The Major League Baseball Draft is still seven months away and bonus pools aren’t even set yet but an increase is expected to occur. The Pittsburgh Pirates landed the first pick via the inaugural draft lottery system taking place. The club had a 16.5 percent chance at landing the top selection.
The Oakland Athletics came into the process with identical odds at picking first but that organization fell to the No. 6 in the order. The Minnesota Twins jumped into the top five from the 13th position and the bonus pool gain alone is a significant boon for the franchise.
The White Sox possessed the 26th overall pick in the 2022 draft and the bonus pool allowed them to spend around $6.5 million. The franchise should have well over $8 million to spend this year with half of the total earmarked for the 15th overall pick. Here at Sox Machine we wrote about the top hitters and pitchers in next year’s class.
This will be Mike Shirley’s fourth draft in the big chair. Is he a total wild card, or are trends starting to form? In his first three attempts, he’s chosen from different demographics with Garrett Crochet (college pitcher), Colson Montgomery (prep hitter) and Noah Schultz (prep pitcher). Could the White Sox just decide to take a college bat this time and round out the foursome?
Here’s a way-too-early look at the first round.
1. Pittsburgh Pirates: Dylan Crews, OF, LSU
Crews projects as a middle-of-the-order force with a corner outfield profile possessing plus power and defense. He fits the window in Pittsburgh and is the early favorite for this spot.
2. Washington Nationals: Max Clark, OF, Franklin HS (IN)
Clark is a dynamic five-tool talent from the Indianapolis area who should stay in center field. Possessing elite speed and a plus hit tool, he has franchise=changing potential. The Nationals could take the big conference college starting pitcher but they go for upside here.
3. Detroit Tigers: Jacob Gonzalez, SS, Ole Miss
Scott Harris decides to go with a college bat to begin his tenure as the lead decision maker in Detroit. Gonzalez makes lots of contact with plus exit velocities and budding power.
4. Texas Rangers: Chase Dollander, RHP, Tennessee
Dollander profiles as a front-of-the-rotation starter and still has some projection left. There’s high-90’s heat here with an excellent slider and he should be the best pitcher in the country this year. Chris Young hasn’t been shy about taking college pitching recently.
5. Minnesota Twins: Walker Jenkins, OF, South Brunswick HS (NC)
The Twins lucked into this selection and they’ll nab a five-tool center fielder with huge raw power who hits from the left side. Jenkins is one of the best prep hitters in the class.
6. Oakland Athletics: Jacob Wilson, SS, Grand Canyon
Wilson moved to shortstop last season and was superb for Team USA this summer. He walks a ton and doesn’t strike out very often. Wilson is likely to stay on the infield dirt and should be a top ten pick.
7. Cincinnati Reds: Wyatt Langford, OF, Florida
The Reds would have liked to pick higher than this but Langford is a solid consolation prize. The Florida slugger is a right-handed hitter with a hit tool and power projection that offers plenty of defensive versatility.
8. Kansas City Royals: Enrique Bradfield, OF, Vanderbilt
In JJ Picollo’s first draft, he takes one of the safer players in the first round that projects for elite speed and defense in center field. Bradfield has an old school game but he’s improving his power.
9. Colorado Rockies: Aidan Miller, 3B, Mitchell HS (FL)
The Rockies haven’t been afraid to take prep hitters this early and Miller possesses raw power and bat speed from the right side. He should stay at third base as well.
10. Miami Marlins: Paul Skenes, RHP/DH, LSU
The 6-foot-6-inch, 235-pounder has true two-potential as a slugger and pitcher. The LSU transfer pitched for Team USA this summer and has shown plus power potential with the bat as well.
11. Los Angeles Angels: Brayden Taylor, 3B, TCU
Perry Minasian began his tenure by loading up on pitching but he goes for another college bat here. Taylor is a left-handed hitting third sacker who projects for power and on base ability.
12. Arizona Diamondbacks: Kevin McGonigle, SS, Bonner HS (PA)
McGonigle is a left-handed hitter who should stay on the infield dirt and he’s a high IQ player with an excellent offensive track record on the prep circuit.
13. Chicago Cubs: Rhett Lowder, RHP, Wake Forest
Jed Hoyer, Dan Kantrovitz and the Cubs go back to the well and continue to add pitching to their pipeline. Lowder pitched well for Team USA and displayed a three-pitch mix after being named ACC Pitcher of the Year.
14. Boston Red Sox: Colt Emerson, SS, Glenn HS (OH)
Emerson is a definite Red Sox type as a left-handed-hitting infielder with advanced skills at the dish even if it’s hit over power right now.
