The 2023 MLB draft is headlined by LSU teammates Dylan Crews and Paul Skenes, with Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford and high school outfielders Walker Jenkins and Max Clark rounding out the top tier of talent on the board.

High school pitching and catching in general are thin in this year's class, while prep middle infielders and college hitters have been the deepest areas for teams to scout this spring.

We published our first 2023 mock draft on Dec. 22 and followed that up with an update on May 10. Now that the high school and college seasons are winding to a close and the draft is less than a month away, it's time for another attempt at projecting how this year's event will play out.

Ahead, you'll find full analysis for each of the 28 first-round picks, as well as quick-hit selections for the Compensation Round and the Competitive Balance Round A for a total of 39 projected picks.

Note: The New York Mets (No. 32 overall) and Los Angeles Dodgers (No. 36 overall) both had their first selection moved back 10 spots as a result of luxury-tax penalties, so they will not have a first-round pick in the 2023 draft.

Nos. 1-3

1. Pittsburgh Pirates: OF Dylan Crews, LSU

There will always be talk of the team with the No. 1 overall pick potentially cutting a below-slot deal to chase above-slot targets who slip out of the first round, and Max Clark seems to be the popular name tied to those rumors this year, but there's zero reason for the Pirates to overthink this selection.

Crews is widely regarded as the best draft prospect since Adley Rutschman came out of Oregon State, and it's not hard to see why. He is hitting .432/.573/.736 with 14 doubles, 17 home runs, 63 RBI and more walks (61) than strikeouts (40) while playing in the most competitive conference in the country.

2. Washington Nationals: RHP Paul Skenes, LSU

Scouts across baseball collectively cringed watching Skenes throw a 124-pitch complete game against Tulane in LSU's regional opener. That irresponsible handling of, arguably, the best pitching prospect since Stephen Strasburg aside, Skenes has been lights out all season, and he would go No. 1 overall in almost any other draft.

The 6'6", 235-pound right-hander hit 100 mph on the gun in the ninth inning of that marathon start, and he backs his elite fastball with a 70-grade slider and quality changeup. In 16 starts, he has gone 11-2 with a 1.90 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 179 strikeouts in 99.1 innings.

3. Detroit Tigers: OF Wyatt Langford, Florida

With a new front-office team drafting for the first time, there will be significant pressure in Detroit to get it right at No. 3 overall. That makes proven college performer Langford the more likely pick ahead of high school standouts Walker Jenkins and Max Clark.

The 6'1", 225-pound outfielder is hitting .387/.511/.799 with 24 doubles, 18 home runs, 48 RBI and 75 runs scored, and his elite on-base ability and polished hit tool gives him an extremely high floor with upside to match.

Nos. 4-6

4. Texas Rangers: OF Walker Jenkins, South Brunswick High School (NC)

With a 6'3", 210-pound frame at just 18 years old, Jenkins looks the part of a power hitter, and he has a 60-grade hit tool to complement his plus-plus pop. He has lost a step as his frame has filled out, but he still has above-average speed with the instincts to handle center field at the next level. He is not quite as toolsy as Max Clark, but there's a solid case to be made that he has a higher ceiling and a higher floor.

5. Minnesota Twins: OF Max Clark, Franklin High School (IN)

Five players make up a clearly defined top tier of talent in the 2023 draft class, and the Twins are in the spot to sit back and grab whichever one falls into their lap. Clark is the best high school prospect to come out of the state of Indiana in decades, and despite playing in a cold weather state, scouts have seen plenty of production from him against elite competition on the showcase circuit and playing for the U-18 Team USA squad. He has four present plus tools and more than enough power potential to make him a five-tool contributor.

6. Oakland Athletics: C Kyle Teel, Virginia

Past history and this year's big board suggest the Athletics will go with a college player at No. 6 overall. Teel headlines a second-tier group that also includes middle infielders Jacob Wilson and Jacob Gonzalez, and pitchers Chase Dollander and Rhett Lowder. The Virginia backstop is hitting .423/.487/.690 with 25 doubles, 13 home runs and 64 RBI in 60 games while also showing solid defensive tools, and Oakland has shown a knack for developing catching talent in recent years.

