Chris Elwell
Staff Writer
The 2025 MLB Draft has officially come to a close, as clubs went through the 20 rounds of selections in addition to compensation picks, Competitive Balance picks, and a Prospect Promotion Incentive Pick, rewarding the Royals for promoting Bobby Witt Jr. and being voted as an MVP finalist within the first three years of his career.
Several family ties were mentioned throughout the draft and historic selections, highlighting a new era of baseball on the horizon. For the first time, three prospects from the same high school were drafted in the first round from Corona High School in Southern California, twin brothers and cousins who were each taken within the first 100 picks of the draft.
1. Washington Nationals: Eli Willits, SS, Fort-Cobb Broxton HS - C
Willits was in talks to go first overall in the weeks prior to the draft, and officially became the youngest player to be selected first overall at just 17 years old. Willits is a switch-hitting shortstop with a contact over power bat and the tools to stick at shortstop long-term. The current state of the Nationals makes this pick a polarizing one for a team that owns the second-worst ERA in baseball, ahead of just the Rockies. Anderson, Arnold, Bremner, and Doyle all being available as college arms that can impact winning at the big league level in the near future signifies an early miss for Washington with the top pick.
2. Los Angeles Angels: Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC Santa Barbara - C-
Bremner with the second pick was certainly one of the biggest surprises of the night. The other 28 teams can thank the Nationals and Angels for not taking their expected picks, allowing them to draft the top player on their respective boards. Bremner possesses a mid-90s fastball paired with a plus changeup and developing slider, an elite offering for him during his breakout in 2024. Chances are, Bremner will be fast-tracked through the Angels system, given their history of drafting pro-ready players, and could potentially be the first player to reach the majors from this draft class.
3. Seattle Mariners: Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU - A+
Seattle has to be thrilled with how the two picks went before them. Anderson had legitimate buzz to go 1.1, so landing him at three and signing him for $700,000 under slot value? They may have won the draft with this one selection. Anderson’s stock saw him take a massive rise up draft boards to potentially be the first pitcher selected after a 12-1 record at LSU, a 3.18 ERA, 119 innings, and 180 strikeouts in 19 starts. His MLB-ready arm was on full display in Game 1 of the College World Series final when he threw a complete game shutout against Coastal Carolina.
4. Colorado Rockies: Ethan Holliday, 3B, Stillwater HS - A
The second member of the Holliday family to be drafted by the Rockies, following in the footsteps of his father, Matt. Ethan’s physicality and tools on the field play very similarly to Matt as a 6’4 200-pound infielder with top-of-the-scale power and potential to be a perennial 30-homer bat playing in perhaps the most hitter-friendly stadium in baseball. Colorado is on pace to have one of the worst seasons in MLB history, and adding a player like Holliday at a premium position in third base should give the Rockies a centerpiece to build their future around.
5. St. Louis Cardinals: Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee - B-
A finalist for the 2025 Golden Spikes Award. Doyle had an incredible season after transferring from Ole Miss, setting Tennessee’s single-season strikeout record with 164 in just 94.2 innings and a 10-4 record. Doyle’s fastball sits in the upper-90s paired with a slider and splitter offspeed combo that he’ll have to depend on more in pro ball. A potential career as a closer or high-leverage set-up guy is a realistic career path for Doyle, whose fastball makes him a weapon whenever he takes the mound.
6. Pittsburgh Pirates: Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona HS - A
If the draft was determined by pure talent, Hernandez had a real case to go first overall to Washington. The Vanderbilt commit is the first of three players from Corona High School to be selected in the first round, and possesses an electric arsenal with a triple-digit fastball, sharp curveball with MLB-level spin rates, and one of the best changeups of any pitcher in this class. High school arms are often a gamble this early in the draft, but Hernandez’s advanced arsenal makes him a potential frontline starter once he reaches the majors.
7. Miami Marlins: Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State - A
Miami’s need for big-time bats in their system got the perfect player in Arquette. The consensus best position player in college baseball had a huge season at Oregon State, following the recent pipeline of first-round picks like Nick Madrigal, Trevor Larnach, Adley Rutschman, and Travis Bazzana to come out of Corvallis. The 6’5” shortstop is likely to move over to third base in pro ball despite smooth enough movements to stick at shortstop. His bat will always be the calling card and will find him a spot in Miami’s infield whenever he gets the call to the majors.
8. Toronto Blue Jays: JoJo Parker, SS, Purvis HS - B+
Parker started a run of high school shortstops flying off the board, and Toronto went and got the player most likely with the chance to be an above-average hitter. There is a chance he sticks at shortstop, but odds are he gets moved around the infield as a second or third baseman. Shortstop is a major question after this year with Bo Bichette entering free agency, and Parker could eventually be a solution should they not bring Bichette back long-term.
9. Cincinnati Reds: Steele Hall, SS, Hewitt-Trussville HS - B-
Perhaps the fastest player in the draft, Hall joins a franchise where speed is a huge factor in their success. Hall certainly has the tools to stick at shortstop, but could also see a switch to center field to give him more opportunities for playing time. Hall reclassified to the class of 2025 and was still 17 on draft night, and lands here for his projectability and tools that make him a high-floor player with plenty of potential to grow.
