Tonight is the first MLB draft lottery! Here are some of the potential No. 1 picks teams are vying to land

  • ESPN MLB Insider
  • Kiley McDaniel covers MLB prospects, the MLB Draft and more, including trades and free agency.
  • Has worked for four MLB teams.

The first-ever MLB draft lottery is set to take place at the winter meetings tonight, so we’ll know the top order of the 2023 MLB draft, to be held in July at the All-Star festivities in Seattle.

Tuesday night’s lottery will determine the top six picks in the draft, and the Washington Nationals, Oakland Athletics and Pittsburgh Pirates, who all lost 100 or more games, have the best odds — 16.5% — of getting the top pick.

With that in mind, it’s a perfect time to look at the draft prospects whom teams could be eyeing at the top.

This early in the draft process, there’s a challenge in trying to nail down the top of the draft — a widely held favorite who will look silly in retrospect, or a player who has an unforeseen jump in ability or an injury-marred season.

That’s why I’m looking at the field in tiers: Most conversations I’ve had pinpointed a consensus top group, then a handful of likely challengers if things break right for them this spring. (You’ll be able to watch almost all of the top college players all spring on ESPN+ since they’re concentrated in the SEC!)

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