2023 MLB Amateur Draft Preview: Three Prospects that Fit the Phillies’ Plans
Photo of FAU slugger Nolan Schanuel via the Baseball Prospect Journal
Just one day ago, we saw baseball’s top prospects face off in the MLB Futures Game, where the next generation of MLB stars showed off their powerful swings, elite base running, and electric fastballs. Today, however, a different type of young talent will be on display. The annual MLB amateur draft will start at 7 PM tonight, where the best high school and college-aged players will be selected by teams, making once-distant dreams turn into realities for over 600 baseball players.
The Phillies have the 27th overall pick in the draft, but they will not make their second selection until pick 98, as their second-round selection was forfeited when they inked Trea Turner—a then-qualified free agent—to an 11-year contract. For the remaining rounds, they will pick second-to-last, right before the World-Champion Astros.
The Phillies’ pool has $5,185,500 total, and $2,968,800 of that is assigned to the Phils’ first pick.
If you are unfamiliar with the structure and terms of the MLB Draft, see Philly Sports Reports‘ 2022 MLB Draft Guide to learn about competitive balance rounds, bonus pools, and compensation picks.
Other Draft Notes:
- The Mets and Dodgers do not have first-round picks because both teams went over the luxury tax by more than $40 million.
- The Mariners, who have the 22nd overall pick, will make another selection directly after the 28 first-round selections; they earned a Prospect Promotion Incentive Pick because a previously-ranked Top 100 prospect (Julio Rodriguez) made the Opening Day roster and went on to win Rookie of the Year.
- The Cubs, Giants, and Braves will receive Compensation Picks after Competitive Balance Round B.
- Despite having no first-round picks, the Mets have three compensation picks—one for Brandon Sproat, one for Jacob deGrom, and one for Chris Bassitt.
Click here for a list of all the picks and the reasons behind them.
1. Charlee Soto
In recent years, the Phillies have a track record for selecting hard-throwing, right-handed pitchers out of high school in the first round. Soto, 17, is a very enticing option that falls right into that category.
Soto, who was born in Philadelphia, features a fastball that sits at 98 miles per hour, and he has a wipeout slider with above average break. He also has a plus changeup that generates consistent swings and misses. In an interview with The Athletic, Soto compared himself to Hunter Greene of the Cincinnati Reds; both are hard-throwing, right-handed pitchers with a slider and changeup as their secondary pitches.
If the Phillies were to select Soto, he would not make an immediate impact at the big-league level. Having just three pitches, he would likely have to develop a fourth pitch to compete in the minor leagues. And being just seventeen years old, there is no reason for the Phillies to rush Soto through their farm system, especially since their rotation is elite as is. Regardless, you can never have too many pitchers in your organization, and Charlee Soto would be an excellent choice if the Phillies choose to take that route.
2. Nolan Schanuel
Nolan Schanuel, who would be going into his senior year at Florida Atlantic University, racked up about as many accolades as a college baseball player can in his junior year. Schanuel, a first baseman and outfielder, was named to two all-American first teams, the Conference USA Baseball Player of the Year, a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, and a semifinalist for the Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award.
Schanuel has everything a team is looking for. He has position versatility, puts the ball in play, gets on base, and has excellent discipline at the plate. In fact, Schanuel had more walks (71) and home runs (19) than strikeouts (14) in his 2023 collegiate season.
In his three years at Florida Atlantic, Schanuel had a .386/.516/.698 slash line in 172 games, but his break-out junior year is what put him on many scouts’ radars. In 289 plate appearances this past spring, Schanuel boasted a .447 average and 1.483 OPS.
Some critics point out that Florida Atlantic had an easy schedule, but Schanuel stepped up for FAU in games against college baseball’s top teams. On March 6, he blasted three home runs against the sixth-seed Florida Gators. In five total games against twenty-two-seed Miami and six-seed Florida, Schanuel was 12-21 with seven home runs.
Schanuel is ranked twenty-sixth on MLB Pipeline’s draft prospect list.
With Rhys Hoskins hitting the open market after this season and Darick Hall struggling to hit left-handed pitching, it’s likely the Phillies will be looking for a first baseman in the offseason. With Schanuel theoretically in the farm system, the Phillies could sign a veteran first baseman to a two-to-three-year contract to fill that hole before Schanuel is big-league ready.
3. Chase Davis
Arizona’s Chase Davis is a name many Phillies fans are hoping drops to 27, and the reason why he is an appealing player is clear—he mashes. The lefty is one of the most powerful college bats in the draft, and he can play left and center field. In the past, Davis has had swing-and-miss issues, but his strikeout percentage in 2023 was 8.4% lower than it was in his 2022 sophomore season.
If Davis can continue to develop and improve his bat-to-ball skills, then there’s no reason why he could not become a well-above-average hitter in the major leagues. Right now, Davis is ranked twenty-second on MLB Pipeline’s draft prospects list.
In his 2023 collegiate season, Davis hit .362 and slugged 21 home runs. In three total seasons with Arizona (two as a starter), he had 39 home runs and 132 RBI in 147 games.
Honorable Mentions
- Blake Mitchell, a high-school catcher, is projected to go in the middle of the fourth round, so it is unlikely the Phillies have a chance to grab him at pick 27. However, if he were to drop, it is a no-brainer—Mitchell is an above-average hitter who can spray the ball all over the field. He has a powerful swing and is known for launching some long, long home runs, but of course, that comes with some swings and misses.
- Yohandy Morales, a third baseman from the University of Miami, hit .408 in 61 collegiate games in 2023. The strong 21-year-old blasted 20 home runs and is an elite defender at third base with an above-average arm.
- Kevin McGonigle, who grew up just outside of Philadelphia, is one of the best overall high-school hitters in the 2023 draft class. His power is spotty, but he has elite bat-to-ball skills and hits the ball to all fields. Pennsylvania’s Gatorade Player of the Year hit .474 this past season.
The first two rounds of the draft will be televised on MLB Network starting at 7pm ET on July 9.
