DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - The Texas Rangers selected Florida outfielder Wyatt Langford with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft on Sunday.
The selection marks the fourth straight year that the Rangers have selected a player from the SEC with their first-round pick. Texas previously picked Vanderbilt pitchers Kumar Rocker (2022) and Jack Leiter (2021), and Mississippi State infielder Justin Foscue (2020).
The Rangers have now picked a college prospect with their first round pick in five straight drafts. Texas Tech's Josh Jung was the club's top pick in 2019.
Langford, who turns 22 in November, slashed .373/.498/.784/1.282 this past season to help lead the Florida Gators to the College World Series. In 134 career games, Langford mashed .363/.471/.746/1.217 with 47 home runs and 120 RBI.
In 64 games in 2023, Langford slugged 21 home runs and posted 52 extra-base hits. What may be even more impressive is the fact that Langford had more walks (56) than strikeouts (44).
According to MLB Pipeline's scouting report of Langford, the 6-foot-1 outfielder "has five-tool potential" and has 65-grade power.
Here's part of their scouting report on the outfielder:
"Langford has five-tool potential. He can really hit, with excellent swing mechanics and a very good approach at the plate, one that helped him limit strikeouts while drawing walks. It also aided in his ability to tap into his considerable raw power, which some area scouts said is plus-plus. Strong and muscle-bound, he’s capable of being at least an above-average runner as well.
While he was a third baseman and a catcher in high school, Langford started every day in left field for the Gators in 2022. There was some thought he’d slide over to center field this year, and reports on him there last fall were very encouraging, but he ended up back in left once the 2023 season got underway. He plays hard and aggressively and it would surprise no one if he ended up in conversations for the No. 1 overall pick."