The 2023 MLB Draft is nearly upon us, and it features one of the best groups of collegiate prospects in recent memory.
The group is headlined by Dylan Crews and Paul Skenes, who have been widely projected all year to be the first and second overall picks (in varying orders). The LSU stars led the Tigers to their seventh national championship last month.
They’re not the only draft prospects who showed out in Omaha. Others — such as Florida’s Wyatt Langford, who is becoming a late dark horse to be the first pick — are likely to hear their name’s called during the first round on Sunday night.
Here’s a rundown of some of the players who made a name for themselves in Omaha and could be selected in the first round of the draft.
1
OF Dylan Crews, LSU
The Tigers center fielder has been viewed as a potential first overall pick since he set foot on campus at LSU. A top draft prospect out of high school, he ultimately withdrew to go to school. After a prolific career that saw him earn back-to-back SEC Player of the Year honors and the Golden Spikes Award this past campaign, he’s not likely to slip any further than the Detroit Tigers at No. 3.
2
RHP Paul Skenes, LSU
Skenes was one of the top transfer options in the country coming from Air Force last offseason, but no one quite expected the season he had at LSU. With a 12-2 record, he finished with a 1.69 ERA (good for second in the nation) and an SEC-record (and nation-leading) 209 strikeouts. If Crews doesn’t go first to the Pittsburgh Pirates, there’s a good chance Skenes will.
3
OF Wyatt Langford, Florida
Though he hasn’t received as much attention as the first two names on this list, Langford has been up there with them all year long. A devastatingly effective power-hitter and reliable outfielder, the only real limitation in Langford’s game is base-running speed that doesn’t blow you away.
He put himself into College World Series history by hitting an unbelievable 456-foot home run in the win over Virginia, setting a Charles Schwab Stadium record. He’s seen as a top-three prospect and became a late betting favorite on Friday to go with the top pick.
4
RHP Rhett Lowder, Wake Forest
Lowder staked a decent challenge to Skenes’ claim as the top pitcher in the nation in 2023 while leading Wake Forest to its best season in modern history. In a breakout season for the junior, he had a perfect 15-0 record on the year with a sub-two ERA.
We got to see Skenes and Lowder pitch head-to-head in a decisive semifinal game against Wake Forest, and though Lowder’s team lost, it’s hard to blame his shutout performance. Lowder is viewed as a consensus top-10 draft prospect.
5
C Kyle Teel, Virginia
A three-year starter behind the plate for the Cavaliers, Teel is projected as the top college backstop in the 2023 MLB Draft after leading UVA to yet another appearance in Omaha. The ACC Player of the Year in 2023 and a First Team All-American, expect Teel to go in or near the top 10.
6
3B Brayden Taylor, TCU
Taylor led TCU out of the Fayetteville Regional as the underdog, and the Horned Frogs ultimately made it to Omaha in large part thanks to his bat. He set a single-season school record with 23 home runs while also tallying 70 RBI, solidifying himself as a first-round prospect.
He saw a bit of action at shortstop in college, but he’ll likely stay at third when he gets to the next level. Assuming he’s picked in the first round, he’ll be the first TCU position player to do so.
7
RHP Hurston Waldrep, Florida
Talk about making yourself a lot of money in the NCAA tournament.
Waldrep was likely a first-rounder before his postseason performance, but it has certainly raised his stock considerably. His first three starts in the tournament were incredible, and though he was less effective during his outing against LSU in the final series, he’s now seen as a potential top-15 pick.
Though he was the Day 2 guy for the Gators, he arguably had the best stuff in the rotation with a mid-to-high 90s fastball and a nasty split-change as his top secondary pitch. He struggled with control at times, but the bona fides are all there.
8
RHP Chase Dollander, Tennessee
While most of the players we’ve covered so far helped their draft stock in Omaha, Dollander may have hurt his. He entered the year as one of the top pitching prospects in the nation, and it’s still easy to see why. With a fastball that peaks around 99 miles per hour and a wide arsenal of pitches, he has the stuff to be a starter at the professional level.
But his control regressed this spring, and his ERA ballooned from 2.39 to 4.75. After earning a 10-0 record in 2022, he went just 7-6 on the mound this season. His only appearance in Omaha didn’t help his case as he went just three innings while allowing four hits and four earned runs against Stanford. Still, he will likely be picked in the first round due to his talent.
9
3B Tommy Troy, Stanford
Troy is sort of a jack of all trades. He’s a solid contact hitter, and while he doesn’t have elite power like some other offensive weapons on this list, his extra-base hits increased quite a bit this spring as he recorded 17 home runs and 17 doubles.
He played all over the place for the Cardinal, and while he will likely be an infielder at the next level, he also has the potential to play in the outfield while possessing good speed on the base paths.
10
RHP Ty Floyd, LSU
Before the postseason, projecting Floyd as a first-rounder would have been pretty ludicrous. But after striking out an MCWS-record 17 batters in Game 1 of the final series against Florida, scouts seem to be paying attention. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel now projects Floyd will go 24th overall.
After starting 10 games last year, Floyd became a regular rotation player this spring. He registered a solid 4.35 ERA with a 7-0 record.
11
3B Brock Wilken, Wake Forest
The leader on offense for the No. 1-seeded Demon Deacons, Wilken was one of the most prolific hitters in college baseball this season, recording a school-record 31 home runs. A lot of his success has to do with a more disciplined approach at the plate as he finished third in the nation by drawing 69 walks.
A prototypical third-base prospect, it’s easy to see the upside with Wilken even though he struggles on the base path.
12
3B Jake Gelof, Virginia
He may be a bit overshadowed in draft discussions by his teammate Teel, but Gelof will leave behind one of the best careers in the storied history of Virginia baseball. He matched a single-season school record for home runs with 22 this spring and set the record for RBI with 84.
The UVA career leader in home runs could fall out of the first round, but he has a chance to join Teel.
