Top 2023 High School MLB Draft Prospects

Notes:

Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 210 | B-T: L-R
Commit/Drafted: North Carolina
Age At Draft: 18.4

Preseason Report: Jenkins entered the 2023 draft cycle as one of the most exciting players in the nation after earning a spot on USA Baseball’s 18U national team as an underclassmen in 2021. He didn’t get to showcase his talents throughout the entire 2022 summer after a hamate injury, but he's a comparable talent to Indiana outfielder Max Clark. At 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, Jenkins has now physicality and easy plus raw power to go with it. He accesses that power with a picturesque lefthanded swing reminiscent of some of the top sluggers in baseball. There’s minimal pre-pitch movement and he fires his barrel through the zone with impressive bat speed after a small and simple leg kick. Jenkins has good pure bat-to-ball skills and zone recognition, giving him a chance to be both a plus pure hitter and potential 30-homer masher who uses the entire field with authority. Jenkins has turned in plus run times and is an above-average runner presently, though he could downgrade to more of an average runner at peak physical maturity. A center fielder now, Jenkins has shown good instincts and route-running ability that could allow him to start his career in the middle of the outfield, with the requisite plus arm strength that would make a right field transition easy. Jenkins has been compared to former Pirates first-rounder Austin Meadows and possesses the best hit/power upside in the prep class. He is a North Carolina commit but has a chance to go among the top 10 picks.

Notes:

Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 190 | B-T: L-L
Commit/Drafted: Vanderbilt
Age At Draft: 18.6

Preseason Report: A high school hitter from Indiana has never been selected among the top 10 picks in the draft, but Clark is well-positioned to become the first thanks to his combination of pure hitting ability, athleticism and big-time supplemental tools. He's one of the best pure hitters in the 2023 class, with a smooth, balanced swing that's quick, compact and comes through the hitting zone with good bat path. He has good strike-zone discipline and hand-eye coordination with the ability to adjust his swing based on the situation and where the ball is pitched, so he seldom swings and misses. Over a 765-pitch sample with Synergy from 2020-2022, Clark missed at just a 13% rate. He has a line drive, hit-first approach and hasn’t yet shown much in the way of game power despite the bat speed and strength projection in a well-proportioned and muscular 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame that could suggest above-average power in the future. Clark’s speed and defense aren’t a question. He routinely turned in double-plus run times during the 2022 showcase season and has the speed to turn infield grounders into singles and line drives in the gaps into doubles. He has impressive instincts in center field to go with plus-plus arm strength, and if he weren’t such a good hitting prospect he’d be an intriguing pitcher in his own right, with mid-90s velocity from the left side. Clark projects for at least four plus tools, has all-star upside and should go in the first 10 picks. He’s a Vanderbilt commit.

Notes:

Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 200 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Oregon
Age At Draft: 18.5

Preseason Report: Meyer established himself as the top prep pitching prospect during the 2022 summer showcase circuit, as he continued improving his fastball velocity and also showed one of the better breaking balls in the class. After pitching in the upper 80s and touching low 90s in 2021, Meyer now sits with a fastball in the low 90s and has touched as high as 98 mph. A tall and lean, 6-foot-5, 200-pound righthander, Meyer has a similar frame to fellow Northwest prep righthander Mick Abel at the same time. He works with a clean and athletic delivery, and while his arm action is a bit long in his takeback, he showed solid ability to repeat a lower, three-quarters arm slot and lacks much violence in his finish. Meyer primarily works with a fastball/slider combination and uses that two-pitch combination to dominate batters over the summer. At his best, like his brief outing at Perfect Game’s National showcase where he struck out six in two innings, he flashes a pair of 70-grade pitches with solid control. The fastball sat in the mid-90s with powerful running life that on multiple occasions ripped his catcher’s glove off and his mid-80s slider features tons of horizontal, sweeping life and has wipeout potential. Meyer has infrequently used a firm, upper-80s changeup that has diving life but needs to add more feel for the pitch. With now stuff and plenty of projection still remaining, the Oregon commit has mid-rotation upside and is solidly a first-round talent.