15. Chicago White Sox: Thomas White, LHP, Phillips Academy (MA)
The White Sox have taken prep pitching in the last four drafts and lefties in two of the last three. White is a 6-foot-5-inch, 210-pound southpaw who is committed to Vanderbilt. He’s a potential top-of-the-rotation starter with a fastball that touches 96 mph with high-spin breaking stuff.
16. San Francisco Giants: Hurston Waldrep, RHP, Florida
Waldrep is a 6-2, 205-pound righty with a plus slider and a fastball that touches 98 mph. He shows arm speed from a high slot and Farhan Zaidi likes drafting college players.
17. Baltimore Orioles: Matt Shaw, SS, Maryland
Mike Elias and the Orioles just keep taking hitters throughout drafts and Shaw is excellent value at this juncture. The infielder is one of the best hitters in the college class and was outstanding in the Cape Cod League.
18. Milwaukee Brewers: Maui Ahuna, SS, Tennessee
The shortstop has transferred to Tennessee for the 2023 season and he should be the igniter for the Volunteers’ offense. He has a sweet left-handed swing and played for Team USA this summer.
19. Tampa Bay Rays: Noble Meyer, RHP, Jesuit HS (OR)
Meyer is the best prep righty in the class and he could vault himself higher than this. He possesses a plus-plus fastball with a plus slider and throws tons of strikes.
20. Toronto Blue Jays: Yohandy Morales, 3B, Miami
Morales has improved since high school and could end up going even higher than this. The 6-4, 208-pounder plays solid defense at third base, improved his walk rate and has shown great power. He played well for Team USA after hitting 18 homers at Miami last season.
21. St. Louis Cardinals: Tanner Witt, RHP, Texas
The Cardinals decide to go with the college pitcher here and this 6-5, 215-pound righty shows a four pitch mix with a mid 90’s fastball. He should pitch some in 2023 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
22. Seattle Mariners: Tommy Troy, IF, Stanford
Troy has had a lot of success on the Cape and is defensively versatile. The offensive ability really started to show up as a Sophomore and could be the driving force for going higher than this in July.
23. Cleveland Indians: Will Sanders, RHP, South Carolina
There is some physical projection remaining which Cleveland likes and the 6-6, 215-pounder should have improved stuff after entering their development system.
24. Atlanta Braves: Chad Kuehler, RHP, Campbell
The 6-0, 205-pound righty touches 98 mph with his fastball and pitched for Team USA this summer. This program has had success lately turning professional players.
25. San Diego Padres: Roch Cholowsky, SS, Hamilton HS (AZ)
AJ Preller loves to take upside in the draft but he’ll be down a couple of picks. This is an aggressive prep hitter who needs added strength but he’s a good athlete.
26. New York Yankees: Brock Wilken, 3B, Wake Forest
The Yankees love drafting power and Wilken fits perfectly. The third baseman strikes out too much but shows massive power with a 6-4, 225 pound frame.
27. Philadelphia Phillies: Kyle Teel, C, Virginia Tech
Teel possesses offensive skills and defensive upside behind the dish. There are some swing questions here but the results have been good. Teel could go much higher as the top college catcher.
28. Houston Astros: Cole Carrigg, CF/SS, San Diego State
Carrigg is a versatile defender that should stick in center field. It’s more of a line-drive-oriented swing that doesn’t produce enough exit velocity at present but Houston does well with this type of profile.
29. Seattle Mariners (Julio Rodriguez ROY Compensation): Arjun Nimmala, SS, Strawberry Crest HS (FL)
The Florida State commit is one of the youngest players in the draft class. He’s a middle infielder with offensive upside. Seattle receives this pick for Julio Rodriguez winning Rookie of the Year and the Mariners will select at No. 30 as well.
32. New York Mets: Dylan Cupp, SS, Cedartown HS (GA)
The Mets first selection will be pushed back 10 spots due to being over the competitive balance tax but they’ll receive multiple fourth-rounders for losing QO free agents. There is lots of projection remaining with Cupp’s game but he’s one of the best prep hitters in the class. He has been a high level circuit performer.
36. Los Angeles Dodgers: Patrick Reilly, RHP, Vanderbilt
The Dodgers have drafted pitchers from Vanderbilt before and aren’t afraid to do so again here. Reilly throws high-90’s heat but will need some alterations to improve his control and command. The Dodgers first pick also moves back ten spots due to being over the competitive balance tax threshold.
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