We're happy to introduce our final Top 500 Prospect update for the 2023 MLB Draft, featuring blurbs for the top 250 prospects on this list.
2023 MLB Draft: Top 400 Prospects - May Update
Socal Stars No. 5: Boras Classic South-Hitters
*This article was written by Grant Carver and Cameron Emamian
Ralphy Velazquez, C/1B Huntington Beach, 2023
This name should be no surprise to anyone who has followed along with the 2023 MLB draft. Ralphy Velazquez is widely considered the top prep guy in California for the 2023 class, especially in a year where it has been a bit underwhelming for guys with high expectations. He delivered repeatedly during the week, including a light tower shot to right field. He also blasted a double off the wall dead center field in the Championship game against Notre Dame, along with lots of other hits he collected during the week. The power is legit, and it shows in games, especially to center and his pull side but he has the ability to go the other way as well. He knows the strike zone very well and doesn’t try to do more than he knows he can, which makes him very difficult to pitch to. Defensively as a catcher, he has good hands for receiving and a strong and accurate throwing arm, which is what you need to see from a catcher, but the mobility and athletic lateral movements are lacking a bit, as the body is very mature already and it might push him to first base long term. Either way, this is a bat that has teams and scouts dreaming on, and he can anchor an offense, don’t be surprised if he sneaks into the top 25 picks.
Trent Caraway, SS/3B JSerra, 2023
There have, for the most part, been two 2023 guys performing this season, Ralphy, and Caraway. Caraway would be really big for a SS, it seems highly likely he ends up as 3B but he projects solidly as a corner guy. He moves surprisingly well for his frame but it seems likely he’ll add even more weight as he matures which is where the corner position really comes in. I’m not sure too many teams will worry about him as a 3B over SS when he hits the way he does. He has the ability to hammer baseballs but there are still some concerns here. He was exposed a few times to better fastballs for having a longer swing, which can sometimes come from big power bats. There is also a good amount of swing and miss but when he connects, it is hard contact and he has delivered more than almost any other bat so far.
Casey Borba, 1B/3B Orange Lutheran, 2023
It’s hard not to be intrigued by a guy with the hit tool that Casey Borba has and he displayed that in the game I saw this week where he doubled and went deep for a home run. Borba has a really interesting swing that features a big leg kick and lots of bat movement. Within that swing is impressive bat control, and his approach impressed too. He was recognizing pitches and digging into counts extremely well, which pairs nicely with his ability to get the barrel to the zone and hammer the ball. He played third base in this one and was not tested very much on the dirt, but he is very much a corner profile. That kind of profile can get overlooked at this level for valid reasons, but Borba is very advanced at the plate and the production is hard to deny.
Ben Reiland, OF Orange Lutheran, 2024
The only non-2023 to crack this list and for good reason. Sitting in the middle of a lineup that features Casey Borba and 2024 top talent Derek Curiel, Reiland still finds ways to stick out. While he’s a fairly wiry and undersized frame, he might have one of the better hit tools in the 2024 class. He features great bat control and quick hands that hit hard-line drives all around the diamond. He’s currently a corner outfielder and he doesn’t exactly profile there, he’s played some middle infield as well, where he could make sense as a 2nd baseman but more likely than not he’ll end up on campus in the Fall of 2024 at Oklahoma State, and he’ll be a great watch in his college career.
Eric Bitonti, SS Aquinas, 2023
Bitonti just stands out of the crowd right away due to his combination of age and size alone. He is a legit 6’5 and is filled out on top of that, and the power was there because of it. In one of his plate appearances, Bitonti crushed a grand slam and showed off his plus raw power. It is hard contact when he connects thanks to his excellent bat speed, the question has been about the bat-to-ball skills. Still, in the game I saw him he was making contact with the ball, and that included the grand slam. In the dirt, Bitonti played a solid shortstop but he is probably a third baseman in the future. His lateral movement was a little slower than the ideal shortstop, which is not surprising given his size, and he did have a couple of mistakes with the leather. However, his hands were sound and his arm strength was impressive, making me believe in his ability to play the hot corner. Bitonti’s combination size, power, and bat speed were on full display during this one and all of those tools make him a real name to watch going forward.
Grant Gray, OF/SS Norco, 2023
Grant Gray has had a bunch of helium as a potential day one guy in this year's draft recently and it was pretty easy to see why. The tools he had were something scouts dream of. Gray is a plus-plus runner with a bunch of athleticism and is fluid in everything he does. He was moving super well at short and should be able to stay there as he gets more experience. The glove was a little raw and his arm accuracy was a problem, but the ball jumps out of his hand due to the arm strength he has. He has all the tools to be an above-average shortstop in the future. At the plate, the production was not really there in this one. He flashed his speed with an infield single, but that was about it. Still, the bat speed was there and the hit tool should improve with some swing refinements. His approach was average and needs time to improve as well. Gray is an extremely raw player for sure, but he is the type of two-sport athlete with all the tools and time he needs to really put it all together.