2023 MLB Draft: Baseball America Staff Draft V 2.0

Image credit: Walker Jenkins (Mike Janes/Four Seam Images)

As we approach the end of college baseball’s regular season, we’re conducting our second staff draft of the season for the 2023 class.

Below you can see how the 2023 first and second rounds would unfold if Baseball America writers were given the keys to the draft room.

This is not a mock draft. We’re not making picks in an attempt to project what actual big league clubs will do on draft day, but making selections based on who we would take if we were in the decision-making chair.

Five writers participated in this exercise: Ben Badler, Carlos Collazo, JJ Cooper, Peter Flaherty and Geoff Pontes.

Related:

Pick	Round	Team	Writer	Player	Position	School	BA Rank
1	1	Pirates	Peter	Dylan Crews	OF	Louisiana State	1
2	1	Nationals	Ben	Paul Skenes	RHP	Louisiana State	2
3	1	Tigers	Carlos	Walker Jenkins	OF	South Brunswick HS, Southport, N.C.	4
4	1	Rangers	JJ	Wyatt Langford	OF	Florida	3
5	1	Twins	Geoff	Max Clark	OF	Franklin (IN)	5
6	1	A’s	Peter	Noble Meyer	RHP	Jesuit HS, Portland, Ore.	9
7	1	Reds	Ben	Jacob Wilson	SS	Grand Canyon	7
8	1	Royals	Carlos	Jacob Gonzalez	SS	Mississippi	8
9	1	Rockies	JJ	Rhett Lowder	RHP	Wake Forest	13
10	1	Marlins	Geoff	Enrique Bradfield Jr.	OF	Vanderbilt	11
11	1	Angels	Peter	Tommy Troy	2B	Stanford	16
12	1	D-backs	Ben	Kevin McGonigle	SS	Monsignor Bonner HS, Drexel Hill, Penn.	18
13	1	Cubs	Carlos	Chase Dollander	RHP	Tennessee	6
14	1	Red Sox	JJ	Matt Shaw	SS	Maryland	17
15	1	White Sox	Geoff	Arjun Nimmala	SS	Strawberry Crest HS (FL)	19
16	1	Giants	Peter	Brayden Taylor	3B	Texas Christian	10
17	1	Orioles	Ben	Thomas White	LHP	Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass.	14
18	1	Brewers	Carlos	Colin Houck	SS	Parkview HS, Lilburn, Ga.	24
19	1	Rays	JJ	Kyle Teel	C	Virginia	15
20	1	Blue Jays	Geoff	Walker Martin	SS	Eaton HS (CO)	30
21	1	Cardinals	Peter	Hurston Waldrep	RHP	Florida	12
22	1	Mariners	Ben	Aidan Miller	3B	Mitchell HS, New Port Richey, Fla.	20
23	1	Guardians	Carlos	Charlee Soto	RHP	Reborn Christian Academy HS, Kissimmee, Fla.	26
24	1	Braves	JJ	Yohandy Morales	3B	Miami	22
25	1	Padres	Geoff	Chase Davis	OF	Arizona	33
26	1	Yankees	Peter	Brock Wilken	3B	Wake Forest	21
27	1	Phillies	Ben	Colton Ledbetter	OF	Mississippi State	40
28	1	Astros	Carlos	Colt Emerson	SS	Glenn HS, New Concord, Ohio	28
29	PPI	Mariners	JJ	George Lombard Jr.	SS	Gulliver Prep HS, Miami	32
30	1s	Mariners	Geoff	Bryce Eldridge	RHP/1B	Madison HS (VA)	23
31	1s	Rays	Peter	Nolan Schanuel	1B	Florida Atlantic	27
32	1	Mets	Ben	Roch Cholowsky	SS	Hamilton HS, Chandler, Ariz.	38
33	1s	Brewers	Carlos	Samuel Stafura	SS	Walter Panas HS, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.	57
34	1s	Twins	JJ	Ralphy Velazquez	C	Huntington Beach (Calif.) HS	31
35	1s	Marlins	Geoff	Blake Mitchell	C/RHP	Sinton HS (TX)	25
36	1	Dodgers	Peter	Cameron Johnson	LHP	IMG Academy (FL)	39
37	1s	Tigers	Ben	Antonio Anderson	SS	North Atlanta HS, Ga.	76
38	1s	Reds	Carlos	Adrian Santana	SS	Doral (Fla.) Academy	56
39	1s	A’s	JJ	Tanner Witt	RHP	Texas	36
40	2	Nationals	Geoff	Juaron Watts-Brown	RHP	Oklahoma State	29
41	2	A’s	Peter	Dillon Head	OF	Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Flossmoor, Ill.	42
42	2	Pirates	Ben	Eric Bitonti	SS/3B	Aquinas HS, San Bernardino, Calif.	49
43	2	Reds	Carlos	Jonny Farmelo	OF	Westfield HS, Chantilly, Va.	54
44	2	Royals	JJ	Jake Gelof	3B	Virginia	41
45	2	Tigers	Geoff	Cade Kuehler	RHP	Campbell	37
46	2	Rockies	Peter	Jack Hurley	OF	Virginia Tech	48
47	2	Marlins	Ben	Dylan Cupp	SS	Cedartown (Ga.) HS	72
48	2	D-backs	Carlos	Paul Wilson	LHP	Lakeridge HS, Lake Oswego, Oregon	51
49	2	Twins	JJ	Cooper Pratt	SS	Magnolia Heights HS, Senatobia, Miss.	50
50	2	Red Sox	Geoff	Travis Honeyman	OF	Boston College	58
51	2	White Sox	Peter	Alexander Clemmey	LHP	Bishop Hendricken HS, Warwick, R.I.	45
52	2	Giants	Ben	Travis Sykora	RHP	Round Rock (Texas) HS	35
53	2	Orioles	Carlos	Josh Knoth	RHP	Patchogue-Medford HS, Medford, N.Y.	63
54	2	Brewers	JJ	Will Sanders	RHP	South Carolina	34
55	2	Rays	Geoff	Alex Mooney	SS	Duke	53
56	2	Mets	Peter	Mike Boeve	3B	Nebraska-Omaha	67
57	2	Mariners	Ben	AJ Ewing	SS	Springboro (Ohio) HS	150
58	2	Guardians	Carlos	Josh Rivera	SS	Florida	79
59	2	Braves	JJ	Brice Matthews	SS	Nebraska	90
60	2	Dodgers	Geoff	Jackson Baumeister	RHP	Florida State	62
61	2	Astros	Peter	Spencer Nivens	OF	Missouri State	94

