Remembering the Longhorn Band’s olive branch to a grieving Texas A&M community
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Dave Wilson, ESPN Staff Writer
COL. JAY BREWER is the epitome of an Aggie. His dad played for Texas A&M’s 1939 national championship team. He arrived in College Station in August 1977, joined the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band and never left.
For 40 years until his retirement in 2020, Brewer was one of the directors and also served as the voice of the Aggie Band, with his authoritative trademark — “Now forming at the North End of Kyle Field,” or wherever the Aggies were playing — punctuating each performance.
As Texas and Texas A&M prepare to resume a heated neighbor-against-neighbor rivalry in College Station on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC), ticket prices are soaring for the first Lone Star Showdown since 2011, when the Aggies left the Big 12 for the SEC.
But you won’t hear any vitriol toward the Texas Longhorns coming from Brewer’s mouth. They earned Brewer’s enduring gratitude on Nov. 26, 1999.
While the rivalry’s return centers on the hate between the two schools, their 1999 meeting looms large in the minds of many in Aggieland. That year, the Aggie bonfire — the giant symbol for their burning desire to beat Texas — collapsed, killing 12 students and injuring 27 others.
During a game the Aggies won in dramatic fashion, the Longhorn Band paid tribute to its rival university with a remarkable halftime performance. And 25 years later, the unprecedented show of unity between the two universities and their fans remains an indelible memory for many Texans. “It’s one of the most memorable days in my 40-year career,” Brewer said this week.
BREWER WAS JOLTED from his sleep on Nov. 18, 1999 at nearly 3 a.m. by a phone call from the band’s top cadet commander, who told him the bonfire “stack” — the 55-foot-tall rows of giant logs arranged like a tiered cake — had fallen. Every year since 1909, students had built the towering structure on campus, with construction organized by the school’s Corps of Cadets.
“We think we have everybody from the band accounted for,” the cadet told him.
Brewer thanked him for the update and laid back down, groggy and unaware of the severity of the situation. Then it hit him. He thinks he has everyone accounted for?
Brewer rushed out, jumped in his pickup and drove to the A&M polo fields where he saw the 5,000 logs — more than a million pounds of timber — strewn about like matchsticks. He could see the lights from emergency response vehicles. Even more shocking, he realized he was following two hearses through the gates.
As dawn broke, the news started to spread. Eventually, it was confirmed that 12 students died.
Football — and especially a halftime show — was an afterthought. The Texas A&M football team canceled practices. The players were among the rescue workers lifting logs off the pile as they looked for survivors.
“They are still in a state of shock,” Aggies coach R.C. Slocum said the next day. “It’s hard for them to realize their fellow students died working on a project to recognize the spirit that comes with the game.”
In Austin, the news stunned the Longhorns.
“I drove to the office with a tear in my eye this morning,” Texas coach Mack Brown told reporters. “I can promise you nobody here is thinking about football. Our thoughts and prayers are with those kids and their families, and all of the people at Texas A&M.”
Texas held a blood drive at the football offices, with Brown estimating that 400 to 500 people participated.
UT students wore white ribbons in memory of the Aggies who died, and the Longhorns’ Hex Rally — a tradition dating to the 1940s when fans burn red candles before the A&M game — was transformed into a unity gathering with a candlelight vigil in front of the UT Tower, which is traditionally illuminated but was darkened for the occasion. Brown fixed a white ribbon on his car’s antenna.
“We had the memorial with a lot of students and fans from Texas A&M, which was a night that I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” Brown told ESPN in 2021.
As the week went on, the coaches and officials from both schools started to talk about the football game and whether it should be played.
The decision was to play the 106th edition of the game, as the two schools had done the week after John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963 and in wartime. The 10 a.m. game on a Saturday in late November would serve as a sort of memorial, in front of 86,128 — then the largest crowd to watch a football game in the state of Texas.
THE AGGIES AND the Longhorns have played 118 times. They have often been cultural opposites: A&M was founded as an agricultural school in a rural college town and Texas occupies prime real estate in the state capital. Texas A&M was an all-male military school until 1963, when women were first admitted, while Texas kept Austin “weird.” Both of their fight songs mention the other.
There’s not a lot of precedent for the two playing nice, as former Texas A&M quarterback Bucky Richardson once explained when he was playing for Aggies in the late ’80s. “You see ’em every day. You work with them. They live next door. Your kids know their kids,” Richardson said. “You want to like ’em, you try to like ’em. Heck, you’d really like to be their friend. But there’s just something different about you and them. Deep, deep down, there is this feeling you have when you see ’em wearing that color, or you hear them talk. … There’s a difference between Aggies and Longhorns. It’s a hate thing.”
