Less than two weeks after helping LSU win the College World Series, right-hander Paul Skenes and outfielder Dylan Crews were not done making history.
Skenes was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the No. 1 overall pick and the Washington Nationals followed by taking Crews at No. 2 at the 2023 MLB Draft in Seattle on Sunday night. It marked the first time in MLB draft history that a pair of teammates were taken with the top two picks.
Skenes is the sixth No. 1 draft selection in Pirates franchise history, joining third baseman Jeff King (1986), catcher Henry Davis (2021) and right-handers Kris Benson (1996), Bryan Bullington (2002) and Gerrit Cole (2011).
“It’s cool,” Skenes told ESPN, referring to his feelings about being the top pick. “But I think the biggest part is that my college career is over now (and) I get to keep playing baseball and hopefully do it for a long time.
“So I’m just super grateful for that.”
After spending the first two seasons of his collegiate career at Air Force, Skenes shined during his time with the Tigers, going 12-2 with a 1.69 ERA in 19 starts in 2023. He was named National Player of the Year and National Pitcher of the Year before helping LSU prevail at the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., where he earned CWS Most Outstanding Player honors.
In addition to his time with the Tigers and Falcons, Skenes also played for the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League in the summer of 2021.
Crews hit .380 with 58 homers and 184 RBIs across three seasons with the Tigers. He put up video-game numbers in 2023, recording the third-best batting average in the nation (.426) while ripping 18 home runs and racking up 70 RBIs.
In addition to being named Southeastern Conference Player of the Year this past season, Crews won the Golden Spikes Award as the top amateur baseball player in the country.
The Detroit Tigers took outfielder Max Clark out of Franklin Community High School (Ind.) with the third overall pick, while Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford fell to the Texas Rangers at No. 4. After hitting .373 with 21 homers and 57 RBIs this past season, Langford was projected by a handful of mock drafts to go to the Pirates at No. 1.
South Brunswick High School (N.C.) outfielder Walker Jenkins was picked up by the Minnesota Twins at No. 5, and Grand Canyon University shortstop Jacob Wilson, son of 12-year major league veteran Jack Wilson, went sixth overall to the Oakland Athletics.
Jack Wilson was an All-Star in 2004.
“He’s been coach since Day 1. He’s taught me pretty much everything I need to know about baseball,” Jacob Wilson told ESPN, referring to his relationship with his father. “He’s just been a great guy to look up to and learn from.”
The Cincinnati Reds then drafted right-hander Rhett Lowder from Wake Forest, the Kansas City Royals selected Sinton High School (Texas) catcher Blake Mitchell, the Colorado Rockies chose right-hander Chase Dollander out of Tennessee and Jesuit High School (Ore.) righty Noble Meyer went to the Miami Marlins to round out the top 10.
The Red Sox held the 14th overall pick and just missed out on Maryland shortstop and Brimfield, Mass., native Matt Shaw, who went to the Chicago Cubs at No. 13. Boston went with Virginia catcher Kyle Teel with its first-round pick.
With the 20th overall pick, the Toronto Blue Jays took Strawberry Crest High School (Fla.) shortstop Arjun Nimmala. Nimmala grew up on cricket after his family moved to the United States from India just before he was born.
“It was always a dream of mine to play major league baseball ever since I knew what the MLB was,” Nimmala told MLB.com. “I kind of realized I was pretty good at the age of 12-13. Some of those skills started to pop out.”
With their city hosting the draft, the Mariners grabbed shortstop Colt Emerson out of John Glenn High School (Ohio) with the 22nd overall pick. Seattle also picked at No. 29 and No. 30, selecting Westfield High School (Va.) shortstop Jonny Farmelo and Trinity Christian School (Ga.) shortstop Tai Peete, respectively.
Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez gave Seattle the 29th overall selection by being named American League Rookie of the Year last season. The Mariners received that pick because of the Prospect Promotion Incentive, which rewards teams for utilizing top prospects on their Opening Day rosters, and Rodriguez’s accolade was enough to net Seattle another first-rounder.
Peete was the first pick of Competitive Balance Round A, which featured a total of 10 selections (Nos. 30-39). St. Joan of Arc Catholic Secondary School third baseman Myles Naylor, brother of Josh and Bo Naylor of the Cleveland Guardians, was the final pick of the CB-A, getting taken off the board by the Oakland Athletics.
First-round picks belonging to the Mets and Dodgers dropped 10 spots into Competitive Balance Round A because New York and Los Angeles went over the competitive balance tax threshold by over $40 million.
The Mets’ pick turned into No. 32 while the Dodgers’ turned into No. 36. New York took Parkview High School (Ga.) shortstop Colin Houck, and Los Angeles opted to go with Atascocita High School (Texas) outfielder Kendall George.
The Astros made the final pick of the first round, and with fans showering Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred with boos to show their disdain of the reigning World Series champions, Houston chose Nebraska shortstop Brice Matthews.
Some of the key picks of the second round included:
–Infielder Yohandy Morales from Miami was selected by the Nationals with the first pick of the second round (40th overall). Morales’ father, Andy, played for the Cuban national baseball team.
–Shortstop Sammy Stafura from Walter Panas High School (N.Y.) was selected 43rd overall by the Reds. He joins a system that is loaded with a plethora of young, up-and-coming middle infielders, including Elly De La Cruz, Noelvi Marte and Edwin Arroyo.
–Nebraska second baseman Max Anderson was selected by the Tigers at No. 45 despite being the 91st-ranked draft prospect by MLB.com. Colorado also took a chance at No. 46, grabbing Wake Forest southpaw Sean Sullivan, who sat at 123rd in the pre-draft rankings.
–LSU right-hander Grant Taylor was selected by the Chicago White Sox, who held the 51st overall pick. Taylor was one of four Tigers taken in the first two rounds, joining Skenes, Crews and fellow right-hander Ty Floyd (38th overall pick by Cincinnati).
–UCLA right-hander Alonzo Tredwell was the final pick of the second round, getting taken 61st overall by the Houston Astros.
–Six more players were selected in Competitive Balance Round B, and three more went off the board in Round 2 C.
The draft continues on Monday (Rounds 3-10) and concludes on Tuesday (11-20).
–Field Level Media
