Draft Day 1: LIVE pick-by-pick rundown, analysis

The 2023 MLB Draft is right here. Day 1 consists of the primary 70 alternatives, overlaying Rounds 1 and a pair of, Aggressive Stability Rounds A and B, a Prospect Promotion Incentive decide, plus three compensation picks.

Spherical 1 is underway now, reside on MLB Network, MLB.com and ESPN. Days 2 (Rounds 3-10) and three (Rounds 11-20) start at 2 p.m. ET on Monday and Tuesday and can stream reside completely on MLB.com.

Observe alongside right here all evening for a rundown of each decide with evaluation by MLB Pipeline and MLB Community specialists.

1) Pirates: Paul Skenes, RHP, Louisiana State
After it sounded just like the Pirates had been wanting extra at this class’ offensive choices, they opted to go along with the perfect participant on MLB Pipeline’s Draft High 250. Thought-about by many to be a generational kind of expertise, Skenes was the perfect school pitching prospect since Stephen Strasburg, in keeping with evaluators. In his solely yr with LSU after transferring from Air Power, the previous two-way participant (He was a catcher!) put up online game numbers in serving to the Tigers win the Faculty World Collection, ending with a 1.69 ERA, 15.3 Okay/9 and simply 1.5 BB/9. His 80-grade fastball sat 98 mph and commonly hit triple digits, his slider is unhittable and his energy changeup has the possibility to be excellent as properly. Skenes isn’t anticipated to wish an excessive amount of time to get to the large leagues; some scouts assume he might get Main League hitters out along with his stuff proper now. More >

2) Nationals: Dylan Crews, OF, Louisiana State
Based mostly on pre-Draft buzz, the one factor which may have saved the Nationals from taking Paul Skenes with their decide was if the Pirates chosen him, and that’s precisely what occurred. Most felt that if this occurred, the Nats would go along with Skenes’ teammate, Crews, who was the 2023 Golden Spikes Award Winner and sat atop many Draft boards. The middle fielder has a monitor file of success within the SEC and saved the perfect for final, hitting .426/.567/.713 in 2023. He can play heart discipline and hit for common and energy due to a sophisticated method on the plate, one which helped him stroll extra instances than he struck out in his LSU profession. Like Skenes, it shouldn’t take Crews lengthy to be huge league prepared; he’s the form of school hitter who might deal with an aggressive project and make a beeline to Washington. More >

3) Tigers: Max Clark, OF, Franklin (Ind.) HS
Whereas this isn’t an enormous shock, as Clark was within the combine at No. 1 and all through the highest 5, projections had been usually school hitters on this spot, so it’s a bit of shocking to not see Wyatt Langford go right here. That mentioned, Clark may need as excessive of an upside as anybody on this class. He has the perfect all-around set of instruments within the class and has the possibility to have all 5 at his disposal. He’s a no-doubt heart fielder who can actually run and has a plus arm from the outfield. He makes constantly onerous contact, and whereas energy was the one software seemingly behind the others, he’d made strides in including power throughout his senior yr. Clark performs with a ton of power and keenness always. More >

4) Rangers: Wyatt Langford, OF, Florida
Langford didn’t have to attend lengthy to listen to his title referred to as. Some scouts felt he belonged in the identical dialog as Dylan Crews, a minimum of by way of his offensive potential. After not enjoying a lot throughout his freshman yr at Florida, Langford burst onto the scene in 2022, hitting 26 homers and ending with a 1.166 OPS. He by some means upped his sport this previous season with a 1.282 OPS, strolling extra instances than he struck out whereas hitting 21 homers. The one factor he hasn’t carried out a lot of, in comparison with Crews, is play heart discipline, although some really feel the right-handed hitter has the athleticism to take action, so it will likely be fascinating to see if the Rangers give him an opportunity to a minimum of begin his professional profession there. The Rangers have now chosen a university participant within the first spherical for a fifth straight yr. More >

