SEATTLE — The Reds were unlucky in MLB’s first draft lottery last December. Despite having the fourth-worst record, they made their seventh overall pick in a year with five players who would be legitimate picks for the No. 1 pick in most drafts.
Cincinnati entertained a faint hope that one of those five would drop to 7th place Sunday night, but that didn’t happen. Instead, the Reds were content to round up the best talent from all 30 clubs based on our first impressions.
Yes, it’s far too early to say for sure how the 2023 draft will end. Assuming that every player selected in the first 10 rounds will sign a professional contact, here are the eight clubs that appear to have performed best:
1. Red
In a college guns draft short, the Reds secured two top right-handers Rhett Lowder (first round) and Louisiana State right-hander Ty Floyd (supplementary first) with Wake Forest, both of whom were co-stars at the College World Series. Then they found a way to catch two top-flight high school talents much later than they should have gone: shortstop Sammy Stafura (round two) and Cole Schoenwetter (fourth). Cincinnati also added a pair of high-profile collegiate left-handers in Arkansas’ Hunter Hollan (third) and Lipscomb’s Logan Van Treeck (ninth), with Long Beach State’s top defensive catcher of the draft in Connor Burns (fifth) and two prolific collegiate bats im Virginia outfielder Ethan O’Donnell (sixth) and Stanford first baseman Carter Graham (eighth).
2. Giants
The Giants heavily considered high school shortstop Walker Martin of Colorado with the 16th overall pick before settling on two-way assist star Bryce Eldridge of Virginia. Late excitement came when Kent State’s Joe Whitman, the very best left-hander available, stepped up before the start of the second half. But Martin was waiting for San Francisco midway through the second round and Whitman was still available with the Giants equalizing pick for the loss of free agent Carlos Rodón after the second round. Skillful Tennessee shortstop Maui Ahuna (fourth round) made the Giants the only club to pick four players from the top 50 in MLB Pipeline’s draft rankings, while other fine players included Auburn shortstop, Cole Foster (third), who owned Maryland catcher Luke Shliger (sixth), Grayson (Texas) CC right-hander Josh Bostick (eighth), and Louisville catcher Jack Payton (11th).
3. Gemini
The Twins, the biggest winners of the first-ever lottery, rose from No. 13 to No. 5 and grabbed a top-pick talent in potential high school outfielder Walker Jenkins. They followed with four other top three round talents: electric right-hander Charlee Soto (supplementary first round), offensive Arizona State second baseman Luke Keaschall (second), heavy-hitting high school outfielder Brandon Winokur (third) and Southern Mississippi right-back Tanner Hall (fourth). The latter’s turnover and control was among the best in the draft. Preparatory right-hander Dylan Questad (fifth), Arizona State left-hander Ross Dunn (10th) and California right-hander Paulshawn Pasqualotto (12th) are three other interesting arms.
4. Tigers
The Tigers walked away with two of the very best high school hitters in the draft, 3rd overall, Max Clark, who had the best all-round tools among the outfielders in the race for the top pick, and shortstop Kevin McGonigle (Addition). first round). They beat the Prepsters with four of their first five selections, also taking with them three-pitch left-hander Paul Wilson (third) and power-hitting third baseman Carson Rucker (fourth). Nebraska second baseman Max Anderson (second) is a proven college hitter, Middle Tennessee State right-hander Jaden Hamm (fifth) has a skillful curveball and Pepperdine’s John Peck (seventh) should stick at shortstop.
5. Sailors
With three of the first 30 decisions, the Mariners were poised to do some serious damage, and they did so with three intriguing prepsters. Shortstop/third baseman Colt Emerson combines punch and power potential, outfielder Johnny Farmelo is a speedster with a promising stick, and shortstop Tai Peete had perhaps the fastest stick in high school, plus raw power, speed, and arm strength. Wake Forest right-hander Teddy McGraw (third round) showed what it takes to be a first-rounder before dislocating his elbow just before the start of college season. Aidan Smith (fourth) is an underrated prep outfielder who makes a lot of contact and also has buff speed and arm strength.
6. Marlins
The Marlins somehow managed to get the top two prep pitchers, picking up right-hander Noble Meyer in 10th and somehow catapulting Thomas White — who was also the top southpaw of the draft, college or high school — into 35th. Mississippi outfielder Kemp Alderman (second round) hit the ball as hard as anyone in college baseball this spring, while Michigan State first baseman Brock Vradenburg (third) is a line-drive machine. Nebraska left-hander Emmett Olson (fourth), Tennessee right-hander Andrew Lindsey (fifth) and south Mississippi southpaw Justin Storm (seventh) bring some collegiate pitching depth to Miami.
7. Nationals
While the Nationals coveted right-hander Paul Skenes, most clubs would have picked Louisiana State star Dylan Crews with the No. 1 pick, and Washington secured the top offensive pick of the draft with a No. 2 pick. Hitting Miami third baseman Yohandy Morales was a pleasant surprise at the top of the second round, while right winger Travis Sykora, one of the top high school army, was a very good value at the top of the third round. Talented Alabama outfielder Andrew Pinckney (fourth round) and powerful Indian River State (Fl.) JC rightman Gavin Adams (11th) are also to watch.
8. Pirates
The Pirates started the draft with Skenes, who rivals Stephen Strasburg as the top mound candidate since the event began in 1965 and is likely to move up to the major leagues sometime next year. Hiring a pitcher of a generation alone would be a productive effort, and Pittsburgh supplemented it with eight other signed draft top 250 nominees, including two polished college hitters, fast Michigan State shortstop Mitch Jebb (second round) and the Oregon State third baseman Garret Forrester (third) and cheating high school right-hander Zander Mueth (supplementary second). The Bucs could field West Virginia defenseman Carlson Reed (fourth) as a starter, while Vanderbilt right-hander Patrick Reilly (fifth), Alabama left-hander Hunter Furtado (sixth), Georgia southpaw Jaden Woods (seventh) and Arizona State- Right player Khristian Curtis (12th) has more potential than their below average college stats would suggest.