Picks are being made as the 2025 MLB Draft is officially underway.
MLB Draft analyst Andersen Pickard shares his thoughts on all selections in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft.
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No. 1: Washington Nationals select Eli Willits, SS, Fort Cobb-Broxton (OK)
Switch-hitter, better as LHH. Good bat-to-ball skills. Hits ball hard to all parts of field. Power projects as average at best. Potential for more BB than K. Rangy defender. Good glove, arm, instincts. Will stick at SS. Oklahoma commit.
No. 2: Los Angeles Angels select Tyler Bremner, RHP, UC Santa Barbara
Great control. Rarely allows loud contact. Impressive FB with ride (94-97, T98). Relies heavily on terrific CH with extreme run. Has SL with short cut as average tertiary pitch, but it lacks control. Upside starter who misses bats.
No. 3: Seattle Mariners select Kade Anderson, LHP, LSU
CWS standout. FB w/ ride (92-95, T97). Low-spin CH emerged as best secondary pitch. High-spin SL & CB also effective. All 4 pitches average or above. High-floor, high-ceiling starter w/ projectability remaining at 6-foot-2. Pro ready.
No. 4: Colorado Rockies select Ethan Holliday, SS, Stillwater (OK)
Smooth, fast LH swing. Plus power potential. Some whiff concerns in-zone. High IQ hitter who won’t chase out of zone often. Draws walks. Impressive glove, strong arm. Range concerns could shift to 3B in pros. OKST commit.
No. 5: St. Louis Cardinals select Liam Doyle, LHP, Tennessee
Electric competitor, flamethrower. FB (94-98, T100) w/ ride, gets whiff when elevated. High K rate in NCAA. SL, CT, SP all solid secondary pitches. Good command. Could shift to bullpen at MLB level.
No. 6: Pittsburgh Pirates select Seth Hernandez, RHP, Corona (CA)
My top-ranked draft prospect. Attacks zone, great command, gets results on outer half. Mid-90s FB, tops at 99. Advanced repertoire led by CH w/ great armside run + tunneling effect. SL gets chase. Ace upside. Vandy commit.
No. 7: Miami Marlins select Aiva Arquette, SS, Oregon State
Talented athlete, CCBL and OSU standout. Good bat speed & raw power. Pull-heavy on ground but peppers all parts of the outfield. Strong arm, decent range. Will get chance to stick at SS, with 2B as fall-back option.
No. 8: Toronto Blue Jays select JoJo Parker, SS, Purvis (MS)
LHH w/ reverse splits. Good discipline. Hits to all parts of field. Consistent, solid contact. As exit velos trend up, optimism he’ll grow into more power. Average defense w/ ability to play SS, 3B, 2B. Mississippi State commit.
No. 9: Cincinnati Reds select Steele Hall, SS, Hewitt-Trussville (AL)
17 yr old RHH w/ top-tier speed. Room for growth at plate. Gets pull-happy in game. Must improve swing decisions. Subpar power. Great range, good glove. Should stick at SS long-term. Glove-first, but bat has upside. Tennessee commit.
No. 10: Chicago White Sox select Billy Carlson, SS, Corona (CA)
No. 11: Athletics select Jamie Arnold, LHP, Florida State
Lower slot, ~56” rel height. Consistent results in NCAA. Heavy SL (sweeper) usage at 42%, may struggle to find zone but can still induce chase. SN & FB, both distinct, top at 98. Has feel for low-spin CH (1100rpm). Effective starter.
No. 12: Texas Rangers select Gavin Fien, SS, Great Oak (CA)
RHH w/ consistent splits vs. all pitching. Great bat speed, contact skills. Produces line drives, tendency to pull. Plenty to like about the bat. Lacks power. Plus defense, average speed. Could move to 3B. Intriguing upside. Texas commit.
No. 13: San Francisco Giants select Gavin Kilen, SS, Tennessee
Terrific hit tool. LHH w/ plus power, should translate to next level. Uses all parts of field. Tendency to chase below zone. Usually results in weak contact rather than whiff. Average defense. Likely a bat-first 2B at next level.
No. 14: Tampa Bay Rays select Daniel Pierce, SS, Mill Creek (GA)
Draft board riser. RHH w/ good bat-to-ball skills & swing decisions. Hits to all parts of field. Not a major power threat, but room for growth. Great arm. Rangy w/ chance to stick at SS. Could move to 3B if needed. Georgia commit.
No. 15: Boston Red Sox select Kyson Witherspoon, RHP, Oklahoma
FB (95-97, T99) can miss bats when elevated armside, gets weak contact down in zone. Occasional command problems can result in either walks or loud contact. SL/CT gets whiff. CB has major drop. CH still developing.
No. 16: Minnesota Twins select Marek Houston, SS, Wake Forest
RHH does major damage on outer portion of plate. Tendency to chase FB above zone. Hits to all parts of field. May develop into more power. Speedy athlete, great baserunner. Can play all over with strong chance to stick at SS.
No. 17: Chicago Cubs select Ethan Conrad, OF, Wake Forest
One of my top draft sleepers. LHH w/ great discipline. Understands zone. Not a major whiff/chase threat. Plus power potential. Uses all parts of field. Average defender. Likely corner OF at next level. Can play 1B as backup plan.
No. 18: Arizona Diamondbacks select Kayson Cunningham, SS, Johnson City (TX)
Advanced LHH w/ good bat control & swing decisions. Uses all parts of field. Not a big HR threat, but has enough bat speed & power to produce XBH. Plus speed. Could stick at SS, but move to 2B seems more likely. Texas commit.
No. 19: Baltimore Orioles select Ike Irish, OF, Auburn
LHH does damage on upper half of plate. Great swing decisions and bat speed. Plus power at next level. Hits to all parts of field. Average receiver behind plate. 1.92 pop time. Fewer reps at catcher in 2025. Likely RF in pros.
No. 20: Milwaukee Brewers select Andrew Fischer, 1B, Tennessee
No analysis yet.
No. 21: Houston Astros select Xavier Neyens, SS, Mount Vernon (WA)
Strong LHH w/ big frame at 6-foot-4. Plus power. Inconsistent hit tool. Whiff concerns. Handling next tier of velo will be an adjustment. Good defender, great arm. Hit 94 mph on mound. Will play 3B at next level. Oregon St commit.
No. 22: Atlanta Braves select Tate Southisene, SS, Basic (NV)
No analysis yet.
No. 23: Kansas City Royals select Sean Gamble, OF, IMG Academy (FL)
LHH from IMG Academy. Consistently hits to all parts of field. Good plate discipline. Line drive hitter, XBH threat. Will add power & hit more HR. Runs well. Solid glove. Should play CF, but has 2B as fall-back option. Vanderbilt commit.
No. 24: Detroit Tigers select Jordan Yost, SS, Sickles (FL)
No analysis yet.
No. 25: San Diego Padres select Kruz Schoolcraft, LHP, Sunset HS (OR)
No analysis yet.
No. 26: Philadelphia Phillies select Gage Wood, RHP, Oklahoma
CWS standout. Incredible control with 9.9 K/BB ratio. One of the best FB in draft (95-97, T98). FB gets plenty of whiff when elevated at top or above zone. CB top-tier, as well. Solid SL, CH. Susceptible to loud contact/HRs.
No. 27: Cleveland Guardians select Jace LaViolette, OF, Texas A&M
Stock fell in ‘25. Violent yet optimal LH swing leads to pure power. Impressive K and BB rates. Fares significantly better vs RHP. Gritty athlete, battled through injury in playoffs. Strong arm. CF upside, RF floor.
