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Though the Florida Gators were one game short of bringing home the College Baseball World Series trophy, they had an amazing season. With a record of 54-17, their spring was full of electric and magical baseball moments. One player that was responsible for these Florida moments was Wyatt Langford. Langford was nothing short of phenomenal, with a triple slash of .373/.498/.784, along with 21 HR and 57 RBI in his junior season.
Behind Paul Skenes and Dylan Crews, Wyatt Langford ranks as the #3 overall 2023 MLB Draft Prospect on MLB Pipeline. Langford is 21 years old, stands at 6’1”, and weighs 225 pounds. He bats righty, throws righty, and is a primary left fielder.
His Scouting Grades on MLB.com (scale from 20-80)
Hit: 60 | Power: 65 | Run: 55 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 60
From these grades, it’s easy to see that Langford is a solid all-around ballplayer who has five-tool potential. The strongest part of Langford’s game is definitely his power. In a league where home runs are highly valued, although we’ve seen a diversification of skill sets in 2023 MLB, Langford is an attractive prospect due to his 65-grade pop. He has a smooth, but violent and powerful swing that makes the ball fly off the bat. In the College World Series, Langford set the record for the two longest Home Runs ever hit in Omaha (456 ft and 449 ft).
There are absolutely no doubts surrounding Langford’s hitting and offensive production—he also has great plate discipline, striking out very little throughout the season—but the weakness to his game is on defense. His arm strength and fielding grades are his lowest, both at 50. Langford was kept in left field throughout the 2023 season and had no opportunity to play center field.
Scouts believe that Langford has the talent and athleticism to become a great center fielder, but many have concerns about his intangible defensive skills and project him to be a corner outfielder. It’s worth noting that Langford has just recently transitioned to the outfield, as he was recruited to the University of Florida to play catcher, first base, and third base. This offers some room for growth as he ascends the minor leagues.
MiLB Prospect Comparison: Andy Pages, OKC Dodgers (AAA)
Hit: 45 | Power: 60 | Run: 40 | Arm: 70 | Field: 50 | Overall: 55
Andy Pages and Wyatt Langford share very similar scout grades from MLB Pipeline. They both share elite raw power and need great improvement as fielders. Both are also 6’1”, while hitting and throwing with their right hands.
The main differences between the two is that Langford is a significantly better contact hitter and runner, while Pages has a much better arm in the field. In Tulsa, Pages was hitting .284/.430/.495, with three home runs, and 25 RBI. Pages seems to be growing into his power, walking much more and hitting for less power than his profile would suggest, but that big gap of .146 between his AVG and OBP is similar to Langford’s .125 he posted this past season in Gainesville.
If both can succeed in developing big league power and finding a positional home, they’ll have success in the outfield at the highest stage.
MLB Comparison: RF Adolis García, TEX
2022 Season: 0.250 AVG, 0.300 OBP, 0.456 SLG, 27 HRs, 101 RBIs, 3.8 fWAR
One thing García and Langford have in common is elite power and knowing how to destroy baseballs. Both have incredibly powerful righty swings that make the defenses panic when they step in the batter’s box.
To add on, they both share great discipline at the plate. García was in the 91st percentile in Chase Rate and 92nd percentile in Whiff Rate across the league in 2022 according to Baseball Savant. In 303 plate appearances, Langford only struck out only 44 times out of 236 AB, while walking 56 times.
Playing a big part in a torrid Texas Rangers offense to start 2023, it seems that Garcia has started to swing away more, and it’s led to tremendous results. His Chase and Whiff Rates have fallen to be below average, but on the whole, he is barreling more balls than he ever has, and is actually walking more. This could be the hitter we see Wyatt Langford being in five to seven years.
As of now, though, it does not seem like Langford has the defensive potential to become a Gold Glove winner, but is likely to be a solid corner outfielder like García. García’s total fielding stats split between center and right field were one OAA, one Run Prevented, and an 88% success rate. Very solid fielding, but nothing exceptional.
MLB Ceiling: RF Kyle Tucker, HOU
2022 Season: 0.257 AVG, 0.330 OBP, 0.478 SLG, 30 HRs, 107 RBIs, 4.8 fWAR
Langford and Tucker share great power and elite hitting at the plate. Simply put, they both know how to get in the box and just make things happen on offense.
The main differences between the two are frame and fielding. Tucker is much taller, standing three inches taller than Langford, while also 26 pounds lighter. Also, Tucker is a Gold Glove winner. Tucker can play baseball at an elite level on offense and defense, which makes him such a special player. Scouts know that Langford has that offensive potential, but that defense is what is holding him back.
If Langford develops fully as a fielder (which is A LOT to ask for) and continues to show his elite power at the plate, I believe that he can play like a Gold Glover and All Star, just like Kyle Tucker. Tucker is one of the best corner outfielders in the big leagues today and projects to be dominant for the years to come.
Wyatt has a long way to reach this level of play, but considering his athleticism and other tools, he definitely has the potential to become an elite outfielder that is similar to Tucker.
Langford is the perfect pick for a ball club who wants a guy that they can count on for lots of home runs and extra base hits to run up the scoreboard. Langford is a very safe pick for any organization in the 2023 MLB Draft.
On July 9th, expect the Detroit Tigers (#3 overall pick) or the Texas Rangers (#4 overall pick) to select him. The exciting Gator has an opportunity to wreak havoc in the big leagues with his exceptional power potential and well-rounded hitting. Though the fielding is not there yet, it is something that can definitely be developed throughout the minor leagues, and Langford has the athleticism to become a more polished fielder.
Categories: 2023 Prospects, Articles, MLB Draft
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