With Thursday’s CWS heroics behind us and the Finals about to begin, it’s a great time to acknowledge the most talented players in the nation with the selection of College Baseball Nation's Postseason All-America Prospect Teams. As the name suggests, selection to both squads is more contingent on a player’s long-term potential and how he projects as a pro prospect than on merely statistical performance. However, there will certainly be a strong correlation between the latter and a player’s appearance in this article.
As the 2023 season progressed, we consistently heard from MLB executives and scouts how strong the talent level was across college baseball. And most scouts cited the 2023 draft class as being particularly impressive. If the talent level on both teams isn’t enough to make you salivate then think of all the deserving guys we had to omit because of a lack of space—players like Miami 3B Yohandy Morales, Campbell RHP Cade Kuehler, and Mississippi State OF Colton Ledbetter should all be off the board during the first day of the draft but couldn’t get a seat at CBN’s All-America table.
With the 2023 First-Year Player Draft about two weeks away, CBN has you covered. Our next mock draft will be chock full of juicy tidbits and appear the week of July 3rd. In the meantime, please feel free to follow me on Twitter at @H_Frommer for all the latest draft updates.
1st Team
First Base
Jac Caglianone, Florida: Despite his achievements on the mound, “Jactani” profiles more as a 1B, where his prodigious power should make him one of the first players off the board next year.
Second Base
Matt Shaw, Maryland: A move off SS is inevitable, but he could develop into a Brian Dozier-type second baseman with game-changing power and a dependable glove.
Shortstop
Jacob Wilson, Grand Canyon: His bat-to-ball skills are legendary, as evidenced by his minuscule 2.3-percent K-rate and his power should increase as he fills out.
Third Base
Brock Wilken, Wake Forest: As impressive as his 31 dingers this year were, scouts seem more encouraged by his year-over-year reduction in K-rate from 24.2 to 18.1 percent and improvement in BB-rate from 11.6 to 21.5 percent. Offers a cannon arm at the hot corner.
Outfield
Dylan Crews, LSU: A legitimate 5-tool player and highest-rated collegiate bat since Adley Rutschman in 2019. Was hitting an astonishing .500 until nearly the season’s halfway point.
Wyatt Langford, Florida: A similar profile as Crews but with a slightly less hit tool to go with a tick more power and speed.
Enrique Bradfield Jr., Vanderbilt: 80-grade runner and fielder with the floor of a Juan Pierre and upside of Kenny Lofton.
Catcher
Kyle Teel, Virginia: His refined left-handed bat, athleticism, and superb catch-and-throw skills scream B.J. Surhoff.
Designated Hitter
Nolan Schanuel, Florida Atlantic: His excellent batted ball data and impressive plate discipline could propel him to a mid-1st round selection next month.
Starting Pitchers
Paul Skenes, LSU: A year for the ages has earned him a spot on the Mount Rushmore of college pitchers. Put simply, the best college arm since Stephen Strasburg, and they may be conservative.
Rhett Lowder, Wake Forest: Doesn’t have Skenes’ upside, but his expert command and strong 4-pitch mix could give him #2/3 starter upside.
Chase Dollander, Tennessee: Despite a disappointing junior season that saw his vaunted slider lose bite and his fastball command waver, he should still get drafted in the top half of the 1st round.
Hurston Waldrep, Florida: His postseason heroics have salvaged what was a disappointing season and demonstrated just how lethal his fastball-slider-splitter combination can be.
Relief Pitcher
Andrew Walters, Miami (FL): It’s likely that his out-of-this-world pitch characteristics will cause his pro team to lengthen him out as a starter.
2nd Team
First Base
Nick Kurtz, Wake Forest: His light-tower power, keen eye, and projected 55 hit tool should make him a top-10 pick next year.
Second Base
Tommy Troy, Stanford: His compact physique, 20-HR power, and advanced hit tool make him eerily similar to Shaw.
Shortstop
Jacob Gonzalez, Ole Miss: Gonzalez doesn’t have one standout tool but has been a consistent performer for three years in the uber-competitive SEC.
Third Base
Brayden Taylor, TCU: Overcame a slow start to propel TCU into the CWS Final Four; projects as a 20-homer bat and above average fielder.
Outfield
Chase Davis, Arizona: Dramatic improvement in his swing decisions caused his K-rate to decline from 22.8 percent in 2022 to 14.3 percent in 2023 without impacting his grade 60 power.
Jack Hurley, Virginia Tech: Another guy who overcame a tepid start (and mid-season injury) to post excellent numbers. His strong batted ball data offset middling swing decisions.
Charlie Condon, Georgia: ’24 draft eligible redshirt freshman burst onto the scene this year with a 1.284 OPS and 25 homers in 56 games shuttling between 1B and OF in the dog-eat-dog SEC.
Catcher
Malcolm Moore, Stanford: Also a rising sophomore who’ll be draft eligible next year. Proved his mettle in ’23 as a polished receiver with massive offensive upside.
Designated Hitter
Tommy White, LSU: His colossal power helps negate positional questions and gives him the nod over two ’24 draft eligible second basemen, Oregon State’s Travis Bazzana and West Virginia’s JJ Wetherholt for our 2nd Team’s DH slot.
Starting Pitchers
Joe Whitman, Kent State: After toiling for two years at Purdue, busted out in ’23 to the tune of a 2.56 ERA and 11.1 K/9. Should be the first college southpaw selected next month.
Brody Brecht, Iowa: Has the stuff, including a fastball that regularly eclipses the century mark with tremendous spin, to go 1-01 next year, but will have to dramatically improve his control and command.
Josh Hartle, Wake Forest: His 6-05/200 frame and deceptive motion evoke Chris Sale comparisons, but he’ll have to add some more octane to his fastball to enjoy consistent success at the next level.
Trey Yesavage, ECU: Athletic, physical righty demonstrated a toxic three-pitch mix with superb command. The safe bet to be the first college righthander taken in 2024.
Relief Pitcher
Cam Minacci, Wake Forest: Anchored one of the country’s best bullpens with a 98 MPH heater and vicious secondary offerings that should enable him to jet through the minor leagues.
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