Dylan Crews and the Top 10 MLB Draft Prospects at the 2023 College World Series
The 2023 College World Series is officially underway.
This year's field of teams is made up of Florida, LSU, Oral Roberts, Stanford, TCU, Tennessee, Virginia and Wake Forest. There is plenty of future pro talent scattered across those eight rosters.
Ahead, we've provided a rundown of the top 10 prospects for the 2023 MLB draft who will be in action at this year's College World Series.
Let's start with some honorable mentions, before diving into 10 players who all have the potential to be top-10 picks when the draft kicks off July 9 during MLB's All-Star festivities in Seattle.
Note: The "BA Ranking" for each player refers to where they currently fall on Baseball America's comprehensive list of the top prospects for the 2023 draft.
Honorable Mention (Hitters)
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3B Jake Gelof, Virginia (BA Ranking: 41)
The younger brother of Oakland Athletics prospect Zack Gelof has been one of the nation's best power hitters this spring. After a 21-homer sophomore season, he is hitting .331/.435/.731 with 23 doubles, 23 home runs and 89 RBI, though he does have some swing-and-miss concerns and an average-at-best glove.
SS Josh Rivera, Florida (BA Ranking: 68)
A .259 hitter with 16 home runs in 134 games during his first three years on campus, Rivera is enjoying a breakout senior year. The 22-year-old is hitting .362/.465/.633 with 17 home runs, 68 RBI and more walks (44) than strikeouts (26) in 64 games while continuing to show a steady glove at shortstop. He will be an attractive below-slot target as a senior sign.
SS Maui Ahuna (BA Ranking: 71)
Ahuna transferred to Tennessee last offseason following a huge sophomore year at the University of Kansas, but his OPS has dropped more than 150 points with the step up in competition. He still hit .302/.423/.537 while ranking as one of the best defensive infielders in college baseball, but his 73 strikeouts in 50 games will likely be enough to knock him out of first-round consideration.
1B/OF Tre' Morgan, LSU (BA Ranking: 76)
A staple in the LSU lineup the past three seasons, Morgan has hit .332/.427/.497 in 877 plate appearances during his time on campus. He is an elite defender at first base with the athleticism to handle a corner outfield spot, but he lacks the power to be a clean fit at either of those spots.
Honorable Mention (Pitchers)
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RHP Brandon Sproat, Florida (BA Ranking: 47)
A third-round pick in the 2022 draft following an up-and-down first season in the Florida rotation, Sproat returned to campus for his senior year. While his 4.69 ERA and 1.21 WHIP are a clear indication there is still work to be done, his pure stuff still gives him significant upside, and he has used an upper 90s fastball and a swing-and-miss slider to rack up 120 strikeouts in 96 innings.
RHP Ty Floyd, LSU (BA Ranking: 67)
With a strong 6'2", 200-pound frame and three above-average pitches, Floyd has been on the draft radar since he was in high school, but he went undrafted in 2020 and again as a draft-eligible sophomore last year. He is 7-0 with a 4.50 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 93 strikeouts in 78 innings this spring, and he profiles as a back-end starter at the next level.
LHP Sean Sullivan, Wake Forest (BA Ranking: 85)
Sullivan missed some time with a triceps injury in May, but he returned to rack up 14 strikeouts in 5.2 innings against George Mason and Alabama in regionals and super regionals. The 6'4" southpaw relies more on pitchability than stuff, but with a 2.64 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 108 strikeouts in 64.2 innings, his results this spring have boosted his stock considerably.
10. 3B Brock Wilken, Wake Forest
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BA Ranking: 23
Stats: 62 G, 302 PA, .357/.517/.835, 46 XBH (30 HR), 80 RBI
Slugger Brock Wilken showed 60-grade power potential last spring when he posted a .964 OPS with 23 home runs and 77 RBI, though his 71-to-34 strikeout-to-walk ratio was also a clear indication he had work to do refining his hit tool.
The 6'4", 225-pound third baseman has trimmed his strikeout rate (24.2 to 16.9 percent), and he has also nearly doubled his walk rate (11.6 to 21.5 percent), giving him a more complete offensive profile.
Wilken has a strong throwing arm, but he is a below-average athlete with limited range, which means there is some risk that he could be a first-base-only prospect. He also hit just .229 in 133 plate appearances with wood bats in the Cape Cod League last summer.
9. RHP Hurston Waldrep, Florida
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BA Ranking: 18
Stats: 17 GS, 9-3, 4.15 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 48 BB, 142 K, 93.1 IP
After tallying 140 strikeouts in 90 innings as a sophomore at Southern Mississippi and pitching for Team USA last summer, Hurston Waldrep transferred to the University of Florida for his junior year.
The 6'2", 210-pound right-hander has an electric fastball, a swing-and-miss splitter and plus slider, though his overall command remains a work in progress as he tallied 4.6 walks per nine innings this spring.
His 142 strikeouts this season rank third in the nation, behind only LSU ace Paul Skenes (188) and Stanford workhorse Quinn Mathews (152). And while he is more of a project than some of the other top college arms in this class, he has legitimate frontline upside.
8. 3B Brayden Taylor, TCU
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BA Ranking: 16
Stats: 63 G, 301 PA, .314/.439/.657, 37 XBH (23 HR), 69 RBI
With a smooth left-handed swing and advanced bat-to-ball skills, Brayden Taylor is one of the most polished college bats in this year's draft class.
He just turned 21 years old last month and has more remaining projection than most college hitters. While he has played primarily third base, he has also seen sporadic action at second base and shortstop where his instincts help offset a lack of quick-twitch athleticism.
Taylor's ceiling might be 20-25 home runs at the MLB level, but he is a well-rounded player who should hit for a high average, and he has also tallied 39 steals in 40 attempts during his time on campus at TCU.
7. IF Tommy Troy, Stanford
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BA Ranking: 12
Stats: 56 G, 284 PA, .397/.479/.711, 38 XBH (17 HR), 58 RBI
Tommy Troy boosted his stock significantly last summer when he hit .310/.386/.531 over 127 plate appearances in the Cape Cod League and was named the circuit's best pro prospect at the end of the season.
The 21-year-old is one of the better pure hitters in the class with a polished hit tool that should allow him to move quickly through the minors. While he does not profile as a slugger, he should provide plenty of extra-base pop.
After splitting his time between the two middle infield spots during his sophomore season, Troy shifted to third base this spring. His best fit might be second base where he has the bat to provide plenty of value, but his versatility further adds to his long-term appeal.
6. C Kyle Teel, Virginia
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BA Ranking: 11
Stats: 63 G, 289 PA, .418/.484/.673, 38 XBH (13 HR), 69 RBI
In a year when there might only be two catchers taken inside the top 100 picks, Kyle Teel is the best backstop in the country. He would be a slam dunk to go in the top half of the first round even in a deep year at the position.
Another player who withdrew his name from the 2020 draft, similar to LSU standout Dylan Crews, the 21-year-old has developed into a terrific all-around catcher with a strong throwing arm, good receiving skills and standout athleticism for the position.
Offensively, Teel has a contact-over-power approach and while a lackluster summer in the Cape Cod League and with Team USA raised some questions about his offensive profile, he has silenced many of those concerns with a stellar junior campaign.
5. RHP Rhett Lowder, Wake Forest
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BA Ranking: 10
Stats: 17 GS, 15-0, 1.92 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 21 BB, 131 K, 108.0 IP
While LSU ace Paul Skenes lights up the radar gun with a triple-digits fastball, Rhett Lowder has established himself as a sure-fire first-round pick and the ace of the Wake Forest staff on the strength of an elite changeup.
The 6'2", 200-pound right-hander also throws a heavy mid-90s fastball that generates a ton of groundballs and a slider that has excelled but needs further refinement. While he has racked up 131 strikeouts in 108 innings, his game is more about inducing weak contact.
Lowder might have the highest floor of any pitcher in the 2023 draft class, with a middle-of-the-rotation profile and advanced pitchability that should allow him to move quickly through the minors to be one of the first players from the class to reach the big leagues.
4. RHP Chase Dollander, Tennessee
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BA Ranking: 7
Stats: 16 GS, 7-6, 4.50 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 28 BB, 118 K, 86.0 IP
Chase Dollander was one of the leading candidates to go No. 1 overall in the 2023 draft following a sophomore season in which he finished 10-0 with a 2.39 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 108 strikeouts in 79 innings for a stacked Tennessee team.
The 6'2", 200-pound right-hander has not enjoyed that same level of success this season, showing inconsistent command and less life on his pitches.
"Dollander hasn't been quite as electric in his draft year, however, as his walk rate doubled from 4.2% to 8% and the shape on both his fastball and slider have been a bit lacking compared to his 2022 version. In terms of pure stuff and velocity, Dollander hasn't changed much," Baseball America wrote in his pre-draft profile.
Still, with a fastball that touches 99 mph, a power slider that can sit in the low 90s and a curveball/changeup pairing that could give him four above-average offerings, he still has the highest ceiling among college pitchers not named Paul Skenes.
3. OF Wyatt Langford, Florida
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BA Ranking: 3
Stats: 58 G, 273 PA, .373/.498/.769, 45 XBH (18 HR), 48 RBI
With LSU teammates Dylan Crews and Paul Skenes expected to go 1-2 in the 2023 draft, Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford is part of a small group that also includes prep outfielders Walker Jenkins and Max Clark in the running to be the next player off the board.
After tallying just four plate appearances as a true freshman, Langford exploded onto the scene in 2022, tying the University of Florida single-season record with 26 home runs while hitting .356/.447/.719 in 303 plate appearances.
With a 60-hit/65-power offensive profile and proven production in the best conference in the country, the 21-year-old has an extremely high floor. He has played primarily left field in college and has a good arm and solid speed that should allow him to provide value defensively and on the base paths.
Langford flashed his elite power potential last spring and has shown a more refined approach, raising his walk rate from 11.9 to 18.7 percent to rank second among SEC players with a .498 on-base percentage.
2. RHP Paul Skenes, LSU
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BA Ranking: 2
Stats: 17 GS, 12-2, 1.77 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 188 K, 107.0 IP
LSU right-hander Paul Skenes has regularly been called the best college pitching prospect since Stephen Strasburg this spring.
Anyone who followed college baseball back in 2009, when Strasburg was lighting up radar guns at San Diego State while going 13-1 with a 1.32 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and 195 strikeouts in 109 innings, knows that is high praise.
The 6'6", 235-pound Skenes has touched 102 mph with his 80-grade fastball, and he backs it with a sharp-biting 70-grade slider that will immediately become one of the best breaking pitches in minor league baseball.
The 21-year-old also hit .314/.412/.634 with 10 doubles, 13 home runs and 38 RBI in 182 plate appearances last season as a first baseman at Air Force, which speaks to his elite athleticism on the mound, especially for a player his size.
In almost any other draft class, Skenes would be the No. 1 overall pick.
1. OF Dylan Crews, LSU
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BA Ranking: 1
Stats: 63 G, 304 PA, .434/.576/.735, 33 XBH (17 HR), 67 RBI
Outfielder Dylan Crews was viewed as a potential first-round pick in the 2020 draft before swing-and-miss concerns during his senior year of high school caused his stock to slip.
Ultimately, he removed his name from the 2020 draft to honor his commitment to LSU and look to rebuild his stock.
Mission accomplished.
He hit .362/.453/.663 with 18 home runs as a true freshman two years ago, and he has put together a junior year for the ages this spring.
The 21-year-old ranks third in the nation in batting average (.434) and second in on-base percentage (.576), and he has done it playing in the best conference in the country and as a focal point of his team's lineup.
It would be a major upset if anyone else went No. 1 overall to the Pittsburgh Pirates next month. Crews is, arguably, the best draft prospect since Adley Rutschman came out of Oregon State in 2019.
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference.
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