MLB Draft prospects 2023: Who are the best players still available for Day 2?

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Quinn Mathews
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The biggest names in the 2023 MLB Draft were selected in the first round. But just because teams won't have the chance to draft Paul Skenes or Dylan Crews, that doesn't mean the draft is void of future impact players.

Many standouts have been taken on the second day of the MLB Draft. Two-time Cy Young award winner Jacob deGrom was drafted in the ninth round in 2010. Reigning National League MVP Paul Goldschmidt was an eighth-round pick in 2009. Future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols was a 13th-round selection in 1999.

Plenty of intriguing prospects will be available in the third round and beyond following the end of the first two rounds on Sunday. Standout prep players Roch Cholowsky and Travis Sykora remain after Day 1, though that could be related to signability issues, while Virginia Tech's Jack Hurley and Vanderbilt's Hunter Owen are among the most interesting college players still available.

MORE: Complete results, grades from Day 1 of the MLB draft

Who are the best players still left, per SN's big board? Here's what you need to know.

Best MLB Draft prospects still available for Day 2

27. Roch Cholowsky, SS, Hamilton HS (Ariz.)

There must be some signability concerns; Cholowsky has committed to being a shortstop and quarterback at UCLA. There are few prospects with his combination of glove, speed and offensive upside.

35. Jack Hurley, OF, Virginia Tech

On a day when college bats flew off the board, Hurley surprisingly stayed available. If he could tap into his power more, there's five-tool upside given his advanced hit tool, speed and defensive ability.

39. Travis Sykora, RHP, Round Rock HS (Texas)

An older, high school pitcher with a commitment to Texas might be a hard sign. The stuff is electrifying; it's headlined by a fastball that reaches triple digits and a filthy splitter. If Sykora isn't drafted this year, he'll be eligible in two years as a sophomore.

42. Tanner Witt, RHP, Texas

Witt struggled through much of 2023 while coming off Tommy John surgery, so him remaining on the board is not a major surprise. Still, the stuff he showed before his injury was worthy of a first-round selection, and he could be a steal for a team at this stage of the draft.

46. Hunter Owen, LHP, Vanderbilt

Owen throws hard, and he complements the fastball with a filthy slider and a solid curveball. There are concerns over missed time in recent years, but the stuff makes him an exciting option in the middle rounds.

MORE: Live results from Rounds 1-20

47. Juaron Watts-Brown, RHP, Oklahoma State

Plenty of the pitchers that are still available have higher velocity than Watts-Brown, but few can match his secondary offerings, a standout curveball and slider. Control issues and lack of a plus fastball could be why he has fallen in the draft.

52. Cameron Johnson, LHP, IMG Academy (Fla.)

A team will dream on Johnson's upside, though his still being available could indicate a strong commitment to LSU. The 6-5 prospect already has a mid-90s fastball and a filthy slider. He needs to work on refining his command.

53. Cooper Pratt, SS, Magnolia Heights HS (Miss.)

Plenty of high school shortstops flew off the board on Day 1, leaving Pratt and Cholowsky as the most notable omissions. Like Cholowsky, there are no questions about Pratt's glove and arm. Unlike Cholowsky, he already possesses an advanced hit tool for a player his age.

57. Eric Bitonti, 3B, Aquinas HS (Calif.)

If Bitonti is drafted in the middle rounds, it will likely be by a model-heavy team that favors his age (17) and exit velocities. The 6-4 Bitonti has tons of raw power and a huge arm, but he'll face questions over his long swing.

59. Cole Schoenwetter, RHP, San Marcos HS (Calif.)

Schoenwetter might have one of the most well-rounded arsenals of any pitcher in the high school ranks, and he has the size (6-3) and repeatable delivery to convince teams he can handle a starter's workload.

61. Paul Wilson, LHP, Lakeridge HS (Ore.)

A prep left-hander who throws in the mid-90s with life is going to attract some eyes, particularly if they also have a plus curveball to keep opposing hitters off balance.

66. Travis Honeyman, OF, Boston College

Not too dissimilar from former Eagle and current Brewers prospect Sal Frelick, Honeyman is a contact-heavy hitter with plenty of speed and improving power, though he might be headed to a corner outfield spot.

67. Trent Caraway, 3B, JSerra HS (Calif.)

Teams are often nervous about high school hitters over 18. Caraway is 19. The Oregon State commit does have some offensive potential, though.

68. Will Gasparino, OF, Harvard-Westlake HS (Calif.)

Gasparino's upside is a true five-tool player. The only thing holding him back now is swing-and-miss concerns.

71. Jace Bohrofen, OF, Arkansas

Bohrofen looks the part of a middle-of-the-order slugger with plenty of power in his 6-2, 205-pound frame. His defense will keep him in a corner outfield spot.

