2023 Dugout Edge MLB Awards

American League MVP

Winner: DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels.
Stat line: 44 HR, .304/.412/.654, 20 SB, 180 wRC+, 6.6 fWAR in 135 games.

Stat line: 10-5, 3.14 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 4.00 FIP, 167/55 K/BB in 132 innings.
Just when you think Shohei Ohtani can't get any better, he gets better. In fact, if we completely disregarded his pitching, he would still be in serious contention for the AL MVP Award. Even as a DH, he led American League hitters in fWAR and finished fourth in bWAR due to an elite 180 wRC+, nine points ahead of second place Corey Seager (169) who played in sixteen fewer games. Not only did he lead the AL in fWAR in wRC+, but he also did so in home runs, extra base hits (78), on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, wOBA (.433), runs created above average (60.6), and just about every other comprehensive hitting statistic you can think of. It's hard to dispute that Shohei Ohtani was the best hitter in the American League this year, period. But then we also get to consider his pitching. While he wasn't quite the ace we saw last season, he was still a well above average starting pitcher that made 23 starts with a 72 ERA- (28% better than league average) and put up 2.4 more fWAR, bringing his total to 9.0 on the season. Unfortunately we won't get to see him pitch next year, perhaps opening up the AL MVP race a little bit (if he's even in the AL), but for 2023 he deserves to win the AL MVP Award unanimously.

Runner-up: SS Corey Seager, Texas Rangers.
Stat line: 33 HR, .327/.390/.623, 2 SB, 169 wRC+, 6.1 fWAR in 119 games.
After Ohtani, the rest of the AL MVP field is wide open. For me, Corey Seager comes out on top, and the fact that he did so despite spending a couple stints on the IL and playing just 119 games speaks to how good he was when he was on the field. He led all American League hitters not named Ohtani in wRC+, extra base hits (75), batting average, slugging percentage, wOBA (.419), and runs created above average (39.5), the latter of which is a cumulative stat that he compiled in a dozen or more fewer games than his competition. Even when the Rangers slumped, his bat never went cold and he posted an OPS of .885 or higher in every month except October, where he played just one game. All of this, of course, while starting 112 games at shortstop, the most valuable defensive position on the diamond other than catcher. When you're the consensus second best hitter in the league while playing shortstop, there's not much to argue against. It's just the fact that he played only 119 games which makes it close with the rest of the field. Had he played a full season, he'd be competing with Ohtani for the award itself.

Honorable mention: 2B Marcus Semien, Texas Rangers.
Stat line: 29 HR, .276/.348/.478, 14 SB, 124 wRC+, 6.3 fWAR in 162 games.
It's not a traditional MVP stat line, but Marcus Semien deserves to be in the conversation for runner-up alongside his double play partner. Semien gets here on the strength of his defense and durability. A Gold Glove contender at second base, he was fourth among all AL infielders in outs above average and hit much, much better than first place Andres Gimenez (97 wRC+) and third place Maikel Garcia (84) and comfortably bested second place Bobby Witt Jr. (115) as well. Alongside Seattle's Eugenio Suarez, he was one of two American League players to appear in every game this season, while also leading all AL players in plate appearances (753) and runs scored (122). Semien's fingerprints were truly on everything this year for Texas, and always positive. While his 126 wRC+ was only good for twelfth in the league, he was certainly no slouch with the bat, finishing second in the league in total bases to Ohtani (320) and fourth in extra base hits (73). Runs created above average is a cumulative stat and his 24.3 were good for eighth in the AL, putting him in that upper tier of hitters across the league in terms of overall offensive impact. He saved 13.3 runs on defense according to Fangraphs, and none of the seven players on that list saved more than Julio Rodriguez's 5.1. It's the most well-rounded profile in the AL MVP race.

Others

RHP Gerrit Cole (Yankees): 2.63 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 3.17 FIP, 222/48 K/BB in 209 IP
RHP Kevin Gausman (Blue Jays): 3.16 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 2.97 FIP, 237/55 K/BB in 185 IP

RHP Sonny Gray (Twins): 2.79 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 2.83 FIP, 183/55 K/BB in 184 IP

OF Julio Rodriguez (Mariners): 32 HR, .275/.333/.485, 37 SB, 126 wRC+, 5.9 fWAR in 155 games
SS Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals): 30 HR, .276/.319/.495, 49 SB, 115 WRC+, 5.7 fWAR in 158 games

