While the first round of the MLB draft gets most of the headlines, it's essential to see what teams do in the days that follow to truly understand how well they have executed their strategies for the year.
Now that we've seen which clubs have been able to turn what might have seemed like surprising first-round decisions at the time into potential savings to spread around on later picks, we can start evaluating this year's draft classes.
With that in mind, I've identified 10 teams whose 2023 draft hauls stand out to me.
Two teams that nailed the draft
The best organizations at drafting get their various departments on the same page, then settle on a point of view on what they scout and develop well -- then lean into that as hard as they can. In the MLB draft, creating value is the name of the game, not trying to fill big league holes; you can use trades and free agency to do that.
So, sure, the Marlins could panic that they haven't picked or produced a ton of solid-average position players in the draft. But instead, they realized that they create value more reliably with high-ceiling pitchers and leaned hard into that, landing some great projects for pitching consultant Dave Wallace & Co.
In Noble Meyer and Thomas White, the Marlins took the top two prep pitchers with true frontline potential (in a year where most teams were scrambling to sort through the position players). Meyer and White alone would make a solid draft, but coming back with two position players with everyday upside in Kemp Alderman (80 raw power, above average speed) and Brock Vradenburg (late bloomer with a chance for an above average hit/power combo) rounds out a strong top of the draft. I would bet that at least two of their next four picks (lefties Emmet Olson and Justin Storm, righty Andrew Lindsey, outfielder Jake DeLeo) end up big leaguers, as well.
I've been critical of the Giants' recent return in the scouting and development areas and mentioned on the broadcast that I've really turned around on them this spring. Last year's top picks, including Reggie Crawford and Carson Whisenhunt, looked strong then and even better now, and their system has some other arrow-ups this season in Patrick Bailey, Luis Matos, and Mason Black. I also loved the top of the GIants draft this year, landing two easy first-round talents, Bryce Eldridge and Walker Martin, in the top two rounds, followed by a fringe first round talent in lefty Joe Whitman at 69th overall. Like the Marlins draft, I see a couple of more big leaguers among the next wave of picks: middle infielders Cole Foster, Maui Ahuna, and Quinn McDaniel, along with catcher Luke Shliger.
Four teams that tried something new
For the longest time, in deference to their ballpark, the Rockies dogmatically drafted only pitchers who throw two-seam fastballs and/or sinkers with their early picks. This year, I started hearing late in the process that they were thinking of taking Chase Dollander, who throws a four-seamer at the top of the zone -- literally the exact opposite of that type. Not only did they take Dollander, but then they added Wake Forest lefty Sean Sullivan, who also pitches at the top of the zone with a riding fastball, one that sits around 90 mph. The Rockies have long been criticized for being slow to make changes of any sort, but they might have just pivoted pitching philosophies a bit.
I spoke to an Orioles official at a game this spring and asked if they really had a "type" or just kept taking the same sort of guy -- power first, with athleticism, ideally at an up-the-middle position, and a player whom the team can train on pitch selection and contact skills. The official denied it and then asked if there was a player that was the opposite of that type. My response was Enrique Bradfield Jr., who I told him they'd never consider with their first pick. "See?" he said. "We don't have a type -- because we're still scouting him." I kind of laughed at that idea. Of course, they drafted Bradfield with their first pick Sunday
The moral? Never be too sure that even the clearest track record will continue. Teams should value biodiversity in their farm system, especially as it becomes time to build a winning big league club. Next year, the Orioles might find they need a speed and defense guy, not another corner masher with big exit velos. Under GM Mike Elias, the O's also hadn't taken pitchers in the early rounds ... ever. And they took two (Jackson Baumeister and Kiefer Lord) in the top three rounds this year. I don't think the Orioles were ever against taking low-powered hitters or pitchers, as they've maintained the whole time and have now proved. But it's also true that the O's are at a new stage of team building, and their decision-makers have responded to it by drafting differently.
The Reds are youth and fun incarnate and, like the Orioles, they also are turning the corner in terms of contention, changing their team-building stance. They need pitching and they need to fill those holes ASAP to keep this momentum in a winnable division. It would be silly to take only players who you think can literally help this season, but quick-movers fit the need and the goal is to win baseball games, so you can lean into needs in a broad sense in the draft and succeed. Rhett Lowder and Ty Floyd might be among the first big leaguers among pitchers in this class, while catcher Connor Burns might be one of the first position players. But, Cincy didn't just forget what got them here and take lower-upside players, they also grabbed upside prep players in shortstop Sammy Stafura and righty Cole Schoenwetter, while I also loved the value of Ethan O'Donnell in the sixth round.
In the past two drafts, Arizona has focused on a clear upside prep talent at the top, taking Druw Jones in 2022 and Jordan Lawlar in 2021. This year, its first pick was 12th, so that approach wouldn't work. Instead, Arizona adapted its usual post-first round approach -- solid college players -- right out of the gate. Emphasizing pure hitters with other tools landed them Tommy Troy, Gino Groover and Jack Hurley, while looking for potential starting pitchers with something left in the tank yielded Caden Grice and Grayson Hitt.
Four teams that leaned into what they do best
The top five talents in this draft were so clear that, once everyone signs and ends up on my minor league prospect list, the gap from the fifth- to sixth-best player in this draft will be from 29th to roughly 140th. There's something to be said for creativity in moving money around, having optionality with overslot options at later picks but there's also a line where that turns into outsmarting yourself and doing the wrong thing. The Twins did the right thing by taking Walker Jenkins at the fifth pick, opting for the potential face of the franchise in hand rather than being swayed by the mystery box of spreading around risk through the upcoming rounds.
The M's have excelled at developing prep position players in the past few years (Cole Young, Harry Ford and Edwin Arroyo) in the top few rounds -- and they seem emboldened by that success, because they've doubled down. They drafted two of the most universal "this guy can really hit" players in the class in Colt Emerson (who is very similar to Young) and Jonny Farmelo, followed by Tai Peete. Peete could be almost anything, with early-round upside as a switch-hitter who can play the infield and also pitch, though the most likely outcome seems like a power-over-hit third baseman. Upside gambles in later rounds included Teddy McGraw (two Tommy John surgeries but plus raw stuff) and Brody Hopkins (unreal athlete with plus raw stuff and good data, but limited polish).
The Rays have excelled with up-the-middle position players and underappreciated hitters. They kept dipping into that pool, taking Brayden Taylor, Adrian Santana, Colton Ledbetter, Tre Morgan and Hunter Haas. Those were their first five picks, but I had positive notes on every pick they made through Round 10, finishing pitcher-heavy with a mix of potential starters (Owen Wild and Trevor Harrison) and power stuff (T.J. Nichols, Drew Dowd, Dalton Fowler and Adam Boucher).
The Phillies take more risks with high picks than almost any team -- and also tend to turn risk into reward at a higher rate. This year's haul leaned in even more than they usually do: Aidan Miller (Josh Donaldson starter kit, but old for the class and missed most of the spring with injury), Devin Saltiban (very late bloomer with strong tools but short track record), TayShaun Walton (massive power but unclear position and needs to learn to lift the ball more) and George Klassen (up to 100 mph regularly with a biting breaker but poor command).