
Final 2025 MLB draft rankings: Which college ace is No. 1 in our top 250 prospects?
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Kiley McDanielJul 8, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
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- Kiley McDaniel covers MLB prospects, the MLB Draft and more, including trades and free agency.
- Has worked for three MLB teams.
Co-author of Author of ‘Future Value’
It’s 2025 MLB draft week, so it is time to expand my ranking of the top prospects in this year’s draft class to 250 players.
While my mock draft later this week will attempt to predict which teams will draft specific players, this list is based on how good I think the players actually are.
Behind the scenes, I’ve updated my overall minor league top 100 rankings (here’s my recent top 50) to make adjustments and remove the graduated players, so I can tell you roughly where the top players in the draft would slot on that list the moment they sign. I’ve also included Future Value grades (FV) so you can see where those players would slot in your team’s overall prospects rankings (now updated monthly). I’ve also included present and future tool grades for all of the players with a 45-plus FV or better.
This year’s class is highlighted by a group of college left-handed pitchers near the top of the rankings. Which one is No. 1? It’s time to find out.
More draft coverage: Mock draft 2.0 | Big question for all 30 teams
Watch: July 13 at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN
55 FV tier
1. Kade Anderson (21.0), LHP, LSU
Fastball: 50/55, Slider: 55/60, Curveball: 45/50, Changeup: 50/55, Command: 45/55
Where he ranks in an MLB top 100 prospects list: 25
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? His durability doesn’t continue to progress, his stuff and/or command dips below 55-grade and he’s a back-end starter.
Anderson had Tommy John surgery in high school that took him off the trajectory he was on as an underclassman, to be a seven-figure prospect out of high school. He’s eligible as a sophomore because of his age and showed flashes during the 2024 season as a freshman but threw only 38⅓ innings.
Entering this season, he was seen as a speculative comp/second-round prospect because of his lack of history. Then, he struck out 180 hitters this spring as the ace for national champs, not that far behind Paul Skenes’ 209 strikeouts on a similar journey at LSU.
Anderson’s elbow surgery and slighter frame make some evaluators hesitate about his long-term ability to post 180-plus innings as a potential frontline starter. The other hesitation is he has more good, above-average stuff than truly standout plus or better stuff. Max Fried is a name that comes up a lot, as a similarly framed lefty who overcame those questions and has a similar ability to create four or more good, distinct shapes and hit spots with some precision.
Given the track record of ACC/SEC aces taken in the top 10 picks rushing to the big leagues of late, Anderson is seen as a likely quick-mover who might need only slight tweaks — throwing his slider out of the zone more for chases, throwing his curveball a tick or two harder, maybe adding/tweaking his pitch shapes slightly, making a timing tweak or adding muscle to deliver a little more velocity — to reach his potential.
Chase Burns (No. 2 pick last year) was a better draft prospect, but I think Anderson is right there with Hagen Smith (No. 5 last year) as a draft prospect. I’m not worried Anderson will go down the path of other top-10-pick lefty college starters who became MLB relievers (A.J. Puk, Drew Pomeranz, Andrew Miller) because of his feel to execute. Also, his supinator lean (like Fried) gives him more avenues to find new shapes to attack hitters, while his left-handedness and polish give some margin for error.
2. Ethan Holliday (18.3), SS, Stillwater HS (OK), Oklahoma State commit
Hit: 25/45, Game Power: 30/65, Raw Power: 60/70, Speed: 45/40, Fielding: 40/50, Throwing: 55/55
Where he ranks in an MLB top 100 prospects list: 31
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? His hit tool is closer to a 40 (.230ish hitter), and the lower contact rate limits his power upside to around 20 homers.
I’ve taken a journey when it comes to Holliday over the past year, from being lower on him than the industry consensus until the middle of this spring, then eventually coming around to rank him basically where the vast majority has him — as virtually a co-No. 1 in the class with Anderson. I broke down that journey in detail here after I scouted him this spring, and I also wrote a feature about him and fellow prospect Eli Willits in which Holliday explained how he lived that journey that I scouted without me even asking him about it directly.
The short version is Holliday hasn’t performed that well in the summer, when the best pitchers in the class face the best hitters — who hit with wood bats. That period is seen as the best proxy for pro ball, and teams weigh it heavily in their draft models because it is proven to be predictive.
I noticed Holliday didn’t pull a fastball in any of the games charted by Synergy last summer, and his timing with his hands seemed to be to blame. He fixed that this spring but wasn’t facing much pro-level velocity, so it isn’t battle tested, though it looks like he’s now ready to perform at the level of his tools. Teams that are heavily model oriented don’t think Holliday belongs up here because of his weaker summer performance and unproven timing adjustment.
I’m now most of the way to believing he’ll live up to his tools but that he will be something like a .250 hitter with a strong walk rate and 25-30 homers while playing an above-average defensive third base.
There’s still some risk in that projection, so that’s why I give Anderson the slight edge right now. Because there’s a larger-than-normal error bar on my Holliday projection, he could move up significantly on my pro top 100 ranking if he demolishes A-Ball like his brother Jackson did; the potential is there to be the top prospect in this draft class and in all of baseball if it clicks like some expect.
3. Eli Willits (17.6), SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton HS (OK), Oklahoma commit
Hit: 30/60, Game Power: 20/45, Raw Power: 40/50, Speed: 60/55, Fielding: 45/55, Throwing: 55/55
Where he ranks in an MLB top 100 prospects list: 37
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? His athleticism backs up a tick and he’s a 10-15 homer type playing second base.
I’ve written a lot about Willits this spring, from detailing why he’s in the mix at the top of the draft despite medium tools and profiling him and fellow Oklahoman Holliday’s journey to this point — like how Willits moved hay bales on his family’s ranch the day before I spoke to him. The short version is Willits is another in the line of medium-framed, medium-tooled players with excellent performance and skills that the industry tends to overlook.
I pounded the drum about this with Kevin McGonigle and hit a home run on that call; he’s now a top-15 prospect in the game after getting the 31st-highest bonus in the 2023 draft as the 37th pick after I ranked him 21st predraft.
Willits is younger, faster and a better defender than McGonigle at the same point, so there’s even more here. Willits’ upside is becoming one of the better hitters for average and on-base in the majors, with 20/20 potential as a shortstop — still not the face of the sport but one of the top 20 players in the league.
50 FV tier
4. Seth Hernandez (19.0), RHP, Corona HS (CA), Vanderbilt commit
Fastball: 55/60, Slider: 40/50, Curveball: 45/50, Changeup: 60/70, Command: 40/50
Where he ranks in an MLB top 100 prospects list: 43
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? His velocity slips a bit, the fastball and breaking pitches play average at best and he begins to pitch backward, as a streaky back-end starter or two-pitch reliever.
Hernandez could be the rare prep righty to go high in the draft and go wire-to-wire becoming an ace, similar to fellow two-way SoCal standout Hunter Greene, but this player demographic is seen as the riskiest in the draft because the hits are less frequent than you might think while the busts are spectacular and numerous.
Hernandez is also a comp/second-round prospect as a third baseman, similar to Green or Jared Jones (another two-way SoCal standout now finding success in a big league rotation), and has been a fireballer with athleticism and a standout changeup for a while. This spring his curveball and slider both improved from both being below-average pitches, with the curveball the better of the two, to flashing above average at times.
There are theories in pitching development circles that standout position players (check; I detail the long list of examples here), changeup-forward pitchers (check again), and above-average athletes (three for three!) are the three most important markers for developing from where Hernandez is now to making the adjustments necessary to be a big league ace. Others say that fastball shape and breaking ball/spin capacity are keys though and those are the two spots that Hernandez is notably below average.
Some GMs/presidents have told their draft rooms that they will never take a prep righty in the top 10 picks under any circumstances — at least one of those teams is picking in the top 10 this year, and I think there are a few. Hernandez might be the best prep righty prospect in over a decade, or … well, I’d rather be optimistic.
5. Jamie Arnold (21.2), LHP, Florida State
Fastball: 45/55, Cutter: 40/50, Slider: 55/60, Changeup: 50/60, Command: 40/50
Where he ranks in an MLB top 100 prospects list: 51
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? His fastball plays average, he pitches backward, and his command isn’t fine enough to be a No. 2/No. 3 starter, so he’s a solid backend type instead.
I have Arnold and Doyle ranked back-to-back on the pro top 100 because they’re very different versions of a generically similar thing: an accomplished college lefty starter.
Arnold throws from a low slot that gives him a number of advantages and is the type of pitcher some teams love to stockpile in their minor leagues. He has a flatter approach angle that allows him to get a solid plane for his four-seam fastball but also a lower slot that gets more dive on his sinker and changeup along with letting him get around the ball to generate above-average sweep on his slider.
Facing him is an uncomfortable at-bat that became harder this year as his changeup and cutter became bigger parts of his arsenal.
The hesitations are that Arnold’s fastball got hit a little too hard, his cutter is just an OK pitch that he needs to bridge his heater and slider, and he has more control (throwing it over the plate) than command (hitting spots). He could be a No. 2/No. 3 starter with three above-to-plus pitches if it clicks, but there’s still some work to do.
6. Liam Doyle (21.0), LHP, Tennessee
Fastball: 60/65, Cutter: 50/55, Slider: 45/50, Splitter: 45/55, Command: 40/50
Where he ranks in an MLB top 100 prospects list: 52
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? His frame/delivery/approach doesn’t allow him to turn over a lineup, so he pitches 60 to 100 inning per year with some impact in a lesser role.
Doyle was a second-round follow after last season, then burst onto the scene this spring throwing harder and more strikes and showing crisper off-speed stuff. Scouts still hesitate given the effort of his delivery, his heavy fastball usage, the fact that his stuff can fade a bit late in games and his poor performances down the stretch.
That said, his fastball could probably get big league hitters out right now, and he can throw it in the right part of the zone. His cutter and splitter are both above average, so you could argue that the fastball usage and control (throwing it over the plate) over command (hitting spots) can both be fixed almost immediately.
The question then becomes whether his general power approach to pitching and delivery with some effort will hold him back from turning over a lineup and make him a reliever. Doyle might be in the big leagues in the first half of 2026 in shorter stints while he’s looking to answer that question. Some teams like the idea of an immediate return on their pick with a shot for a home run if he then can prove he’s a starter, similar to what former Vols lefty Garrett Crochet did.
7. JoJo Parker (18.8), SS, Purvis HS (MS), Mississippi State commit
Hit: 30/60, Game Power: 30/50, Raw Power: 45/55, Speed: 50/45, Fielding: 40/45, Throwing: 55/55
Where he ranks in an MLB top 100 prospects list: 55
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? He’s a tick worse offensively than expected, say .260 with 15 homers, while playing second/third base.
Parker has steadily climbed from a second- or third-rounder last summer to a late first-rounder early in the spring to now a clear top-10 prospect in the class.
The sales pitch is clear: Many evaluators think he’s a 70-grade hitter with 70-grade makeup, excellent performance and polish, while everything else he does is around average.
Parker is not the biggest, strongest or fastest but could be one of the rare players who is such a good hitter that it floats his whole profile, helping him get to all of his solid-average raw power (roughly 20 homers annually), and then if he ends up at second/third base long term, he’d offer some of the upside of a high school player with some of the certainty of a college player. His twin brother, Jacob, is a seven-figure prospect this year (ranked 99th below), and some teams have shown a willingness to draft them both.
8. Billy Carlson (19.0), SS, Corona HS (CA), Tennessee commit
Hit: 30/50, Game Power: 30/50, Raw Power: 50/55, Speed: 50/50, Fielding: 50/60, Throwing: 80/80
Where he ranks in an MLB top 100 prospects list: 85
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? The offensive adjustments don’t take, and he has to choose hit or power but can’t be average to above average at both, despite the raw tools
Carlson has been one of the top players in the class for years and physically looks like a lesser version of Bobby Witt Jr. because of his bouncy athleticism in all phases. Carlson is in the mid-90s on the mound, has one of the best infield arms I’ve ever seen and projects as a plus defender at shortstop. His batting practice is impressive, with above average-to-plus raw power projection. He has above-average bat speed and, while his run times are inconsistent, he has shown above-average speed at times.
So you might be wondering why he isn’t ranked higher. It’s the accumulation of some smaller quibbles. His swing is too big (his hands get too far away from his body for some scouts to think he can hit pro pitching with those mechanics). Konnor Griffin had a much bigger question about his swing in last year’s draft (could he change his path through the zone?) and has already fixed it, so Carlson’s issue isn’t seen as huge, but teams want certainty in the top 10 picks.
If and when it’s fixed, that will probably undermine his raw power a bit, and some evaluators are wary of projecting him to be average or better as both a hitter and power hitter, thinking he’ll eventually have to choose one as he progresses through the minors.
On top of that is his age, which is a big historical negative factor to the point that many analytically minded teams wouldn’t consider him in this tier. Adding all of these things together is making teams pause enough, but don’t forget Carlson could be above average to plus at almost everything on the field if it all clicks.
9. Aiva Arquette (21.7), SS, Oregon State
Hit: 30/45, Game Power: 30/55, Raw Power: 55/60, Speed: 50/50, Fielding: 40/50, Throwing: 60/60
Where he ranks in an MLB top 100 prospects list: 95
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? He slides over to third base and is a .230 or .240 hitter with a worse-than-average walk rate, which limits his power upside to 18-20 homers per year.
At 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, Arquette still has a chance to stick at shortstop, though it would be more as an acceptable, average defender, and most teams like to have an above-average defender at the position.
The other question on Arquette is tied to his bat-to-ball and pitch selection, which are both average at best, and that makes some sense given his size and big power.
Arquette could be a big league shortstop who hits 25-30 homers, or he could be a third baseman who hits .235 with 18-20 homers. He’s a big leaguer and almost certainly a useful one, but there’s still some uncertainty.
45-plus FV tier
10. Kyson Witherspoon (20.9), RHP, Oklahoma
Fastball: 55/60, Cutter: 50/60, Slider: 45/50, Curveball: 45/50, Changeup: 40/50, Command: 40/50
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? His delivery/arm action doesn’t allow for his command to improve, and his fastball/cutter play more 55-grade than 60-grade, so he’s a back-end starter or reliever.
Witherspoon (along with his brother, Malachi, ranked below) was a bit of a prospect out of high school in Florida but then fell off the radar as his velo slipped down the stretch, and he went to junior college. He reemerged in the past year as he remade his delivery and arm action, causing a spike in stuff and performance.
His shorter arm circle looks like Dylan Cease or Lucas Giolito, while his arsenal is very similar to Gage Wood (ranked below), with a four-seam fastball; hard cutter; and big, power curveball as their primary pitches. I tend to like betting on pitchers with athleticism, a hard-breaking pitch and an upward development trajectory, and Witherspoon fits. Some scouts think he’s on the verge of making a big jump.