1. Pirates
Dylan Crews, OF, Louisiana State
Writer: Peter

Rationale: The most polished college hitter in quite some time, Crews was a no-brainer here at first overall. His operation is one that will not need much tinkering with as he progreses through the pro ranks and he has all-star upside. Crews has a career average of .379 and a career OBP of .499. Not only will he still continue to produce offensively, but he projects to stick in either center or right field defensively.

2. Nationals
Paul Skenes, RHP, Louisiana State
Writer: Ben

Rationale: Skenes wasn’t an easy choice for me. Prep outfielders Max Clark and Walker Jenkins both have a chance to be special players and don’t carry the injury risk of a pitcher. But Skenes has the stuff and control to pitch at the front of a rotation, is near MLB ready now and is overwhelming college hitters with a 1.92 ERA and a ridiculous 152-14 K-BB mark in 79.2 innings at a time when offense is soaring in college baseball.

3. Tigers
Walker Jenkins, OF, South Brunswick HS, Southport, N.C.
Writer: Carlos

Rationale: This pick came down to Langford vs. Jenkins for me. I could get a lot more safety by going the college route, but there’s just something about Jenkins’ swing that I can’t pass on. I have a lot of positive bias toward him after some loud in-person looks this spring as well.

4. Rangers
Wyatt Langford, OF, Florida
Writer: JJ

Rationale: This is a draft where if you pick in the top five, you’re in great shape. In some years, Langford might go 1-1. To get him with the fourth pick is a dream scenario.

5. Twins
Max Clark, OF, Franklin (Ind.) Community HSFranklin (Ind.) Community HS
Writer: Geoff

Rationale: This was a simple one drafting out of the five spot. There’s five top-of-the-class players this year and Clark was the man left standing. A strong all-around player with an advanced hit tool, blossoming power and a center field profile is a potential above-average or better regular.

6. A’s
Noble Meyer, RHP, Jesuit HS, Portland, Ore.
Writer: Peter

Rationale: While prep pitchers are a risky demographic and I might be reaching to snag Meyer at 6, Meyer isn’t your run of the mill high school pitcher. He has three plus pitches headlined by a high-90s fastball that he pairs with a hellacious slider that has flashed spin rates upwards of 3,000 rpms. There is little to no reliever risk and Meyer has front-of-the-rotation upside.

7. Reds
Jacob Wilson, SS, Grand Canyon
Writer: Ben

Rationale: Wilson can play a premium position and rarely strikes out. It’s a great sign when a player has more extra-base hits than strikeouts, but Wilson is taking it to another level with as many home runs (5) as strikeouts (5) this year in 189 plate appearances, good for a minuscule 2.6% strikeout rate. His hitting ability, defense and all-around instincts for the game are a great blend of skills.

8. Royals
Jacob Gonzalez, SS, Mississippi
Writer: Carlos

Rationale: I didn’t really love my options at this pick. I was debating a few hitters who I have real question marks about, as well as high-upside arms like Chase Dollander and Thomas White. In the end I am going with a college hitter with power, on-base skills and up-the-middle defensive potential even if I am not in love with how the swing works.

9. Rockies
Rhett Lowder, RHP, Wake Forest
Writer: JJ

Rationale: Lowder throws strikes, works deep into games and performs consistently. I’d rather take that at the back of the top 10 than one of the other arms who has been more erratic.

10. Marlins
Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF, Vanderbilt
Writer: Geoff

Rationale: The Marlins need as much positional talent as possible and Bradfield gives them upside on both sides of the ball. The lack of outfield talent in the Miami system makes this a logical pick, as Bradfield has the defensive chops to handle the cavernous Marlins Park with a gap-to-gap power profile predicated on his plus-plus speed.

11. Angels
Tommy Troy, 2B, Stanford
Writer: Peter

Rationale: It’s no lie that Troy is a personal “cheese ball” of mine, but he is also one of the best college bats in this year’s class. He has incredibly loose and whippy hands that allow him to generate serious bat speed and impact, a trait he has also shown off with a wood bat as he won the Top Pro Prospect Award in the Cape Cod League. While he projects to stick at second base long term, his above average athleticism and range make him an above-average defender.

12. D-backs
Kevin McGonigle, SS, Monsignor Bonner HS, Drexel Hill, Penn.
Writer: Ben

Rationale: McGonigle is a barrels machine. It’s a compact, efficient swing from the left side with the adjustability to square up fastballs or breaking pitches with good plate coverage. I’m more optimistic relative to others that McGonigle might be able to stay at shortstop, but even if he ends up an offensive second baseman, his pure hitting ability gives him a chance to be a plus regular.

13. Cubs
Chase Dollander, RHP, Tennessee
Writer: Carlos

Rationale: This is a pure value pick and I am pretty thrilled with Dollander at this spot. I think he’s only a few minor tweaks away from being the 2022 pitcher who was the favorite to be the first pitcher off the board. Sign me up for this upside with the 13th overall pick of the draft.

14. Red Sox
Matt Shaw, SS, Maryland
Writer: JJ

Rationale: Even in a deep draft for college hitters, it’s always good to grab them before their gone. I love the top of the college bat class and then this middle-of-the-first-round tier.

15. White Sox
Arjun Nimmala, SS, Strawberry Crest HS, Dover, Fla.
Writer: Geoff

Rationale: The White Sox are in for a potentially long rebuild. Perhaps they can save some money to move around the board with Nimmala here, while netting a high-upside prep player.

