2023 MLB Draft Top 500 Prospects
Image credit: Paul Skenes (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images)
Baseball America’s draft rankings are an attempt to capture the industry’s consensus on the talent of the 2023 draft class. The list was compiled in consultation with MLB scouts, front office executives, scouting directors, college coaches and other professional evaluators. Ben Badler, Teddy Cahill, JJ Cooper, Peter Flaherty, Bill Mitchell, Tom Lipari, Geoff Pontes and Carlos Collazo contributed to writing and reporting. Chris Trenkle contributed to editing.
The 2023 draft class is one of the deepest and most talented we’ve seen in years.
The class is led by Louisiana State stars Dylan Crews and Paul Skenes, who have a chance to become the first teammate duo selected with the first two picks in draft history. While Crews and Skenes check in at Nos. 1 and 2, there is a clear top five of players who are all viewed within the same phylum of talent at the top of the class, which includes Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford and high school outfielders Walker Jenkins (N.C.) and Max Clark (Ind.)—each of whom would be viable 1-1 talents in an average draft class.
Beyond the consensus group of top five players, the 2023 class is littered with talented, up-the-middle hitters in both the high school and college demographics.
Three years out from the Covid-shortened draft of 2020 has led to more college shortstops than we typically see, including Grand Canyon’s Jacob Wilson, Mississippi’s Jacob Gonzalez and Maryland’s Matt Shaw—all of whom could be selected within the first 20 picks.
While no high school shortstop ranks among the top 10 picks, there are at least seven prep shortstops who could be selected in the first round. The group is led by Florida shortstop Arjun Nimmala and includes Colin Houck (Ga.), Walker Martin (Colo.), Kevin McGonigle (Pa.), Colt Emerson (Ohio), George Lombard Jr. (Fla.) and Sammy Stafura (N.Y.).
There are also impact bats to be found in both demographics. On the college side, Wake Forest’s Brock Wilken and Miami’s Yohandy Morales offer plenty of power and on the prep side you can find that with catchers Blake Mitchell (Texas) and Ralphy Velazquez (Calif.), third baseman Aidan Miller (Fla.) or two-way player Bryce Eldridge (Va.).
Four college righthanders should be selected in the first round, including Skenes, Tennessee’s Chase Dollander, Wake Forest’s Rhett Lowder and Florida’s Hurston Waldrep. There’s a bit of a talent drop off after that group of arms and the college class is notably light on lefthanders—with Kent State’s Joe Whitman and Vanderbilt’s Hunter Owen the most likely targets to go in the first round and keep alive a 44-year draft streak.
For teams willing to risk the high school pitching demographic, there’s both impact talent at the top of the class and quality depth throughout the first five rounds. Oregon’s Noble Meyer leads the righthanders with a pair of potential 70-grade offerings, while Massachusetts southpaw Thomas White leads a deep crop of flame-throwing lefties.
While clubs might be scrambling for catchers once the top trio of Kyle Teel (Virginia), Mitchell and Velazquez are off the board, there’s impressive talent in almost every other demographic. The class is viewed as one of the best in at least the last five years and is potentially the best in a decade.
Here you can see the full BA 500 with scouting reports for each player:
