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Harris Yudin's 2023 MLB Mock Draft
DEEP(ER) DRIVES: ACC THIRD BASEMEN
LIVE LOOKS: CAMPBELL AT NORTH CAROLINA, 5/2
When Campbell came to Chapel Hill for a mid-week showdown early in May, a handful of draft-eligible players made their mark. For the Camels, it was an offensive display from their shortstop and a strong relief appearance, while a pair of Carolina infielders made an impact on the defensive end.
3B Mac Horvath, North Carolina
It was an evening to forget at the plate for Horvath, but he was busy in the field– back at third base after a stretch of games in right field.
Horvath has excellent instincts and a quick first step at the hot corner, reading the ball well off the bat. He gets low on every pitch, staying balanced and swallowing up ground balls with soft, steady hands. He has a smooth transfer and gets the ball out quickly-- he nearly started a triple play in the seventh inning. With plus arm strength and what is typically very good accuracy, Horvath has the ability to throw on the run and from all different angles.
He made a mental error in the ninth inning – hesitating charging in on a bunt pop-up and double-clutching before throwing – but made up for it with a snag and a rocket home to prevent a run.
Horvath isn’t the fluid runner that teammate Vance Honeycutt is, but he has fantastic instincts on the bases – – and has been among the ACC’s stolen base leaders all season.
With a potent bat, strong baserunning prowess, and the ability to successfully handle multiple corner positions, Horvath has a chance at hearing his name called on Day 1.
2B Jackson Van De Brake, North Carolina
Van De Brake has arguably been Carolina’s most consistent hitter this season, but it was his glove that stood out against Campbell. He provided a pair of highlight-reel catches, including a full-extension grab ranging back into right field.
Van De Brake offers sound defensive actions with decisive instincts and solid range, although he can be a little stiff going up the middle. He’s shown some leaping ability and tracks the ball well in the air. His arm strength is solid-but-unspectacular, and while he is capable of handling either spot on the left side, second base is his most likely full-time home. Despite being homerless since April 2, Van De Brake is a bat-first prospect who should be drafted on Day 2 come July. The strong showing in the field against Campbell is a bonus.
SS Bryce Arnold, Campbell
Arnold was an exit velo machine against Carolina, with a hard-hit lineout to third base in the first inning before later collecting two extra-base hits– including his then-Big South-leading 15th home run.
Arnold has a smaller frame and average build, with solid strength and athleticism. His compact swing comes with a fairly big load and a small leg kick, and it lends itself to lots of fly balls.
The junior infielder boasts solid plate discipline and contact skills, and his power has shown up this year – specifically to the pull side – after he managed just 11 homers over his first two seasons. He has become a more patient hitter, providing himself with the opportunity to do more damage on pitches in the zone. Arnold took over as Campbell’s shortstop this year, and he’s shown solid range, good hands, and an ability to throw on the run. Still, his size and lack of elite speed may push him back over to second base, where he primarily played in his injury-shortened sophomore season.
RHP Ty Cummings, Campbell
Cummings was dominant against Carolina in relief, allowing just one ball to leave in infield over 2.2 hitless innings. He has a fairly large, projectable frame, with a lean build and very long levers. He boasts electric arm speed out of a near-sidearm slot, repeating his delivery well.
Cummings offers a two-pitch mix, including a mid-90s fastball with good run and sink, and a slider that sits in the mid-80s and darts away from righties at its best. His command could use some work – he has a tendency to yank his fastball glove-side trying to land it backdoor to righties, and his slider backs up pretty often – but his control of the strike zone has improved throughout his time at Campbell, and he yields ground balls at nearly a 60 percent clip. Cummings is likely a full-time reliever at the next level given his limited repertoire and fringy command, and should be a Day 2 pick.
LIVE LOOKS: BOSTON COLLEGE AT NORTH CAROLINA, 4/21
Boston College came to Chapel Hill and edged out the Tar Heels in an extra-innings slugfest. This series featured a handful of intriguing draft prospects — including Boston College’s Travis Honeyman — all of whom were on display in Friday’s opener.
OF Vance Honeycutt, North Carolina (No. 1 on 2024 Top 100, 166 BaGS+)
Honeycutt left six runners on base Friday night against Boston College, but he had several hard-hit outs, and his only hit was a big one– he sent a Henry Leake fastball onto the roof in left field to give the Heels an early lead. It was his first homer since April 2, and his slugging percentage is down nearly 200 points from last season, but he is reaching base at a higher clip– he’s been walked more than any other player in the ACC.
