Wyatt Langford‘s draft profile is impressive. He has burst on the MLB draft scene in the last year. The 21-year-old Gainesville Florida native had an eye-catching season with the Florida Gators as a sophomore in 2022. A .356 average and 91 hits in 66 games earned him All-American status. Langfords 26 home runs on the year tied a Gator record. He got the call to Team USA and further strengthened his presence on the draft scene. The left fielder has followed up with a .390/.514/.795 line so far in 2023.
Wyatt Langford Draft Profile
Scouting Grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 65 | Run: 55 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 60
Strengths
Langford is a very versatile player, which makes him stand out in this year’s draft class. The 6’1″ talent plays left field for Florida but played a mix of third base and catcher in high school. As an outsider looking in, it looks as though he is very coachable and willing to play whatever position the team needs. Being a utility player is a massive strength and should help his draft stock.
He is a potential five-tool athlete, which is not used to describe many ballplayers. This automatically makes Langford’s draft profile stick out. Five-tool includes five categories. Hit, power, defense, arm, and speed. He has advanced mechanics at the plate, an above-average speed on the bases, and raw power. What takes time to develop for many, Langford already has strengths in every category.
Weaknesses
It is difficult to find a weakness for Langford because he can seemingly do everything. Hitting, power, fielding, strength, he has it all. His weakness comes with injury, and the risk of injury. He missed weeks this year due to a testicular injury, requiring surgery. He rebounded greatly from this injury, which is promising for his future.
His arm ranked at 50 is not an astounding number. If Langford is going to be an outfielder in the big leagues, he needs to catch up on arm strength. It should not be difficult for him, however, because he is described as a muscular athlete. He is at a disadvantage because he is only in year two of playing left field. Lots of MLB players switch positions in college though, so it is not an immediate concern.
MLB Player Comparison
It is difficult to accurately compare a player like Langford because of his ability to play catcher, infield, and outfield. Simply, it is very unique to have played very different positions at high levels. However, Marcus Semien is a player that can be compared to Langford. Semien is a utility player that is always valuable to the team is on.
Langford has been very consistent since his breakout in 2022. His impressive slash line so far this year proves that. Semien is consistently above league average in slash line categories and has become known as an all-around player.
Langford will be sought after especially for his raw power. Although home runs are not the biggest part of Semien’s game, he averages 25 a season. Langford already has the ability to hit the ball far, and that talent will be further groomed through development.
Furthermore, discipline at the plate is a specialty of his. As well, he has a natural swing that will only improve with high-level coaching. Semien has also been praised for these attributes too.
Langford could model his game after Semien once he gets drafted. As shown by Semien’s recent contract, if Langford is successful in MLB, he could become a big name.
2023 MLB Draft
As of June 2023, Langford is expected to go third overall in the 2023 MLB Draft. The Detroit Tigers have the third pick. However, as a five-tool utility player with raw power, he could easily go number one. Langford’s draft profile is exciting for all teams drafting early on this year. The world will see where the talented Wyatt Langford ends up July 9-11th in Seattle.
Photo Credit- Cyndi Chambers-USA TODAY Network
Players Mentioned- Wyatt Langford, Marcus Semien