Notes:

Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 220 | B-T: L-L
Commit/Drafted: Vanderbilt
Age At Draft: 18.8

Preseason Report: White established himself as one of the top pitchers in the 2023 class as an underclassman after showing standout velocity and size for his age and handedness. Listed at a 6-foot-5, 210 pounds, White has a remarkably smooth and fluid delivery with a loose and long arm action, low-effort mechanics and steady finish with an extended, three-quarters slot. White pitches in the 93-96 mph range in short stints and will sit a tick in the low 90s in longer outings, with lots of running and riding life that explodes on hitters. He has experimented with both a slider and a curveball, with the former sitting in the low 80s and the latter sitting in the mid-to-upper 70s. The two breaking balls can blend together at times, but a slider might be his best option moving forward given his arm slot. White’s changeup took a step forward as his most consistent secondary offering this summer, and looked like a plus pitch at times, with solid separation from his fastball in the 80-83 mph range and late diving action when he executed down in the zone. The length of White’s levers has added to inconsistencies with his release point and overall control, which will be an area of development for him moving forward. Still, his natural arm talent from the left side and ideal pitcher’s build give him significant upside. White is a Vanderbilt commit, but the top lefthanders are always a commodity in the draft.

Notes:

Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 185 | B-T: L-R
Commit/Drafted: Auburn
Age At Draft: 18.9

Preseason Report: McGonigle has a stellar offensive track record and dominated the travel ball circuit in both 2021 and 2022, on top of performing well against New Jersey high school competition and with Team USA’s 18U national team. The consistency of his at-bats and production, no matter the competition, places him as one of the best pure hitters in the class. Listed at 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, McGonigle consistently produces hard contact with quick hands and a tight, efficient swing from the left side with a mature approach and sound strike-zone discipline. He will aggressively jump on pitches early in the count, but has also shown adjustability in the zone in order to square up different pitch types in different quadrants of the zone. McGonigle has below-average raw power now, but he is solidly built with the sort of barrel accuracy that could allow him to fully maximize his raw power in games, with 20-homer potential. McGonigle is a high-IQ player who is more likely to be a steady defender than a flashy, impactful one. A shortstop now, McGonigle has turned in some above-average run times, but is more of a fringey or below-average runner out of the box. That lack of range could make him a better fit for second base, where he has solid hands, fluid defensive actions and requisite arm strength for the position. McGonigle is committed to Auburn but viewed as a first-round talent in a similar mold to previous undersized middle infielders like Cole Young and Anthony Volpe.

Notes:

Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 170 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Florida State
Age At Draft: 17.7

Preseason Report: Nimmala is one of the youngest players in the 2023 class and will still be 17 on draft day. He stood out as an underclassmen for his impressive defensive aptitude in the middle infield, but as he’s added strength to his wiry frame, his tools have taken a jump and so has his draft stock. A 6-foot-1, 170-pound shortstop, Nimmala has plus bat speed and takes aggressive swings. He showed shockingly good raw power throughout the summer in batting practice for a player of his current size and physicality, with quick-twitch hands and a whippy bat that allow him to make impressive impact now, with plus raw power a possibility as he fills out. While Nimmala has impressive raw power, his approach needs more refinement, and his contact ability is questionable. He expands the zone too frequently, and while he’s capable of driving both fastballs and breaking balls, he’ll also get too steep with his bat path and swing under pitches, as well as waive over them below the zone. He should stick at shortstop in pro ball, where he has the requisite actions and arm strength for the position. He’s a bouncy athlete who moves well to both sides and has solid hands, though he’s more of an average runner and often is slow to get out of the box and down the first base line. Some scouts who like him have placed Alfonso Soriano comps on Nimmala, as a power-hitting infielder. He’s committed to Florida State.

