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
Deep Drives: South Carolina Road Trip
1B/LHP Jac Caglianone, FloridA
Hitting: 3-11, 1 HR, 1 2B, 2 BB, 5 K
Pitching: 3 IP, 3 H, 4 ER, 6 BB, 4 K
Jac Caglianone has taken over the college baseball landscape this season, becoming an amateur Shohei Ohtani clone. The two-way prowess has been rather impressive to watch, though there are some things I wanted to hone in on with him over the weekend. Could these be hot takes? I don’t know, but here’s my honest opinion on Caglianone: he’s electric, but there’s work to be done.
As a bat, you’re looking at some of the biggest raw power in the country. The bat and hand speed that Caglianone possesses is otherworldly and presently, he leads the country in home runs with twenty-three. His latest home run wasn’t a cheap one, murdering an 81 MPH breaking ball on the outer halfway over the right field fence, coming very close to leaving the stadium. Leaving the bat at 108 MPH, it would ultimately land 412 feet away. He’d add on a single and a double, and while it’s legitimate double plus power, I do have some reservations about the hit tool. He can get rather aggressive at the plate and shows trouble with off-speed. Will Sanders welcomed Caglianone to Columbia with three sliders, all of which Caglianone whiffed on. He’s in no rush to walk either, as he only has nine on the year. Defensively, he’s limited to first base and while he could see some time in the outfield to test his versatility, there’s gonna be pressure on the bat to perform.
On the mound, it can get rather rough to watch. He labored through a lengthy first inning, allowing a home run to Braylen Wimmer and walking two more batters before the inning ended. He’d ultimately walk six batters in the span of three innings. It’s a reliever-ish look for him, as he can struggle to repeat his mechanics and his fastball command is rather pedestrian at best. He did hold consistent 93-96 MPH velocity, as well as a solid low-mid 80's slider with tight spin and a quality change-up with great separation and diving action, but the strike-throwing, or lack thereof, is slightly concerning.
He’s going to be a polarizing prospect in next year's cycle, not because of the two-way ability, but because of the rawness he has and whether or not he can find the polish that Vance Honeycutt and others have. If he manages to do that and performs admirably in the SEC in 2024, you’re likely looking at the 1.1 pick. If not, you might be looking at someone who’s defensively limited and aggressive at the plate, as well as a potential reliever down the line. Would you take that over a legitimate center fielder with a revamped approach in Honeycutt? That’s the real question and we can dive into that further later on. For now, though, we can sit back and enjoy the season he’s having and hope the polish comes around.
RHP Hurston Waldrep, Florida
Final Line: 6 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 3 BB, 10 K
Hurston Waldrep’s stuff is rather loud. The former Southern Mississippi arm has always had a robust arsenal, though the results just have not been there this year. Maybe I’m overthinking it because it’s the SEC, but he’s really struggled to open ballgames and last Friday was no different.
Over the first two innings, Waldrep would primarily lead off at-bats with the fastball. The result? Five earned runs, including a three-run home run to Ethan Petry on a hanging 88 MPH splitter in the second inning. After that? Waldrep would retire the next ten batters straight before a leadoff walk in the sixth inning, primarily pitching backwards with his off-speed arsenal. The fastball features cutting action with some ride in the mid-90’s, touching 97 MPH early, though the command was scattered at times and it felt very hittable. The curveball was utilized often to steal strikes early in counts, sitting in the low-80’s consistently with big downer shape and he’d primarily pitch off his high-80’s slider that featured sweep and high spin. His splitter, which is one of the best pitches in this year’s class, lacked some feel and he didn’t utilize it much, though when snapped off properly, it featured very low spin and dropped off a cliff.
The main question with Waldrep is whether or not scouts see him as a starter long-term. He’s highly athletic with an over-the-top arm slot, but the delivery has a good amount of effort and the command, particularly with the fastball, draws some concern. He’ll need to utilize a more consistent fastball shape, too, as the pitch is subject to being lit up when down in the zone and he showed some struggles elevating the pitch early in his outing. He’s still a projected first-round pick, though he’s going to be a bit of a project for a big-league team.