No. 7-9

7. Cincinnati Reds: RHP Chase Dollander, Tennessee

Dollander was a candidate to go No. 1 overall heading into the spring, and while command issues have caused his stock to slip, plenty of scouts were on hand to watch him rack up a season-high 13 strikeouts in 5.1 innings against South Carolina on May 20. The 6'2", 200-pound right-hander has a 4.50 ERA with 111 strikeouts in 78 innings this spring, and while there is some risk given his inconsistency, he has a legitimate frontline ceiling.

8. Kansas City Royals: SS Jacob Wilson, Grand Canyon

The best pure hitter in the 2023 draft, Wilson is batting .412/.461/.635 with just five strikeouts this spring, and he has only been sent down on strikes 31 times in 697 collegiate plate appearances. The 6'3", 190-pound infielder is not a lock to stick at shortstop, and there are legitimate questions whether he has the power potential to fit at third base, but if he turns out to be a DJ LeMahieu-type player he will more than justify a top-10 selection.

9. Colorado Rockies: RHP Rhett Lowder, Wake Forest

The staff ace for the best team in college baseball, Lowder is 14-0 with a 1.77 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and a 125-to-20 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 101.2 innings. The 6'2", 200-pound right-hander has the best changeup in the 2023 class, and he sets it up with a groundball-inducing mid-90s fastball and a developing slider. He does not possess the same upside as Dollander, but he has a much higher floor with a great chance to be a mid-rotation starter for years to come.

Nos. 10-12

10. Miami Marlins: SS Jacob Gonzalez, Ole Miss

Gonzales was the National Freshman of the Year in 2021 when he hit .355/.443/.561 with 12 home runs and 55 RBI in 67 games, and he has been one of the faces of college baseball for the last three years. He lacks the premium athleticism often associated with future shortstops, but he has the instincts and arm strength to cover up those shortcomings, and more than enough offensive upside to handle a move to second or third base.

11. Los Angeles Angels: OF Enrique Bradfield Jr., Vanderbilt

The Angels have a penchant for tooled-up outfielders, and Bradfield fits the mold with true 80-grade speed and a good enough hit tool to be a top-of-the-lineup catalyst. A .311/.426/.447 hitter in three years at Vanderbilt, he doesn't try to do too much at the plate and hunts line drives rather than launch angle. He is 130-for-143 on stolen base attempts and uses his speed extremely well in center field.

12. Arizona Diamondbacks: SS Arjun Nimmala, Strawberry Crest High School (FL)

Nimmala is not quite as polished as some of the other prep shortstops in a deep overall crop of high school middle infielders, but he has the highest ceiling. The fact that he doesn't turn 18 years old until Oct. 16 helps his draft stock, and his tantalizing raw power stands out, though his approach at the plate needs some refinement. Smooth defensive skills and high odds of sticking at shortstop help mitigate some of the boom-or-bust potential.

Nos. 13-15

13. Chicago Cubs: RHP Noble Meyer, Jesuit High School (OR)

The Cubs have had a tough time developing pitching talent over the past decade, but some of that stems from an organizational philosophy of targeting bats during their last window of contention. Meyer is the consensus top prep pitching prospect in the 2023 class, with a projectable 6'5", 185-pound frame and great present stuff that includes an upper 90s fastball and a hard-biting slider.

14. Boston Red Sox: IF Kevin McGonigle, Monsignor Bonner (PA)

The Red Sox have prioritized prep infielders with plus hit tools the last several seasons, and considering the long-term versatility of players with that profile there is no reason to pivot from that approach, especially given the depth there in this year's class. McGonigle has a 60-grade hit tool, polished bat-to-ball skills and the potential to develop into an average power hitter, which helps offset a middling defensive profile.