Notes:

Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 205 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Arkansas
Age At Draft: 19.1

Preseason Report: One of the most decorated high school players in the class, Miller has represented Team USA on its 12U, 15U and 18U national teams, winning gold with both the 15U and 18U teams and leading the 2022 18U team in hitting (.478). He’s in the running for best pure hitter in the high school class, thanks to tremendous bat speed, a sound approach and understanding of the strike zone and raw power that makes him a fairly complete offensive player. Miller doesn’t have the most idyllic swing, which features a sizeable leg kick and a significant hitch and barrel tip in his load, but his hand speed and natural timing are more than enough to make it work—with many scouts seemingly unconcerned with the hitch and calling it an effective timing mechanism as much as anything else. For all of its odd moving parts, Miller’s swing is controlled and balanced throughout. He’s shown the ability to square up high-end velocity, and projects for plus power with a 6-foot-2, 205-pound frame that has a bit more room for added strength and muscle mass at physical maturity. A third baseman and outfielder, Miller would profile best at third base, where his plus arm strength would be an asset. There’s no glaring reason why he can’t stick at the position, but reinforcing his profile there during the spring in Florida could help cement himself in the first round or push him further up the board. Miller is an Arkansas commit.

Notes:

Ht: 6-7 | Wt: 233 | B-T: L-R
Commit/Drafted: Alabama
Age At Draft: 18.7

Preseason Report: Entering the 2022 summer, Eldridge was likely viewed as a high-upside pitching prospect who also had some intriguing raw power as a hitter. After going ballistic with Team USA’s gold-medal winning 18U national team and winning MVP of the World Cup, Eldridge is one of the top two-way prospects in the class and potentially akin to a righthanded-throwing Spencer Jones. Listed at 6-foot-7, 233 pounds, Eldridge is an imposing figure on the mound and works with a solid delivery and three-quarters slot. His fastball has ticked up as he’s added strength to his now-massive frame, and he sits in the low 90s and has touched as high as 96 mph. His height provides downhill plane and he induces plenty of groundouts, both with his fastball and secondaries that include a slider, curveball and changeup. The slider and curveball blend together at times, in the low 80s, with the slider being his go-to breaking ball during the 2022 summer. His mid-80s changeup is infrequently thrown, with occasional fading life, but he needs to add more feel with the pitch. Eldridge repeats his delivery well, thanks to impressive natural athleticism. As a hitter, Eldridge has massive raw power that is near the best in the prep class and has shown an ability to access that power to all fields. He’s a power-over-hit offensive profile who will swing and miss, and is a well below-average runner who plays a solid first base. Eldridge is committed to Alabama, but now has some first-round chatter.

Notes:

Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 190 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Mississippi State
Age At Draft: 18.8

Preseason Report: Houck had one of the most impressive summers of any player in the high school class, and showed impact ability as a hitter, runner and defender on the left side of the infield. In addition to his baseball skill, Houck is a three-star quarterback for Parkview High and during his senior season threw for over 2,100 yards with 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Listed at 6-foot-1, 190 pounds, Houck is a well-rounded baseball player. He has a simple rigthhanded swing with a small leg kick and otherwise minimal movement in the box, with impressive bat speed and a clean path through the zone. He had a tremendous East Coast Pro showing, where he hammered mid-90s fastball velocity to both gaps and also showed an ability to sit back and drive breaking stuff and off-speed pitches. He’s a polished hitter who only proved his hitting chops over the showcase circuit. While most of Houck’s in-game power has been gap oriented and mostly of the doubles and triples variety, he does show the ability to turn on pitches and homer to the pull side, with average or better power possible in the future. Houck has impact potential as a defender. He moves well laterally and is a plus runner, and has the quick-twitch athleticism and reflexes to make highlight reel plays to go with above-average arm strength. He projects as a good defensive shortstop or great defender at third. Houck is committed to Mississippi State but is a top-two round draft target.

