Nothing has changed in 2023 for Georgia, where baseball players are farmed just like our legendary peanuts. There is absolutely no drop off in talent in our top 10 from the 2022 class as far as draft prospects go. We might not have two top 10 picks in the 2023 MLB draft, but this list is littered with day one prospects. Maybe the most impressive statistic in our 2023 motherboard is the fact our top 6 players are either committed to Mississippi State or Georgia Tech, so a great job by both staffs! We’ve got 3 newcomers on this list, and the competition for positioning will be very high going into spring ball!

You can see the full rankings here, Class of 2023 Top-300, or keep reading for a comprehensive breakdown with notes and video on the Peach State’s Top-10.

The Top-10

Dylan Cupp SS / Cedartown, GA / 2023 Rankings  StateRank: 1 / POS: 1 Mississippi State Commit. 6 foot 2, 190 pounds. This defensive wizard is one of the best defenders in the country without question. The footwork, hands, exchange, and arm all work effortlessly with precise balance and timing. His range factor is legit and he gets a solid mark in that department with instincts & reads rather than speed. Cupp is able to redirect momentum well on backhands+forehands, and he has an innate feel for changing arm angles. There’s no throw he can't make, and he always seems to make the right decision. His silky smooth hands stop bad hops in their tracks. Don’t blink, because his exchange is so quick you’ll miss it. Defense isn’t the only place he shows rare fluidity, it's at the plate as well. Dylan’s dynamic lower half and one piece swing fit well with his gap to gap approach. He’s at his best using the advanced inside out swing to hit lasers from right center to the middle of the field. With his pitch recognition, bat to ball skills, and ability to work counts, he’s a perfect No. 2 hitter. Plenty of physical ceiling left here.

Colin Houck SS / Parkview, GA / 2023 Rankings  StateRank: 2 / POS: 2 Mississippi State Commit. 6-foot-3, 200-pounds. It was, without a doubt, the summer of Colin Houck. From the PBR ProCase to the National Program Invitational, to East Coast Pro to Area Code Games, Houck delivered every step of the way and then some. It all culminated with his commitment to Mississippi State in August. There is an ease to the way that he plays the game, and with minimal effort to the way he creates bat speed, he is able to remain balanced while still creating high exit velocities. There is balance and controlled aggression to his swing with eye-opening ability to lift the baseball, and it is easy to envision big future power production. Houck brings some “it factor” to the diamond, and between his crisp defensive actions and big power potential, he might be the biggest helium candidate from the summer.

Antonio Anderson SS / North Atlanta, GA / 2023 Rankings  StateRank: 3 / POS: 3 Georgia Tech Commit. 6 foot 3, 205 pounds. The young looking, switch-hitting prospect is one of the top hitters in the country with serious power from both sides of the plate. Also one of the best athletes in the country, it's a plus runner with a plus arm. He has a dynamic, explosive, one piece swing with good timing and effortless juice. His shoulders rotate on a perfect diagonal plane for loft, gradually tilting the front shoulder downhill as he separates. This creates a smooth, uphill path that produces a knob led path and exceptional linear connection. The ball absolutely takes off from his barrel. The best part? He’s nowhere near his eventual physicality. He has a lengthy, well muscled build that carries strength throughout his frame while maintaining his overall athleticism. His hands and feet are smooth up the middle, and he shows off the instincts with good reaction time and reads. Anderson has all the tools to stick at SS long term, and separates himself with swing mechanics, raw power potential, and overall athleticism.

Mikhai Grant RHP / Georgia Premier Academy, GA / 2023 Rankings  StateRank: 4 / POS: 1 Mississippi State Commit. 6 foot 3, 215 pounds. Future front end starter built like an NFL safety who will regularly overpower hitters with his exciting arsenal. Ultra competitive, intimidating presence on the bump. This is the best delivery in the class, quite possibly the country. He works downhill with impressive tempo, balance, direction, and consistent explosiveness. He repeats his excellent mechanics better than anyone, which leads to consistent life and strikes of 2 future plus or better pitches. Grant has a perfect modern day arm action, an extremely clean & efficient short circle that goes from quick to quicker with incredible scap load. His lower half mechanics are elite - sits in a chair creating downhill plane while keeping posture and maintaining height, timed up back knee fire thru stiff front leg creating rare power (lead leg block). His FB sits in the 92-94 range, regularly touching 95 late in the summer. The pitch arrives on a steep plane with heavy sink, showing some carry up. It has a solid chance to be a ++ pitch, with reports of velo into the upper 90’s. His 79-82 SL has very tight spin consistently, with short and late snap. His mid 80’s CH has downer action with avg or better potential due to his high level athleticism and will vastly improve with more reps. This is a legitimate shot at a day 1 selection next July.

Tai Peete 3B/RHP / Trinity Christian, GA / 2023 Rankings  StateRank: 5 / POS: 1 Georgia Tech Commit. 6 foot 3, 185 pounds. Young for the class, Peete has huge upside as a two-way prospect. On the mound, he currently runs his fastball into the low 90s and is able to create heavy tilt. He complements it with a lively changeup. His arm works smooth and lightning quick out of an over-the-top slot. Offensively, the left-handed hitter has some of the top power potential in the class with clear pull-side power. Still growing into his lengthy, athletic frame, there is still more to come out of Peete.

