<strong>2023 MLB Draft Watch: College Baseball Opening Day and Top 50 Prospects</strong>

Activity is picking up across MLB Spring Training camps aa players are preparing for the upcoming World Baseball Classic and 2023 season. Meanwhile, today is Opening Day for college baseball, and thus begins our weekly 2023 MLB Draft Watch reports for Sox Machine / FutureSox. Each week we’ll be watching college baseball games and gathering reports from the prep level tracking how the top draft prospects are faring. 

The 2023 MLB Draft is essential for the Chicago White Sox, who hold the 15th overall pick, as their farm system needs more impact players. There should be intriguing options to choose from in this class.

Favorites to go #1 Overall?

Dylan Crews, OF, LSU

After belting 18 home runs and an eye-opening .362/.453/.663 slash line in his Freshman year, Dylan Crews has been long considered the 2023 #1 overall prospect. He followed up his impressive debut by hitting 22 home runs with 72 RBI in 62 games last year for the LSU Tigers and increased his OPS to 1.153 (.349/.463/.691). 

Crews will be a front-runner for the Golden Spikes and Dick Howser awards in 2023, which puts heavy pressure on his shoulder. That’s nothing new for Crews, but he’s never played with this great of a supporting cast. If he can reduce his K% (18.2% in 2022) and continue increasing the power numbers, it’ll be difficult for Pittsburgh to pass on Crews.

Chase Dollander, RHP, Tennessee

The Tennessee Volunteers enter 2023 with a big chip on their shoulder. After posting one of the best regular seasons in recent memory, the Vols were shocked by Notre Dame in the Super Regional. They are looking to reach Omaha in 2023 and will be led by the country’s best starting pitching staff. Leading the rotation is Vols Ace, Chase Dollander. 

In 16 games last year, Dollander had a 2.39 ERA with 108 K to 13 BB in 79 innings. His arsenal includes a 60+ grade fastball sitting at 95 mph but can reach up to 99 mph. Dollander pairs his elite fastball with a slider that also touches 90 mph. If it were possible for major league teams to grow pitchers in a lab, the desired outcome would be producing someone like Dollander. Dollander will get plenty of opportunities in a stacked SEC conference to showcase his talent.

Max Clark, OF,  Franklin Community High School (IN)

When watching the film of Max Clark, one cannot help but dream of witnessing a five-tool player in the making. At showcase events this past summer, Clark posted a 6.33-second 60-yard dash (75-grade) and a 4.03-second sprint from home to first base (70-grade). That’s the type of elite speed to convince scouts Clark he can play in center field. Clark’s max velocity with his four-seam fastball off the mound was 92 mph, so there’s a chance for good arm strength. 

I’m burying the lede by mentioning Clark’s athleticism and defensive ability first. What has captured many within the industry’s attention concerning Clark is the bat. His left-handed swing is smooth and repetitive. Consistently makes loud contact during showcase events and had a max exit velocity of 94 mph this past July with a wood bat. 

If Clark was draft-eligible last year, I think he would have gone first overall over Jackson Holliday.

Preseason Average Rankings Top 50 Prospects

Methodology: The Sox Machine/FutureSox Top 50 list is compiled of average rankings from MLB.com, Baseball America, Prospects Live, and Prep Baseball Report. It aims to build a consensus of the top prospects.

Note: Players in red font are either 1) Out for the season with an injury/suspension or 2) Missing the start of the season due to an injury/suspension

Watch Board 1.0

The purpose of our Watch Board is tracking prospects I think could be available where the White Sox are picking. I don’t mean to burst any bubbles, but dreaming of Dylan Crews, Chase Dollander, or Max Clark dropping to pick 15 will lead to getting your hopes up. If they fell that far down the board, something terrible would have happened in 2023. 

Instead, below are five players that I’ve circled and will be tracking to start the season. What makes this exercise fun is the White Sox draft tendencies under Director of Amateur Scouting Mike Shirley. We’ve seen the White Sox go the college power arm (Garrett Crochet), prep infielder (Colson Montgomery), and prep pitcher (Noah Schultz) routes under Shirley. Any player profile is a possibility. 

#13 - Noble Meyer, RHP, Jesuit HS (OR)

Noble Meyer has impressive numbers at showcase events as the top-ranked prep pitcher. His max four-seam velocity hit 98 mph at the national Perfect Game showcase, and the slider showed elite spin rates hitting at 3100 rpms. That’s more spin than what Dylan Cease gets. 

Meyer is committed to Oregon but is widely considered a first-round talent. My only concern watching the film of Meyer is his delivery. It’s a low ¾ slot with little use of his lower half. Throwing at that velocity and spin is a lot of stress on an elbow. Meyer could benefit from learning to use his legs more like Max Scherzer and start throwing a two-seam fastball taking advantage of the deception from a low arm slot.

#14 - Hurston Waldrep, RHP, Florida

There’s been a lot of chatter about LSU’s incoming transfers of DH Tommy White and RHP Paul Skenes (9th-ranked prospect), but Hurston Waldrep transferring from Southern Miss to Florida, I think, could have the biggest impact. Waldrep was a strikeout machine last year, punching out 140 batters in 90 innings. 

Primarily a four-seam/slider pitcher, Waldrep has the type of velocity and spin that we see more major league right-handers utilize. During Fall Ball, Waldrep was sitting in the mid-90s and using a couple of variations of his slider. Waldrep’s not afraid to use the slider against right-handed batters early in the count and will use a sweeping spike varation as his strikeout pitch. The command is a bit of touch and go. That will be an area of focus watching Waldrep as he faces a higher level of competition now pitching in the SEC.

