2023 MLB Mock Draft: ‘Way Too Early’ Look At The Top 10 Picks

---

1. Nationals — Dylan Crews, OF, Louisiana State

Crews had first-round talent out of high school in 2020 but withdrew from the draft just before it kicked off. He has only cemented himself as a first-round talent in his first two years at Louisiana State, showing an exceptional blend of power, hitting ability and athleticism in the outfield. He is a strong righthanded hitter with plenty of bat speed who shows easy plus power in batting practice and has homered 40 times already in just 125 games. Crews will be the focal point of an LSU team that should be one of the most talented in the country and he matches the sort of now-physicality and tools that the Nationals have coveted—and recently acquired in the case of 2022 and 2021 first-round picks Elijah Green and Brady House. Whoever is picking first in the 2023 draft might have to think long and hard before passing up Crews’ righthanded bat. 

2. Athletics — Max Clark, OF, Franklin (Ind.) Community HS 

The top-ranked player on our recently updated 2023 draft list, Clark heads a group of strong outfielders that includes the previously mentioned Crews and fellow high school product Walker Jenkins. Clark might be one of the toolsiest all-around players in the 2023 class on top of being one of the best pure hitters. He has a center field profile and has turned in 70-grade run times from home-to-first consistently and has earned Jacoby Ellsbury comparisons from scouts—though his arm strength is quite a bit better than that already.

3. Reds — Chase Dollander, RHP, Tennessee 

The 2022 draft should show how much teams crave college pitching at the top of the first round, even in a down year for the demographic. Dollander currently stands as the top overall pitcher in the 2023 class and has exceptional now stuff to go along with advanced pitching ability. His fastball is routinely around 95 mph and is likely to touch triple digits soon. He complements that heater with a solid trio of secondary offerings.

 

4. Cubs — Walker Jenkins, OF, South Brunswick HS, Southport, N.C.

Some scouts prefer Jenkins as the top high school hitter in the class, and he showed why during USA Baseball’s PDP League a few weeks ago. Jenkins has a gorgeous lefthanded swing with easy bat speed, plenty of strength and showed excellent timing and the ability to drive the ball deep to all parts of the park.

5. Royals — Jacob Gonzalez, SS, Mississippi

Gonzalez made it to campus at Mississippi despite being a highly-ranked high school prospect (who was also a standout quarterback) and immediately led the team in most major offensive categories. While his 2022 season wasn’t quite as loud in the batting average category, he continued to show impressive power and patience at the plate as a lefthanded hitter while also handling the team’s everyday shortstop responsibilities. As one of the more productive SEC hitters, Gonzalez would generate plenty of interest, but add on the fact that he’s a lefty-hitting shortstop and he figures to go among the first few picks in the draft with continued performance.

6. Tigers — Rhett Lowder, RHP, Wake Forest

The 2022 ACC Pitcher of the Year, Lowder showed improvement during his sophomore season with Wake Forest and was also one of the standout arms for Team USA this summer. He has a three-pitch mix with a fastball in the 93-94 mph range, a mid-80s changeup and a low-80s slider.

7. Pirates — Enrique Bradfield, OF, Vanderbilt

Bradfield is among the most exciting players in the country. A top-of-the-scale runner who covers a massive amount of ground in center field with ease, Bradfield is a terror for opposing batteries and he can easily turn a single or a walk into a double with his wheels on the bases. In 2022 he stole 46 bags and wasn’t caught a single time, and he also went from a single home run as a freshman to eight as a sophomore. While power will never be a featured part of his game, adding strength to a still-lean frame could make him all the more dangerous on both sides of the ball.

8. Angels — Wyatt Langford, OF, Florida

Langford tied the Florida single-season record for home runs (26) during the 2022 season and was one of the best hitters in the country with a .356/.447/.719 slash line. The second-team All-American played left field primarily but offers some interesting defensive versatility and figuring out his most optimal defensive position in pro ball will be something scouts look for in 2023. His bat should get him drafted, though.

 

9. D-backs — Kevin McGonigle, SS, Monsignor Bonner HS, Drexel Hill, Pa.

McGonigle is a barrels machine and was one of the most impressive bats at USA Baseball’s PDP League several weeks before the 2022 draft. In some ways he is similar to recent Northeastern prep shortstops Cole Young and Anthony Volpe at the same age. He doesn’t have a loud set of tools, but has a precocious feel for hitting and an aggressive approach at the plate.

10. Rangers — Will Sanders, RHP, South Carolina

Sanders drew plenty of interest out of high school as a super lanky and tall righthander who didn’t have the loudest pure stuff—but scouts knew they could dream on him filling out and adding power to his game. That is precisely what’s happened with Sanders at South Carolina. He’s packed on muscle and now sits in the 92-94 mph range and attacks with a downhill angle that is tough on both righties and lefties.