2023 Best Of Baseball America
From the start of the international signing period in early January to now, Baseball America brought you the most thorough coverage of the sport at every level this year.
The World Baseball Classic returned in 2023, allowing baseball to take a global stage. This year’s draft class was one of the most talented the industry saw in a long time. LSU’s Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews made history as the first pair of college teammates selected No. 1 and No. 2 overall.
Of course, we also did what we do best—cover prospects. Jackson Holliday solidified himself as one of the top prospects in baseball, and prospects like Junior Caminero had breakout seasons.
As a fun exercise, we compiled our favorite stories and rankingsfrom the year. We hope you enjoy reading them as much as we enjoyed writing them. The categories are as follows:
- Prospects
- MLB Draft
- Rankings
- AI
- Fantasy
- College
- MLB
- News
- International
Prospects
Jackson Chourio Just Accomplished A Very Rare Feat For A Teenager
In 2023, Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio pulled off a power-speed feat that very few teenagers have ever done. Read more…
The Top 50 Prospects In Baseball America History
We asked the three most qualified individuals we know to rank their top 40 prospects of 40-plus years of Baseball America. Read more…
Rangers Prospect Emiliano Teodo Revamps Fastball In Major Way
Meet the Rangers righthanded pitching prospect who touched triple digits recently at the 2023 Arizona Fall League. Read more…
25 Players Standing Out To Scouts In 2023 Spring Training
Here are 25 players scouts believed were primed to take a step forward in 2023 based on what evaluators saw in spring training. Read more…
9 Minor League Rule 5 Picks That Caught Our Attention
Every once in a while, a big league contributor can emerge from the minor league portion of the Rule 5 Draft. Read more…
What Should We Make Of Ricky Tiedemann’s Arizona Fall League Campaign?
The Blue Jays LHP enjoyed a bounceback Arizona Fall League campaign, but questions are abound about his varying release heights. Read more…
Four-Seam Fastball Whiff Leaders Across MiLB In 2023
We look at the pitchers with the highest whiff rates against their four-seam fastballs, including common characteristics they share. Read more…
Ryan Birchard May Be The Next Brewers Junior College Gem
Ryan Birchard hasn’t technically made his pro debut yet, but he already looks like a pitcher to watch in the Brewers system. Read more…
Ramon Ramirez Gives Royals Another Young, Intriguing Catching Prospect
Blake Mitchell isn’t the only high-upside catching prospect worth keeping an eye on in the Kansas City Royals system. Read more…
Full Throttle: Robby Snelling Wins Baseball America 2023 Minor League Pitcher Of The Year
Padres teen lefthander Robby Snelling improved his training, repertoire and overall pitching savvy in a dominating pro debut. Read more…
Breakout MLB Prospects That Lived Up To The Hype In 2023
We look back at some of the prospects we listed during spring training who fulfilled their potential during the regular year. Read more…
Helium Review: How Did Potential Breakout MLB Prospects Fare?
We tabbed 24 potential breakout MLB prospects throughout the 2023 season who went from unheralded to on the radar. Read more…
How We Used Data To Identify Future Breakout Prospects On The Complex
Here’s how we used data to identify future breakout prospects on the complex based on contact, approach and power. Read more…
The Next Orion Kerkering? Here Are 8 MLB Draft Picks Who Could Reach Majors In 2024
We examine eight pitchers who were selected in the 2023 MLB Draft who we think could reach the majors in 2024. Read more…
MLB Draft
Inside Wasserman’s $33 Million First-Round War Room
Collectively, Wasserman represented four players who were selected among the top 15 picks and six total players who were selected in the first round. Read more…
Arm & Hammer: Dylan Crews And Paul Skenes Are Poised To Make History
The LSU teammates have a chance to make history if they are selected first and second overall. Read more…
2024 MLB Mock Draft: Full First Round With Draft Lottery Complete & Draft Order Set
The 2024 MLB Draft order is now set. Here’s our first full mock of the year, detailing potential first-round picks for every team. Read more…
How The Nationals ‘Lost’ The No. 1 Pick In 2024 MLB Draft
The Nationals briefly won the 2024 MLB Draft Lottery. The only problem? They weren’t eligible to pick within the top six. Read more…
Inside The MLB Draft Lottery: How The Cleveland Guardians Scored No. 1 Pick In 2024
For the first time in franchise history, the Cleveland Guardians have landed the No. 1 pick in the MLB draft. Read more…
Paul Skenes Is Next On LSU-To-MLB Rocket
This year, Skenes appears to be next in the line of LSU aces to rocket to the major leagues and make his mark. Read more…
Paul Skenes Named Baseball America’s 2023 College Baseball Player Of The Year
Paul Skenes delivered an all-time pitching performance in his first year in Baton Rouge, punctuating a season of sky-high expectations that ended in Omaha. Read more…
10 Standout Debuts From Pitchers In The 2023 MLB Draft Class
We take a look at 10 draftees from the 2023 MLB draft class who had standout professional debuts on the mound. Read more…
10 Standout Debuts From Hitters In The 2023 MLB Draft Class
We take a look at 10 draftees from the 2023 MLB draft class who had standout professional debuts at the plate. Read more…
Which Orgs Are The Best And Worst At Drafting Hitters?