11. Ike Irish (21.6), RF, Auburn
Hit: 35/55, Game Power: 35/55, Raw Power: 50/55, Speed: 40/40, Fielding: 40/50, Throwing: 55/55
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? He’s a good-not-great hitter with medium power (.260 with 15-18 homers) who is streaky enough as a corner outfielder to get platooned
Irish entered the spring as an offensive catcher with real questions about his defense and the need for a big spring to prove to scouts that he was the hitter they hoped he’d be. He delivered offensively with some of the best in-conference numbers in the SEC and comes with other indicators that analytical draft models love: long track record in the best conference, left-handed hitter, has a secondary position that’s more valuable and was a real prospect out of high school.
Some teams think he’s a 60-grade hitter (I think that’s a touch aggressive) with 55-grade power and plus makeup who also might be able to catch, at least as a backup who moves around the diamond based on matchups.
He has a lot of interest in the top 10 picks, likely on a deal, and most teams think he lands a few spots higher than I have him ranked. Irish is a classic lower-ceiling/higher-floor pick teams like to make with savings when their targeted players aren’t available, akin to James Tibbs at the 13th pick last year.
12. Gavin Fien (18.2), 3B, Great Oak HS (CA), Texas commit
Hit: 25/55, Game Power: 30/55, Raw Power: 55/60, Speed: 45/45, Fielding: 40/50, Throwing: 55/55
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? His uneven spring is more indicative of his future, and he has a below-average hit tool that limits the power and makes the corner profile tough to fill.
Fien had arguably the best pure hit/power combo on the summer circuit last year and has grown into plus projections for his raw power along with enough defensive ability to stick at third base. I basically had him ranked here entering the spring based on that and have chosen to leave him here despite a rough spring that has confused scouts.
The players couldn’t be more different, but James Wood had a similar situation — good summer, bad spring, but the tools and swing were the same — and scouts had trouble ignoring what they saw in the spring, and now he is an All-Star. Aidan Miller was somewhat similar, and he is now a top-25 prospect in the sport.
That bias is easy to understand when a room full of scouts have only mixed/negative things to say spread over a dozen looks that cost their team 10s of thousands of dollars. Why would they go to games in the spring to just ignore what they saw? I get the benefit of not having seen Fien in person since the summer and thus taking a more 30,000-foot view. That might not be the correct way to evaluate him, but I feel like I’ve read this story before.
13. Steele Hall (17.9), SS, Hewitt-Trussville HS (AL), Tennessee commit
Hit: 25/50, Game Power: 25/50, Raw Power: 40/50, Speed: 70/70, Fielding: 45/55, Throwing: 55/55
If it doesn’t work out, what happened? His contact ability is at the low end of expectations, so he’s more of a utility guy with some speed/defense and tools that he can’t quite get onto the stat sheet
Hall reclassified from the 2026 class last fall, so he’s one of the youngest players who will be picked on Day 1, a huge positive indicator historically speaking. I’ve compared his ability to pack tools into a smaller frame (5-foot-11, maybe shorter) and also lift/pull the ball in games to Anthony Volpe, Jett Williams and Trea Turner.
Hall has shown enough yellow flag swing-and-miss at times over the past year that some teams have him in the back half of the first round; others say he’s a little too aggressive when ahead in the count, and that issue is easily fixable. I’m on the high side.
45 FV tier
14. Brendan Summerhill (21.7), CF, Arizona
15. Wehiwa Aloy (21.4), SS, Arkansas
16. Gage Wood (21.5), RHP, Arkansas
17. Josh Hammond (18.8), SS, Wesleyan Christian HS (NC), Wake Forest commit
18. Tyler Bremner (21.2), RHP, UC Santa Barbara
19. Daniel Pierce (18.9), SS, Mill Creek HS (GA), Georgia commit
20. Gavin Kilen (21.2), SS, Tennessee
21. Jace Laviolette (21.6), CF, Texas A&M
22. Marek Houston (21.2), SS, Wake Forest
23. Caden Bodine (21.6), C, Coastal Carolina
24. Andrew Fischer (21.0), 3B, Tennessee
25. Kayson Cunningham (19.0), SS, Johnson HS (TX), Texas commit
26. Xavier Neyens (18.7), 3B, Mount Vernon HS (WA), Oregon State commit
27. Cam Cannarella (21.8), CF, Clemson
28. Dax Kilby (18.6), SS, Newnan HS (GA), Clemson commit
29. Kruz Schoolcraft (18.2), LHP, Sunset HS (OR), Tennessee commit
30. Ethan Conrad (21.0), RF, Wake Forest
31. Jaden Fauske (18.7), RF, Nazareth Academy HS (IL), LSU commit
32. Aaron Watson (18.5), RHP, Trinity Christian HS (FL), Florida commit
33. Patrick Forbes (20.9), RHP, Louisville
34. Slater de Brun (18.1), CF, Summit HS (OR), Vanderbilt commit
35. Sean Gamble (18.9), 2B, IMG Academy HS (FL), Vanderbilt commit
36. Quentin Young (18.2), 3B, Oaks Christian HS (CA), LSU commit
37. Tate Southisene (18.8), SS, Basic HS (NV), USC commit
Summerhill’s exit velos were 55-grade (something like 20-25 homers annually in pro ball) last spring and summer, then were just above 40-grade (10-15 homers annually) this spring, but there wasn’t a clear injury or mechanical change to explain it. Some teams think he could revert back to that old level of power and will be an average defensive center fielder; that player would rank somewhere around No. 5 to No. 8 on this list if that had happened this spring.
I don’t think Aloy is that far behind Arquette, and they might be a fun duo to track going forward because every team I’ve asked has them ranked this way, but the margins between them as players are very small. Aloy’s teammate Wood would rank right with Liam Doyle and Jamie Arnold if he was healthy and posting the whole spring, but he has had shoulder issues in the past, so teams are operating like he is a definite reliever who might start. If those concerns are unfounded, he’ll be a steal.
Hammond is my third pound-the-table player this year behind Willits and Fien. There are some teams picking in the twenties that are very interested, while some have no interest and there’s spottier interest in the teens. He looked like a young Austin Riley last summer as a standout, right-handed two-way talent who wasn’t getting much position-player scouting attention but outperformed others who were. This spring, he slimmed down, got stronger and looked like prime Josh Donaldson, with 65- or 70-grade raw power, a solid shortstop glove and limited range that will likely slide him over to third base. Hammond visually looked like a power-over-hit type with this adjustment, and his spring was just OK (yes, like Fien) but in large part because he faced awful pitching. Hammond was up to 97 this spring, and his teammate Sam Cozart was also regularly in the mid-90s, but Hammond never faced anyone like that this spring. A summer performer who got even toolsier but didn’t give scouts the spring look they wanted, though he’s still the same guy, if not better than he was in the summer.
The biggest risk to end up not signing in this group is Schoolcraft. There are a handful of teams that I think would pay him a bonus in line with slots in the twenties (which I think is the asking price), but there are also a number of teams that aren’t close to that because of concerns about his breaking ball. The Padres and White Sox are his two most rumored landing spots.
There are probably a few high school prospects in this range who will get pushed beyond the top 40 picks, but they should all get bonuses commensurate with the areas where I have them ranked.
I know some people are reading this wondering who is the sleeper with star potential but is ranked lower. Your guy is Quentin Young. He’s a nephew of former big leaguers Dmitri and Delmon, has true 80-grade power potential and can play third base if not shortstop, but he had the worst contact rate of any prospect last summer. You have to believe he’s an outlier who has outlier skills and also can make outlier adjustments. The Padres and Dodgers seem to be all over him, which helps me believe. Neyens is a lefty hitter with 70-grade power and can also play third base, with shades of Joey Gallo.