Notes:

Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 207 | B-T: L-R
Commit/Drafted: Louisiana State
Age At Draft: 18.9

Preseason Report: The top high school catcher in the class, Mitchell is also a talented pitcher who has been into the mid-90s on the mound and was used in a two-way role for Team USA’s 18U gold-winning national team in 2022. For now, most scouts seem more excited about Mitchell’s pro potential as a powerful, lefthanded-hitting backstop. Mitchell is physically mature at 6-foot, 200 pounds, with well-developed lower and upper halves that provide an excellent foundation of strength and power. He has solid rhythm in the batter’s box, and a generally strong understanding of the strike zone, though his pure bat-to-ball skills need work. It’s not surprising for Mitchell to swing-and-miss vs. all pitch types and he’ll need to do a better job making contact in order to tap into his above-average raw power. While his pure hit tool remains a bit raw, he’s a polished and instinctual defender behind the plate. He received well and did a nice job handling the best arms in the class in 2022—including a few high-octane, poor control pitchers with Team USA—with solid agility and flexibility that should allow him to be a consistently strong blocker. His carrying defensive tool is his plus-plus arm strength, which allows him to produce in-game pop times in the 1.8-1.9-second range. He has the sort of arm to keep the running game in check, particularly with improved accuracy and refined footwork. Mitchell projects to be a below-average runner. He’s a first-round talent and committed to Texas.

Notes:

Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 205 | B-T: B-R
Commit/Drafted: Central Florida
Age At Draft: 17.9

Preseason Report: Soto took a massive leap forward during the 2022 summer showcase circuit, and became one of the most intriguing, power-armed righthanders in the class. A former shortstop, Soto is relatively new to pitching and won’t turn 17 until more than a month after the draft, making him one of the youngest players in the class. Listed at 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, Soto has a great pitcher’s frame and throws with good arm speed from a three-quarters slot, with some violence that includes recoil and a head whack. After touching 91-92 mph during the fall of 2021, Soto regularly pitched in the 93-95 mph range in 2022 and touched 97-98 mph at peak velocity. On top of a plus fastball with great life, Soto has also shown a pair of secondaries with above-average or better potential. His mid-80s changeup is regarded as one of the best changeups in the class and features heavy arm-side fade and excellent tumble at its best, while his mid-80s slider is a power breaking ball that features impressive bite and spin rates in the 2,400 rpm range. Both pitches have plus potential with more consistency. Some scouts question whether Soto is a starter or a reliever at the next level given the violence in his delivery, but his standout athleticism should give him ample opportunity to start at the next level. He’s committed to Central Florida.

Notes:

Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 197 | B-T: L-R
Commit/Drafted: Auburn
Age At Draft: 18

Preseason Report: Emerson pushed up draft boards during the fall after a strong summer showcase season. He excelled in Perfect Game’s Jupiter tournament and also was the third-best hitter on USA Baseball’s gold-medal winning 18U team, where he played third base, slashed .360/.515/.520 and walked more than he struck out. The 6-foot-1, 197-pound infielder is a pure hitter, with a smooth and compact lefthanded swing that stays in the zone a long time. Scouts rave about the repeatability and balance of his swing, as Emerson maintains a consistent posture throughout his operation, with a steady head and few unnecessary movements. His barrel manipulation is apparent, and he has a savvy ability to square up the baseball in different quadrants of the strike zone, with good timing vs. all pitch types. On top of his hand-eye coordination, Emerson’s understanding of the strike zone is also advanced. In a 214-pitch sample with Synergy, he missed at just a 16% rate and chased out of the zone at a 15% rate. While he’s much more of a hit-over-power profile currently, he should have the strength and barrel accuracy to get to average power in the future. Emerson has turned in above-average run times, but is more of an average runner who has a chance to stick at shortstop with solid arm strength or slide over to either second base or third base. He’s young for the class and will turn 18 in July, and is committed to Auburn.

