What to know about each first-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft
MLB Draft 2023, This week’s All-Star festivities included a game at Lumen Field, and speculation about what the Pirates would do with the first choice persisted up until Sunday night. In reality, history was made after just two picks, as our last mock projected.
The following information is pertinent to each of the 28 first-round picks in 2023.
1. RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates LSU; Paul Skenes
The majority of analysts concur that Skenes is the most promising collegiate pitcher since Stephen Strasburg. Skenes transferred to the dominant LSU Tigers for his junior draft season after playing two-way for the Air Force Academy throughout his first two collegiate seasons. After moving to Baton Rouge, Skenes started throwing full-time and went on to have one of the best college pitching seasons in recent memory, which culminated in two outstanding begins in the College World Series and wins a national title.
He had outings this year where his velocity stood at 100 mph, his slider was a devastating bat-misser, and he confounded lefties with a true change-up. His velocity increased into the upper 90s and beyond. Skenes possesses all the qualities you look for in an ace: he works hard during starts, is physically equipped to throw 200 innings per season, and is brutal on the mound. The only thing to criticize is how his fastball’s non-velocity qualities perform at the major league level.
Due to pitchers’ unpredictability and injury risks, the industry consensus over the past half-decade has shifted away from selecting pitchers at the top of the draft. However, Pittsburgh came to the conclusion that Skenes was a genuine generational talent who should be on his way to PNC Park by this time the next year.
2. OF for the Washington Nationals LSU; Dylan Crews
Crews, a high school graduate with first-round skill, chose not to go professional basketball because he believed he could earn more money in three years and because he wanted to become an LSU icon. Tasks are finished. The outfielder ended an incredible career by winning the Golden Spikes Award as the country’s top amateur athlete and guiding the Tigers to the national championship.
Crews was the clear favorite to finish first overall going into the season. More than anything else, Crews’ “fall” to the Nationals at No. 2 may be attributed to Skenes’ amazing season. Even though he lacks light tower raw power, scouts say he has extraordinarily outstanding bat-to-ball skills and might hit 30 home runs at the major league level. Although he had a worrisomely high ground ball rate this season, experts concur that Crews is receptive and skilled enough to address that problem in professional baseball. He is as sophisticated a hitter as you’ll see at the collegiate level.
Simply put, the Nationals selected the best pure bat in the draft and perhaps the top amateur pure hitter in the last five years. A first in the history of the draft, he and Skenes going first and second as teammates wonderfully captures the incredible season LSU just had.
3. Max Clark, an OF with the Detroit Tigers and a Franklin Community High graduate
Most analysts agree that the first three picks in this draft were Skenes, Crews, and Florida college outfielder Wyatt Langford (who was selected by the Rangers in the fourth round). After the collegiate trio, Clark was a virtual cinch to finish fourth or fifth, so the Tigers’ choice of him represents a legitimate zig, though by no means an outlandish one.
The Indiana high school outfielder has the “it” factor, which is the first thing to know about him. Clark, who has a sizable YouTube following and close to 350,000 Instagram followers, possesses all the personality attributes of a contemporary baseball superstar. There’s no denying that Clark moves like a major leaguer, but some traditional scouts were turned off by his aura.
On the field, he is a master of none and a jack of all trades. You guessed it: Clark has terrific center field defense, good hitting feel, and good power potential. Clark is a real sum-of-his-parts talent, similar to Cubs prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong (without the exceptional defense), despite his mountain of charisma.
4. Florida; Texas Rangers OF Wyatt Langford
Langford, a physical freak with a stacked lower half and a build more akin to a linebacker than an outfielder, had figures this year (.373/.498/.784) that were comparable to Golden Spikes winner Crews’. Langford, who only participated in four games his freshman year, rose to become a clear top-three draft prospect but was passed over by Texas at pick number four because Detroit was so in love with Clark. Many mock drafts had him as the first pick.
Since he hit the largest home run in the history of the College World Series three weeks ago, he almost certainly will have to play in the corner of the outfield as a big leaguer, but his bat should have more than enough power to stay there.
Although Langford’s hack doesn’t always appear to be the cleanest, scouts believe he will excel at the next level based on his 1.282 OPS. He could have the highest potential of any position player selected in the first round.
5. Walker Jenkins, OF, South Brunswick High (Southport, NC), Minnesota Twins
Clark and Jenkins were universally regarded as the top two prep players available for selection by anyone with eyes and a stopwatch. Therefore, Jenkins is undoubtedly just as good even if he is much less “famous” than his Indiana counterpart. Jenkins, who hails from a little hamlet in Eastern North Carolina just outside of Wilmington, projected as a future All-Star corner outfielder with a smooth left-handed swing that generates easy power.
Before his pre-draft summer a year ago, Jenkins had been well known to teams for years. He was unable to surpass Clark due to a broken hamate bone, but a stellar spring over the past two months has solidified his place among the top five picks.
Final Quote:
The MLB Draft 2023 Live Update Analysis has provided a comprehensive and real-time glimpse into the future of Major League Baseball. Through a combination of advanced data analytics, scouting reports, and expert insights, this analysis has shed light on the emerging talents and potential game-changers in the sport. The live updates have allowed fans, teams, and analysts to witness the unfolding drama and excitement of the draft, capturing the essence of baseball’s continuous evolution.
As the next generation of players enter the league, the MLB Draft 2023 Live Update Analysis serves as a testament to the ongoing pursuit of talent and the perpetual cycle of renewal in America’s favorite pastime. With each pick, a new chapter is written in the annals of baseball history, and this analysis has helped us all witness the birth of future stars and the shaping of teams’ destinies. The MLB Draft 2023 Live Update Analysis is a testament to the power of data and knowledge, fueling our collective anticipation for the future of the game.