16. Giants
Brayden Taylor, 3B, Texas Christian
Writer: Peter

Rationale: While Taylor has not had the spring many expected him to, he is a far better player than the back of his baseball card indicates, which is a bit crazy to say as he is still hitting .295 with 17 home runs. His approach is one of, if not the best in the class and although his defense isn’t dazzling over at the hot corner, he defends well enough to stick there professionally.

17. Orioles
Thomas White, LHP, Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass.
Writer: Ben

Rationale: White is a 6-foot-5 lefty with a low-effort delivery, a low-to-mid-90s fastball with likely more in the tank, a plus changeup and feel to spin a curveball with three-quarter action. It’s a starter look, and while the Orioles might be more inclined to go with a hitter here, White is the best lefthander in the draft and is the type of arm who could thrive in Baltimore’s development system.

18. Brewers
Colin Houck, SS, Parkview HS, Lilburn, Ga.
Writer: Carlos

Rationale: A few picks in this draft I took what I saw as the best value to fall to me. I was tempted to go that same route here and take Hurston Waldrep, given his crazy stuff, but I also wanted to reach for a few players I really like and make sure I get them. I’m not certain Houck makes it to my next pick and I love his well-rounded game, solid tool set and athleticism.

19. Rays
Kyle Teel, C, Virginia
Writer: JJ

Rationale: Is this the year that the Rays finally draft a receiver who ends their homegrown catcher drought? Teel seems like great value at this spot.

20. Blue Jays
Walker Martin, SS, Eaton (Colo.) HS
Writer: Geoff

Rationale: One of the best athletes in the draft this year, Martin has torn the cover off the ball this spring, showing tons of power in game to go along with a well-rounded and explosive skill set.

21. Cardinals
Hurston Waldrep, RHP, Florida
Writer: Peter

Rationale: Unlike my previous pitcher selection with Meyer, there is some reliever risk with Waldrep. However, Waldrep does have the best pure stuff of any arm in this year’s draft. There is an argument to be made that he has four plus pitches with his fastball, splitter, curveball and slider, with his splitter and power slider grading out as 70-grade pitches. While his floor might be an above-average reliever, Waldrep’s ceiling is an all-star frontline starter.

22. Mariners
Aidan Miller, 3B, Mitchell HS, New Port Richey, Fla.
Writer: Ben

Rationale: Miller has excellent bat speed, big power, an impressive track record of hitting with wood bats going back the last several years and a strong arm at third base. He hasn’t been fully healthy this spring, but there’s plenty of history to draw from with Miller.

23. Guardians
Charlee Soto, RHP, Reborn Christian Academy HS, Kissimmee, Fla.
Writer: Carlos

Rationale: This is a dream pairing with a player and an organization. Let’s see Cleveland do to Soto what they previously did with Daniel Espino—just crossing our fingers this time for good luck on health. Massive upside play here with a young athlete who has a chance for plus stuff all over.

24. Braves
Yohandy Morales, 3B, Miami
Writer: JJ

Rationale: Morales has athleticism and power, and he makes enough contact to make it work. Getting him at 24 feels like the right range for him to go in the real draft in July as well.

25. Padres
Chase Davis, OF, Arizona
Writer: Geoff

Rationale: Davis is a name that has steadily moved up boards this spring. A good athlete with power and approach, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Davis gone before this pick by the time the real draft happens.

26. Yankees
Brock Wilken, 3B, Wake Forest
Writer: Peter

Rationale: At 6-foot-4 225 pounds, Wilken is a physical specimen. He won MVP of the Cape Cod League following his true freshman season at Wake Forest and is currently in the middle of a career year in which he is hitting .344 with 24 home runs. He has a cannon of an arm over at third base and even though he is more of a “finished product” in terms of projection, Wilken has 30-plus home run upside professionally.

27. Phillies
Colton Ledbetter, OF, Mississippi State
Writer: Ben

Rationale: There are a lot of high school players I like in this range, but Ledbetter has shown a promising mix of patience, contact and extra-base damage this year at Mississippi State, with the ability to square up both fastballs and offspeed stuff at a high clip.