Notes:

Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 188 | B-T: L-R
Commit/Drafted: Arkansas
Age At Draft: 19.4

Preseason Report: Martin is one of the top prospects in the Four Corners region of the country, and in the 2022 summer showcase circuit he wowed scouts with a sweet, lefthanded swing. With a lean and projectable, 6-foot-2, 188-pound frame, Martin has impressive feel for the barrel with line-drive power in batting practice and some pull-side game power as well. He has sound hitting mechanics with quick bat speed through the zone and does an excellent job staying balanced in his lower half, with a steady, quiet head throughout his swing. Scouts raved about his hitting potential, and while he’s mostly a line drive, gap-to-gap type hitter now it would be unsurprising to see him get to average power in the future. Martin has turned in above-average and plus run times in workout settings, but in games from home-to-first he’s more consistently posted average run times, and as he fills out average speed seems most likely. A shortstop now, Martin will need to improve his hands and actions to stick at the position, but he could grow into the power that would allow him to profile nicely at third if he’s forced to move. The one glaring knock on Martin’s profile is his age. He’s one of the older high school players in the class and turns 19 in February. There hasn’t been a high school position player from Colorado drafted among the top three rounds this century, but Martin is in position to do just that. He’s committed to Arkansas.

Notes:

Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 235 | B-T: L-R
Commit/Drafted: Arizona State
Age At Draft: 18.1

Preseason Report: Velazquez has stood out from a young age with a fluid lefthanded swing that’s quick, compact and powerful. With a 6-foot-2, 235 pound frame, Velazquez should have plenty of strength and raw power that comes from his size and solid bat speed, but his carrying tool as an offensive player is most likely his batting eye. He’s got a mature, patient approach in the batter’s box and is comfortable against both righties and lefties. He rarely expands the zone and in a 209-pitch sample in 2022 chased at just a 13% rate, with only a 17% miss rate to go with it. Those on-base skills and pure contact ability should serve him well moving forward, particularly as he is able to tap into his solid raw power with greater frequency. Velazquez is a well below-average runner now who will need to maintain his body moving forward, and that has led to some defensive profile questions. He looked rough at times behind the plate during the 2022 summer, but drew extremely positive reviews for his work behind the plate in the fall. Even while scouts are more encouraged about his ability to catch at the next level, he’ll need to work on his lateral mobility, blocking, receiving—all the finer details of the game—to become an average defender and fully utilize his plus arm strength. Velazquez is committed to Arizona State, is young for the class, and is now drawing top-three round buzz.

Notes:

Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 190 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Vanderbilt
Age At Draft: 18.1

Preseason Report: Lombard Jr. is the son of George Lombard, a second-round pick in 1994 who played six seasons in the big leagues as an outfielder and now is the bench coach for the Tigers. Unsurprisingly given his background, Lombard Jr. is a savvy, fundamentally sound player with strong all-around instincts for the game. Lombard Jr. is one of the younger players in the class and doesn’t turn 18 until June, and after an up-and-down 2021 summer he took a step forward in 2022. He added strength and increased his power and speed, showed more power during the spring and then hit .365/.435/.554 with a pair of home runs in 29 logged games on the summer showcase circuit. Lombard Jr. slows the game down on both sides of the ball and at the plate, has a controlled and balanced but powerful swing that starts with a slow leg kick. There’s a bit of swing and miss in his game, but Lombard has done a nice job handling velocity and spin and doesn’t have any obvious holes at the plate. Previously a fringy runner, Lombard showed above-average and plus run times in 2022, and is likely a solid 55-grade runner now with a fringy first step but good speed underway. He has solid actions in the middle infield and should have a chance to stick at shortstop with average arm strength, but as he fills out a 6-foot-2, 195-pound frame perhaps he fits better at third base. Lombard Jr. is committed to Vanderbilt.

