2023 Draft Discussion

[WrongVerb]

MLB Pipeline has released their list of top draft prospects for next year: https://www.mlb.com/prospects/2023/draft/

Following the lottery results, this is the 2023 draft order. The Reds selections are bolded:

1-01 Pittsburgh Pirates
1-02 Washington Nationals
1-03 Detroit Tigers
1-04 Texas Rangers
1-05 Minnesota Twins
1-06 Oakland Athletics
1-07 Cincinnati Reds
1-08 Kansas City Royals
1-09 Colorado Rockies
1-10 Miami Marlins
1-11 Los Angeles Angels
1-12 Arizona Diamondbacks
1-13 Chicago Cubs
1-14 Boston Red Sox
1-15 Chicago White Sox
1-16 San Francisco Giants
1-17 Baltimore Orioles
1-18 Milwaukee Brewers
1-19 Tampa Bay Rays
1-20 Toronto Blue Jays
1-21 St. Louis Cardinals
1-22 Seattle Mariners
1-23 Cleveland Guardians
1-24 Atlanta Braves
1-25 San Diego Padres
1-26 New York Yankees
1-27 Philadelphia Phillies
1-28 Houston Astros

Compensation Picks
1-29 Seattle Mariners

Competitive Balance picks may be traded and are not subject to forfeiture.
1-30 Seattle Mariners
1-31 Tampa Bay Rays
1-32 New York Mets
1-33 Milwaukee Brewers
1-34 Minnesota Twins
1-35 Miami Marlins
1-36 Los Angeles Dodgers
1-37 Detroit Tigers
1-38 Cincinnati Reds
1-39 Oakland Athletics

Second Round
2-40 Washington Nationals
2-41 Oakland Athletics
2-42 Pittsburgh Pirates
2-43 Cincinnati Reds
2-44 Kansas City Royals
2-45 Detroit Tigers
2-46 Colorado Rockies
2-47 Miami Marlins
2-48 Arizona Diamondbacks
2-49 Chicago Cubs
2-50 Minnesota Twins
2-51 Boston Red Sox
2-52 Chicago White Sox
2-53 San Francisco Giants
2-54 Baltimore Orioles
2-55 Milwaukee Brewers
2-56 Tampa Bay Rays
2-57 Toronto Blue Jays
2-58 New York Mets
2-59 Seattle Mariners
2-60 Cleveland Guardians
2-61 Atlanta Braves
2-62 Los Angeles Dodgers
2-63 New York Yankees
2-64 Houston Astros

Competitive Balance Round B
2-65 Cleveland Guardians
2-66 Baltimore Orioles
2-67 Arizona Diamondbacks
2-68 Colorado Rockies
2-69 Kansas City Royals
2-70 Pittsburgh Pirates

Compensation picks
2-71 Giants
2-72 Braves
2-73 Chicago Cubs

Third Round
3-74 Washington Nationals
3-75 Oakland Athletics
3-76 Pittsburgh Pirates
3-77 Cincinnati Reds

[RedTeamGo!]

sigh

Here's the first mock draft:

https://www.mlb.com/news/mock-mlb-draft-2023

7. Reds: Jacob Gonzalez, SS, Mississippi
The Reds dropped from No. 4 in terms of W-L record to No. 7 in the lottery, so getting our No. 5-ranked player might help make up for that. And I know what you’re thinking: Why would the Reds take another shortstop given the depth at that position in their system? But they love college bats and you can never have too many up-the-middle players.

Getting Gonzalez at 7 would be a steal. I doubt it happens, but would be nice.

[podgejeff_]

sigh

Here's the first mock draft:

https://www.mlb.com/news/mock-mlb-draft-2023



Getting Gonzalez at 7 would be a steal. I doubt it happens, but would be nice.

I'd take any of those top 7, although I'd probably rather have Enrique Bradfield over Walker Jenkins.

[bah1286]

Players whose fathers were once big leaguers seem to be having a lot of success. I like the hit tool of Jacob Wilson.

[marcshoe]

Players whose fathers were once big leaguers seem to be having a lot of success. I like the hit tool of Jacob Wilson.

That would mean taking the son of a light-hitting Pirate first two years in a row.

[Bourgeois Zee]

There seems to be a clear tier with the first five picks.

Love Max Clark's scouting report. Doubt he drops to the Reds.

[mth123]

I can't say I'm much of an expert on draftees, and the scouting reports only tell so much and stats against uneven competition tell even less. I need to see some states against full season minor league competition before I can draw any conclusions and even then anything below AA is still pretty noisey. So, I usually exclude most draftees in any prospect rankings unless they are clear cases like Greene who was considered a generational talent or Lodolo who was considered the best arm in his draft class.

With that in mind, I always prefer the Reds take the guy they have rated most highly without any regard to position or team needs. Still, I'm really hoping for an advanced college starting pitcher who can start out in A+ and play his first full year at AA. I think starting pitching, legit can stick in the rotation as a starter, starting pitching is the clear organizational weakness.

So, for those of you who know more about these guys, is there anyone like that who will be available at number 7? This team needs another Lodolo type soon.

[lollipopcurve]

This looks like a year with a strong top of the first round. Even though the Reds had a bad lottery, the #7 spot could still be prime real estate. Early, but I like how Crews, Langford, Gonzalez, Dollander, Skenes, Clark, Wilson, Bradfield and Jenkins stacks up, just out of the gate. Gotta figure there will be a riser or 3 who makes a run at the top 10 too.

[RED VAN HOT]

There seems to be a clear tier with the first five picks.

Love Max Clark's scouting report. Doubt he drops to the Reds.

Clark is also my early favorite. Rhett Lowder looks to have the potential to be a fast riser ala Mike Leake. If the Reds feel their pitching pipeline needs to be bolstered, he might be considered as a near term fix.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Clark is also my early favorite. Rhett Lowder looks to have the potential to be a fast riser ala Mike Leake. If the Reds feel their pitching pipeline needs to be bolstered, he might be considered as a near term fix.

Lowder was another guy I liked.

[Kc61]

Somebody good will drop to the Reds at 7. Happens every year. Reds will meet the prospect’s demands. They’d rather do that than spend on a more expensive, veteran player in FA.

[corkedbat]

I'd take any of those top 7, although I'd probably rather have Enrique Bradfield over Walker Jenkins.

I've been a big fan of Bradfield for sometime now.

1. A Vandy kid
2. College kid - good chance to be a fast move
3. Would fill two needs - CF/leadoff
4. SOLID hit tool
5. Elite speed.

I know, I know. You don't draft for need in the MLB draft, but there's a good chance that he could be BPA in addition to filling a critical need at a spot where depth is sorely lacking. You also have to take into consideration that teams seem to be moving elite prospects up the ladder much quicker these days.


In the highly unlikely event Skenes or Dollander would slip to #7, my priority would flip to them.
I could easily be moved from Bradfield to Gonzalez if I felt he could give similar coverage in CF, a stronger arm (quite possible as a SS) an equal hit tool, better power and would move up the ladder as fast or faster.

My top priority in the first round would be a college starter, but given the chances or one being there at #7. I'm figuring on a college bat.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Who's in your do-not-draft lists?

[JCM11]

Based on the players I think have a chance to fall to the Reds at #7(which doesn't include Crews, Dollander, or Langford) my preferred picks in order would be Clark, Skenes, Jenkins, Bradfield Jr., Waldrep, Louder. Obviously I think we need SP and OF, but I wouldn't be surprised if they take Gonzalez or Wilson either, and I think Wilson could be a sneaky good pick. I'm torn on Jenkins or Bradfield. I think Jenkins has big bat middle of the order potential, but if Bradfield can carry even a league average bat at the MLB level he's going to be a weapon. Louder might be the safest pick and should be a good fit with a sinking fastball and elite change up.

[Bourgeois Zee]

Based on the players I think have a chance to fall to the Reds at #7(which doesn't include Crews, Dollander, or Langford) my preferred picks in order would be Clark, Skenes, Jenkins, Bradfield Jr., Waldrep, Louder. Obviously I think we need SP and OF, but I wouldn't be surprised if they take Gonzalez or Wilson either, and I think Wilson could be a sneaky good pick. I'm torn on Jenkins or Bradfield. I think Jenkins has big bat middle of the order potential, but if Bradfield can carry even a league average bat at the MLB level he's going to be a weapon. Louder might be the safest pick and should be a good fit with a sinking fastball and elite change up.

Read the Fangraphs' article on Skenes. 99 mph fastball and two quality off-speed pitches seems like a good arsenal for a SP. Great body. Great kid. Fantastic worker obsessed with the game. Likely a fast mover.

He might be my new favorite possibility.