28. Astros
Colt Emerson, SS, Glenn HS, New Concord, Ohio
Writer: Carlos

Rationale: We’re getting into a range where I’m casting a fairly large net on players. It’s difficult to see a hard and fast tier gap between one player and the next. I am thinking about the top high school catchers in the class in both Blake Mitchell and Ralphy Velazquez, but I don’t love that demographic. One demo that I do love is high school shortstop, so I’ll take one of the best available here in Colt Emerson.

29. Mariners
George Lombard Jr., SS, Gulliver Prep HS, Miami
Writer: JJ

Rationale: Lombard has been one of the best performers on the prep side this spring, as he’s hit all spring. This spot would mean he would top the draft spot of his father, a second-round pick of the Braves in 1994.

30. Mariners
Bryce Eldridge, RHP/1B, Madison HS, Vienna, Va.
Writer: Geoff

Rationale: A true two-way talent, Eldridge runs his fastball up to the mid-to-upper 90s and displays big lefthanded power at the plate. There’s a real possibility Eldridge features as a two-way player early in his pro career.

31. Rays
Nolan Schanuel, 1B, Florida Atlantic
Writer: Peter

Rationale: While his operation is unique as he stands nearly completely upright with his hands held high above his head, Schanuel is able to repeat it well and consistently gets into a good hitter’s position. Not only does he get into a good launch position, but there is hardly any swing-and-miss to his game. He has a career OBP north of .500 and projects to continue to hit as he progresses through the pro ranks.

32. Mets
Roch Cholowsky, SS, Hamilton HS, Chandler, Ariz.
Writer: Ben

Rationale: Cholowsky played on the Mets scout team last summer and we’re going to make him a full-time Met with this pick. He draws high praise from scouts for his defense at shortstop, but what first drew me to Cholowsky was his hand-eye coordination at the plate with the ability to make contact at a high clip whether it’s a fastball or a breaking pitch. That hitting ability at a premium position makes him one of the top shortstops in the draft.

33. Brewers
Samuel Stafura, SS, Walter Panas HS, Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.
Writer: Carlos

Rationale: Same rationale as the last pick. There are a lot of players I like in this range, but I really, really like Stafura’s game and he looks a lot more physical this spring with fantastic feedback coming from the scouting community. I don’t care if this pick is seen as a reach. I’m grabbing a guy I really like here who has shades of Anthony Volpe.

34. Twins
Ralphy Velazquez, C, Huntington Beach (Calif.) HS
Writer: JJ

Rationale: The Twins have a lot of depth at the upper levels of the minors, but the catching depth is really, really thin. I’m not sure Velazquez can stick there long term, but he has a chance to do so.

35. Marlins
Blake Mitchell, C/RHP, Sinton (Texas) HS
Writer: Geoff

Rationale: The top high school catcher in the class, Mitchell is a polished defender with big lefthanded power to dream on. The Marlins continue to add positional talent with this pick, something they very much need.

36. Dodgers
Cameron Johnson, LHP, IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla.
Writer: Peter

Rationale: I went very hitter-heavy in this draft, but am very happy to select Johnson with pick 36. He throws a heavy fastball that has topped out at 99 in the past and his slider has shown flashes of being a true “out pitch” down the road. There is little projection left here, but the present arm talent is special. The continued development of a third pitch will be key for Johnson, but I have faith that he will be able to do so.

37. Tigers
Antonio Anderson, SS, North Atlanta HS, Ga.
Writer: Ben

Rationale: Anderson is still 17, so he’s one of the youngest players in the class. He might move off shortstop, but it’s what he does at the plate that has him here, with hitterish tendencies from both sides of the plate in a smooth, balanced swing.

38. Reds
Adrian Santana, SS, Doral (Fla.) Academy
Writer: Carlos

Rationale: I think Santana has a real shot to go in the first round based on his performance this spring. He’s one of the best defensive shortstops in the class, he’s one of the best runners in the class and he’s also showing more power—with a swing I already entered the year really liking from both sides of the plate. It’s tools and baseball skill. The only thing missing is size, and I’m not too worried about that.

39. A’s
Tanner Witt, RHP, Texas
Writer: JJ

Rationale: Witt is just coming back from Tommy John surgery and as of yet isn’t showing the same stuff, but at this point in the draft, it’s an upside play that he can get back to his pre-injury form.

