The Pittsburgh Pirates have the first overall pick in the July 2023 MLB draft. Our draft preview looked at the top prospects for the pick.
At this stage, the draft is very much up in the air. Every Monday, we’ll recap notable performances from around the prep and college ranks, with video to give you an early look at who could be available to the Pirates.
The top of this draft class right now is LSU outfielder Dylan Crews, who had a big weekend. He went 2-for-4 with two singles, two runs and an RBI on Friday night against Kansas State. LSU played Iowa on Saturday. Crews went 2-for-3 with two singles, two RBIs and two walks. Against Sam Houston on Sunday, he went 5-for-6, with three doubles, four runs and four RBIs. He is 13-for-23 with six walks so far this year.
Here’s video of his first home run this season:
Dylan Crews. That's it.@__dc4__ | SECN+ pic.twitter.com/JaCTo7rtUB
— LSU Baseball (@LSUbaseball) February 19, 2023
LSU right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes is a top ten draft prospect. The #1 pick might be a stretch, but not if he keeps having games like Friday. He went six innings on two hits, one earned run, two walks and 11 strikeouts.
Here’s a quick video with some added info:
Paul Skenes (@LSUbaseball) throwing absolute smoke early on, sitting firmly 98-99 T100. CH has been the go-to early at 90-92. Flashed couple SL’s at 87 w/ some sweep. #PGDraft @vcervinoPG @B_Sakowski_PG pic.twitter.com/3BU86fCnjq
— PG College Baseball (@PGCollegeBall) February 24, 2023
Chase Dollander is considered to be the top pitcher in the class right now. The University of Tennessee pitcher went 5.2 innings on Sunday, allowing two runs on five hits, one walk and 12 strikeouts versus Dayton.
Here’s video from his debut last weekend:
Chase Dollander, the top pitching prospect in the 2023 Draft class, struck out 7 over 4 2/3 in his season debut for @Vol_Baseball. pic.twitter.com/wtzP9kn4Kv
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) February 18, 2023
Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford has a chance to go #1. His team played Cincinnati over the weekend. He went 1-for-2 on Friday, with a double, two runs, two RBIs and two walks. He was 3-for-4 on Saturday, with a double, homer, walk, three runs and two RBIs. He went 0-for-1 with two walks and a HBP on Sunday.
Here’s the homer:
Florida OF Wyatt Langford hits a ball out of The Swamp. He's been a steady force early on this season. Four doubles, a triple and two homers with ten RBI in his first seven games. pic.twitter.com/UuOFx54Kd7
— Joe Doyle (@JoeDoyleMiLB) February 25, 2023
Jacob Wilson from Grand Canyon University has a long shot at being the #1, but he’s still a top ten prospect now AND he’s the son of Pirates shortstop Jack Wilson. So, he’s going to be followed here for two reasons. His team had a tough schedule, playing Ohio State and Gonzaga two times each this weekend.
Wilson went 1-for-3 with a double on Thursday. He went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer, a walk and a sacrifice fly on Friday. He was 4-for-6, with a double and five RBIs on Saturday in game one of a doubleheader. He went 1-for-2 in the second game.
Here are two of his big hits:
Jacob Wilson doing Jacob Wilson things. 3-3 on the day with 2 doubles and 4 RBIs. Just an absolute barrel magnet pic.twitter.com/vy2wYEmDLL
— Peter Flaherty III (@PeterGFlaherty) February 25, 2023
The homer:
