2023 Bowman Draft Baseball’s Top Prospects
2023 Bowman Draft Baseball has arrived full of exceptional prospects and their 1st Bowman® cards. With so many prospects available in this year’s set, we wanted to showcase the top prospects to help guide new and established collectors. We talked to MLB prospect expert Aram Leighton, co-founder and executive director of Just Baseball Media and The Call Up | MLB Prospect Podcast, about some of the highest-rated prospects in the MLB available to collect in 2023 Bowman Draft Baseball.
Paul Skenes – P
Pittsburgh Pirates
Aram Leighton says: “One of the more electrifying collegiate arms we have ever seen, Skenes overpowers hitters with a triple-digit fastball, wipeout slider, and underrated changeup. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 draft, Skenes is a physical specimen, standing at a towering 6-foot-6, 250 pounds. It’s rare to find a pitcher as big and powerful as Skenes, who is also nimble and capable of filling up the zone the way he does. He should reach the big leagues quickly and has the upside of a perennial All-Star.”
Max Clark – OF
Detroit Tigers
Aram Leighton says: “Clark is an explosive athlete who can impact the game in so many ways. Clark is a double-plus runner with elite defensive potential in center field and a rocket for an arm; Clark has massive upside with the bat. He offers a sweet swing from the left side with a great feel for the barrel and impressive bat speed that should help him produce above-average power as he matures. Clark truly has five-tool potential.”
Jacob Wilson – SS
Oakland Athletics
Aram Leighton says: “The son of former All-Star shortstop Jack Wilson, Jacob arguably boasts the best hit tool in his class. After turning heads with USA Baseball’s Collegiate National Team in 2022, Wilson hit over .400 in his Junior season at Grand Canyon University. Wilson is a smooth defender at shortstop with a strong throwing arm. He has the goods to be a top-of-the-order everyday shortstop with the potential to compete for batting titles.”
Blake Mitchell – C
Kansas City Royals
Aram Leighton says: “Easily the top prep catcher in the draft, Mitchell was a two-way force in high school, flashing exciting power potential and a fastball that can touch 97 miles-per-hour. Now focusing on strictly catching, Mitchell has the tools to be a strong defensive catcher with impact from the left side of the plate.”
Wyatt Langford – OF
Texas Rangers
Aram Leighton says: “Built like a linebacker, Langford is also incredibly quick, providing a rare blend of plus power and speed. While his swing is geared for lift, he also makes plenty of contact and is an extremely patient hitter. After putting up video game numbers at the University of Florida, Langford enjoyed one of the most impressive professional debuts the sport has seen in some time, reaching Triple-A within his first 40 games in the Rangers organization while posting an OPS of 1.100. There’s 30/30 upside with strong on-base skills here.”
Tommy Troy – SS
Arizona Diamondbacks
Aram Leighton says: “Troy posted top flight contact rates at Stanford while flashing above-average power and good speed. It’s tough to poke a hole in Troy’s game, boasting solid tools across the board while earning high marks for his makeup. 20/20 production while hitting for a solid average would not be far-fetched with his skillset.”
Chase Davis – OF
St. Louis Cardinals
Aram Leighton says: “A silky smooth left-handed swing that looks like a carbon copy of Carlos Gonzalez, Davis really put things together in his Junior season at the University of Arizona, mashing 21 home runs while hitting .362. A data darling, Davis flashes big exit velocities and low chase rates, giving him the potential to be a middle-of-the-order masher and an on-base machine.”
Jacob Gonzalez – SS
Chicago White Sox
Aram Leighton says: “Despite an unorthodox setup and swing, Gonzalez was a hit machine in his three years at Ole Miss while providing sneaky pull-side pop. Nothing jumps off the page with Gonzalez tools-wise, but he has an excellent feel for the strike zone and strong overall baseball instincts. He should mash plenty of doubles and with the ability to walk as much as he punches out.”
Bryce Eldridge – 1B/P
San Francisco Giants
Aram Leighton says: “There’s a strong case that Eldridge has the best chance of blossoming into a legitimate two-way player out of any prospect, professional or amateur. The 6-foot-7, 225-pound teenager controls his long levers extraordinarily well on the mound and in the batter’s box. As a hitter, Eldridge has easy plus power potential, with a swing that is far more advanced than expected from a 6-foot-7 teenager. On the mound, Eldridge pounds the strike zone with a heavy fastball in the low 90s with room for more velocity and an above-average slider in the low 80s. He has also flashed a curveball and changeup with potential.”
Colt Emerson – SS
Seattle Mariners
Aram Leighton says: “Emerson was one of the youngest players in his draft class, but you’d never know it with how seamlessly he transitioned into professional baseball out of high school—already flashing above-average power with more room for strength within his frame. Defensively, his above-average arm, ability to make throws from all angles, and soft hands should help him stick at shortstop. Already one of the more polished teenage bats in the Minor Leagues, Emerson has the ingredients to be a top-of-the-order everyday shortstop.”