10. Chicago White Sox: Billy Carlson, SS, Corona HS - B
Carlson has all the ideal tools for a prep shortstop with an 80-grade arm that has gotten up to 97 on the mound, elite range in the field, and raw power at the plate that makes him a potential five-tool shortstop. There is no doubt he’ll be able to stick up the middle with his elite defense, and if questions about his hit tool are answered, the White Sox have another potential star waiting in the wings as they continue their rebuild.
11. Athletics: Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State - A
For a team that’s struggled on the mound, perhaps more than any team in 2025, landing Arnold at 11 is a blessing. Arnold has drawn comparisons to Chris Sale for his low three-quarter arm slot and wipeout slider. The Florida State left-hander went into the year as the top arm in the class, and while he had a strong showing, he fell to the middle of the draft due to the caliber of seasons from the pitchers taken before him. Arnold has a chance to crack the Opening Day roster in 2026 and become a frontline starter almost immediately.
12. Texas Rangers: Gavin Fien, 3B, Great Oak HS - B-
Fien burst onto the scene in 2024 with a huge summer but flashed some inconsistency this season. In the two years removed from their World Series win, the Rangers have struggled to scratch runs across, and take a flier on Fien, who has the tools to be an above-average bat at the hot corner with plenty of power. At 6’3, Fien will likely stick at third base thanks to his strong arm, but the bat will always be the calling card.
13. San Francisco Giants: Gavin Kilen, SS, Tennessee - B-
Kilen is coming off a huge season for Tennessee in which he adjusted his approach to make better swing decisions, leading to his 30 to 27 walk to strikeout ratio. Batting .357 with 15 home runs in the middle of one of the best lineups in the SEC, Kilen was perhaps the most productive hitter for the Volunteers all season. His bat projects as contact over power, and with below-average arm strength, he projects as a second baseman with an above-average bat.
14. Tampa Bay Rays: Daniel Pierce, SS, Mill Creek HS - C+
The Rays once again opt to draft an athletic middle infielder in the first round – top prospect Carson Williams in 2021 and Theo Gillen in 2024. Gillen has already made the switch to the outfield, but with Pierce’s athleticism, he should be able to stick up the middle with his range and arm strength from the left side. The Rays have a history of taking their time to develop prospects, so Pierce will have time to get stronger and add more power on the offensive side.
15. Boston Red Sox: Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma - B+
Boston has done an incredible job of developing position players acquired through the draft, with Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer seeing success at the big league level. GM Craig Breslow and the front office have seemingly shifted their focus to the pitching side with this pick. Witherspoon is a hard-throwing right-hander with a plus slider, cutter, and flashes a changeup and curveball that have true swing-and-miss potential as a starter.
16. Minnesota Twins: Marek Houston, Wake Forest - B+
Houston has one of the highest floors of any player in this draft on the heels of his elite defense at shortstop. Graded as the best defensive college player at any position, he showed a lot of potential at the plate, hitting .354 with 15 home runs this season. 11 of those home runs came in Wake Forest’s hitter-friendly stadium and will need to tap into more power to become a true five-tool player. Houston is now viewed as a potential long-term replacement to Carlos Correa in Minnesota, or if the bat does not develop as a high-floor utility player, that can make plays all across the diamond.
17. Chicago Cubs: Ethan Conrad, OF, Wake Forest - B
If not for a shoulder injury that sidelined him for much of the season, Conrad easily could’ve been much earlier in this draft. The 6’4 lefty outfielder slashed an incredible .372 with seven home runs in his 21 games played. Conrad has hit everywhere he’s been and was one of the ACC’s best hitters after transferring from Marist, and put up great numbers in the Cape Cod League in 2024. His gap-to-gap approach has drawn scouts to project him as a productive bat in pro ball despite his overly aggressive swing decisions.
18. Arizona Diamondbacks: Kayson Cunningham, SS, Johnson HS - C
There are lots of questions surrounding Cunningham and where he’ll play in pro ball, but there is no question about his hit tool. Viewed as one of the best pure hitters in the class, Cunningham has elite bat control, rarely swings and misses, and has above-average speed, but is 19 on draft day, a major red flag for teams evaluating high school talent, especially ones with as many question marks as he does on the defensive side.
19. Baltimore Orioles: Ike Irish, RF/C, Auburn - B
Irish has been one of the best hitters in college baseball during his three-year career at Auburn with a career .350 average and 39 home runs. Regardless of where he sticks in the field, Irish’s production against SEC pitching speaks for itself and continues the Orioles' trend of drafting and developing college bats. There were concerns about his defense behind the plate, where he played just 12 games this season compared to 45 in the outfield, where he likely will find a home in pro ball, but could also slide behind the plate if needed.