RHP Brandon Sproat, Florida
Final Line: 5.2 IP, 4 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 8 K
Brandon Sproat is a bit of an interesting case to dive into. He was selected in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the New York Mets, but opted not to sign and returned to campus to be Florida’s new Friday starter. He’s shown glimpses of brilliance on the mound this year, including a complete game shutout against Alabama last month, though while he has seen an uptick in velocity across the board with his stuff, I wonder if he’ll ultimately end up in the bullpen.
His start on Thursday was a mixed bag of sorts. He primarily lived off a lively fastball/change-up combo, sprinkling in a slider at the start before resorting to a curveball in the third and fourth innings. The fastball touched 100 MPH on the first pitch and he primarily lived in the 94-98 MPH range throughout the night, but the pitch’s shape and inconsistent command hamper it. It’s more of a running two-seamer than a riding four-seamer and won’t miss a ton of bats, plus the lack of strikes with the pitch is concerning. His best off-speed is the aforementioned change-up, which features great separation and he’s confident enough to throw it in any count. It lives in the 88-91 MPH range and dives hard to the dirt, garnering plenty of empty swings. The slider is more of a gyro pitch, showcasing decent depth with a little horizontal movement in the high-80’s, though at times, he did hang the pitch, which led to a home run in the first inning by Ethan Petry (he’s really good at this baseball thing, by the way). The curveball was primarily used to steal strikes to open at-bats later on in the low-80’s with solid depth and some sweep.
There’s athleticism in the delivery, which features a very long arm swing into a three-quarters arm slot, though there’s some effort in the operation. That, mixed with inconsistent command, does hint at a potential relief role down the line. However, he’s likely going to start off as a starter in the minor leagues until he’s forced into a bullpen role. It’ll be interesting to see if he manages to go higher than his 2022 selection and sneak his way into Day 1 conversations.
OF Wyatt Langford, Florida
Final Line: 2-11, 2 BB, 3 K
Langford has long been one of my favorite players in this class. While his CNT trials didn’t result in a ton of hits, he impressed me enough in that week to solidify himself in my personal top five, so it was paramount to see him again this spring. While it wasn’t the weekend he wanted, he still showed off why he has legitimate five-tool potential.
His BP was rather fun to sit down and watch, spraying line drives across the field. There’s legitimate bat speed in his swing and his power plays to all fields, even though he hasn’t replicated his 2022 power performance. He’s showing off more patience at the plate, as well. On the year, he’s garnered 37 walks and just 21 strikeouts, though there is an issue of being too selective and letting opposing arms get to their weapons deeper into counts. He’s a physical freak, as well. It’s a muscular build at 6’1, 220 pounds, but don’t let the size fool you, this is a player that can absolutely fly. He’s recorded plus run times in the past and books it down the line on ground balls, and if it weren’t for a fringe-average arm in the outfield, he’d likely be manning center field over Michael Robertson thanks to his speed. The arm will need to improve at the next level.
He did miss a little over two weeks from a pretty brutal lower-half injury, though he returned much earlier than expected and is still performing at a phenomenal clip. This is a profile that will find itself inside the top five, there’s very little doubt about that. Logistics will figure itself out as we get closer to draft day, but the upside is immense and he could be on a fast track to the majors if all goes well.
LHP Matthew Becker, South Carolina
Final Line: 5 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
We’ve written about Will Sanders and Jack Mahoney plenty this month, so why not talk about South Carolina’s new Sunday starter, Matthew Becker. The southpaw is destined to be one of the top lefties in next year’s class.
Becker made a loud impression as a freshman, throwing six innings of one-hit ball against the top team in the country, the Texas Longhorns, striking out eleven in the process. While Sunday was not a replication of that Texas start, Becker only allowed two hits across five innings of work, striking out six and walking just one. The lone blemishes in his outing were two opposite field jacks to Cade Kurland, both of which coming off fastballs. Becker throws two different heaters, a sinker in the lower half of the zone and a four-seam with significant carry up in the zone. He’s added a bit more velocity, sitting more in the 90-92 MPH range with the four-seam and 89-91 MPH with the sinker. He has two excellent breaking balls with distinct shapes, a high-70’s curveball and a low-80’s slider, both of which have high spin numbers and big break. He began utilizing a low-80’s change-up with fade later on in the outing, primarily against righties.
