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2023 MLB Mock Draft: Another look at the top-10, who’s in and who’s out?

By Eric Treuden

LSU outfielder Dylan Crews (3) celebrates with teammates Tre' Morgan (18) and Eric Reyzelman (22) after scoring a run as the Tennessee Vols take on LSU during the SEC Baseball Tournament at the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama, on Friday, May 27, 2022.
LSU outfielder Dylan Crews (3) celebrates with teammates Tre' Morgan (18) and Eric Reyzelman (22) after scoring a run as the Tennessee Vols take on LSU during the SEC Baseball Tournament at the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium in Hoover, Alabama, on Friday, May 27, 2022. /
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CINCINNATI, OH – JULY 3: A close up view of a Cincinnati Reds caps with special logo during a game against the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park on July 3, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati defeated Chicago 3-2. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OH – JULY 3: A close up view of a Cincinnati Reds caps with special logo during a game against the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park on July 3, 2021 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati defeated Chicago 3-2. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/Getty Images) /

MLB Mock Draft No. 8 — Kansas City Royals select Rhett Lowder

I’m going to have to stick to this one as Lowder fits the mold that the Royals love to look for in draft classes: a flame-throwing starting pitcher.

A Wake Forest product, Lowder pairs his 97mph fastball with some wipeout secondary pitches and is widely considered to be the second-best pitcher in the entire class (we’ll find No. 1 soon).

His second season in college saw him go 11-3 with a 3.08 ERA. In 99 innings that season, Lowder struck out 105 batters and walked just 26, showing off some impressive control and ability to miss bats.

Lowder still appears to be another pitcher that could pair with the Royals’ exciting young core of position players that are at or near the big leagues.

MLB Mock Draft No. 7 — Cincinnati Reds select outfielder Enrique Bradfield

Coming out of Vanderbilt, Bradfield would give the Reds their most athletic center fielder since the Billy Hamilton days.

Commonly tabbed as a “Juan Pierre clone”, Bradfield has quite a bit of thump in his bat compared to Pierre’s total lack of power he displayed over the course of his career.

Bradfield’s solid defense in the outfield has scouts drooling over him and he pairs his defense with some of the best baserunning instincts in the class.

Over the course of his two seasons at Vanderbilt, Bradfield stole 93 bases and walked more than he struck out. His combined batting average in those two seasons? .327. He is the real deal and will fly through the system of whatever team grabs him.

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