2023 MLB draft: Day 1 winners, losers and the best players available on Day 2
The first day of the MLB draft is over! And members of one of the most loaded classes in recent draft history now have new homes. The Pittsburgh Pirates drafted Paul Skenes, one of the consensus best picks in the class, first overall, and his LSU teammate Dylan Crews followed to the Washington Nationals at No. 2. But from No. 3 on, we got plenty of surprising picks in the first two rounds.
ESPN baseball insiders Alden Gonzalez, Jesse Rogers and Dave Schoenfield are sharing their favorite and most head-scratching moves of the draft’s first night, as well as their picks for the players who’ll bring the most to their teams long-term. And Kiley McDaniel shares his best names available for the next 18 rounds, which will continue Monday and Tuesday.
There were three clear favorites at the top of this draft: Did the Pirates make the right decision in drafting Paul Skenes?
Gonzalez: I’m mildly surprised, both because some of the latest rumors linked them to Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford and because of the attrition rate for pitchers in general, but I think they made the right choice. The draft is the best and perhaps the only chance for an organization like the Pirates to get an arm of this caliber, and looking back, it would have been foolish to pass up on the combination of winning the No. 1 overall pick in the lottery and having one of the best pitching prospects of this century available to them. Skenes’ stuff is nasty, as we all know by now, but he also has the athleticism and the work ethic for it to translate at the highest level. His workload has also been relatively light. Pitchers can often be a crapshoot, but this is as safe as it can get at that position.
Rogers: Yeah, they did. Some organizations don’t like taking pitchers this high considering the potential for injury, but Skenes isn’t exactly an unproven prospect in need of years of seasoning while the Pirates hold their breath that he stays healthy. More importantly, where else is Pittsburgh going to find an ace if not the draft? In the end, this might have been a no-brainer.
Schoenfield: OK, here’s the short list of best college pitching prospects ever: Stephen Strasburg, Mark Prior and Ben McDonald, and now Skenes, with Strasburg and Skenes the consensus top two. It’s worth noting that Strasburg, Prior and McDonald all had major league success — and all had injuries that ultimately shortened their careers. But if Strasburg’s career is merely a worst-case scenario, imagine what the best case might be for Skenes. Maybe he’s the next Justin Verlander or Max Scherzer. And as an added bonus, he’s so advanced that he has a legitimate shot to win Rookie of the Year by next season, which would give the Pirates a bonus first-round pick. I think it was the right pick.
Outside of Skenes, what was your favorite pick of the night — and what was one that had you scratching your head?
Gonzalez: I’ll go with two favorites — a high-floor prospect and a high-ceiling one. The former is Jacob Gonzalez, who was ranked sixth in Kiley McDaniel’s latest rankings and fell to the Chicago White Sox at 15. He’s a 6-foot-2, left-handed-hitting shortstop who will be good enough defensively to stay at the position and makes a lot of contact. The pick I’m really intrigued by, though, came right after, when the Giants took 6-foot-7 aspiring two-way player Bryce Eldridge at 16. It’s a perfect fit.
My head-scratcher came a little later: the Los Angeles Dodgers selecting undersized high school outfielder Kendall George at No. 36, snagging him two to three rounds earlier than most projections expected him to go.
Rogers: The Oakland Athletics taking Jacob Wilson was a good one. He comes ready-made, with his dad, Jack (a former major leaguer), coaching him up throughout his young career so far. Any rebuild the A’s undertake starts with Wilson at shortstop. He was also the toughest player in college baseball to strike out this season.
The Detroit Tigers passing up Langford for high schooler Max Clark was curious. Of course, it’ll be years before we know whether it was the right or wrong pick, but it’s surprising Langford dropped out of the top three — especially since college bats are usually the most reliable picks.
Schoenfield: I actually love that the Tigers instead went with Clark. By all accounts, Clark is a 1-1 type of talent in another draft — one that wasn’t as top-loaded as this one — and I think the upside over Langford is clear: Clark has a more well-rounded game thanks to his blazing speed and defense in center field. That’s going to create a lot of added value that Langford, who is likely limited to an outfield corner, probably won’t possess. Langford has more raw power, but give me the complete player.
As for my least favorite, hard to believe, but it’s the Kansas City Royals. Taking a prep catcher in the top 10? No, thank you. Blake Mitchell is the first one taken that high since Kyle Skipworth in 2008. Never heard of Skipworth? That’s because he never reached the majors. There’s a reason teams rarely select high school catchers that high anymore: History says most of them don’t pan out. No matter the scouting grades, it’s an extremely risky selection.
Which player drafted Sunday night has the best chance to win an MVP or Cy Young award someday?
Gonzalez: I’ll go with Crews, the guy who slashed .380/.498/.689 in three seasons in the nation’s best baseball conference. He’s the best, most complete hitter in this draft and he brings plus defense, the type that could have him debut in the major leagues as a center fielder. He won’t run a ton — though his speed has improved since high school — but he could win multiple Silver Sluggers when his career is set and done … and perhaps an MVP or two.
Rogers: I’ll take the easy route and say Skenes. I don’t care in what level you’re pitching, when you record 209 strikeouts in 122.2 innings, you have my vote for most likely to win a Cy Young. Cy Young candidates lead their teams and dominate to the point they can’t be denied; Skenes has that written all over him. Talent evaluators don’t deny the elite talent, so now it’s about staying healthy and having that big year in the majors to garner him an award someday.
Schoenfield: Skenes is the easy call there — although of the 18 previous pitchers to go No. 1 overall, only David Price has won a Cy Young Award (Gerrit Cole has finished second twice and Strasburg had a third-place result). My sleeper: Hurston Waldrep, the Braves’ selection. Big-time stuff, and the Braves have certainly had some success in developing pitchers. For MVP, Crews makes sense, but I’ll toss out Clark here as well. I’m getting Corbin Carroll vibes with his hit/power/speed skill set, and Carroll already looks like a potential MVP candidate as a rookie.
What’s your biggest overall takeaway from Day 1 of this draft?
Gonzalez: How clearly defined the first tier was, consistent with basically every projection coming in. Skenes, Crews, Langford, Clark and Walker Jenkins were so obviously the five best players available — in whatever order you wanted to rank them — but we knew everything beyond them was pretty unpredictable. It played out precisely that way, with Kyle Teel in particular going a little lower than I would have expected (14th to the Boston Red Sox) given the relative lack of talent at catcher in this draft. Gonzalez went lower, too, as I noted, but shortstop was a major strength this year; 14 of the 39 picks that encompassed Round 1 and Competitive Balance Round A were shortstops.
Rogers: When in doubt, take an OF or a SS. Teams love athleticism and flexibility. Shortstops, in particular, automatically qualify in those departments. For example, the Chicago Cubs passed on a positional need at third base in order to take shortstop Matt Shaw from Maryland. If he stays in their organization, it won’t be at shortstop, where Dansby Swanson just signed a seven-year deal. Bottom line: Middle-infield guys and outfielders can play anywhere. Shaw said as much after being drafted.
Schoenfield: Only one high school pitcher went in the first round (the first 28 picks). This more or less follows recent trends as high school pitchers — like high school catchers — are viewed as risky selections. It also speaks not just to the reliance on draft models but the importance of all the pitch-tracking and hitting data now available at the college level. Scouting departments can better analyze college players than ever before, and thus have a better level of confidence when drafting them. But it might also mean teams are underrating high school players, so there could be some hidden gems selected in the comp or second/third rounds when we look back at this draft in four or five years.
Kiley McDaniel’s best available players for Day 2
(Listed by top 300 draft prospects ranking)
32. Roch Cholowsky, SS, Hamilton (Arizona) HS, UCLA commit
36. Jack Hurley, CF, Virginia Tech
39. Trent Caraway, 3B, JSerra Catholic (California) HS, Oregon State commit
40. Drew Burress, CF, Houston County (Georgia) HS, Georgia Tech commit
46. Steven Echavarria, RHP, Millburn (New Jersey) HS, Florida commit
55. Paul Wilson, LHP, Lake Ridge (Oregon) HS, Oregon State commit
59. Jace Bohrofen, RF, Arkansas
60. Juaron Watts-Brown, RHP, Oklahoma State
61. Cameron Johnson, LHP, IMG Academy (Florida) HS, LSU commit
62. Michael Carico, C, Davidson
-
Alden Gonzalez
Los Angeles Angels manager Ron Washington will remain on medical leave for the rest of the season, the team announced Friday.
Bench coach Ray Montgomery will manage the team for what remains of 2025. Ryan Goins will serve as his bench coach going forward.
Washington, the oldest manager in the major leagues at 73, was placed on leave last Friday because of an undisclosed medical issue. He experienced shortness of breath and appeared fatigued toward the end of a four-game series at the New York Yankees that ended on June 19. Washington flew back to Southern California, underwent a series of tests and was placed on medical leave.
A longtime third-base coach and well-regarded infield instructor, Washington served as the Texas Rangers‘ manager from 2007 to 2014.
He was in his second year managing the Angels.
The Angels were 40-40 entering Friday night’s game against the visiting Washington Nationals, winning three straight under Montgomery and seven of 10 overall. Los Angeles has played better than most expected from a team with major league-worst streaks of nine straight losing seasons and 10 straight non-playoff seasons.
The 55-year-old Montgomery is getting his first job as a major league manager. The native of New York’s Westchester County is a former Houston Astros outfielder who served as the scouting director for Arizona and Milwaukee before joining the Angels as their director of player personnel for the 2020 season.
Montgomery became Los Angeles’ bench coach in 2021 after general manager Perry Minasian took over the front office, and he stayed with the Angels while Joe Maddon, Phil Nevin and Washington managed the club.
Goins played eight seasons in the major leagues before Washington hired him as the Angels’ infield coach before the 2024 season.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
-
Rachel Doerrie
The 2025 NHL draft is taking place on Friday (Round 1) and Saturday (Rounds 2-7) at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
This page will be your home for the entire event, as each pick is added below, including scouting notes and team fit analysis for the first-rounders.
More: Prospect rankings
Draft week buzz
Late-round gems
Needs for all 32 teams
Round 1
Team: Erie (OHL)
DOB: 09/05/2007 | Ht: 6-1.75 | Wt: 183 | Shot: L
2024-25 stats: GP: 17 | G: 7 | A: 15 | P: 22
Scouting notes: Schaefer is projected to become a true No. 1 cornerstone for years to come. A dynamic presence at both ends of the ice, he skates with ease and elite mobility to shut down opponents in all situations, while creating offense with quality transition play.
Executives and scouts view him as a future elite NHL defenseman and a foundational piece for a championship-caliber roster. Schaefer’s ability to control play from the blue line, play tough matchups, and run a power play — combined with the belief in his character and leadership — result in many believing that Schaefer has the tools to become a top-10 defender in the league, while wearing a letter as part of a team’s leadership group.
How he fits: After trading Noah Dobson earlier in the day, the Islanders drafted their franchise cornerstone defender. Schaefer does everything well, and is a dynamic skater with elite mobility. He will take on the toughest matchups, help the Islanders exit the zone with smooth passes and carry outs, and drive offense from the back end. He’s a future No. 1 defenseman who will log 25-28 minutes per night and run the power play.
Schaefer’s ability to dictate play from the back end is franchise-changing for the Isles. Schaefer will attend development camp next week, and it is highly likely he starts the season in the NHL lineup. Don’t be surprised if Schaefer is running the power play and logging major minutes by November.
A very emotional Schaefer hugged his family and pulled on the Isles jersey for the first time, with a cancer patch. Through tears, he shared his excitement and emotion, and gained the hearts of a lot more than just Isles fans.
Team: Saginaw (OHL)
DOB: 02/16/2007 | Ht: 6-0.75 | Wt: 184 | Shot: L
2024-25 stats: GP: 65 | G: 62 | A: 72 | P: 134
Scouting notes: Granted exceptional status in the OHL in 2022, Misa delivered one of the most remarkable goal-scoring seasons in recent memory in 2024-25, netting 62 goals in just 65 games. He projects to be a top-line forward capable of consistently exceeding 90 points per season in the NHL.
Misa’s offensive instincts are elite. He processes the game at a high level and executes at top speed. Scouts believe he is NHL-ready and has the potential to become an elite top-line center. Away from the puck, Misa excels at finding soft areas in coverage and has a flair for delivering in clutch moments. His combination of high-end playmaking and goal-scoring ability makes him a constant dual threat in the offensive zone.
How he fits: The Sharks kept everyone guessing until the very last moment, but ultimately selected Misa. He is a special talent and adds a second elite two-way center to the organization. He projects as a first-line star, with dual-threat playmaking and scoring ability — notching 62 goals in 65 OHL games.
If Misa’s two-way game continues to improve, there’s a real chance the Sharks will have two centers capable of dominating play in all three zones with 2024 No. 1 pick Macklin Celebrini already in place. On the power play, Misa can facilitate, be a shooting threat and carry the puck on entries. Because of his dual-threat capabilities, he can play the bumper, the flank or down low. With this selection, the Sharks have the potential to feature the best one-two punch down the middle for years to come.
Team: Djurgarden (SWEDEN-2)
DOB: 05/07/2007 | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 198 | Shot: L
2024-25 stats: GP: 29 | G: 11 | A: 14 | P: 25
Scouting notes: Frondell is a versatile two-way forward that plays both center and right wing. His flexibility is attractive to teams, although many believe he is most likely to reach his potential as a winger in the NHL.
