2023 MLB Draft Combine: Day 1 Scouting Notebook
While the MLB Draft Combine is not quite the spectacle we’ve come to expect from its NFL counterpart, it nonetheless represents an important opportunity for players at both the high school and collegiate levels to showcase their talent in front of a host of scouts and front office executives.
This year’s Combine kicked off at Chase Field, home of the youthful and surging Arizona Diamondbacks, giving us an up-close glimpse at Major League Baseball’s next crop of superstars.
After taking in several rounds of batting practice, bullpens, and an evening scrimmage - here are some tidbits directly from my very own scouting notebook:
Prep righty Cole Miller (Newbury Park, CA) was a standout on the mound, sitting 90-92 with his fastball and topping out at 94 with arm side run. He’s every bit the imposing presence as his listed 6’6”, 225 lb. frame would suggest and flashed two solid secondary offerings - including a hard breaking ball he gets around well on at 81-83 with sharp, late downward bite. He lacked a feel for his changeup but with Miller’s size and athletic ability, it’s easy to dream on his potential as a rotation workhorse. Now, the only question becomes whether Miller can be signed away from his commitment to in-state UCLA on draft day.
My favorite round of batting practice on Day 1 came from prep outfielder and current LSU commit, Ashton Larson (Overland Park, KS). The lefty-swinging Larson used his sturdy, 6’1”, 193 lb. frame to bully several baseballs to his pull side, including one that made a splash landing in the Chase Field pool - drawing ooh’s and ah’s from the fans in attendance. A violent rotator in his upper half with quick hands, Larson makes consistent, loud contact that could lend itself to plus game power in the future. Should he go unsigned, he will undoubtably be a welcome sight to offset the loss of potential top pick Dylan Crews in Baton Rouge next season.
While he didn’t pop a triple-digit number like many expected, Minnesota righty George Klassen still brought the heat - topping out at 97 in his brief session on the mound. The former Golden Gopher showcased a whippy arm and excellent sweep on a slider that sat around 88, in addition to a fringy curveball at 82-84. The command issues are still front and center, but the fastball shape and velo plus firm secondaries should help set his floor as a potential high-leverage bullpen arm.
An integral part of a resurgent Washington Huskies squad this season, outfielder Will Simpson displayed impressive power to all fields and outstanding barrel control during his BP session. A former 18th-round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Simpson’s frame and swing remind me a whole lot of Mitch Haniger.
The Duce was loose on Tuesday night at Chase Field. By that, I’m referring to none other than dual-sport superstar Duce Robinson (Phoenix, AZ). A five-star football recruit, Robinson has already made headlines for saying that he intends to play both college football at USC and professional baseball next season. While there’s still work to be done with the swing, seeing a kid with that frame (6’6”, 225 lbs.) and juice in the bat immediately brings to mind, albeit unfairly, visions of reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge.
That does it for day one coverage of the 2023 MLB Draft Combine. Be sure to stay tuned for more news and notes throughout the week here at Diamond Daily.