Since the 2012 draft, no team has done a better job of drafting and producing hitters than the Astros. Who else has done well, and who has struggled? Read more…
Rankings
Top 10 College Prospects For The 2025 MLB Draft
Peter Flaherty takes a deep dive into 10 college players who are top prospects ahead of the 2025 MLB Draft. Read more…
Ranking the top 100 MLB Draft prospects in the Class of 2024 following a full summer and fall of evaluation. Read more…
2023 MLB Farm System Statcast Hitting Rankings
For the first time, Baseball America uses Statcast data to analyze MLB farm systems in a variety of key metrics. Read more…
2023 MLB Farm System Statcast Pitching Rankings
Which MLB organizations have the best pitching Statcast data? We dive into the numbers to see how every system performed in 2023. Read more…
2025 High School Top 100 Draft Prospects
A player with an impressive family lineage leads off our Top 100 High School prospects for the 2025 MLB Draft. Read more…
2024 High School Top 100 Draft Prospects
Rankings and scouting reports on the top 100 players in the 2024 class. Read more…
Our Top 100 Prospects rankings has two new additions after Pirates catcher Endy Rodriguez and Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe graduated. Read more…
MLB Top Prospects 2024 – Top 10s
Ranking the top 10 prospects in each MLB farm system entering 2024, complete with new scouting reports, tool grades & more. Read more…
AI
How AI Could Diagnose Pitchers’ Deliveries In Real Time
Teams may get to a point where a program using computerized vision will have artificial intelligence watching every pitch by every pitcher. Read more…
Special Report: Baseball’s Coming Artificial Intelligence Revolution
In the 21st century, data has revolutionized how baseball teams work and operate. Is artificial intelligence going to transform baseball again? Read more…
Artificial Intelligence Makes Its Pitch To Player Development
We asked ChatGPT how AI could help MLB organizations develop players. Read more…
Artificial Intelligence: Meet The Potential Scouting Director Of The Future
In the future, it’s possible that draft boards will be fully built by computers. Read more…
Fantasy
Arizona Fall League Hitters With Intriguing Statcast Data
Examining hitters with intriguing underlying data from the 2023 Minor League season ahead of the Arizona Fall League circuit. Read more…
Underrated MLB Pitching Prospects At The Upper Levels According to RoboScout
RoboScout dives into the data to identify several pitching prospects of note, including Red Sox, Giants and Mets arms. Read more…
Underrated MLB Hitting Prospects At The Lower Levels According To RoboScout
These six hitters all showed promising underlying data and are likely still undervalued in the fantasy baseball community. Read more…
Underrated MLB Hitting Prospects At The Upper Levels According To RoboScout
RoboScout believes the fantasy baseball community is undervaluing these six hitters that could potentially impact the 2024 MLB season. Read more…
Underrated MLB Pitching Prospects At The Lower Levels According To RoboScout
RoboScout believes these five MLB pitching prospects are sleepers heading into the 2024 season. Read more…
11 Hitting Prospects With Underlying Statcast Data To Target In Fantasy
Taking past performance into account while also parsing through predictive data that could highlight 2024 breakout candidates. Read more…
MLB Prospects That Gained The Most Exit Velocity In 2023
Looking for prospects that could tap into even more power? These hitters showed the most year-over-year improvements. Read more…
College
College Baseball’s Top 10 Most Impactful Freshmen For 2024
We project which college baseball freshmen are on track to provide the most impact for their teams in 2024. Read more…
College Baseball Top 25 Recruiting Rankings For Class Of 2024
Breaking down the 25 best recruiting classes in the country on signing day, including the top prospect in each class. Read more…
10 Of The Hottest Assistant Coaching Names In College Baseball
Here are 10 assistant coaches making an impact in their current role who could become head coaches in short order. Read more…
10 Sleepers In College Baseball’s 2024 Recruiting Class With Impact Potential
10 players who are flying under the draft radar right now that could make outsized impacts if they make it to campus. Read more…
11 Under-The-Radar 2023 College Baseball Recruiting Classes
Here we focus on notable 2023 college baseball recruiting classes for teams outside the biggest conferences. Read more…
College Baseball Recruiting: 10 Classes That Just Missed The Top 25
Here are the top college baseball recruiting classes that fell just outside the Top 25, listed in alphabetical order. Read more…
2023 NCAA Transfer Portal Winners And Losers
Breaking down the winners and losers from the transfer portal. Read more…
Ranking The Top 100 Transfers In College Baseball For 2024
This list is the top 100 committed transfers going into the 2024 season. Read more…
College Baseball’s Winners And Losers Of The 2023 MLB Draft
Here are some of college baseball’s winners and losers from the draft. Read more…
25 College Baseball Freshmen Who Could Help Shape The 2024 Season
Here are 25 freshmen who could make immediate impacts in the 2024 NCAA season and boost their overall prospect stock. Read more…
MLB
After Falling Short As A Player, Jaime Jones Rises Again As An Ascendant Scout
Where once Jones’ name inspired heavy sighs and what-could-have-been soliloquies, it now garners respect and admiration. Read more…
The A’s Ran The Tried And True Playbook For Relocation
Under owner John Fisher, the A’s in recent years have shamelessly run the tried-and-true playbook for relocating a professional sports franchise. Read more…
80-Proof: The Standard-Bearer For Each Tool In MLB Today
Here are the 80-grade tools in the game today, with comments from top players about what makes those tools so elite. Read more…
Ethan Salas Joins Rare Company Of 16-Year-Olds To Play Full-Season Ball
Playing just two games in full-season ball as a 16-year-old has put Salas in rare company. Read more…
The Automated Strike Zone Is Slightly Different At Triple-A In 2023
The automated ball-strike system is getting an expanded run at Triple-A this year with a few key adjustments. Read more…
Padres’ Matt Waldron Is Bringing The Knuckleball Back To MLB
Padres righthander Matt Waldron is single-handedly keeping the knuckleball away from MLB extinction by mastering the pitch. Read more…
Better Than Babe: Shohei Ohtani Shatters Precedent As 2023 MLB Player Of The Year
For yet another transcendent and dominant season, Shohei Ohtani is the 2023 Major League Player of the Year. Read more…
To Win A World Series, Orioles Are Going To Have To Spend
If recent history is any indication, the Orioles are going to have to spend for their rebuild to result in a World Series title. Read more…
News
New ‘Enhanced Grip’ Baseball Raising Concerns, Strikeouts In Double-A Southern League
One month into the Southern League season, the prototype ball has changed the way the game is being played. It’s just not in the way MLB hoped. Read more…
Why Should MLB Teams Tank Anymore?
Following the 2023 MLB Draft lottery and considering the looming RSN crisis, teams may not have the same appetite for tanking. Read more…
Young And Relentless: The Face Of MLB Keeps Getting Younger
Roughly half of all MLB plate appearances are taken by players in their mid to late 20s, meaning a young man’s game is becoming even younger. Read more…
Why Are Minor League Pitchers Walking So Many Batters?
Four teenage hitters drew 100 walks in the minor leagues this season. If that sounds rare, that’s because it is. Read more…
Three Reasons Why MLB Teams Are Quickening Player Progression Timelines
Major league organizations spoke loudly about how they view the top talent in the 2023 draft and competition levels in the minor leagues. Read more…
Cooper: Minor League Baseball Innings Rules Need Tweaking
If current trends continue, before long there will be a season where no one wins a Minor League Baseball league ERA title. Read more…
International
Why Japanese Righthander Yoshinobu Yamamoto Is Coveted By MLB Teams
Learn why top decision-makers from nearly every MLB club have been traveling to Japan to see Yamamoto for years. Read more…
Scouting Reports On Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Jung Hoo Lee And Foreign MLB Prospects To Watch In 2024
Here are scouting reports on the seven foreign professionals from the Asian leagues eligible to sign this offseason. Read more…
World Baseball Classic Top 10 Foreign Prospects
Here are the Top 10 prospects in the 2023 WBC who are currently unaffiliated with an MLB club. Read more…
Shohei Ohtani, Japan Top Team USA To Win World Baseball Classic
Shohei Ohtani struck out Mike Trout for the final out to give Japan a 3-2 win over Team USA in the World Baseball Classic championship game. Read more…
Mexico Rallies Past Puerto Rico To Advance To WBC Semifinals
Mexico overcame a four-run deficit and beat Puerto Rico, 5-4, to reach the World Baseball Classic semifinals for the first time. Read more…
Trea Turner’s Grand Slam Saves Team USA in World Baseball Classic
Trea Turner hit a grand slam in the eighth inning to lift Team USA to a 9-7 win over Venezuela and on to the World Baseball Classic semifinals. Read more…
Japan Walks Off To Beat Mexico in WBC Semifinals Thriller
Munetaka Murakami hit a walkoff two-run double in the bottom of the ninth inning to give Japan a 6-5 win over Mexico and a spot in the WBC championship game. Read more…
