2023 MLB Mock Draft: Second Edition

 Here is the second version of my 2023 MLB Mock Draft.

1. Pittsburgh Pirates- Dylan Crews, Outfielder, LSU: It would be stunning to me if Crews is not the pick here for the Pirates, who would add to a strong farm system. His bat is sensational and hits the ball hard and really has done a good job cleaning up swing and miss concerns that he had in the past.

2. Washington Nationals- Paul Skenes, Right Handed Pitcher, LSU: The second LSU prospect in a row goes here to the Nats, which would be a great selection for them. Skenes projects to be a top of the rotation starter with an elite fastball that is impossible to hit.

3. Detroit Tigers- Wyatt Langford, Outfielder, Florida: The Tigers here take the talented outfielder in Langford, who could have been a top overall pick in a different year. Langford has the potential to be a five-tool player with his ability to hit and the approach at the plate he has.

4. Texas Rangers- Walker Jenkins, Outfielder, South Brunswick HS (NC): The first high school player comes off the board here with Jenkins landing with Texas. Jenkins was a faster runner in the past, but since he got more muscle and now so he's just a solid runner and has good arm strength.

5. Minnesota Twins- Max Clark, Outfielder, Franklin HS (Indiana): The Twins have a history of taking highly touted high school outfielders and here I have them going with another one. Clark is a double-plus runner and his speed is big time in the outfield and on the bases and is a line drives hitter.

6. Oakland Athletics- Kyle Teel, Catcher, Virginia: The first catcher off the board comes here with Teel going to the Athletics. Teel has the potential to hit for both average and power and has a chance to stick behind the plate.

7. Cincinnati Reds- Chase Dollander, Right Handed Pitcher, Tennessee: The second pitcher goes off the board here with Dollander going to the Reds. Dollander has the potential to be a front line starter, but his pitch location has been off sans his control and command being good.

8. Kansas City Royals- Jacob Wilson, Shortstop, Grand Canyon: The Royals have options here, but Wilson could be too good to pass up. He could end up one of the better pure hitters of the draft class and barely strikes out.

9. Colorado Rockies- Rhett Lower, Right Handed Pitcher, Wake Forest: What feels synonymous every year is that the Rockies need pitching in their system. Lower has a really good delivery and his change up is his best pitch. He is a competitive pitcher and some project him as a mid rotation starter.

10. Miami Marlins- Jacob Gonzalez, Shortstop, Ole Miss: The Marlins are one of the teams that feels likely to take a shortstop here. Gonzalez is a fast rising prospect that has bat-to-ball skills, but below average speed which may concern teams from a position standpoint.

11. Los Angeles Angels- Enrique Bradfield Jr, Outfielder, Vanderbilt: The Angels are a team that must go with the best player available route with Shohei Ohtani's future in the air. Bradfield has blazing fast speed and projects to be a contact hitter with not a ton of power.

12. Arizona Diamondbacks- Arjun Nimmala, Shortstop, Strawberry Crest HS (FL): The Diamondbacks add to their collection of young infield prospects here with Nimmala. He has the arm and range to stick at the position and has raw power to drive balls all over the field.

13. Chicago Cubs- Noble Meyer, Right Handed Pitcher, Jesuit HS (OR): The Cubs farm system can use some arms in it and here I have them getting a high school one in Meyer. His velocity is trending upward overall with good arm speed and has a good feel for the strike zone.

14. Boston Red Sox- Aidan Miller, Third Baseman, Mitchell HS (FL):  The Red Sox I feel should go with a pitcher, but here I have them going with Miller. He has plus raw power with a lot of strength in the bat and could move to first base down the road if third base doesn't work longterm.

15. Chicago White Sox- Colin Houck, Shortstop, Parkview HS (GA): White Sox are another team that I feel should take the best player available. Houck has raw power, but does swing and miss at times and is an above average defender that can move to third base down the road.

16. San Francisco Giants- Matt Shaw, Shortstop, Maryland: The Giants could go any direction with their pick. Shaw can play anywhere in the infield defensively with the thought of him ending up at second, but it will be the bat that would get him drafted in the first round.

17. Baltimore Orioles- Bryce Eldridge, First Baseman/Right Handed Pitcher, Madison HS (Vienna VA): The Orioles have a good farm system, sans some recent graduates.  Eldridge on the mound has three above average pitches and decent velocity and at the plate he has serious raw power.

18. Milwaukee Brewers- Brayden Taylor, Third Baseman, TCU: The Brewers have a solid track record with drafting college players. Taylor has good bat-to-ball skills and hits to all fields and plays good defense at the hot corner.

19. Tampa Bay Rays- Hustron Waldrep, Right Handed Pitcher, Florida: The Rays have a super strong and deep farm system and here I have taking a solid pitcher in Waldrep. He has a legit three-pitch power mix with all three pitches with a chance to be good, but his command and control is inconsistent.

20. Toronto Blue Jays- Tommy Troy, Third Baseman/Shortstop, Stanford: The Jays are a team that has some prospect recouping to do. Troy is someone that can play both left infield positions and makes consistent, hard contact with the ball and rarely strikes out.

21.  St. Louis Cardinals- Nolan Schanuel, First Baseman/Outfielder, FAU: The Cardinals go with a college bat yet again here with Schanuel. He has an above average approach at the plate with walking a lot and not striking out often with being a good hitter.

22. Seattle Mariners- Blake Mitchell, Catcher, Sinton HS (TX): The Mariners take the high school catcher here with Mitchell. He is a solid athlete and is an agile defender and can block and receive well with double-plus arm strength. If it doesn't work out behind the plate, the bat can get him to play a different position.

23. Cleveland Guardians- Colt Emerson, Shortstop/Third Baseman, Glenn HS (OH): The Guardians have a solid farm system and they have a history of taking high school position players. Emerson plays both left infield positions and both very well and is an advanced hard contact hitter for a high schooler.

24. Atlanta Braves- George Lombard Jr, Shortstop/Third Baseman, Gulliver Prep (FLA): The Braves need some youth in their farm system with their recent graduates. Lombard has good instincts, hands, and a strong arm and has a ton of raw hitting potential.

25. San Diego Padres- Thomas White, Left Handed Pitcher, Phillips Academy (MA): The Padres are a team that has some recouping to do in the system after some of their big recent moves. White is the top lefty in this class with his good delivery and elite fast ball, but there are concerns with his command.

26. New York Yankees- Dillon Head, Outfielder, Homewood-Flossmoor HS (ILL): The Yankees are a team that needs some high school level players in their system. Head has a gap-to-gap approach at the plate, but gets pole happy at times and his speed is electric.

27. Philadelphia Phillies- Charlie Soto, Right Handed Pitcher, Reborn Christian Academy (FLA): The Phillies are another team that can use youth in the pipe. Soto checks a lot of boxes teams like such as size, "stuff", and being only 17 come draft day and has a great collection of good pitches.

28. Houston Astros- Chase Davis, Outfielder, Arizona: The Astros are another team that should take the best prospect available. Davis is someone that fits what the Astros look for as he has raw power and drives the ball to all fields and he has great speed.