Where do the latest mock drafts have Ole Miss players landing a week out from the MLB Draft?
The 2023 MLB First Year Player Draft starts a week from Sunday and the final rounds of mock drafts of the early rounds starting to be released and still include Ole Miss shortstop Jacob Gonzalez.
At the onset of the 2023 college baseball season Gonzalez’s draft stock was high, placing him as a top five overall prospect. Though as Ole Miss saw its national title defense flounder so did Gonzalez’s draft stock.
The projections did not plummet for Gonzalez as he is still considered a top 15 pick according to the latest mock drafts from MLB.com and ESPN released this week.
In the most recent mock draft provided by MLB.com’s Jim Callis, he has Gonzalez being taken by the Chicago White Sox as the 15th overall pick. If that were to stick then Gonzalez would join former Ole Miss teammate Tim Elko in the White Sox organization.
As for ESPN’s mock draft 2.0 done by Kiley McDaniel, Gonzalez is projected to go to the Miami Marlins as the 10th overall pick. Though McDaniel noted that Gonzalez “could well go fifth or sixth, so this is near the bottom of his range.”
When it comes to the prospect rankings for this year’s draft done by MLB.com Gonzalez has slipped some since last checking in May. Currently Gonzalez is ranked the 18th best overall prospect, dropping 10 spots from where he was a month ago.
That places Gonzalez as the sixth best available shortstop among draft prospects, including high school players.
Gonzalez is currently the only Ole Miss player projected to go in the first round but others will get their name called.
One player who has improved their draft stock over the last month is former Ole Miss outfielder Kemp Alderman.
After having a career year in his third season with Ole Miss Alderman only helped himself with a much-improved season at the plate. This year’s performance earned him the Ferriss Trophy, naming him the top college baseball player in Mississippi.
Earlier this month Alderman caught the attention of everyone in attendance at the MLB Draft combine in Phoenix.
With his showing at the combine Alderman boosted his prospect ranking by nine spot, jumping up to the 55th best available prospect.
Behind Alderman is the final Ole Miss player to make the Top 200 rankings in Calvin Harris. The former Rebels catcher also saw his ranking improve after performing at the combine, moving up 12 spots to No. 133.
A trio of high school prospects that Ole Miss head coach Mike Bianco will be keeping a close eye on next weekend include shortstop Cooper Pratt, pitchers Zander Mueth and Josh Knoth and Oxford prospect Campbell Smithwick.
Pratt has dropped a couple slots to No. 45 in the rankings while Mueth dropped 27 spots to No. 86. Knoth moved up 22 spots to No. 98 and Smithwick is ranked at No. 155.
Other Ole Miss names to keep an eye on are pitcher Jack Dougherty as well as TJ McCants. The latter entered the transfer portal but should get a phone during next weekend’s draft, giving McCants a decision to make. Second baseman Peyton Chatagnier also entered the portal and is a potential name to get selected in the draft.
This year’s MLB Draft is once again 20 rounds and taking place July 9-11 in Seattle at the site of this year’s MLB All-Star game.