Notes:

Ht: 6-6 | Wt: 220 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Texas
Age At Draft: 19.2

Preseason Report: It’s almost a given that the state of Texas will annually produce a physical and hard-throwing righthanded pitcher. The 2023 version of that pitcher is Sykora, who possesses the hardest-thrown fastball in the high school class and stands at 6-foot-6, 220 pounds. Sykora is an athletic mover on the mound who has a simple delivery and throws from a three-quarters arm slot with a tick of head whack and recoil. In shorter outings during the 2022 showcase circuit, Sykora pitched in the upper 90s and has already touched 101 mph. The pitch has hard running life at times but has overwhelmed prep hitters on pure velocity alone. Sykora’s secondaries include a mid-80s slider and a mid-80s split-changeup. Both are pitches that need continued development but have flashed some promise at times. The slider is a short-breaking pitch that doesn’t have elite spin or movement, but he throws it firmly in the upper 80s at times. His split-change features solid tumble at times, but like the slider doesn’t stand out for exceptional movement overall, and is instead best when he’s able to spot it at the bottom of the zone. Like most hard-throwing prepsters, Sykora’s control is inconsistent and he’ll need to learn to be more precise with his power at the next level. He’s old for the class and will be 19 on draft day. Sykora is committed to Texas and would be a solid infielder and hitting prospect as well if he didn’t throw 100 mph.

Notes:

Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 185 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: UCLA
Age At Draft: 18.3

Preseason Report: Cholowsky is a standout, multi-sport athlete who also plays football and basketball, and comes from an athletic family. His father, Dan, played eight years in the minor leagues and is also a scout for the Reds. A three-star quarterback prospect, Cholowsky is talented enough to play both football and baseball in college but he has first-round potential on the baseball field. Listed at 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, Cholowsky has solid hand-eye coordination and makes plenty of contact, but at times can be overly aggressive with his swing decisions. For now he’s more of a contact hitter than a power-hitter, though he has the sort of lean, athletic frame that should only add more strength in the future. Where Cholowsky shines is on the defensive side at shortstop. He’s one of the most fluid and impressive defensive shortstops in the class, with silky smooth actions and exceptional footwork. Cholowsky glides around the infield dirt and is capable of making all the routine plays, and making difficult ones look easy and natural. He’s particularly adept at ranging up the middle to his glove side and throwing on the run and from multiple angles—perhaps in part thanks to his quarterbacking background. Cholowsky has above-average hands, above-average arm strength and above-average instincts that should make him solidly a 55-grade defender or better at the position. He’s turned in plus run times and projects to be at least an above-average runner. Cholowsky is committed to UCLA but fits as a top-two round talent.

Notes:

Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 240 | B-T: L-L
Commit/Drafted: Louisiana State
Age At Draft: 18.5

Preseason Report: Johnson is a large, and powerfully-built lefthander with a 6-foot-4, 240-pound frame—making him one of the largest players in the class. He has a crude delivery that features plenty of violence and and some inversion of his arm action in the back of his arm stroke at times, but his arm is fast and his low, three-quarter slot creates a tough angle for hitters. As might be expected with his release point, Johnson drives a high groundball rate and his low-90s fastball, which has touched 96-97 mph at peak, has good running life. His go-to secondary is a swing-and-miss breaking ball in the mid-to-upper 70s. The pitch has sweeping slider shape but curveball velocity now, and could be even better once he’s able to add more power to the pitch. It’s a high-spin offering that he shows good feel to land in the zone and is effective against lefties and righties, with two-plane break and good tilt on its best looks. Johnson has infrequently thrown a low-80s changeup, but the pitch needs plenty of work and much more feel before it’s a legitimate third offering. Johnson’s control is spotty and he’ll need to improve both that and his delivery for scouts to feel confident in a starter profile at the next level. After previously pitching in Maryland, Johnson transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., where he will face better competition and be seen by more national-level evaluators. He’s committed to Louisiana State.

