Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports
MLB Draft: Texas Rangers Select Florida Gators OF Wyatt Langford
Two-time All-American Florida Gators outfielder Wyatt Langford was selected fourth overall by the Texas Rangers during the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft on Sunday night.
Langford followed Louisiana State RHP Paul Skenes (Pittsburgh, No. 1), LSU outfielder Dylan Crews (Washington, No. 2) and Franklin (Ind.) Community High outfielder Max Clark (Detroit, No. 3) off of the board in the first round.
From Trenton, Fla., Langford emerged as a budding baseball star in the North Central Florida region long before joining the Gators. He was a five-time Gainesville Sun All-area selection during a six-season prep career at Trenton High School and won the 2019 Perfect Game National Home Run Derby.
Langford signed with UF in the class of 2020 and made four plate appearances in four games as a freshman, manning an unfamiliar depth role compared to his high school career.
He went on to become one of the most dynamic batters in Florida history over the next two seasons.
Langford tied the program's single-season home run record with 26 as a sophomore in 2022, leading the Southeastern Conference in that category while posting a slash line of .355/.447/.719. He produced 73 runs, 63 RBI, and 91 hits including three triples and nine doubles during the breakout campaign, in which he started all 66 games.
Although sophomore first baseman/LHP Jac Caglianone's 2023 emergence — which involved breaking Langford and Matt LaPorta's shared home run record — split the spotlight on Florida's lineup, Langford put together an even more efficient season at the plate to help elevate the Gators to a National Championship appearance.
Langford slashed .373/.498/.784 across 20 fewer at-bats as a junior compared to his sophomore year, and 64 games in total. He tallied 21 home runs, 57 RBI, and 88 hits with three triples and 28 doubles.
Langford scored once every 3.2 at-bats during his Florida career and was walked 92 times compared to being struck out 89 times.
A consistent slugger with a keen eye for incoming pitches, Langford appeared on the radar of MLB evaluators following his breakout 2022 campaign and maintained first-round projections through the 2023 season.
An anonymous National League scout considered Langford — now 21 years old and 6-foot-1, 225 pounds — an "All-Star caliber player" in an interview with Jacob Rudner of Swamp247.
"This isn't some prospect that comes around every year," one NL scout told Swamp247. "His hit tool is elite. His power is elite. He's an above average runner and his eye is excellent. The blend of skills makes a Mike Trout-like comparison somewhat reasonable although comparing anyone to a player of Mike's category borders on irresponsible. We evaluate Wyatt Langford to be an All-Star-caliber player at the next level, though, with room to cement himself as an even better player than that if everything works out for him."
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