Our Top Picks in 2023 Bowman Draft Baseball
2023 Bowman Draft Baseball is back to highlight recent MLB draft picks. Here are some of the top prospects to look out for in 2023 Bowman Draft Baseball, arriving on December 12, 2023!
Written by: Emil Cienik
Players are listed in no particular order.
Paul Skenes – Pittsburgh Pirates
The hobby never gives too much love to pitchers; however, Paul Skenes is going to be a rare exception. The ace of the 2023 College World Series Champion LSU Tigers, the boyfriend in a high-profile relationship with social media influencer Livvy Dunne, and the #1 overall pick this year to the Pittsburgh Pirates, Skenes is no stranger to both hype and headlines. After signing for an MLB-Record $9.2 Million deal, the monstrous 6’6”, 235-lbs. prospect went on to dice through his first few starts in the minor leagues, advancing to AA before the Pirates shut him down for the year after he ”checked all the boxes”. Even though he mashed at the plate during his first two collegiate seasons, we won’t see any Ohtani out of Skenes in the bigs as he’ll focus on honing in his unhittable 98mph fastball, heavy-breaking slider, and high-80s changeup. Safe to say Skenes is one of the best pitching prospects we have seen in years.
Max Clark – Detroit Tigers
The top high school draft pick in the 2023 class, the hype train on Max Clark has been rolling heavy for the last couple years. His social media following is massive, and this kid has the game to back it up. At first glance you see the swagger shown though his long hair, eye black, chains, and infectious energy on the field– but when you take a closer look, you see a true five-tool player with some of the biggest upside out of anyone in this draft class. Clark has top-tier speed, above-average arm strength, a plus hit-tool with a focus on hitting the ball hard, and an overall profile of a legit MLB outfield star. Max Clark preaches that he plays the game harder than everyone else, and his rise through the Tigers minor league system is going to be fun to watch.
Wyatt Langford – Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers were ecstatic when the Florida Gator star dropped to them at the #4 pick of the Draft; however, nobody could have ever imagined Wyatt Langford’s Jackson Holliday-esque rise through the minors. It took Langford 3 games in Rookie Ball to get promoted to High-A, 24 games to get promoted to Double-A, and 12 games to get promoted to a five game stint in Triple-A where he ended his minor league season with a combined .360 Average/.480 OPB/.677 SLG with 10 bombs, 2 triples, and 17 doubles. Langford has proved himself at the plate, has been solid defensively in the outfield, and is going to be fighting for a spot on the Rangers opening day roster in 2024. He will be one of, if not the very top chase in 2023 Bowman Draft.
Jacob Wilson – Oakland Athletics
The son of former MLB All-Star Jack Wilson, Jacob Wilson is looking to forge his own path in the majors after being drafted 6th overall to the Oakland Athletics. Spending his whole life around the game has attributed to Wilson’s strong baseball IQ, and when combined with his above-average defensive skills at shortstop and advanced hitting tools, it was clear to Oakland that he is the perfect prospect package. The main tool that stands out for Wilson is his pure hitting ability and his knack for constantly putting the barrel to the ball. In 217 plate appearances last season, Wilson only struck out an astonishingly low five times. He’ll look to add more power to his bat as he matures, but after getting off to a great start professionally, Wilson looks to be primed for an extremely successful career.
Blake Mitchell – Kansas City Royals
Drafting high school catchers in the first round has always been a risky move; however, the Royals couldn’t pass up on the insane upside of Blake Mitchell with the 8th pick this year. Best known for his hose of an arm that was also used on the mound during his senior year, Mitchell has shown that he’s a player that can do it all. He’s got raw power at the plate, a patient approach that doesn’t leave him chasing pitches, and a smooth left-handed swing that scouts loved. The Royals expect him to be a middle of the lineup guy that consistently drives in runs while also being a workhorse behind the plate.
Tom Brady – Montreal Expos
Surprisingly, the player with the best arm in the Draft ended up hearing his name called in the 18th round to the now-Washington Nationals. Scouts loved this kid and it showed through an offer of a monstrous above-slot bonus similar to that of a late second-rounder. Tom Brady, a left-handed hitting catcher & multi-sport athlete out of Junipero Serra High School in California, obviously showed some serious potential on the baseball diamond during his senior season. Standing 6’3” tall, Brady impressed scouts with his athleticism, advanced instincts for the game, and some real power at the plate. Despite his massive upside as a baseball player, the Expos don’t think they’ll be able to pull him away from his commitment to play football at the University of Michigan.