15. Chicago White Sox: SS Colin Houck, Parkview High School (GA)

After eight straight years of drafting exclusively college players in the first round, the White Sox have plucked Colson Montgomery and Noah Schultz from the high school ranks the last two years. Houck is also a 3-star football recruit and has the strength to hit for above-average power, the hit tool to tap into that over-the-fence potential and the athleticism and arm strength to stick at shortstop for the long term.

Nos. 16-18

16. San Francisco Giants: IF Matt Shaw, Maryland

The Giants have taken a high school player in the first round just twice in the last decade, and both Christian Arroyo (2013) and Heliot Ramos (2017) have failed to live up to expectations. There are a lot of polished, high-floor college bats available in this range, and Shaw has a great all-around collection of tools. His average arm strength will likely push him to second base, but he is hitting .341/.445/.697 with 20 doubles, 24 home runs and 18 steals in 62 games and should have no problem hitting enough to make the switch.

17. Baltimore Orioles: 1B/RHP Bryce Eldridge, Madison High School (VA)

Eldridge is the best two-way player in this draft class with legitimate first-round potential on the mound, but his offensive ceiling is higher as a 6'7", 223-pound slugger with huge raw power and a compact swing for a player his size. He has played primarily first base when not pitching, but he has the athleticism and arm strength to potentially profile in right field as well.

18. Milwaukee Brewers: 3B Brayden Taylor, TCU

Third base has been a revolving door for the Brewers since Travis Shaw had back-to-back 30-homer seasons in 2017 and 2018, and while teams don't generally draft for need at the MLB level, Taylor could move quickly to fill that void. A three-year standout at TCU, he is hitting .321/.440/.671 with 14 doubles, 23 home runs and 69 RBI in 61 games this spring, and he swung it well with wood bats in the Cape Cod League last summer.

Nos. 19-21

19. Tampa Bay Rays: 3B Aidan Miller, Mitchell High School (FL)

The Rays have often targeted players with one standout tool early in the draft, and Miller is one of the best power hitters among the 2023 prep class. The 6'2", 205-pound third baseman missed significant time this spring with a broken hamate or he might be a candidate to go closer to the top 10, and the Rays are always hunting for potential value.

20. Toronto Blue Jays: IF Tommy Troy, Stanford

Troy is hitting .411//.489/.738 with 16 doubles, 17 home runs, 57 RBI and 17 steals in 53 games this spring, and while he doesn't have the same offensive ceiling as fellow standout college infielder Matt Shaw, he provides a similar high-floor outlook. The Blue Jays are a tough team to peg at No. 20 overall, and this could also be where prep pitchers like Thomas White, Charlee Soto and Travis Sykora come into play.

21. St. Louis Cardinals: RHP Hurston Waldrep, Florida

The gap between Paul Skenes, Chase Dollander and Rhett Lowder and the rest of this year's college pitching crop is significant, with Waldrep as perhaps the only other safe bet to be selected in the first round. The Gators ace is 8-3 with a 4.54 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 129 strikeouts in 85.1 innings, and while he has work to do trimming a 12.3 percent walk rate, he has an upper 90s fastball, swing-and-miss splitter and quality slider with a strong 6'2", 210-pound frame.

Nos. 22-24

22. Seattle Mariners: 1B/OF Nolan Schanuel, Florida Atlantic

The Mariners pick again at No. 29 and No. 30 overall, so they could opt for a safe college bat with their first selection before turning their attention to high-ceiling preps who slipped with their two subsequent picks. Schanuel has been one of the most productive players in the country, hitting .447/.615/.868 with 18 doubles, 19 home runs, 64 RBI and a staggering 71-to-14 walk-to-strikeout ratio.

23. Cleveland Guardians: SS Colt Emerson, Glenn High School (OH)

The Guardians are a logical landing spot for one of the remaining prep shortstops still on the board, and Emerson plays his high school ball two hours south of Progressive Field in New Concord, Ohio. The Cleveland front office has valued youth in the past, and Emerson does not turn 18 years old until a few days after the draft. He has a 60-hit/50-power offensive profile and handled the hot corner well for the U-18 Team USA squad last summer.

