The Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft, a unique event among major American sports, is set to take place in the middle of the season. Unlike other sports drafts, the MLB Draft’s order is determined by the teams’ performance in the previous year, rather than their current standing. This year, the draft will be held at Lumen Field in Seattle and will span three days, starting on Sunday and concluding on Tuesday.
The first round of the draft will be broadcast on ESPN and MLB Network at 5 p.m., while the MLB Network will cover the remainder of the draft. Fans can also follow the draft pick by pick on mlb.com’s Draft Tracker. The draft will commence with the first two rounds on Sunday, followed by rounds 3 through 10 on Monday, and rounds 11 to 20 on Tuesday. Each day’s proceedings will begin at noon.
This year, the Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Nationals, and Oakland Athletics have secured the top picks in that order. This is the first year that the MLB has used a lottery system to determine the draft order. Following these teams, the Texas Rangers will select fourth, despite having a successful season in the AL West.
The top prospects for this year’s draft come from the NCAA national champion team, Louisiana State University (LSU). Pitcher Paul Skenes and outfielder Dylan Crews, both from LSU, are highly regarded. Skenes, who stands at 6’6″ and weighs 235 lbs, was recognized as an outstanding player at the College World Series. Crews, on the other hand, is 6’0″ tall and weighs 205 lbs. Other notable prospects include Wyatt Langford, Walker Jenkins, Max Clark, Rhett Lowder, Kyle Teel, Noble Meyer, Chase Dollander, and Jacob Wilson.
In addition to the regular draft order, there are also Prospect Promotion Incentive Picks and Competitive Balance Rounds. The Seattle Mariners have earned an incentive pick for Julio Rodriguez winning Rookie of the Year (ROY). The New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers have had their first picks in the Competitive Balance Round A dropped 10 spots each for exceeding the competitive balance tax threshold by more than $40 million.
As the MLB Draft approaches, fans and teams alike eagerly await to see which young talents will shape the future of baseball. With a mix of college and high school prospects, the 2023 MLB Draft promises to be an exciting event.