Command was the biggest issue with Becker as a freshman and he’s improved a bit as a sophomore, but his fastball command can be fringy at times. He’ll need to add more velocity and improve the command a bit more to solidify himself as a potential Day 1 arm in next year’s draft, but the mold is definitely there and he’s in a great place to work on it with pitching coach Justin Parker. He and Eli Jerzembeck have the potential to be a very nasty 1-2 punch in the SEC in 2024.
RHP Teddy Sharkey, Coastal Carolina
Final Line: 1.1 IP, 4 H, 5 R (0 ER), 1 BB, 2 K
The combination of loud stuff and personality is something that doesn’t show up all that often in college baseball. Enter Teddy Sharkey, Coastal Carolina’s psycho closer.
Sharkey has a stockier build on the mound with some physicality present, coming in at 5’11, 200 pounds. It’s a high effort delivery with a higher arm slot, but man, the stuff is loud. The fastball has plenty of carry and got up to 97 MPH, sitting 93-96 MPH later on in his outing with command that began to waver a bit. He has two distinct breaking balls that are both potential plus pitches. The slider sits in the 85-88 MPH range with sharp two-plane break that, when commanded away from righties, can be lethal. The curveball has the potential to be a legitimate hammer, a low-80’s offering with significant depth and some sweep. He looked the part of a high-leverage reliever in his first inning, snaking his way out of a bases-loaded jam with two strikeouts. However, after getting two quick outs in his second inning, it became clear that he was tired and he had a meltdown with two outs, though his defense did not help him much. All five runs he allowed were unearned as a result.
While Coastal Carolina has stretched him out in recent outings, Sharkey is suited more for shorter outings and he projects as a potential high-leverage reliever at the next level. There are some things that will need to be shored up in the minor leagues, mainly his command, but this is an arm that could fly to the majors if everything comes together. He’s expected to be one of the first true relievers off the board in July.
OF Matthew Etzel, Southern Mississippi
Final Line: 3-5, 1 HR, 2 R
Etzel was a highly touted JUCO bat coming into the year and while Southern Mississippi has had its fair share of trouble, Etzel has been a big bright spot out of the leadoff spot.
Everything works easily for Etzel at the plate. He has solid plate discipline and it’s more of a line-drive approach at the plate. He does have decent power, but did not get his first home run of the season until his first at-bat on Sunday. The swing is more suited for spraying line drives across the field, but he has a knack for putting plenty of backspin on balls in play. He does have a bit of trouble with fastballs up in the zone, though that wasn’t very apparent in this series. He’d tally seven hits total in the three-game set, including back-to-back three-hit performances. He’s likely a lock to stay in at the eight moving forward, too. He glides on the basepaths and in center field, though his route running can waver from time to time. The arm may put him in a left field position should he move to a corner position, but ultimately, his speed should be the difference maker there.
He’s a bit of a weird one to rank on our board, but there’s a chance that Etzel could play his way into the top 100 picks. He’ll need to add more power to his profile, but he’s a potential center fielder with great speed and a knack for hitting. He’d fit anywhere at the beginning of Day 2 in July.
Honorable Mentions: INF Cade Kurland, Florida; OF Ethan Petry, South Carolina; INF Cole Messina, South Carolina; RHP Will Sanders, South Carolina; LHP Cade Fisher, Florida
Deep Drives: ECU + Vandy/South Carolina
Another week, another Deep Drives edition.
It was a quieter week on all fronts, so it’s only natural to get some extra help and combine live looks with another writer. One of our newest writers, Jonathan Martin, makes his Deep Drives debut as he got a chance to get out and see a heavyweight matchup in the SEC between Vanderbilt and South Carolina in Nashville. Meanwhile, Tyler ventured out to East Carolina to get a chance to look at one of the best arms in the 2024 class, Trey Yesavage.
RHP Trey Yesavage, east Carolina
Line: 5 IP, 2 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 10 K (86 Pitches)
When we revamp our 2024 draft board, fully expect Yesavage to be in first-round consideration. The stuff is that good. He’s a big, physical specimen on the mound for ECU, who has gone from a high-leverage reliever in 2022 to a bonafide ace in 2023.
It’s hard to see the fastball not being a plus pitch at the next level. He’s been up to 98 MPH this year, though the velocity against Cincinnati was 92-95 MPH early, before settling in at 91-94 MPH as the outing went on. He’s able to generate a ton of backspin at release, which comes from an over-the-top arm slot, and the pitch has ridiculous riding life at the top of the zone. It gives him a big margin for error at the present level, especially with his feel for throwing his off-speed arsenal lacking in this start. The fastball alone had sixteen whiffs on the night, which is ridiculous. His command of the pitch is much improved, as well, giving him plenty of success living on the edges before going upstairs for whiffs.
The aforementioned off-speed arsenal is rather robust, though it was not utilized much on this day. The primary breaking ball is a slider/cutter hybrid that he’s recently added, giving him an additional weapon with late horizontal break and tight spin against righties. When he kept the pitch down in the zone, it was nasty and got three whiffs, though there were times where he bounced it off the dirt or missed glove-side. He has a splitter in the low-80’s that can drop off the table when it’s on, though in this outing, he only threw one for a strike and struggled to find feel throughout the outing, missing arm-side constantly. There’s also a 12-6 curveball in his repertoire, and while it has sharp downward break, he struggled to find the strike zone with it.
Overall, the evolution that Yesavage has had gives him plenty of potential and upside for teams. If there’s any nitpicking to be made here, it comes from the off-speed command plus the long ball. He’ll be eligible as a junior in next year’s draft, but if he keeps this up, it’s tough to envision him lasting past the first round.
1B josh Moylan, east Carolina
The pride of Stoney Beach, Maryland, Josh Moylan made a name for himself in his freshman campaign before entering the “sophomore slump” last spring. As a junior, Moylan has begun to find his old form and has been one of the hottest bats in the country in recent weeks.
Moylan is a tall, physical human with plenty of present strength. He’s struggled with strikeouts throughout his career, but he shows patience at the plate and draws a fair share of walks. With that said, the burgeoning power that Moylan possesses will intrigue teams. His swing has plenty of loft to it and his power plays to all fields. His lone hit against Cincinnati was a back-side homer, carrying over the fence in the opposite field gap. He’d go on to have a home run in the remaining two games of the series, propelling ECU’s win streak to eight straight games and one step closer to gaining a hosting spot in tournament play. The bat will need to continue to perform, as he’s a first base profile with consistent defense.
He likely profiles more toward the back half of the draft at this point in time, providing a team with a money-saving option at this point in time. Things can change, however, and if Moylan continues to crush the baseball, he could find himself sneaking his way up boards.
OF Ethan Petry, South Carolina
To say Ethan Petry is putting together a spectacular freshman season would be modest. The freshman is facing elite SEC arms and doing damage against high velocities while handling off-speed pitches fairly well. Friday night, Vanderbilt gave their workhorse a rest in Carter Holton and started Bryce Cunningham against South Carolina. Cunningham was offering 94-95 MPH fastballs to the upper portion of the zone, while also mixing in a slider and right-on-right change-ups. Cunningham managed to strike out Petry twice, but during those two at-bats, the freshman showed the ability to recognize spin and not be overpowered by a solid fastball that carried into the top of the zone. In his last AB against Cunningham, Petry took a first pitch, belt-high fastball opposite field for his seventeenth home run of the year, tying South Carolina’s freshman home run record.
As stated in the above tweet, I am almost certain Petry did not fully get ahold of this baseball, which is scary. The ball still managed to get out into the right field seats 3 rows deep, but you could hear it was slightly missed. This just shows what kind of bat speed Petry possesses, and this could be an intimidating hitter for opposing pitchers for the next two years. The spray charts and this particular swing shows Petry’s is not selling out for home runs either. He maintains good front hip direction and gets a ton of unforced extension on the baseball. This shows he trusts himself to let the baseball travel and lets his insane bat speed work from there. He works with a slow early toe tap that allows him to not be overpowered by hard fastballs and he controls his forward move well. As with any power hitter, there were a couple of questionable swing decisions with him being a little too aggressive on chases out of the zone on spinners, but that will clean up nicely as he continues to see more college-caliber arms. Very excited to see this young hitter continue to make noise in college baseball.