24. Atlanta Braves: SS George Lombard Jr., Gulliver Prep (FL)

The Braves selected outfielder George Lombard in the second round of the 1994 draft, and he developed into a top-100 prospect in their system, peaking at No. 26 on the Baseball America list in 1999. His son looks poised to beat his draft position on the heels of a strong spring at Gulliver Prep in Florida. He could eventually shift to third base once his 6'3", 190-pound frame fills out, and he has the power potential to profile at the hot corner as well.

Nos. 25-28

25. San Diego Padres: C Blake Mitchell, Sinton High School (TX)

There is no riskier profile than high school catchers, otherwise Mitchell might go 10 spots higher. He has a smooth left-handed swing, plus power potential and an absolute rocket for an arm. In fact, he would be a legitimate top-100 pick on the mound, where he has touched 97 mph with his fastball and shown a pair of promising offspeed pitches. The Padres should aim for upside as they look to restock a thinned-out farm system.

26. New York Yankees: SS Sammy Stafura, Panas High School (NY)

The Yankees plucked Anthony Volpe from the New Jersey prep ranks in 2019, and they have been scouting Stafura all spring less than an hour north of Yankee Stadium at Panas High School in Cortlandt, New York. With power potential, speed and solid defensive skills, he has a ton of helium this spring.

27. Philadelphia Phillies: RHP Charlee Soto, Reborn Christian Academy (FL)

The Phillies have seemingly hit on Mick Abel (No. 15 in 2020) and Andrew Painter (No. 13 in 2021) going the high school pitcher route in recent years, and they are in a great position to snag one of the top prep arms in this class. The 6'5", 210-pound right-hander has an electric fastball that touches 98 mph, the potential for two plus offspeed pitches and plenty of projection remaining in his prototypical starter's frame.

28. Houston Astros: OF Chase Davis, Arizona

The Astros grabbed a standout college hitter on the rise in the first round last year when they took Drew Gilbert at No. 28 overall, and they could go a similar route this year. Davis is hitting .362/.489/.742 with 17 doubles, 21 home runs and 74 RBI in 57 games at the University of Arizona this spring, and he is getting some late first-round buzz as a result.

Compensation/Competitive Balance A Picks

Compensation Picks

Under the new CBA, if a rookie is on a team's Opening Day roster and he goes on to win Rookie of the Year, the club is awarded a compensation pick immediately following the first round. As a result, Julio Rodríguez earned the Mariners the No. 29 overall selection.

29. Seattle Mariners: OF Dillon Head, Homewood-Flossmoor High School (IL)

Competitive Balance Round A Picks

Teams that are one of the bottom 10 in market size or bottom 10 in revenue pool are awarded a bonus pick after the first round or second round, with teams alternating between the two rounds each year.

The New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers also fall in this section as both teams had their first pick moved back 10 spots as a penalty for exceeding the luxury-tax threshold by more than $40 million.

30. Seattle Mariners: SS Walker Martin, Eaton High School (CO)
31. Tampa Bay Rays: LHP Thomas White, Phillips Academy (MA)
32. New York Mets: 3B/OF Mac Horvath, North Carolina
33. Milwaukee Brewers: OF Colton Ledbetter, Mississippi State
34. Minnesota Twins: 3B Brock Wilken, Wake Forest
35. Miami Marlins: OF Jack Hurley, Virginia Tech
36. Los Angeles Dodgers: RHP Travis Sykora, Round Rock High School (TX)
37. Detroit Tigers: OF Jonny Farmelo, Westfield High School (VA)
38. Cincinnati Reds: RHP Juaron Watts-Brown, Oklahoma State
39. Oakland Athletics: 3B Yohandy Morales, Miami

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, while scouting information comes via MLB.com and Baseball America.