We usually save our draft updates for Monday morning, but I decided to add an extra one this week for the elite pitcher/hitter match-up on Friday night. So here’s a recap of the mid-week games, along with a note on a 2022 draft pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
LSU and Ole Miss start a weekend series on Friday night. LSU right-handed pitcher Paul Skenes is the top pitcher in this draft class right now for most people. Ole Miss shortstop Jacob Gonzalez is one of the top eight prospects we have been following all year. I’ve seen him rated as high as third early on, and as high as fifth in the class more recently.
It appears that the game will be shown at 7:30 PM on the SEC Network. Check your local listings.
Kiley McDaniel just posted a new video of Skenes on Twitter
Saw LSU's Paul Skenes last week in a lightning-shortened 3 IP outing. Faced 12 batters, struck out 8, walked 0, gave up 2 HR.
4SM was 98-101, threw a lively two-seam w/CH action at 96, SL was a 70-grade pitch (only got it slo-mo w/hitter in the way), 50-55 CB & CH used lightly. pic.twitter.com/R2IOOpHmca
— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) April 20, 2023
Before I get into the mid-week recaps for our top players, a note on an unsigned 2022 Pirates draft pick. Yoel Tejeda started for Florida and picked up his first win. He went four innings against Florida A&M, finishing with two runs on three hits, two walks and a strikeout.
The Pirates were unable to sign 6’8″ right-hander away from his commitment to Florida. He has a 5.60 ERA in 17.2 innings over five starts and a relief appearance, doing his work in the mid-week games.
Here are the mid-week recaps, which I wasn’t going to post until I saw the big match-up this week. They aren’t pretty for the top prospects against lesser schools for the most part.
Jacob Gonzalez went 0-for-4 with a walk against Arkansas State on Tuesday. He’s hitting .338/.469/.603 in 37 games, with 15 doubles, seven homers and 30 walks.
Dylan Crews went 0-for-2 with three walks in a shocking LSU loss to Louisiana Lafayette on Tuesday. Crew will obviously be part of that Skenes/Gonzalez match-up, in case you need another reason to follow. Crews is hitting .491/.647/.828 in 36 games.
Wyatt Langford played part of that game against Florida A&M mentioned above. He left the one-sided contest after going 2-for-2 with a double and a walk. He’s hitting .389/.546/.796 in 31 games.
Jacob Wilson had an unusually rough mid-week, though his opponents for a Tuesday/Wednesday two-game set was Texas Tech. He went 0-for-7 with two walks in those games. He’s hitting .441/.493/.653 in 31 games, with five strikeouts in 138 plate appearances.
