2023 Overall Rankings UPDATE
September 3, 2021
A long summer provided ample opportunity for PBR’s boots-on-the-ground forces to be out scouting from coast-to-coast for the country’s best players. The action was endless, a perfect summer, and with news/notes/videos collected from games/events/tournaments, an update to the Overall 2023 Rankings is finally here. This class, perhaps more than any other, is still very much developing as the Covid-19 Pandemic stunted much of the evaluation period in the group’s first high school spring. However, PBR remains committed to providing the most up-to-date and credible information on all amateur baseball, and that means the scouting will never stop as ballplayers are constantly looking to elevate their game.
But on to the 2023’s as a whole. This group is, hands down, the most talented class roaming high school hallways. This summer saw a young bunch of graduated sophomores explode into budding prospects. Whether frontline arms with elite starter’s stuff, to up-the-middle defenders at premium positions, to future run producing impact bats: there is superstar potential in abundance.
A Look At The Top 10:
| RANK | NAME | STATE | SCHOOL | CLASS | POS | COMMITMENT |
| 1 | Thomas White | MA | Phillips Academy, Andover | 2023 | LHP | |
| 2 | Max Clark | IN | Franklin | 2023 | OF | Vanderbilt |
| 3 | Aidan Miller | FL | JW Mitchell | 2023 | 3B | Arkansas |
| 4 | Blake Mitchell | TX | Sinton | 2023 | C | Louisiana State |
| 5 | Adam Hachman | MO | Timberland | 2023 | LHP | Arkansas |
| 6 | Walker Jenkins | NC | South Brunswick | 2023 | OF | North Carolina |
| 7 | Dylan Cupp | GA | Cedartown | 2023 | SS | Mississippi State |
| 8 | Braden Holcomb | FL | Foundation Academy | 2023 | 3B | Vanderbilt |
| 9 | Walter Ford | AL | McAdory | 2023 | RHP | Alabama |
| 10 | Gavin Grahovac | CA | Villa Park | 2023 | SS | Arizona State |
In evaluating any class, the immediate look is to the “Big 4” of California, Florida, Georgia, and Texas. The ‘23 class in each of those state’s is robustly strong. Making up more than half of the top 50 (28 players), it is easy to envision even more of their players moving up in the future, and at least two, Georgia's Cam Collier (Mount Paran HS, GA) and Florida’s C Brady Neal (IMG Academy, FL), who have reclassified to the 2022, were each top 50 players before doing so.
Currently, California holds the distinction for having the best class in the country. There are 18 prospects in the Top 100 with many not far behind. The carrying tools throughout the state are likely to have MLB scouts tracking progress from an even earlier date, and the difference between NorCal and SoCal is minute with each holding a strong case for being the better. If the summer taught us anything about the talent in California, it is that there will surely be movement in the future as new players seem to be discovered daily.
THE CASE FOR #1
Diving deeper into the elite talent on the list, each of the top 10 (and beyond…) players holds a strong case for eventually rising to the top. Below, a breakdown of each of those prospects and a look at why they might ultimately be the best of the bunch.
 |
Thomas White LHP / Phillips Academy, Andover, MA / 2023It was not without challenge that White retained his title as the top player in the 2023 class. Much discussion and debate went into the decision, and is sure to continue in future updates, but when looking at the 6-foot-4, 200-pound southpaw it is impossible to ignore his status as an outlier. Up to 98 mph in a recent outing at Fenway Park, the velocity comes easy for the long-limbed left-hander whose arm works freely to a ¾ slot, and it is scary to think that there appears to be MORE in the tank. The changeup saw the greatest advancement over the past year and profiles impressively well against the fastball with similar arm side life and sink. Should the slider make the same advancement over the next year-plus, White’s prospect status has a chance to be historical, especially coming out of the New England region.
|
 |
Max Clark OF / Franklin, IN / 2023Take a look at Clark’s measurables (6.47-runner, 92 mph from the outfield, 103 mph exit velocity), and you know he will have a chance to be good. But to experience the full “Max Clark effect”, it has to be done in person, as he makes an impact on the game in everything that he does. An elite five tool player with a 6-foot-1, 190-pound frame that was noticeably stronger this summer with definition throughout, Clark is a difference maker on both sides of the ball. His bat is elite thanks to advanced barrel accuracy, a keen eye, and innate sense of timing. Showcasing even more power now, Clark’s intent on elevating his game to new heights is what is sure to gain favor with MLB scouts over the next couple of years, and there is undoubtedly a strong case for him to be the top prospect in the class.
|
 |
Aidan Miller 3B / JW Mitchell, FL / 2023Miller set the bar high even before entering high school with much success at the youth level, so his ability to sustain, and even more so to climb to new heights, is the most impressive of any player in this class. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound two-way threat is a weapon in all facets on the diamond. Up to 95 mph with a full arsenal, his work on the mound, alone, would warrant consideration as a top 10 prospect, but the run-producing potential at the plate might ultimately become too valuable. Sitting balanced in the legs, the hands load fluidly, with a heavy barrel driving the balls to all fields. It is easy to envision Miller hitting for power to all fields, and given the present hit-tool, it seems likely. With his present ability to deliver on the big stage, and the future potential as a middle-of-the-order bat, MLB scouts will all soon know Aidan Miller’s name if they don’t already.
|
 |
Blake Mitchell C / Sinton, TX / 2023Mitchell gets better with each look, and as a premium defender behind the plate with some of the best barrel control and upside in the class, there is clearly a path to number one. The 6-foot, 185-pound backstop possesses lean strength throughout an athletic frame, and for as easy as it comes for him to slow the game down at the plate, his ability to receive and eliminate the running game might be even more impressive from a defensive standpoint. However, the power upside at the plate that he has already flashed is what is sure to excite MLB scouting departments even more over the next couple of years. Mitchell’s claim to be the top prospect in the class comes even before mentioning the fact that some believe he holds even greater upside on the mound where a 90-94 fastball is already being unleashed from his strong right arm.
|
 |
Adam Hachman LHP / Timberland, MO / 2023Hachman’s challenge to White as the top arm in the class is much closer than the mere number differential in the rankings. The square-shouldered, 6-foot-4, 195-pounder looks the part of a future ace with potentially the highest ceiling of any prospect in the bunch thanks to a power-arm and ability to miss bats. Working 92-94 late in the summer, the ball jumps out of the southpaw’s hand with some arm side life and steeper vertical approach angle which provides for difficult look for all hitters. What separates him now, and is likely to do even more so in the next two years, is the ability to throw two future plus secondary pitches. The breaking ball tunnels the fastball with top-to-bottom break at 75-78, and he demonstrates aptitude for the pitch (and spin in general) in throwing for a strike and burying late. Even more intriguing, some believe that the change up might be his best secondary offering, but regardless, the three-pitch mix gives him a chance to be electric with a number one starter profile.
|
 |
Walker Jenkins OF / South Brunswick, NC / 2023Jenkins' meteoric rise as the breakout star of the summer cannot be understated, and only helps to amplify the fact that the state of North Carolina should be included in the Big 4 (five) states for its year in/out draft talent. A pristine 6-foot-3, 205-pounds with the speed and athleticism to stick in center field along with the strength to produce at the plate as an impact bat, Jenkins already has the look of a pro. Swinging what might be the heaviest barrel in the class, there is a present carrying tool that is sure to excite MLB scouting departments, and his intent to play at full throttle at all times is hard not to like. Should Jenkins continue producing and showcasing big power from the left side, there is a strong chance that he ultimately rises to the top spot.
|
 |
Dylan Cupp SS / Cedartown, GA / 2023Cupp jumps into the top spot in the talent-rich state of Georgia, and continues to show well as a true shortstop who can stick at the position long term. In fact, the rising junior would also challenge as the top shortstop in the 2022 prep class. Silky with the glove with crisp footwork and a strong arm, Cupp looks the part defensively, but the advancements that the bat has made over the past year is what continues to boost his stock as a prospect. The 6-foot-2, 180-pounder has some lean, natural strength on an athletic frame that is sure to hold more which should help aid in even greater power outputs in coming years though he already works effortlessly gap-to-gap with some pull side strength. Georgia’s ability to consistently produce some of the country’s top prospects, combined with the fact that he plays a marquee position, gives Cupp a potential path to the number one spot over time.
|
| |
Braden Holcomb 3B / Foundation Academy, FL / 2023A highly rare three sport standout at the high school level (football, basketball), Holcomb is simply "different". The 6-foot-4, 215-pound infielder moves nimbly at shortstop although his powerful right-handed stroke will more than warrant a shift to third base where he might have a chance to develop into a plus-defender. Similar to fellow Floridean prospect, Aidan Miller, Holcomb also boasts a strong arm with a mid 90s fastball, but the impact of the bat feels too significant to pass up as the ball explodes off the barrel with astounding force. Above all else, the frame and athleticism, and especially what they produce, are sure to excite all professional scouts. Add to that the fact that he is a multi-sport player whose time has been split between the three, and Holcomb could ultimately be climbing into the top spot thanks to his highest of ceilings.
|
 |
Walter Ford RHP / McAdory , AL / 2023With a powerful arm and 92-94 fastball that shows no signs of slowing down, Ford’s upside on the mound as the class’ top right-hander is obviously enticing as a prospect, especially coming off a summer that saw a prep right-hander (Jackson Jobe) go 3rd overall in the MLB Draft. Ford holds some similarities to Jobe as prep two-way players with the potential to do both in college, but his arm (like Jobe's) might end up being too valuable in the end. The 6-foot-3, 195-pounder doesn’t have quite the same slider as Jobe (few if any do), but with two years left in high school, and the intent to embarrass hitters with overpowering swing-and-miss stuff, there is always the chance that his present 80-83 slider makes a jump. Competitive by nature, Ford’s mound presence and quiet confidence stand out, and should only help continue to propel him in the future.
|
| |
Gavin Grahovac SS / Villa Park, CA / 2023Taking over the top spot in California’s crowded 2023 class, Grahovac looks the part with a pro-frame already. A pristine 6-foot-2, 200-pounds with defined strength throughout, he has the athleticism to move well and stick on the left side of the infield while also exhibiting the potential to be elite behind the dish. At the plate, his ability to change planes while driving the ball to all fields stands out right now along with massive future power potential. The frame is sure to have MLB scouts following closely, but his dynamic abilities, and especially the potential to hit at an elite level will provide Grahovac a chance to rise to the top spot, especially playing in talent-rich southern California.
|
+++CLICK FOR TOP 500+++
RELATED CONTENT: