Texas RHP commit Travis Sykora selected by Washington Nationals in 2023 MLB Draft

Some of the best high school baseball talent comes out of the state of Texas, with the Nationals taking advantage. Washington took Round Rock High School right-handed pitcher Travis Sykora with the No. 71 overall pick in the third round of the 2023 MLB Draft.

As most high schoolers are at this stage, Sykora is committed to go play for one of college baseball’s biggest programs. The Texas Longhorns will acquire Sykora’s services if he decides to push back a professional career back a few years. Head coach David Pierce did a great job being able to land the local product but now there is a decision to make.

It’s not secret as to why both Texas and the Nationals want Sykora as a pitcher. His fastball velocity is already at 100 miles per hour according to Perfect Game. In a recent scouting report video, MLB.com discussed how effective Sykora’s slider and splitter can be as well.

No matter what decision Sykora makes on his decision, a huge day for him and his family. There is nothing like hearing your name called at the MLB Draft.

More on the 2023 MLB Draft

The 2023 Major League Baseball Draft will begin during All-Star week, with the first two rounds getting underway at 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 9. Rounds 3-10 will then begin at 2 p.m. ET on Monday, July 10, with rounds 11-20 starting at 2 p.m. ET on Tuesday, July 11.

This year’s MLB Draft is a historic one, as a draft lottery was used to determine the order for the first time. The Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates and Oakland Athletics each had a 16.5% chance to receive the No. 1 overall pick. Ultimately, Pittsburgh won the right to have the first selection, with Washington finishing right behind them at No. 2. Oakland, however, fell all the way down to No. 6 overall.

While the MLB Draft is always unpredictable, the consensus is that this year’s top prospects both hail from LSU, who won the 2023 College World Series. Pitcher Paul Skenes and outfielder Dylan Crews headline this year’s class, which is considered a deep one.

Within the first ten rounds of the draft, each slot is assigned a certain value. Each team has a bonus pool that they are able to spend on these picks, and players will sign at, above or below their assigned slot value.

In rounds 11-20, there is no assigned slot value and MLB teams are free to spend up to $150,000 to sign their picks from the second half of the draft. If they exceed the $150,000 mark, that added amount will be deducted from their bonus pool.

Following the final day of the 2023 MLB Draft, selected players will have until August 1 to sign a contract.