There can be quibbling among the nation’s watchdogs and wizards about which player goes one-overall in next month’s MLB Draft.
But all the top outlets and entities, across the land, agree:
The Tigers will draft University of Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford with the third overall turn in next month’s gala, which runs July 9-11.
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel has the Tigers taking Langford at No. 3 overall. So does MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis, as well as Baseball America’s Carlos Collazo. Joe Doyle, a scout who directs FSS Plus, has decided the Tigers and Langford also will be pronounced partners on July 9.
With the first round less than three weeks away, what’s interesting about all the early mock drafts is there can be such flexibility in the minds of these same pundits as they plot the night’s top two picks.
Dylan Crews, a marvelous outfielder from Louisiana State, is considered the closest to a consensus grab at one-one: McDaniel of ESPN still believes Crews is the top talent in the sweepstakes but he — and Doyle — have a hunch Indiana prep outfielder Max Clark is going first, aided by the belief Clark is willing to sign for less than the capped figure Crews would insist upon with his talent and with the permanent status that comes the way of a first-overall plucking.
Also in flux with the prognosticators is LSU ace Paul Skenes: second to the Nationals, where Baseball America and Callis have him headed? Or as low as fifth to the Twins, which is the forecast from McDaniel and Doyle?
What isn’t argued is that Langford, a right-handed hitter with power and with feet fleet enough for center field or for left field (left is his likely MLB station), will be the Tigers’ choice.
There are caveats, of course, in these prognostications, given that nothing is likely to be certain until the evening of July 9.
If it happens that Crews and Langford are grabbed 1-2, speculation runs deep that the Tigers, who are universally viewed as preferring a college bat, might pass on Skenes and instead go with a third option.
In such a scenario, everyone has been having fun guessing what the lips-sealed Tigers might do if Crews and Langford have been scarfed-up.
One thought that has traction with the coast-to-coast crew — and that was shared here a week ago — is that the Tigers could throw something of a lightning-bolt into the top-five mix by opting for University of Virginia catcher Kyle Teel.
It’s also possible the Tigers might back away from their supposed college-guy-please preferences and decide Clark, or North Carolina prep outfielder Walker Jenkins, is their guy.
Or, they could cross-up most of the soothsayers and decide to go with a pitcher, after all, especially when Skenes is viewed as one of those every-10-year talents.
But even as all the contingencies and possibilities and potential scripts play out, the national crowd still settles on the Tigers taking Langford.
Consider their latest mocks:
▶ Callis, MLB Pipeline, whose first five are Crews, Skenes, Langford, Jenkins, and Clark: “If the Pirates do a discount deal and the Nationals take Skenes, the Tigers could get Crews. More likely, they wind up with Langford. If the two college outfielders are off the board, it probably comes down to Skenes versus Jenkins. If they had to have a college bat in that scenario, it might be Virginia catcher Kyle Teel.”
▶ Collazo, Baseball America (Crews, Skenes, Langford, Jenkins, and Clark): “Langford has been excellent all season when he’s been on the field for Florida. Perhaps the biggest true separator between Langford and Crews is the additional prep history teams have of Crews and one full season of SEC performance data. Outside of that, it’s similar. If you want a bit more pure speed and a tick more raw power, you could lean Langford, and. If you want the center-field profile and long track record, go Crews. Either way, Detroit is getting an impact player.”
▶ Doyle, FSS Plus (Clark, Crews, Langford, Jenkins, and Skenes): “The Tigers have been out to see Virginia catcher Kyle Teel on a number of occasions, even as recently as the Super Regionals. That said, it seems as though those efforts are more of a backup plan as Tigers front office members are purportedly ‘nervous’ that Langford won’t get to them at 3.”
▶ McDaniel, ESPN.com (Clark, Crews, Langford, Jenkins, and Skenes): “This connection (Langford to the Tigers) has long made the most sense, and I think Detroit president of baseball operations Scott Harris wants a college bat, all things being equal, so this draft position and player pool lines up well for that. The Tigers’ top two scouting execs were seeing Teel two weeks ago, and they’re kicking the tires on everyone in this top tier, but Langford is likely the pick in this scenario. If Langford is the cut (discount) option at one, and Crews were to go second, I’m not sure what the Tigers would do, but that helps explain why Teel is in the mix for them – because knowing who that third college bat is could be key.”
Detroit News ranking of the top 10 amateur baseball talents as they currently sit leading into the 2023 MLB Draft, set for July 9-11.