National League MVP

Winner: OF Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves
Stat line: 41 HR, .337/.416/.596, 73 SB, 170 wRC+, 8.3 fWAR in 159 games.
It's really so close between Ronald Acuña Jr. and Mookie Betts. Acuña was the better hitter, but not by much. He was also the better baserunner, but his caught stealings eat some of the value from his 73 stolen bases. Meanwhile, Betts' average defense soundly clears Acuña's well below average defense. The counting stats are of course incredible for Acuña, who not only became the first player with 40 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a season, but also put up the first 40-60 and the first 40-70 season in baseball history. Additionally, he played in all but three games for the Braves, while Betts missed ten games for the Dodgers, and that little bit is enough to give Acuña the tiebreaker. He led the NL in virtually everything, including plate appearances (735), runs scored (149), hits (217), stolen bases, on-base percentage, OPS (1.012), total bases (383), wOBA (.428), wRC+, and fWAR. In fact, the 149 runs scored are the third highest single season total since integration, behind only 2000 Jeff Bagwell (152) and 1949 Ted Williams (150). Especially incredible given his high octane style of play is that he never slumped this season, never posting an OPS below .917 in any month and really turning on the jets as the season closed, slashing .343/.407/.714 in September to seal up the MVP race. Acuña put on a show at the plate, put on a show on the bases and was there performing every single day for Atlanta.

Runner-up: OF Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers
Stat line: 39 HR, .307/.408/.579, 14 SB, 167 wRC+, 8.3 fWAR in 152 games.
Mookie Betts just misses behind Ronald Acuña despite being a better defender and nearly as good a hitter. It was perhaps the most all-around balanced performance in the country, as he didn't lead the NL any single individual stat, nothing, but still put up over eight wins above replacement. He started slowly, hitting just .232/.339/.424 through his first 26 games, but heated up as the season wore on. He was hitting .277/.383/.560 at the end of July, which is very solid but not quite MVP caliber, then went on a tear to hit .455/.516/.839 in the month of August, thrusting himself into the NL MVP race right alongside Acuña. Unfortunately he couldn't quite keep up with his Atlanta counterpart in the stretch run, but it's still a pretty incredible season. He hit for power, coming one big fly short of a 40 homer/40 double season, got on base at a high rate, rarely struck out, ran the bases well, and played a solid right field.

Honorable mention: 1B Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers
Stat line: 29 HR, .331/.410/.567, 23 SB, 163 wRC+, 7.9 fWAR in 161 games.
All year it was Acuña vs Freeman in the NL MVP race, so when Betts caught fire in August and Acuña closed things out with a strong September, Freeman's merely "solid" finish to the season (.296/.382/.481 in September/October) put him just behind. Still, this is one of the more unique seasons we've seen from a first baseman recently. Playing in all but one game, he put up a 20-20-.400 (HR/SB/OBP) season that's rarely seen from a first baseman, in this case not since Paul Goldschmidt did it twice back to back in 2015 and 2016, and before that, Jeff Bagwell in 1996, 1997, and 1999. Additionally, his 59 doubles tied 2000 Todd Helton for the highest single season total since integration in 1947. Freddie was an on base and extra base hit machine in 2023, and even though he deservedly gets dinged for playing first base, he was a solid defender there and his 23 stolen bases led his position. It was a pretty cool season to watch from the veteran in his fourteenth season. He just beats out Matt Olson, whose 54 home runs were nothing to shake your finger at (while playing in all 162 games to boot), but Freeman was a better defender, a better baserunner, and got on base at a higher clip.

Others
1B Matt Olson (Braves): 54 HR, .283/.389/.604, 1 SB, 160 wRC+, 6.6 fWAR in 162 games
OF Corbin Carroll (Diamondbacks): 25 HR, .285/.362/.506, 54 SB, 133 wRC+, 6.0 fWAR in 155 games
OF Juan Soto (Padres): 35 HR, .275/.410/.519, 12 SB, 155 wRC+, 5.5 fWAR in 162 games
SS Francisco Lindor (Mets): 31 HR, .254/.336/.470, 31 SB, 121 wRC+, 6.0 fWAR in 160 games

American League Cy Young

Winner: RHP Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees
Stat line: 15-4, 2.63 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 3.17 FIP, 222/48 K/BB in 209 innings.
It took until the end of the season for a pitcher to step forward and take control of the AL Cy Young race, but Gerrit Cole made it happen with a torrid stretch that saw him go 5-0 with a 1.29 ERA and a 52/5 strikeout to walk ratio over 48.2 innings in his final seven starts of the season. In the end, that helped him lead all AL pitchers in innings pitched, ERA, and WHIP, three of the most important traditional stats, while finishing third in strikeouts and fourth in FIP. Additionally, he did so while pitching in a hitter-friendly home park (where his ERA was half a run higher than on the road) and in an extremely competitive AL East. That all points to a pretty clear-cut Cy Young case, though I will note that he had strong defense behind him that recorded six outs above average and helped him outperform his xwOBA by .033, with a .256 real mark against a .289 expected mark. There's a debate nowadays with the advent of expected statistics whether we should consider what a player "could have" done with different defensive outcomes, and while there's merit to that, I still lean towards rewarding what actually happened. It can be a tiebreaker, which you'll see with the next two names, but I won't let it take an award away from Gerrit Cole when he very much earned it.

Runner-up: RHP Kevin Gausman, Toronto Blue Jays
Stat line: 12-9, 3.16 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 2.97 FIP, 237/55 K/BB in 185 innings.