40. Nationals
Juaron Watts-Brown, RHP, Oklahoma State
Writer: Geoff

Rationale: The righthander transferred to Oklahoma State last summer from Long Beach State. Watts-Brown has been solid for the Cowboys, with potential above-average or better offerings in his fastball and slider. He projects as a starter with some upside should he improve his command. A good addition to a system in dire need of some pitching depth.

41. A’s
Dillon Head, OF, Homewood-Flossmoor HS, Flossmoor, Ill.
Writer: Peter

Rationale: Head is one of the most tooled up players in this year’s draft class. He has elite speed, plays strong defense in center field—where he will stick long term—and continues to add impact at the plate. My eyes lit up when I saw he made it to me at 41, though he projects to go far earlier than that on draft day.

42. Pirates
Eric Bitonti, SS/3B, Aquinas HS, San Bernardino, Calif.
Writer: Ben

Rationale: Bitonti is extremely young for the class—he turns 18 in November—so he’s really the same age as a 2024 prospect. His power-over-hit offensive profile isn’t one I would typically bite on this high, but it’s massive lefthanded power, enough contact to where I think he will be able to keep his swing-and-miss to a manageable level and impressive body control for a 6-foot-5 teenager to go with a strong arm, so I think there’s a chance he can handle third base, too.

43. Reds
Jonny Farmelo, OF, Westfield HS, Chantilly, Va.
Writer: Carlos

Rationale: I liked the Dillon Head pick two spots in front of me by Peter and he would have been the name I called here if he were available. Farmelo has a clean, compact and fast bat from the left side with good speed and center field defense as well.

44. Royals
Jake Gelof, 3B, Virginia
Writer: JJ

Rationale: There aren’t many productive college bats available that fit in this range, but Gelof checks all the boxes.

45. Tigers
Cade Kuehler, RHP, Campbell
Writer: Geoff

Rationale: After years of drafting lower-upside college hitting in rounds two through five, the Tigers new regime bucks the trend with this selection of Kuehler. The righthander has some funk to his operation but he has a plus fastball with ride sitting in the low-to-mid 90s and a slider in the mid 80s that generates whiffs.

46. Rockies
Jack Hurley, OF, Virginia Tech
Writer: Peter

Rationale: Similar to picking Head at 41, I was licking my chops when Hurley was available for me at 46. He has plus power, an advanced feel for the barrel, above average bat-to-ball skills and plus bat speed. Throughout his college career, Hurley has cut down on his swing-and-miss and has continued to refine his approach.

47. Marlins
Dylan Cupp, SS, Cedartown (Ga.) HS
Writer: Ben

Rationale: I suspect Cupp won’t end up going this high in the draft. He might even make it to campus, and if he does, I think after three years at Mississippi State, he could be a first-round pick. He’s a true shortstop with clean actions and he has a track record of being able to put the ball in play at a high clip even playing up against older competition as an underclassman.

48. D-backs
Paul Wilson, LHP, Lakeridge HS, Lake Oswego, Ore.
Writer: Carlos

Rationale: There are a number of interesting prep arms to target in this range of the draft. I’m going to dive into a deep well of high school lefthanders and grab Wilson, who has a chance for a plus fastball and slider, with solid athleticism and a big frame.

49. Twins
Cooper Pratt, SS, Magnolia Heights HS, Senatobia, Miss.
Writer: JJ

Rationale: Pratt is a very polished hitter who makes good swing choices with the power potential to handle a move to either third base or second base if he keeps getting bigger as he matures.

50. Red Sox
Travis Honeyman, OF, Boston College
Writer: Geoff

Rationale: An athletic outfielder with a balance of bat-to-ball skills, approach and power, Honeyman has a chance to develop into a five-tool outfielder with above-average regular upside. He’s dealt with injury throughout his college career which provides some risk to this pick.