Drew Burress OF / Houston County, GA / 2023 Rankings  StateRank: 6 / POS: 1 Georgia Tech Commit. 5 foot 9, 180 pounds. The 2022 PBR Georgia Player of the Year is going to have to prove it over and over again, but between the recent successes of older players with similar profiles, and a considerable track record of performing in games, Drew Burress is ready to carry the torch for “undersized is the new 6-4." The 5-foot-9, 180-pound right-handed hitter is rarely cheated, but always on time. Using a loose and compact swing, he regularly impacts the ball. He can whip the barrel through the zone with little effort and has an aggressive approach at the plate, maintaining excellent balance and using the whole field. Eliciting eye-opening power numbers this past spring, Burress continued his tear at the plate into the summer. it is impossible to ignore his elite bat-to-ball skill, and Burress is sure to gain the favor of scouts thanks to the exuberance and high baseball IQ that he brings to the diamond.

Jeffrey Heuer RHP / Home School, GA / 2023 Rankings  StateRank: 7 / POS: 2 Texas Tech Commit. 6 foot 5, 225 pounds. This country strong beast with an XL frame has one of the best deliveries in the class, which is extremely rare for an arm his size. He works at a medium tempo which turns into easy violence after landing. Mac moves incredibly well from start to finish, showing very good athleticism on the bump. Because of his size/build, some evaluators have trouble seeing how athletic Heuer is, but we sure don’t. With good balance over the rubber and exceptional repeatability, this former Future Gamer is going to have starter command. He creates a tough angle from a slight crossfire, but it has zero impact on FB pronation. The arm action is clean, quick, and deceptive with a perfect build of momentum and ridiculous arm speed out of a high 3/4 slot. The FB will be one of the best in the country at 91-93 T94 unreal bore arm side, sink glove side. This is a pitch he’ll have A/AVG or better command of, and likely top of the scale starter velo. His CB 75-76 has shape with plenty of feel to spin. The pitch is raw currently, but only because he’s never needed to use it his entire life. It bodes well for his long term health that he’s only thrown the pitch for a year, and speaks to the potential the pitch has. With his his deceptive athleticism, sound+well sequenced delivery, and explosive arm speed we feel he can develop an AVG CH down the line. He is far from his eventual man strength and another jump with the FB is surely coming. We wouldn’t be surprised to see him develop a cut FB in the future, as he already shows versatility with select use of 4 seam/2 seam. This is a serious draft prospect now.

Tre Phelps SS / Georgia Premier, GA / 2023 Rankings  StateRank: 8 / POS: 4 Georgia Commit. More physical at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds with advanced athleticism that allows him to move nimbly on the infield, Phelps’ athleticism carries over to the plate where he shows some twitch from the right side. More direct in his path with quick hands, he utilizes the whole field for some firm contact, and is able to work counts into his favor, including battling from behind. Phelps had a standout week at the Area Code Games last month. He consistently took quality at-bats, and as always, he brought his exuberant energy to the diamond.

Porter Buursema RHP / Blessed Trinity Catholic, GA / 2023 Rankings  StateRank: 9 / POS: 3 Georgia Southern Commit. 5 foot 11, 175 pounds. This is a future high impact starter who possesses a deadly high spin arsenal. What he lacks in prototype size is made up for with athleticism, freakish core+lower half strength, and shockingly electric stuff. It’s a compact, twitchy delivery with elite balance and good direction. He has a naturally smooth, full circle arm action (H ¾) that gradually builds momentum in one piece. Metrically, he’s the best arm in Georgia’s 2023 class and there are very few in the country with a repertoire like him. The spin rate master is also in an elite group of arms visually. He creates a shocking amount of torque in hip/shoulder separation, and is very mobile+flexible as the arm works in & out of throwing position. Buursema is aggressive early in the count with his riding 90-93 T95 FB (cut+ride), creating illusion at 2600-2800 rpm. It’s an arm speed arm strength combo and the violence he produces is so compact, efficient, and controlled it looks like he’s not even trying. His 2700-2800 rpm power SL works in the 78-81 range and tunnels perfectly on FB plane with sharp HZB and wipeout depth. The pitch has such a sudden bang that it looks like mid-upper 80’s velo. His 3k rpm CB at 72-75 hovers in mid air before taking off with a vicious two plane snap. We haven’t seen a pitcher with 2 breaking balls this good all summer, and that's saying something.

Francesco Capocci RHP/3B / Denmark , GA / 2023 Rankings  StateRank: 10 / POS: 4 North Carolina Commit. 6 foot 4, 215 pounds. Prototype RHS frame with a blend of power and finesse. This is a physical arm with a deceptive delivery from the high leg kick and long stride that intimidates hitters. He’s got a mid depth arm action with a big swing that creates tons of momentum and arm speed. He dominated at NPI in four innings with the Georgia Bombers, striking out 10 while allowing two hits and a walk. Capocci has put on plenty of strength over the past year, with a strong lower half that will undoubtedly take pressure off his arm and allow him to work deep into starts. The Italian Stallion has a FB that sits in the 89-93 range (T94) with serious ride up in the zone, where it is most effective. It plays up his future plus CB that has vastly improved this summer. It’s got power potential and near 12-6 shape, and just drops clean off the table vs both LHH and RHH. We look forward to getting some good film on him soon!

 

Full Class of 2023 Top-300

Related Content