The draft picture tends to change daily, even in these off months. There is tons of travel ball going on and the stats keep coming in.
The following four individuals have begun a steady climb up the draft boards of many mock draft experts and they need to be identified.
They are:
LHP Ross Dunn Arizona
2022 FSU stat line - 16-G, 11-ST, 2-4, 4.88, 48-IP, 77-K
Dunn transferred from Florida State and is expected to make an immediate impact in the Arizona rotation. His fastball currently sits in the mid-90s and he backs that up with a quality slider.
2023 is not a string year for left handed pitchers making it eaisier for Dunn to currently elevate himself to being the #2 lefty in the 2023 draft, behind Thomas White.
11-12-22 - 2023 MLB Draft – Top 50 College Prospects -
https://www.prospects1500.com/mlb-draft/2023-mlb-draft-top-50-college-prospects/
24. Ross Dunn, LHP, Arizona State – Arizona State had a quality transfer portal this past season, and no one is expected to make a bigger impact than Dunn. He has a very well balanced and controlled delivery that does create some cross-body action despite a pretty traditional 3/4 arm slot. His fastball sits in the low 90s and has a solid slider and a change that has some fade to it. One issue is the arm speed does slow some on the change, so that needs to be corrected if he is going to be successful at the next level.
C Corey Collins Georgia
2022 stats - 57-G, 203-AB, .256, 11-HR
Collins is starting to show some serious power and 2023 will be a critical year for him to upheld my current ranking of him being the 2nd top catcher in a weak catcher’s draft.
7-28-22 - https://www.prospectslive.com/prospects-live/2022/1/15/2023-mlb-draft-prospects -
106 C
Corey Collins
Georgia
There were rumors Collins and a big league organization had a deal during the 2020 draft, but those claims went unsubstantiated, and that's a good thing for Collins and the Georgia Bulldogs. After a big freshman year at the plate and some promising athleticism behind the dish, scouts see a power-hitting lefty stick with enough defensive value to either platoon at catcher or find his at-bats elsewhere on the field. This is at least above average raw power, maybe more, with some feel for the strike zone. Punch outs were a bit of an issue during his freshman campaign, but not so much so that scouts think it'll be a long-term crutch. Collins has a definitive up-arrow next to his name and is a must-watch power-bat in the SEC.
1B/RHP Bryce Eldridge Madison HS (VA)
Eldridge is a legit 2-way prospect and many draft experts have him posted as a piutcher; however, his enormous power makes me place him on my first base board.
I currently have him as the 2nd first baseman behind Tre Morgan.
11-4-22 - 2023 NATIONAL RANKINGS UPDATED -
https://www.prepbaseballreport.com/news/PBR/2023-National-Rankings-Updated-2768549031?s=03
Earning MVP at the World Cup for Team USA was two-way prospect, RHP/1B Bryce Eldridge (Madison HS, VA). The 6-foot-7, 220-pounder was long thought to be an arm in the eyes of professional scouts, and still may be given the electric upside, but it was his bat that was put on display in Sarasota throughout the tournament. The Alabama recruit has long exhibited a sweet stroke with effortless lift, but the outputs throughout the tournament were eye-opening including one home run that cleared the batter’s eye in center field. Tall, long-limbed hitters have historically been riskier options due to their difficult movement patterns, but given some recent successes from similar collegiate and professional body types, some professional clubs could see significant value in a market inadequacy.
Maui Ahuna SS Tennessee
2022 Kansas stat line - 53-G, 202-AB, .396, 8-HR
Ahuna has come out of nowhere to be ranked, by Prospect Live, as the 10th pick in the next draft.
I currently have him as the 5th SS on my board.
11-12-22 - 2023 MLB Draft – Top 50 College Prospects -
https://www.prospects1500.com/mlb-draft/2023-mlb-draft-top-50-college-prospects/
10. Maui Ahuna, SS, Tennessee – A smooth left-handed swing that looks like a slap approach but can drive the ball all over the yard, Ahuna is a unique prospect and will get plenty of attention now that he is with Tennessee rather than Kansas. He is a guy who is not afraid to lay down a bunt for a hit, or go no doubter to center. There is some hip load and the swing can get long and lofty, but the bat head is quick and he does use the whole field. In the field, he is very athletic although sticking at short may be a bit of a longshot. A future move to center or second base are probably more likely, but that doesn’t reduce the value much for me.
All the 2023 Draft Prospects in the Mack’s Mets database can be viewed by going to www.macksmets.blogspot.com and clicking on 2023 DRAFT PROSPECT DATABASE found on the top, left of the front page of the site
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