40-plus FV tier
38. Luke Stevenson (21.0), C, North Carolina
39. Devin Taylor (21.5), LF, Indiana
40. Marcus Phillips (21.0), RHP, Tennessee
41. Riley Quick (21.1), RHP, Alabama
42. J.B. Middleton (21.6), RHP, Southern Miss
43. Mason Neville (21.5), CF, Oregon
44. Matthew Fisher (19.3), RHP, Evansville Memorial HS (IN), Indiana commit
45. Anthony Eyanson (20.8), RHP, LSU
46. Josh Owens (18.5), SS, Providence Academy HS (TN), Georgia Southern commit
47. J.D. Thompson (21.8), LHP, Vanderbilt
48. Zach Root (21.4), LHP, Arkansas
49. Malachi Witherspoon (20.9), RHP, Oklahoma
50. Michael Oliveto (18.4), C, Hauppauge HS (NY), Yale commit
This is a fascinating group of players who should go in the comp to early second round. Phillips has a 20-grade arm action in the opinion of some scouts, while with some command progress he could be a frontline starter with four plus pitches. Quick is a former four-star offensive tackle prospect who could have five plus pitches, but he has already had Tommy John surgery and his command is below average.
Owens and Oliveto were both late risers who are big with plus raw power from the left side and have a shot to play a premium position but also haven’t been high-profile summer performers for years like some others ranked around here. And yes, Malachi is Kyson’s twin brother.
40 FV tier
51. Cooper Flemming (18.9), SS, Aliso Niguel HS (CA), Vanderbilt commit
52. Nick Becker (18.6), SS, Don Bosco HS (NJ), Virginia commit
53. Josiah Hartshorn (18.4), LF, Orange Lutheran HS (CA), Texas A&M commit
54. Kane Kepley (21.3), CF, North Carolina
55. Brock Sell (18.7), CF, Tokay HS (CA), Stanford commit
56. Jordan Yost (18.5), SS, Sickles HS (FL), Florida commit
57. Max Belyeu (21.5), RF, Texas
58. Mitch Voit (20.9), 2B, Michigan
59. Alex Lodise (21.4), SS, Florida State
60. Charles Davalan (21.6), LF, Arkansas
61. Jack Bauer (18.5), LHP, Lincoln Way East HS (IL), Mississippi State commit
62. Jake Cook (22.0), CF, Southern Miss
63. Brandon Compton (21.7), LF, Arizona State
64. Ryan Mitchell (18.5), SS, Houston HS (TN), Georgia Tech commit
65. Taitn Gray (17.8), C, Grimes Community HS (IA), Oregon commit
66. Angel Cervantes (17.8), RHP, Warren HS (CA), UCLA commit
67. A.J. Russell (21.0), RHP, Tennessee
68. Chase Shores (21.0), RHP, LSU
69. Coy James (18.3), SS, Davie County HS (NC), Ole Miss commit
70. Alec Blair (18.7), CF, De La Salle HS (CA), Oklahoma commit
71. Mason Pike (18.9), RHP, Puyallup HS (WA), Oregon State commit
72. Cam Appenzeller (18.5), LHP, Glenwood HS (IL), Tennessee commit
73. Briggs McKenzie (18.8), LHP, Corinth Holders HS (NC), LSU commit
74. Dean Moss (19.1), CF, IMG Academy HS (FL), LSU commit
75. Ethan Petry (21.0), 1B, South Carolina
76. Landon Harmon (18.8), RHP, East Union HS (MS), Mississippi State commit
77. Easton Carmichael (21.7), C, Oklahoma
78. Dean Curley (21.1), 3B, Tennessee
79. Lucas Franco (18.1), SS, Cinco Ranch HS (TX), TCU commit
80. Aiden Stillman (18.6), LHP, Trinity Prep HS (FL), Vanderbilt commit
81. Jayden Stroman (18.1), RHP, Patchogue-Medford HS (NY), Duke commit
82. Cade Obermueller (22.0), LHP, Iowa
83. Kyle Lodise (21.8), SS, Georgia Tech
84. Daniel Dickinson (21.5), 2B, LSU
85. Miguel Sime Jr. (18.1), RHP, Poly Prep Country Day HS (NY), LSU commit
86. Gavin Turley (21.7), LF, Oregon State
87. Joseph Dzierwa (21.1), LHP, Michigan State
88. Korbyn Dickerson (21.7), CF, Indiana
89. James Ellwanger (21.0), RHP, Dallas Baptist
90. Cade Crossland (21.4), LHP, Oklahoma
91. Brian Curley (22.0), RHP, Georgia
92. Gustavo Melendez (17.8), SS, Colegio La Merced HS (PR), Wake Forest commit
93. Michael Lombardi (21.9), RHP, Tulane
94. Sam Horn (21.8), RHP, Missouri
95. Kaleb Wing (18.5), RHP, Scotts Valley HS (CA), Loyola Marymount commit
96. J.T. Quinn (21.1), RHP, Georgia
97. Aidan West (18.1), SS, Long Reach HS (MD), North Carolina State commit
98. Johnny Slawinski (18.3), LHP, Johnson City HS (TX), Texas A&M commit
99. Jacob Parker (18.8), CF, Purvis HS (MS), Mississippi State commit
100. Henry Godbout (21.7), 2B, Virginia
101. R.J. Austin (21.6), CF, Vanderbilt
102. Max Williams (20.9), RF, Florida State
103. Micah Bucknam (21.9), RHP, Dallas Baptist
104. Henry Ford (21.0), LF, Virginia*
105. Drew Faurot (21.7), 2B, Florida State
106. Cam Leiter (21.4), RHP, Florida State
107. Talon Haley (19.5), LHP, Lewisburg HS (MS), Vanderbilt commit
108. Marcos Paz (18.7), RHP, Hebron HS (TX), LSU commit
109. Frank Cairone (17.8), LHP, Delsea Regional HS (NJ), Coastal Carolina commit
110. Parker Rhodes (18.8), RHP, Greenfield Central HS (IN), Mississippi State commit
111. Tanner Franklin (21.0), RHP, Tennessee
112. James Quinn-Irons (22.0), CF, George Mason
113. Mason Ligenza (18.4), CF, Tamaqua Area HS (PA), Pitt commit
114. Will Rhine (18.1), SS, John Carroll HS (MD), Alabama commit
115. Brady Ebel (17.9), 3B, Corona HS (CA), LSU commit
116. Ethan Hedges (21.2), 3B, USC
117. Tim Piasentin (18.3), 3B, Foothills Composite HS (CAN), Miami commit
118. C.J. Gray (18.4), RHP, A.L. Brown HS (NC), North Carolina State commit
119. Brayden Jaksa (18.4), C, Irvington HS (CA), Oregon commit
120. Trent Caraway (21.2), 3B, Oregon State
121. Reagan Ricken (18.8), RHP, Great Oak HS (CA), LSU commit
122. Nathan Hall (21.9), CF, South Carolina
123. Brock Ketelsen (18.0), CF, Valley Christian HS (CA), Stanford commit
124. Jase Mitchell (18.8), C, Cape Henlopen HS (DE), Kentucky commit
125. Griffin Enis (18.8), CF, Corinth HS (MS), Duke commit
126. Rory Fox (21.4), RHP, Notre Dame
127. Shane Sdao (21.8), LHP, Texas A&M
128. Jared Spencer (22.0), LHP, Texas
129. Sean Youngerman (21.0), RHP, Oklahoma State
130. Mason Morris (21.9), RHP, Ole Miss
131. Antonio Jimenez (21.1), SS, UCF
132. Ethan Frey (21.3), RF, LSU
133. Murf Gray (21.6), 3B, Fresno State
134. Blaine Bullard (18.9), CF, Klein Cain HS (TX), Texas A&M commit
135. Michael Winter (18.0), RHP, Shawnee Mission East HS (KS), Dartmouth commit
136. Nolan Schubart (21.1), 1B, Oklahoma State
137. Ethan Rogers (18.2), LHP, Lone Jack HS (MO), Wichita State commit
138. Luke Hill (21.3), 3B, Ole Miss
139. Cade Kurland (21.3), 2B, Florida
140. Cooper Underwood (18.5), LHP, Allatoona HS (GA), Georgia Tech commit
141. Ben Jacobs (21.1), LHP, Arizona State
142. Colby Shelton (22.6), SS, Florida
143. Nico Partida (18.7), SS/RHP, Pearland HS (TX), Texas A&M commit
144. Riley Kelly (21.1), RHP, UC Irvine
145. William Patrick (19.0), CF, St. Frederick HS (LA), LSU commit
* signifies the player has committed to another school in the portal.