Tommy Troy – Arizona Diamondbacks
With the 12th overall pick, the Diamondbacks went for a mix of upside & consistency and found that in Stanford’s Tommy Troy. Any way you look at it, Troy is just a ball player. From his elite bat-to-ball skills, his low strike out rate, his impressive speed, and his versatility on the defense, this kid is a gamer. That was especially shown after it was found that Troy was playing through a fractured foot for his entire 27-game professional season after the Draft. While he’s been primarily placed at shortstop, he could find his way to second base, but he’ll be a defensive asset no matter where he ends up long term. Look for Troy to bounce back from his injury next season and quickly make his way up the ranks of the D-Backs minor league system.
Matt Shaw – Chicago Cubs
Matt Shaw was scouted as one of the best Collegiate hitters in this draft class, and instantly proved his worth with an insane start to his professional career that had him move from rookie ball to AA in only 23 games. After being drafted thirteenth overall, Shaw slashed .357/.400/.618 with 8 home runs and 15 stolen bases through his 38 games this season. His bat is the strong point of his game, but Shaw has proved his versatility and reliability defensively as well. Mainly a SS through college, his arm strength may be the reason he eventually moves to 2B. The Cubs are obviously looking to advance him quickly, and if he keeps mashing it may not be too long before we see Shaw in Wrigley.
Bryce Eldridge – San Francisco Giants
Did the Giants just get Shohei Ohtani 2.0 with the 16th pick of the Draft? Bryce Eldridge, the 6’7” monster two-way player raised some of those questions over the last year as he showed insane upside as both a pitcher and a hitter. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like he’ll quite reach Shohei levels, as it’s assumed the Giants will have him focusing on hitting. Luckily for Giants fans, this kid is an absolute beast at the plate as his massive frame generates insane power to all parts of the ballpark. Any young, big power hitter has their fair share of strikeout concerns, but Eldridge looks to be able to keep K’s in check. Drafted as a first baseman, we’ll expect him to move and stay in the outfield where his big arm will be an asset in keeping opposing runners at bay.
Brayden Taylor – Tampa Bay Rays
After setting records in college, Brayden Taylor became the first ever first-round position player drafted out of TCU. The Rays were pumped to get him with the 19th overall pick since he’s a player that just does everything well. His offensive potential is huge and contains a mix of contact and power. While he has sacrificed some average for more power, there has been no cause for concern on either front. Taylor played mostly third base in college, but has expressed his comfort with playing anywhere on the diamond. Overall, Taylor has an extremely high ceiling, and a very high floor to go along with it.
Colt Emerson – Seattle Mariners
The first of three Mariners Round One draft picks in 2023, Colt Emerson arguably has the highest upside and is garnering some serious hype as a stud prep SS. Although power isn’t the main tool in his repertoire, Emerson didn’t take too long to make an impact and launched a two-run bomb in his first career professional at bat. Emerson’s high floor comes through his advanced hit tool – he doesn’t strike out much, repeatedly makes hard contact, and is elite at driving the ball to the gaps. His speed will have him stealing plenty of bases and he’ll be a very solid middle-infield defender. The Mariners will be looking for Emerson to build on his great start in the minors and progress quickly.
Colin Houck – New York Mets
It’s tough to call Colin Houck a sleeper, but after dropping to one of the last picks in the first round at #32, some collectors might skip right over him. Do NOT make this mistake. After exceeding the Competitive Balance Tax by over $40 million, the Mets were penalized and dropped ten spots in the Draft. All concerns about this penalty were gone when Houck, the #12 overall prospect in the class, fell to them as teams had concerns of his signability. Thankfully for the Mets, this multi-sport monster turned down football offers from Power 5 schools, bypassed his commitment to play baseball at Mississippi State, and accepted his $2.75 million signing bonus. Houck can do it all and is one of the most exciting prospects in this draft. He’s a pure athlete with advanced tools through every facet of his game and is going to be extremely fun to watch as he can now focus solely on baseball.
Mac Horvath – Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles have a recent history of Draft success, and they may have found themselves a second-round stud in Mac Horvath. Coming out of the University of North Carolina, Horvath was an intriguing prospect with heavy upside that had concerns over consistency at the plate. He came into his minor league debut mashing, ending with a combined .321 average, 1.058 OPS, and 5 bombs over the course of 22 games. On top of his bat, he has more above-average tools in his speed and his arm which should both suit him well in a move to the outfield. If he can stay consistent, Horvath has all the makings of a superstar with that special power/speed mix every MLB team desires.