How the 2022 MLB Draft Affects Louisville's 2023 Roster

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - For the last 16 years, the MLB Draft has been a testament to what Dan McDonnell has built at Louisville. Entering the 2022 iteration of the draft, out of the 103 former Cardinals to sign professional contracts after being chosen in the draft, 82 of them had come under his watch.

Following the conclusion of the 2022 MLB Draft, five more Louisville baseball were given the opportunity to begin a professional career. Considering that the draft got a permanent reduction to 20 rounds compared to the 40 it previously was at, that number would almost certainly have increased in years past.

Like every year, the draft has major ramifications on Louisville's roster for the proceeding season, and this year is no exemption. So how has it been impacted for their 2023 campaign?

Out of the five players drafted, three were position players and two were pitchers. Obviously, it goes without saying that losing Dalton Rushing impacts the lineup in the biggest way, especially in terms of power. Louisville's power is also impacted with Ben Metzinger leaving, as does their base running and defense with Levi Usher moving on.

Over on the pitching staff, both the starting rotation and bullpen will be losing their top arm in Jared Poland and Michael Prosecky, respectively. If there's a silver lining here, it's that McDonnell won't have to replace multiple high caliber options from either the rotation or the pen like he had to last offseason.

But of course, that's not to say Louisville has been left without quality talent. Jack Payton, Christian Knapczyk, Isaac Humphrey and Logan Beard - who all bat .310+ with 90+ total bases - are all returning to the lineup. Even postseason hero Cam Masterman and elite nine-hole hitter Ben Bianco, despite both being fifth-year seniors, have the opportunity to take advantage of a sixth COVID year. Time will tell what their decisions will be.

While pitching was inconsistent at times last year, there are some good arms coming back. Tate Kuehner could become the go-to closer next year, Riley Phillips go better as the year went on as a starter and has ace potential, and Ryan Hawks and Evan Webster had handfuls of dominant relief outings. Garrett Schmeltz, like Masterman and Bianco, also could come back thanks to a COVID year.

True to Louisville form under Coach McDonnell, several freshman showed flashes of brilliance. Both Noah Smith and Brandon Anderson saw some late season playing time in the infield due to injuries and were able to hit over .310, Austin Bode also took advantage of early pinch hitting reps and could be Rushing's replacement behind the dish, and Carson Liggitt was able to crack the weekend rotation late in the season.

Not to mention that Louisville will be bringing in an elite 2022 recruiting class, which ranks as the No. 3 class in the country. It does take a bit of a hit with Cam Collier, Jacob Miller and Logan Wagner - the former two being top-30 HS prospects - all getting drafted and expected to sign.

However, Milton (Wisc.) HS shortstop Gavin Kilen and Louisville (Ky.) Trinity center fielder Korbyn Dickerson, who were also drafted, are expected to honor their commitment. Including them, the Cardinals will be welcoming eight top-300 prospects in the class.

Louisville was able to "reset the standard" this past year after returning to the postseason, and will head into the next season with tremendous amounts of hype. With a healthy mix of experienced veterans and high-talent underclassmen & newcomers, the Cardinals should be a top-five squad to begin the 2023 season.

(Photo via Jared Anderson - Louisville Report)

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