Catcher Cole Messina, South Carolina
Cole Messina is a 2024 draft-eligible catcher from South Carolina that has put together a pretty solid season thus far. He does a good job managing his strikeouts compared to walks, he barrels the ball often and is aggressive early. Friday, he went deep twice, both home runs being on 94 MPH fastballs that were middle-in portion of the plate in 0-0 counts. Both home runs were hit virtually in the same spot and were hammered. Messina also collected two walks on the day while flying out to right field on a slider that he was a tad out front on. Besides the slider he gave into, he ignored all off-speed offers and hunted the fastball.
Defensively, Messina worked well behind the plate against a Vanderbilt team that likes to steal bases. He handled some tough blocks limiting the opportunity for runners to take extra bases as well as stealing some strikes on the corners. With only one look it is hard to tell, but the defense behind the plate is at least serviceable at the next level. The body movement on some pitches could calm down a tad to create a more consistent look for the umpire, but Messina will be behind the plate or at 1B in the future. Overall, his ability to stick to his plan and approach at the plate is impressive as well as his ability to do damage on early fastballs. As his career continues and he begins to get different pitch mixes, it will be interesting to see how his approach changes.
RHP Will Sanders, South Carolina
During Sanders’ Friday night start against Vanderbilt, the righty showed obvious glimpses of big-league intangibles. He works with a very fluid delivery that he shows he can repeat. The ball comes out of his hand well and shows the ability to create ride that could be successful in the top of the zone. The arm action also shows the ability to create deception, although sometimes not enough. The body type is there with long lanky limbs that can handle the addition of mass. Sanders has the prototypical build for what most teams look for in a big-league pitcher.
Friday night there were some signs of his fastball not getting calls in on batters or missing enough bats at times. His fastball sat 91-95 while flashing above-average vertical life and when working down, some late run. The curveball was his go-to off-speed pitch, and it showed the most success against the Vandy hitters. Sanders' curveball worked with sharp 12-6 action that floated around 84-86 MPH. There was some inconsistency with the depth on the pitch, but it created 7 whiffs on the day and produces some awkward swings. Sanders is known for great feel of his changeup, but Friday he did not have it. The changeup missed down and arm side mainly and was not competitive enough to induce much weak contact.
Sanders ended the day with only giving up five hits while striking out four and walking four. He did not give up much hard contact on the day besides two doubles and a hard line out from Jack Bulger. The command was a little shaky, but Sanders had a decent start. There are some things that can be cleaned up but, you cannot argue the projectability and future of Sanders is very exciting.
Deep Drives: LSU/South Carolina Showdown
It’s not too often that you get to have eyes on two of the best players in a draft cycle. Well, that’s exactly what we got over the weekend in Columbia.
While Mother Nature had other plans for us, this weekend’s series between LSU and South Carolina was an electric factory. Despite the rubber match being canceled, we managed to get two great games in from a draft perspective. In this week’s return of Deep Drives, I’ll welcome one of our newest draft writers in William Mann, who gets to have some fun on writing blurbs. From Paul Skenes getting tested to Ethan Petry becoming an icon in Columbia, here’s our takes from a wild weekend down south.
RHP Paul Skenes, lsu (No. 4 on Top 400, 199 digs+)
What Paul Skenes has done this year atop LSU’s rotation has been nothing short of incredible. Coming into his start on Thursday, he had struck out 51.9% of the batters he had faced on the year, a figure we have not seen since Strasburg’s 2009 season to this point. South Carolina posed to be his biggest challenge of the year, and while he had two blemishes that would ultimately hand him his first loss of the year, he’d still find a way to impress and even up that insane strikeout rate.