Honeycutt has the size, athleticism, and five-tool skillset to become a superstar. There is some pre-swing movement, but he quiets everything down as his hands fly through the zone with excellent bat speed and barrel control. He is incredibly patient at the plate, and although he has swung through his share of fastballs this season, he has good pitch recognition and makes more than enough contact. His swing is geared for extra bases, and he has the strength and raw power to rack up homers to all fields.
Honeycutt hasn’t run as much this season, but he still possesses double-plus speed that makes him an asset on the bases and in center field. He’s an excellent defender who seemingly cannot find an inch of Bryson Park he can’t cover. Though far from a sure thing, Honeycutt remains firmly in the 1.1 conversation for next summer.
OF Mac Horvath, North Carolina (No. 24 on Top 400, 185 BaGS+)
Horvath is quietly on another tear for the Tar Heels, with 12 hits in a seven-game span through Friday’s contest against Boston College.
He has a maxed-out medium frame, with a strong build and an efficient, compact swing that lend themselves to quality contact to all parts of the field. With a simple approach – he employs a small leg kick and keeps his hands very quiet – he is able to recognize pitches and draw plenty of walks.
Horvath has turned his raw power into plenty of homers and extra-base hits, and he has managed a conference-high seventeen stolen bases despite just solid-average speed as a result of excellent instincts. Originally a third baseman, he has shown some promise in right field, with good range and a strong arm. However, his throwing accuracy from the outfield needs work– he sailed a ball way up the first base line following a single in the third inning.
Regardless of where a team envisions him playing defensively, Horvath is likely a third-rounder, with a chance to sneak into the back end of Day 1.
2B Jackson Van De Brake, North Carolina (No. 253 on Top 400, 159 BaGS+)
Van De Brake came through time and again for the Heels in Friday’s loss to Boston College, driving in runs on three separate occasions. He only has one homer since March 10, but his fifth three-hit game of the season helped keep his OPS well above 1.000.
The JUCO transfer has a medium frame with a lean build, wiry strength, and fluid athleticism. He maintains a balanced approach throughout his swing, with quick hands and excellent barrel control.
Van De Brake is a high-contact gap hitter who uses the entire field, but there is definitely the potential for above-average over-the-fence power. He doesn’t run much, but he does possess good speed that allows him to take extra bases and cover ground in the infield. He’s sure-handed with solid-average arm strength and should be able to handle multiple positions.
With a very strong first season in Division 1, Van De Brake has put himself firmly in the Day 2 category as a likely utility infielder.
OF Travis Honeyman, Boston College (No. 24 on Top 400, 140 BaGS+)
Honeyman showcased a bit of everything in the series opener against Carolina, making an impact on both sides of the ball– he reached base four times for just the second time this season.
Honeyman has a fairly large frame and a lean build, with plenty of room for added strength. He isn’t the most physical player, but he has tremendous athleticism. He starts off crouched in an open stance with a wide base, utilizing a big leg kick before exploding toward the pitcher with quick hands and a smooth, uppercut swing.
The six-foot-two junior may not have a carrying tool, but he doesn’t have any major holes in his game, either. He’s production-over-tools, with impressive numbers both at BC and in each of his two summer league seasons. A fairly aggressive hitter, he doesn’t walk a ton but also limits strikeouts really well with quality pitch recognition and above-average contact skills. The power is more raw than in-game at the moment, but that should change as he bulks up in pro ball.
With above-average speed and excellent instincts, he is a consistent threat on the basepaths, and while he may not be an elite defender, he is capable of covering lots of ground – he made a full-extension diving catch in foul territory on a fly ball off the bat of Mac Horvath. He has played all three outfield positions since arriving at Boston College, but is likely a corner outfielder at the next level– he was in right on Friday but wasn’t presented with an opportunity to show off his arm strength.
Honeyman has done more than enough over the last two years to solidify himself as a Day 1 selection, and there’s a real chance he hears his name called in the first round.
1B Joe Vetrano, Boston College (No. 134 on Top 400, 143 BaGS+)
Vetrano’s only time on base on Friday against the Tar Heels was an intentional walk in the 10th inning. Despite the fact that he went 0-for-5 on the night, that one moment illustrated how dangerous he can be with the bat at any given moment.
Vetrano is a physical player with a maxed-out, extra-large frame and a strong build. He starts in a wide stance, stepping towards the pitcher before unloading his aggressive, uppercut swing that is geared for power and leads to plenty of swing-and-miss. The former two-way player is a very streaky hitter whose home runs come in bunches, and while he has improved upon his plate discipline since last season, he still chases out of the zone far too often. When he makes contact, it’s loud– he has effortless power to all parts of the park.
Vetrano is a decent athlete for his size, and he moves well around the first base bag, with good enough hands to stave off becoming a full-time DH. There is enough to like to make Vetrano a late Day 2 pick, but he doesn’t make enough contact to maximize his offensive upside.
LIVE LOOKS: MIAMI AT NORTH CAROLINA, 4/14
Miami is one of the more talented teams in the ACC this season, with a handful of players who could be drafted within the first 10 rounds in July. With Alejandro Rosario on the bump, four of those players were on display Friday night against North Carolina.
RHP Alejandro Rosario, Miami (No. 188 on Top 400, 112 BaGS+)
North Carolina got to Rosario the second time through the order, bumping up his pitch count and knocking the junior right-hander out of the game in the fifth.
Rosario has a medium frame with a slight build and good athleticism. His delivery is simple and repeatable, and he has excellent arm speed throwing out of a low-three-quarters slot, although he doesn’t offer much deception.
His two-seam fastball sits 95-97 and topped out at 98 on Friday, but it doesn’t generate nearly enough whiffs– all four of his strikeouts against North Carolina were looking. His slider and changeup each sit in the mid-80s and show flashes of plus potential. The slider has sharp, two-plane bite at best, but its shape is inconsistent, while the changeup has good fading action but too often starts off out of the zone against lefties.
Fringy command of all three pitches and below-average control of the strike zone – he leads the ACC in walks and is second in hit batsmen – has kept Rosario from reaching his potential at Miami. Still, some teams will be enticed by his raw stuff late on Day 2.
3B Yohandy Morales, Miami (No. 31 on Top 400, 152 DiGS+)
Morales put the ball in play five times in Friday’s game but only came away with one hit. He caught the ball off the end of the bat twice on fairly hittable pitches. Normally a bat-first player, he was actually more impressive with the glove against Carolina.
At six-foot-four and 225 pounds, Morales has an extra-large frame with a strong build. He comes with lots of strength in his upper and lower body and surprising athleticism. He has a long swing with some moving parts, but he makes up for it with his exceptional hand speed.
After a breakout 2022 season in the power department, Morales has taken a step back as a junior. He has legitimate double-plus raw power and the ball explodes off his bat when he finds the barrel, but he doesn’t consistently do so. He doesn’t strike out at a concerning clip, but he also doesn’t draw many walks, and while he doesn’t chase too many pitches, his pitch recognition could definitely use some work. Still, he has been a highly productive run producer for the Hurricanes over the last two seasons.
Morales looked fairly spry at third base, showcasing the ability to make several different kinds of plays– barehanded, throwing on the run, ranging into the hole. His lack of speed may push across the diamond down the road, but his plus arm strength should keep him at the hot corner for the time being. Once considered a first-round lock, Morales is looking more like a comp round pick these days, but his offensive upside remains incredibly appealing.
1B CJ Kayfus, Miami (No. 108 on Top 400, 153 DiGS+)
Kayfus reached base four times in Friday’s contest against North Carolina, walking twice and putting the ball in play in his other four trips to his plate.
Kayfus has a medium frame with a slight build– although he’s added significant weight since arriving in Coral Gables. He has an open stance, with a small leg lift and a simple, left-handed stroke.
He doesn’t have much power for a first baseman, but he boasts strong plate discipline and excellent bat-to-ball skills. He has been a bit more of a free swinger in 2023, striking out at a slightly higher clip and currently on pace for double-digit homers, but he will always be hit-over-power. The junior has been cemented as Miami’s leadoff hitter since early March, with above-average speed and good instincts on the basepaths.
Kayfus spent a little bit of time in the outfield early in his college career but has only played first base this season. He is a capable defender there, but playing a non-premium position puts extra pressure on his bat. He’s a Day 2 guy as it is, but an uptick in power would make him a more complete prospect.
OF Zach Levenson, Miami (No. 179 on Top 400, 145 DiGS+)
Levenson made plenty of noise with the bat against the Tar Heels, including a pair of hits that gave him his 13th multi-hit game of the season.
Levenson has a strong build with modest athleticism. He has an incredibly simple approach at the plate, with a small load and an even smaller toe tap, using his compact-yet-explosive uppercut swing to barrel up the baseball and hit it in the air.
Over his two years at Miami, the JuCo transfer has displayed solid plate discipline to go along with quality contact skills and solid-average power to all fields. He extends plate appearances and waits for a pitch he can drive. He doesn’t run particularly well, but he isn’t a liability on the bases.
Although not a difference-maker with the glove, Levenson looks the part of a solid corner outfielder with average arm strength. He’s spent time in both left and right and could handle either spot at the next level. Regardless, he is a bat-first prospect who should come off the board on Day 2.
