MLB mock drafts hint that LSU’s Ty Floyd could join Paul Skenes, Dylan Crews in first round

For the better part of the college baseball season, the talk surrounding the MLB draft has centered around center fielder Dylan Crews and right-handed ace Paul Skenes as the stars of the first round, but a third name from LSU has entered the fold as a potential early selection: Ty Floyd.

The right-hander’s 17-strikeout performance against Florida during the first game of the College World Series finals June 24 tied Arizona State’s Ed Bane for the second-most strikeouts in a CWS game — a mark no one had matched since 1972.

“He’s had a terrific season. Nothing better than that tonight,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said after that game. “We’re not sitting here in this position without Ty Floyd. I feel like he’s one of the most underrated, underappreciated players in college baseball this year.”

Now he’s projected to go as high as No. 17 to the Baltimore Orioles, according to The Athletic’s Keith Law, or No. 24 to the Atlanta Braves, according to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel — two of the nation’s mock draft experts. Law even hinted that the Colorado Rockies have interest with the ninth overall pick.

If Floyd goes in the first round, it would be the first time in LSU history that three players were taken in the first round. Crews and Skenes are locks for the first round, and they could be the first two selections.

The first two rounds of the draft will begin at 6 p.m. Sunday on ESPN and MLB Network.

“Because of Paul (Skenes) being so out of this world good, nobody’s really paid attention to (Floyd), but the pro people are,” Johnson said. “He’s not going to last very long on that draft board, and somebody will be very, very happy with Ty Floyd. And I think he’ll pitch for a very long time.”

Speaking of Skenes, he is that good. He and Crews have traded places at No. 1 and No. 2 for the past few months, but in the latest projections, McDaniel has Skenes going No. 1 to the Pittsburgh Pirates while Law has him going No. 2 to the Washington Nationals. Skenes broke Ben McDonald’s Southeastern Conference record of 202 strikeouts in a season with 209 this year. The mark had stood since 1989.

He was No. 1 in the nation in strikeouts per nine innings (15.33) and WHIP (0.75), and No. 2 in ERA (1.69). He also became the second LSU player to receive the Dick Howser Trophy as the country’s best player.

Crews became the second LSU player to receive the Golden Spikes Award, which recognized him as the nation’s best player.

He is projected to go No. 2 in McDaniel’s latest projections and No. 3 in Law’s. He is the No. 1-overall rated prospect by MLB Pipeline while Skenes is No. 2.

Crews completed a 75-game on-base streak this season, which stretched back to the last four games of 2022. He led the nation in runs scored (100) and walks (71), was No. 2 in on-base percentage (.567) and No. 3 in batting average (.426).

If Crews and Skenes are taken No. 1 and No. 2, it would mark the first time ever that the top two picks come from the same program.

Skenes rose up draft boards after transferring to LSU from the Air Force Academy to refine his secondary pitches. Crews could have been a first- or second-round draft pick in 2020 out of high school. Instead, he played college baseball and proved his worth.

“It was tough out of high school: I was an 18-year-old kid,” Crews said after LSU won the national title on June 26. “There was a lot of … if you go to school, it was a bad thing or something like that.

“If I had to give any advice, it’s go to school, really. Just develop as a player, physically and mentally, for the next level.”