Notes:

Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 180 | B-T: L-L
Commit/Drafted: Clemson
Age At Draft: 18.8

Preseason Report: Head is a quick-twitch athlete with exciting tools, developing power and a pesky offensive profile who can beat you in many ways. Listed at 6-foot, 180 pounds, Head doesn’t have much in the way of physical projection remaining, but his game doesn’t necessitate much more strength or power to be successful. He’s got whippy bat speed from the left side of the plate, and has shown off pull-side power in batting practice with the ability to drive the ball over the fence in games when he catches an elevated pitch and gets extended. However, his bat-to-ball skills and double-plus speed make him a better line drive hitter who is capable of using the entire field and getting his extra bases via doubles and triples to the gaps. Head will expand the zone at times, but his barrel manipulation and contact ability is good enough to allow him to get away with that now. He’s capable of getting the barrel to fastballs above the zone for flush contact, and can shoot balls off the plate the other way with line drive authority as well. A 70-grade runner, Head gets out of the box quickly and should be a stolen base threat and high-BABIP player. He covers plenty of ground in center field and has above-average or plus arm strength with good accuracy as well. Head is committed to Clemson but is generating top-two round draft attention.

Notes:

Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 210 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Stanford
Age At Draft: 18.1

March Report: Volchko showed solid pure stuff at the 2022 Area Code Games, with a fastball in the 91-94 mph range and a pair of breaking balls with solid shape. He struggled with control and results, though, missed down below the zone consistently and was eventually rolled in his outing. In 2023 he has had extremely loud scout feedback with Redwood High. He’s pitched in the 91-96 mph range and both his slider and curveball have gotten average or better grades, with scouts seeming to prefer his slider to his curveball currently—and he’s also shown the makings of a solid changeup to give him a deep four-pitch mix. Volchko has a large, 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame and attacks hitters from a high arm slot. There’s some roughness to the delivery and length to the arm action, but Volchko has more room to fill out and nothing comes out of his hand straight. He’s gotten some day one buzz, but he’s also a Stanford commit, which means he’s expected to be a tough sign.

Notes:

Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 205 | B-T: L-L
Commit/Drafted: Vanderbilt
Age At Draft: 18

Preseason Report: Clemmey is one of the most uncomfortable pitchers to face in the 2023 prep class, as a power-armed lefthander with tons of arm strength and a pitching style that could be accurately described as “effectively wild.” A 6-foot-5, 205-pound lefthander, Clemmey pitched in relief for Team USA’s gold medal-winning 18U National Team, where he posted a 2.33 ERA in six innings, with seven strikeouts and five walks. Clemmey operates from the stretch, with a herky-jerky delivery that features plenty of moving parts and effort, with a heavy head whack in his finish. Clemmey’s fastball is simply overpowering when he puts it over the plate. He sits in the 93-95 mph range consistently and has touched 96-97, with explosive arm-side running life and carry. After the fastball, Clemmey throws a breaking ball in the 78-82 mph range that looks more like a curve in the upper 70s and a slider in the low 80s. The pitch flashes hard and late two-plane break at its best, but his feel to land and manipulate the pitch is in its nascent stages. Clemmey also has a mid-80s changeup, but he doesn’t use the pitch all that often and it needs more feel to be a consistent third pitch for him. Clemmey’s delivery and below-average strike-throwing ability give him plenty of reliever risk, but there’s no doubting his electric arm talent. He is committed to Vanderbilt.

Notes:

Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 205 | B-T: L-L
Commit/Drafted: Arkansas
Age At Draft: 18.3

Preseason Report: One of the most talented lefthanded pitchers in the class, Hachman has now stuff and the sort of physical projection that allows scouts to dream of even more coming in the future. A 6-foot-5, 210-pound southpaw, Hachman has missed time in high school because of an elbow injury, but in 2022 made his way back to the mound and eventual made USA Baseball’s 18U national team, where he served as a high-octane reliever and struck out nine batters in 3.2 innings. Hachman has good arm speed and throws from a high, three-quarters slot with good extension that amplifies his natural height and length. He pitched in the low 90s for much of the summer, but has gotten his fastball, which many scouts consider the best in the prep class, up to 98 mph at peak. It’s a high-spin pitch that features plenty of riding life and could easily touch triple-digits soon. He pitches heavily off the fastball but also throws a breaking ball around 80 mph and a changeup in the mid 80s. The breaking ball has a slurvy look and varies between a hard slider and power curveball. He needs to develop consistent feel to snap the pitch off and land it for strikes more consistently, while the changeup shows solid diving life that should make it a legitimate third pitch with more repetitions. Hachman’s control has been erratic and needs to improve. He’s committed to Arkansas, but given his significant upside is a day one draft target.

