MLB Draft 2023: Scouting Reports for Top Prospects Still Available on Day 2
The first day of the 2023 MLB draft is in the books, and while 70 players heard their names called on Sunday night, there is still a wealth of talent to be mined over the final two days and 18 rounds of this year's draft.
As part of our predraft preparation, I wrote up a number of scouting profiles to be used in our live grades article. That preparation serves as a way to stay ahead of the curve timing-wise while still providing in-depth analysis about each player who gets selected.
There are inevitably a handful of those profiles that go unused, and they've been included here to provide a closer look at some of the best talent still on the board entering Day 2 of the 2023 MLB draft.
POSITION PLAYERS
Maui Ahuna, SS, Tennessee
Ahuna hit .396/.479/.634 at the University of Kansas in 2022, and he was one of college baseball's most notable transfers during the offseason as he made the move to the University of Tennessee. His offensive production did not fully translate to the SEC, and while he hit a solid .312/.425/.537, it was accompanied by a troubling 31.2 percent strikeout rate. Despite the step backward at the plate, he remains one of the best defensive shortstop in the 2023 class.
Antonio Anderson, SS, North Atlanta High School (GA)
Anderson is a switch-hitter with an advanced approach and budding raw power that could make him a 20-plus home run threat at the next level. He rarely chases out of the zone and does a good job handling both velocity and quality breaking stuff, giving him a well-rounded offensive profile. The knock is a lack of speed and quick-twitch athleticism, which raises some questions about his future defensive home. He could profile as an offensive-minded second baseman, and he also has enough arm strength to handle the hot corner, though he will likely never be more than an average defender wherever he winds up.
Eric Bitonti, 3B, Aquinas High School (CA)
One of the youngest players in the 2023 draft class, Bitonti doesn't turn 18 years old until Nov. 17, and there is still a ton of physical projection remaining in his 6'4", 218-pound frame. His swing can get long at times, which has led to some issues against premium velocity, but he has shown enough plate discipline to instill the belief he can make the necessary adjustments. He fits the 40-hit, 60-power profile that often comes with significant boom-or-bust potential.
Trent Caraway, 3B, JSerra Catholic High School (CA)
Caraway is the latest high-level draft prospect to emerge from California prep powerhouse JSerra Catholic. The 6'2", 205-pound slugger broke the school's single-season hits record this spring, surpassing the mark previously held by 2017 No. 1 overall pick Royce Lewis. His offensive potential props up a questionable defensive profile and limited athleticism, and he might wind up as a first base-only prospect. He is already 19 years old and more or less maxed out physically.
Roch Cholowsky, SS, Hamilton High School (AZ)
Cholowsky is arguably the best defensive shortstop from the 2023 high school class, with smooth actions, excellent footwork and a strong throwing arm that also served him well on the gridiron where he is a 3-star quarterback recruit. The 6'2", 185-pound infielder profiles as more of a contact hitter than a power threat, though he did hit 10 home runs during his senior season. There is room for him to add strength to his frame, but he'll also need to make the necessary swing adjustments to more consistently drive the ball. His glove gives him a high floor, even if he is only an average offensive player.
Will Gasparino, OF, Harvard-Westlake High School (CA)
With present raw power, plus athleticism and a highly projectable 6'6", 205-pound frame, Gasparino has the potential to develop into a power-hitting everyday center fielder. A standout at California powerhouse Harvard-Westlake, his outlook is all about long-term projection, though he already shows the ability to drive the ball to all fields. His future will hinge on the development of his pitch recognition and the work he does in the weight room. He is the son of Los Angeles Dodgers scouting director Billy Gasparino and has been around pro baseball his entire life.
Grant Gray, OF, Norco High School (CA)
Gray is a 3-star wide receiver recruit who hauled in 74 catches for 862 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior and is committed to play both football and baseball at UCLA. Viewed as more of a football prospect heading into the spring, he has taken a major step forward on the diamond while showing significant improvement at the plate and in center field. His overall skills are still extremely raw, and it will take a significant bonus to sign him away from his college commitment.
Travis Honeyman, OF, Boston College
Honeyman had a breakout 2022 season at Boston College, then continued to trend upward in the Cape Cod League when he hit .289/.400/.530 with 12 extra-base hits in 100 plate appearances. Some inconsistency at the plate this spring and a shoulder injury plateaued his rise up draft boards, but he still hit .304/.383/.534 with 23 extra-base hits and 10 steals in 39 games. His value climbs if he proves he can handle center field at the next level.
Jack Hurley, OF, Virginia Tech
Hurley hit .375/.452/.664 with 38 extra-base hits as a sophomore while playing alongside 2022 first-round pick Gavin Cross, and he earned a spot on the Collegiate National Team last summer. The 6'0", 185-pound outfielder has five-tool potential with an advanced hit tool, good power and the defensive chops to stick in center field. He batted .320/.414/.714 with 15 doubles, 17 home runs and 49 RBI this spring, and is a high-floor player who can contribute in a variety of ways.
Roman Martin, SS, Servite High School (CA)
Martin has looked like an elite-level prospect at times on the showcase circuit, but his offensive game has been inconsistent as his swing gets long at times and he tries to do too much. That said, he has a high baseball IQ and has shown the ability to make adjustments, and he played well late in the spring after a slow start to this senior season. Defensively, he is a standout shortstop with soft hands and good instincts, and he is a safe bet to stick at the position. He needs to add strength to his 6'2", 175-pound frame.
Cooper Pratt, SS, Magnolia Heights High School (MS)
The Gatorade Player of the Year in Mississippi this year, Pratt has drawn comparisons to Baltimore Orioles rising star Gunnar Henderson at the same point in his development. With a lanky 6'4", 195-pound frame, he is big for a shortstop, but he moves well at the position with a chance to stick there. If he loses a step while filling out physically, there is enough power potential in his offensive profile for him to be a clean fit at third base.
Josh Rivera, SS, Florida
After middling production his first three years on campus, Rivera exploded for a .348/.447/.617 line with 19 home runs, 72 RBI and 18 steals as the starting shortstop for a Florida team that reached the College World Series. He has an aggressive approach at the plate, but that didn't stop him from tallying more walks (46) than strikeouts (35) this spring, and he absolutely crushed velocity. Add in a reliable glove that might be able to stick up the middle and he is one of the top senior signs in the draft.
Brandon Winokur, OF, Edison High School (CA)
Winokur has tantalizing raw tools with plus raw power, good speed, and an extremely projectable 6'5", 210-pound frame. He even served as his high school team's closer, racking up 21 strikeouts in 11.1 innings while dialing his fastball into the mid-90s on the mound. There is legitimate five-tool potential here if everything clicks, but there are questions about whether he will make enough consistent contact. His swing gets long at times, and he has struggled to catch up to premium velocity.
George Wolkow, OF, Downers Grove North High School (IL)
Originally part of the 2024 draft class, Wolkow reclassified last March and he doesn't turn 18 years old until January. The hulking 6'7", 225-pound slugger already has some of the best raw power in the draft class and it's easy to see him developing into a top-of-the-scale power prospect. The question is his hit tool, as his swing can get big at times and his pitch recognition needs significant work. With his strong arm and huge power ceiling, a prototypical middle-of-the-order run producer and right fielder is the best-case scenario, but there is a wide range between floor and ceiling.
PITCHERS
Steven Echavarria, RHP, Millburn High School (NJ)
Echavarria has shown an advanced overall feel for pitching, especially for a prep prospect from a cold weather state. An uptick in his fastball velocity this spring has helped him climb in a thin class of high school arms, and he now sits in the mid-90s with the ability to reach back for 98 mph on his heater. He has smooth mechanics and the potential for a pair of quality offspeed pitches in his high-spin slider and changeup. His 6'1", 180-pound frame has room to fill out, and he is one of the better bets in the 2023 prep class to stick as a starter.
Cameron Johnson, LHP, IMG Academy (FL)
Johnson is a physically imposing 6'5", 240-pound left-hander with power stuff and a deceptive three-quarters arm slot, though he dealt with some elbow tendinitis this spring. He gets good late life on a mid-90s fastball that touches 98 mph and his slider is a swing-and-miss pitch, though he will need to further develop his changeup as a reliable third offering. He doesn't have the cleanest mechanics and his command is inconsistent as a result, so he will have some work to do in pro ball in order to maximize his stuff. That said, lefties with a starter's frame and power stuff don't grow on trees.
Kiefer Lord, RHP, Washington
After two seasons at D-III Carleton College, Lord transferred to the University of Washington this spring and tallied 78 strikeouts in 75.2 innings while showcasing one of the best fastballs in the country. The pitch has touched 99 mph with good late life, and he threw it roughly 70 percent of the time. His secondary stuff is far more inconsistent and he will need to find at least one reliable breaking pitch. His 6.19 ERA was inflated by 27 earned runs in 13.2 innings over his final four starts, but he looked dominant at times earlier in the spring, including eight shutout innings and 10 strikeouts against a good Stanford team.
Landen Maroudis, RHP, Calvary Christian High School (FL)
Maroudis was part of a stacked pitching staff at Calvary Christian that also included draft prospects Liam Peterson and Hunter Dietz, and he emerged as the best of the bunch this spring with an uptick in his fastball velocity and better command of his secondary stuff. The 6'3", 190-pound right-hander is a good athlete who served as the team's starting shortstop when he was not pitching, and that athleticism is evident in his clean, repeatable mechanics on the mound.
Teddy McGraw, RHP, Wake Forest
McGraw missed his senior year of high school recovering from Tommy John surgery, and he blew out his arm again prior to the 2023 season, undergoing a second elbow reconstruction with an internal brace. In between, he flashed a heavy upper 90s fastball with good sink that induced a ton of ground balls, to go along with a sweeping slider and plus changeup. The 6'2", 210-pound righty looked a potential first-round pick before getting hurt for the second time, but now stands as an intriguing high risk/high reward selection.
Hunter Owen, LHP, Vanderbilt
Owen tossed just 43.1 innings during his first two seasons at Vanderbilt while pitching primarily in relief before moving into the rotation this spring. The towering 6'6", 241-pound lefty was steadily climbing up draft boards early in the spring when he posted a 3.52 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 76 strikeouts in 64 innings. With a fastball that has been up to 97 mph, a swing-and-miss slider and plus command he has major upside. However, he made just two appearances after May 5 while dealing with a tired arm and shoulder soreness, and he also missed time in 2022 which raises questions about his durability.
Will Sanders, RHP, South Carolina
A projectable right-hander coming out of high school, Sanders has added 20 pounds to his frame since stepping onto campus at South Carolina and he is now a solidly built 6'6", 230 pounds with an uptick in his stuff to match. However, his command took a step backward from his freshman to sophomore seasons, and he was hit hard this spring with a 5.46 ERA and 38 home runs allowed in 62.2 innings. He allowed a 1.109 OPS with his fastball and will need to find better command and movement on the pitch to deliver on his middle-of-the-rotation potential.
Cole Schoenwetter, RHP, San Marcos High School (CA)
Schoenwetter finished 6-1 with a 0.91 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 61.2 innings against quality competition in Southern California this spring on the heels of a stellar performance on the showcase circuit last summer. The 6'3", 190-pound right-hander has excellent present stuff with a mid-90s fastball that touches 98 mph, a power curveball and a good changeup. He will need to get stronger to maintain that electric stuff deeper into games, and his command can waver at times, but he has clean mechanics and should be able to tack significant strength onto his frame.
Travis Sykora, RHP, Round Rock High School (TX)
Sykora is the hardest-throwing pitcher in this year's high school class with a fastball that regularly sits in the upper 90s and has touched 101 mph. His splitter and slider lag behind in terms of development, but both pitches have flashed plus and have the potential to be solid secondary offerings. He is a good athlete for a player his size with a huge 6'6", 232-pound frame that still offers further physical projection. The fact that he turned 19 in April gives him some leverage in negotiations, as he will be draft-eligible again as a sophomore if he honors his commitment to the University of Texas.
Joey Volchko, Redwood High School (CA)
With an 0.26 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 27 innings this spring, Volchko was one of the most dominant high school pitchers in the nation this spring. His 6'4", 210-pound frame and high-waisted build have drawn comparison to a young Noah Syndergaard, and he has the potential for a legitimate four-pitch arsenal with a mid-90s fastball and putaway slider headlining his current repertoire. It's going to cost a pretty penny to sign him away from a commitment to Stanford with his upward trajectory this spring.
Juaron Watts-Brown, RHP, Oklahoma State
Watts-Brown was originally committed to Texas Tech before suffering an arm injury playing football during his senior year of high school. He redshirted during the 2021 season before racking up 13.6 K/9 in 73.1 innings and tossing a no-hitter in 2022, and he finally made it to the Big 12 when he transferred to Oklahoma State during the offseason. The 6'3", 190-pound right-hander had 124 punchouts in 82.1 innings this spring, though that gaudy strikeout total was accompanied by a 5.03 ERA and 12.8 percent walk rate. He is more of a project than other top college arms, but his upside is huge.
Paul Wilson, LHP, Lakeridge High School (OR)
Wilson is a 6'3", 205-pound left-hander with a fastball that has been up to 97 mph this spring, two different breaking pitches and a developing changeup. His tight slider is the best of his secondary offerings, while his curveball has also flashed plus. He had some trouble with his mechanics getting out of sync at times this spring, and ironing out those issues could help him take a significant step forward with his overall command. He has baseball bloodlines as the son of eight-year MLB veteran Trevor Wilson.
Tanner Witt, RHP, Texas
Witt was a consensus Top 100 prospect in the 2020 draft, but he made it to campus at Texas and posted a 3.16 ERA with five saves and 11.5 K/9 out of the bullpen as a freshman. The 6'5", 225-pound right-hander moved into the rotation as a sophomore and looked sharp in a pair of starts before suffering an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. He returned to action late in 2023, but his stuff did not immediately return to pre-injury form and across 15.2 innings with the Longhorns and in the Cape Cod League he allowed 18 hits, 11 walks and 19 earned runs. The risk is high, but the reward could be a No. 2 starter with workhorse potential.
