What did the Chicago Cubs get from their picks in Rounds 1-5 of the 2023 MLB Draft?

5th Round Pick: Michael Carico C (Davidson University)

This is one of my favorite picks of the draft. College numbers will lie to you. The use of metal bats, pitchers that can’t consistently control their stuff, and conferences that have vastly different competition levels can create stats that are impossible to replicate. 

That being said, Carico’s stats were something else. He missed much of his junior season due to a hand injury but in the 21 games he played as a DH, he hit .350/.514/.688 with seven homers and more walks (17) than strikeouts (14). Those numbers are good enough to warrant spending a fifth-round pick on a guy, but the numbers that likely got Carico drafted came in his sophomore year.

As a catcher, the most demanding defensive position on a baseball field, he hit .406/.559/.843 across 54 games with 21 homers and 21 doubles. He can hit for average, he can hit for power and he’s never been thrown out stealing a base on his five career attempts.

Keith Law had this to say on the pick:

"Catcher Michael Carico missed a chunk of the year due to a broken hand, but the Davidson backstop mashed when he returned from the injury, showing more power than before and rarely whiffing. He hasn’t seen good velocity in college and struggled against it last summer. He can probably stay at catcher, and if he shows he can hit better pitching he can be at least a backup."

Keith Law

If he sticks at catcher and can be half of the offensive player he was in college that’s one of the most impactful hitting catchers in the league. If he can’t stick at catcher and the Cubs can move him through the system quickly he’ll be a guy that can DH at Wrigley Field much sooner than later.

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