Max Clark and Walker Jenkins easily rank as the two best players in the Class of 2023.
The 2022 Major League Baseball Draft saw 13 high school players drafted among the top 30, including the No. 1 overall pick in Jackson Holliday to the Baltimore Orioles and the No. 2 pick in Druw Jones to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The 2023 Major League Baseball Draft is not shaping up to be as high school heavy as last year's selection with only two players –
Max Clark of
Franklin Community (Franklin, Ind.) and
Walker Jenkins of
South Brunswick (Southport, N.C.) – regularly appearing among top 10 picks in mock drafts.
In fact, no mock drafts have a high school player going with the No. 1 overall pick and only one we surveyed had any prep going as high No. 2. Additionally, in the six mock drafts we looked at, only Clark and Jenkins were listed as first round picks in all six drafts. Only three other players,
Aidan Miller of
Mitchell (New Port Richey, Fla.),
Thomas White of
Phillips Academy (Andover, Mass.) and
Kevin McGonigle of
Monsignor Bonner (Drexel Hill, Pa.), appeared in five out of six.
1. Max Clark, Franklin Community (Franklin, Ind.), OFThe top prospects at the college level are outfielders so the fact that Clark has come off the board in several mock drafts as high as No. 2 or 3 is a testament to his skills. An increase in his power number is all that keeps him from becoming a true five-tool player.
2. Walker Jenkins, South Brunswick (Southport, N.C.), OFWhile not the fielder that Clark might be, Jenkins may have the better bat speed and overall swing. In fact, James Miron of USA Today tabs Jenkins as having among the best bat speed in the 2023 MLB draft class, college or prep. Won't last past the first 10 picks.
3. Aidan Miller, Mitchell (New Port Richey, Fla.), 3BOnly one mock draft didn't have Miller in the top 28. The rest had Miller coming off the board right around No. 9 to the Colorado Rockies, who have been looking for a replacement for Nolan Arenado. With good power and solid defense, Miller could be the perfect fit. He was the top hitter for Team USA 18-Under at the World Cup championships.
4. Thomas White, Phillips Academy (Andover, Mass.), PThe lefthander from the Northeast could be the first high school pitcher selected, which would hold a certain sense of irony since pitchers from the Northeast are rarely picked in the first round due in part to the low number of games they pitch during their high school career. In fact only seven pitchers from Massachusetts have been chosen in the first round since 1965 (California has seven since 2014). A fastball that hits in the mid-90s and a deceptive delivery are a couple of traits that make White a potential mid-first round selection.
5. Noble Meyer, Jesuit (Portland, Ore.), PIf White is not the first prep pitcher selected then it will likely be Meyer. Good size at 6-foot-5, Meyer also hits close to 99 mph on his fastball and has a slider and changeup to give him three plus pitches.
6. Blake Mitchell, Sinton (Texas), CMitchell is easily the best catcher candidate in the Class of 2023 but the question is whether he will stay there. At the MLB High School All-Star Game, Mitchell pitched the final inning, struck out the side and hit 96 mph on his fastball. Mitchell can also play every day, however, after showing a consistent hitting stroke and home run power as a junior. Could go in the latter half of the first round.
7. Kevin McGonigle, Monsignor Bonner (Drexel Hill, Pa.), IFThe Class of 2022 was loaded with shortstops, including Holliday who went No. 1 overall. McGonigle is the top high school middle infielder in 2023 and could go somewhere in the second half of the first round. A consistent bat with some power, McGonigle could be a strong candidate to switch to second base.
8. Arjun Nimmala, Strawberry Crest (Dover, Fla.), SSOne of the fast risers up the prospect list over the past year, Nimmala is also one of the youngest players in the class as he will not turn 18 until next fall. Perfect Game has Nimmala rated as the No. 1 player in Florida and the top shortstop in the Class of 2023 thanks to quick hands and a plus power stroke. Could go late in the first round or early in the supplemental round.
9. Colt Emerson, John Glenn (New Concord, Ohio), SSAnother fast riser from last year, Emerson earned all-state honors as a junior and has been listed as a late first round pick by several mock drafts. A strong performance for Team USA at the World Cup showed Emerson's hitting prowess. Ranked as the No. 14 shortstop in the nation by Perfect Game, Emerson could be the third prep shortstop drafted behind McGonigle and Nimmala. Look for him to go early in the supplemental round.
10. Colin Houck, Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.), IFThe No. 10 spot could easily go to
Roch Cholowsky of
Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) or
Bryce Eldridge of
James Madison (Vienna, Va.), but we will go with Houck – one of the top two-way athletes in the nation. As a quarterback, Houck threw for over 2,000 yards in leading Parkview to an 8-4 record. Last year he was among the national leaders in home runs with 15.