It was really, really close between Kevin Gausman and Sonny Gray for second place on this list. I went back and forth multiple times. Gray gets Gausman in ERA, WHIP, and FIP. Gausman struck out 54 more batters while throwing one more inning. Looking behind them, Gray pitched in front of a terrible Twins defense while Gausman was helped by a good Blue Jays defense. Though Gausman didn't really need that defense, because he had all those strikeouts and also gave up many of his runs via the home run, unlike Gray. However, looking at the difference between wOBA and xwOBA (i.e., how "unlucky" each pitcher was), Gray was actually more "lucky" than Gausman despite having a worse defense. So where does that leave us? Pretty much in a tie if you ask me. And I'll give the tie to Gausman because he pitched in a tougher division in the AL East, while Gray pitched for the best team in an extraordinarily weak AL Central. Should he get dinged for that, probably not, but I'm really looking for something to separate the two and I'm going to use it. Now looking to Gausman alone, he really had a tremendous season. His 237 strikeouts led the American League, as did his 5.3 fWAR, while his 2.97 FIP was second only to Gray. He allowed four or fewer runs in 27 of his 31 starts, almost always putting the Blue Jays in a position to win.

Honorable mention: RHP Sonny Gray, Minnesota Twins.
Stat line: 8-8, 2.79 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 2.83 FIP, 183/55 K/BB in 184 innings.
I may have Sonny Gray a sliver of a hair behind Gausman, but he had a tremendous season. He led the AL in FIP and put up the second best ERA in the league despite pitching in front of a bad defense, making for the best year of his career. He allowed three or fewer runs in 29 of his 32 starts, outdoing Gausman in that regard with his consistency, though he did average fewer than six innings per start. Otherwise, there's not much to say here that I didn't say in Gausman's column.

Others
RHP Pablo Lopez (Twins): 3.66 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 3.33 FIP, 234/48 K/BB in 194 innings
RHP Zach Eflin (Rays): 3.50 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 3.01 FIP, 186/24 K/BB in 177.2 innings
RHP George Kirby (Mariners): 3.35 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 3.35 FIP, 172/19 K/BB in 190.2 innings
RHP Luis Castillo (Mariners): 3.34 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 3.81 FIP, 219/56 K/BB in 197 innings
RHP Kyle Bradish (Orioles): 2.83 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 3.27 FIP, 168/44 K/BB in 168.2 innings

National League Cy Young

Winner: LHP Blake Snell, San Diego Padres.
Stat line: 14-9, 2.25 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 3.44 FIP, 234/99 K/BB in 180 innings.
Look, I can point to lots of advanced statistics that show that Blake Snell wasn't the best pitcher in the National League in 2023, and many of them are very real. He pitched in front of an elite Padres defense, outperformed his xwOBA by 34 points (.300 expected vs .266 real), and was incredibly lucky to strand 86.7% of his baserunners, by far the highest number in all of baseball (Gerrit Cole was second at 80.4%). That last number, let's face it, carries luck as a major factor. For all those reasons, you can galaxy brain yourself into picking someone else in the Cy Young. However, this is an award about what really happened, and at the end of the day, Snell got the job done. Yeah, he was lucky to leave all those guys on base, but there is something to being able to bear down and not let things compound. That led to a 2.25 ERA that led the NL by 0.73, a tremendous margin. Sure, his defense helped him a lot, but nobody came close to keeping runs off the board like Snell did. His 234 strikeouts were also good for second in the league, and the guy ahead of him had an ERA more than a run and a half higher. He allowed three or fewer earned runs in 30 of his 32 starts and didn't allow four or more in a start after May 19th. In fact, in those final 23 starts, he went 13-3 with a 1.20 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP, the best pitcher in baseball for four and a half months.

Runner-up: RHP Spencer Strider, Atlanta Braves.
Stat line: 20-5, 3.86 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 2.85 FIP, 281/58 K/BB in 186.2 innings.
After Snell (and really including Snell), the rest of the NL Cy Young race is extremely wide open. There are about five names I could put here and feel good about. I'll go with Strider, in no small part because striking out 281 batters in under 190 innings is just incredible. Not just the highest total in the majors, it's the most strikeouts in a season since Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander struck out 326 and 300, respectively, in 2019. And interestingly enough, it's the highest single season total ever for a pitcher who threw fewer than 212 innings – and Strider did it in just 186.2. If you're looking for the next highest total for a pitcher in under 200 innings, that belongs to 2016 Jose Fernandez at 253 in tragically his final season. But the strikeouts aren't just a nice number to look at. It helped him register the lowest FIP in the league, more than a full run lower than his ERA, and while pitching wins don't really matter, winning twenty games is extremely uncommon nowadays. He pitched in front of a mediocre Braves defense that hurt him a bit on balls in play, leading to more baserunners than he could have had, and his 70.3% strand rate (remember that Snell was at 86.7%) means that he was at least partially unlucky that he couldn't spread out his baserunners.

