MLB Draft 2023: Winter's Mock Draft

December 7, 2022
By Shooter Hunt and David Seifert
PBR Draft HQ

Following the festivities at the inaugural MLB Draft Lottery, our PBR Draft HQ staff used the hours that followed to analyze how the 2023 Draft might look if it took place today, rather than seven months from now.

During this week's MLB Winter Meetings, the league held its first-ever Draft Lottery on Dec. 6, where the Pittsburgh Pirates were awarded the first overall pick. The Pirates, Nationals, and the Athletics had equal chance (16.5 percent) of earning the No. 1 pick, and the Nats were awarded the No. 2, while the A's were unfortunate to fall to No. 6 overall. Conversely, the Tigers (No. 3), Rangers (No. 4), and the Twins (No. 5) each wound up with picks at higher spots than they could have hoped for.

This Mock Draft below will take us into the offseason, and should provide you a glimpse of where this '23 class stands as of now – it has the makings of a talented one.

2023 MLB MOCK DRAFT

PICK	TEAM	NAME	POSITION	SCHOOL	ANALYSIS
1	Pirates	Max Clark	OF	Franklin Community HS (IN)	Clark's tools, moxie, and relentless motor are more than alluring here, especially if Crews and/or Dollander price themselves out to a club that paid well under slot at 1:1 in 2021 (Henry Davis).
2	Nationals	Dylan Crews	OF	Louisiana State; Lake Mary HS (FL)	The top player in the draft will not come cheap, but the Nats have never shied away from such scenarios, especially with the hope of obtaining a middle-of-the-order fixture for years to come.
3	Tigers	Walker Jenkins	OF	North Brunswick HS (NC)	Carrying heavy lumber from the left side, Jenkins might be the best bat in the class when all is said and done. Hit/Power potential with plus makeup.
4	Rangers	Chase Dollander	RHP	Tennessee; Greenbrier HS (GA)	Almost too good to be true for Dollander to get here for the Rangers as they stockpile another frontline SEC starter and what might be the best collegiate arm since 2011 (Gerrit Cole).
5	Twins	Jacob Gonzalez	SS	Ole Miss; Glendora HS (CA)	Twins picked up significant pool money in the lottery, and they'll put it to good use with the top collegiate shortstop.
6	Athletics	Jacob Wilson	SS	Grand Canyon; Thousand Oaks HS (CA)	Not a local kid, but still a California native, Wilson's big spring and summer with USA Collegiate National Team cements his status as an elite prospect in the class.
7	Reds	Wyatt Langford	OF	Florida; Trenton HS (FL)	Selecting college position players with their top pick in each of the past two drafts, could the Reds go for three? The elite power/hit combo of Langford's bat will be too much to pass up.
8	Royals	Rhett Lowder	RHP	Wake Forest; North Stanly HS (NC)	The Royals have went college heavy in four of the past five drafts. That trend continues in 2023 with the Lowder, the 2022 ACC Pitcher of the Year, as the best available at No. 8.
9	Rockies	Enrique Bradfield Jr.	OF	Vanderbilt; American Heritage (FL)	The top defender in this year's draft class, has there ever been a more perfect match than EBJ in the vast acreage of Coors Field?
10	Marlins	Paul Skenes	RHP/C	Louisiana State; El Toro (CA)	The top two-way college prospect, Skenes profiles better on the mound with power stuff and an imposing 6-foot-6, 230-pound frame.
11	Angels	Noble Meyer	RHP	Jesuit HS (OR)	Intent on obtaining arms, the Halos snag the top prep right-hander with premium metrics and frontline starter potential.
12	Diamondbacks	Brayden Taylor	3B	TCU; Copper Hills HS (UT)	A college performer with projection to his frame, Taylor has defensive versatility to go along with his advanced control of the zone and bat-to-ball skills.
13	Cubs	Aidan Miller	3B	JW Mitchell HS (FL)	The top right-handed-hitting prep player brings considerable power potential with an even better chance to hit on the next stage. A run-producer who digs in with fearless intent and can drive the ball to all fields.
