The MLB Draft is an important milestone on the baseball calendar. While most of the players selected won’t make their major league debuts for a few more years, it’s exciting to see where the top college and high school prospects in the nation end up.
The 2023 MLB Draft will take place from July 9-11 in Seattle, Washington, which is also hosting this year’s MLB All-Star Game festivities. For the first time, the MLB Draft is using a lottery system to help determine draft order, similar to the format used in the NBA Draft to discourage tanking.
The first six overall picks were decided via the lottery system, while picks 7-18 are ordered by reverse winning percentage of the remaining non-playoff teams. For the 12 teams that made the postseason in 2022, their first-round picks are based on a combination of postseason finish, revenue-sharing status and a reverse order of winning percentage.
The Pittsburgh Pirates hold the first pick in this year’s draft, and baseball bettors are able to bet on which player will be chosen first. Below are the players that currently have odds on DraftKings Sportsbook to be the No. 1 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.
Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook. Subject to change.
Paul Skenes (-175)
As the top college baseball player in the nation, Skenes is favored to go first overall. Not only was he named D1 Player of the Year for 2023, but he also just helped the LSU Tigers win the 2023 College World Series.
The towering righty represented the ace of LSU’s staff, going 12-2 with a 1.69 ERA and a 0.75 WHIP. Skenes also produced a whopping 209 strikeouts in 122 ⅔ innings last season.
He cuts an imposing figure on the mound at 6’6” and routinely blows batters away with his filthy slider, power changeup and triple-digits fastball. With plans to both hit and pitch, Skenes’ ceiling is current Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani.
Dylan Crews (+175)
Skenes was LSU’s best pitcher, but Crews was the team’s best hitter.
The multi-talented outfielder showed tremendous ability at the plate with his elite combination of contact, power and plate discipline. Crews batted .426/.567/.713 with 18 home runs and more walks (71) than strikeouts (46).
He’s a terrific all-around player as well, going 6-for-6 in stolen base attempts and winning a Gold Glove award for his defensive play in the outfield last year. Those statistics make him arguably the most complete player in the draft.
Not surprisingly, Crews received the 2023 Golden Spikes Award, awarded annually to the best amateur baseball player in the country.
Wyatt Langford (+800)
Langford helped bring Florida all the way to the College World Series Final, where they ultimately lost to LSU.
Langford is on par with Crews as a hitter, slashing .373/.498/.784 with 52 extra-base hits in 64 games last season. He boasts exceptional power, strong plate discipline (56:44 BB/K ratio) and solid athleticism, stealing nine bases in 10 attempts last season.
The 21-year-old outfielder is strong, runs well and has five-tool potential.
Max Clark (+800)
Clark is perhaps the best high school player in the country. The 2023 Gatorade National Player of the Year dazzled scouts in Indiana with his sweet left-handed swing and blazing speed, making him the best prospect to come out of the state in over 20 years.
In addition to tearing up the base paths and ripping line drives all over the field, Clark is a gifted center fielder with excellent range. On the mound, Clark possesses a rocket for an arm that can reach up to 97 mph on the radar gun when he pitches.
Walter Jenkins (+8000)
If Clark isn’t the best prep school player in the nation, it’s Jenkins.
The two-time Gatorade North Carolina Player of the Year has off-the-charts power for an 18-year-old thanks to his 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame. Jenkins hits the ball hard to all fields and consistently makes quality contact.
He also offers useful speed for a big slugger and plays a capable center field, bringing some defensive and baserunning value to the table as well.
Chase Dollander (+10000)
While his numbers took a step back in 2023, Dollander showcased ace potential with Tennessee in 2022, going 10-0 with a 2.39 ERA and a 0.80 WHIP.
He complements his upper-90s fastball with a nasty slider along with a changeup and curveball, making him incredibly difficult to hit when he’s locating his pitches. If he can iron out some of the control issues that popped up last year, he has the stuff and potential to be a frontline starter.
Rhett Lowder (+15000)
Lowder blossomed into one of the best pitchers in college baseball last year, helping Wake Forest make the College World Series for the first time since 1955. Lowder posted a perfect 15-0 record for the Demon Deacons in 2023 alongside a 1.87 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP.
He induces a ton of ground balls with his sinking mid-90s fastball and often fools hitters with his superb changeup. With plus command and smooth mechanics as well, Lowder offers durability and a high floor.
Kyle Teel (+15000)
Teel broke out with a monster season at Virginia last year, batting .407/.475/.655 with 25 doubles and 13 home runs in 65 games. Good-hitting catchers are always at a premium, making Teel one of the most coveted prospects in this year’s draft.
He’s athletic for a backstop, boasts an advanced hitting approach and scores high marks on intangibles like leadership and baseball IQ, making his overall profile even more appealing.
Jacob Wilson (+20000)
Wilson is the son of former MLB All-Star Jack Wilson, so he has the pedigree to excel in the big leagues. As a college shortstop at Grand Canyon, the younger Wilson displayed otherworldly bat-to-ball skills, batting .412 with only five strikeouts in 217 plate appearances last season.
He showed a bit of speed and power last year as well with eight steals and 27 extra-base hits in 49 games, so he’s not merely a singles hitter. If he keeps it up, Wilson could be a future batting champion.
Noble Meyer (+20000)
After starring at Jesuit High School in Oregon, Meyer has the potential to be the first high school arm off the board. He gets plenty of velocity out of his tall, 6-foot-5 frame and whip-like delivery, frequently pumping his fastball in the upper 90s and occasionally hitting triple digits.
His arsenal also features a dangerous two-seamer and a decent changeup. If he fills out a bit and continues to mature, Meyer has all the tools to be a quality starting pitcher someday.