Honorable Mention: RHP Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies.
Stat line: 13-6, 3.61 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 3.15 FIP, 212/39 K/BB in 192 innings.
Zack Wheeler's profile is very similar to Spencer Strider, if a touch less extreme. While he didn't strike out as many batters, his 212/39 strikeout to walk ratio was actually a touch better than Strider's 281/58, while he also slightly cleared him in ERA and WHIP and fell a touch behind in FIP. He did all this while pitching in front of a terrible Phillies defense that seriously inflated his ERA and WHIP, and he similarly struggled to keep runners from scoring on the rare occasions they reached base. In all, he actually led all MLB Pitchers in fWAR at 5.9, which isn't a huge total but was enough to push to the forefront in a season where no pitcher separated himself in either league. While the 3.61 ERA wasn't great (hurt by poor defense behind him and hits tending to clump together), he was extremely consistent and always gave the Phillies a chance to win, allowing four or fewer earned runs in 30/32 starts.

Others
RHP Logan Webb (Giants): 3.25 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 3.16 FIP, 194/31 K/BB in 216 innings.

LHP Justin Steele (Cubs): 3.06 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 3.02 FIP, 176/36 K/BB in 173.1 innings.
RHP Zac Gallen (Diamondbacks): 3.47 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 3.27 FIP, 220/47 K/BB in 210 innings.

RHP Kodai Senga (Mets): 2.98 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 3.64 FIP, 202/77 K/BB in 166.1 innings.
LHP Jesus Luzardo (Marlins): 3.63 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 3.55 FIP, 208/55 K/BB in 178.2 innings.

American League Rookie of the Year

Winner: 3B Gunnar Henderson, Baltimore Orioles
Stat line: 28 HR, .255/.325/.489, 10 SB, 123 wRC+, 4.6 fWAR in 150 games.
Gunnar Henderson got off to a bit of a slow start, hitting just .170/.341/.310 into mid-May, but he turned on the jets and hit .274/.321/.528 with 25 home runs and a 131 wRC+ over 117 games from that point on, with his 4.2 fWAR in that span putting him seventh in the AL. Once he shook off that slump, he hit for power, he got on base at a decent clip, and he played solid defense at third base. That's about as well-rounded a profile as you're going to get from a kid who didn't turn 22 until halfway through the season. There were a lot of very good rookies in the AL this year, but none could quite match Henderson's standing as an All Star-caliber regular.

Runner-up: RHP Tanner Bibee, Cleveland Guardians
Stat line: 10-4, 2.98 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 3.52 FIP, 141/45 K/BB in 142 innings.
Gunnar Henderson may have the Rookie of the Year award wrapped up, but Tanner Bibee was truly exceptional in his rookie season in Cleveland making it closer than you'd think. In a year where we have Cy Young contenders posting ERA's in the mid three's, Tanner Bibee got his under three while finishing second among all AL rookies in innings pitched behind Hunter Brown. He allowed three or fewer earned runs in 23 of his 25 starts, meaning only twice all year did he leave a start where he didn't put the Guardians in a very good position to win the game. He was helped by a pretty good defense behind him, but overall we saw borderline ace-caliber stuff from the 24 year old this season.

Honorable mention: C Yainer Diaz, Houston Astros
Stat line: 23 HR, .282/.308/.538, 0 SB, 127 wRC+, 2.0 fWAR in 104 games.

It's hard to find catchers who can hit. The Astros have been rolling with Martin Maldonado, his elite glove, and his mediocre bat and continue to do so, but in 2023, they got a great complement in Yainer Diaz. He only played 104 games, but he blasted 23 home runs and put up a 127 wRC+ that was sixth among all MLB catchers with at least 300 plate appearances, rookie or not. He started slow, hitting .217/.242/.317 over his first 21 games, but turned it around to slash .295/.322/.583 the rest of the way as one of the best hitting catchers in the game once he got his feet wet. Beyond the bat, Diaz is one of the better catch and throw backstops in the game, controlling the running game and saving his pitchers from passed balls, though his overall defensive stats did get dinged for poor framing. Still, the framing and perhaps an aggressive approach were the only holes in his profile this year.

Others

RHP Yennier Cano (Orioles): 2.11 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 2.84 FIP, 65/13 K/BB in 72.2 innings.

2B Edouard Julien (Twins): 16 HR, .263/.381/.459, 3 SB, 136 wRC+, 2.8 fWAR in 109 games.
3B Josh Jung (Rangers): 23 HR, .266/.315/.467, 1 SB, 110 wRC+, 2.5 fWAR in 122 games.

RHP Grayson Rodriguez (Orioles): 4.35 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 3.93 FIP, 129/49 K/BB in 122 innings.

RHP Bryce Miller (Mariners): 4.32 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 3.98 FIP, 119/26 K/BB in 131.1 innings.