Frondell is coming off one of the most productive seasons by an under-18 player in Allsvenskan history, giving him a confident projection as a first-line NHL forward. He’s a cerebral player, who picks apart defenders in one-on-one situations and defensive coverage in offensive zone play. The details of Frondell’s game are translatable, including excellent forechecking ability, willingness to attack the middle of the ice and high-end anticipation on both sides of the puck.
He has shown play-driving capabilities against men in the Allsvenskan, which has translated to the NHL for other prospects in the past. He’s projected to produce between 75-85 points per season. His style of play translates well and has executives excited about his ability to step in the league in the next 18 months.
How he fits: It was no secret that Chicago wanted to add some size up front, and Frondell is exactly that. He can play center or the wing, and brings an excellent two-way game. He confidently projects as a first-line forward that beats defenders one-on-one, drives play on both sides of the puck, and should score nearly a point per game.
He plays on the inside of the ice and has the ability to score 30-plus goals in the NHL because of his excellent shot. Frondell is a year away from playing in the NHL, and probably two or three from hitting his potential as a top-line forward who drives play. Chicago can play him behind Connor Bedard up the middle, or on Bedard’s line to capitalize on the versatility he brings.
Team: Moncton (QMJHL)
DOB: 04/11/2007 | Ht: 6-1.5 | Wt: 178 | Shot: L
2024-25 stats: GP: 56 | G: 35 | A: 49 | P: 84
Scouting notes: Described as a “coach’s dream” because of his ability to take an offensive or checking assignment and execute consistently. He makes smart, simple plays, provides a physical presence on the forecheck and generally agitates and makes life difficult on defenders.
He projects to be a quality second-line center with a decent chance of becoming a first-line player. He’s cerebral, with quick hands and playmaking ability. He’s not flashy, but he’s consistently effective and makes intelligent plays with the puck. As one scouting director described “he’s the type of player you win with.” Some have quietly compared him to Patrice Bergeron and Jonathan Toews, who are lofty comparisons, to say the very least.
How he fits: The Mammoth kept everyone guessing, would they trade or keep the pick. Ultimately, they kept the pick and selected Desnoyers. He can play in any situation as one of the best two-way players available. He’s a serial winner who plays whatever style of game required to win. If he needs to produce offense, he does. If he needs to shut down the opponent’s best, he does that too.
Utah needed some size and two-way capability to mesh with Logan Cooley, Clayton Keller and Dylan Guenther, and Caleb Desnoyers is exactly that. He’ll be NHL-ready a lot sooner than people think because his professional details are top-notch. He projects as a play-driving, two-way, second line center that the Mammoth will turn to in key situations. As noted above, there’s a lot of Jonathan Toews in Desnoyers’ game, which will excite Mammoth fans, management and coaches.
Team: Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
DOB: 03/16/2007 | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 178 | Shot: R
2024-25 stats: GP: 57 | G: 33 | A: 39 | P: 72
Scouting notes: A Swiss Army knife type of player who will be most effective on the wing because of his strong wall play, Martin projects as a middle-six forward capable of scoring 20 goals routinely, with upside as a second-line forward.
He’s a wrecking ball that will bring value in all three zones, on and off the puck. Martin has scouts raving about him after an excellent performance at the IIHF under-18 championship, with many opining that he could go very early in the first round. He’s a workhorse without an off switch, who brings a blend of physicality and hard skill. He’s a nightmare to contain with his brute strength, and forces defenders into precarious positions with good speed and willingness to make “winning” plays.
Several teams mentioned how impressive Martin was during interviews at the combine. Combine an attractive personality with the hard-nosed style, and it forms a rare combination that is valuable to many scouts who believe he’s the type of player teams need to win in the playoffs. Surely, his mention of Conn Smythe winner Sam Bennett as a role model grabbed attention.
6. Philadelphia Flyers
7. Boston Bruins
8. Seattle Kraken
9. Buffalo Sabres
10. Anaheim Ducks
11. Pittsburgh Penguins
12. Pittsburgh Penguins (from NYR)
13. Detroit Red Wings
14. Columbus Blue Jackets
15. Vancouver Canucks
16. New York Islanders (from CGY via MTL)
17. New York Islanders (from MTL)
18. Calgary Flames (from NJ)
19. St. Louis Blues
20. Columbus Blue Jackets (from MIN)
21. Ottawa Senators
22. Philadelphia Flyers (from COL)
23. Nashville Predators (from TB)
24. Los Angeles Kings
25. Chicago Blackhawks (from TOR)
26. Nashville Predators (from VGK via SJ)
27. Washington Capitals
28. Winnipeg Jets
29. Carolina Hurricanes
30. San Jose Sharks (from DAL)
31. Philadelphia Flyers (from EDM)
32. Calgary Flames (from FLA)
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike