Potential MLBers to watch in Florida-LSU Men's College World Series Finals

Florida and LSU meet on college baseball's biggest stage for a best-of-three series beginning Saturday night, and several of the players featured this weekend will have a chance to play on a bigger stage in MLB. 

Nine of the top 200 prospects in the 2023 MLB Draft — including the top three — play for the Tigers or Gators, but we shouldn't expect to see perhaps the biggest star in the series. 

LSU pitcher Paul Skenes has a chance of being drafted first overall and helped his case with four brilliant pitching performances during the postseason — the Baton Rouge Regional, Super Regional and two starts in Omaha.

In 33.1 innings pitched, Skenes had a 1.09 ERA, allowing 18 hits, three walks and striking out 42 batters while averaging 117 pitches per outing. 

He started LSU's game on Thursday against Wake Forest, taking him out of the rotation for the Men's College World Series Finals. Another 2023 MLB Draft prospect on the Tigers, Grant Taylor, missed the season with an UCL injury.

Plenty of other potential future MLBers will be on the diamond, with the following being the seven prospects expected to play this weekend and then be selected during the 2023 MLB Draft scheduled for Jul. 9-11.

Florida

Wyatt Langford, OF: Arguably Florida's best player, Langford leads the Gators with a .363 batting average. He's the third-ranked player in the draft, according to MLB.com, and has 19 home runs and 49 runs batted in. Langford's been a bit quieter during the tournament with a .189 batting average (7-for-37) through 10 games and will need to revert to his regular-season form for Florida to win the national title.

Josh Rivera, SS: Rivera is second on the team with a .361 batting average and leads the team with 16 stolen bases. Among batters with at least 200 plate appearances for the Gators this season, Rivera's 28 strikeouts were the fewest.

Brandon Sproat, RHP: Sproat gets the nod in Game 1 of the best-of-three series and last started on June 16 against Virginia. He went 6.1 innings and allowed three earned runs on five hits with three walks and seven strikeouts. He's allowed at least three runs in his three tournament starts, but Florida is 2-1 in those games with wins in his last two outings.

Hurston Waldrep, RHP: Florida's best starter in the NCAA Tournament, Waldrep will likely start Game 2. In 21 innings pitched in three starts since the regionals began on June 2, he has a 0.86 ERA, allowing two runs and striking out 37 batters. If the Gators win Game 1, it could be lights out for the Tigers.

LSU

Dylan Crews, OF: Crews is perhaps Skenes' biggest rival for the top overall pick in the draft and will set the tone for LSU by batting leadoff, where he's excelled. He's batting .423 with 18 home runs and 69 runs batted in this season.

Ty Floyd, RHP: Floyd starts in Game 1 and is a reason LSU should feel hopeful even without Skenes. He has a 7-0 record this season with a 4.45 ERA and is the 87th-ranked prospect, according to MLB.com.

Tre' Morgan, 1B: Morgan showed off his incredible athleticism with a season-saving defensive play in the eighth inning against Wake Forest on Thursday.