#15 - Kevin McGonigle, SS/2B, Monsignor Bonner High School (PA)

Selecting Colson Montgomery in the first round has worked wonders for the White Sox. A left-handed hitting infielder that could be ready to take over for either Tim Anderson or Yoan Moncada certainly helps plan for the future. White Sox could use more Montgomery’s in the farm system, though. 

I think Kevin McGonigle could fit the bill. At the Perfect Game national showcase, McGonigle impressed with a max exit velocity of 96 mph (better than Max Clark), which was in the 98th percentile of all participants. In the cage, McGonigle can generate loft in his swing. 

Ultimately, McGonigle is more of a second baseman than a shortstop. I’m not crazy about his double cro-hop technique at shortstop, and his max infield throwing velocity was 86 mph (We are now seeing prep shortstops in the 90s mph). I’m impressed by McGonigle’s hitting technique, so I have his name circled early.

#17 - Matt Shaw, SS, Maryland

It’s rare to see players from the Big Ten conference considered first-rounders, but Matt Shaw caught the attention of scouts during his 2022 campaign at Maryland and continued that momentum at the Cape Cod League. Exchanging contact for more power last year, Shaw jumped from hitting seven home runs during his Freshman season to 22 homers in his Sophomore campaign. That shift in focus dropped his batting average considerably (.332 in 2021 to .290 in 2022), but Shaw’s OPS increased to .986 (.290/.381/.604). I’m not crazy about his strikeout rate (15.8% in ‘22), but there’s a surprising amount of power in his swing. 

You see his strength when watching the film of Shaw’s time at the Cape, where he hit .360/.432/.574 with five home runs in 36 games. It’s alley-to-alley power where Shaw drives pitches out of the yard using metal or wood bats. Now, I’m not seeing a lot of pull power from his 2022 film. Something I’ll be keeping an eye on when watching Shaw in 2023.

#18 - Will Sanders, RHP, South Carolina

It was a good, but not great, 2022 regular season for Will Sanders. His highlights included a 14-strikeout start against rival Clemson and striking out 11 against Vanderbilt. Besides those two starts, Sanders had nine starts with five or fewer strikeouts. For the season, Sanders had 91 strikeouts in 89.1 innings. In the SEC Tournament against Florida, Sanders dazzled. Pairing his mid-90s fastball with a slider that dropped off the table away from right-handed hitters, Sanders struck out 10 in seven innings. 

Sanders has a similar build to Lucas Giolito (6’6”, 230 lbs) and, in some ways, has a similar pitching style. Attacking right-handed hitters with fastballs up and attempting to get them to whiff on low and away sliders. Against left-handers, Sanders has a very effective changeup that has fading action. Perhaps there’s an opportunity to gain more velocity by shortening his throwing motion, but Sanders gets good downhill action with his current mechanics that adds deception to his fastball velocity.

Lil Jimmy’s “Good Looking Kid” - Prep Player to Watch

Dillion Head, OF, Homewood-Flossmoor High School (IL)

In honor of our late friend, Jim “Lil Jimmy” Osborn, I like to highlight a prep talent that could be on the White Sox radar. He loved the makeup of Marcelo Mayer, and sure enough, the Boston Red Sox young shortstop is the ninth-ranked prospect, according to MLB.com. Jimmy always had a good eye when picking out prep players to click. 

This year’s preseason pick is a local kid. Homewood-Flossmoor High School has produced White Sox media personalities in Jason Benetti, Scott Merkin, and Chuck Garfein. Our good friend, Laurence Holmes of 670 the Score and columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, is also a Homewood-Flossmoor grad. The high school has produced three major leaguers in former White Sox draftee John Ely, Eric Hillman, and long-time pitching coach Larry Rothschild. No position player from Homewood-Flossmoor has made the majors. 

That could change with Dillion Head.

Head put up some impressive numbers in drills at the Perfect Game showcase. His 6.22 60-yard dash would be considered 80-grade, and when paired with his max throwing velocity of 91 mph, plenty of scouts see a future center fielder. The big question when it comes to Head is the bat. Currently ranked #45, Head will have to hit this Spring to move up draft boards. He’s currently committed to Clemson. 

When watching the film of Head’s performance at the showcase, I was impressed with much barrel speed he generates from his left-handed swing. The barrel whips through the zone, and there’s potential for pull power. Head’s max exit velocity at the showcase was 95 mph using a wood bat. I don’t imagine Head being a slap hitter that utilizes his speed to do most of his offensive damage, like Vanderbilt’s Enrique Bradfield. Instead, Head’s profile might be similar to another Chicago-area draftee in Alek Thomas, who the Arizona Diamondbacks drafted 63rd overall in 2018.

Preseason NCBWA Top 25

Games I’m Watching This Weekend

#9 Vanderbilt vs. #16 TCU - Friday, Feb. 17, 3:00 PM CT - Flo Sports

The College Baseball Showdown is one of my favorite early-season tournaments, and it starts with a big showdown between Vanderbilt and TCU. This a good opportunity to see Top 15 prospects in Vanderbilt’s Enrique Bradfield and TCU’s Brayden Taylor. 

South Carolina vs. UMass-Lowell - Friday, Feb. 17, 3:00 PM CT - SEC Network+

Did you know that former White Sox Danny Mendick attended UMass-Lowell? The Fightin’ Danny Mendicks will face South Carolina’s Will Sanders. 

#4 Florida vs. Charleston Southern - Saturday, Feb. 18, 3:00 PM CT - SEC Network+

I think Florida will go with Brandon Sproat for the Friday night assignment over Hurston Waldrep. I’m looking forward to seeing how Waldrep looks in his first start, and it’s a chance to catch #5 ranked prospect Wyatt Langford early. 

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