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Ten players to watch in college baseball in 2023, listed alphabetically:
One of the best defensive shortstops in the country steps into the spotlight after playing his first two seasons for a Kansas team at the bottom of the Big 12. He batted .357 with 75 runs scored, 27 doubles, seven triples, nine homers, 73 RBI and 21 steals in 103 games for the Jayhawks.
ENRIQUE BRADFORD, VANDERBILT
College baseball’s most exciting player stole 46 bases undetected last season and is 93-for-96 in his career. The Commodores’ point man hit .317 with eight homers and 36 RBI and SEC-leading five 3-pointers.
Carico led the country with a .559 on-base percentage, set a school record with 21 home runs, and was Davidson’s first Atlantic 10 player of the year. The catcher also hit .843, scored 71 runs and had 43 extra-base hits.
He is the face of college baseball in 2023 and on track to be the No. 1 pick in the MLB draft in July. He was LSU’s first SEC Player of the Year since 2012 after hitting .349 with 11 doubles, four triples, 22 homers and 72 RBI. His home run total was LSU’s highest since 2009. He hit out on 175 runs.
CHASE DOLLANDER, TENNESSEE
Dollander is considered the best pitching prospect in years and turns out to be a top-five draft pick after his first dominant season with the Volunteers following his move from Georgia Southern. He went 10-0, led the country with a 0.80 WHIP, had a SEC-0best 2.39 ERA and struck out 108 in 79 innings.
Langford had one of the best offensive seasons in program history starting all 66 games in left field. He led the SEC and tied Matt LaPorta’s school record with 26 homers, batted .355, scored 73 runs and drove in 63. He was also errorless in 125 total chances.
The big right won 10 games and hit 13 homers en route to winning John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year for the Air Force. Skenes dropped out of the academy to pursue professional baseball. He’s already established himself as the Tigers’ Friday night starter. He can play outfield, but the Tigers will probably use him as a DH.
The 6-foot-3, 221-pound freshman projects as the Seminoles’ third baseman after being ranked the No. 1 in Florida and No. She batted .435 with 18 extra base hits as a senior at Palm Beach, Florida Central.
GAVIN TURLEY, OREGON STATE
Keep an eye out for this freshman, who chose to go to school after the Arizona Diamondbacks drafted him in the 19th round last year. D1Baseball.com projects Turley as the Beavers’ Opening Day right fielder and future center fielder. He hit 15 homers in 33 games as a senior at Hamilton High in Chandler, Arizona.
JACOB WILSON, GRAND CANYON
Wilson has quietly developed into one of the top shortstops in the nation playing in the Western Athletic Conference. He batted .358, was the hardest hitter in the nation (7 in 246 at-bats) and had 11 games with at least three hits.
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