Orioles selected Vanderbilt OF Enrique Bradfield Jr. with the 17th pick of the 2023 MLB Draft.
Bradfield Jr. is widely-considered the best defensive prospect, regardless of position, in this year’s draft. The 21-year-old covers a ton of ground in center field, thanks to excellent instincts and elite speed. His defensive abilities ensure that he’ll make it to the majors someday, and his blazing speed virtually guarantees that he’ll make a fantasy impact in the stolen base department. He piled up an absurd 130 stolen bases, and was only caught 13 times, over 191 games for Vanderbilt over the last three seasons. There isn’t a ton of over-the-fence pop or batting average upside, but he has enough raw talent to make it as a potential everyday center fielder in the future. If everything else fails, he could carve out a bench role as an elite defender and pinch-running specialist. Given how aggressive the O’s have been recently with their top prospects, there’s a chance that Bradfield could crack the big league roster at some point during the 2024 campaign.