National League Rookie of the Year

Winner: OF Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks
Stat line: 25 HR, .285/.362/.506, 54 SB, 133 wRC+, 6.0 fWAR in 155 games.
Corbin Carroll put together one of the best rookie seasons in recent memory. Playing in nearly every game for the Diamondbacks, he finished second in all of baseball with 54 stolen bases while adding 25 home runs, 30 doubles, and ten triples, making for arguably the best power/speed combination in the game behind Ronald Acuña Jr. Not only that, but by getting on base at a .362 clip, he was more or less the complete hitter and put himself into down ballot MVP consideration. One of the fastest runners in the game, his big time speed helped him overcome some otherwise rough edges in his defensive game and play a solid center field as well. All together, his 6.0 fWAR were the most of any rookie not just in 2023, but since Aaron Judge put up 8.8 in 2017. There are other NL rookies that put up standout seasons, but Carroll's stands out above the rest. 

Runner-up: RHP Kodai Senga, New York Mets
Stat line: 2.98 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 3.63 FIP, 202/77 K/BB in 166.1 innings.
You could argue Kodai Senga was the best rookie pitcher in baseball this year, holding an ERA under 3.00 while qualifying for the ERA title, a rarity nowadays, and striking out over 200 even if he was a bit wild. Even more impressive is that ERA's were up among the best pitchers in the game this year, so Senga's 2.98 mark was fifth in all of baseball among qualified pitchers. He got better and better as the season moved along and didn't allow more than three runs in a start after June 23rd. These days, there are fewer and fewer reliable, durable starting pitchers who can keep runs off the board and stay on the mound, and Senga provided one in his first go around.

Honorable mention: CF James Outman, Los Angeles Dodgers
Stat line: 23 HR, .248/.353/.437, 16 SB, 118 wRC+, 4.4 fWAR in 151 games.
It's hard to be quiet on a national brand like the Dodgers, but James Outman quietly put up one of the best seasons of any rookie in either league. Playing in 151 games, he blasted 23 home runs, walked at a high rate to push his OBP up over .350, swiped a few bags, and played standout defense in center field. In all, that's an elite defensive center fielder that was an 18% better hitter than league average and played almost every game, not too shabby for a rookie. Of course, this stat probably means nothing due to the small sample size, but he was one of the more "clutch" hitters in the game this year slashing .378/.472/.822 with five home runs in 53 plate appearances in the ninth inning or later.

Others
LF Nolan Jones (Rockies): 20 HR, .297/.389/.542, 20 SB, 135 WRC+, 3.7 fWAR in 106 games.
RHP Bobby Miller (Dodgers): 3.76 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 3.51 FIP, 119/32 K/BB in 124.1 innings.
1B Spencer Steer (Reds): 23 HR, .271/.356/.464, 15 SB, 118 wRC+, 2.1 fWAR in 156 games.
C Francisco Alvarez (Mets): 25 HR, .209/.284/.437, 2 SB, 97 wRC+, 2.7 fWAR in 123 games.
SS Matt McLain (Reds): 16 HR, .290/.357/.507, 14 SB, 128 wRC+, 2.8 fWAR in 89 games.

The top 12 unsigned high school hitting prospects from the 2023 draft

We recently took a look at the top twelve pitching prospects to reach campus, so now we'll pivot to the position players. This group is led by Roch Cholowsky, the best unsigned prospect in the entire draft at any position or level not only of the 2023 draft, but of the last two drafts. He leads a trio of UCLA-bound bats, making the Bruins the only program to place more than one name on this list. That helps the dying Pac-12 lead the way with five players overall, ahead of the SEC (4), ACC (2), and Big 12 (1). Unlike with the pitchers, we couldn't sneak any mid majors onto this list, with eleven of the twelve players heading to traditional powerhouses save for Kevin Takeuchi and his Southern California commitment. Six top one hundred overall prospects grace this list overall, with profiles spread everywhere from outlier athletes to teenagers with grown man strength to long term performers on the showcase circuit.

Note, the ranking in parentheses denotes their ranking on my 2023 draft board.

1. (#34) SS Roch Cholowsky, UCLA.
Not only will UCLA bring in the #5 incoming pitching prospect and lead all schools with three names on this list, but they also get the top overall prospect in Roch Cholowsky. To me, Cholowsky is a really special player. A premium athlete to say the least, he is also a standout quarterback that generated rumblings that he could suit up for the UCLA football team as well, but that did not end up being the case and he'll stick with baseball. The athleticism immediately stands out on defense, where he effortlessly glides around the infield with loose, natural movements. He's plenty comfortable throwing off balance and from different angles, and with an above average arm, he's a plus defender overall that will stick at shortstop. While the bat isn't the calling card yet, it's coming along and I believe he'll eventually be an impact player. He naturally drops the barrel to the ball and makes plenty of contact against advanced pitching, and while his approach is fairly aggressive, it's still under control. He's currently hit over power, as his wiry 6'2" frame still has room to add more strength. Still, his loose right handed swing looks conducive to adding power as he fills out and learns to incorporate his lower half a bit better, and I think he could eventually be an above average hitter with average power. Throw in plus speed, and that's a really attractive all around profile. The Phoenix-area native also shows nice all-around polish as the son of Reds scout Dan Cholowsky, further adding to my optimism that he's going to continue trending up at UCLA. I'm buying into the athleticism and trajectory here and while he'll have to battle with fellow incoming blue chip prospect Roman Martin for the shortstop role, I think he'll quickly take over an every day role somewhere on the infield in Westwood.