20. Milwaukee Brewers: Andrew Fischer, 1B/3B, Tennessee - B+
Fischer called three schools home in three years of college baseball and had his best year this season at Tennessee, slashing .341/.497/.760 with 25 home runs and cut his strikeout rate down to just 14%. He profiles as a corner infielder – a position the Brewers have struggled to fill in recent years – and Fischer could slot into either position and give them a power threat in the middle of the lineup rather quickly. The Brewers have proven their ability to develop pitching, and Fischer gives them a different type of player their system has been lacking in recent years.
21. Houston Astros: Xavier Neyens, 3B, Mount Vernon HS - C+
If Neyens pans out, this could prove to be one of the steals of the draft. He possesses some of the rawest power of any player in the class and can hit the ball to all fields with loft. Concerns with Neyens reside in the level of competition he faced in Washington and his inconsistency in making contact. He has reached 95 on the mound, so there is no question he’ll be able to stick at third base long-term, but he will have to make adjustments to tap into his power more to rise through the Astros organization.
22. Atlanta Braves: Tate Southisene, SS, Basic HS - C+
Tate finds himself getting drafted three rounds earlier than his brother, Ty, did last year with the Cubs. Tate projects to have more power than his brother and more of a chance to stick at shortstop long-term. His elite bat control and elite bat speed give him a strong power outlook as he enters pro ball with a team that is lacking depth at shortstop and is potentially already the top position player prospect in Atlanta’s system.
23. Kansas City Royals: Sean Gamble, 2B, IMG Academy HS - B-
Gamble had a strong showing at IMG Academy against some of the top high school talent in the country during his four years there. He impressed scouts on the showcase circuit as a left-handed bat with an advanced hit tool that can hit to all fields, paired with his speed. The Royals announced him as an outfielder, which gives this pick much more upside if he’s able to stick in the outfield going forward.
24. Detroit Tigers: Jordan Yost, SS, Sickles HS - C-
Yost is seen within the Tigers system as a player they can take their time with, especially with their organizational depth up the middle with players like Kevin McGonigle and Bryce Rainer. He was climbing up draft boards around the league leading up to the draft due to his speed, quick left-handed swing, and feel for the strike zone. Detroit picking Yost at 24 when they had a Competitive Balance Round A pick just 10 picks later might end up being a mistake, but for now, the Tigers can afford to take a flier on a promising high school bat.
25. San Diego Padres: Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP, Sunset HS - B+
Schoolcraft might be the most physically imposing pitcher in the draft at 6’8. A legitimate two-way player, the Padres decided to bet on his arm and keep him on the mound instead of at first base. He is primarily a two-pitch pitcher with a fastball that reaches 97 from a low three-quarters slot and a changeup that is potentially a plus-plus offering. Scouts have concerns with the quality of his breaking ball and how his fastball will play in pro ball, but he has the benefit of developing in a Padres system that has been very good in recent years.
26. Philadelphia Phillies: Gage Wood, RHP, Arkansas - B-
Wood shot up draft boards after pitching one of the best games in college baseball history – a 19-strikeout no-hitter against Murray State in the College World Series. He has two plus-plus offerings with a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and tops at 98 and a sharp curveball that generates MLB-level spin rates and whiffs. There are real injury concerns with Wood that might push him to the bullpen long-term, but the tools are there for him to be effective whenever he enters the game.
27. Cleveland Guardians: Jace LaViolette, OF, Texas A&M - B+
LaViolette was the heavy favorite to go 1.1 entering the season, but the sing-and-miss concerns proved to be real with a strikeout rate over 25% and a .258 batting average this season. The potential is undeniable, however, as a 6’6 power left-handed bat with above-average athleticism that could allow him to stick in center field long-term and be a steal at 27 for the Guardians.
The Mets, Yankees, and Dodgers first-round picks were all moved back 10 slots in response to each team surpassing the luxury tax threshold.
38. New York Mets: Mitch Voit, 2B, Michigan - B-
Voit had a huge season at Michigan, where he hit .346/.471/.668 with 14 home runs and walked more than he struck out. He was a two-way player as of 2024 when he last pitched due to a shoulder injury, and the Mets announced him as a second baseman as the likely nail in the coffin to his pitching career. 2025 was his first season as a second baseman, and his plus speed makes him an option to stick there long-term.
39. New York Yankees: Dax Kilby, SS, Newnan HS - C+
Yes, another prep shortstop in the first round. Kilby is more polished at the plate than in the field, as scouts project he’s more fit to end up at second base or somewhere in the outfield. He soared up draft boards with a huge summer in 2024 against premier high school talent in the showcase circuit. Kilby projects to tap into more power as he moves through the minor leagues due to his 6’3 frame, sweet left-handed swing, and impressive ability to make consistent hard contact.
40. Los Angeles Dodgers: Zach Root, LHP, Arkansas - B
Root has a polished four-pitch arsenal that should move him through the Dodgers organization rather quickly. With 126 strikeouts in 99.1 innings, Root assumed the role of the Razorbacks’ ace and has a high floor compared to other pitchers selected before him, but his ceiling caps him as an end-of-the-rotation arm that uses his offspeed pitches more than his fastball, which has topped at 97.
1 comment
Houston!