'They're all 1/1 worthy': A look at 5 prospects the Pirates could select with No. 1 overall pick
After winning the inaugural lottery, the Pittsburgh Pirates have the No. 1 overall choice in the MLB Draft for the sixth time in franchise history and the chance to take a future impact player.
The question is whether that will be on the mound or in the outfield.
Talent evaluators consider there to be a consensus on the top five prospects in the 2023 draft, with a right-hander considered a generational pitching prospect and four outfielders with well-regarded bats and all of whom have a chance to play center field.
Where the Pirates have selected a shortstop (Jeff King, 1986) and a catcher (Henry Davis, 2021) and three right-handed pitchers (Kris Benson, 1986; Bryan Bullington, 2002; and Gerrit Cole, 2011), they have never chosen an outfielder with the first overall pick.
While many consider the top prospect a coin flip between a pair of LSU stars, center fielder Dylan Crews and right-hander Paul Skenes, the Pirates are believed to be contemplating drafting one of the other three outfielders. BetOnline.ag is offering 6-to-5 odds that the Pirates select Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford, followed by Indiana prep outfielder Max Clark (5/2), Skenes (11/4), Crews (6/1) and North Carolina prep outfielder Walker Jenkins (25/1).
“I have been making that argument most of the spring: There are five guys in this draft class who would be 1/1 candidates every year,” said draft analyst Keith Law of The Athletic. “I think any of those five would’ve gone first last year. With what we know, with what those guys have shown, with what we’ve seen, with the data available, they’re all 1/1 worthy. I understand Crews is more famous than the rest — maybe Skenes is, too, actually — but they are all absolutely worthy. There’s no wrong choice of any of those five. If Pittsburgh takes any of those five, it’s not a bad choice.”
A look at the top five prospects for the No. 1 overall pick in the MLB Draft:
Dylan Crews, OF, LSU
Height, weight: 6-foot, 205 pounds
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Notable: The Golden Spikes Award winner as college baseball’s best player, Crews led the Tigers to the College World Series championship and is projected by many scouts to be the top prospect in the draft. He batted .426 with 16 doubles, 18 home runs and 70 RBIs in 71 games this season, and his .567 on-base percentage ranked second in the nation. Crews shined over three seasons at LSU, with a career .380/.498/.689 slash line.
Keith Law’s take: “To me, the absolute safest pick. He was a potential first-rounder out of high school. He’s been everyone’s radar since 2019, when he was a high school junior. Everybody believes he’s going to hit. The main questions are how much power really translates to pro ball and does he stay in center field? He’s not a burner but he’s a good runner with good instincts, so there’s a chance he stays in center field. That gives you a very high average, high on-base percentage center fielder who might get to some power. That’s a really good player for a really long time.”
Paul Skenes, RHP, LSU
Height, weight: 6-foot-6, 250 pounds
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Notable: After transferring from Air Force, Skenes was dominant on the mound in earning CWS Most Outstanding Player honors. He went 12-2 with a 1.69 ERA and 0.75 WHIP in 122 2/3 innings over 19 starts, with 209 strikeouts against 20 walks. He’s a converted catcher who batted .314/.412/.634 with 10 doubles, 13 homers and 38 RBIs in winning the John Olerud Award as college baseball’s best two-way player at Air Force in 2022. He touches triple digits on his fastball, as high as 103 mph.
Keith Law’s take: “The hardest-throwing college starter I’ve seen. Hides the ball extremely well. A plus-plus slider. The fastball is a little true, a little straight. It hasn’t been an issue for him yet because he hides it well. He’s a tank. He’s everything you’re looking for. I don’t think he’s Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg or Justin Verlander, but it’s the starter kit. He’s a big, strong, has giant legs, throws super hard, misses bats and can spin the ball. This is everything you want in the first college pitcher taken.”
Wyatt Langford, OF, Florida
Height, weight: 6-foot-1, 225 pounds
Bats/throws: Right/Right
Notable: After getting four at-bats as a freshman, Langford made a name for himself by hitting 26 homers as a sophomore and leading the Gators to the College World Series final this season. Langford batted .373 with 28 doubles, 21 homers and 57 RBIs in 64 games, and his .798 slugging percentage was tied for ninth nationally.
Keith Law’s take: “Langford was basically a nobody until last year, when he exploded for Florida. Someone as fast as Langford should probably be able to play center. He’s not very good in left field. There’s a challenge, and it’s going to be a lot of work. If you’re a corner outfielder, there’s inherently less value. So it’s a little more pressure on his bat. Very close to Crews in overall value because he offers a little more upside in power and speed. He might be a 30-30 guy, and I don’t think Crews is that.”
Max Clark, OF, Franklin (Ind.) Community HS
Height, weight: 6-foot-1, 190 pounds
Bats/throws: Left/Left
Notable: Clark batted .577 with nine home runs, 32 RBIs and 41 runs scored as a senior who was Indiana’s Gatorade Player of the Year and is considered the state’s top product since Pirates 2002 No. 1 overall pick Bryan Bullington. He led Team USA to the 18-and-under World Cup championship. Has a 3.99 grade-point average and is committed to Vanderbilt.
Keith Law’s take: “Center field for sure. He’s a plus runner, plays extremely hard, has a great work ethic. The ball comes off his bat extremely well. I don’t think he’s going to grow into a big player, but the power is still there and he absolutely stays in center.”
Walker Jenkins, OF, South Brunswick (N.C.) HS
Height, weight: 6-foot-3, 210 pounds
Bats/throws: Left/Right
Notable: He’s a two-time Gatorade Player of the Year in North Carolina who is regarded as the state’s best prep prospect since Josh Hamilton. Jenkins batted .519 with 10 homers, 37 RBIs, 45 runs scored and 16 stolen bases in 27 games. He has a 4.52 grade-point average and is committed to North Carolina.
Keith Law’s take: “Taller, more classic body for a corner outfielder. He’s in center now, but I think he’s probably going to move to a corner. I know people who think that’s going to end up the best pure hitter in the class. It is a beautiful swing. Everything looks right.”
Kevin Gorman is a TribLive reporter covering the Pirates. A Baldwin native and Penn State graduate, he joined the Trib in 1999 and has covered high school sports, Pitt football and basketball and was a sports columnist for 10 years. He can be reached at kgorman@triblive.com.
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