He’s undergone an insane transformation under Wes Johnson’s supervision. Formerly 92-95 MPH in our look at CNT, Skenes is now comfortably in the upper 90’s and touched 100 MPH on numerous occasions Thursday. It comes in like a bowling ball and he has excellent command of the pitch, mainly working east-west across the zone. The pitch will get upwards of twenty inches of run or more, which is truly absurd. The slider is his primary out pitch, a high-80s offering with serious late bite and sweep that plays very well low in the zone. He showed an ability to manipulate the shape, showcasing more depth at times, though it’s primarily a big sweeper with fifteen inches or more horizontal movement. It’s easily plus. The change-up did not get much usage, with only two being thrown, but it has great velocity separation in the 88-89 MPH range with big tumble. It’s likely an above-average pitch moving forward. He’s got great feel to spin, as well.
The aforementioned two blemishes he had would be two long home runs from Ethan Petry and Braylen Wimmer. South Carolina tested him throughout on close pitches and didn’t chase all that much early, as Petry showcased in his first at-bat. Petry’s home run was on a 99 MPH heater on the outer third, whereas Wimmer got a middle-middle heater and he did not miss it. He ultimately tallied ten whiffs overall with eight strikeouts in the three innings before a lightning delay ended his night. As a result, his strikeout rate on the year has jumped up to 53% (!).
Skenes is likely one of the best collegiate arms in recent memory. A true three-pitch mix with the big swing-and-miss traits he has, as well as very good command of his arsenal and ease of operation, really stand out and if Dylan Crews did not exist this year, you’re likely looking at the 1.1 favorite with three months remaining to the draft. It’s hard to envision Skenes falling out of the top three picks at this moment in time. - Tyler
OF Dylan Crews, lsu (no. 1 on top 400, 196 bags+)
On the other side of the ball for LSU, what Dylan Crews has done in 2023 is bordering on legendary. He’s had control of the top spot in this draft class for his entire collegiate career thus far and he’s only gone and continued to improve, currently hitting above .500 over halfway into the season with high exit velocities and contact rate. However, he showed some struggles at the plate in his battles against South Carolina pitching.
It felt as if Crews was being a bit too selective and patient at the plate and dug himself holes rather early in counts, allowing South Carolina pitchers to get into their weapons in two-strike counts. Crews has shown a tendency to struggle with sliders and change-ups and that’s what got him on the strikeouts he had over the weekend. At one point, he had swung at a slider in the dirt early in a count before whiffing on a change-up down and in. He’d end the weekend with just one single to his name that was of the infield variety. He did get hit twice and walked once in the second game, which allowed LSU to capitalize and take the lead in the top of the ninth to avoid a sweep.
With those struggles noted, he still showed off the tools that’s allowed him to become the 1.1 favorite. In batting practice, it was a line drive showcase to all fields. There’s plenty of bat speed visible to the naked eye, too, helping his potential plus power grade. As a runner, it’s above-average to plus speed, as he recorded a 4.16 home-to-first time on Friday and followed that up with a 4.25 on the infield single. You don’t find that kind of run tool with a right-handed hitter often. The speed allows him to get great range in center field and he showcased solid routes in both games. It’s enough to say he’ll hold down that spot unless there’s a better option for a team in the minors, where his arm would play well at. It’s a true five-tool potential profile and as of now, I have a hard time thinking he doesn’t go 1.1, but more clarity will appear as we creep closer to draft day. - Tyler
OF ethan petry, south carolina (197 bags+)
Ethan Petry likely will have the key to the city of Columbia come July. Why? Well, for starters, this is the most impressive freshman in the country at this point in time and is the driving force in a potent Gamecock offense that has solidified itself as one of the best in the nation. Oh, and it’s likely that this is a high-end first-round profile in 2025.
His plate discipline and approach are rather advanced for a freshman in the SEC, and while he could draw more walks, he does a good job of limiting strikeouts and doesn’t show too much swing-and-miss to his game. His power comes very easy and there’s plenty of juice in his bat, which he displayed with two home runs in Thursday’s game, including one against Paul Skenes. He’d spit at 99 MPH and 100 MPH just off the outside corner in his first at-bat before pulling a 99 MPH heater on the outer third for a mammoth line drive homer, traveling 400 feet and leaving the bat at 111 MPH. He’d strike out on a nasty slider from Skenes in the next at-bat, but he’d crush a down and in slider from Micah Bucknam in his third at-bat for a grand slam, sending Founders Park into a frenzy. It’s truly special what he’s done.
