You need to identify the motors that produce the required torque and speed for each axis. Nema 23 only tells you that the front face is 2.3 inches.
When you have identified your motors you need to choose stepper drivers that can comfortably supply the current required by the motors.
An Arduino should be able to control any stepper driver that take step and direction signals - which is most of them.
If you are using high-current motors it is unlikely that you will be able to use the sort of small stepper drivers that could fit on a shield - but that would not matter for the program.
...R
Stepper Motor Basics