▶ 1. Dylan Crews, Louisiana State University, outfielder, 6-foot-1, 203 pounds, right-handed batter: Scouts are doing some final check-listing on Crews as the College World Series carries on (he was 2-for-5, with a double, Saturday against Tennessee). But they’ve seen enough to convince just about everyone that Crews is the probable grab at No. 1 overall. Last week’s ranking: 1
▶ 2. Wyatt Langford, OF, University of Florida, 6-1, 225, RH batter: Langford had a 456-foot home run Friday against Virginia. He’s one of the heavy reasons why Florida Gators is still breathing in the College World Series. A score or two of MLB scouts believe he can have that same effect on a MLB contender once he settles into his new job, which could be with the Tigers. Last week’s ranking: 2.
▶ 3. Paul Skenes, Louisiana State, RH starter, 6-6, 240: They call him a “generational pitcher.” Ask a batter who has stood against his 100-mph fastball and side-weapons, particularly Skenes’ slider, if there’s any disagreement. Or, ask one of the dozen University of Tennessee hitters he incinerated in Saturday’s College World Series game. Last week’s ranking: 3
▶ 4. Walker Jenkins, CF, 6-3, 205, South Brunswick High, Southport, North Carolina, LH batter: Probably the least ambiguous draft projection of 2023 has been Jenkins to the Rangers at four overall. That’s still the bet. Last week’s ranking: 4
▶ 5. Max Clark, OF, Franklin (Indiana) Community High School, 6-1, 190, LH batter: Big speculation that Clark, who worked out with the Tigers last week, could be headed for Pittsburgh with the draft’s first overall turn. If he cuts a beneath-slot deal with the Pirates, that’s possible. Last week’s ranking: 5
▶ 6. Jacob Wilson, shortstop, Grand Canyon University, 6-3, 190, RH batter: The most ho-hum talent in the MLB Draft’s top 10. That’s not a knock. Rather, a combination of Wilson’s lighter power and lesser competition probably swipes some sizzle from his MLB profile. Last week’s ranking: 6
▶ 7. Rhett Lowder, RH starter, Wake Forest, 6-2, 200: It doesn’t hurt to have a hair-do that, as decorative assets go, is as riveting as the stuff Lowder continues to throw at Omaha, Nebraska where the College World Series resides. Lowder is a kingpin starter who is going to make a MLB rotation much more muscular — and, with those flowing locks, more cosmetically exciting. Credit to Lowder more than any of Wake Forest’s stars for that tough Saturday triumph over Alabama. By the way: He is 15-0 on the season. Last week’s ranking: 7
▶ 8. Matt Shaw, IF, University of Maryland, 5-11, 182, RH batter: Power bat, plus left-side infield prowess, could make Shaw one of the 2023 draft’s best buys. Last week’s ranking: 8
▶ 9. Kyle Teel, C, University of Virginia, 6-1, 190, LH batter: It’s vogue in pre-draft chats to see scouts and snoops far and wide view Teel as everyone’s back-up pick, or surprise choice, anywhere in the top 10. That includes the Tigers, even if the tea leaves practically scream that Detroit wants Langford, or Crews should he fall, with Teel an outside option should both be gone. Teel finished his season Sunday with a .407 batting average in 65 games. He had splits of .475/.655/1.130, adorned by 13 homers and 25 doubles. He walked 32 times and struck out in 36 at-bats. Last week’s ranking: 9
▶ 10. Jacob Gonzalez, SS, University of Mississippi, 6-2, 200, LH batter: The Twins pick No. 5 and seem like a potential home for Gonzalez — unless Skenes somehow slips to this spot, which would be major draft-night news. Gonzalez isn’t spectacular. But he has the right ingredients in position and left-handed power to stick as top 10 material. Last week’s ranking: 10
Knocking at the door
▶ Colin Houck, SS, Parkview High, Lilburn, Georgia, 6-2, 193, RH batter: Might be the most overlooked prep star around, with top 10 destiny possible.
▶ Arjun Nimmala, SS, Strawberry Crest High (Dover, Florida), 6-1, 170, RH batter: The clubs who love upside adore Nimmala.
▶ Noble Meyer, RH starter, Jesuit High, West Linn, Oregon, 6-5, 200: Not a surprise if Meyer is slurped up somewhere in the top 10. Even if prep pitchers have Steer Clear signs surrounding them, there’s always an exception, and Meyer qualifies.
▶ Chase Dollander, RH starter, University of Tennessee, 6-2, 210: Somewhere in the top 20, probably, but no pitcher in 2023 dropped as much in celebrity and status as Dollander.
▶ Jack Hurley, CF, Virginia Tech, 6-foot, 185, LH hitter: Again: position and left-handed stick, with Atlantic Coast Conference ties, will earn Hurley a nice draft-night signing bonus.
▶ Hurston Waldrep, RH starter, University of Florida, 6-1, 210: What timing: He and his Gators are loving the stage in Omaha, with Waldrep convincing scouts here and there that his early-spring stumbling was just that. He has moved north a few slots with his May-to-June improvement.
Lynn Henning is a freelance writer and retired Detroit News sports reporter.