Mack - Top 10 LHP in 2023 Draft - RIGHT NOW

 

1. Thomas White 

There are those that believe White is the best prep southpaw prospect available in any draft since Steve Avery was selected no. 3 overall in 1988. Better than Brien Taylor. Better than McKenzie Gore. Better than the whole lot of them. White has been a totem on the prep scouting scene since he was 13 years old. It's a whippy arm with huge projection, but already shoving gas. White has been up to 96 and many believe he'll approach triple digits when it's all said and done. He's shown feel for spinning the baseball, primarily a low-to-mid 70s curveball with tight tilt that projects. 

White can also pronate and turn over a changeup. At this stage, both of his secondaries are a work-in-progress, but show big promise. Given his size, his move down the mound and subsequent extension, the baseball explodes on hitters with life at the top of the zone. Skeptics do question the fastball command, however. That’ll be a big part of his development. 

2. Ross Dunn 

A Florida State transfer, Dunn features a low-to-mid 90s fastball, up to 96 with a low-80s slider and a mid-80s changeup. It's a super-projectable lefty with a big, strong body and a loose arm action and operation on that mound that certainly points to a future starter at the next level. Dunn does a great job utilizing his lower half, sinking into his glutes and he makes his move to the plate. It's the sort of mechanism that should lend well toward adding more velocity as he matures.

 

3. Liam Sullivan 

Sullivan is a big, strong, burly lefty with a vertically-shaped fastball that shows the ability to miss bats up in the zone. He's been into the mid-90s, but generally sits in low-90s. He shows feel for a 12-6 curveball with short break in the mid-70s, though evaluators would like to see the pitch add depth or velocity as he continues to totally harness his arsenal. There's also a changeup here that has been effective when commanded against righty bats. Sullivan learned under the tutelage of Ryan Webb during his days in Athens and has starter traits with development upside.

 

4. Magdiel Cotto

 

Cotto has an extremely impressive arm with loose, whippy action and significant arm speed. He's been up to 97 and comfortably sits 93-95 over long innings from the left side. That's sellable by itself. He's got a slider and a changeup, both of which are more of a work in progress, lacking the command necessary to be consistent compliments to the heat. Given the 6-foot-4-inch frame, the natural arm talent and the track record of throwing innings, Cotto has a definitive up arrow next to his name.

5. Hunter Owen 

Hunter Owen is an electric southpaw with upper-90s stuff, though he more comfortably rests a few ticks lower than that. The arm talent is really substantial, especially considering Owen's handedness. Many scouts believe Owen may be one of the premier strikeout artists in the class. Folks want to see him stretched out a bit more, going longer outings as he works his way toward pro ball. He flashes a really good curveball that's flashed promise, as well as a changeup that possesses a hellish tunnel off his fastball. It's still a pretty raw profile, but the upside here is big.

 

6. Ryan Bruno 

Bruno is a strikeout artist and projects to be a premium relief option at the next level. He's been hell on Pac-12 hitters during his time in Palo Alto. Bruno can run it up to 96 with a knee-buckling curveball that is brutal on both left and right-handed hitters. Some believe there's enough of an athlete here to give Bruno a shot to start at the next level, but his command will need to dramatically improve as he's really struggled to pound the zone at times.

 

7. Jack Findlay 

Findlay is a fastball-heavy starter with an upper-80s fastball, touching 92 with some arm-side run. His bread and butter are two breakings balls, a slider and a curveball, both of which feature huge depth and consistent command under the zone. The slider sweeps, the curveball plummets to the earth, both of which inducing plenty of swing and miss. Scouts want to see the velo come up in 2023, but the other pieces are have upside. Findlay is a big kid with a great frame. There's upside.

 

8. Jaden Woods 

Woods has been almost exclusively a fastball guy to this point, throwing the heat almost three-quarters of the time. He can rush it up to 98, but sits 91-95 on most nights, settling in 91-93 as the game goes on. He checks a lot of metric boxes with hop at the top of the zone and above average spin rates suggesting more may be coming. A fringy low-80s slider is his go-to secondary, but it's inconsistent. Woods will need to develop a true weapon in 2023 should he hope to capitalize on his arm talent and go in the first two rounds.

 

9. Sean Sullivan

Sullivan, a Northwestern transfer, is a long, gangly lefty with limbs flying at you. Sullivan has a funky delivery that may end up in a bullpen at the pro level, but he can fill up the strikezone and punch hitters out as good as anyone in the country. The fastball works up into the low-90s with armside run, commanded well to both sides of the plate. His secondaries are the calling card with a sweeping slider and a diabolical changeup that really parachutes away from righty sticks.

10, Cameron Johnson 

LHP Cameron Johnson (IMG Academy, FL), an LSU recruit, has shown nothing but swing-and-miss stuff against the top hitters in the country. An imposing 6-foot-5 230-pound southpaw, he is relaxed under the limelight which allows his explosive stuff to shine. 

Vicious on left-handed hitters from a whippy, low ¾ slot with a mid 90s fastball that features heavier arm side life, Johnson attacks the zone with a whiff-happy fastball. His enticing upside is only enhanced by a sweeping slider (77-79) that he demonstrates some ability to manipulate, and developing feel for a low 80s changeup. 

There is some funk to the delivery with the ball jumping a bit at the plate, and the crude swings that are given only help in highlighting his frontline profile.