14	Red Sox	Hurston Waldrep	RHP	Florida; Thomasville HS (GA)	With a fastball that sniffs triple digits and a hammer for a breaking ball, the Southern Miss transfer is a strong year in the SEC away from the top half of the first round.
15	White Sox	Kevin McGonigle	OF	Bonner-Prendergast HS (PA)	The White Sox have found some success in the high school ranks, and McGonigle has done nothing but rake from the left side, and shows no sign of slowing down.
16	Giants	Grayson Hitt	LHP	Houston HS (TN)	The top left-hander in the college class continues his ascent into the middle of the first round.
17	Orioles	Will Sanders	RHP	South Carolina; Woodward Academy (GA)	In any draft, there aren't many college arms who truly profile as an MLB starter. Sanders has the prototypical tall, athletic frame and clean delivery to go along with a mid-90s fastball and he throws three pitches for strikes.
18	Brewers	Cooper Pratt	SS	Magnolia Heights HS (MS)	Crisp and athletic, Pratt has all the tools to stick at short for the long term. His quick hands generate big bat speed, making it likely he develops much more power.
19	Rays	Arjun Nimmala	SS	Strawberry Crest HS (FL)	As smooth as they come with an innate ability to slow the game down, Nimmala's youth (17 on Draft day) raises his ceiling that much higher.
20	Blue Jays	Blake Mitchell	C	Sinton HS (TX)	A premium defender behind the plate with a plus-plus arm, Mitchell also has intriguing left-handed power potential that could make this pick his floor.
21	Cardinals	Thomas White	LHP	Phillips Andover HS (MA)	White has the highest ceiling in the class and as a result should command significant money. The Cardinals have developed all sorts of arms, and getting a potential 1:1 pick here is alluring.
22	Mariners	Bryce Eldridge	OF/RHP	James Madison HS (VA)	Eldridge possesses some of the biggest power in the class from the left side and has shown impressive feel to hit with an understanding for his long levers, listed at 6-foot-7. Not to mention, he's one of the premier pitching prospects in the class.
23	Guardians	Kyle Teel	C/OF	Virginia; Mahwah HS (NJ)	Teel's dynamic athleticism allows him to play all over the diamond, but it is his left-handed bat that drives the buzz. The bat has a chance to flourish in the Guardians' system.
24	Braves	Travis Sykora	RHP	Round Rock HS (TX)	Producing triple-digit heat from an imposing but athletic frame, Sykora can bully hitters with the fastball and he carries some unteachable attributes that have him only scratching the surface in terms of polish.
25	Padres	Jonny Farmelo	OF	Westfield HS (VA)	Farmelo could easily climb higher in the spring thanks to his five-tool potential, but should he get to this pick, the Pads might be ready to hit on yet another high school prospect.
26	Yankees	Brock Wilken	3B	Wake Forest; Bloomingdale HS (FL)	Wilken has hit 40 homers combined in his first two seasons at Wake and won 2021 Cape League MVP honors after his freshman year. The Yanks have selected power-hitting college bats in each of the past three drafts. Let's make it four.
27	Phillies	Charlee Soto	RHP	Reborn Christian Academy HS (FL)	Having hit on prep righties Mick Abel and Andy Painter in recent years, Soto could easily be the next in line thanks to an electric arsenal that includes upper-90s heat. Progressions should come quickly for the athletic former shortstop.
28	Astros	Tanner Witt	RHP	Texas; Episcopal HS (TX)	Witt missed the 2022 season with TJ surgery. The Astros like strong pitching metrics, and the 6-foot-6, 215-pound Witt has them with a mid-90s heater and a nasty, high-spin curve ball.

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MLB Draft 2023: Winter's Mock Draft

2023 MLB MOCK DRAFT

Clark's tools, moxie, and relentless motor are more than alluring here, especially if Crews and/or Dollander price themselves out to a club that paid well under slot at 1:1 in 2021 (Henry Davis).