On Nov. 26, the day of the game, Kevin Sedatole could tell things were different. The Longhorn Band director said there was a different tone as the members entered Kyle Field. Sedatole is a Texas native and Baylor graduate whose father was a high school band director in the Houston area. He knew the Aggies’ passion well.
In the parking lots and at tailgates outside, fans in maroon and burnt orange congregated. Trash talk gave way to hugs and handshakes. They shared plates instead of trading insults.
“It was very weird going into the stadium because people were being so nice,” said Sedatole, now the director of bands at Michigan State. “The band has to come in through the gauntlet of the Aggie tailgating.”
He was already concerned with how to manage the rah-rah pageantry of a marching band on such a somber occasion, and he struggled to find a balance.
“The first time that we played ‘Texas Fight’ was weird,” he said. “It felt like we shouldn’t really be doing this. But there are also people saying, ‘Look, we need to treat this as normal as it can.'”
But the occasion called for more than a standard performance. Sedatole and his counterparts in College Station were all friends, despite their bands being a study in contrasts. Texas’ Showband of the Southwest is known for elaborate themed shows, while the Aggie Band is defined by discipline and tradition.
“All of us here have always had a great deal of respect for the Longhorn Band,” Dr. Tim Rhea, the current director of the Aggie Band said. “They do what they do extremely well. And I think we do what we do extremely well. They’ve always been wonderful colleagues for us.”
Every year before the game, Sedatole and his staff would meet with their counterparts in the Aggie Band, led by Lt. Col. Ray Toler and his assistant, Rhea, who took over when Toler retired in 2002.
But this was no ordinary year. No one knew how to proceed. The Aggies were busy scrambling to make their own plans, and Sedatole and his staff opted to stay out of their way.
Every year, at the final home game, the Aggies perform a fan-favorite drill known as a “four-way cross” — an intricate precision marching maneuver in which band members from four different directions pass within centimeters of one another. Rhea scrapped it, feeling it didn’t suit the tone of the occasion.
Sedatole called Rhea, a close friend, to ask if they were even going to have halftime. Rhea said yes, but that the Aggie Band probably wouldn’t perform.
Since Texas was the visiting team, they had to go first, which concerned Sedatole. He had an entire show planned around “Carmen,” the opera, but opted to just keep “The Flower Song” from the show, which he calls a “healing melody.”
Then, the Longhorn Band played “Amazing Grace.” They held Texas and Texas A&M flags side-by-side as they played, and then lowered the Texas flags and kept the A&M flags aloft. The LHB then added a Marine band rendition of “Taps” to the end as a tribute to the students who had died.
“That never happens,” Sedatole said. “We were just trying to make sure that people knew that we were there with them. I’ve never heard Kyle Field that silent. You could hear the wires hitting the flagpoles.”
Fans wept in the stands.
Thomas Gray of Houston, a Texas fan who said he was one of the only Longhorns fans in his section on the third deck, remembers Aggies turning around and thanking him personally.
“I felt weird accepting compliments on their behalf,” he said.
In the press box, the Aggie band staff was floored.
“We had no idea they were going to do it,” Rhea said. “I remember thinking, ‘This is the classiest thing I have ever seen in my entire life.'”
The stands were still full as the Texas band performed, and Aggies fans gave the members a standing ovation. Over the loudspeakers, the Longhorn Band announcer said:
Our two institutions are great rivals, but more importantly great friends who have the highest amount of respect for each other. May the Longhorn spirit and the Spirit of Aggieland never die.
“It was very moving and I appreciated what they did so much,” Toler said. “It was what I hoped that I would’ve thought to do had the roles been reversed. That was very special what they did.”
Said Brewer: “I’m up on the third deck and you could have heard a pin drop in that stadium. The first half of the game just ceased to exist for those moments. I don’t know that I’ve ever heard a more beautiful rendition of ‘Amazing Grace’ than I did that day.”
The Aggie Band — which often marched in the shape of the Longhorn logo with the horns separated, a nod to the “Aggie War Hymn’s” encouragement to “saw Varsity’s horns off” — opted to form in their classic “Block T” formation in silence before walking silently off the field.
“It was so silent that you could hear the spurs clinking on the cadets’ boots, even up in the third level,” Gray said. “There have only been a few times in my life where the hair on the back of my neck stood up; this was one of them.”
MORE TEARS WERE shed in College Station after the Aggies stormed back in the fourth quarter to beat the Longhorns in a dramatic finish. Trailing 20-16, quarterback Major Applewhite drove Texas to the A&M 46 before Jay Brooks sacked him and forced a fumble, which was recovered by Brian Gamble with 23 seconds left. Gamble stood up, then fell to his knees, and held his arms out wide to the sky.