73. Maui Ahuna, SS, Tennessee

Before the season, there was first-round consideration around Ahuna, who looked the part of a leadoff hitter with Gold Glove potential at shortstop. But a down year at the plate with Tennessee has greatly reduced his draft stock.

74. Joey Volchko, RHP, Redwood HS (Calif.)

Volchko might have a hard commit to Stanford if he hasn't already been drafted. High school pitchers who stand 6-4 and have with four pitches, even if they have some control issues, tend to entice big-league teams.

77. Antonio Anderson, SS, North Atlanta (Ga.)

Anderson is a switch hitter who can make contact from both sides of the plate with authority, though his lack of speed might force a move to third base.

MORE: Why the Pirates drafted Paul Skenes over Dylan Crews

78. Josh Rivera, SS, Florida

A huge senior year made Rivera one of the top college seniors on the board. His power made a big jump and his approach showed vast improvement from his earlier days at Florida.

79. Grayson Hitt, LHP, Alabama

Hitt would be a high-risk selection considering he is coming off Tommy John surgery in April. But when healthy, the 6-3, 210-pound southpaw has a filthy arsenal that could make for a worthy gamble.

80. Teddy McGraw, RHP, Wake Forest

McGraw also missed the season with an elbow injury, but when healthy, he, too, has shown electric stuff. A team would have to hope he can return to health, and that it can correct some walk problems.

81. Steven Echavarria, RHP, Millburn HS (N.J.)

Echavarria is a 17-year-old prep pitcher with a fastball that can reach the upper 90s and control of a diverse repertoire of pitches. The only question is whether a team can lure him away from a Florida commit.

83. Will Sanders, RHP, South Carolina

Sanders won't blow anyone away with the fastball, but his other three offerings should give teams confidence he can be deceptive enough against professional hitters.

84. Roman Martin, SS, Servite HS (Calif.)

Teams will be missing out on Martin, who withdrew from the draft. The future UCLA shortstop has deft hands and a contact-oriented swing with the potential for more power as he develops into his 6-2 frame.

85. Landen Maroudis, RHP, Calvary Christian HS (Fla.)

Maroudis fills the strike zone more than most prep pitchers and commands the zone well. Throwing a fastball in the mid- to upper 90s while boasting that control is what could prompt a team to try to lure him away from N.C. State.

86. Seth Keener, RHP, Wake Forest

If a team wants to keep Keener in the bullpen, which is where he was at Wake Forest, his advanced pitchability and his fastball/slider combination could make him a very fast riser to the majors. If they want to see him start, it could take some time for him to get stretched back out.

87. George Wolkow, OF, Downers Grove North HS (Ill.)

It's all power from the 6-7, 225-pound Wolkow, who has some the best raw power and arm strength of any prep player. There are questions about his hit tool and defensive home.

89. Grant Gray, OF, Norco HS (Calif.)

Gray feels like the prototypical leadoff hitter, with blazing speed and a hit-over-power approach at the plate. There's a chance he and Cholowsky both reach UCLA as football/baseball players, with Gray catching passes at wide receiver from Cholowsky.

90. Homer Bush Jr., OF, Grand Canyon

A teammate of No. 6 pick Jacob Wilson, Bush is a standout defender in center field with plenty of speed and, like, Wilson is a solid contact hitter who could still develop more power.

92. Alex Mooney, SS, Duke

Mooney features a well-rounded profile, though he lacks power. He's quick and can handle playing defense up the middle. A solid hit tool made drastic improvements over the past year.

93. Parker Detmers, RHP, Glenwood HS (Ill.)

The younger brother of Angels left-hander Reid Detmers also boasts a hammer curveball. He might wind up becoming the second Detmers to pitch at Louisville if he's not drafted early on Day 2.

94. Spencer Nivens, OF, Missouri State

There aren't many hitters more patient than Nivens, who maximizes his limited power by pouncing on just the right pitch when he sees it. The power is steadily improving, as is his defense in center.

95. Zane Adams, LHP, Porter HS (Texas)

Adams is an older prep pitcher, which might mean he'll head to Tuscaloosa to pitch for Alabama rather than sign with an MLB team this year. His three-pitch mix might get some teams to try to lure him away, however.

96. Levi Wells, RHP, Texas State

Wells has built himself up from solid reliever to standout starter, with a pitch mix to warrant a look in the middle rounds, 

97. Quinn Mathews, LHP, Stanford

Mathews' 156-pitch outing against Texas in the super regional shows how much of a bulldog he can be, and his improved control should help him carve out a starting role in the pros.

100. Michael Carico, C, Davidson

There are questions about whether Carico can stay behind the plate, but teams should be willing to give him a chance, given how much upside comes there is in his left-handed bat.

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Edward Sutelan is a content producer at The Sporting News.
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