Four Florida Gators named top 2023 MLB Draft prospects
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The 2023 NFL Draft is taking the country by storm this weekend but the 2023 MLB Draft is just three months away. The Florida Gators are poised to make a run in the SEC over the season’s last month. The top 150 MLB Draft prospects have been updated with the college season over halfway done.
The 2023 MLB Draft looks like it will be dominated by the SEC. The most competitive conference in college football has the top three ranked prospects. The 2023 MLB Draft
Gators ranked in the top 150
No. 3 – OF Wyatt Langford
Here’s what MLB writer Jonathan Mayo said about Langford:
“Langford is another guy who has taken a huge step forward and didn’t play as a freshman, so there’s not as much track record. Again, that’s nitpicking. … I really wish Florida had let Wyatt Langford play center field this year. I know they have a center fielder, but people were hoping to see what that would look like. The team that takes him, I think, could very well send him out in center and see how that plays.”
MLB writer Jim Callis said:
Do you want the guy who’s proven it at the college level? I think (Langford) is probably a left fielder when all is said and done. I think he has less defensive value, but you have a better read on his bat since he’s performed at a very high level at college.
No. 11 – RHP Hurston Waldrep
Waldrep ranks second nationally with 93 strikeouts while his 14.4 strikeouts per nine are good for fourth in the country. The right-hander has at least eight strikeouts in five-straight starts including six-plus in all 10 outings and double-digit punchouts in four starts. Florida is 4-1 in his last five starts and Waldrep owns four quality starts in his last six appearances. At home, the Thomasville, Ga. native is 4-1 with a team-best 3.60 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 40 innings (14.6 K/9).
No. 79 – Brandon Sproat
In his last 17 starts dating back to last season, Sproat has allowed three earned runs or fewer 13 times and four earned or less in 15 outings. During that span, the righty has thrown at least five innings in 15 of 17 starts. Sproat has lost two decisions across his last 16 starts, going 10-2 with a 3.63 ERA and 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings across 94 1/3 frames. His 12.7 strikeouts per nine rank 28th nationally.
No. 108 – SS Josh Rivera
Rivera is riding a 15-game on-base streak, for the Gators. He is hitting a team-high .385 to go along with a .469 on-base percentage, 20 hits and 10 walks vs. five strikeouts in that span. Rivera is one of two players (Caglianone) to start all 42 games for the Orange & Blue, Rivera is batting nearly as well in SEC play (.377/.444/.696) as non-conference action (.393/.505/.726). He leads UF in batting and stolen bases, and ranks top-10 in the SEC in runs (T-third), batting (fourth), RBI (sixth), hits (eighth), total bases (ninth) and home runs (T-ninth).
The post Four Florida Gators named top 2023 MLB Draft prospects appeared first on On3.