“We had the thought and memory of those 12 in our hearts and minds every single play,” offensive lineman Chris Valletta, who had the names of the victims written on his undershirt, said after the game. “I hope this win can ease the pain a little bit. I personally want to send this to all of them, from all of us.”
In 2013, Brown resigned after 16 years in Austin, and once again showed his respect for the Aggies in his farewell news conference after being asked if there was anything he wished he could’ve changed during his tenure.
“I would want the bonfire [collapse] to not have happened at A&M,” he said. “Playing A&M on Thanksgiving, I thought about the families. … When you lose your children, there is nothing worse than that in the world. I think about that every Thanksgiving because there are 12 families that don’t have a good Thanksgiving. That’ll never go away.”
The series (seemingly) ended in 2011 with Texas remaining in the Big 12 while Texas A&M went to the SEC. At that game, the Texas band presented Rhea with a parting gift: One of those Aggie flags they held high on the field is framed and on one of the walls of the Aggie Band hall.
But this week, the historic rivalry returns, and so does the halftime contrast between the Fightin’ Texas Aggie Band and the Showband of the Southwest, the state’s two showcase bands will once again offer their signature styles.
There’s no longer an on-campus bonfire (there is a student-run one off-campus in nearby Bryan). In June, Texas A&M president Mark Welsh III decided against reinstating an official university-sponsored bonfire for the renewal of the Texas series, despite a committee’s recommendation to restore it, albeit with professional construction.
On this Nov. 18 as they do every year, Aggies gathered at a memorial on A&M’s campus at 2:42 a.m. in remembrance of the 12 who died.
For Brewer, it was a reminder to treat the upcoming game accordingly.
“It’s an athletic event between two big-time rivals in the great state of Texas, and that’s all it is,” he said.
The Aggies fans probably won’t be as nice when the Longhorn Band marches in. The fans probably won’t thank the Longhorns after their band performs. The Texas coaches aren’t going to make peace with an Aggies win. Brewer probably won’t get his wish of a new generation of fans — who grew up without this rivalry — keeping their perspective.
But it’s also just a football game, and not a makeshift memorial service. And for that, everyone is thankful. The hate might return, but the Aggies and the Longhorns will always have the memory of a day when they were all mourning Texans.
“A lot of the bitterness and the hate and all that kind of went away,” Rhea said. “When you have a tragedy, it does tend to unite your human spirit together.
“I hope we never have to do it again.”
The 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is fast approaching — and the field is set.
Braves hometown hero Ronald Acuna Jr. became the first player to commit to the event, which will be held at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 14 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN). He was followed by MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals, Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Brent Rooker of the Athletics and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees.
On Friday, however, Acuna was replaced by teammate Matt Olson.
With all the entrants announced, let’s break down their chances at taking home this year’s Derby prize.
Full All-Star Game coverage: How to watch, schedule, rosters, more
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 434 feet
Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.
Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.
2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.
Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.
2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet
Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.
Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.
2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet
Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.
Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.
2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet
Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.
Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.
2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet
Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.
Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.
2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.
Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet
Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.
Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.
The 2025 MLB draft is underway on ESPN, with the Washington Nationals starting things off by taking prep shortstop Eli Willits with the No. 1 overall pick.
The Los Angeles Angels followed up by picking college pitcher Tyler Bremner and the Seattle Mariners nabbed another in Kade Anderson at third. The Colorado Rockies took prep shortstop Ethan Holliday, who had been in the mix to go first overall, with the fourth pick, and the St. Louis Cardinals rounded out the top five by selecting college pitcher Liam Doyle.
Who will be the biggest steals — and stretches — of Day 1?
Follow along for pick-by-pick coverage, with ESPN MLB experts David Schoenfield and Dan Mullen breaking down everything you need to know about who your favorite team took in the first round as the picks come off the board.
Final mock draft | Draft rankings: Top 250 | Big question for all 30 teams
1. Washington Nationals: Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton HS (Okla.)
Draft ranking: No. 3
Who is Willits? The son of former Angels outfielder Reggie Willits, Eli is one of a deep group of high school shortstops in this draft. He reclassified to the 2025 class, so is one of the younger players in the draft, not turning 18 until December, a big plus in analytic draft models. He’s a clear shortstop with a good hit tool and contact ability, with his future power outcome the biggest question mark as he turns pro.
Why the Nationals took him here: There was a lot of intrigue about which direction the Nationals would go in a draft without a slam-dunk No. 1 pick — and Washington surprised everyone with this pick. Willits was one of the top players in this draft, but he was behind Ethan Holliday and Kade Anderson as options to go No. 1 overall. He’s one of the youngest prospects in this draft — and that’s a very good thing for his potential, considering Carlos Correa and Francisco Lindor were also both 17-year-old shortstops on draft night.
There’s also a chance that taking Willits here could come with some bonus-money savings that sets Washington up for some splashy picks in the coming rounds. — Mullen
MLB player comp: Kevin McGonigle, with more speed and defense
2. Los Angeles Angels: Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
Draft ranking: No. 18
Who is Bremner? Bremner entered the season alongside Jamie Arnold as the top collegiate pitcher after a strong sophomore season and a summer pitching for USA Baseball’s collegiate national team, but he scuffled early on with inconsistent stuff and results. He finished stronger, including a string of double-digit-strikeout games, and he threw strikes, walking just 19 batters in 77⅓ innings with 111 strikeouts. He sits 94-96, touching 98, but his plus changeup might be his best offering while his slider was hit hard and backed up compared to 2024.
Why the Angels took him here: Two picks into this draft and teams are already sending a clear message, as Bremner is the second straight curveball: The talent at the top doesn’t match that of recent drafts, so Washington and L.A. are likely saving money with their picks with underslot deals. Bremner does fit the Angels’ model of drafting college prospects who can move quickly, but ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel had Bremner ranked just 18th on his most recent draft board. — Schoenfield
MLB player comp: Michael Wacha with more upside
Draft ranking: No. 1
Who is Anderson? Winner of the Most Outstanding Player award at the College World Series in leading LSU to the title after allowing one run in 17 innings, including a 1-0 shutout in the finals, Anderson topped Division I with 180 strikeouts, finishing 12-1 with a 3.18 ERA. Anderson had Tommy John surgery in high school, missing his senior season, but he’s a polished lefty with a five-pitch repertoire if you include both his fastballs. His fastball carries well in the zone, and he commands it well, so it plays up over its 92-94 mph velocity (hitting 97).
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The traits that helped make Kade Anderson a Mariner
Kiley McDaniel explains the traits that helped make Kade Anderson the third overall pick by the Mariners.
Why the Mariners took him here: Seattle really couldn’t have asked for a better situation than this. After seeing two surprise picks ahead of their No. 3 selection, the Mariners landed the breakout star of this year’s College World Series and one of the surest players in this draft. Though Anderson lacks the true ace upside of recent college picks Paul Skenes and Chase Burns, the left-hander is a polished starter who should move quickly through the minors and could be part of an already-strong Seattle rotation sooner rather than later. — Mullen
MLB player comp: Max Fried
4. Colorado Rockies: Ethan Holliday, 3B, Stillwater HS (Okla.)
Draft ranking: No. 2
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The traits that helped make Ethan Holliday a member of the Rockies
Kiley McDaniel explains the traits that helped make Ethan Holliday the fourth overall pick by the Rockies.
Who is Holliday? Yes, he’s Matt’s son and brother of Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday, the first pick in the 2022 draft. Like his brother, Ethan is a left-handed hitter, although he’s much bigger (6-foot-4 compared to 6-foot) and built more like their dad, thus projects to have similar 30-homer power. He lacks the range to stay at shortstop but should be an above-average defender at third base. There are some concerns about his performance last summer on the showcase circuit and weak competition this spring in high school, but scouts love the swing and power ceiling.
Why the Rockies took him here: There was plenty of talk about Holliday being a possibility for the No. 1 pick, so the Rockies have to be happy about getting the player who might have the best chance of developing into a true major league star. His best-case scenario is reaching the majors as a power-hitting, good-fielding third baseman who turns into the Rockies’ first franchise player since they traded away a power-hitting, good-fielding third baseman in Nolan Arenado. — Schoenfield
MLB player comp: Left-handed-hitting version of Matt Chapman or Eugenio Suarez
Draft ranking: No. 6
Who is Doyle? One of the three highly rated lefty collegiate pitchers, Doyle went 10-4 with a 3.20 ERA for the Vols, striking out 164 in 95⅔ innings, finishing second in Division I in strikeouts and first in K’s per nine. After sitting in the low 90s as a sophomore, Doyle sat in the mid-90s, peaking at 100 mph and often just blowing his heater by college hitters. He throws strikes, isn’t afraid to pitch inside and backs up the fastball with a splitter and slider, pitches he’ll probably have to deploy more often as a pro.
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The traits that helped make Liam Doyle a member of the Cardinals
Kiley McDaniel explains the traits that helped make Liam Doyle the fifth overall pick by the Cardinals.
