In the 2023 MLB Draft, LSU’s Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews made history as the first teammates to be selected as the top two picks. The Pittsburgh Pirates chose Skenes, a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher, as the first overall pick, while the Washington Nationals selected Crews, an outfielder, with the second overall pick.
Skenes had an outstanding season, going 12-3 with 209 strikeouts in 122 2/3 innings, leading LSU to the College World Series championship. He becomes the first college pitcher to be selected as the top pick since Casey Mize in 2018. Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. announced the pick on behalf of the Pirates.
Crews, a dynamic outfielder, hit .426 with 18 home runs for LSU. He had a 26-game hitting streak and reached base in his final 75 college games. Crews expressed excitement about joining the Nationals and hopes to make a significant impact, drawing inspiration from former Nationals player Bryce Harper.
Overall, four LSU players were selected on the first day of the draft, including right-handed pitchers Ty Floyd and Grant Taylor. College players dominated the first round, with 17 of the 28 selections coming from the collegiate ranks.
Other notable selections in the first round include high school outfielder Max Clark chosen by the Detroit Tigers at No. 3, Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford going to the Texas Rangers at No. 4, and high school outfielder Walker Jenkins picked by the Minnesota Twins at No. 5.
The draft also featured a moment of controversy when Commissioner Rob Manfred faced boos from the crowd in Seattle after mentioning the rival Houston Astros during the selection of Bryce Matthews at No. 28. The Astros franchise continues to receive negative feedback from rival fanbases stemming from the cheating scandal during Houston’s run to the 2017 World Series title.
The Seattle Mariners had three picks in the first 39 selections due to an extra promotion incentive pick awarded under the new collective bargaining agreement. They selected high school outfielder Jonny Farmelo, and high school shortstops Colt Emerson and Tai Peete.
The New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers had their first-round picks dropped by 10 spots as a penalty for exceeding the luxury tax threshold. The Mets selected high school shortstop Colin Houck, while the Dodgers picked high school outfielder Kendall George.