 1B-only who hasn’t shown huge power, but at this juncture we’re betting on that power to come. The batted ball data is strong, and he makes a ton of contact while walking a good amount and playing Gold Glove caliber defense at first base. The Jays would do well to grab him here in this hypothetical, and he has the ingredients to be quick to the Big Leagues even as that power continues to manifest itself more and more into game action. -BS



21. St. Louis Cardinals | Tommy Troy, SS/2B, Stanford
St. Louis is in an interesting spot here and can lean several directions, but Troy still remains after his loud showing at the Cape. It’s a twitchy, well-rounded tool set capable of sticking up the middle long term with great actions and hands. His athleticism shows in the box. Troy shows plus bat speed and lighting hands with some loud pull-side power when squared. If he continues his summer dominance at the plate to the spring, Troy has a big foundation to build upon. -IB



22. New York Mets | Charlee Soto, RHP, Reborn Christian Academy (Fla.)
Soto has all the traits you’re looking for in a prep arm: athleticism, quality mechanics, and power stuff. Not to mention the right-hander is also one of the youngest players in the class. It is an extremely high-upside profile with a fastball that works into the upper-90s to go along with a potential plus slider and above-average changeup. -TH



23. Seattle Mariners | Colin Houck, SS, Parkview HS (Ga.)
The Mariners tend to lean college when it comes to their first round pick, but they’ve gone back-to-back preps with Harry Ford in 2021 and Cole Young in 2022. Houck would fit the mold of a high schooler the Mariners like with excellent athleticism and big summer performance. Houck also plays quarterback for his high school team, but his finish the last couple months on the circuit puts him firmly in the first round range. -VC



24. Cleveland Guardians | Kyle Teel, C, Virginia
The Guardians value contact/on-base skill as well as defensive versatility, and that sentence sums up Teel really well. It’s high-level contact skill with very good zone awareness, working plenty of walks, and he does a good job of fouling off borderline pitches in order to either work a walk or get a pitch he can drive. He’s an athlete who profiles well either behind the plate or in an outfield spot, and that versatility is key to an organization like Cleveland’s, which values the ability to juggle lineups and create ideal matchup scenarios. -BS



25. Atlanta Braves | Bryce Eldridge, 1B/RHP, James Madison HS (Va.)
Atlanta goes pure upside here nearing the end of the first round. Eldridge has some of the better two-way ability, up to 94-95 mph with heavy sink on the bump. But it’s the bat that can garner interest at this spot with a big left-handed swing that hits for power. He’s all of 6-foot-7, 225 pounds on both sides and began using his strength and length more at the plate and tapped into his immense power upside. If he shows more consistency in the hit tool this spring, Eldridge can get some easy first round buzz. -IB



26. Los Angles Dodgers | Liam Peterson, RHP, Calvary Christian HS (Fla.)
Peterson has risen up draft boards throughout the summer, showing all the traits of a first round pick. The right-hander commands the fastball well and can work it into the mid-90s. It pairs with a plus slider that shows spin rates over 2700 rpm and quality changeup that Peterson shows feel for. There is massive upside here that the Dodgers should not have a problem tapping into. -TH



27. San Diego Padres | Eric Bitonti, 3B, Aquinas HS (Calif.)
The Padres under AJ Preller like to take big swings, taking late riser Jackson Merrill and James Wood with their first two picks in 2021 and now both of those are among the best prospects in baseball. Bitonti possesses monster upside, not too dissimilarly to Wood, with a huge frame and violent swing from the left side. He’s going to mature into substantial power and as he fills out, will likely move off shortstop. Bitonti is also one of the youngest players in the class as he's still just 16 years old. -VC



28. New York Yankees | Travis Honeyman, OF, Boston College
Honeyman is an aggressive right-handed hitting outfielder who makes a lot of hard contact and has significant power to his pull side that he’s really just starting to unlock, giving him pretty standout offensive upside and middle-order projection. He’s played mostly left field in his collegiate career and projects to that spot, but is a solid overall athlete and defender who should add some defensive value. -BS



29. Philadelphia Phillies | Thomas White, LHP, Phillips Academy (Mass.)
The fall of White finally ends near the end of the first round, as the upside and future projection ranks him amongst the top arms in the entire class. White is a well-known name with what he brings. It’s plus arm speed with angle on a mid-90s fastball that shoots out of the hand. The breaker and changeup need more consistency in shape and refinement, but the upside is well above this spot if everything comes together. White would also be a good fit in Philadelphia for an organization unafraid to take prep arms in the first round the past few years in Mick Abel and Andrew Painter. -IB



30. Houston Astros | Brock Wilken, 3B, Wake Forest
Wilken has some strikeout rate concerns, but there is a reason he was once considered a potential top-5 pick in the past. Wilken can offset some of the whiffs with his ability to draw walks at a high clip, while big-time power plays to all fields and shows up in-game often. Wilken has a chance to be a legit offensive threat if the hit tool holds up. -TH
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