51. White Sox
Alexander Clemmey, LHP, Bishop Hendricken HS, Warwick, R.I.
Writer: Peter

Rationale: Clemmey is as projectable as they come in this year’s class, and while his strike-throwing ability is a bit of a work in progress, the pure stuff is electric. He features a fastball that will sit comfortably in the mid 90s and top out at 99, as well as an above-average slider and bigger curveball. There is reliever risk with this type of profile, but if he can continue to harness his command and develop his secondary offerings the ceiling is incredibly high.

52. Giants
Travis Sykora, RHP, Round Rock (Texas) HS
Writer: Ben

Rationale: Sykora is an athletic, 6-foot-6 righthander who is regularly running his fastball into the upper 90s and has touched 101 mph. He doesn’t have the raw feel for spin of fellow prep righthander Josh Knoth—a player I strongly considered here—but he throws his slider with power and has a splitter with late tumble.

53. Orioles
Josh Knoth, RHP, Patchogue-Medford HS, Medford, N.Y.
Writer: Carlos

Rationale: Knoth has some of the best pure feel for spin in this draft class, with a quick arm and a breaking ball that could be a 70-grade offering. He’s dominated this spring and I’m a bit surprised he’s still on the board here just outside of the top 50.

54. Brewers
Will Sanders, RHP, South Carolina
Writer: JJ

Rationale: We’re doing this mock draft based on talent more than team fit, but I love the idea of getting the Brewers a durable arm with good control who could take a step forward if his stuff can get a tick or two better.

55. Rays
Alex Mooney, SS, Duke
Writer: Geoff

Rationale: There’s few players in this draft that match Mooney’s level of baseball IQ. He’s a heady player capable of impacting the game in a variety of ways. He’s an excellent baserunner with bat-to-ball skills and average power. A draft-eligible sophomore, Mooney is one of the youngest college players in the class.

56. Mets
Mike Boeve, 3B, Nebraska-Omaha
Writer: Peter

Rationale: While Boeve has an impressive collegiate career average of .356, what sticks out to me the most is his track record with wood. Across three summer seasons, which includes stints in both the Northwoods League and Cape Cod League, he hit .336 with an OBP of .437. He has not hit for a ton of power, but he has an excellent approach and even better bat-to-ball skills as evidenced by his minuscule in-zone miss rate of 8%. At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Boeve has more power than the back of his baseball card indicates.

57. Mariners
A.J. Ewing, SS, Springboro (Ohio) HS
Writer: Ben

Rationale: Ewing has been on an upward trajectory the last couple of years. He started to blow up at the start of last summer, when he showed a lot of hitterish tendencies with a sweet lefthanded swing and a knack for driving the ball for extra-base damage in games. With a strong spring season, Ewing is a player I could see pushing his way up draft boards once teams put together the full picture of a middle infielder with one of the better lefthanded bats available.

58. Guardians
Josh Rivera, SS, Florida
Writer: Carlos

Rationale: I thought about Rivera with a few of my other picks but worried about reaching too soon on the senior shortstop. I’m happy to grab him here. He’s a great defender and has the tools to stick at the position at the next level, and his improvement offensively is something scouts have been waiting and waiting for. He’s had a phenomenal offensive season with Florida this spring and is currently hitting .370/.467/.647 with 14 home runs and the lowest strikeout rate—9.3%—of his career.

59. Braves
Brice Matthews, SS, Nebraska
Writer: JJ

Rationale: Matthews has taken a leap forward offensively this season. His ability to improve both his power and his ability to get on base and hit for average is intriguing.

60. Dodgers
Jackson Baumeister, RHP, Florida State
Writer: Geoff

Rationale: The numbers haven’t been great this season for Baumeister but he’s a projectable righthander with a variety of good pitch shapes that showed promise last summer in the Cape Cod League. The Dodgers get another ball of clay here they can mold into a formidable pitching prospect.

61. Astros
Spencer Nivens, OF, Missouri State
Writer: Peter

Rationale: Nivens is a data darling who has a swing that’s tailored toward getting the ball up in the air while also generating quality contact. He has plus raw power to the pull side and has shown that he can handle the bat well. Even though this is not a mock draft, Nivens and his intriguing profile ending up with an organization like Houston is fun to think about.

Draft Hauls For Each Writer

Peter Flaherty: