If you want to understand why the 2023 Major League Baseball draft felt like a fever dream for scouts, you have to look at the LSU Tigers. It wasn't just that they won the College World Series. It was that they basically treated the first round like a private party. For the first time in the history of the sport, two teammates—Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews—went back-to-back at the very top. One and two. No school had ever pulled that off.
Honestly, the hype was legitimate. Usually, there's a clear "best player" and a bunch of "maybe" guys. In 2023, the top five prospects were so loaded that teams at the top weren't just picking; they were selecting franchise cornerstones.
The Night the Draft Lottery Changed Everything
Remember when the draft order was just "worst record picks first"? That’s over. The 2023 Major League Baseball draft was the debut of the lottery system. The Pittsburgh Pirates weren’t even the worst team in baseball in 2022, but they won the lottery. That luck gave them the right to pick Skenes, a guy who throws 102 mph and looks like he was built in a lab to strike out major leaguers.
The lottery created some weird winners and losers.
The Minnesota Twins moved from the 13th spot all the way up to number five. That jump is massive. It allowed them to snag Walker Jenkins, a high school outfielder from North Carolina who scouts were drooling over. On the flip side, the Oakland A’s had the second-worst record and tumbled down to pick six. That’s a brutal swing when you’re trying to rebuild a decimated roster.
Why Skenes Over Crews?
For months, the debate was Skenes vs. Crews. You had the best pitching prospect since Stephen Strasburg and the most "pro-ready" hitter in a decade. Most people assumed the Pirates would go with Crews because high-end bats are "safer" than arms.
But Pittsburgh went with Skenes.
Money played a role, sure. Skenes signed for a record $9.2 million, but the Pirates also wanted that rare, generational power arm. Crews didn't wait long, though. The Washington Nationals snatched him up at number two. If you're a Nats fan, you've basically replaced Juan Soto's ghost with a guy who hit .426 in the toughest conference in college baseball.
The Shockers and the "Splinkers"
The Detroit Tigers at number three provided the first real "wait, what?" moment of the night. Most experts had them locked in on Wyatt Langford, the Florida Gator powerhouse. Instead, they took Max Clark.
Clark is a high schooler from Indiana. He’s fast, he’s got a massive social media following, and he's got a personality that glows. Detroit bet on the ceiling. They wanted the five-tool superstar who could sell tickets and steal 40 bases. Langford fell to the Texas Rangers at four, and honestly, the Rangers probably couldn't believe their luck. Langford is a hitting machine who reached the big leagues faster than almost anyone in the class.
The Rise of the Two-Way Player
Everyone is looking for the next Shohei Ohtani. It’s a cliché at this point, but the 2023 Major League Baseball draft actually saw a record eight two-way players selected.
The San Francisco Giants led the charge by taking Bryce Eldridge at 16. He’s 6-foot-7. He hits bombs. He throws mid-90s. Teams are finally stopped telling kids they "have to choose." If you can do both, the modern MLB wants to see it. It’s a shift in philosophy that we haven't seen in a hundred years.
The LSU Monopoly
LSU ended up with 13 players drafted. 13! That broke their own school record and nearly the all-time record. After Skenes and Crews, you had Ty Floyd going to the Reds at 38. Then Grant Taylor to the White Sox. It was a conveyor belt of talent.
If you weren't from LSU, you were probably from Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons had 10 players taken. Rhett Lowder went seventh to Cincinnati, bringing his "pitching lab" refined command to a Reds team that desperately needed a steady hand.
Small School Steals and Bonus Pool Magic
Keep an eye on Nolan Schanuel. He went 11th to the Angels out of Florida Atlantic. Most people thought that was a "reach" to save money on his signing bonus.
Wrong.
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Schanuel was in the Major Leagues 40 days after being drafted. 40 days! He didn't even play 25 games in the minors. The Angels knew he was an OBP (on-base percentage) god, and they weren't interested in waiting. It’s one of the ballsier moves we've seen in recent draft history.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
The 2023 class isn't just about the top two guys. If you're tracking these players or looking at who might actually stick in the bigs, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the "Splinker": Paul Skenes didn't just stay the same; he developed a splitter-sinker hybrid (the splinker) that is currently wrecking professional hitters.
- The Age Factor: College hitters like Langford and Schanuel are moving at warp speed. Don't expect them to spend three years in the minors. If they aren't in the MLB by late 2024 or early 2025, something went wrong.
- The Prep Risk: Max Clark and Walker Jenkins are the "long game." High school outfielders have high bust rates, but their potential is MVP-level. Be patient with them.
- Secondary Talent: Look for the "underslot" guys. Teams often pick a player lower than expected to save money for a high-schooler later in the draft. These "money-saving" picks often end up being solid, high-floor utility players.
The 2023 Major League Baseball draft will be remembered as the year college baseball officially became the "Triple-A" of the sport. The gap between the SEC and the Pros is shrinking, and the speed at which these guys are reaching the show proves it.
Next Steps for Deep Knowledge:
Look up the "Prospect Promotion Incentive" (PPI) rules. The Mariners got an extra pick (Jonny Farmelo at 29) because Julio Rodríguez won Rookie of the Year. This rule is changing how teams manage their top prospects, encouraging them to bring kids up on Opening Day rather than "manipulating" their service time.