TALENT TO SPARE

A bountiful high school crop buoys a strong 2023 draft class

- CARLOS COLLAZO

A significant factor in why the 2023 draft class is so favorably reviewed by scouts is the talent of the high school prospects.

With any analysis of a draft's talent level, it starts at the top. While it might not seem like it, given the amount of attention paid to the Louisiana State duo of Dylan Crews and Paul Skenes, there are a pair of No. 1 overall-caliber prep players in this class.

Both Walker Jenkins and Max Clark stack up well with top-ranked prepsters in recent years-including Druw Jones, Jackson Holliday and Termarr Johnson in 2022 or Jordan Lawlar and Marcelo Mayer in 2021and in another draft class, both outfielders would have likely received more significant buzz as potential 1-1 picks.

As it stands, the duo of Jenkins and Clark is solidly viewed among an elite top tier of five players in the 2023 draft class. Both have impact tools on both sides of the ball.

Jenkins has a fearsome lefthanded swing with the power to back it up, and he is one of the best high school prospects out of the state of North Carolina in years. He draws eye-opening player comps that include Austin Meadows and one closer to home.

"People are going in and coming out very excited," said one scout of the industry watching Jenkins this spring. "He's humongous. He looks like Josh Hamilton. The area (scouts) in North Carolina say they haven't had a guy like him since Josh. He's legit."

Jenkins attends South Brunswick High in the southeastern part of the state, the same region as recent first-rounders MacKenzie Gore and Blake Walston.

Clark, who attends Franklin Community High, about 25 miles south of Indianapolis, has arguably the most electric all-around tools in the draft.

It starts with plus hitting potential, but he has two 70 tools in his speed and arm strength. He should be a plus defensive center fielder as well.