Why the Cardinals took him here: Doyle’s fastball could play in the majors right now, and the Cardinals have long been in need of some hard-throwing additions to their system. The question here is if the rest of Doyle’s arsenal and delivery can be strong enough to keep him in the rotation. Best case, St. Louis just added a strong part of its rotation for years to come — but a potential closer or top setup option isn’t a bad fallback plan either. — Mullen
MLB player comp: Spencer Strider, if he was left-handed but had real questions about his command/stamina/delivery
6. Pittsburgh Pirates: Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona HS (Calif.)
Draft ranking: No. 4
Who is Hernandez? No high school right-hander has ever gone first overall, but Hernandez put himself in that discussion as the clear top prep arm in the draft. With a projectable 6-4 frame, he followed up a strong summer in 2024 with a dominant high school season, touching triple digits but also showcasing a plus-plus changeup and an above-average 12-to-6 curveball with a high spin rate. He was athletic enough to play the field when he didn’t pitch, which might help him overcome the risky history of first-round high school pitchers.
Why the Pirates took him here: The Pirates have Paul Skenes in the majors and Bubba Chandler, perhaps the top pitching prospect in the minors, in Triple-A, and now they’ve added Hernandez, who might have the most upside of any pitcher in the draft, with a fastball up to 100 mph and plus-plus changeup. He’s a good athlete (he was a second-round prospect as a hitter), which is another plus. The only negative is the scary history of first-round pitching prospects, but Hernandez might be the best prep right-handed prospect in a decade. — Schoenfield
MLB player comp: Zac Gallen with more stuff or Devin Williams as a starter
7. Miami Marlins: Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State
Draft ranking: No. 9
Who is Arquette? The latest in the Oregon State pipeline that has produced first-round picks Nick Madrigal, Trevor Larnach, Adley Rutschman, Cooper Hjerpe and Travis Bazzana since 2018, Arquette is a Honolulu native who transferred from Washington and hit .354 with 19 home runs for the Beavers. Viewed as the best college position player, Arquette is 6-foot-5, leading many scouts to think he’ll eventually move to third base even though he’s agile enough for now to get a shot at shortstop.
Why the Marlins took him here: It’s no secret that the Marlins are in need of some offensive thump throughout their system. In Arquette, they get one of the top hitters in college baseball and a prospect who should be able to supply some power while climbing quickly to the majors. It’s hard to picture the 6-5, 220-pound Oregon State star sticking at shortstop for the long term, but he should have a home somewhere in Miami’s infield. — Mullen
MLB player comp: Somewhere on the Willy Adames to Isaac Paredes spectrum
8. Toronto Blue Jays: JoJo Parker, SS, Purvis HS (Miss.)
Draft ranking: No. 7
Who is Parker? Viewed as one of the most polished prep hitters in the draft, Parker was the Gatorade Mississippi Player of the Year (his twin brother, Jacob, is also a top prospect) and follows Konnor Griffin, taken ninth last year by the Pirates, as a Mississippi high schooler to go high in the draft. A left-handed batter, Parker has great hand-eye coordination and rarely swings and misses at anything in the zone. He has 20-homer potential, although he’ll be tested to stick at shortstop long term.
Why the Blue Jays took him here: One of the many prep shortstops in a deep group, Parker’s carrying tools are an outstanding bat to go with outstanding makeup. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him end up as the best hitter from this draft. With Bo Bichette potentially leaving as a free agent, the Blue Jays could use a shortstop of the future, and Parker’s bat could allow him to move quickly through the minors. — Schoenfield
MLB player comp: Less athletic Gunnar Henderson or Rafael Devers with less mass/power?
9. Cincinnati Reds: Steele Hall, SS, Hewitt-Trussville HS (Ala.)
Draft ranking: No. 13
Who is Hall? A plus-plus runner with grade 70 or 80 speed, Hall is the first Alabama prep shortstop drafted in the first round since Condredge Holloway went fourth overall in 1971 (Holloway didn’t sign and became the first Black QB in the SEC at Tennessee). Hall reclassified to the Class of 2025 and doesn’t turn 18 until later in July. He should be a lock to stay at shortstop with his range and arm and already shows average power and ability to lift the ball.
Why the Reds took him here: Great baseball name. Like Eli Willits, Hall reclassified into this draft class and is one of the youngest players who will be selected this year. Draft models love that, but that’s not the only reason to be high on Steele. He’s a strong athlete and runner who should stick at shortstop long term. The big question, though, is if his free-swinging style will work at the next level. — Mullen
MLB player comp: Trea Turner with a dash of Jett Williams and a dusting of Anthony Volpe
10. Chicago White Sox: Billy Carlson, SS, Corona HS (Calif.)
Draft ranking: No. 8
Who is Carlson? Seth Hernandez’s high school teammate, Carlson is how you draw up a prep shortstop: above-average-to-plus bat speed and raw power, an 80-grade arm (up to 97 mph as a pitcher), range in the field and game performance. He’s still growing into his power and will have to overcome some concerns about his hit tool, but the defense should give him a high floor and there’s five-tool potential here.
Why the White Sox took him here: As expected, we’re now getting the run of prep shortstops. Carlson’s calling card is his defense, featuring a Masyn Wynn-type cannon. He also has the range to stick at shortstop and impressive raw power. If the hit tool comes around, the upside is huge, and he fits in nicely in a White Sox system that is finally showing some long-term potential solutions on offense — obviously a huge need at the big league level. — Schoenfield
MLB player comp: Bobby Witt Jr., but one tier lower in tools, and with questions if the ultimate offensive upside matches those tools (Jeremy Pena feels a bit closer)
11. Athletics: Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State
Draft ranking: No. 5
Who is Arnold? Arnold ranked third in Division I in strikeouts as a sophomore in 2024, behind only top-five picks Chase Burns and Hagen Smith, but pitched fewer innings in 2025 and saw his strikeout rate and strikeout-to-walk rate drop a bit. Still, he’s viewed as a high-probability pick, with a fastball that sits in the 93 mph range from a low, easy delivery that he can pump up to 97, with a sweeping slider and feel for a plus changeup.
1:05
The traits that helped make Jamie Arnold a member of the Athletics
Kiley McDaniel explains the traits that helped Jamie Arnold get drafted by the Athletics.
Why the Athletics took him here: Entering the season, Arnold was in the conversation to be the No. 1 pick, so getting him here has to make the A’s happy. The Florida State left-hander is probably the second-safest pitcher in this draft, behind Kade Anderson, because of his polish and secondary stuff. Arnold’s fastball is a class below some other recent top pitching prospects though, and that could limit him to be more of a mid-rotation starter than a future ace. — Mullen
MLB player comp: A bit of Chris Sale and a bit of Nick Lodolo, if Arnold’s command progresses
12. Texas Rangers: Gavin Fien, 3B, Great Oak HS (Calif.)
Draft ranking: No. 12
Who is Fien? Fien was one of the top prep hitters on the summer showcase circuit in 2024, but the 6-3 right-handed hitter struggled at times this spring during his regular high school season, not producing the same hard contact as consistently even though he was facing weaker competition. At his best, he has shown plus raw power with excellent bat speed and in-zone contact rates. He profiles well at third base with a strong arm.
Why the Rangers took him here: The Rangers have struggled to score runs the past two seasons following their World Series title in 2023, so it’s probably not a surprise they would draft a hitter with one of the best hit/power combos in the draft. Fien should be able to stick at third base with a strong arm, but his bat is what will get him to the majors. — Schoenfield
MLB player comp: Austin Riley with a bit of Josh Jung mixed in
Draft ranking: No. 20
Who is Kilen? After transferring from Louisville for his junior season, Kilen was one of the best players in the SEC, hitting .357 with 15 home runs. After walking just seven times as a sophomore, he toned down his aggressiveness with the Vols and showed better swing decisions, drawing 30 walks against just 27 strikeouts. He projects as contact over power although showed some high-end exit velocity results on occasion. He played both infield positions for the Vols, although his fringy arm probably pushes him to second base in the pros.
Why the Giants took him here: Not to be confused with Gavin Fien, taken one pick earlier, Gavin Kilen is one of the safest bats in this draft — and the Giants take him a year after they selected James Tibbs III, one of the safest bats in the 2024 draft, at No. 13. Kilen’s power took a big step forward at Tennessee this year after he transferred from Louisville, making him arguably the most productive hitter in one of the SEC’s best lineups. Despite that production this season, Kilen’s power is more likely to show up as average than plus in the majors, but his hit tool figures to play at any level. — Mullen
MLB player comp: In the Brice Turang area as maybe a shortstop, but probably second base with a solid lefty stick (but not huge tools)
14. Tampa Bay Rays: Daniel Pierce, SS, Mill Creek HS (Ga.)
Draft ranking: No. 19
Who is Pierce? Yet another prep infielder who looks like a lock to stick at shortstop, Pierce played for his dad’s high school team in Georgia, with plus speed and a plus arm his strongest attributes. Scouts love his makeup, and he has produced against quality pitching on the showcase circuit and could add power to his right-handed swing as he gets stronger.
Why the Rays took him here: The Rays love drafting athletic middle infielders — think of Carson Williams in the first round in 2021 and Theo Gillen in 2024 — even if that player has to eventually move to the outfield (as was the case with Gillen). Pierce is a good bet to stay at shortstop and, as a coach’s son, brings all those intangibles you would expect. He’ll need to get stronger and add more power, but the Rays don’t historically rush their prospects, so Pierce will have time to develop. — Schoenfield
MLB player comp: Jeremy Pena, if it all clicks
15. Boston Red Sox: Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma
Draft ranking: No. 10
Who is Witherspoon? The hard-throwing right-hander began his college career at a Florida junior college before playing two years for the Sooners, going 10-4 with a 2.65 ERA and 124 strikeouts in 95 innings this spring. He tops out at 99 mph and improved his walk rate from 4.5 per innings as a sophomore to 2.2. He throws both a slider and cutter and flashes a changeup and curveball as well. His twin brother, Malachi, also pitched for the Sooners and is also a prospect, although he projects as a fastball/slider reliever, whereas Kyson has the pitches and delivery to start.
Why the Red Sox took him here: While the Red Sox have been pumping out hitting prospects in recent years, pitching coming through the farm system hasn’t exactly been a strength of theirs. Witherspoon has a chance to change that if everything clicks. He has power stuff and strong athleticism with the potential to be a legit swing-and-miss starter at the big league level. He isn’t quite as safe a bet as the trio of college left-handers who went above him tonight, but some scouts believe the right-handed Witherspoon is on the verge of a breakout as the Red Sox land him here. — Mullen
MLB player comp: Delivery and arsenal are shades of Dylan Cease, but command isn’t there yet
16. Minnesota Twins: Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest
Draft ranking: No. 22
Who is Houston? Wake Forest continues to pump out the first-rounders, with Houston following last year’s first-round trio of Chase Burns, Nick Kurtz and Seaver King, who all went in the top 10. In 2023, it was Rhett Lowder and Brock Wilken. A gifted defender, Houston might be the best defensive shortstop in the draft. While he hit .354 with 15 home runs for the Demon Deacons, 11 of those home runs came at home in Wake Forest’s hitter-friendly park. If there is some power here, Houston can develop into a starter; otherwise, he projects as a high-floor utility player.
Why the Twins took him here: A surefire shortstop, Houston might be the best collegiate defender in this draft and is right up there with Billy Carlson as the best overall defensive shortstop. That puts Houston in line as a potential long-term replacement for Carlos Correa, who is signed through 2028 (with some potential vesting options after that). The Twins do have Brooks Lee, their first-round pick from 2022, in the majors, but the jury remains out on both his bat and his glove. Houston will have to develop some power, but his glove alone should get him to the majors as at least a utility guy. — Schoenfield
MLB player comp: Masyn Winn, if the offense continues to improve
17. Chicago Cubs: Ethan Conrad, RF, Wake Forest
Draft ranking: No. 30
Who is Conrad? Yet another Wake Forest transfer, Conrad played two seasons for Marist before landing at Wake, lighting up the scoreboard early on, when he hit .372 with seven home runs in 21 games before shoulder surgery ended his season early. A 6-4 lefty swinger, Conrad has the tools for both above-average hit and above-average power, although there is some concern about his aggressive approach. Although his numbers came before Wake’s tougher ACC schedule, he did perform well in the Cape Cod League in the summer of 2024.
Why the Cubs took him here: If not for the shoulder injury he suffered in early April, there’s a chance Conrad would not have been here for Chicago to take. He was one of the best performers in the ACC after coming over from Marist with a compact swing and gap-to-gap approach that should translate well to the pros. Conrad probably won’t be a star, but he has a chance to be a player who both hits for a solid average and supplies some power for the Cubs. — Mullen
18. Arizona Diamondbacks: Kayson Cunningham, SS, Johnson HS (Texas)
Draft ranking: No. 25
Who is Cunningham? Viewed as perhaps the best pure hitter in the draft, Cunningham has elite barrel control and bat speed with his left-handed swing and rarely swings and misses. Listed at 5-10, he’s shorter than that, and there are some doubts about his ability to remain at shortstop, even though he’s a plus runner. The swing is flat at times and will need to add some loft to reach some power. He’s also 19 on draft day, a red flag under some draft models.
Why the Diamondbacks took him here: No team loves short players as much as the Diamondbacks, who drafted the 5-10 Corbin Carroll in the first round in 2019 and 5-9 Slade Caldwell in the first round last summer. Carroll is a big star and Caldwell is having one of the best seasons of any of the 2024 first-rounders. Cunningham is another sub 6-footer (5-10, to be exact) with an impressive hit tool and the Diamondbacks will hope they got another steal in the middle of the first round. — Schoenfield
MLB player comp: Lefty-hitting Matt McLain, if the power comes
Draft ranking: No. 11
Who is Irish? A three-year performer for the Tigers, Irish hit .350 with 39 home runs in his Auburn career, including .364 with 19 home runs this spring, when his OPS ranked second highest in conference play. He entered the season with concerns about his defense at catcher, and he ended up playing 45 games in the outfield compared to just 12 behind the plate, although he could still project as a backup catcher who plays all over the field.
