1. Dylan Crews, OF, LSU
He’s definitely top-five material. Crews was one of the leaders of the Tigers roster this past season, batting .349 with an OPS of 1.153, 22 homers and 72 RBIs in 62 games. He was also a top-tier high school prospect in 2020. Crews’ comps sit somewhere between Brady Clark, Grady Sizemore and Joc Pederson. I’ve even heard Mike Trout, but let’s slow down on that comp.
2. Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF, Vanderbilt
Maybe one of the fastest players in the past ten drafts, Bradfield is a burner on the field and on the bases. He maintains an 80-grade speed since his high school days. He’s not a power guy, instead, more of your classic lead off guy. But you can put him at the top or bottom of the lineup and expect results. If he improves his strength in the offseason, he could slide into the top-five easily.
3. Max Clark, OF, Franklin Community HS (IN)
Clark wowed this season in Indiana. He is committed to Vanderbilt, and it’s no wonder why. He has the best all-around toolset in the 2023 class. Raw power, plus arm, the speed is there and his exit velos get scouts excited for what he could become.
4. Jacob Gonzalez, SS, Ole Miss
Gonzalez was a bat out of hell during his 2021 freshman campaign at Ole Miss. He started hot in 2022, but slumped down the stretch. When Ole Miss entered the postseason, he lit back up. He has a mature approach to the plate, taking more walks than K’s, which is good to see. He’s got soft hands and quick feet at shortstop, too, so I expect him to hang there, unless he regresses next season.
5. Brock Wilken, 3B, Wake Forest
Wilken reminds me of a Alec Bohm mixed with Nolan Gorman and a dash of Jace Jung. He knows how to find his pitch and take advantage of it. This past spring he hit 23 homers, and what’s scary is we haven’t even seen all of his power yet.
6. Walter Jenkins, OF, South Brunswick HS (NC)
Jenkins power isn’t sneaky, it’s been there right in front of our faces. He’s a classic thumper who barrels up with a lot of bat speed to all fields. And he isn’t just power, his hit tool has a chance to go above 60 as well.
7. Blake Mitchell, C/RHP, Stinton HS (TX)
Mitchell is what you picture when thinking of a classic high school star. He can do it all. He reminds me of a Bryce Harper in high school. He has loud tools. On the mound, he hits low-90s with his fastball and shows a slider that has some life. He’s a left-hand hitting backstop with raw power and a feel for driving the ball. It’s hard to say if he’ll stay behind the plate or on the mound, and there is even talk that he could become a future infielder.
8. Drew Bowser, 3B, Stanford
Bowser impressed his sophomore season, hitting .293 while going yard 18 times in 62 games. He’s got a great feel for the zone and uses it to his advantage. His strikeout rates are a bit high, but if he can limit the swing and miss part of his game and show that he’s improved in 2023, he’ll easily become a top-10 pick.
9. Yohandy Morales, 3B, Miami
Miami has had some dudes the past few years. Somehow, though, Morales’ name kept showing up. He was little known and in the shadow of his predecessor’s, but not anymore. Morales had a very impressive spring. He hit 18 homers and even led Team USA with a .400 batting average. Make no mistake, the 6’4″ hot corner is for real.
10. Will Sanders, RHP, South Carolina
Big Will Sanders is a 6’6″, 215 pound righty with incredible stuff. Every year he’s improving and should be a top pitcher selected in 2023. His fastball sits in the upper-90s and has natural drop. His slider is developing into a nice finisher pitch, too, and his changeup has come along nicely.