5) Twins: Walker Jenkins, OF, South Brunswick HS, Southport, N.C.
Whereas we didn’t predict them within the appropriate order, the highest 5 skills within the class left the board within the prime 5. There was loads of speak that the Twins may find yourself going with a university hitter right here, as they’re a group that usually lean on their mannequin to tell picks. The left-handed hitter has a ton of energy, each now and sooner or later, and actually helped his profile by displaying he can play heart discipline and demonstrating extra athleticism than he had up to now. More >

6) Athletics: Jacob Wilson, SS, Grand Canyon
The son of former huge leaguer Jack Wilson, Jacob performs the identical place as his dad and will probably be in a position to take action for a really very long time. He additionally has a really robust monitor file of hitting, with a .977 OPS in his GCU profession. He hit .412/.461/.635 as a junior and continued to be maybe the perfect contact hitter in school baseball, putting out in simply 2.3 p.c of his plate appearances as a junior. More >

7) Reds: Rhett Lowder, RHP, Wake Forest
After Paul Skenes, Lowder was the perfect, and most constant, school pitcher within the class. And whereas the Reds had been taking a look at a variety of hitters out there, they couldn’t go up his mixture of stuff, command and competitiveness. He has sufficient fastball velocity, as much as 97 mph at instances with good sink, nevertheless it’s his plus changeup that’s a separator, and his slider flashes plus. Lowder throws strikes with all three, and it’s simple to dream of him attending to Cincinnati in a rush. More >

8) Royals: Blake Mitchell, C, Sinton (Texas) HS
The Royals are not any stranger to taking a excessive schooler this excessive, having taken their No. 5 prospect, Frank MozzicatoNo. 7 total in 2021. Like in that situation, it appears just like the Royals have gotten an excellent expertise who will even be a cash saver, so it will likely be fascinating to see how they use their bonus pool cash transferring ahead, with an additional decide at No. 66 total offering a much bigger pool. Highschool catching generally is a dangerous demographic, however Mitchell has the possibility to hit, and with energy, and he’s received all of the instruments to stay behind the plate. More >

9) Rockies: Chase Dollander, RHP, Tennessee
All indicators pointed to the Rockies concentrating on pitching, and with Rhett Lowder off the board, Dollander was the next-best possibility amongst school arms. Stuff-wise, he belongs up this excessive, with a plus fastball and slider to associate with changeup and curve. His outcomes this yr didn’t match the stuff, along with his command struggling at instances. Some consider Dollander’s points may be mounted with professional instruction, one thing the Rockies are banking on. More >

10) Marlins: Noble Meyer, RHP, Jesuit HS, Portland, Ore.
Meyer was thought of the perfect highschool arm within the class, providing an attractive mixture of stuff, really feel for pitching and projection. Coming from the identical highschool program as Phillies prospect (and 2023 Futures Sport starter) Mick Abel, Meyer has a fastball that flirts with triple digits and a slider that ought to be plus in time. He additionally has higher really feel for a changeup than many prepsters and usually is across the strike zone, with frontline starter potential. More >

11) Angels: Nolan Schanuel, 1B, Florida Atlantic
This has lengthy been thought of a touchdown spot for a university bat; it was a matter of which one. The Angels like taking superior gamers who can get to the large leagues shortly, and after their success with Zach Neto final yr, Schanuel suits what the Halos are attempting to do. He was arguably the perfect performer within the school sport in 2023, hitting .447 with a 1.483 OPS and a ridiculous 14/71 Okay/BB ratio. He could be athletic sufficient to deal with an outfield nook, nevertheless it’s the bat that may carry him. More >

12) D-backs: Tommy Troy, SS, Stanford
Troy hit properly in his sophomore yr at Stanford, then saved it going with a powerful Cape Cod League final summer season to place himself extra firmly on the first-round map. He turned it up a notch as a junior, hitting near .400 with 17 homers and 17 steals. He’s athletic and runs properly, and he has proven the flexibility to play three infield positions. More >

13) Cubs: Matt Shaw, SS, Maryland
One of many higher pure school hitters within the class, Shaw earned Cape Cod League MVP honors final summer season, then posted a 1.142 OPS with 24 homers and 18 steals for the Terrapins in 2023. He performed principally shortstop in school however moved round a bit early and whereas enjoying on the Cape, with most considering second base is the perfect house for him long-term if he stays on the dust. More >

14) Crimson Sox: Kyle Teel, C, Virginia
Teel was a stable highschool prospect in 2020 however eliminated his title from the Draft so he might head to Virginia. Three years later, he performed his approach into the highest 15. He’s a super-athletic backstop who has the possibility to stay behind the plate with an arm that’s simply plus. He’s a left-handed hitter with a sophisticated method who appeared to discover a good steadiness between hitting for common and energy in 2023. This breaks a streak of 4 straight highschool hitters taken by the Crimson Sox with their first-round picks. More >

15) White Sox: Jacob Gonzalez, SS, Mississippi
Gonzalez’s title was arising as excessive as No. 5 to the Twins. With a stable method, Gonzalez works counts and attracts walks, and he did a greater job in 2023 of not getting power-happy whereas nonetheless ending with a .999 OPS. The left-handed hitter has the possibility to be an above-average hitter with higher than common energy, although it stays to be seen if he can stick at shortstop on the subsequent degree, with third or second maybe higher long-term choices. More >

16) Giants: Bryce Eldridge, 1B/RHP, Madison HS, Vienna, Va.
Essentially the most fascinating a part of this decide is that Eldridge was introduced as a two-way participant, and he’ll be a part of Reggie Crawford as a two-way man within the group. His bat had jumped forward of his mound work throughout his senior season, with spectacular uncooked energy from the left aspect. The 6-foot-7 right-handed pitcher does have arm power, with a fastball that touches 96-97 and a few really feel for spin and a changeup, however his pitching may take extra time to develop than his bat. More >

17) Orioles: Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF, Vanderbilt
Bradfield’s carrying software is his velocity, and he has loads of it, incomes an 80 grade on the scouting scale for his wheels. He ought to be a severe basestealing menace on the subsequent degree, and his velocity helps him be a premium defender in heart discipline. Whereas he has added a bit of power, his sport is making contact and getting on base so he can use that velocity to his biggest benefit. The O’s have now taken a university hitter with three of their final 4 opening picks. More >

18) Brewers: Brock Wilken, 3B, Wake Forest
Should you like energy, you’re going to love Wilken. He has as a lot uncooked pop as anybody within the class, and he received to it in school, setting Wake Forest information for profession homers after smashing 31 this season. He improved his total method in 2023, with extra walks than strikeouts (although there’ll all the time doubtless be some swing and miss to his sport), serving to him get to his pop much more. He may be capable of stick at third, nevertheless it’s the bat the Brewers purchased right here. That’s now 5 straight school bats within the first spherical for Milwaukee. More >

19) Rays: Brayden Taylor, 3B, Texas Christian
We had been listening to Taylor’s title as excessive as No. 6, so the Rays are doubtless very excited his candy left-handed swing was nonetheless on the board right here. He makes a ton of onerous contact and does job working counts, serving to him get to his energy extra. He profiles as somebody who ought to hit for common and energy even when he hunted homers extra in 2023 (and received them, with 23). He’s athlete and defender, with extra projection than many school bats.

20) Blue Jays: Arjun Nimmala, SS, Strawberry Crest HS, Dover, Fla.
One of many youngest gamers within the class, Nimmala presents an intriguing mixture of projection and uncooked energy in a center infielder bundle. He can drive the ball to all fields and may faucet into that uncooked pop extra constantly as he refines his method. He has each probability to stay at shortstop for a very long time and has spectacular upside, with the potential to develop plus instruments throughout the board.

21) Cardinals: Chase Davis, OF, Arizona