With the 2023 MLB Draft just days away, I’ve decided on the top five prospects that I think the Marlins should consider with their first-round pick. After all of the draft profiles I’ve done, I believe each of these players could be realistically available at the tenth overall spot and very productive in the pros.
It seems like the Miami Marlins will use their first-rounder on a position player. This is a position player-heavy draft class, giving the Marlins an excellent opportunity to come away satisfied.
Here are the top draft-eligible prospects for the Marlins to target.
1. 2B Matt Shaw, Maryland
I expect the Miami Marlins to draft a college hitter with their first-round selection in the 2023 MLB Draft. Maryland middle infielder Matt Shaw is one of the best college bats in this draft class and would be a huge addition to Miami’s farm system.
This 5’11”, 185-pound middle infielder was a highly productive hitter in his three seasons at Maryland. Shaw has shown a ton of power without sacrificing contact.
Shaw is the 16th-ranked prospect on MLB Pipeline and the 18th-ranked prospect on FanGraphs. During his collegiate career, Shaw had a .320/.413/.623 career slash line with 222 hits, 53 home runs, and a 1.036 OPS.
Shaw is pretty limited defensively as he doesn’t possess a strong arm. However, I believe he has a legit bat that will carry him through the minor leagues. Shaw has also shown he can hit with wood bats as he was last summer’s Cape Cod League MVP.
2. C Kyle Teel, Virginia
Another college bat who should be high on the Marlins’ draft board is Virginia catcher Kyle Teel. The left-handed-hitting backstop had a huge season for the Cavaliers and helped lead UVA to the College World Series.
A 6’1”, 190-pound catcher, Teel was a three-year starter for the Cavaliers and had a major breakout season in 2023.
Teel is the seventh-ranked draft prospect on MLB Pipeline and the eleventh-ranked draft prospect on FanGraphs. In his junior season, Teel slashed .407/.475/.655 with 105 hits, 25 doubles, thirteen doubles, 69 RBIs, and a 1.130 OPS. He was also named the 2023 ACC Player of the Year.
Teel would fill a big need in the Marlins farm system, but there’s some doubt about whether he will be available when it’s Miami’s turn to pick. He’s the #1 catcher in the draft and would be an excellent addition to the farm system if he falls to Miami at 10.
3. SS Jacob Wilson, Grand Canyon
Another middle infielder prospect who makes my board is Grand Canyon junior shortstop Jacob Wilson. The Golden State native is the son of a former big league All-Star shortstop, Jack Wilson.
The 6’3”, 190-pound shortstop played three seasons for Grand Canyon. He earned a starting role in his freshman season and has been a huge contributor since.
Wilson is the 10th-ranked draft prospect on MLB Pipeline and FanGraphs. During his collegiate career, Wilson had a .361/.419/.558 career slash line. He also had 224 hits, 46 doubles, 22 home runs, 155 RBIs, 61 walks, and a .977 OPS.
Jacob Wilson is a very intelligent ballplayer who possesses plus hitting tools. He’s a good defensive player, but didn’t showcase much power this season. It’ll be interesting to see where the Marlins have him on their draft board.
4. SS Jacob Gonzalez, Ole Miss
Another blue-chip shortstop prospect who could be selected by the Miami Marlins on Sunday is Jacob Gonzalez. The Ole Miss middle infielder has been productive throughout his collegiate career.
Jacob Gonzalez is a 6’2”, 200-pound left-handed hitting shortstop for the Ole Miss Rebels. Gonzalez was a three-year starter at Ole Miss and received many honors playing for the Rebels.
Gonzalez is the 18th-ranked draft prospect on MLB Pipeline and the 35th-ranked draft prospect on FanGraphs. In his junior season, Gonzalez slashed .319/.435/.564 with 66 hits, 18 doubles, ten home runs, 51 RBIs, and a .999 OPS.
The Ole Miss infielder has fallen a bit in some mock drafts but he’s a prospect that seems to be on Miami’s radar. The Marlins Senior Director of Amateur Scouting, DJ Svihlik, addressed the media on Thursday and mentioned Gonzalez when talking about the draft.
5. 3B Brayden Taylor, TCU
The final draft prospect I have on my Marlins big board is Brayden Taylor. The left-handed-hitting third baseman had a great collegiate career that was topped off by a breakout season in 2023.
Taylor is a 6’1”, 180-pound third baseman who played for the TCU Horned Frogs. Taylor started his entire collegiate career and helped TCU make a College World Series appearance last season.
Taylor is the fifteenth-ranked draft prospect on MLB Pipeline and the 31st-ranked draft prospect on FanGraphs. In his final season at TCU, Taylor slashed .308/.430/.631 with 80 hits, fifteen doubles, 23 home runs, 70 RBIs, and a 1.061 OPS.
I believe the Miami Marlins will use their first-round pick to draft a college bat. Brayden Taylor had a monster season and could be Miami’s pick if some of their top options are available. Taylor was also mentioned by DJ Svihlik on Thursday.
Photo courtesy of terpsbaseball/Instagram
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