Baseball fans will be in a unique position for the 2023 College World Series.
It is not always the case that the top college players reach Omaha. Last year's college MLB Draft class largely fell behind a stellar group of high school talents. In 2021, Louisville catcher Henry Davis, who would be taken first overall, was not part of the College World Series. Back in 2019, neither top pick Adley Rutschman from Oregon State nor No. 3 pick Andrew Vaughn from Cal appeared in the CWS.
That isn't the case for this year. This year's College World Series is stacked with the top draft prospects, including the three players expected to go in some order in the first three picks. Every college pitcher expected to be drafted in the first round will be in Omaha.
There are plenty of other young stars to watch in these games. Florida's Jac Caglianone, Wake Forest's Nick Kurtz and LSU's Tommy White have each had magnificent seasons, and appear on track to be first-round picks. But they'll have to wait a year to hear their names called, and thus do not qualify for this list.
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The stars will be out in Omaha, with several names putting the finishing touches on their resumes before they make the next step of their baseball careers.
Who are the top 10 2023 MLB Draft prospects to watch in this year's Men's College World Series? Here's what you need to know.
MLB Draft prospects in College World Series
1. Dylan Crews, OF, LSU
College players rarely run the gauntlet of starting draft season as the top talent in the class and ending it as the No. 1 pick. The last such player was Adley Rutschman, who is currently leading a breakout Orioles squad. But that was the case with Dylan Crews, who might be the most well-rounded college player since Rutschman. He posted an absurd slash line of .433/.570/.732, with his on-base percentage ranking second in Division I. For good measure, he also blasted 17 home runs, including two during the regionals.
As a draft prospect, there's no part of Crews' game that grades even as low as average. He has the defensive chops and arm strength to stay in center field and provide above-average defense. His bat is obviously the carrying trait, with scouts viewing his approach and ability to make contact as one of the best hit tools from the college ranks in several seasons. To round out his five-tool package, Crews also boasts enough speed to make defenses aware of the stolen base, even if it's not at present a major part of his game (he has gone six-for-six in 2023). Crews is an elite college prospect, and will command attention every time he steps up to the plate.
2. Paul Skenes, RHP, LSU
It's hardly fair that LSU has both the top hitter and top pitcher in the draft, but that's the case in 2023. Just as Crews is the clear best bat, Paul Skenes is the runaway pick for the top arm. He has dominated college baseball all season, with the second-lowest ERA among Division I players (1.77), the lowest WHIP (0.78), highest K/9 (15.81), most strikeouts (188) and third-best strikeout-to-walk ratio (10.44). He has just one outing this season where he struck out fewer than eight batters, and only one where he allowed more than three earned runs. He has been nothing short of dominant.
Skenes has a rare combination of stuff and polish, which is why he'll be the first pitcher taken off the board — and could even be the first player off the board. He hits triple digits with his fastball and has the spin on it to give the pitch the potential to be one of the best even at the MLB ranks. Skenes pairs that with a wipeout upper-80s slider and a plus changeup. As if all that isn't enough, the 6-6, 235-pound Tiger ace has demonstrated standout control and command that give him a high floor. College baseball hasn't seen a pitcher as well-rounded since Stephen Strasburg, who many consider to be the best pitching prospect of all time.
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3. Wyatt Langford, OF, Florida
Caglianone often stole the show in Florida for his two-way abilities and his NCAA-leading 31 home runs. But despite hitting 13 fewer long balls, Wyatt Langford comes into Omaha with the higher slugging percentage at .769, thanks to his 24 doubles and 18 homers. Langford also enters play with an on-base percentage just under .500 at .498, and more walks (51) than strikeouts (41).
In any other year, Langford would have a case to go first overall. He's a five-tool talent with middle-of-the-order potential. He combines a powerful swing with an advanced approach at the plate, while possessing enough speed to be a factor on the base paths and in the outfield. The Gator slugger might be limited to a corner outfield position, but his bat ensures that there will be no other college hitter outside of Crews that goes before him in the MLB draft. Langford is a star talent in Florida's lineup, and will always make for must-watch baseball.
4. Chase Dollander, RHP, Tennessee
Coming into the season, Chase Dollander looked like the clear favorite to be the first pitcher off the board. Some thought he could even contend with Crews to go first overall. But Dollander has had his struggles during the season. Heading into the College World Series, he has a 4.50 ERA with 118 strikeouts and 28 walks across 86 innings, with the hard-throwing righty particularly having issues with the gopher ball (14 home runs allowed).
But Dollander is still expected to be an early selection in the draft, possibly as high as sixth. His fastball combines high-octane velocity and plenty of movement, and his slider and changeup give him a pair of plus offerings that — when on — are as difficult to hit as anyone's. He also adds in a curveball to give him a clear starting pitcher's repertoire. Dollander hasn't pitched a scoreless outing since March 3, but if everything clicks in a given start, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Dollander many expected — the one with a 2.39 ERA in 2022 — to shine.
5. Rhett Lowder, RHP, Wake Forest
Where Dollander and Rhett Lowder go in the draft will be the ultimate decision between polish and upside. Dollander flashes ace stuff at his best. Lowder appears to always be at his best. He hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in a start since March 10, the only time this season that was the case. He's gone at least six innings in all but three starts, all of which came at or before April 9. He's fourth in the country with a 1.92 ERA, is 11th in strikeout-to-walk ratio at 6.24 (131-to-21) and leads the nation with 15 wins (accompanied with zero losses).
Lowder's entire pitch array grades as above-average, though only his changeup profiles as a true elite pitch. The biggest concerns for Lowder are about how much better he can get given the advanced pitching lab Wake Forest has and his lack of elite velocity. But Lowder brings the most polish of any arm in the draft, and gives Wake Forest a consistent arm on which they can rely, particularly now as they prepare to face the top remaining teams in the country.
MORE: Wake Forest, LSU remain betting odds favorites to win College World Series
6. Kyle Teel, C, Virginia
Much like shortstop and center field, catcher is viewed as a premium position, where players that can stick at the position can afford to have a bat of lesser quality than players at corner infield or outfield spots. The reason Kyle Teel is so coveted in this year's draft is that he provides the outstanding bat while showing the ability to stick behind the plate. Teel had an absurd 2023 season, slashing .418/.484/.673 with 13 home runs and five steals. He walked 31 times to 33 strikeouts.
Defensively, Teel has the athleticism — and certainly the rocket arm — to stick behind the plate in the long term. There is also a belief he has enough mobility that he could play several other positions, meaning he wouldn't be limited to first base, which is often a common fall-back for catchers that can't stay behind the plate. Teel appears likely to be the first catcher taken in the draft, and with his bat in the middle of Virginia's lineup, he'll be a fun player to watch swing.
7. Brayden Taylor, 3B, TCU
It has been a tale of two seasons for Brayden Taylor. Viewed as one of the top draft prospects coming into the season, Taylor saw a bit of a slide as he got off to a slow start, hitting just .233 with seven home runs across his first 23 games. But it's been a different story since then. Across his next 40 games, Taylor has hit .362 with 16 home runs as he has helped to propel the Horned Frogs to the College World Series.
The biggest knock on Taylor coming into the season was a lack of above-average power for a corner infielder. He has attempted to answer those concerns by slugging .657 with a career-best 23 home runs. If the power is for real, Taylor could have a case to be much higher on this list given his standout approach to the plate with one of the best eyes of any hitter and the ability to make consistent, solid contact.
8. Brock Wilken, 3B, Wake Forest
If you're looking for a bat with power, look no further than Wake Forest's Brock Wilken. During the super regionals, Wilken broke the ACC career home run record with his 70th blast, his third of the contest against Alabama in the Game 2 22-5 win. That pushed him to 30 home runs in the regular season, tied with Charlotte's Cam Fisher and trailing only Caglianone's 31. His .835 slugging percentage is fourth among all Division I players.
As a draft prospect, Wilken's powerful bat and arm are his two carrying traits. He is a wrecking ball at the plate and has one of the strongest infield arms of any collegiate player at third base. Questions about his ability to make contact at the next level will continue to persist, even after he hit .357 with 65 walks and 51 strikeouts, but the power will be enough for a team to dream on him as a mid-to-late first-round pick. He and Kurtz provide Wake Forest with one of the best one-two punches of any lineup, and especially with the tear he's on of late, Wilken will be an exciting player to watch.
9. Tommy Troy, 3B, Stanford
The college shortstop class is filled with bats that offer well-rounded profiles. Matt Shaw, Jacob Gonzalez and Jacob Wilson stand out, but all three have seen their season come to a close. Stanford's Tommy Troy, however, still has a chance to keep going and improving his draft profile. Troy crushed Pac-12 pitching, slashing .397/.479/.711 while hitting 17 homers and stealing 17 bases.
There is a case to be made for Troy to be above both Taylor and Wilken. He offers more defensive versatility, with a past playing second base, third base and shortstop. Troy has average to above-average tools across the board and is more the complete package than either Taylor or Wilken, though without a true carrying tool like Taylor's hit tool or Wilken's power and arm strength. Because of his ability to do it all, he's shaping up to be a mid-range first-rounder, and should continue to be a dynamic talent in Omaha.
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10. Hurston Waldrep, RHP, Florida
There's no telling which Hurston Waldrep Florida is going to get on any given outing. Take his two starts against South Carolina this season. Back in April, he coughed up five runs on six hits and three walks across six innings. In the College World Series super regionals, he spun eight shutout innings with only five baserunners allowed (three hits and two walks) while striking out 13. This season, he has had six outings with double-digit strikeouts and five with fewer than seven.
The stuff from Waldrep isn't in question. It's what will make him the fourth college arm off the board. He hits the upper-90s with maybe the best collegiate splitter since Auburn's Casey Mize and a slider that can be unhittable. But the control and command can waver at times, which is why in spite of 142 strikeouts, he also walked 48 batters and posted a 4.15 ERA across 93.1 innings of work after the supers. If Waldrep is on his A-game, he'll be as untouchable as any pitcher in this class outside of Skenes.