MLB Draft 2023: 1st-Round Mock Draft, Breakdown of Top Prospects

The 2023 MLB draft has three prospects who could land with the Pittsburgh Pirates at No. 1.

Recent mock drafts suggest there is no consensus as to who the Pirates will choose between LSU pitcher Paul Skenes, LSU outfielder Dylan Crews and Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford.

Those three players are expected to be chosen with the top three picks, but the order is still unknown.

Skenes appears to be the most likely player to be guaranteed a spot in the top two. The Washington Nationals at No. 2 could be his floor, while Crews or Langford could drop to No. 3, or further if a stunning selection is made.

Pittsburgh, Washington and the Detroit Tigers should land major-league ready players if the top prospects go 1-2-3, and we could see them all in the majors sooner rather than later.

1st Round Mock Draft

Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

OMAHA, NE - JUNE 26: Wyatt Langford #36 of the Florida Gators hits a home run against the LSU Tigers in the first inning of game three of the Division I Men's Baseball Championship held at Charles Schwab Field on June 26, 2023 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

1. Pittsburgh - Dylan Crews, OF, LSU

2. Washington - Paul Skenes, RHP, LSU

3. Detroit - Wyatt Langford, OF, Detroit

4. Texas - Max Clark, OF, Franklin HS (IN)

5. Minnesota - Jacob Gonzalez, SS, Mississippi

6. Oakland - Brayden Taylor, 3B, TCU

7. Cincinnati - Kyle Teel, C, Virginia

8. Kansas City - Walker Jenkins, OF, South Brunswick HS (NC)

9. Colorado - Rhett Lowder, RHP, Wake Forest

10. Miami - Noble Meyer, Jesuit HS (OR)

11. Los Angeles Angels - Jacob Wilson, SS, Grand Canyon

12. Arizona - Chase Dollander, RHP, Tennessee

13. Chicago Cubs - Arjun Nimmala, SS, Strawberry Crest HS (FL)

14. Boston - Matt Shaw, SS, Maryland

15. Chicago White Sox - Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF, Vanderbilt

16. San Francisco - Ty Floyd, RHP, LSU

17. Baltimore - Hurston Waldrep, RHP, Florida

18. Milwaukee - Tommy Troy, SS, Stanford

19. Tampa Bay - Colin Houck, SS, Parkview HS (GA)

20. Toronto - Aidan Miller, 3B, Mitchell HS (FL)

21. St. Louis - Nolan Schanuel, 1B, Florida Atlantic

22. Seattle - Brock Wilken, 3B, Wake Forest

23. Cleveland: Colt Emerson, SS, Glenn HS (OH)

24. Atlanta - Bryce Eldridge, 1B/RHP, Madison HS (VA)

25. San Diego - Yohandy Morales, 3B, Miami

26. New York Yankees - Sammy Stafura, SS, Panas HS (NY)

27. Philadelphia - Chase Davis, OF, Arizona

28. Houston - Brandon Sproat, RHP, Florida

Paul Skenes

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OMAHA, NEBRASKA - JUNE 22: Paul Skenes #20 of the LSU pitches during the first inning against the Wake Forest at Charles Schwab Field on June 22, 2023 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images)

Skenes' record-breaking strikeout season and the potential link to the Nationals at No. 2 makes him easy to compare to Stephen Strasburg.

The Athletic's Keith Law used Strasburg as an example in his latest mock draft, which had Skenes going to Washington.

"Tough call for the Nats if both LSU kids are here, but a source familiar with the team's thinking told me the Nats would probably still take Skenes because he has the profile of a pitcher who's in the majors in a year à la Stephen Strasburg. Neither is a wrong choice and I could easily see them taking Crews," Law wrote.

Washington could fast track Skenes to the majors by next summer, although it would be wise to give him some time off after throwing so many innings at the collegiate level. Skenes threw 120 pitches in his two College World Series starts.

Pittsburgh could still land the right-handed hurler, as MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo projected in his latest mock.

The Pirates could also set a one-year goal for Skenes to be in the majors, and an argument can be made they need more pitching help than the Nationals.

Pittsburgh's rotation is headlined by Mitch Keller, but there no other dominant young arms in that group. Washington at least has MacKenzie Gore and Josiah Gray to build around.

Dylan Crews and Wyatt Langford

C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

OMAHA, NE - JUNE 24: Dylan Crews #3 of the LSU Tigers is walked by the Florida Gators in the second inning of game one of the Division I Men's Baseball Championship held at Charles Schwab Field on June 24, 2023 in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by C. Morgan Engel/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Crews and Langford will be bunched together on draft night because a similar scenario likely awaits both of them.

If Pittsburgh chooses one of them at No. 1, the other probably has to wait until the Tigers are on the clock to hear his name called.

Law projected Langford at No. 1 and Crews at No. 3, while Mayo had Crews at No. 2 and Langford at No. 3.

If Pittsburgh prefers a bat over an arm at No. 1, Skenes would be out of the discussion, which would benefit the Nationals.

Detroit could end up as the biggest winner of the entire situation. The Tigers are guaranteed to land one of Crews, Langford or Skenes.

The Tigers could use a major-league ready bat in the outfield and they can put that player on a similar path to the big leagues as Spencer Torkelson, who was selected first in 2020 and made his MLB debut at the start of the 2022 season.