MLB’s top prospects for college baseball showdown in 2023

The road to Omaha begins at Grove Life Field in Arlington, Texas, home of the 2023 College Baseball Showdown. And with a field packed with teams starting the season with College World Series ambitions, the College Baseball Showdown is also an important milestone on the road to the show.

Featuring 3 teams from the Big 12 Conferences (Oklahoma, Texas, TCU) and 3 teams from the Southeastern Conference (Arkansas, Missouri, Vanderbilt), the strong line-up includes a variety of elite major league prospects. I’m here.

Get ready for the first big weekend of the college baseball calendar with a look at some of the top big leaguers of the future for the 2023 draft class as it converges in Arlington.

Jace Bolofen, OF, Arkansas

Transferred from Oklahoma, Jace Bolofen was heated midway through his first season at Arkansas.

Bohrofen has been out of the lineup for a month with an injury, only to return for the NCAA Tournament, but let’s wait and see for him to come back strong.

“People will expect me to lead,” he said at the team’s Jan. 20 media availability, discussing his return as one of the team’s captains for 2023. Baseball alone. . Everyone has their own journey. ”

Enrique Bradfield, OF, Vanderbilt

An established star at Vanderbilt since his freshman season, Enrique Bradfield Jr.’s trophy win in just two seasons is the envy of most college baseball players. He was his 2021 SEC Freshman of the Year, unanimous Freshman All-American, All-American by various publications, and helped Vanderbilt finish runner-up in Omaha.

He batted . 336 in his debut and had a staggering 47 stolen bases. Bradfield continued to be the most electric player on the domestic base pass as a sophomore with 46 steals.

“I’ve seen guys with good stolen base numbers, but nobody’s been that automated,” LSU coach Jay Johnson told the Associated Press in May.

Bradfield flaunted more power but didn’t sacrifice his prodigious ability to make contact. All things considered, Bradfield could be a top-five pick in this year’s draft.

Cam Brown, RHP, TCU

Cam Brown returned last season with a 5-2 record in 13 appearances for the Horned Frogs. He struck out 49 in just 53 innings and had an earned run average of 4.42.

Considered a top 70 draft prospect after high school, Brown is poised to establish himself as an elite college MLB prospect with a junior campaign at TCU.

Marcus Brown, SS, Oklahoma

Marcus Brown, who primarily played as a reserve during his freshman season, played as starting shortstop for Oklahoma State University last season, batting .316 and recording 15 doubles.

Brown’s defense could be his defining quality as a prospect, and why Baseball America tabbed him among the middle-field infielders given a chance to climb the draft board this season. is one of

Jack Bulger, OF/C, Vanderbilt

“The definition of consistency,” according to Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbyn, Jack Bulger had a crutch presence at bat for the Commodores a season ago.

He was eligible for the 2022 draft but was not selected. As one of Vanderbilt’s National veterans on his championship-promising roster, Bulger has the opportunity to significantly improve his standing in the 2023 draft.

Lucas Gordon, LHP, Texas

Lucas Gordon has established himself well as part of Texas’ pitching rotation, earning All-Big 12 recognition as a sophomore. We kept the number down to an average of .224.

Jacob Hastie, LHP, Missouri

LSU-transferred Jacob Hastie will play primarily in the Tigers’ bullpen from 2020-2022, bringing experience to Missouri’s pitching rotation.

Hasty should have ample opportunity to bolster his draft stock as a proven arm in the Missouri rotation, facing off against some of the toughest competition in the country ahead of a challenging schedule.

Charlie Hurley, RHP, Texas

USC transfer Charlie Hurley is coming to Texas after a successful run as a Trojan ace in 2022. He finished with a 6-foot-8-inch righthander with 45 strikeouts and a 4.19 ERA.

I would like to announce my commitment to the University of Texas! Hook Em 🤘🏼 pic.twitter.com/lMOBWUnGkn

— Charlie Hurley (@charliehurley21) July 12, 2022

Reports from Fall Ball appear to encourage Hurley to establish himself as a Sunday starter and potentially improve his draft stock as part of the impressive Longhorns pitching staff. .

Nolan McLean, RHP & Utilities, Oklahoma

What can Nolan McLean not do? Seemingly little, as the 2022 All-American pitched and played both infield and outfield for the Cowboys. He had a .285 batting average, a .992 OPS, and a team-leading 19 homers, hitting 47.

On the mound, McLean limited hitters to a .

MLB.com ranked McLean 82nd on its list of top 100 prospects for 2023.

Elijah Nunez, OF, TCU

Elijah Nunez, named a Big 12 All-Freshman in 2021 and an All-Big 12 honoree in 2022, has shone throughout his college career. He proved himself one of the game’s best base stealers with 31 swipes as a sophomore, taking advantage of his greatly improved batting average and overall onboard ability.

Nunez’s next step on the offensive side, which jumped from a .225 freshman batting average when he batted .287 last season, could shape his MLB future prospects.

Patrick Riley, RHP, Vanderbilt

MLB.com predicts Patrick Riley in the top 80 of the 2023 class, while D1Baseball predicts Riley No. 11. Advance to the first round with a strong campaign for 2023.

Braden Taylor, 3B, TCU

Braden Taylor isn’t just one of MLB’s front-runners at the 2023 College Baseball Showdown.

The TCU third baseman was certified as a Freshman All-American in 2021 after batting . 324 with 12 home runs and 53 RBIs. In his sophomore year, Taylor hit his 13th home run and increased his slugging percentage from .

Taylor has stolen bases 25 times in his Horned Toad era and is also a base pass threat. His combination of speed and power is only part of what places him 11th overall in MLB.com’s 2023 Prospects ranking.

😳🤯 @braydentaylor02 #SC Top 10 | | #Frog Ball USA | | #gofrog pic.twitter.com/dQ0JZh8Dvs

— TCU Baseball (@TCU_Baseball) April 16, 2022

Juaron Watts-Brown, RHP, Oklahoma

One of the most interesting pitching prospects in the 2023 class is Huaron Watts Brown, who moved from Long Beach to Oklahoma.

Watts-Brown earned Freshman All-American honors at Long Beach State University and had 45 strikeouts and a 3.70 ERA in eight starts in the Cape Cod League this summer.

Jackson Wiggins, RHP, Arkansas

Ranked No. 55 on MLB.com’s top 100 draft picks for 2023, the 6-foot-6-inch right-hander Jackson Wiggins has room to move up. ESPN named him his third best professional prospect among eligible players in 2023 in his Series of College Worlds last season, and for good reason.

He’s a hard-throwing flamethrower who can pitch in relief with four saves or starts for the Razorbacks in 2021. He hit his 82nd last season and is set to pick up even more in 2023.

Tanner Witt, RHP, Texas

Expect Tanner Witt to rebound significantly after an injury-shortened 2022.

Witt is currently pegged as a first-round prospect by MLB.com, placing him 24th overall among 2023 prospects. He ranks his ninth among all right-handers and has a good chance of improving his standing if he can get the upper hand in 2023.