Major League Baseball's 2023 first-year amateur player draft will kick off on Sunday, July 9, or the beginning of the All-Star Break (as has become customary). The Pittsburgh Pirates will be making the No. 1 selection for the sixth time in franchise history, and the first since taking Henry Davis in 2021.
CBS Sports has already ranked the top 30 prospects in the class. Today, we're putting the spotlight on five players who might go earlier than expected. (Later this week, we'll cover the inverse subject: five players who could go lower than otherwise expected.) As always, keep in mind this is more of an art than a science, and do note that the players are presented in alphabetical order.
Let's get to it.
1. Alex Clemmey, LHP, Bishop Hendricken HS (RI)
Teams have become reluctant to select high-school pitchers in the draft's early phases on account of their collective attrition risk. Someone is likely to make an exception for Clemmey during the supplemental round or, perhaps, the beginning of the second. The elevator pitch is that he's a projectable 6-foot-6 lefty with a fastball that's already been clocked into the upper-90s. Salivate away, dreamers. Whichever team pops Clemmey should know that harnessing his massive upside is going to take some time. The rest of his arsenal needs nurturing, and his employer will probably want to clean up his inconsistent mechanics, complete with a long arm action that sees him hook his wrist and lift his elbow to the shoulder line. Clemmey has a commitment to Vanderbilt, making his name one worth knowing, either this summer or in a few to come.
2. Steven Echavarria, RHP, Millburn HS (NJ)
New Jersey has become a reliable source for a first-round prep arm every few years, dating back to Rick Porcello in 2007 and extending to the likes of Rob Kaminsky, Jay Groome, and, most recently, Chase Petty. Echavarria has a chance to join them. He's a lean right-hander with a fluid motion and a history of throwing strikes. His fastball has traversed into the upper-90s this spring, and he's shown promise with a slider. Age wouldn't seem to matter as much with pitchers as it does with hitters, but Echavarria won't celebrate his 18th birthday until almost a month after draft night. Barring a surprise development, all signs point to his commitment to Florida going unused.
3. Colt Emerson, SS, John Glenn HS (OH)
Emerson just missed cracking the top 30. He might make up for it by cracking the first round anyway thanks to a polished, well-rounded game. Emerson is a lefty hitter who could end up featuring above-average grades in both hit and power. That's an attractive proposition in general, and especially when it's attached to an infielder. Where, precisely, Emerson ends up on the dirt is to be determined, and teams' opinions on the matter will ultimately decide how highly he's selected. He doesn't have loud arm strength or foot speed, but his hands work well and he figures to at least start his career at the six.
4. George Lombard Jr., SS, Gulliver Prep (FL)
If Lombard's name seems familiar, it's because his father played in parts of six big-league seasons and is now the bench coach for the Detroit Tigers. His name should become familiar for other reasons in due time. Lombard has a projectable frame and the kind of bat speed and swing plane that ought to result in above-average power. Defensively, he has a chance to stick at shortstop, though there is some risk that adding muscle will cause him to lose a step, perhaps necessitating a move to the hot corner. Lombard has a commitment to Vanderbilt, but he seems unlikely to make good on it.
5. Adrian Santana, SS, Doral Academy (FL)
It's a great time to be a young shortstop. Santana, who won't turn 18 until after the draft's conclusion, is a switch-hitter with good speed and all the right weaponry to be a defensive asset at short -- the hands, the feet, the arm. The biggest question facing his draft stock relates to his offensive projection. There's a real chance he ends up with below-average hit and power tools, and it's possible his bat ends up playing too light for him to be more than a utility type. The secondary skills are such that he should still go in the top 50. In other words, do not expect to see Santana suit up for the Miami Hurricanes.