2. (#56) 3B Trent Caraway, Oregon State.
Oregon State has quietly gotten very good at pulling recruits through to campus. A year after bringing in 2022's #69 overall prospect Gavin Turley, they'll pair him with another huge bat in 2023's #56 overall prospect Trent Caraway. Caraway brings the kind of profile that should find its way into an every day role almost immediately, and in fact if I had my pick of every true freshman in the country for just their freshman season only, he's probably the one I'd want. He's a big, strong, physically developed kid at 6'2", 205 pounds, and that's not entirely surprising given that he's a full year older than the typical incoming freshman, set to turn 20 in March. He channels that strength into easy power, just flicking his wrists and sending the baseball impressive distances to all fields. While there are some moving parts in his swing that can get him a little tied up with higher velocity, he's a disciplined hitter that attacks the right pitches and has an excellent track record of performance, especially this spring in the competitive Southern California high school ranks. It's a pretty complete profile at the plate between the power and his track record of getting to it in games, part of the reason he'll likely be a fixture in the Oregon State lineup from day one. With heavier feet and average speed, his future is likely at third base, where he has plenty of arm to profile. Caraway will be draft eligible as a sophomore in 2025, where he'll be older than many of the juniors in his draft class, so it may be a short stay in Corvallis.

3. (#75) OF Will Gasparino, Texas.
Roch Cholowsky isn't the only son of a scout that will hit campus with a lot of fanfare. Billy Gasparino is the scouting director for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and his son Will will give Texas a shot in the arm as it already brings back the top two unsigned college players from last year's draft. The next in a long line of talent that has come through the Harvard-Westlake School in Hollywood Hills, including such names as Lucas Giolito, Jack Flaherty, Max Fried, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Drew Bowser, Gasparino has extremely loud tools that will immediately stand out in Austin. Standing a lanky 6'6", he uses his long arms to generate huge bat speed and tremendous torque from his big right handed swing, leading to plus raw power already. With plenty more room to add additional strength, we could be talking about double plus power in time. At this point, the power plays down a little in games because he's a very streaky hitter whose long swing can cause swing and miss, though he can get hot and run into more than his fair share of barrels even against quality pitching. He's entering into a very strong player development program at Texas, which should be able to put the pieces together into a big time impact bat. Gasparino has clocked plus run times as well, giving him a shot to compete for the center field spot vacated by Eric Kennedy (Royals, undrafted). With right fielder Dylan Campbell (Dodgers, fourth round) also gone, his arm will put him in contention for that role as well. Between the size, power, and speed, the raw tools here are huge. If the Longhorn coaching staff can help him get more consistent and grow into his lanky frame, he has a chance to do special things in Austin.

4. (#86) OF Caden Sorrell, Texas A&M.
Heading about ninety miles east, Texas A&M is also bringing in one of the best bats in the freshman class and getting him from in state to boot. Caden Sorrell was one of the top performers in the state of Texas this past spring, showcasing an all-around elevated game up at Flower Mound Marcus High School in the DFW Metroplex. He's very physical at 6'3", 195 pounds, with more room to tack on additional strength. He uses a compact left handed swing to produce above average power to all fields, power which he tapped consistently in games as a high school senior. The swing can get a little more line drive oriented, but he moves well in the box and should continue to leave the yard in games in College Station. Because Sorrell is a bit of a late rising prospect, he does not have a long track record of performance against higher end pitching including in the summer of 2022 before his senior season. That leaves mostly his body of work as a high school senior as the positive argument for his hit tool, and DFW pitching is not too shabby at all. He has a chance to be a real impact bat in the middle of the Aggie lineup, but it might take a minute for him to break through. The Texas A&M outfield lost a couple seniors to graduation, but they're also bringing in two of the best outfield transfers in the country in Braden Montgomery (Stanford) and Hayden Schott (Columbia) to replace them, so at bats may be hard to come by in the early going. Working in Sorrell's favor are his plus speed and arm, which will enable him to slot in anywhere in the Aggie outfield and provide positive value there. Even if he doesn't play immediately, once he forces his way into that lineup, he'll be a huge addition that will contribute in many different facets.

5. (#92) SS Dylan Cupp, Mississippi State.
Unlike Caden Sorrell, Dylan Cupp comes to Mississippi State with an extremely long track record of performance on the national stage. He hasn't always set the world on fire, and his senior season more "met" expectations than exceeded them, but either way he'll be able to jump right in against SEC pitching and feel as comfortable as you can expect for a true freshman. Cupp stands out first for his defense. His hands and feet are lightning quick in the dirt, showing exceptional body control and hand-eye coordination to act as a vacuum over there at shortstop. His above average arm will keep him at that position at Mississippi State, and he has a chance to be one of the better defenders in the SEC over the next few seasons. While he's no slouch at the plate, the tools aren't as loud there. His quick hands play up in the box, enabling him to whip the barrel through the zone and create more power than you'd expect from his skinny 6'2" frame. Cupp has strong feel for the barrel and will be able to find it early and often at Mississippi State, though there are times when he can get too steep and miss underneath, leading to some minor strikeout concerns. If he fills out his frame a bit more, he has a chance to be a very solid hitter, which when combined with his glove, will make him a very interesting prospect. If not, the Northwest Georgia native still has plenty enough glove to profile near the bottom of the Bulldog order.

6. (#94) OF/WR Grant Gray, UCLA.
I mentioned that Roch Cholowsky was rumored as a potential QB at UCLA, but he may not even be the best football player in the baseball team's incoming freshman class. Grant Gray, as it turns out, earned a roster spot as a wide receiver for the Bruins, though he hasn't gotten into a game yet. Of course, baseball scouts have long known Gray for his athleticism and ultra projectable 6'3" frame, but it was his senior year of baseball that really made them sit up and consider him a potential future impact player. His long, strong arms and legs help him create a ton of leverage in his right handed swing, so as he gets into that UCLA player development pipeline he has a real chance to create above average or even plus raw power in time. Like Caden Sorrell, he's unproven against higher level pitching in this case because he's been busy playing football, but he showed very well against strong Southern California high school pitching this past spring and looks up to the task of handling Pac-12 then Big Ten pitching. His football commitments may continue to slow down his baseball development, and his rawness does show in games. That translates over to defense, where he'll have to move off the infield upon getting into baseball season and develop as an outfielder. As a Power Five wide receiver, his elite speed will give him every shot to stick in center field, helping give the Bruins more reason to get him into the lineup. It's hard to find this combination of power, speed, and athleticism, giving him massive upside if UCLA can develop his swing and sand down the rough edges in his profile. Gray is extremely old for an incoming freshman having turned 19 back in May, so he'll be draft-eligible again as a sophomore in 2025 and still may be fairly raw at that point. It may not be until he gives up football that the Norco native fully takes the step forward he's looking for.

7. (#103) C Zion Rose, Louisville.
Zion Rose has a chance to build on what's turning into a real catching pipeline at Louisville, which has recently produced All Star Will Smith, 2021 first overall pick Henry Davis, and 2022 second rounder Dalton Rushing. While he has a ways to go in terms of his development, he absolutely has the upside to join that list. Rose carries as explosive a bat as you're going to find, producing tremendous bat speed from a grown man's 6'1", 210 pound frame. While he doesn't tap it often in games yet, there is potential plus-plus raw power in there given his strength and bat speed. At this point, the swing is disjointed as he gets his foot down early before flinging the barrel through the zone, often pulling off or getting too steep with a stiff overall operation. At Louisville, he'll look to smooth that out and find a more natural rhythm in the box, hopefully helping him create a more adjustable barrel and make more consistent, flush contact. The Chicago native does take strong at bats and can handle advanced pitching, and with that bat speed, he can do plenty of damage today even when he doesn't square the ball up. Unlike most catchers, Rose has flashed plus run times and shows tremendous athleticism behind the plate. Similar to his hitting, the physical tools are ahead of the polish defensively. While he doesn't have the cleanest exchange and release, his cannon arm makes up for a bit of a double clutch and helps him gun runners down. Many evaluators think he could move to center field in the long run, where his speed and arm will play great, but by going to college, he'll have a chance to refine his blocking and receiving to potentially prove he could stick back there. There are some similarities to Henry Davis in this profile, though Davis had a bit more of a balanced offensive profile and of course built up an elite track record of performance.

8. (#105) SS Roman Martin, UCLA.
Roman Martin continues an elite recruiting class for UCLA, though unlike Roch Cholowsky and Grant Gray, he has not been in contact with head football coach Chip Kelly as far as I know. While he's just focused on baseball, he does bring an elite track record of performance as long as any name on this list. It's interesting to contrast him to Cholowsky especially since they play the same position and will both battle to first push Cody Schrier off of shortstop, or once he gets drafted highly in 2024, take over. Cholowsky is a much better athlete with higher upside on both sides of the ball, while Martin is more of a steady eddy that has gotten the job done day in and day out. He has a quick right handed swing with strong pitch recognition ability and a long track record of sending line drives out to all fields against quality competition. The power is fringy for now, but at 6'2", he has a chance to grow into average pop as he fills out his skinny frame. He should take well to Pac-12 pitching immediately in the conference's swan song this coming spring. Meanwhile, he's a sure handed defender at shortstop whose instincts and natural grace at the position help him play above his average speed, giving him every opportunity to beat out the more athletic Cholowsky for the shortstop position should both of their bats qualify. I'm certainly higher on Cholowsky (as is most of the industry) in the long run due to his upside but in the immediate future in Westwood, it will be fun to see the two of them battle it out and potentially make up one of the best double play combos in college baseball.

9. (#128) IF Kevin Takeuchi, Southern California.
In 2021, Southern Cal landed the top overall recruit in the country, Marcelo Mayer, but he went fourth overall to the Red Sox and of course wasn't going to turn that down. Two years later, they managed to pull another highly touted infielder from the San Diego area through to campus, and even if he's not quite the prospect Mayer was, Kevin Takeuchi has a chance to leave his mark in Los Angeles. He's undersized at 5'10", but came out looking more physical this past spring and put together a huge senior season to match, elevating his profile. He has a quick right handed swing geared for hard line drives and shows more power than you'd expect from his smaller frame, with the ability to turn on the ball for above average power to his pull side. With a strong eye at the plate, he's able to unleash that powerful swing more often by choosing good pitches he can do damage on. It's a pretty well-rounded offensive profile even if he lacks the upside or track record of some other names on this list. The defensive tools are average, with enough arm to make third base work and enough range to make it work at second base, at least at the collegiate level. The overall profile is a bit reminiscent of Tommy Troy, another highly touted prep infielder from California who hit .338/.411/.603 with 34 home runs over a three year career at Stanford en route to being drafted twelfth overall in 2023 by the Diamondbacks (though I'd note that Takeuchi is a more disciplined hitter at this stage of his career).

10. (#130) SS Braden Holcomb, Vanderbilt.
Braden Holcomb may not break into the Vanderbilt starting lineup immediately, especially considering they return three quarters of last year's starting infield and are bringing in two impact infield transfers to boot, but he has a chance to become a real impact player once he does earn playing time. Holcomb immediately stands out among his peers with a physically developed 6'4", 220 pound frame that looks like it could have him playing in the big leagues today. He takes big swings from the right side and his strength helps him tap plus power in games playing to all fields. To this point, he has been inconsistent at the plate and has struggled at times against higher quality pitching, but he did look better this spring against good pitching in the Orlando area. He may not immediately be up for the challenge of hitting SEC pitching every day, but like I mentioned, it's already a crowded infield situation in Nashville and he'll have time to iron things out. A shortstop in high school, he likely won't stick at that position for Vanderbilt and certainly won't in pro ball, with heavy feet and a big frame that will push him to third base, where his plus arm will play. Holcomb has a chance to hit in the middle of the Vanderbilt lineup and provide some of the best power they've seen in recent years.

11. (#146) C Ryder Helfrick, Arkansas.
Arkansas did not get much offense from the catcher's position last year, but they'll go into 2024 set up much better. Not only did Hudson White transfer in from Texas Tech with his .296/.397/.550 line from a year ago, but the Razorbacks are also bringing in the #2 freshman catching prospect in the country behind Louisville's Zion Rose. Like Rose, Ryder Helfrick is a bit raw at this point but he also brings big time upside. He has extremely quick hands in the box, translating to great bat speed and above average power from the right side. His quick hands help him catch up to velocity with ease, which should ease his transition to the SEC, though he's still learning to recognize offspeed. The Northern California native can also get passive at the plate at times and lose control of his at bats, something he'll need to tighten up in Fayetteville. With his electric hands and compact strength, Helfrick has the tools to be an impact bat for the Razorbacks. The profile is similar behind the plate, as his athleticism and above average arm give him considerable upside on that side of the ball as well. He does need refinement in that regard and could see time in the outfield while he develops his receiving and blocking skills. Interestingly, he won't be the only blue chip prospect heading to Arkansas from Northern California, joining Gabe Gaeckle, the #15 pitching prospect nationally on his way to campus.

12. (#158) OF Drew Burress, Georgia Tech.
Drew Burress rounds out this list, and he does so as another powderkeg athlete with considerable raw tools. The shortest player on this list at 5'9", he doesn't let that stop him from putting on a show in games. He takes big, uppercut hacks from the right side, with his natural athleticism helping him translate that rotational force into big time bat speed and leverage. The exit velocities are much higher than you'd expect from a kid that size, and with his ability to elevate with authority, he could tap above average power in games in the ACC. With that power-conscious approach does come swing and miss, especially against offspeed stuff to the point where I'm a bit concerned about his initial transition to ACC pitching. He has performed well against premium velocity throughout his prep career despite the big swing, so it's an accurate barrel when you consider how hard he swings. In Atlanta, he may look to find more of a balanced approach, though at Georgia Tech they do like guys who can blast the ball. Beyond the power, he's an above average runner with a plus arm that will fit well into the Yellow Jacket outfield, with the chance to take over for Jake DeLeo in center field if he hits enough to start at the outset. Regardless, he'll likely develop into an all-around impact player in Atlanta.

Honorable Mentions
#165 UT Gavin Grahovac, Texas A&M
#170 2B Camden Kozeal, Vanderbilt
#171 OF/WR Duce Robinson, Southern California
#175 OF Easton Breyfogle, Arizona
#182 C Campbell Smithwick, Mississippi