Defensively, he’s got the stereotypical frame to play the outfield, a physical specimen with a projectable upper half to his body. He takes good routes and has a solid arm, though most of his value presently comes from the bat. He did have some infield time as a prep, and maybe there’s a chance he gets to play there at some point in his college career, but it’s likely that he sticks in the outfield. He does have some good athleticism, though his run tool is never going to stand out and is likely below-average at best. However you view this profile, you’re looking at the likely SEC Freshman of the Year winner. - Tyler
SS Jordan thompson, lsu (no. 217 on top 400, 140 bags+)
If there was anyone I’d have to say was the best bat throughout the weekend for LSU, it’d have to be their shortstop, Jordan Thompson.
Thompson has slowly, but surely, evolved himself into more of an offensive threat while on campus in Baton Rouge. He’s still got some issues with spin away from him, but this is a kid that will battle pitchers in the box. He had multiple at-bats that lasted seven to eight pitches, fouling off pitches and protecting the plate. What was a bit of a surprise was the power in the bat. He had two long home runs to his pull-side, both of which were on pitches in the inner third of the plate. The kid knows how to turn on a pitch, sending both out with exit velocities hovering around 105 MPH and one of the balls landed halfway up the bleachers in deep left field. His swing is more suited for line drives, primarily to the gaps, too.
He’s certainly improved overall with his defense at shortstop, coming off a campaign with eighteen errors in 2022, though he admittedly struggled at times against South Carolina. It felt as if he was rushing himself and should have slowed down to make plays, accruing two errors throughout the series. He’s got the range and arm to stick at the position, though he likely profiles more as a utility infielder who starts at shortstop in the minor leagues. He’s certainly raised his stock this year and likely finds himself being drafted somewhere in the early part of Day 2. - Tyler
RHP Jack Mahoney, south carolina (no. 80 on top 400, 131 digs+)
In what’s been a pleasant surprise in 2023, South Carolina RHP Jack Mahoney has seemingly turned himself into one of the better SEC arms in this year’s draft class. He had missed the entirety of the 2022 season with a torn UCL, but he’s making a statement in 2023 and profiles as the best arm the team has.
There’s a good chance that Mahoney likely throws harder down the line with the way he moves down the mound, though for now, he’s primarily in the 92-95 MPH range with two-seam life that plays horizontally across the zone. He’s shown an ability to paint the corners with the pitch, though he likely won’t miss a ton of bats moving forward. He only had two whiffs on the heater, one up and away from Tre’ Morgan and the other boring in on the hands of Paxton Kling. The slider is his best pitch overall. A sweeper in the 80-85 MPH range, his slider is his primary out pitch that tunnels well with his fastball. It gives him a potentially dominant two-pitch pairing that would play very well out of a bullpen down the line. He mixes in a change-up that is firm and dives away from lefties, though it’s sparsely utilized.
He’s had a very good year up to this point and the command, which was a bit of worry coming off the injury, has looked very solid. This is a profile that could find itself scratching its way into the second round, though as of now, a third-round selection seems more likely. Mahoney has the potential to move quickly, especially if an organization believes he’s better suited for a bullpen role moving forward. With that said, he’s earned the opportunity to start at the next level. - Tyler
SS Braylen swimmer, south Carolina (168 bags+)
Wimmer displayed many reasons why he was selected in the 18th round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Phillies on Thursday night. He doesn't fear anyone at the plate between, not even the best pitcher in the country, Paul Skenes. Wimmer went 2-for-3 with a homer, a pair of walks, and a pair of RBIS.
He is 6'4 and looks every part of it with his upright stance at the plate. This frame allows him to take long strides and be a plus runner for his size. On the flip side, however, his frame looks to be negative at short, and while he has a tendency to make highlight reel plays there, he often looks clunky, and he's still learning at the position.
Wimmer isn't a hitter that's going to get cheated at the plate, and this is what positioned him to have such a quality night up there. He displayed this perfectly in the third inning when Skenes grooved him a 98 mph fastball middle-middle, and Wimmer completely took advantage of it with the ball leaving the park. The ball left his bat going 107 mph and went a nice 407 feet before finding former Gamecock Tight end Nate Adkins's hands. Wimmer finished the day with a couple of walks and a single.
Braylen Wimmer is a very polished senior, and he has picked up right where he left off SEC play last year. Many questioned his decision to return and play shortstop for his final season, and while the position change is still up in the air, no one is questioning his ability to handle the bat when the lights shine the brightest. - William
RHP James Hicks, south Carolina (no. 300 on top 400, 114 digs+)
Just like Wimmer, James Hicks was also selected in the 2022 MLB draft, but by the Brewers in the 15th round. With last season being very short-lived for Hicks due to a torn UCL, he decided to return to school to make a more prominent name for himself and improve his stock for the next cycle.
While not overpowering in stature, Hicks is a nice 6’2 190 and utilizes this athletic frame well on the mound. He is a real competitor on the mound, and on Thursday night against LSU, there were plenty of moments showcasing this.
Hicks is a true sinkerballer who uses his slider to complement the movement of the sinker well. The sinker sits around 90-92 but can occasionally run it up to 94. The slider is a true putout pitch here and has a whiff rate over 40%. The slider is nasty and flashes plus potential to me. The sinker is full of life and can be a plus pitch going forward.
All in all, Hicks has done everything the South Carolina staff asked of him, including a very impressive outing Thursday night against top-ranked LSU, where he went 4 innings, giving up two runs. Although he gave up these runs, he looked comfortable out there and mostly pitched to contact until eventually giving up a two-run shot to SS Jordan Thompson. Hicks has been labeled a Swiss army knife by many, which raised his draft stock from a year ago. He is one to keep a close eye on as the draft continues to creep up on us. - William
Honorable Mentions: 3B Tommy White, LSU; RHP Will Sanders, South Carolina; 1B/OF Tre’ Morgan, LSU; RHP Gavin Guidry, LSU
Live Looks #4: Savannah River Series
2023 MLB Draft - Top 400 Prospects
A new year, a new board and new ranks. The Top 300 is here. With the summer showcase circuit behind us and college fall ball in the rearview mirror, we’re ready to re-rank the 2023 draft class. Our team has taken in 9 showcase tournaments and been closely monitoring fall scrimmages. We’ve collected data and pitch metrics from guys showcasing their summer gains and, boy, do things look promising. Some guys are breaking out.
2023 MLB Draft - Top 300 Prospects
A new year, a new board and new ranks. The Top 300 is here. With the summer showcase circuit behind us and college fall ball in the rearview mirror, we’re ready to re-rank the 2023 draft class. Our team has taken in 9 showcase tournaments and been closely monitoring fall scrimmages. We’ve collected data and pitch metrics from guys showcasing their summer gains and, boy, do things look promising. Some guys are breaking out.
Prospects Live 2023 Preseason Collegiate All-Americans
Prospects Live is back with their 2023 Preseason All-American teams leading up to their extensive 2023 college baseball coverage.
The Prospects Live Preseason All-American teams are listed below, broken down into three separate teams. We selected our Preseason All-Americans based on their production from 2022, their prospect status in terms of our MLB Draft evaluations, and 2023 expectations.
2024 MLB Draft - Top 100 Prospects
2024 MLB Draft - Top 100 College Prospects
2024 MLB Draft - Top 50 High School Prospects
2023 MLB Draft - Top 200 Prospects
A new year, a new board and new ranks. With the summer showcase circuit behind us and college fall ball in full swing, we’re ready to re-rank the 2023 draft class. Our team has taken in 9 showcase tournaments and been closely monitoring fall scrimmages. Some guys are breaking out. As always, our boards are built on three pillars:
2023 MLB Draft - Top 150 Prospects
2023 MLB Draft - Top 100 High School Prospects
A new year, a new board and new ranks. With Prospect Development Pipeline and the Perfect Game National Showcase in the books, we’re prepared to release our Top 100 prospect. These will shift in the coming months after Area Code Games, East Coast Pro and World Wood Bat Championships, but we’re feeling pretty good about where things currently lay.