The top player in the draft will not come cheap, but the Nats have never shied away from such scenarios, especially with the hope of obtaining a middle-of-the-order fixture for years to come.

Carrying heavy lumber from the left side, Jenkins might be the best bat in the class when all is said and done. Hit/Power potential with plus makeup.

Almost too good to be true for Dollander to get here for the Rangers as they stockpile another frontline SEC starter and what might be the best collegiate arm since 2011 (Gerrit Cole).

Twins picked up significant pool money in the lottery, and they'll put it to good use with the top collegiate shortstop.

Not a local kid, but still a California native, Wilson's big spring and summer with USA Collegiate National Team cements his status as an elite prospect in the class.

Selecting college position players with their top pick in each of the past two drafts, could the Reds go for three? The elite power/hit combo of Langford's bat will be too much to pass up.

The Royals have went college heavy in four of the past five drafts. That trend continues in 2023 with the Lowder, the 2022 ACC Pitcher of the Year, as the best available at No. 8.

The top defender in this year's draft class, has there ever been a more perfect match than EBJ in the vast acreage of Coors Field?

The top two-way college prospect, Skenes profiles better on the mound with power stuff and an imposing 6-foot-6, 230-pound frame.

Intent on obtaining arms, the Halos snag the top prep right-hander with premium metrics and frontline starter potential.

A college performer with projection to his frame, Taylor has defensive versatility to go along with his advanced control of the zone and bat-to-ball skills.

The top right-handed-hitting prep player brings considerable power potential with an even better chance to hit on the next stage. A run-producer who digs in with fearless intent and can drive the ball to all fields.

With a fastball that sniffs triple digits and a hammer for a breaking ball, the Southern Miss transfer is a strong year in the SEC away from the top half of the first round.

The White Sox have found some success in the high school ranks, and McGonigle has done nothing but rake from the left side, and shows no sign of slowing down.

The top left-hander in the college class continues his ascent into the middle of the first round.

In any draft, there aren't many college arms who truly profile as an MLB starter. Sanders has the prototypical tall, athletic frame and clean delivery to go along with a mid-90s fastball and he throws three pitches for strikes.

Crisp and athletic, Pratt has all the tools to stick at short for the long term. His quick hands generate big bat speed, making it likely he develops much more power.

As smooth as they come with an innate ability to slow the game down, Nimmala's youth (17 on Draft day) raises his ceiling that much higher.

A premium defender behind the plate with a plus-plus arm, Mitchell also has intriguing left-handed power potential that could make this pick his floor.

White has the highest ceiling in the class and as a result should command significant money. The Cardinals have developed all sorts of arms, and getting a potential 1:1 pick here is alluring.

Eldridge possesses some of the biggest power in the class from the left side and has shown impressive feel to hit with an understanding for his long levers, listed at 6-foot-7. Not to mention, he's one of the premier pitching prospects in the class.

Teel's dynamic athleticism allows him to play all over the diamond, but it is his left-handed bat that drives the buzz. The bat has a chance to flourish in the Guardians' system.

Producing triple-digit heat from an imposing but athletic frame, Sykora can bully hitters with the fastball and he carries some unteachable attributes that have him only scratching the surface in terms of polish.

Farmelo could easily climb higher in the spring thanks to his five-tool potential, but should he get to this pick, the Pads might be ready to hit on yet another high school prospect.

Wilken has hit 40 homers combined in his first two seasons at Wake and won 2021 Cape League MVP honors after his freshman year. The Yanks have selected power-hitting college bats in each of the past three drafts. Let's make it four.

Having hit on prep righties Mick Abel and Andy Painter in recent years, Soto could easily be the next in line thanks to an electric arsenal that includes upper-90s heat. Progressions should come quickly for the athletic former shortstop.

Witt missed the 2022 season with TJ surgery. The Astros like strong pitching metrics, and the 6-foot-6, 215-pound Witt has them with a mid-90s heater and a nasty, high-spin curve ball.

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