The 2023 MLB draft’s latter two days provides a dream come true for hundreds of baseball players, both college and high school, across the nation.
On Day 1, Michigan State’s Mitch Jebb was picked 42nd overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates. But he won’t be the lone local player headed to major league organizations. Here’s a quick look at those players:
Vitals: 6 feet 7, 230 pounds
Bats/throws: Left/right.
Drafted: Third round (No. 78 overall) to Miami Marlins.
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The buzz: Among the bigger prospects in the entire draft, Vradenburg started all 55 games for the Spartans this season, leading MSU in hitting (.400), home runs (13), RBIs (69) and OPS (1.213). Ranked second in the Big Ten and 24th in the nation in hitting and led the conference in doubles (22). Was an All-Big Ten performer this year, in his junior season. His RBIs total in 2023 was the second-most in MSU program history.
LHP Connor O’Halloran, Michigan
Vitals: 6-2, 190 pounds
Bats/throws: Right/left.
Drafted: Fifth round (No. 157 overall) to Toronto Blue Jays.
The buzz: Canada’s Team stays in-country with the 2023 Big Ten Pitcher of the Year. Halloran, the son of former major-leaguer Greg O’Halloran (12 games with the Marlins in 1994), went from a little-used freshman in 2021 to the ace of the Wolverines’ staff, becoming the first Michigan pitcher with back-to-back 100-strikeout seasons. The Mississauga native (from just outside of Toronto) posted a 4.11 ERA with 110 strikeouts and just 26 walks over 103 innings at U-M in 2023. He’s viewed as a back-of-the-rotation starter; his fastball isn’t impressive, topping out at 93 mph, but it pairs well with his slider, which runs in the low-80s and excels at sideways movement.
Vitals: 6-1, 195 pounds
Bats/throws: Right/right.
Drafted: Seventh round (No. 218 overall) to Cleveland Guardians.
The buzz: Michigan’s Mr. Baseball in 2021 and a two-time state champ, Mooney carried his success to Duke, where he made the ACC All-Freshman team — just the fifth Blue Devil selected to that team in program history. Mooney had a breakout season in 2023, posting a .315/.434/.504 slash line over 63 games while stealing 21 bases in 26 tries. Mooney displayed stellar strike-zone judgment this season, with a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 1.2 (43 K, 36 BB). Defensively, he has shown average range, though some project a move to second base or super-sub duties in his future.
Vitals: 6-2, 205 pounds
Bats/throws: Right/right.
Drafted: Ninth round (No. 280 overall) to Los Angeles Dodgers.
The buzz: Brown appeared headed for a breakout when he opened the season with 27 strikeouts in 11 innings of shutout ball (including striking out 12 in 4 1/3 innings against Canisius). But he injured his right knee and struggled afterward, allowing 15 earned runs in just 17 1/3 innings the rest of the season. Still, the Mount Clemens native was dominant in 2022 for the Cardinals, striking out 65 in 46 1/3 innings while posting a 2.14 ERA in the MAC. Brown has a nasty changeup, throwing it in the low 80s with a grip that causes it to dive at the plate. That’s complemented by a fastball that can touch 96 mph, though it’s more often in the 92-94 mph range. He struggles with his control, but that can make him effectively wild — see his first appearance of 2023, in which he walked nine in 4 2/3 against Charlotte, but struck out 10.