Why the Orioles took him here: Where will he play as a pro? Good question. But there’s one thing that is certain about Irish: He hit as well, or better, than just about anyone in college baseball this season. He put up huge numbers in the nation’s toughest conference this year and produced against many of the SEC pitchers you’ll see taken in the first few rounds of this draft. Until just about everything went sideways in Baltimore this year, the O’s had a reputation for crushing their early position-player picks — and Irish is exactly the kind of hitter who they have thrived at developing. — Mullen
MLB player comp: Seiya Suzuki in terms of tools/outcomes, but a notch bigger — and he might also be a passable defensive catcher
20. Milwaukee Brewers: Andrew Fischer, 1B/3B, Tennessee
Draft ranking: No. 24
Who is Fischer? Fischer’s vagabond college career saw him go from Duke to Mississippi to Tennessee, where he was one of the sluggers in Division I this spring, hitting .341/.497/.760 with 25 home runs. He cut his strikeout rate down to 14% while ranking fourth in walks behind three small-school players. He delivers plus left-handed power to all fields with good loft. He played first base for the Vols for all but a few games, so his bat will have to be his carrying tool.
MLB player comp: Max Muncy (the Dodgers 3B/1B one)
Upcoming picks
21. Houston Astros
22. Atlanta Braves
23. Kansas City Royals
24. Detroit Tigers
25. San Diego Padres
26. Philadelphia Phillies
27. Cleveland Guardians
Prospect Promotion Incentive picks
28. Kansas City Royals
Compensation picks
29. Arizona Diamondbacks
30. Baltimore Orioles
31. Baltimore Orioles
32. Milwaukee Brewers
Competitive balance round A
33. Boston Red Sox (Acquired from the Brewers in the trade for Quinn Priester.)
34. Detroit Tigers
35. Seattle Mariners
36. Minnesota Twins
37. Baltimore Orioles (Acquired from the Rays in trade for Bryan Baker.)
38. New York Mets
39. New York Yankees
40. Los Angeles Dodgers
41. Los Angeles Dodgers (Acquired from the Reds in the trade for Gavin Lux.)
42. Tampa Bay Rays (Acquired from the Athletics in the trade for Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez.)
43. Miami Marlins
Second round
44. Chicago White Sox
45. Colorado Rockies
46. Miami Marlins
47. Los Angeles Angels
48. Athletics
49. Washington Nationals
50. Pittsburgh Pirates
51. Cincinnati Reds
52. Texas Rangers
53. Tampa Bay Rays
54. Minnesota Twins
55. St. Louis Cardinals
56. Chicago Cubs
57. Seattle Mariners
58. Baltimore Orioles
59. Milwaukee Brewers
60. Atlanta Braves
61. Kansas City Royals
62. Detroit Tigers
63. Philadelphia Phillies
64. Cleveland Guardians
65. Los Angeles Dodgers
Competitive balance round B
66. Cleveland Guardians
67. Tampa Bay Rays (Compensation for unsigned 2024 No. 66 overall pick Tyler Bell.)
68. Milwaukee Brewers (Compensation for unsigned 2024 No. 67 overall pick Chris Levonas.)
69. Baltimore Orioles
70. Cleveland Guardians (Acquired from the D-backs in the trade for Josh Naylor.)
71. Kansas City Royals
72. St. Louis Cardinals
73. Pittsburgh Pirates
74. Colorado Rockies
Compensation picks
75. Boston Red Sox (Compensation for Nick Pivetta. The Padres forfeited their second-round pick for signing Pivetta.)
Third round
77. Colorado Rockies
78. Miami Marlins
79. Los Angeles Angels
80. Washington Nationals
81. Toronto Blue Jays
82. Pittsburgh Pirates
83. Cincinnati Reds
84. Texas Rangers
85. San Francisco Giants
86. Tampa Bay Rays
87. Boston Red Sox
88. Minnesota Twins
89. St. Louis Cardinals
90. Chicago Cubs
91. Seattle Mariners
92. Arizona Diamondbacks
93. Baltimore Orioles
94. Milwaukee Brewers
95. Houston Astros
96. Atlanta Braves
97. Kansas City Royals
98. Detroit Tigers
99. San Diego Padres
100. Philadelphia Phillies
101. Cleveland Guardians
102. New York Mets
103. New York Yankees
104. Los Angeles Dodgers
Compensation picks
105. Los Angeles Angels
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