Notes:

Ht: 6-5 | Wt: 215 | B-T: L-R
Commit/Drafted: Oregon
Age At Draft: 17.7

Preseason Report: Bitonti has a tantalizing combination of size, youth and raw power, along with athletic bloodlines with a mother and father who both played college sports. At 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, Bitonti is one of the most physical players in the 2023 high school class, and he has plenty of room to continue filling out. Bitonti has huge raw power from the left side and it wouldn’t at all be surprising if he developed 70-grade raw power at physical maturity. He’s solidly a power-over-hit offensive player currently, with plenty of swing-and-miss against all pitch types. Bitonti has long levers and his swing itself can get long and loopy at times, with a steep path that’s geared for power but comes at the cost of contact. He needs to do a better job timing up 90+ mph velocity, as well as handling left-on-left matchups to make the most of his power potential. Bitonti is a solid athlete who plays shortstop now, though his likelihood to stick at the position is exceedingly low. He’s a below-average straight-line runner who has questions about his lateral mobility, even at third base, and has looked raw and unpolished in the outfield corners as well. He’s likely a corner profile in some capacity at the next level, where his athleticism and arm strength could serve him nicely as he gets more repetitions and defensive coaching. Bitonti doesn’t turn 18 until Nov. 2023, and as such is one of the youngest players in the class. He’s committed to Oregon.

Notes:

Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 190 | B-T: R-R
Commit/Drafted: Mississippi
Age At Draft: 18.9

Preseason Report: Pratt pushed himself up draft boards thanks to an excellent 2022 fall, where he hit 5-for-13 (.385) at Perfect Game’s WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Fla. With that showing, he cemented himself as having one of the best batting eyes in the class, and also offers a well-rounded skill set and projectable, 6-foot-3, 190-pound frame. Pratt’s profile starts with his contact ability and batting eye. Over a 668-pitch sample, Pratt has just a 12% overall miss rate and 17% chase rate. He consistently makes good swing decisions and he almost never misses on pitches in the zone, where his miss rate falls to just 6%. Pratt has a loose, crouched setup at the plate with good rhythm and a clean righthanded swing that starts with a medium leg kick. He has solid raw power that is accessed mostly to the pull side now, but his frame suggests a lot more strength and power could be coming in the future. Pratt moves well for his size and has turned in solid-average run times, with a good first-step in the infield. His defensive actions are solid and he has a chance to stick at shortstop, though his actions can get a bit long at times and he will need to stay on top of his footwork and the quickness of his exchange. He has above-average arm strength that fits on the left side of the infield. Pratt will turn 19 a month after the draft and is a strong Mississippi commit.

Notes:

Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 196 | B-T: R-L
Commit/Drafted: Oregon State
Age At Draft: 18.6

Preseason Report: Wilson is the son of Trevor Wilson, a lefthander who pitched eight seasons in the majors, mostly with the Giants. Paul is committed to Oregon State, where his father pitched, and has a compact arm stroke and varies between a three-quarter and high three-quarter slot, occasionally dropping lower. That could be the source of his erratic fastball command, but Wilson has good velocity from the left side. He pitches heavily off his fastball, which sits at 88-93 mph and can reach 95. Wilson throws a pair of breaking balls, with his upper-70s slider more advanced than his softer, mid-70s curveball. While Wilson’s 2022 summer was a bit erratic at times, scouts are enamored with his arm talent and he’s a pick to click for many in the 2023 spring season.