Some high schoolers known to be very tough signs are Brock Sell, Jayden Stroman, Marco Paz, Reagan Ricken, Brock Ketelsen and Nico Partida. Closer to 50/50 odds to sign are: Nick Becker, Jordan Yost, Jack Bauer, Ryan Mitchell, Alec Blair, Cam Appenzeller, Aiden Stillman, Parker Rhodes and Michael Winter. There are some others with $1 million to $1.5 million bonus demands that I think will be met, but there are always a handful of players with a smaller group of teams on them, and those teams just run out of money before they can pay all of their targets.
On the college side, Henry Ford committed to Tennessee in the portal and Cade Kurland is widely expected to return to Florida. Henry Godbout also has some chance to return to school, but most of the other college players are expected to sign without a hitch.
Jacob Parker is JoJo’s twin brother and, yes, one half of the Parker brothers.
If you read my breakdown here (search for “Mickey Moniak”), I think this draft might have a disproportionate number of stars in the late second round and later, like the 2016 draft, so let’s try to find some prospects with traits that fit historical breakout types.
Some potential quick movers (polished college arms with some traits that suggest shorter stints/relief): A.J. Russell, Chase Shores, Cade Obermueller, Brian Curley and Mason Morris.
Some college relievers or split duty types that teams want to start: Tanner Franklin, J.T. Quinn. Sean Youngerman, Sam Horn and Michael Lombardi.
And some injured pitchers: Jared Spencer (shoulder), Cam Leiter (elbow), Shane Sdao (elbow) and Marcos Paz (just returned from elbow surgery but has thrown only bullpens).
Lastly, let’s jump into some huge upside guys and sleepers to keep an eye on, first with high schoolers.
Prep LHP Jack Bauer hit 103 mph this spring (the hardest high school pitch ever thrown) and has a plus-plus slurve/sweeper, but he also walked a ton of hitters, so some teams aren’t interested at a seven-figure price and some might be willing to take him in the comp/second round for big money. Josiah Hartshorn was a hit-first corner type who grew into big power this spring. Ryan Mitchell offers a lower-tier version of the Eli Willits toolset. Taitn Gray has plus-plus raw power and standout athletic testing, and he might be able to catch but hasn’t faced much high-end pitching.
I didn’t love my look at Coy James this spring, but he’s an infielder with plus power, and I think he’ll go in the comp round. Cam Appenzeller looked like a first-rounder last summer and had a terrible spring but could still emerge in the next few years. Miguel Sime is up to 100 mph, and his offspeed pitches have really progressed this year.
The low-seven-figure prep lefty group — Briggs McKenzie, Aiden Stillman, Johnny Slawinski, Talon Haley, Frank Cairone, Cooper Underwood and Ethan Rogers — is deep and probably has a few standout big leaguers. C.J. Gray is one of the most athletic and loose prospects in the draft and had 20-grade command early this spring but really came on late. I’ll hold my breath, but that isn’t wildly different from Jacob Misiorowski’s early journey.
On the college side, Jake Cook is an 80-grade runner who converted from pitching, can really put the bat on the ball and has lots of second-round interest — sort of like Chandler Simpson did a few years ago. James Ellwanger improved the mediocre shape of his fastball late in the season, adding a few inches of vertical movement, and now has late second-round buzz, because he has always been big and physical with mid-90s velocity and multiple swing-and-miss breaking pitches.
Michael Lombardi was my semi-secret reliever-to-starter conversion pick early in the spring, but the industry has come around and there is a chance he also goes in the second round. J.T. Quinn was one player I got on board with later in the spring, but then he shoved as a starter on the Cape and now teams are jumping on board with that idea, too. Cade Crossland wasn’t completely optimized in college and has a shot to be a No. 3 starter with some tweaks. Sam Horn has an above-average sinker/slider combo but a fresh arm because of elbow surgery and playing quarterback at Missouri. Rory Fox is another pitcher with two-way history who showed a starter fit and flashes of above-average stuff, but his stuff tailed off down the stretch.
Shortstop Antonio Jimenez draws extremely varied responses from the industry but should go around the fourth round and could develop into a power-over-hit shortstop with a shot to play a big league role. Ethan Frey came out of nowhere to be one of the best hitters for LSU and has some history catching; he’ll be taken as a DH with a short track record of success but might be more than that.
35-plus FV tier
146. C.J. Hughes (17.8), SS, Junipero Serra HS (CA), UC Santa Barbara commit
147. Landyn Vidourek (21.6), RF, Cincinnati
148. Colin Yeaman (21.2), SS, UC Irvine
149. Davion Hickson (21.8), RHP, Rice*
150. Jacob Morrison (21.9), RHP, Coastal Carolina
151. Ty Harvey (19.0), C, Inspiration Academy HS (FL), Florida State commit
152. Uli Fernsler (17.9), LHP, Novi HS (MI), TCU commit
153. Dean Livingston (18.9), RHP, Hebron Christian HS (GA), Georgia commit
154. Justin Lamkin (21.0), LHP, Texas A&M
155. Mason White (21.8), SS, Arizona
156. Jaiden LoRe (18.4), SS, Corona Del Sol HS (AZ), BYU commit
157. Ethin Bingaman (18.8), RF/RHP, Corona HS (CA), Auburn commit
158. Remo Indomenico (18.0), CF, First Academy HS (FL), Oklahoma State commit
159. Ethan Grim (18.0), RHP, Governor Mifflin HS (PA), Virginia Tech commit
160. Will Hynes (18.0), RHP, Lorne Park HS (CAN), Wake Forest commit
161. Jason Reitz (21.0), RHP, Oregon
162. Trent Grindlinger (19.0), C, Huntington Beach HS (CA), Mississippi State commit
163. Xavier Mitchell (19.0), LHP, Prestonwood Christian HS (TX), Texas commit
164. Cam Maldonado (21.7), CF, Northeastern
165. Caden Hunter (21.8), LHP, USC
166. Matt Barr (19.5), RHP, Niagara County JC (NY), Tennessee commit
167. Adonys Guzman (21.6), C, Arizona
168. Kaeden Kent (21.9), SS, Texas A&M
169. Aaron Walton (21.3), CF, Arizona
170. Ben Abeldt (21.6), LHP, TCU
171. Angel Laya (18.8), RF, Eastlake HS (CA), Oregon commit
172. Ty Peeples (18.8), CF, Franklin County HS (GA), Georgia commit
173. Reid Worley (19.0), RHP, Cherokee HS (GA), Kennesaw State commit
174. Brent Iredale (22), 3B, Arkansas
175. Josh Flores (18.0), RHP, Lake Central HS (IN), Kentucky commit
176. Brett Crossland (18.9), RHP, Corona Del Sol HS (AZ), Texas commit
177. Sean Episcope (21.4), RHP, Princeton
178. John Stuetzer (18.8), CF, Pope HS (GA), Florida State commit
179. Matt Ferrara (18.0), SS, Toms River East HS (NJ), Pitt commit
180. Chris Arroyo (20.9), 1B, Virginia
181. Tre Phelps (21.0), RF, Georgia
182. Jake Munroe (21.9), 3B, Louisville
183. Gavin Lauridsen (18.6), RHP, Foothill HS (CA), USC commit
184. River Hamilton (18.8), RHP, Barlow HS (OR), LSU commit
185. Brendan Brock (20.9), C, Southwestern Illinois JC, Oklahoma commit
186. Aidan Teel (21.0), CF, Virginia*
187. Jacob McCombs (21.0), CF, UC Irvine
188. Jack Gurevitch (21.4), 1B, San Diego
189. Lorenzo Meola (21.7), SS, Stetson
190. Cameron Millar (18.1), RHP, Alhambra HS (CA), Arizona commit
191. Richie Bonomolo Jr. (21.8), CF, Alabama
192. Jack Lafflam (18.8), RHP, Brophy Prep HS (AZ), Arizona commit
193. Caleb Leys (22.0), LHP, Maine
194. Eli Pitts (18.7), CF, Parkview HS (GA), USF commit
195. Anthony Martinez (21.2), 1B, UC Irvine
196. Cody Bowker (21.7), RHP, Vanderbilt
197. Nick Dumesnil (21.3), CF, Cal Baptist
198. Ethan Moore (18.8), SS, Oak Park & River Forest HS (IL), Tennessee commit
199. Karson Bowen (21.0), C, TCU
200. Conor Essenburg (18.8), RF/LHP, Lincoln-Way West HS (IL), Kentucky commit
201. Michael Salina (21.5), RHP, St. Bonaventure
202. Josh Tate (21.9), CF, Georgia Southern
203. Griffin Hugus (21.4), RHP, Miami
204. Josh Jannicelli (18.2), RHP, Cardinal Newman HS (CA), UC Santa Barbara commit
205. Ryan Wideman (21.7), CF, Western Kentucky*
206. Justin Mitrovich (21.8), RHP, Elon
207. Carson Brumbaugh (18.8), SS, Edmond Santa Fe HS (OK), Arkansas commit
208. Blake Gillespie (21.8), RHP, Charlotte
209. Brooks Bryan (21.0), C, Troy
210. Hudson Barrett (21.5), LHP, UC Santa Barbara
211. Nelson Keljo (21.9), LHP, Oregon State
212. Nick Monistere (21.5), 2B, Southern Miss
213. Joe Ariola (21.5), LHP, Wake Forest
214. Jake Clemente (21.7), RHP, Florida
215. Landon Hodge (18.4), C, Crespi Carmelite HS (CA), LSU commit
216. Linkin Garcia (19.1), SS, A3 Academy HS (FL), Texas Tech commit
217. Evan Hankins (19.2), 1B, Miller School HS (VA), Tennessee commit
218. Riley Nelson (21.6), 1B, Vanderbilt
219. Tucker Biven (21.3), RHP, Louisville
220. Zane Taylor (23.1), RHP, UNC Wilmington
221. Jalin Flores (21.9), SS, Texas
222. Zach Strickland (19.1), RHP, Maranatha HS (CA), UCLA commit
223. Gabe Davis (21.7), RHP, Oklahoma State
224. Pico Kohn (22.9), LHP, Mississippi State
225. Mason Peters (21.6), LHP, Dallas Baptist
226. Peter Mershon (19.2), C, Eastside HS (SC), Mississippi State commit
227. Marcelo Harsch (18.1), RHP, Seton Hall Prep HS (NJ), Wake Forest commit
228. Brody Walls (18.9), RHP, McKinney Boyd HS (TX), Texas commit
229. Nate Snead (21.3), RHP, Tennessee
230. Grady Westphal (18.9), RHP, Blue Valley HS (KS), Texas commit
231. Mason Braun (18.3), LF, Penn HS (IN), LSU commit
232. Trevor Cohen (21.8), CF, Rutgers
233. Landon Beidelschies (21.3), LHP, Arkansas
234. Emilio Barreras (21.7), SS, Grand Canyon
235. Ethan Young (21.5), RHP, East Carolina
236. Ryan Weingartner (21.0), SS, Penn State
237. Dylan Brown (21.0), LHP, Old Dominion
238. Brandon Shannon (18.7), RHP, McHenry West HS (IL), Louisville commit
239. Grayson Boles (18.8), RHP, St. Augustine HS (CA), Texas commit
240. Matt Klein (21.8), C, Louisville
241. Zion Theophilus (19.0), RHP, Moeller HS (OH), LSU commit
242. Grady Lenahan (18.8), CF, Pro5 Academy HS (NC), East Carolina commit
243. Hunter Allen (22.0), RHP, Ashland
244. Cal Scolari (21.2), RHP, San Diego
245. Dixon Williams (21.5), 2B, East Carolina
246. Kolten Smith (21.5), RHP, Georgia
247. Wyatt Vincent (18.9), SS, Nixa HS (MO), Missouri State commit
248. Hunter Elliott (22.9), LHP, Ole Miss
249. Jared Jones (22.0), 1B, LSU
250. Anthony Frobose (17.9), SS, Lakeland HS (NY), Rutgers commit
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Sports
Final 2025 MLB mock draft: Updated picks just hours before Round 1 begins
Published
2 hours agoon
July 13, 2025By
admin
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Kiley McDanielJul 13, 2025, 02:00 PM ET
Close- ESPN MLB Insider
- Kiley McDaniel covers MLB prospects, the MLB Draft and more, including trades and free agency.
- Has worked for three MLB teams.
Co-author of Author of ‘Future Value’
The 2025 MLB draft begins at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN, so it is time for one final update as teams lock in their Day 1 boards.
The drama starts right at the top this year, as the Washington Nationals have a difficult decision to make with the No. 1 pick a week after firing their general manager.
In a year without a slam-dunk top player, Oklahoma high school star Ethan Holliday (yes, the son of former major leaguer Matt) and a group of college left-handers (LSU’s Kade Anderson, Tennessee’s Liam Doyle and Florida State’s Jamie Arnold) rank among the top prospects in the class.
Which direction will the Nationals go — and how will the Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners follow with the No. 2 and No. 3 picks?
Since this is a last-minute update on what teams could do Sunday night, my writeups here are focused on what has changed since the previous edition. You can find a more detailed look at each team’s strategy in my mock draft 3.0. And remember, this is the order in which I think the players will come off the board, while my draft rankings are the order in which I’d pick the players.
Draft tracker: Results, analysis for every Day 1 pick
More coverage: Mock draft 3.0 | Big question for all 30 teams
Watch: Sunday at 6 p.m. on ESPN
1. Washington Nationals
Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU
Rank: 1
There have been a lot of rumors flying around over the past few days about what is happening in the wake of the firing of GM Mike Rizzo.
The industry feeling is that what has changed is 1) Anderson is a little more likely to be the pick mostly because Holliday is now a little less likely to be the pick, and 2) taking a bigger cut is a real option, with Eli Willits the main cut-rate possibility, though Aiva Arquette has also been mentioned.
All but Willits are advised by Scott Boras, and he’ll never tip his hand until he has to; now is not the time yet. Nothing is decided here and price will be a factor. If I turned this in 15 minutes before the draft, the Nats might still not have made the decision, so I’ll stick with what seems most likely, even if I don’t feel great about it. Landon Harmon is a rumored later round, overslot target.
For context, a scouting director for a team picking in the top 10 said I shouldn’t feel confident about anything happening in the top three picks specifically, adding, “I’m hearing there’s wars happening in all of those rooms right now” (as of Friday night). I ran that by another director picking up high: “Yeah, we’re hearing the same thing.”
2. Los Angeles Angels
Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee
Rank: 6
I’m going to stick with Doyle because he makes the most sense for what the Angels have proved they’re looking for in recent drafts: a polished, quick-moving college player who will come at a savings.
I’ve heard at least six players seriously connected to this pick in the past few days: Anderson, Doyle, Arnold, Arquette, Ike Irish and Willits. There are a couple more I’ve been told are under consideration who I’m not taking seriously as options here.
It could be any of these players based on final conversations and bonus pricing info on each player coming in at the last minute. Doyle has a real shot to slide to No. 9 or No. 10 if he doesn’t go here, so he is motivated to give a competitive number.
0:55
Liam Doyle’s MLB draft profile
Kiley McDaniel explains what makes Tennessee’s Liam Doyle one of the top prospects in this year’s MLB draft.
3. Seattle Mariners
Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona HS (CA)
Rank: 4
The hot rumor of the past few days is that Tyler Bremner will be the pick here at big savings, and that holds up to further analysis because, in style, Bremner and Hernandez (long connected to this pick) are pretty similar.
It’s pretty widely known that Anderson is the No. 1 player for Seattle and will be the pick if he gets here, which still has maybe a 20-30% chance of happening.
If Anderson isn’t here, I think the decision comes down to Bremner at the most savings, Irish at a little less savings or Hernandez at the least savings, broadly speaking. Some sources have said Arquette, Arnold and Kyson Witherspoon are also in play here, but they seem like tertiary options.
I think Bremner having more support in the No. 11-15 area that was reflected in the last mock will raise his price a bit to where Hernandez will be the pick, but this one is also wide open at the moment and will come down to a last-minute bonus price check if Anderson isn’t available.
Ethan Holliday, 3B, Stillwater HS (OK)
Rank: 2
There has been some waffling late in the process from sources who think maybe the Rockies wouldn’t pay the overslot price to get Holliday down here — but much of what I hear very late in the process is wrong or intentional misinformation, so I’ll stick with what I’ve been hearing for a literal year.
I think the other options for Colorado if Holliday doesn’t get here are all college pitchers: Anderson, Arnold and Witherspoon, with Willits and Arquette getting some mentions.
1:10
Ethan Holliday’s MLB draft profile
Kiley McDaniel explains what makes Ethan Holliday one of the top prospects in this year’s MLB draft.
Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton HS (OK)
Rank: 3
Willits seems securely in play at the top two picks and possibly at No. 4, so the Cardinals landing him here would be considered a solid outcome. I think Anderson and Holliday are the primary targets for this pick and Willits is next up, with Arnold and Irish as the possible underslot options.
Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State
Rank: 5
It sounds like Hernandez or Willits will be the pick if either is here, so the Pirates are rooting for Seattle to either land Anderson or opt for a cheaper alternative to Hernandez.
Otherwise, JoJo Parker, Arnold, Arquette and Irish are believed to be the four leading options here. Arnold has the most late support, but this one might also come down to money.
I hope you feel sympathy for me having to do this in public when none of these teams know what it will do and won’t for hours.
1:05
Jamie Arnold’s MLB draft profile
Kiley McDaniel explains what makes Florida State’s Jamie Arnold one of the top prospects in this year’s MLB draft.
JoJo Parker, SS, Purvis HS (MS)
Rank: 7
I think this will come down to Parker, Iris, and Billy Carlson — and I think Parker has the edge.
Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State
Rank: 9
I think the Jays will pick Parker if he gets here and will consider Arnold along with Arquette and Irish if they are still available here. This decision seems to come down to Arquette or Irish, with Carlson and Witherspoon also under consideration.
4:15 p.m. ET UPDATE: Ike Irish, RF, Auburn
Rank: 13
I’m getting some late-breaking info that Irish is more of a fit here than Hall, so shuffling a few picks that follow to accommodate for that.
Cincinnati seems to be the floor if Hernandez or Doyle slip, and otherwise the Reds seem to be the ceiling for Hall. Irish, Witherspoon and Carlson are also in the mix.
Billy Carlson, SS, Corona HS (CA)
Rank: 8
Carlson’s range seems to be No. 7 to No. 12 (or maybe No. 14). I think the White Sox really want to land the Parker brothers (JoJo and Jacob) but can’t get JoJo to this pick.
The White Sox have been all over high school hitters all spring, and Carlson gets the nod over Gavin Fien.
Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
Rank: 18
Bremner is picking up steam at this pick, and I think his floor is now Boston’s pick at No. 15. It’s a bit surprising he could go ahead of Witherspoon, but Bremner clearly has been getting interest in the top half of the first round that just hadn’t leaked out to the industry at large until late. I think this will be a college player, likely a pitcher, with Witherspoon and Brendan Summerhill also mentioned here a lot.
4:15 p.m. ET UPDATE: Steele Hall, SS, Hewitt-Trussville HS (AL)
Rank: 13
A few names shuffled around late Sunday, and now one of the Rangers’ top targets will be available. Marek Houston is also in the mix here.
I think Hall and Carlson are the targets here, but neither will make it to the pick, so Cunningham will become the pick, narrowly over Josh Hammond. I was hearing Cunningham would fit more 20-30, and the late chatter is that he has multiple homes in the teens. As with the White Sox, the belief all spring was that the Rangers want a prep hitter here.
4:15 p.m. ET UPDATE: Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma
Rank: 10
In a last-minute update, I shuffled four players and Witherspoon fits here as a solid value.
Irish is in play at most picks starting at No. 2 all the way down to the middle of the first round, but I think his slide would stop here. The Giants have long been tied to Marek Houston and Charles Davalan (a long shot at this pick, but gone by their next one), with Andrew Fischer getting some love as well.
4:15 p.m. ET UPDATE: Kayson Cunningham, SS, Johnson HS (TX)
Rank: 25
I think this pick will come down to Cunningham or Sean Gamble in this situation; Gamble could make it to their next pick.
The Rays are tied to prep position players for later picks and could pull a shocker, as I projected in my previous mock, by taking Jaden Fauske here.
I think Hall, Carlson and Cunningham are the main targets, but none of them is available in this projection. Witherspoon is from Florida and is a great value, while the Rays still have a chance to land Fauske at their next pick.
Gavin Fien, 3B, Great Oak HS (CA)
Rank: 12
I’ll stick with Fien here as one of the steadiest projections all spring. It sounds like Tyler Bremner will be the pick if he gets here, but that’s now looking unlikely.
Gavin Kilen, SS, Tennessee
Rank: 20
Kilen fits the type of prospect the Twins have targeted for a while. I could see Houston, Caden Bodine or Gage Wood being options here, too.
Josh Hammond, SS, Wesleyan Christian HS (NC)
Rank: 17
I think the Cubs are targeting in-game power here, and Hammond makes a lot of sense. They’ve scouted Quentin Young pretty hard this spring as well, but this is too early for that kind of risk. Xavier Neyens, Wehiwa Aloy and Wood all fit, as well.
Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest
Rank: 22
I think Cunningham is the target here, but he isn’t available in this scenario. Hammond and Bodine are also mentioned here and I think Slater de Brun will be the selection at Arizona’s next pick.
Jace LaViolette, CF, Texas A&M
Rank: 21
LaViolette should go in one of the next three picks and fits Baltimore’s style. He won’t get to the Orioles’ next pick, but they may be able to float targets down there with their extra pool muscle, as covered in the previous mock.
Brendan Summerhill, CF, Arizona
Rank: 14
Summerhill has a very unclear and wide range of teams that are interested but could fit here. Daniel Pierce, Houston, Bodine and Coy James are all in the mix for this pick.
Wehiwa Aloy, SS, Arkansas
Rank: 15
I think LaViolette, Neyens, Southisene and Aloy are all in the mix here, along with possible underslot deals for Davalan or de Brun.
Gage Wood, RHP, Arkansas
Rank: 16
It now looks like Bremner won’t get here, but the Braves have been tied to Wood for about a month. Otherwise, the hit-first shortstops like Houston and Pierce are tied here.
Daniel Pierce, SS, Mill Creek HS (GA)
Rank: 19
Hammond seems to be the target, but he doesn’t make it to K.C. in this edition. I think the Royals will take a prep pitcher with one of their high picks, likely either Watson or Fisher, and maybe another later on Day 1. Eyanson and Wood are two college arms being considered.
Coy James, SS, Davie County HS (NC)
Rank: 69
James has a good shot at being a Tiger, and some of Detroit’s primary options go right ahead of this spot in this scenario, so I think this could be a curveball pick to most viewers.
Fauske is another possibility here, along with Kruz Schoolcraft, Pierce, Watson, Dax Kilby (more at their next pick), de Brun (same), Southisene and Fischer.
Anthony Eyanson, RHP, LSU
Rank: 45
There’s lots of late momentum for Eyanson here, which is counter to the history of A.J. Preller’s time making picks for the Padres, so I’m going out on a limb.
Kilby on a cut, Young, Schoolcraft, Alec Blair, Josh Owens and de Brun all seem like high schoolers in the mix here.
Caden Bodine, C, Coastal Carolina
Rank: 23
Philly normally takes high-ceiling high school players, but this is too good of a value to pass up. Matthew Fisher, Sean Gamble and Blair are the leading prep targets, and Fischer is also mentioned.
Tate Southisene, SS, Basic HS (NV)
Rank: 37
Kane Kepley on a big cut, Devin Taylor on a smaller one, Kilby and Watson are all options here.
Note: No. 27 is the final pick of the first round of the 2025 MLB draft. You can read mock draft 3.0 for my thinking and potential targets for teams making the comp and second-round picks that follow and see the full draft order here.
28. Kansas City Royals: Aaron Watson, RHP, Trinity Christian HS (FL)
29. Arizona Diamondbacks: Slater de Brun, CF, Summit HS (OR)
30. Baltimore Orioles: Xavier Neyens, 3B, Mount Vernon HS (WA)
31. Baltimore Orioles: Andrew Fischer, 3B, Tennessee
32. Milwaukee Brewers: Charles Davalan, LF, Arkansas
33. Boston Red Sox: Marcus Phillips, RHP, Tennessee
34. Detroit Tigers: Jaden Fauske, RF, Nazareth Academy HS (IL)
35. Seattle Mariners: Zach Root, LHP, Arkansas
36. Minnesota Twins: Devin Taylor, LF, Indiana
37. Baltimore Orioles: Jordan Yost, SS, Sickles HS (FL)
38. New York Mets: Patrick Forbes, RHP, Louisville
39. New York Yankees: Dax Kilby, SS, Newnan HS (GA)
40: Los Angeles Dodgers: Quentin Young, 3B, Oaks Christian HS (CA)
41. Los Angeles Dodgers: Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP, Sunset HS (OR)
42. Tampa Bay Rays: Sean Gamble, 2B, IMG Academy HS (FL)
43. Miami Marlins: Alec Blair, CF, De La Salle HS (CA)
44. Chicago White Sox: Ethan Conrad, RF, Wake Forest
45. Colorado Rockies: Cam Cannarella, CF, Clemson
46. Miami Marlins: Josh Owens, SS, Providence Academy HS (TN)
47. Los Angeles Angels: J.D. Thompson, LHP, Vanderbilt
48. Athletics: J.B. Middleton, RHP, Southern Miss
49. Washington Nationals: Max Belyeu, RF, Texas
50. Pittsburgh Pirates: Luke Stevenson, C, North Carolina
51. Cincinnati Reds: Taitn Gray, C, Grimes Community HS (IA)
52. Texas Rangers: Michael Oliveto, C, Hauppauge HS (NY)
53. Tampa Bay Rays: Dean Moss, CF, IMG Academy HS (FL)
54. Minnesota Twins: Josiah Hartshorn, LF, Orange Lutheran HS (CA)
55. St. Louis Cardinals: Cooper Flemming, SS, Aliso Niguel HS (CA)
56. Chicago Cubs: Alex Lodise, SS, Florida State
57. Seattle Mariners: Malachi Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma
58. Baltimore Orioles: Mason Neville, CF, Oregon
59. Milwaukee Brewers: Mitch Voit, 2B, Michigan
60. Atlanta Braves: Kane Kepley, CF, North Carolina
61. Kansas City Royals: Riley Quick, RHP, Alabama
62. Detroit Tigers: Dean Curley, 3B, Tennessee
63. Philadelphia Phillies: Matthew Fisher, RHP, Evansville Memorial HS (IN)
64. Cleveland Guardians: A.J. Russell, RHP, Tennessee
65. Los Angeles Dodgers: Chase Shores, RHP, LSU
66. Cleveland Guardians: Cade Obermueller, LHP, Iowa
67. Tampa Bay Rays: Briggs McKenzie, LHP, Corinth Holders HS (NC)
68. Milwaukee Brewers: Daniel Dickinson, 2B, LSU
69. Baltimore Orioles: Brandon Compton, LF, Arizona State
70. Cleveland Guardians: Aiden Stillman, LHP, Trinity Prep HS (FL)
71. Kansas City Royals: Angel Cervantes, RHP, Warren HS (CA)
72. St. Louis Cardinals: Joseph Dzierwa, LHP, Michigan State
73. Pittsburgh Pirates: Ethan Petry, 1B, South Carolina
74. Colorado Rockies: Easton Carmichael, C, Oklahoma
75. Boston Red Sox: Jake Cook, CF, Southern Miss
Sports
2025 MLB Home Run Derby: The field is set! Who is the slugger to beat?
Published
21 hours agoon
July 13, 2025By
admin
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.
Sports
Reds’ Fraley to play through partially torn labrum
Published
22 hours agoon
July 12, 2025By
admin
-
Associated Press
Jul 12, 2025, 02:28 PM ET
CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Reds right fielder Jake Fraley was activated from the 10-day injured list on Saturday.
He had injured his right shoulder while trying to make a diving catch June 23 against the New York Yankees.
An MRI revealed a partially torn labrum that will eventually require surgery. Fraley received a cortisone shot and will try to play through it for the rest of the season.
The Reds were 7-4 in his absence.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand, who hasn’t played since Noelvi Marte returned from the IL on July 4, was optioned to Triple-A Louisville.
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